Alrigthy, people. Ubisoft has now opened the website for GT Pro Series, one of the launch titles for Nintendo's Wii. Visiting the site, you'd be welcomed by the sound of a roaring engine, that, for race aficionados like you out there, would definitely be music to your ears.

What's in the site? Basically a quick rundown of what the game's all about. With the cute little steering wheel moving to the direction of the mouse, it sure is animating. And if you click on the Features section, even more animating is the news that the game will actually come with a free steering wheel.

Also enlisted as features included are 80+ customized cars, with each of them having 11 tunable components. There's also the drift mode, which you can dabble in, along with the combos. And then, the multiplayer mode sure is bound to be fun as you can play it via a split-screen, which can accommodate up to four players at a time.

Anyhow, you can visit the site by clicking on the Read link below. Just go ahead and cruise it.

Are you ready to rumble? Coming to Europe on December 8 is Nintendo's Wii, along with awesome launch titles, including Wii Sports and Wii Play. Soon, you'll be able to check out for yourself just how fine the Wiimote can be on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (it won't matter anymore that Link's already a rightie), EA Sports' Need For Speed Carbon, and Ubisoft's Red Steel. But wait, let's not forget about Activision's war-action game Call of Duty 3 and Ubisoft's Rayman Raving Rabbids.

That's a lot, right? But we're just getting started. We have here for you the list of Wii launch titles for Europe. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled out for your favored games, and mark that day red on your calendar! This is as good as a treasure hunt could get. Enjoy!

Wii Europe Launch Titles (December 8)

• Wii Sports Bundle
  
• The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess
• Wii Play (including Wii Remote)
• Call of Duty 3 (Activision)
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Activision)
• Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (Activision)
• Madden NFL 07 (EA)
• Need For Speed Carbon (EA)
• Happy Feet (Midway Games)
• Rampage: Total Destruction (Midway Games)
• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Sega)
• Gottlieb Pinball Classics (System 3)
• Super Fruit Fall (System 3)
• Disney/ Pixar Cars (THQ)
• Barnyard (THQ)
• Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (THQ)
• Blazing Angels Squadrons of WW II (Ubisoft)
• Far Cry Vengeance (Ubisoft)
• GT Pro Series (Ubisoft)
• Monster 4x4 World Circuit (Ubisoft)
• Open Season (Ubisoft)
• Rayman Raving Rabbids (Ubisoft)
• Red Steel (Ubisoft)
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent (Ubisoft)

December Titles (but without specified dates)

• Impossible Mission (System 3)
• Leaderboard Golf (System 3)
• Tennis Masters (System 3)

Car racing enthusiasts probably can't wait for Ubisoft's GT Pro Series' release. Why, you ask? It's because this game's supposed to feature adrenaline-pumping gameplay, cartloads of cars, and cel-shaded style graphics to boot.

This game's based on MTO's GT Series, but is given a Wii-makeover. According to GT Pro Series' associate producer, Tats Myoio, "The goal is to take full advantage of the distinctive Wii controller, and to make the gameplay more fun and immersive for the gamer."

Also, this Wii game is the first to have a non-Nintendo peripheral, the steering wheel. Now you're probably asking how exactly is this a Wii game, if it will make use of a non-Nintendo "controller".  The way we understand it, you prop the Wiimote in the steering wheel. Supposedly, the Wiimote will fit snugly in the peripheral, so you still gain full access to the buttons. Confused? To get a better idea on how it looks like, you can check out the gameplay video we have for you.

Download: [GT Pro Series gameplay video]

Little has been known about the GT Pro Series until the last few months when more details about Wii game releases have been dished out. Basically, we featured interviews as well as bits of news about the game's features. GT Pro Series takes full advantage of the Wiimote and will come out simultaneously with the console on November 19 in Japan and North America and December 8 in Europe.

Ubisoft lets out a bunch of screenshots that's a real testament to the game's fluid controls and smooth physics. We're told that it comes with 80 licensed cars with tons of tuning options. The game hasn't come out just as yet, so we can't fully judge whether it's gonna be real hot or not. But for the meantime, the images can take us a long way to getting acquainted with the game. So go check out the screens here!

More screens from GT Pro Series after the jump!

Games that have people's name attached to the title seem to be doing well. Great  examples are Tony Hawk and Tiger Woods-themed games. However, there's also one more familiar name that needs to be mentioned: Tom Clancy.

Tom must be really happy right now. Besides being an author of various military-related books, his name is attached to two games that are bound to be as much of a best-seller as his paperbacks. Ka-ching!

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent (Xbox 360 and Wii): series has so far sold 14M units globally.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP): another of Tom's name on one of the better sellers: 14M again.
Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii, Nintendo DS): The Rayman is back to sell more than 17M units worldwide.
Far Cry Vengeance (Wii): FPS series that sold 2M worldwide.
Brothers In Arms D-Day (PSP): young but sold 3Mso far. Good start.
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII (Wii): planes and WWII--some of the things you'll need for a good game.
Prince of Persia Rival Swords (PSP): This old game has been selling over 8M globally.
Petz (Nintendo DS): Top Ten on GBA
Red Steel (Wii): The FPS created just for the Wii. Looks awesome.
GT Pro Series (Wii): takes the Wii controllers for a real ride.
Open Season (Xbox 360, PSP, Nintendo DS, Wii) the movie-tie-in game that's all over the gaming consoles and handhelds this year.
Star Wars Lethal Alliance (Nintendo DS, PSP): the first Star Wars built just for the next-gen handhelds.
Monster 4X4 World Circuit (Wii): Scary and big trucks come rolling down the Wii.

The following third party Wii games are confirmed to be out by the end of Nintendo's fiscal year (its fiscal year ends March 31, 2007). Many of the games in the following list are launch games, and we're telling you, Nintendo has provided quite an interesting list. There are over 40 games on it, and all of them are worth your second look. Remember though that this list doesn't even include the first party titles.

Activision
Call of Duty 3
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Rapala Tournament Fishing
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
World Series of Poker

Atari
Dragon Ball Z Budokai: Tenkaichi 2


Check out the entire list of games after the jump.

At first, the thought of receiving interesting Wiimote attachments with every odd game might sound really cool. But after reading the IGN interview where associate producer Tats Myoio answered users' questions about GT Pro, We're not so sure anymore if it's as useful as Ubisoft wants us to believe.

According to the interview, the wheel attachment does not provide any additional functions itself - it's only there to hold the Wiimote in place, and to provide players with a wheel-like grip when playing GT Pro or any other racing game that supports the same control scheme. No stand, no pedals, nothing more.

The interview states the the wheel will be "compatible" with a multitude of other racing games coming to the Wii. But technically, you could play Super Mario Galaxy, or Red Steel while having the wheel attached - granted, it won't be comfortable, but it would make no difference in the game when there's no electronics inside.

Of course, the wheel doesn't take away from the quality of the game itself, and if it's just a cheap gimmick we don't pay extra for, then fine.

But why, then, is Ubisoft trying to make the Wheel attachment appear as something special, when it really seems to be nothing more than a bent piece of plastic? Myoio says the wheel's "made by Thrustmaster specifically designed for this game", like it's going to be a prestigious, sturdy piece of hardware. So is it? We'll have to wait and see...and hope that other publishers won't follow suit by including superfluous, crummy Wiimote attachments in their games.

Joining the steering wheel attachment bandwagon for the GT Pro Series, Voo from the NeoGaf forums tried to pull a 1-2 over fellow members by posting a box art for the game with the steering wheel icon at the bottom.

There were a few that wanted to believe it was the real deal, however a lot of them had very keen eyes for details. Although the color palette is very Wii, the fact that the exact image was available without the top bar and the accessory, the black blur behind the attachment, the lack of color neutrality, and the layout gave the whole thing away. Not to mention that Voo owned up to his fake (or shall we say mock up).

Every one of the members were good sports though and took the joke in good stride. It even led to others posting their own box art fakes for their anticipated Wii games like Super Mario Galaxy and Disaster Day of Crisis.

What's so special about the GT Pro Series aside from the fast cars, cel-shaded style, stunning graphics and gameplay? Well, it's the very first to have a Wiimote peripheral that's not developed by Nintendo and specifically designed for the game: the steering wheel. BUT before we get into that, let's go over some of the other important game details via IGN's interview with Tats Myoio, Associate Producer of the GT Pro Series, shall we?

Gameplay Modes:

Championship mode - the classic one where you race with others to get to higher levels and get to unlock cars, parts, and tracks. You may have to use specific cars for some of the series.

Quick Race - as the name implies, just go out into the track and race any unlocked car of your choice.

Time Attack - race without competition with the option of creating a ghost and racing against it.

Versus mode - allows you and three of your friends to race on the same track via split-screen.

Drift mode - similar to Time Attack but with the goal of creating as much drift combinations as you can.

Replay - you can save and view any of your races.

Cars, Cars, Cars: Cars in the lineup are all Japan-made: ASL, Daihatsu, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mitsuoka, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. The game will also have Skyline R34 GT-R, RX-7 and Lancer Evolution, as well as a wide variety of cars from exotics to minivans. There will also be 11 different upgrades to customize and enhance the looks and performance of every car.

GT Pro Series as a Drift Racer?: Tats Myoio says nope, because you won't be forced to drift race, it's only an option in the game. The Drift Mode requires you to make as many drift combos as possible but it's not required in completing the game. In this sense, Tats says that GT Pro Series is designed to please both drifters and non-drifters.

And finally, the steering wheel attachment and where it can be used: Thrustmaster designed the steering wheel wherein the Wiimote will fit horizontally with all the buttons made accessible. Tilting the wheel will also tilt the wiimote and the steering wheel further adds to the whole driving experience of gamers. Aside from GT Pro, the wheel will also be compatible with another Ubisoft Wii title, Monster 4x4: World Circuit. IGN also notes that Excite Truck, Cars, and the racing portions of Sponge Bob will work with the wheel attachment.

What GT Pro Series won't have/support: Unfortunately, there will be no progressive-scan feature in the game as well as online features. What the game will have though, is the multiplayer mode on one console. As for the WiiConnect24 download service, Tats did not confirm anything about GT Pro making use of the service for downloadable contents.

For the past month or two, we've just been ignoring Wii launch rumours because there have been far too many of them and none of them are really that different or even believable. Most of them just stem from tentative dates by companies for their launch games.

However, we've come across something that's actually a bit believable. The source is Orange Lounge Radio, a site which isn't really the most reliable source around, but have been know to be occasionally right. Since they did reveal the existence of Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin long before it was announced, they might just be correct again. However, like we've repeatedly said, it's still a rumour; so give it as much/less credit as you want to.

This is the information that was supposedly given to high-up sales associates at a retail meeting.

• The USA and Japan meetings concerning the Wii launch should happen around the same time due to time zones
• The Wii will launch in November
• It will be a worldwide launch
• Shortages might delay the launch past the PS3, but it will launch before Thanksgiving (USA date, not Canadian)
  
• The marketing budget for the Wii is twice that of the GameCube at $30 Million
• There will be a lot of street crews to market the Wii
  
• The DVD Player is going to be an add-on
• Blitz: The League has been cancelled
• Sonic: Secret of the Rings is set for March 2007
• Star Wars for the Wii is in development, but won't be revealed until late 2007 - early 2008
• GT Pro Series will be bundled with a steering wheel extension

The last three points don't seem to be from the meeting. We'll find out for sure on September 14th. We'll be updating as fast as we can!