Nintendo’s press conference provided a few surprises today with surprising new entries to venerable franchises and quizzical pulse-measuring add-ons.  Big N’s biggest mainstream announcement was Super Mario Galaxy 2 -  stylistically similar to the first but featuring everyone’s favorite gluttonous dinosaur Yoshi.  Equally as exciting, Nintendo announced that a new Metroid title, Metroid: Other M, will be a story-focused adventure.  What’s more, the game will be developed by Team Ninja, makers of Ninja Gaiden.  The TGR staff already predicts Samus’ armor will have a removable chestplate that will conveniently expose massive and constantly gyrating breasts.  Both games were shown in teaser form only, meaning that release dates will fall in 2010 at the earliest.

In other Mario-related news, New Super Mario Bros. Wii brings simultaneous four-player platforming to the white waggly console.  Players control Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad, or Yellow Toad - playing through 2.5D levels in the vein of New Super Mario Bros. for the DS.  At the end of each level, players’ points and coins are tallied up and ranked, introducing a slight competitave flavor to the cooperative experience.  New Super Mario Bros. Wii will release this holiday season.

Nintendo also announced a game that will probably outsell everything previously detailed.  Wii Fit Plus will allow players to create fitness routines, stringing together exercises without the menus in between.  The electronic scale compliment also includes new balance games like juggling and skateboarding.  The game will hit Fall 2009 both bundled with and without the Balance Board - pricing was not announced.  Wii Sports Resort rounded out Nintendo’s casual-audience announcements, showing archery, skydiving, rowing, and a basketball free-throw contest. 

Speaking of Balance Boards, anyone concerned that the Nintendo Wii didn’t have enough plastic peripherals will love to hear that the Vitality Sensor will add yet another cord and plastic widget to the pile of controllers.  The sensor fits on a player’s finger and reads his/her pulse.  Nintendo President Satoru Iwata described the new peripheral as having the power to read a player’s stress levels, hopefully allowing them to relax and sleep.  I predict Nintendo will make one piece of software for the peripheral that works well, and third parties will try but never match their success.  Wild speculation, I know.

A few other miscellanous DS tidbits raised some eyebrows.  Fans of classic RPGs will love to hear that Golden Sun will return in full 3D on the DS.  Additionally, the DSi will soon be able to share pictures via Facebook.  Nintendo didn’t give a date for this new functionality, but it was promised this summer.

Nintendo’s conference easily trumped last year’s performance, but that’s like bragging about being taller than a mdiget.  With new Mario, Metroids, and games revolving around a player’s heartbeat, owners of Nintendo’s consoles have an interesting few months ahead of them.