A massive marketing spend for the European launch, they tell us.
January 27, 2005
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Nintendo | 27th January 2005 - The full Nintendo DS launch software line-up has been unveiled today at an exclusive press conference, and it is looking great! The launch date of March 11 for Nintendo DS will be supported by some of the strongest Publisher launch titles to date, with games from EA, Sega, Ubisoft, Activision, Namco, THQ, Ignition and Vivendi.
Whatever your taste in games, the Nintendo DS has something to offer you, ranging from sports sims, to platform and puzzle games, with plenty of Nintendo DS exclusives to boot. Sega's fantastically innovative Project Rub, the additive game where players have to use the power of touch, voice and even their breath to move their way through the game. This game shows off the unique elements of the DS that make it so exceptional.
There will be a number of chances to get stuck into some serious sporting action on launch day! Tiger Woods PGA Tour from EA will sink a hole in one with golf fans. Racing fans can satisfy their octane craving with Asphalt: Urban GT from Gameloft/ Ubisoft.
Puzzle games are a hugely popular hand-held genre, combining fast paced action with logical problem solving. Namco's Mr. DRILLER: Drill Spirits is making its way onto the Nintendo DS, giving gamers huge block puzzles to solve against the clock. Zoo Keeper from Ignition uses the touch screen to control the game and players can use the Nintendo DS stylus or their finger to tap the screen. Doing so swaps the positions of the animals on the screen to create lines of three or more of the same type. Once this has been achieved, the animals are then "captured", allowing other animals to fall into their place.
If adventure is what you like, this software line-up will not leave you thirsty for more. The latest game in the fantastic Rayman series, Rayman DS from Ubisoft, will join Spider-Man 2 from Activision. If that was not enough to keep gamers busy for months to come the hugely popular The URBZ: Sims in the City from EA, Ping Pals from THQ and Robots from Vivendi will also be available to buy from launch day. Sprung: The Dating Game, from Ubisoft, will also be available from launch in the UK, The Netherlands and Scandinavia.
These games from the top independent Publishers show the broad range of support that Nintendo DS enjoys. In addition to these, the Nintendo DS will launch alongside Super Mario 64 DS, WarioWare Touched!, Pokémon Dash and Polarium, all from Nintendo. Nintendo DS will come with a free software programme called PictoChat, which allows DS owners to write messages and create pictures and send them wirelessly to other DS users nearby. The initial shipment of Nintendo DS for launch will also be bundled with a playable demo version of Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt.
All these create a very exciting launch but that is not all. Great games for Nintendo DS will continue to be released throughout the year with more than 120 games already being developed Nintendo DS, 20 of which are by Nintendo. Forthcoming games include Advance Wars DS (temporary title), Yoshi Touch & Go! (temporary title) and Nintendogs (temporary title) from Nintendo as well as Need for Speed Underground 2 from EA, Star Wars: Revenge of Sith from Activision, and Castlevania from Konami.
The Nintendo DS will launch in the UK on 11 March 2005 at the estimated retail price of around £99. Software will be available at selected retailers at the estimated retail price of around £29 and £19, depending on the specific title.
-Ends-
For further information please contact Simon Watts or Stephanie Moses at the Nintendo press office on 020 7307 3103 or register on the Nintendo Extranet www.nintendo-europe-media.com.
Launch Line-up
Title
Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo)
WarioWare Touched! (Nintendo)
Polarium (Nintendo)
Pokémon Dash (Nintendo)
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR (EA)
The URBZ: Sims in the City (EA)
Spider-Man 2 (Activision)
Project Rub (SEGA)
Mr. DRILLER: Drill Spirits (Namco)
Rayman DS (Ubisoft)
Asphalt Urban GT (Gameloft/Ubisoft)
Sprung: The Dating Game (Gameloft/Ubisoft)
Zoo Keeper (Ignition)
Ping Pals (THQ)
Robots (Vivendi)
About Nintendo:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. of Kyoto, Japan, is the acknowledged worldwide leader in the creation of interactive entertainment. To date, Nintendo has sold more than 1.9 billion video games worldwide, created such industry icons as Mario® and Donkey Kong and launched franchises like The Legend of Zelda® and Pokémon*. Nintendo manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home video game systems, including the Nintendo 64, NINTENDO GAMECUBE, Game Boy Advance and Game Boy - the world's best-selling video game system which has sold over 170 million units. As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in Europe.
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