Chronology of Nintendo Video Games (2008-2009)

Chronology of Nintendo Video Games

Copyright © 2002-2012 Ken Polsson
internet e-mail: mario@vidgame.info
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URL: http://vidgame.info/nintendo/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2012 September 27.

2008

January (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Wii Play. [1252.95]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario Party DS. [1248.104]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii. [1252.95]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. [1252.95]
February 10

Nintendo releases the Professor Layton and the Curious Village video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.28]
February 26

Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors video game for the Nintendo Wii in the US. [1219.1]

February (month)

Total sales of video game systems in the USA for the month: Nintendo Wii 432,000, PlayStation 2 352,000, PlayStation 3 281,000, Xbox 360 255,000. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Wii Play. [1114] [1253.100]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. [1253.100]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Super Smash Bros. Brawl. [1253.100]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Soma Bringer. [1253.100]
March 3

2K Sports releases the Major League Baseball 2K8 video game for the Nintendo Wii in the US. [1251.74] [1268.52]
March 9

Nintendo releases the Super Smash Bros. Brawl video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. (Unit sales in the first week: 2.7 million.) [1197.10] [1205.19] [1242.22] [1243.39] [1248.48] [1252.94] [1313.29]
March 10

Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1228.6]
March (month)

Total sales of video game systems in Japan for the month: PlayStation Portable 415,415, Nintendo Wii 265,542, Nintendo DS 255,124, PlayStation 3 81,579, Xbox 360 13,127. [1114]
Video game system sales in the US: Nintendo Wii 720,000, Nintendo DS 698,000, PlayStation Portable 297,000, Xbox 360 262,000, PlayStation 3 257,000. [1114]

Top selling video game in the USA: Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii. [1114] [1254.102]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. [1254.102]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan: Pokémon Ranger: Batonaaji. [1254.102]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan: Wii Fit. [1254.102]
April 15

Capcom releases the Okami video game for the Nintendo Wii [1253.95]
April 20

Nintendo releases the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1230.6] [1267.18]
Nintendo releases the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1230.6] [1267.18]
April 22

Square Enix releases The World Ends With You video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.30]
April 27

Nintendo releases the Mario Kart Wii video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1230.7] [1243.20] [1253.66] [1254.98] [1267.18] [1313.30]
April (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the USA: Nintendo Wii 714,000, Xbox 360 188,000, PlayStation 3 187,000. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the US for the month: Mario Kart Wii. [1272.96]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the US for the month: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. [1272.96]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Mario Kart Wii for the Nintendo Wii. [1272.96]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Taiko Master DS. [1272.96]
May 6

Electronic Arts releases the Boom Blox video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1230.4] [1253.44] [1313.31]
May 19

Nintendo launches the Wii Fit exercise game for the Nintendo Wii video game system in the US, initially only in New York City. Price is US$90 including game and balance board input device. [1114] [1220.17] [1230.5] [1231.44] [1242.24] [1254.100]
May (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US during the month: Nintendo Wii 675,000, PlayStation 3 209,000, Xbox 360 187,000. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Mario Kart Wii. [1273.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the US for the month: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. [1273.92]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Mario Kart Wii. [1273.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Pachinko Pachislot Kouryaku Series DS Volume 2. [1273.92]
June 24

Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1263.15] [1272.94] [1313.31]
June (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 666,000, Nintendo DS 783,000. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA during the month: Guitar Hero: On Tour. [1274.108]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA during the month: Wii Fit. [1274.108]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan during the month: Wii Fit. [1274.108]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan during the month: Legend of Starfi. [1274.108]
July 8

2K Games releases the Civilization Revolution video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1253.68] [1272.38] [1273.91] [1284.45] [1313]
July 22

Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy IV video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1263.19] [1263.22] [1272.38] [1273.91] [1276.31]
July (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA during the month: Wii Fit. [1275.116]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA during the month: Guitar Hero: On Tour. [1275.116]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan during the month: Fire Emblem: The Dark Dragon & The Sword of Light. [1275.116]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan during the month: Wii Fit. [1275.116]
August (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA during the month: Wii Fit. [1282.132]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA during the month: Guitar Hero: On Tour. [1282.132]
Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS. [1282.132]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan during the month: Wii Fit. [1282.132]
September 8

2K Sports releases the NHL 2K9 video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1280.20] [1313.33]
September 14

Electronic Arts releases the Rock Band 2 video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1275.107] [1280.3] [1313.33] [1319.33]
September 16

LucasArts releases the Star Wars: Force Unleashed video game for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii in the USA and Canada. [1275.98] [1280.9] [1285.44] [1313.33]
Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest IV Chapters of the Chosen video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1265.9] [1277.41]
September 23

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment releases the LEGO Batman: The Videogame video game for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the USA. [1280.19]
September 26

THQ releases the de Blob video game for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the US. [1242.24] [1285.44]
September 29

Nintendo releases the Kirby Super Star Ultra video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1265.10]
September 30

Sega releases the Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1282.130]
September (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US for the month: Nintendo Wii 687,000, Nintendo DS 536,800, Xbox 360 347,200, PlayStation 3 232,400, PlayStation Portable 238,100. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA during the month: Wii Fit. [1283.132]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA during the month: Kirby Super Star Ultra. [1283.132]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan during the month: Pokémon Platinum. [1283.132]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan during the month: Wii Fit. [1283.132]
October 23

From Software releases the Tenchu 4 video game for the Nintendo Wii in Japan. [1264.13]
October 26

Activision releases the Guitar Hero World Tour video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1280.15] [1313.34]
October (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US for the month: Nintendo Wii 803,210, Nintendo DS 491,000, Xbox 360 371,000, PlayStation 3 190,000, PlayStation Portable 193,000. [1114] [1300.14]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the US during the month: Wii Fit. [1114] [1357.80]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA during the month: Kirby Super Star Ultra. [1357.80]
Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Kirby Super Star Ultra for the Nintendo DS. [1357.80]
November 6

Ubisoft releases the End War video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1280.11]
November 9

The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the US. A handheld video game appears, one that looks like the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. [1329]
November 16

Nintendo releases the Animal Crossing: City Folk video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1357.74]
November 18

Sega releases the Sonic Unleashed video game for the Nintendo Wii in the US. [1357.67]
November

Nintendo releases the Nintendo DSi handheld video game system in Japan. [1114]
November 25

Square Enix releases the Chrono Trigger video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1283.130]
November (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US for the month: Nintendo Wii 2,040,000, Nintendo DS 1,570,000, Xbox 360 836,000, PlayStation Portable 421,000, PlayStation 3 378,000, PlayStation 2 206,000. [1114] [1313.10]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the US during the month: Wii Play. [1114] [1313.88]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the US during the month: Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Alma. [1313.88]
Top selling video game in Japan during the month: Professor Layton and the Last Journey for the Nintendo DS. [1313.88]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan during the month: Animal Crossing: City Folk. [1313.88]
December (month)

Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Play for the Nintendo Wii. [1314.96]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario Kart DS. [1314.96]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Rhythm Heaven. [1314.96]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Wii Fit. [1314.96]
Year

Top selling video game in the world for the year: Mario Kart Wii for the Nintendo Wii, at 8.94 million copies. [1315.100]
Top selling video game in the USA for the year: Wii Play with Remote for the Nintendo Wii. [1314.30]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the year: Mario Kart DS. [1314.30]
Worldwide video game market: US$30.5 billion, of which 40 percent is Nintendo, $5 billion is Nintendo titles. [1298.22]
Video game console usage in the US for the year, according to Nielsen's Top 10 Lists for 2008:

PlayStation 2 31.7 percent (of console user minutes for year),
Xbox 360 17.2 percent,
Nintendo Wii 13.4 percent,
Xbox 9.7 percent,
PlayStation 3 8.3 percent,
GameCube 4.6 percent.
[2543.8]

2009

January (month)

Sales of video game systems in the US for the month: Nintendo Wii 680,000, Nintendo DS 510,000, Xbox 360 309,000, PlayStation 3 203,000. [1114]
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit for the Nintendo Wii. [1114] [1315.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Personal Trainer: Cooking. [1315.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. [1315.92]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Taiko Expert Wii. [1315.92]
February 10

Xseed Games releases the Retro Games Challenge video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.87] [1339.20]
Sega releases The House of the Dead: Overkill video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1339.30]
February 16

Nintendo releases the Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.19]
February 17

Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest V: Hound of the Heavenly Bride video game for the Nintendo DS in the US. [1314.94]
February (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the USA for the month: Nintendo DS 588,000, PlayStation Portable 199,000. [1114]
Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit for the Nintendo Wii. [1316.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario Kart DS. [1316.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Cube Picross. [1316.92]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: New Play Control Pikmin. [1316.92]
March 10

In England, the 2009 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) video game awards ceremony is held.

Game of the Year: Super Mario Galaxy,
Casual: Boom Blox,
Handheld: Professor Layton and the Curious Village.
[1235]
Sega releases the Madworld video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA [1315.84] [1339.32]
March

Nintendo announces that total shipments of its Nintendo DS portable consoles has topped 100 million worldwide. [1114]
March 17

Rockstar releases the Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1313.69] [1316.88] [1339.32]
March 22

Nintendo releases the Pokémon Platinum video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. (Total sales: 7 million units.) [1313.19] [1315.90] [1425.55]
March 24

Square Enix releases the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the US. [1315.82]
March 25

Nintendo announces it has shipped more than 50 million units of its Nintendo Wii game console to date. [1114]
March 29

Activision releases the Guitar Hero: Metallica video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1316.83] [1339.32]
March (month)

Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Platinum. [1317.94]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit. [1317.94]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Muramasa: The Demon Blade. [1317.94]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Mario & Luigi RPG 3. [1317.94]
April 3

Nintendo releases the Nintendo DSi handheld video game system in Europe. [1114]
April 5

Nintendo releases the Nintendo DSi handheld video game system in the USA. It features SD memory card slot, thinner than Nintendo DS Lite, slightly larger dual screens, Opera-based Web browser, two cameras, no Game Boy Advance cartridge slot; price is US$169. [1114] [1316.12] [1361.24]
April (month)

Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit for the Nintendo Wii. [1318.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Platinum. [1318.92]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Monster Hunter G for the Nintendo Wii. [1318.92]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Pokémon Fushigi No Dungeon: Sora No Tankentai. [1318.92]
May 3

The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA.

A man plays a video game, mimicing Microsoft's Halo.
A man says "Where's my video games? My Xbox, my Wii?"
[1332]
May 18

Nintendo releases the Punch-Out!! video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. The game is a remake of a classic game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. [1310.45] [1316.46] [1317.87] [1339.33] [1442.50]
May (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Wii Fit. [1319.94]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Platinum. [1319.94]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Infinite Space for the Nintendo DS. [1319.94]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Play on Wii: Chibi-Robo!. [1319.94]
June

In Los Angeles, California, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is held. Nintendo announces Super Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Matio Bros. Wii, Wii Fit Plus, and the Wii Vitality Sensor. [1319.12]
June 8

Nintendo releases the Wii MotionPlus attachment for the Nintendo Wii controller, giving more precise motion control. [1317.18]
June

Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest IX video game for the Nintendo DS in Japan. (2.3 million copies are sold in the first 48 hours.) [1320.100]
June 17

Atari releases the Ghostbusters video game for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in the USA. [1280.17] [1311.45] [1317.35] [1318.81]
June (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: EA Sports Active Bundle. [1320.98]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Pokémon Platinum. [1320.98]
Top selling video game in Japan for the month: Dragon Quest IX for the Nintendo DS. [1320.98]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Wii Sports Resort. [1320.98]
July 21

Xseed Games releases the Little King's Story for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1339.34]
July 26

Nintendo releases the Wii Sports Resort video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1317.19] [1320.90] [1474.3]
July (month)

Top selling video game in the USA for the month: Wii Sports Resort for the Nintendo Wii. [1323.102]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario Kart DS. [1323.102]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in Japan for the month: Monster Hunter Tri. [1323.102]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in Japan for the month: Dragon Quest IX. [1323.102]
August 24

Nintendo releases the Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1339.34] [1442.50]
August 25

Nintendo releases the Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. The pack includes Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, and Metroid Prime 3 Corruption. [1312.44] [1323.95]
August (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: Wii Sports Resort. [1324.38]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Fossil Fighters. [1324.38]
September 14

Nintendo releases the Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1323.98] [1339.35]
September 15

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment releases the Scribblenauts video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1323.96] [1339.35]
September 27

Nintendo drops the price of the Nintendo Wii system in the US by $50 to US$199.99. [1114]
September 29

Square Enix releases the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1321.27] [1323.100]
September (month)

Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the US during the month: Wii Sports Resort. [1114] [1338.22]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the US during the month: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. [1338.22]
October 1

Nintendo drops the price of the Nintendo Wii system in Japan by 5000 yen to 20,000 yen. [1114]
October 4

Nintendo releases the Wii Fit Plus video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1338.131]
The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. Twins play handheld video games (like Nintendo Game Boy Advance) in opening credits. [1333]
October 13

Majesco releases the A Boy and His Blob video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1339.36]
October 27

Activision releases the DJ Hero video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1338.120] [1339.37]
October (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the US: Nintendo Wii 507,000, PlayStation 3 321,000, Xbox 360 250,000. [1114]
November 15

Nintendo releases the New Super Mario Bros. Wii video game for the Nintendo Wii in the USA. [1339.39] [1341.83] [1442.50]
November 21

Nintendo launches the Nintendo DSi XL in Japan, with a 4.2-inch diagonal screen. Price is 20,000 yen (US$222). Case color choices are dark brown, wine red, and white. [1114] [1338.23]
November (month)

Unit sales of video game systems in the USA for the month: Nintendo Wii 1.26 million, Xbox 360 820,000, PlayStation 3 710,000. [1114]
Top selling Nintendo Wii video game in the USA for the month: New Super Mario Bros. Wii. [1342.18]
December 7

Nintendo releases The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks video game for the Nintendo DS in the USA. [1338.93] [1341.90] [1354.56] [1438.48]
December 13

The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Simpsons TV show in the USA. The characters Mario and Luigi, part of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. franchise appear. [1346]
December (month)

Top selling video game in the USA for the month: New Super Mario Bros. Wii for the Nintendo Wii. [1342.18]
Top selling Nintendo DS video game in the USA for the month: Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. [1342.18]

End of 2008-2009. Next: 2010.

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A list of references to all source material is available.

Other web pages of interest:

Chronology of Sony Video Games

Chronology of Microsoft Video Games

Chronology of Video Game Systems

Chronology of Arcade Video Games

Chronology of Sega Video Games