Generally speaking, 2007 was a mixed year for the Nintendo Wii in terms of game releases. While the system didn't see tons of great games, the good titles that were released were easily some of the best of the year. Super Mario Galaxy takes the crown as one of the best games in recent memory, and titles like Metroid Prime 3 and Twilight Princess easily make owning the system worthwhile. But with Mario under our belt and Metroid Prime finished, what games can we look forward to in 2008?
1. Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Releases: February, 2008
Easily the most anticipated Wii game of 2008, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the successor to Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube. As a fighting game that draws on an entire catalog of video game mascots, the series holds appeal to a wide variety of gamers, even those not traditionally into fighting games. The Smash Bros. series is famous for being accessible to the beginner that simply mashes buttons, and yet still managing to retain enough depth to appeal to the serious gamer. The sad news is that, along with Mario Kart Wii, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one of the few truly big name titles set to hit the Wii in 2008.2. Mario Kart Wii - Releases: March, 2008
As with any game that carries the Mario name, Mario Kart Wii is easy to anticipate. Especially following the success of Super Mario Galaxy, which reaffirmed Mario as one of the heavy hitters in the gaming industry, any game that carries his moniker is likely to make it onto a list of games to look forward to. Yet Mario Kart is unique even amongst Mario titles, since it's a series of games that could easily have earned its fame even if it were completely separated from the Mario franchise. Since its introduction on the Super Nintendo, Mario Kart has proven to be one of the most accessible and enduringly enjoyable racing games of all time. Even more than Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart promises to be be a must-have for every type of gamer.3. Wii Fit - Releases: June, 2008
More a tool designed to help change your life than an actual game, Wii Fit earns its place on the list because it offers a great deal of potential. The Nintendo Wii has made headlines from the start as a system that forces the player to actually move in order to play, and Wii Fit will be the first game designed specifically to take advantage of this from a fitness perspective. The game will most likely come with a balance board that feeds weight and balance information back to the Wii, which then helps you track your progress and customize your exercise routine. It remains to be seen if Wii Fit is capable of producing a truly significant exercise routine, but that certainly won't keep it off this list at this point.4. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers - Releases: TBA 2008
Final Fantasy has branched a number of times over the years, offering different stories and different gameplay styles between the different games. The Crystal Chronicles branch of the Final Fantasy franchise is one that people either love or hate, and is the only Final Fantasy game to appear on a modern Nintendo system. Whatever your feelings about the approach that Crystal Chronicles takes to the RPG universe, though, there's no denying that any Final Fantasy title is significant and worth paying attention to. Considering that Crystal Chronicles still represents a return of developer Square Enix to Nintendo hardware, there's a lot riding on Crystal Chronicles for the Wii owner that enjoys a good RPG.5. Civilization Revolution - Releases: September, 2008
The Wiimote's ability to serve as a pointer and a mouse on the TV screen hasn't been lost on game designers, and Civilization Revolution is one of the first PC-style titles to take advantage of it. With the precise controls afforded by the Wii, game genres that used to be the exclusive domain of the home computer suddenly become possible. Sid Meier's Civilization is one of the most acclaimed series of games ever created, and is a perfect place to introduce console players to a realm of titles they may never have had the hardware for. Spanning hundreds of years and multiple civilizations, Civilization is about as epic a series as you can find, and its success (or failure) will demonstrate one of the Wii's so-far underutilized potentials.
