Nintendo details European release schedule

Nintendo has followed up last month's European DS Lite launch with release dates for the majority of the system's lineup of first-party games through 2006. In addition to dropping dates for anticipated offerings like the DS Browser (October 6) and Yoshi's Island 2 (December 1), the company also shed some light on its GameCube and Game Boy Advance release plans.

The DS Browser launches in Japan on July 24, and the firm European release date comes ahead of anything concrete from Nintendo in the US. The browser software will allow users to surf the Web using the console's dual screens and stylus, and the touch screen will be used to input text. Developed by Nintendo and Web-browser specialist Opera, the package will include both a DS cartridge with the software and a GBA cartridge for data storage. Nintendo's press office so far has no details on the pricing of the Nintendo DS browser in the UK.

The schedule also reveals exact dates for some of the other big DS titles, including Hotel Dusk: Room 215 on November 24 and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team on November 10. First seen at this year's E3 and developed by the studio behind Trace Memory, Hotel Dusk is a stylish film noir-style adventure game in which the player assumes the role of a former cop in search of a missing friend. The Blue version of the latest Pokemon game will launch on the DS alongside the Game Boy Advance Red version.

Unfortunately, the GameCube release schedule isn't quite as firm as the Nintendo DS one, with both Harvest Moon: Magical Melody and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess given loose Q4 2006 release dates. With the Legend of Zelda lined up to be a dual GameCube/Wii release, it's unlikely Nintendo would give a release date on the game before unveiling its full plans for the system's launch.

The full schedule follows. The titles that are are known by different names in the US have been put in parentheses.

Nintendo DS
42 All-Time Classics (Clubhouse Games) September 29
Nintendo DS Browser October 6
English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills October 13
Sudoku Master (Sudoku Gridmaster) October 27
Actionloop (Magnetica) October 27
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team November 10
Mario Slam Basketball (Mario Hoops 3 on 3) November 10
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 November 24
Yoshi's Island 2 December 2
Harvest Moon DS Q4 2006