Punch-Out!! dated, Excitebots announced and 118 more games for the DS & Wii @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on February 26, 2009

News: Nintendo's release calendar for Spring and early Summer. But where's Wii Sports Resort?

While Wii game and console sales went through the roof in 2008, Nintendo has no plans of slowing down in 2009 as they unveiled the full Spring/early Summer release calendar for the Wii (and the DS) today. Nintendo and a variety of third party publishers will release over 120 games between the two systems, including a few that are just being announced now.

Like Excitebots: Trick Racing, which is coming to the Wii on April 20. It is a spiritual successor to the underrated Excite Truck and the classic Excitebike. Little was revealed so far, but like Excite Truck, it will make use of the Wii Wheel and feature a variety of minigames.

Nintendo has also dated Little Mac's return to video gaming as the company confirmed Punch-Out!! will be released on the Wii on May 18.

Actually though, what was most interesting about the release calendar was the absence of a game: Wii Sports Resort. Previously set for the Spring, it seems likely that gamers will have to wait until the Fall to play the followup to the bestselling video game of all time. Although Nintendo did say this calendar was only a partial list, giving them wiggle room to sneak Wii Sports Resort in before the end of the Summer.

But you can see the full release calendar below.

Wii

2K Sports
Major League Baseball 2K9 - March 3
Don King Boxing - March 31

Activision
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - May
Ice Age 3 - June 30
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - June

Aksys Games
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus - May 12

Atari
Ready 2 Rumble Revolution - March 17
Backyard Baseball 10 - March 31

Capcom
MotoGP - Spring

Codemasters
Overlord Dark Legend - Summer

Conspiracy Games
Real Heroes: Firefighter - April

Deep Silver
Professor Heinz Wolff's Gravity - April
Fritz Chess - May

Disney Interactive
Hannah Montana The Movie - April

Electronic Arts
Trivial Pursuit - March
MySims Party - March
EA Sports Active - May 19
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 - June
Boom Blox Bash Party - Spring
MySims Racing - Summer
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Summer
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra - Summer
EA Sports Grand Slam Tennis - Summer

Hudson Entertainment
Help Wanted - Summer

Konami
DanceDanceRevolution Disney Grooves - April 2
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Wheelie Breakers - May 19

LucasArts
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings - Late Spring

Namco Bandai
Klonoa - Q2

Nintendo
New Play Control! Pikmin - March 9
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis - March 9
Excitebots: Trick Racing - April 20
New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat - May 4
Punch-Out!! - May 18

Sega
Virtua Tennis 2009 - May
The Conduit - June
Let's Tap - June

Southpeak Interactive
Roogoo Twisted Towers - April 7
Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball - April 21

Zoo Games
M&M's Beach Party - March 10
Puzzle Kingdoms - March 31
Garfield Gets Real - April 7
Pennzoil's Build-N-Race: Speed Demons - April 14
Jelly Belly Ballistic Beans - April 21
Smiley World Island Challenge - April 28
Garfield's Pet Force - June 9

Nintendo also detailed a few upcoming WiiWare titles:

Bit.Trip Beat, developed by Gaijin Games and published by Aksys Games: Bit.Trip Beat is what you get when you mix classic video gaming with modern gaming sensibilities. What may seem like a simple "paddle" game turns into a psychedelic trip down memory lane which has you hitting "beats" in rhythm to Chiptune style music. While the game can be difficult, if you crank up the tunes and get in the zone, you'll have a great time. Performing perfectly isn't required to experience all the game's content, but the extra challenge will keep score-hunters coming back in search of each level's elusive Perfect score.

Eduardo the Samurai Toaster, developed and published by Semnat Studios LLC: Fight your way through 13 diverse locations on your own or with up to three friends in this frenetic and stylish side-scrolling action game. Play as Eduardo and his fellow toaster buddies as you fire an assortment of pastries at all kinds of dastardly food products. Hop onto laser-mounted scooters and fly across the screen in rocket packs, and learn to cooperate with your teammates or simply annoy each other in an awesomely fun way by throwing each other around the screen. The choice is up to you.

Night Game, developed and published by Nicalis: Exclusively for WiiWare, Night Game (working title) is part action game and part puzzler. It invites players into a beautifully atmospheric world, where they must use real physics to maneuver a mysterious, glowing sphere through vastly different locales. Night Game pushes the boundaries of design with its unique art style, and professionally produced music score. This title is a 2009 Independent Games Festival Seumas McNally Award nominee and from the same developers responsible for Cave Story on Wii.

Swords & Soldiers, developed and published by Ronimo Games: Swords & Soldiers is a side-scrolling real-time strategy game, in which three distinct factions battle for the powers of the gods. The goal is to destroy the enemies' castle on the other end of the level, while protecting your own. This can be done by training powerful units or casting devastating spells. The game will feature a single-player campaign and a competitive split-screen multiplayer mode as well as several other game modes.

Nintendo DS

2K Sports
MLB 2K9 Fantasy All-Stars - March 3
Don King Boxing - March 31

Activision
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - May
Ice Age 3 - June 30
Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits - June
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - June

Aksys Games
Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles: Memories of the Past - May 26
Rockin' Pretty - June 23

Aspyr Media
Treasure World - June

Atari
Backyard Baseball '10 - March 31
My Horse and Me Riding For Gold - March 31

Atlus
TrackMania DS - March 17
Tokyo Beat Down - March 31
The Dark Spire - April 14
Dokapon Journey - April 14
Steal Princess - April 21
101 in 1 Explosive Megamix - April 21
Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier - April 28
Knights in the Nightmare - June 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor - June 23

Capcom
Mega Man Starforce 3: Black Ace - June
Mega Man Starforce 3: Red Joker - June

Codemasters
Overlord Minions - Summer

Deep Silver
Pet Vet: Down Under - March
Professor Heinz Wolff's Gravity - April
Elite Forces: Unit 77 - April
DJ Star - May
Fritz Chess - May
The Humans - May
Horoscope DS - May

Disney Interactive
Hannah Montana The Movie - April

DreamCatcher
Dreamer: Shop Owner - April 21
Dreamer: Babysitter - April 21
Dreamer: Teacher - April 21
Prank'd - May 19

Electronic Arts
Zubo - March 10
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - March 17
MySims Party - March
Scrabble - March
Littlest Pet Shop Spring - March
MySims Racing - Summer
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Summer

Hudson Entertainment
Miami Law - Summer

Koei
Monster Racers - June

Konami
Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times - May 5
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerators World Championship 2009 - May 19

LucasArts
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings - Late Spring

Majesco Entertainment
Puffins: Island Adventure - April 14
Powerbike - April 28
Drama Queens - May
Marker Man Adventures - May
Hot 'n' Cold - May
Dawn of Heroes - June

MumboJumbo
Crazy Chicken Star Karts - March 31
Crazy Chicken Atlantis Quest - April 28
Crazy Chicken The Pharaoh's Treasure - June 2
7 Wonders II - June 30

Nintendo
Rhythm Heaven - April 5
Personal Trainer: Walking - May 25
The Legendary Starfy - June 8

PopCap Games
Peggle Dual Shot - March 3

Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - March 17

Southpeak Interactive
Roogoo Attack - April 7

THQ
Desktop Tower Defense - April 29

Ubisoft
Imagine Makeup Artist - May 5
Imagine Music Fest - May 5
Imagine Boutique Owner - May 26
My Healthy Cooking Coach - June 2
Petz Fashion: Dogz and Catz - June 9
Jake Power Soccer Club - June 16

Valcon Games
History Channel: Great Empires: Rome - March 17

Zoo Games
Yamaha Supercross - March 10
Hands On!: Tangrams - March 24
Puzzle Kingdoms - March 31
Garfield Gets Real - April 7
Jelly Belly Ballistic Beans - April 21
Smiley World Island Challenge - April 28
Garfield's Pet Force - June 9