We're now down into the single digits, people, as Nintendo's new Wii U is launching in just 9 more days. We here at IGN thought these final weeks of waiting would be the perfect time to break down exactly what gamers can look forward to on Launch Day and the months that will follow. To kick it off, let's start by having a look at
Today, another genre is on deck. Here are the Shooters:

ZombiU

 

We are beyond excited for the release of Ubisoft's ZombiU, as after a lengthy development process – that saw the title debut as a totally thematically different project called Killers Freaks from Outer Space and hit a few bumps in game balance after switching over to zombie style – this game is shaping up to be a very strong candidate for the title of Wii U's Day 1 Killer App. Even more than Nintendo Land's multiplayer festivities and New Super Mario Bros. U's classic platforming action, we're intrigued to see just how well the greater Nintendo audience receives this brutal shooter set in a fallen, post-apocalyptic Britain. Only 9 days left to wait, though!

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 

Year after year after year, Activision's megaton Call of Duty franchise blows apart old sales records with millions upon millions of units sold, and countless hours invested in online multiplayer by gamers around the globe. Nintendo fans have never been a part of that action, though – not really, anyway. We've been treated to some watered-down, secondhand efforts at some Call of Duty sequels, but now, finally, we'll be able to be on the same level with the rest of the gaming world. Look for Black Ops II to once again destroy old sales number records when it debuts next Tuesday, then expect those numbers to jump up even further when this Wii U edition goes on sale just five days later.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

 

Moving beyond the Wii U's Day 1 and later into the Launch Window, we come across City Interactive's Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 and its scheduled January 15 release date. This is a game design built to capture the distinctive appeal of sniping, which anyone who's ever pulled off a nearly impossible long-distance headshot in any multiplayer shooter can tell you has its own particular type of thrill attached. We just learned of the existence of Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2's Wii U version this past August, so it's possible that it won't quite be ready to debut alongside its other editions in January. But we're penciling it in there for now, until we learn differently.

Aliens: Colonial Marines

 

Once we make our way into February of next year, Wii U owners should, hopefully, be treated to the release of this superb-looking new shooter from Sega and Gearbox Software. I say "hopefully" because the title's announced launch date is February 12 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, while the powers that be have remained coy about whether or not the Wii U edition would also arrive then, or later on, or what. Anyway, whenever it does arrive, expect a brilliant, frightening, beautifully atmospheric return to the world of the Aliens films – and expect to get yourself eaten by a rampaging Xenomorph at least a dozen or so times.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Online

 

Finally, here's a shooter of somewhat uncertain status. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Onlinewas demoed for the Wii U at E3 2011 – that's 2011, not 2012 – as one of the very first examples of any game running on the just-announced hardware. Since then, though, its PC version has taken priority at Ubisoft, and while we were assured that the title is still on track at this year's Expo, a release date is still up in the air. If all of that settles down, then Wii U owners can start looking forward to a unique, tactical shooter experience unlike anything else currently on the system's release calendar.

That's all we have for today, but the Countdown to Wii U will continue with more installments after the weekend – when we'll be in the final week before the release of Nintendo's new console!