On one hand, the Wii is getting franchises that never showed up on the GameCube. On the other, there are still plenty of titles that would be perfect on Nintendo's latest console, yet aren't.
Monster Hunter Tri
Where did it come from?
Look back over the Japanese sales charts of the last year or so and one thing pops out: the Monster Hunter franchise is keeping Sony's PSP sales alive. Monster Hunter Freedom and its sequel are million sellers in the land of the rising sun, and they lingered on impressively in sales charts weeks after their initial release, another oddity for that fast-paced market. The game also saw console releases on the PS2.
It may sound like Monster Hunter is Sony's answer to Pokemon, but it's really an action RPG. Players not only undertake quests to down the game's fantastic creatures, but also collect items from slain monsters in order to upgrade their equipment and craft special weapons. Much like Phantasy Star Online, the game could be played either single-player or over the Internet with a party of other adventurers.
How is it coming to the Wii?
Monster Hunter Tri was supposed to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. The first two console Monster Hunter titles were for the PlayStation 2, so Capcom shocked the world when they announced that Monster Hunter Tri would jump ship to a Nintendo platform. What's more, the Monster Hunter titles built their success with their online gameplay, so players also have reason to expect a fleshed-out and serious online component for the now Wii-exclusive title.
Was it being the best-selling home console in Japan that garnered the exclusive for Nintendo? Or is Capcom just relieved that when it comes time to port the game to the PSP, as both previous console Monster Hunter titles were, the Wii will prove a much more convenient source platform than the PS3? Either way, Nintendo scored a coup in securing this epic, online, unquestionably hardcore franchise.
