GameCube titles such as
Chibi-Robo!,
Mario Power Tennis and
Metroid Prime are also to be re-released for the Wii, according to new information from Nintendo.
The
previously-confirmed Pikmin will be released on December 25th, and now
Chibi-Robo!,
Pikmin 2,
Mario Power Tennis,
Metroid Prime and
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes join the lineup due in 2009.
According to a report from
consumer website IGN, the new "Wii de Asobu Selection," will debut with the critically acclaimed
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat on December 11th in Japan. The game was originally sold and controlled with a pair of bongo controllers, but there has been no suggestion so far that these will also be re-released.
Rumors suggest that the two
Metroid titles will feature an optional control scheme similar to
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, although this has yet to be confirmed by Nintendo. The company has, however, indicated that the announcement at E3 of
a new Pikmin title for the Wii referred to a wholly new sequel and not the re-releases.
So far no third-party titles have been announced among the re-releases, and it is unclear whether Nintendo intends to retain the collection only for first party titles -- or whether it will be treated more in the manner of other budget re-release labels, such as Player’s Choice.
Western release dates and prices are yet to be confirmed but the games are to be sold at a budget price in Japan of ¥3,800 ($36) - ¥2,000 ($19) less than other new Wii titles.
