The newest Nintendo gaming phenomena hits the streets November 19th. Wii'll help prepare you for those hard decisions. by Vaughn Smith

While the Wii promises to be one of the most unique gaming experiences to ever hit the mainstream, the euphoria that accompanies any new system launch is well documented. It's easy to get caught up in what I call "new system" frenzy. You know what I'm talking about: you buy anything and everything for your brand new toy and wake up the next day with a swollen credit card and a case of buyer's remorse that can only be removed via surgery, while the cashier's words echo in your ears "Sir, are you sure you want two copies of Strawberry Shortcake's Sweet Candy Adventure?" Trust me, I speak from experience.

The Wii launch list is by far the beefiest collection of day one titles Nintendo has EVER offered, so this is going to require some homework on your part. Luckily for you, CCC is here to take the guesswork out of some of it. Without further ado, let's dive head first into one of the most exciting periods in Nintendo's 100 year history. Please note that while most of the games on this list will be available on November 19th in North America, a few will be released just shortly after.

Wii Exclusive Titles

Excite Truck

What They Say: In the grand racing tradition of Excitebike, get ready for a big-air experience like no other! Players rocket their trucks across dynamically changing terrain in this nitrous-injected, high-flying racer for speed junkies. Showing the Wii Remote controller's versatility, players tilt the controller on its side to turn it into a wireless steering wheel!

What We Say: Excite Truck is sure to be a gas, but it's hard to say whether or not this new iteration of an old classic will be "must have" or "cute novelty" between Zelda sessions. We like the idea of steering with the wii-mote since we tend to move all over the place when we race anyway, and the scaled down controls should ensure everyone from your kid brother to grampa will take the wheel for a spin. If Nintendo hadn't already tried to resurrect the Excitebike franchise on the N64 with mixed results, we'd probably be a little more pumped. That being said, perhaps they learned a few lessons along the way. If you're looking for a fast-paced racing title that requires little more than accelerate and steer, Excite Truck could be just the thing your mechanic ordered. As for us, we'll reserve final judgement when Nintendo gives us the keys to this baby on November 19th.

Features:

Body English: Remember tilting your arms while playing Excitebike to try to make your character land a huge jump? That experience is finally a reality with Excite Truck.

Controller as a Steering Wheel: Players hold the Wii Remote like an NES controller to control the truck. The 2 button is the accelerator, the 1 button is the brake, the + Control Pad is the turbo... but that's just the beginning. Tilt the Wii Remote controller right and left like a steering wheel to steer. Once the truck goes airborne, tilt the Wii Remote controller every which way to line up the wheels for landing boosts.

Dynamic Terrain: Pick up items on the courses to make the terrain deform in real time, turning innocent bumps into massive launch pads that affect not only the player's route, but that of his or her rivals. Players jump and bump their way to the highest score and highest finish.

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Far Cry Vengeance

What They Say: As Jack Carver, use the Wii Remote to drive, shoot, slash, jump and climb your way through a rebel-infested tropical hell. The Wii entry in the franchise includes elements from Far Cry Instincts Evolution, in addition to a fresh storyline, new maps, characters and equipment. The gameplay is designed completely around the Wii remote, with gunplay aiming as well as more unique maneuvers such as vehicle steering, balancing on precarious ledges, and throwing grenades.

What We Say: Far Cry might not be the 1000 lb gorilla it was when it debuted on the PC, but this Wii-enhanced version might be just the ticket to get those gamers to part with their cash, who prefer their gaming a little more on the M-rated side of life. For a game that is due out in less than a month, Ubisoft has kept this one extremely close to their chest. Far Cry Vengeance is an entirely new storyline, created exclusively for the Wii and that has us pretty excited about the possibilities, especially when you factor in the unique control scheme. Visually the game looks like it packs a punch and easily rivals that of the Xbox Far Cry port - if not beating it slightly. We're going to say if you're a Jack Carver fan and you've got a Wii reserved for launch, you might want to take a closer look at this one. You should also note that FCV is the only launch title that has received an M (as in mature) rating.

Features:

Wii Unleashed – Dig deeper into the power of the Wii Remote and Nunchuck through survival tactics that include driving, shooting, jumping, balancing, climbing, grenading, and Far Cry’s ever-popular Feral attacking.

Weapons – Choose from a variety of weapons in a struggle to endure the rebel-infested jungle. Take down an unsuspecting victim from behind with a machete or meet the fight head-on with your machine gun.

Vehicles – From ATVs to hovercrafts, pickup trucks to Jet Skis, drive over, around, and through vicious combat situations.

Interactive Environments – Utilize the lush, tropical surroundings to your advantage, using stealth to sneak through the foliage past unsuspecting rebels.

Unleash the Wrath – Feel what its like to be the predator, not the prey, as you unleash the beast within. Jump higher, run faster, and slash with more fury than all of your enemies combined through the animalistic feral abilities unique to the Far Cry series.

Multiplayer – Challenge your friends in Far Cry: Vengeance’s frenetic Chaos mode as you battle to be the last person standing.

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GT Pro Series

What They Say: Immerse yourself in the fast-paced action of this exclusive Wii car-racing game and take full advantage of the Wii Remote. The game features than 80 licensed cars, tons of tuning options and fluid drift-style controls and physics.

What We Say: Cel-shaded racers remind us of Automodelista and make us nervous. While the visuals haven't even come close to blowing us away, we can't honestly say that we've had any hands on experience with GT Pro. The most exciting aspect of GT Pro thus far is the fact that it comes with the steering wheel peripheral, which we are excited about getting our hands on. Ubisoft announced major support for the Wii at launch and beyond and we have a feeling that this is the red-headed stephild of all of their other little Wii-babies. No offense to those of you who just happen to be red-headed stepchildren. Remember, we don't make up the cliches, we just use them. Anyway, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and videogames are no different. We suggest approaching this one with caution until you know exactly if its going to take you for a ride or...take you for a ride.

Features:

Arcade style racing game with cel-shading style

5 gameplay modes including drift combo and split-screen multiplayer

The Wii controller becomes a fully functional steering wheel with fluid drift-style control, physics and scored runs based on how far you can drift.

82 real cars from 10 Japanese car makers: Mazda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Mitsuoka, Dahiatsu, ASL.

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