It’s that time of year. You know, the time when your wallet begs you for mercy? Yes, as the last quarter of 2010 comes, so does the deluge of new releases. But have no fear, WingDamage is here to help you remember which games are coming out for the Nintendo Wii. Let the insanity begin!

Kirby’s Epic Yarn [Hands-On Impressions]

“When I first saw screenshots of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, I wasn’t convinced. However, the second I saw the game in motion I fell in love with the style. Everything is made of yarn and felt and the animations look unbelievably smooth. But yarn isn’t just for show. You can use yarn to whip and grab enemies, scrunch up sections of the level, and more.

The Kirby formula is mixed up as Kirby uses a variety of transformations without having to eat enemies to do it. Drop in/drop out co-op lets you progress through levels with a friend, collecting secret items along the way. My time with the demo at PAX left me eager to get my hands on the adorable platformer.” -Jesse

Disney Epic Mickey

“I remember the days when a Disney franchise game meant you were in for a treat. Remember Duck Tales on the NES? How about Darkwing Duck?

Throw in the fact that Warren Spector, legendary game designer, has been wanting to make a Mickey Mouse game pretty much since video games were a thing (at least according to his Keynote at PAX). This leads me to believe that the pairing of Spector and Disney will make for something truly special.

It isn’t a tie-in game, and they seem to be giving Spector and his team at Junction Point Studios a lot of liberty with the characters and story. If what we’ve seen of the game so far is any indication, we are in for a fun and interesting adventure in the universe of the world’s favorite rodent.” -Jonah

Donkey Kong Country Returns [Hands-On Impressions]

“Everybody wondered what Retro Studios, the developer behind than fantastic Metroid Prime games, would work on next. I don’t think anybody expected it to be the revitalization of Donkey Kong Country.

While Donkey Kong Country Returns definitely looks like a safe sequel, Retro’s adding enough new things to push the series forward, including simultaneous co-op (instead of tag-team), more unique character abilities, and dual layered level design. Having played the game at PAX, I can honestly say I’m really looking forward to grabbing a buddy and making my way through each secret filled level.” -Jesse

NBA Jam [Hands-On Impressions]

“BOOM SHAKALAKA! HE’S ON FIRE! ET CETERA! These are phrases I use to hear quite often in my household (ok, maybe not that last one). With the series coming back, I’ll be reliving those glory days of meeting up with friends for some arcade-style, local multiplayer.

I’ve never been a sports guy, but a few games, such as NBA Jam and NFL Blitz, I’ve spent countless hours having a blast with. This is the type of game that can bring the sports fan and the sports ignorant together with the same level of joy.” -Jesse

Sonic Colors [Hands-On Impressions]

“Sonic Colors was one my most surprising experiences at PAX. I went in expecting another disappointing 3D Sonic game and instead found myself waiting in line a second time to play it again. Levels have branching paths with secrets, power ups are fun and not forced upon you, and there was a nice mix of speed and platforming in the demo I played. While I’m still cautious, this is the first 3D Sonic game I find myself actually looking forward to in a very long time.” -Jesse

Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes [Hands-On Impressions]

“Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes recreates Japanese history in painstakingly realistic detail from the flying cyborgs to the magic powers. While fighting hundreds of soldiers, you and a friend (either online or in split/screen) can juggle an absurd amount of enemies as you take over bases and make your way to the boss. Hack and slash your way through stages with over a dozen characters as you learn about the rich, magic robot infused history of Japan.” -Jesse

James Bond: Goldeneye 007

“While Goldeneye might not hold up as well today as some would like to believe, there’s no question that it blew up the FPS genre on consoles. Who hasn’t played the multiplayer modes to death back in the day?

Rather than up-res the now dated game, this new re-imaging attempts to examine what concepts made the original so enjoyable. Retaining aspects like a ridiculous number of multiplayer modes and modifiers that can be combined, Goldeneye 007 looks to morph a classic into a modern game to bring the best of both worlds. It will be interesting to see if they can pull it off.” -Jesse

DJ Hero 2

“The original DJ Hero was a breath of fresh air in the stagnant rhythm genre. DJ Hero 2 takes things to the next level with new meaningfully scored freestyle sections. Not only will you free style with samples (which now apply more consistently to each song), you’ll also be able to freestyle scratch and freestyle crossfade. Combine this with a more robust multiplayer experience and you have more than a glorified track pack. This is a true sequel that expands on the great fundamentals the original laid down.” -Jesse

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

“The first Star Wars: The Force Unleashed had its issues, but overall I did have a lot of fun with it. The story and characters were interesting, and by the end when you were fully powered up, the force powers kept the battles fun.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II boasts better controls, more force powers, and double lightsabers (so intense). Starkiller is now searching for his lost love as Vader is pursuing him in an attempt to clone the perfect Sith Warrior. It’s all a Star Wars nerd could need to get their heart pumping!

The Wii version also features an exclusive 4-player battle mode.” -Jonah

FlingSmash

“What do you get when you combine Tennis and Pinball? FlingSmash. Using the Wii Motion+ for improved accuracy, FlingSmash has you and a friend flinging your heroes around scrolling stages, smashing everything in your path. As you progress through the game’s 8 worlds, you’ll fight bosses and change forms. I’m not exactly sure what to make of FlingSmash to tell you the truth, but it’s an interesting concept.” -Jesse

Tags: Anticipated games q4 2010, Disney Epic Mickey, DJ Hero 2, Donkey Kong Country Returns, FlingSmash, Goldeneye, Kirby's Epic Yarn, NBA Jam, Nintendo, Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes, Sonic Colors, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, Wii

This entry was posted on Monday, October 4th, 2010 at 5:00 am and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.