Rumors of the Wii U’s death are apparently greatly exaggerated, as Activision today confirmed that Call of Duty: Ghosts will ship for the Wii U this fall, along with five other games from the mega publisher. COD: Ghosts and Skylanders: Swap Force may be at opposite ends of the gaming spectrum, but they’re both fantastic news for a Wii U platform that’s been left behind by EA and is perceived as having no third-party support. Having the support of Activision-Blizzard, the largest console-game publisher around, is certainly a sign that the sky hasn’t fallen on Satoru Iwata and/or Nintendo on the whole.
All told, the six Wii U games Activision is publishing this year include Call of Duty: Ghosts, Skylanders Swap Force, the Angry Birds Trilogy, Angry Birds Star Wars, SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton’s Robotic Revenge, and Wipeout Create & Crash. An overview of each game is below.
“As we have said before, we’re committed to doing everything we can to support the Wii U, which is why we’re excited to be bringing some of the most popular entertainment franchises in the world to the platform this year,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc.
Call of Duty: Ghosts – Featuring an all-new world, story, characters and experiences, all powered by a new engine, Call of Duty: Ghosts is a stunning leap forward for the blockbuster franchise. For the first time in Call of Duty, gamers play as the underdog, fighting as part of a single squad against an enemy that has superior numbers and firepower. Call of Duty: Ghosts’ genre-defining multiplayer delivers gameplay innovations throughout, including dynamic map events, character customization and other features yet-to-be-announced. The title includes Wii Remote and second-screen Wii U™ GamePad support and more. Call of Duty: Ghosts is scheduled to release Nov. 5.
Skylanders SWAP Force – Skylanders SWAP Force introduces an innovative feature: dynamic swapability. Kids and gamers will have unprecedented levels of choice in how they explore Skylands and battle KAOS by swapping the top and bottom halves of the toys to transform 16 SWAP Force characters into more than 250 unique combinations. Set in a richly detailed world of next generation visual fidelity, Skylanders SWAP Force takes kids on an all-new adventure with 32 never-before-seen heroic characters that each offer unique powers and personalities. The game also features new abilities – such as flying, climbing, and teleporting – which can be used in special areas of Skylands. Additionally, fans can play with their entire collection of 100+, forward-compatible toys from both Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure and Skylanders Giants. With Wii U, the GamePad allows fans to keep track of stats and view leaderboards, as well as fans’ character collections and upgrades – right in their hands. Additionally, the game is fully playable on the GamePad so kids can enjoy the game when other family members commandeer the TV. Skylanders SWAP Force is set to release in North America on October 13, Australia on October 16, and Europe on October 18.
Angry Birds Trilogy – The game offers more than 100 hours of awesome Angry Birds action gameplay that spans the breadth of Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds Rio titles, as well as 40 hours of bonus levels previously not on disc. The game features animated cut scenes and interactive backgrounds – all tailor-made in 1080p HD graphics with surround sound support. The new Wii U GamePad swap capability lets players use the GamePad touch screen controls to fling their birds with accuracy as they climb the online leaderboards for the world’s high scores. The game is scheduled for release on August 13.
Angry Birds Star Wars – Join the Angry Birds in a galaxy far, far away… where a group of desperate rebel birds face off against a galactic menace: the Empire’s evil Pigtroopers! The game evolves the core game design and hilarious tone of previous entries in the series with new characters, challenges, and environments that pay homage to the iconic hallmarks of the Star Wars™ universe. This title adds twenty never-before-seen exclusive levels – on top of the already two-hundred from the original Angry Birds Star Wars – and, for the first time ever, two new multiplayer modes. Play alongside your friend in cooperative mode to achieve a combined high score, or compete against family and friends (up to four players) in competitive mode. In addition, the game delivers online leaderboards, beautiful, high-definition graphics, and unlockable bonus levels, items and content. The game is scheduled to release on October 29.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton’s Robotic Revenge -In this original story, Bikini Bottom’s very own Sheldon J. Plankton and his new legion of evil robots have destroyed the Krusty Krab and stolen the safe that houses the famous Krabby Patty formula. Join SpongeBob and his friends to locate the hidden keys for the safe before the secret is lost forever! Blending platforming, action, and puzzle-solving, SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton’s Robotic Revenge features references and humor from the hit Nickelodeon TV animated series, as well as the voices from the show’s cast. Fans and gamers of all ages and skill levels can get together with co-op gameplay action, creating an experience that’s fun for everyone. Players can choose between their favorite Bikini Bottom characters including SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, or Mr. Krabs as they scour the town hunting for hidden keys and collectibles.
Wipeout Create & Crash – Based on ABC’s popular TV game show, the game gives players greater control as they test their agility, endurance and abilities. For the first time ever, players can design, play, and share their very own chaotic courses with the all new Course Creator. Choose from easy, medium or hard obstacles and try to beat your course, and then share the unique code with your friends and family. In addition, compete as either fan-favorite or all-new characters in over-the-top new courses like Prehistoric Panic and Wipeouts Ahoy with all new themed obstacles. You can also challenge your friends to reign supreme in side-by-side or team local multiplayer.