A lot of Nintendo news comes our way, courtesy of the company’s press conference at GDC today.

• First up is word that the ever-popular Wii has shipped a stunning 50 million consoles worldwide since its debut in 2006. Nintendo claims it is the fastest-selling console ever.
• The DS appears to have reached a sort of gender harmony, with the company claiming that 47% of all new DS owners in 2008 were female and that women make up 27% of the platform’s life-to-date install base.
• Addressing the Wii’s lack of storage options, Nintendo today released the SD Card Menu as part of its latest system update. This download will enable Wii users to launch applications, such as WiiWare and Virtual Console titles, from an inserted SD card.
• The Wii will today extend its Shop Channel to include classic arcade games. Initial offerings will include Space Harrier, The Tower of Druaga and Star Force. Pricing will range between $5-6.

There were two game announcements, too:

• Ninty’s head honcho Satoru Iwata announced Rock n’ Roll Climber, an upcoming WiiWare game making use of the Wii Balance Board. The game will have players scale virtual rockfaces, shifting their feet on the balance board to control the climber’s feet.
• The second is a rather big one – a new Zelda game for the DS! Dubbed The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, the DS title will feature a similar visual style to The Phantom Hourglass and will see traditional gameplay in the form of combat and dungeon exploration. It is due out later this year.

Nintendo has announced that Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) will hit stores across Europe on October 19. In related news, the company also announced that the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii) is also set for release in the region on October 26.

And yes, Nintendo did offer its Wii E3 lineup:

• Wii Sports
  
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
  
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
  
• Super Mario Galaxy
  
• Excite Truck
  
• WarioWare: Smooth Moves
  
• Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Call of Duty 3 from Activision
  
• Sonic and Super Monkey Ball games from SEGA
  
• DRAGON QUEST SWORDS: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors and CODENAME: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Crystal Bearers from SQUARE ENIX
  
• Madden NFL from Electronic Arts
  
• Rayman Raving Rabbids and Red Steel from Ubisoft
  
• SpongeBob SquarePants title from THQ

Nintendo also announced that Wii titles are in development at Atari, BVG, Eidos, Konami, Majesco, Midway, Namco, SNK and many other publishers.

As announced in Nintendo’s conference, Twilight Princess will be released in Gamecube and Wii versions; it will be available at launch. There’s a screenshot to the right demonstrating how one will play thr Wii version.

Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Q4 2006
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Adventure
Players: 1
Developer: Nintendo

When an evil darkness enshrouds the land of Hyrule, a young farm boy named Link must awaken the hero – and the animal – within.

• When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf and must scour the land with the help of a mysterious girl named Midna. Using the power and unique control of the Wii console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess features incredibly precise aiming control using the Wii Remote.
  
• The Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controller are used for a variety of game activities, including fishing and special sword attacks.
  
• Players ride into battle against troops of foul creatures using an amazing horseback combat system, then take on massive bosses that must be seen to be believed.
  
• Many puzzles stand between Link and the fulfillment of his quest, so players must sharpen their wits as they hunt for weapons and items.

Game storyline: Link, a young man raised as a wrangler in a small, rural village, is ordered by the mayor to attend the Hyrule Summit. He sets off, oblivious to the dark fate that has descended upon the kingdom. When he enters the Twilight Realm that has covered Hyrule, he transforms into a wolf and is captured. A mysterious figure named Midna helps him break free. With the aid of her magic, they set off to free the land from the shadows.

Characters: Link, Zelda, Midna and many other characters, both new and old. How to progress through the game: Link must explore the vast land of Hyrule and uncover the mystery behind its plunge into darkness. As he does, he’ll have to enlist the aid of friendly folk, solve puzzles and battle his way through dangerous dungeons. In the Twilight Realm, he’ll have to use his wolf abilities and Midna’s magic to bring light to the land.

Special powers/weapons/moves/features: Besides his trusty sword and shield, Link will use his bow and arrows, fight while on horseback and use a wealth of other items, both new and old. Players can use the Wii Remote as a fishing pole, while a spin of the Nunchuk controller executes a spin attack.

Through an interview with Nintendo Europe (requires VIP access), Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will make use of the Revolution controller when released later this year. However, he did not go into detail, though he did mention that more information on the next-gen console will be disclosed at E3, which is just two months away.