Touch! Generations[a] is a brand created by Nintendo to denote video games on the Nintendo DS and Wii that are intended to appeal to a broader audience (mainly adults and the elderly) than the traditional gamer. Nintendo initially conceived the brand alongside the DS in Japan as a response to the country's faster population aging rate compared to Western regions, seeking to attract audiences outside its traditional target market of young hardcore gamers to supplement its player base.[1][2] Titles under the brand were first introduced in Japan from April to June 2005, with the initial lineup consisting of titles such as Electroplankton,[3] Nintendogs, Brain Age, Rakubiki Jiten DS,[4] and Big Brain Academy.[5][6]
Big Brain Academy and Magnetica were the first games in North America to release under the Touch! Generations brand, with both releasing on June 5, 2006; they were followed up by Sudoku Gridmaster on June 26.[7] In addition, several previously released games were retroactively designated with the brand.[2] Meanwhile, the brand was introduced in Europe on June 9 with the release of Brain Age, which was renamed Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?.[8] The games designated with the Touch! Generations label varied between regions.[9][10]
Titles under the Touch! Generations brand have generally been commercially successful, with those under specific series receiving particular attention; as of March 31, 2023, titles under the Nintendogs and Brain Age series for the Nintendo DS have sold for a combined total of 57.85 million units, while the Wii has titles in its eponymous series represent six of its top ten best-selling games with a combined total of 197.21 million units.[11][12] The brand's popularity was most notable in Japan, where it was credited with invoking a significant push among developers in the country to create non-traditional titles for the Nintendo DS, with 220 such titles developed out of 810 total by May 2008.[13] Furthermore, a soundtrack album with music from games within and outside the brand was made available in Japan on audio CD starting on September 4, 2008, as a Club Nintendo reward for 400 points.[14]
Nintendo retired the brand with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, six years after its introduction.[15] Despite this, some games that were introduced under the brand continue to receive follow-up entries on the contemporary and future Nintendo consoles.
Games for Nintendo DS
editThe video games published under the Touch! Generations brand for the Nintendo DS vary between countries. Organized alphabetically by title:
Title | Original release date | ||
---|---|---|---|
Japan |
North America |
PAL region | |
100 Classic Book Collection | October 7, 2007 | June 15, 2010 | EU December 26, 2008[16] AU January 22, 2009 |
Notes:
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1000 Cooking Recipes from Elle à Table | — | — | EU July 2, 2010 |
Notes:
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Active Health with Carol Vorderman | — | — | EU August 7, 2009 |
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America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking | — | March 28, 2010[19] | — |
Notes:
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Art Academy | June 19, 2010 | October 25, 2010 | EU August 6, 2010 AU September 23, 2010 |
Notes:
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Big Brain Academy | June 30, 2005 | June 5, 2006 | AU July 5, 2006 EU July 7, 2006 |
Notes:
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Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! | May 19, 2005 | April 16, 2006 | EU June 9, 2006 AU June 16, 2006 |
Notes:
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Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day! | December 29, 2005 | August 20, 2007 | EU June 29, 2007 AU July 5, 2007 |
Notes:
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Clubhouse Games | April 19, 2007 | October 9, 2006 | EU September 29, 2006 AU October 26, 2006 |
Notes: | |||
Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? | December 4, 2008 | November 24, 2008 | EU June 20, 2008 AU July 3, 2008 |
Notes:
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Crosswords DS | — | May 5, 2008 | AU June 12, 2008 EU December 18, 2009 |
Notes:
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Daredemo Asobi Taizen[i] | November 3, 2005 | — | — |
Notes:
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DS Bimoji Training[j] | March 13, 2008 | — | — |
Notes:
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DS Uranai Seikatsu[k] | January 15, 2009 | — | — |
Notes:
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Electroplankton[l] | April 7, 2005 | January 9, 2006 | EU July 7, 2006 |
Notes:
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Elite Beat Agents | — | November 6, 2006 | AU May 3, 2007 EU July 13, 2007 |
Notes:
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English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills! | January 26, 2006 | — | EU October 27, 2006 |
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Face Training: Facial exercises to strengthen and relax from Fumiko Inudo | August 7, 2007 | — | EU September 23, 2010 |
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Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day | May 31, 2007 | October 15, 2007 | EU November 23, 2007 AU January 17, 2008 |
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Ganbaru Watashi no Kakei Diary[p] | July 12, 2007 | — | — |
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Hotel Dusk: Room 215 | January 25, 2007 | January 22, 2007 | AU February 22, 2007 EU April 13, 2007 |
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Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten DS[r] | April 13, 2006 | — | — |
Notes:
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Kanshū Nippon Jōshikiryoku Kentei Kyōkai: Imasara Hito ni wa Kikenai Otona no Jōshikiryoku Training DS[s] | October 26, 2006 | — | — |
Notes:
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Kenkō Ōen Recipe 1000: DS Kondate Zenshū[t] | December 7, 2006 | — | — |
Notes:
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Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan DS[u] | March 15, 2007 | — | — |
Notes:
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Magnetica | March 2, 2006 | June 5, 2006 | EU January 6, 2007 |
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Make 10: A Journey of Numbers | October 10, 2007 | — | AU September 4, 2008 EU September 26, 2008 |
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Master of Illusion | November 16, 2006 | November 26, 2007 | AU December 13, 2007 EU March 14, 2008[24] |
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Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir | — | September 8, 2008 | AU October 16, 2008 EU February 6, 2009 |
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Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha Kanshū: Shiranai Mamade wa Son o Suru Mono ya Okane no Shikumi DS[y] | August 27, 2009 | — | — |
Notes:
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Nintendogs | April 21, 2005 | August 22, 2005 | AU September 22, 2005 EU October 7, 2005 |
Notes:
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Personal Trainer: Walking | November 1, 2008 | May 25, 2009 | EU June 5, 2009 |
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Picross 3D | March 12, 2009 | May 3, 2010 | EU March 5, 2010 |
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Picross DS[ab] | January 25, 2007 | July 30, 2007 | EU May 11, 2007 AU June 7, 2007 |
Notes:
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Planet Puzzle League | April 26, 2007[25] | June 4, 2007[26] | EU June 29, 2007[27] |
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Practise English! | March 29, 2007 | — | EU October 26, 2007 |
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Professor Kageyama's Maths Training: The Hundred Cell Calculation Method | January 13, 2007[28] | January 12, 2009 | AU February 7, 2008 EU February 8, 2008 |
Notes: | |||
Rakubiki Jiten DS[af][29] | June 16, 2005 | — | — |
Notes:
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Rhythm Heaven | July 31, 2008 | April 5, 2009 | EU May 1, 2009[30] AU June 4, 2009 |
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Shaberu! DS Oryōri Navi[ah] | July 20, 2006 | — | — |
Notes:
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Sudoku Gridmaster | March 23, 2006 | June 26, 2006 | EU October 27, 2006 AU February 22, 2007 |
Notes:
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Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwachō DS[ai] | April 20, 2006 (Thai, Chūgoku and Kankoku) April 27, 2006 (America and Deutsch) |
— | — |
Notes:
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Tetris DS[aj] | April 27, 2006 | March 20, 2006 | AU April 13, 2006 EU April 21, 2006 |
Notes:
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Touch de Tanoshimu Hyakunin Isshu: DS Shigureden[ak] | December 14, 2006 | — | — |
Notes:
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True Swing Golf | November 10, 2005 | January 23, 2006 | November 25, 2005 |
Notes: |
Games for Wii
editThe video games published under the Touch! Generations brand for the Wii vary between countries. Organized alphabetically by title:
Title | Original release date | ||
---|---|---|---|
Japan |
North America |
PAL region | |
Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories | February 5, 2009 | — | EU June 26, 2009[31] |
Notes:
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Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree | April 26, 2007 | June 11, 2007 | EU July 20, 2007 AU November 8, 2007 |
Notes:
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Endless Ocean | August 2, 2007 | January 21, 2008[32] | EU November 9, 2007[33] AU January 17, 2008 |
Notes:
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Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep | September 17, 2009 | February 22, 2010 | EU February 5, 2010 AU February 25, 2010 |
Notes:
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Minna no Jōshikiryoku TV[ap] | March 6, 2008 | — | — |
Notes:
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Wii Chess | September 30, 2008 | — | EU January 18, 2008 |
Notes: | |||
Wii Fit | December 1, 2007[34] | May 21, 2008 | EU April 25, 2008[35] AU May 8, 2008 |
Notes:
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Wii Fit Plus | October 1, 2009[37] | October 4, 2009[38] | AU October 15, 2009[39] EU October 30, 2009[40] |
Notes:
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Wii Music | October 16, 2008[41] | October 20, 2008[42] | AU November 13, 2008[43] EU November 14, 2008[44] |
Notes:
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Wii Party | July 8, 2010 | October 3, 2010 | AU October 7, 2010 EU October 8, 2010 |
Notes:
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Wii Play | December 2, 2006 | February 12, 2007 | AU December 7, 2006 EU December 8, 2006 |
Notes:
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Wii Sports | December 2, 2006 | November 19, 2006 | AU December 7, 2006 EU December 8, 2006 |
Notes:
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Wii Sports Resort | June 25, 2009[45] | July 26, 2009[46] | AU July 23, 2009 EU July 24, 2009[47] |
Notes:
|
Notes
edit- ^ Japanese: タッチ!・ジェネレーションズ
- ^ Japanese: DS文学全集, Hepburn: DS Bungaku Zenshū
- ^ Japanese: 絵心教室DS, Hepburn: Egokoro Kyōshitsu DS
- ^ Japanese: やわらかあたま塾, Hepburn: Yawaraka Atama Juku
- ^ Japanese: 東北大学未来科学技術共同研究センター川島隆太教授監修 脳を鍛える大人のDSトレーニング, Hepburn: Tōhōku Daigaku Mirai Kagakugijutsu Kyōdōkenkyū Sentā Kawashima Ryūta Kyōju Kanshū: Nō o Kitaeru Otona no DS Torēningu
- ^ Japanese: 東北大学未来科学技術共同研究センター川島隆太教授監修 もっと脳を鍛える大人のDSトレーニング, Hepburn: Tōhōku Daigaku Mirai Kagakugijutsu Kyōdōkenkyū Sentā Kawashima Ryūta Kyōju Kanshū: Motto Nō o Kitaeru Otona no DS Torēningu
- ^ Japanese: Wi-Fi対応 世界のだれでもアソビ大全, Hepburn: Wi-Fi Taiō: Sekai no Daredemo Asobi Taizen
- ^ Japanese: 世界のごはん しゃべる!DSお料理ナビ, Hepburn: Sekai no Gohan Shaberu! DS Oryōri Navi
- ^ Japanese: だれでもアソビ大全, Hepburn: Daredemo Asobi Taizen
- ^ Japanese: DS美文字トレーニング, Hepburn: DS Bimoji Torēningu
- ^ Japanese: DS占い生活, Hepburn: DS Uranai Seikatsu
- ^ Japanese: エレクトロプランクトン, Hepburn: Erekutoropurankuton
- ^ Japanese: 英語が苦手な大人のDSトレーニング えいご漬け, Hepburn: Eigo ga Nigate na Otona no DS Torēningu: Eigo Zuke
- ^ Japanese: フェイスニングで表情豊かに印象アップ 大人のDS顔トレーニング, Hepburn: Feisuningu de Hyōjō Yutaka ni Inshō Up: Otona no DS Kao Torēningu
- ^ Japanese: 見る力を実践で鍛える DS眼力トレーニング, Hepburn: Miru Chikara wo Jissen de Kitaeru: DS Medikara Torēningu
- ^ Japanese: がんばる私の家計ダイアリー, Hepburn: Ganbaru Watashi no Kakei Daiarī
- ^ Japanese: ウィッシュルーム 天使の記憶, Hepburn: Wisshu Rūmu: Tenshi no Kioku
- ^ Japanese: 漢字そのまま DS楽引辞典, Hepburn: Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten DS
- ^ Japanese: 監修 日本常識力検定協会 いまさら人には聞けない 大人の常識力トレーニングDS, Hepburn: Kanshū Nippon Jōshikiryoku Kentei Kyōkai: Imasara Hito ni wa Kikenai Otona no Jōshikiryoku Torēningu DS
- ^ Japanese: 健康応援レシピ1000 DS献立全集, Hepburn: Kenkō Ōen Reshipi 1000: DS Kondate Zenshū
- ^ Japanese: ことばのパズル もじぴったんDS, Hepburn: Kotoba no Pazuru: Mojipittan DS
- ^ Japanese: 瞬感パズループ, Hepburn: Shunkan Pazurūpu
- ^ Japanese: タシテン たして10にする物語, Hepburn: Tashiten: Tashite 10 ni Suru Monogatari
- ^ Japanese: マジック大全, Hepburn: Majikku Taizen
- ^ Japanese: 日本経済新聞社監修 知らないままでは損をする「モノやお金のしくみ」DS, Hepburn: Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha Kanshū: Shiranai Mamade wa Son o Suru Mono ya Okane no Shikumi DS
- ^ Japanese: 歩いてわかる 生活リズムDS, Hepburn: Aruite Wakaru Seikatsu Rizumu DS
- ^ Japanese: 立体ピクロス, Hepburn: Rittai Pikurosu
- ^ Japanese: ピクロスDS, Hepburn: Pikurosu DS
- ^ Japanese: パネルでポンDS, Hepburn: Paneru de Pon DS
- ^ Japanese: 英語が苦手な大人のDSトレーニング もっとえいご漬け, Hepburn: Eigo ga Nigate na Otona no DS Torēningu: Motto Eigo Zuke
- ^ Japanese: DS陰山メソッド「ます×ますプレ百ます計算 百ますの前にこれだよ!」, Hepburn: DS Kageyama Mesoddo: Masu x Masu Pure Hyaku Masu Keisan - Hyaku Masu no Maeni Kore Dayo!
- ^ Japanese: DS楽引辞典, Hepburn: Rakubiki Jiten DS
- ^ Japanese: リズム天国ゴールド, Hepburn: Rizumu Tengoku Gōrudo
- ^ Japanese: しゃべる!DSお料理ナビ, Hepburn: Shaberu! DS Oryōri Navi
- ^ Japanese: 旅の指さし会話帳DS, Hepburn: Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwachō DS
- ^ Japanese: テトリスDS, Hepburn: Tetorisu DS
- ^ Japanese: タッチで楽しむ百人一首 DS時雨殿, Hepburn: Tatchi de Tanoshimu Hyakunin Isshu: DS Shigureden
- ^ Japanese: 大人のDSゴルフ, Hepburn: Otona no DS Gorufu
- ^ Japanese: アナザーコード:R 記憶の扉, Hepburn: Anazā Kōdo: R – Kioku no Tobira
- ^ Japanese: Wiiでやわらかあたま塾, Hepburn: Wii de Yawaraka Atama Juku
- ^ Japanese: FOREVER BLUE: 海の呼び声, Hepburn: Forever Blue: Umi no Yobigoe
- ^ Japanese: みんなの常識力テレビ, Hepburn: Minna no Jōshikiryoku Terebi
- ^ Japanese: 通信対局 ワールドチェス, Hepburn: Tsūshin Taikyoku: Wārudo Chesu
- ^ Japanese: はじめてのWii, Hepburn: Hajimete no Wii
References
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- ^ 鈴井, 匡伸氏 (7 July 2011). "【鈴井匡伸氏】4.全てを理解して作る". Famitsu (Interview) (in Japanese).
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- ^ "Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS". 20 January 2011. p. 10. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
Iwata:But we decided that, whereas before we had established a Touch! Generations brand, created special corners in shops and used a special logo, the company has decided not to use this brand name for Nintendo 3DS
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- ^ "Silverball Studios: About". Silverball Studios. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
- ^ a b Crecente, Brian (8 April 2010). "America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking Review: Top Chef". Kotaku. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ a b Hatfield, Daemon (29 March 2010). "America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking Review". IGN. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ Rob Burman, IGN UK (4 July 2007). "IGN: DS Snaps Up Camera". Ds.ign.com. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
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- ^ Nintendo – Games – Magic Made Fun: Perform Tricks That Will Amaze Your Friends!
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- ^ "Prepare for the ultimate race against time!" (Press release). Nintendo Europe. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Professor Kageyama's Maths Training: The Hundred Cell Calculation Method Information
- ^ Touch-DS.jp - DS楽引辞典!
- ^ Official Nintendo Magazine article
- ^ Official Nintendo Magazine article
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Nintendo today announced that the new Wii Fit Plus game will launch in North America on Oct. 4
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- ^ Wii Music release announced for October 20
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