Japan game news may not seem very relevant to an English-language game site whose audience is largely from the United States and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and United Kingdom and Ireland, but you know that when it comes to Nintendo games, the Japanese market is something to pay attention to.

DS. Just look at Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (Go! Fight! Cheer Squad) from iNiS - it became the "instant DS classic" Elite Beat Agents,. Japan is going to get the sequel later this year, and Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 (Burn! Burning Rhythm Soul Go! Fight! Cheer Squad 2) promises more fun: 4-player wireless play. Where do we sign up to demand Elite Beat Agents 2?

Mistwalker's tactical role-playing game ASH: Archaic Sealed Heart will also be released this year.

Bad news. The release date for Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is no longer 2007. It's now "undecided release date" according to Siliconera.

Wii. The brain-testing game Wii Yawasaka Ataka Juku or Yawaraka Atama Jyuku (let's just call it Wii Big Brain Academy,) looks like it will be released on April 26, 2007. The racing game DK Bongo Blast (Donki Kongu: Taru Jetto Resu - "Donkey Kong barrel jet race") is another 2007 Wii game along with Wii Fitness.

According to Siliconera, these are the Wii games that Nintendo will publish in 2007:

• Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn - Feb 22
• EyeShield 21 - March 8
• Super Paper Mario - April 10
• Wii Yawasaka Ataka Juku (Wii Big Brain Academy) - April 26

• Wii Fitness
• Disaster Day of Crisis
• Mario Party 8
• Project H.A.M.M.E.R
• Wii Music
• Super Mario Galaxy
• Super Smash Brothers Brawl
• Battalion Wars 2 (BWii)
• DK Bongo Blast
• Forever Blue
• Mario Strikers Charged
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (We want to add that the wait for this game has been long, but it's been justifiable. We want them to take their time with making this game perfect for the Wii.)
  

• Animal Crossing
• Kirby