After a rather tame period of releases from Nintendo (Wii Music failed to rock my world), things may finally be looking up for 2009.

They have a lot of games lined-up, including Pokemon Platinum and Chinatown Wars for the DS, while the Wii gets MadWorld and some retro action with GameCube upgrades.

Here are some of the games we can expect for the first quarter of 2009. The more notable ones are MadWorld, Final Fantasy Echoes of Time, Chinatown Wars, and the New Play Control! Games from Nintendo (their GameCube port brand).

Wii

Activision

• Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24

Crave Entertainment

• Monster Pals - March
• Solitaire & Mahjong - February
• Puzzle Challenges and More! - February
• Crayola Colorful World - March

D3Publisher

• Onechanbara Bikini Zombie Slayers - February
• Coraline - January

Destineer

• WordJong Party - January
• Battle Rage - February
• Cradle of Rome - February
• Cate West: The Vanishing Files - March
• Burger Island - March

Disney Interactive Studios

• Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Winter

DreamCatcher

• Play the World - March

Electronic Arts

• NASCAR Kart Racing - Feb. 10
• SimAnimals - Jan. 27
• TRIVIAL PURSUIT - Early spring

Hudson Entertainment

• FISHING MASTER WORLD TOUR - Jan. 6
• Marble Saga Kororinpa - Spring

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.

• DanceDanceRevolution Disney Grooves - March

Majesco Entertainment

• Escape the Museum - January
• Major Minor's Majestic March - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA

• Little King's Story - Feb. 17
• Rune Factory: Frontier - March

Mastiff

• Deer Drive - Jan. 20

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.

• We Ski and Snowboard - March

Nintendo

• New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis - March
• New Play Control! Pikmin - March

Sega

• The House of The Dead: Overkill - February
• SONIC and the Black Knight - March
• MADWORLD - March

Southpeak Interactive

• Roogoo Twisted Towers - Feb. 17
• Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball - March 17
• Brave: A Warrior's Tale - Feb. 17

THQ

• Paws & Claws Pet Resort - Jan. 5
• Neighborhood Games - Jan. 5

Ubisoft

• Tenchu: Shadow Assassins - February
• Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director's Cut) - March

XS Games

• Super PickUps - Q1

Nintendo DS

Activision

• Monsters vs. Aliens - March 24
• Pimp My Ride 2 - March 24
• Animal Planet - March 10

Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

• My World, My Way - Feb. 3
• Legacy of Ys: Books I & II - Feb. 10
• Trackmania DS - March 17

Crave Entertainment

• Monster Pals  - March

D3Publisher of America

• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix - Q1
• Coraline - January

Destineer

• USA TODAY Puzzle Craze - January
• DinoPets - March

Disney Interactive Studios

• Phineas and Ferb - Winter

DreamCatcher

• Inkheart - January
• Learn Math - January
• Drivers' Ed Portable - January
• Monster Band - January
• Zoo Quest - February
• My Personal Diary - February
• Music Star: Pop Star - February
• Paint by DS - March
• Matchstick - March
• Dreamer: Top Model - March
• Sarah - Keeper of the Unicorn - March
• Learn Chess - March
• Dragon Master - April

Electronic Arts

• Zubo - March
• Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure - Q1
• SimAnimals - Jan. 27

Empire Interactive

• Jagged Alliance - Feb. 17

Gameloft

• American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 9

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.

• Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero - Q1
• Suikoden Tierkreis - Q1
• Little Magician's Magic Adventure - Q1

Majesco Entertainment

• WonderWorld Amusement Park - January
• Powerbike - January
• Our House - Q1
• Hot 'n' Cold - March

Marvelous Entertainment USA

• Avalon Code - February
• Flower, Sun, and Rain - March

Mastiff

• Moon - Jan. 13

MumboJumbo

• Chicken Hunter Star Karts - March 10

Nintendo

• Personal Trainer: Math - Jan. 12
• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon - Feb. 16
• Pokémon Platinum version - March 22

ROCKSTAR GAMES

• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars - PR says Winter, but last we heard it's being released March 17
  

Southpeak Interactive

• Big Bang Mini - Jan. 6
• Roogoo Attack - Feb. 17
• Brave: Shaman's Challenge - Feb. 17

Square Enix, Inc.

• FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Echoes of Time - Spring

THE GAME FACTORY

• WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES - Jan. 19

THQ

• Paws & Claws Pampered Pets - Jan. 5

TOMY Corporation

• My DoItAll - February

Ubisoft

• Jake Power Fireman - January
• Jake Power Policeman - January
• Imagine Cheerleader - February
• JoJo's Fashion Show - February
• Petz® Horseshoe Ranch - February
• Imagine Family Doctor - February
• Imagine Ice Champions - March
• Jake Power Handyman - March
• My Fashion Studio Paris Collection - Feb. 17
• American Popstar - Road to Celebrity - March 24
• Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director's Cut) - March

XSEED Games

• Retro Game Challenge - Jan. 6