Tomb Raider Coming to Nintendo Wii

he decision by SCi Entertainment to develop a version of Tomb Raider for the Wii is driven by the platform's unique game controls, said Kathryn Clements, the senior brand manager for Tomb Raider. The Wii nunchuck controllers, she said, will allow Wii gamers to control Lara in brand new, unique ways, with plenty of new features.

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One of the most popular game franchises in history will emerge in a new version this summer -- but only one of the three major new gaming platforms will be invited to the party. On Friday, SCi Entertainment, the owner of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider series, announced that PlayStation 2 and Windows PC versions of "Tomb Raider: Anniversary" will be released in Europe on June 1. A version for the handheld Sony PSP will be released shortly thereafter. According to reports in the London TimesOnline, SCi is working on a version of the game for the Nintendo Wii platform that will be released later this year. The owners of the other two major gaming platforms, the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, will have to wait until the 2008 release of "Tomb Raider 9" for their next Croft fix. Original Tomb Raider "Tomb Raider: Anniversary," the developers say, is a recreation of the original Lara Croft adventure released in 1996. The latest chapter in the busty heroine's adventures is being created by the San Francisco-based Crystal Dynamics, a U.S. video game developer. Crystal Dynamics was acquired by Eidos Interactive, which originally developed and released the first Lara Croft game. Eidos itself was subsequently acquired by SCi Entertainment in 2005. "Our goal was to capture the essence of what made the original Tomb Raider game such an incredible adventure," said Sean Vesce, the Studio Manager at Crystal Dynamics, "and use this to create a brand new Tomb Raider game." Vesce said that Crystal Dynamics has rebuilt the original game from the ground up using tools and technologies that the company developed during its production of last year's release, "Tomb Raider: Legend." Kathryn Clements, the senior brand manager for Tomb Raider, said that "Tomb Raider: Anniversary is our way of paying tribute to Lara and the history of the franchise that will not only appeal to her fans, but also encourage a whole new generation of Lara lovers." Tomb Raider on the Wii The decision by SCi to develop a version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary for the Wii is driven by the platform's unique game controls, Clements said. "The Wii Remote and nunchuck controllers allow Wii gamers to control Lara in brand new, unique ways, and there are plenty of new features, to be revealed soon, which will ensure Anniversary really hits the spot." SCi's announcement of a Wii-specific version of Tomb Raider: Anniversary adds to what has been a very good year for Nintendo. According to trade press figures, the company sold nearly six million Wiis in the first five months of the product's release, and Nintendo anticipates selling another 14 million units by March 2008. The Wii reportedly is outselling the Sony PlayStation 3 by a 2:1 margin, accounting in part for Sony's heavy 1Q 2007 losses.