Here's hoping this rumor isn't true, but IGN seems to think that Nintendo has brought the hammer down on Project H.A.M.M.E.R. for the Nintendo Wii, dooming the game to "whatever happened to that, anyway?" status by suddenly canceling the project into oblivion.  Remember last year at E3 when the company touted this game as one of its two new properties (the other being Disaster)?  Well, so much for that.

Our sources were unable to provide a reason for the alleged termination. However, IGN Wii has heard separately that Nintendo is actively re-working some traditional games so that they are more accessible by casual players. If it is truly canned, Project H.A.M.M.E.R. may have become a casualty of Wii's newfound success in the mainstream market.

So, Hammer Training, anyone?  Or maybe Project H.A.M.M.E.R. Party?  Ooh, ooh, Nintentools!  But seriously, if this is true then I hate to see H.A.M.M.E.R. go.  As you'll recall, I had the opportunity to play the demo last year and really enjoyed it.  There was a lot of promise and potential in the concept.  Canceling it is bad enough, but canceling it so that Nintendo can focus resources on another mini-game collection or "lifestyle" game is even worse.  Both kinds of games can co-exist in Wii World.  If this is the last we see of the game though, I can take comfort in knowing that I got to play the game and you did not.  Don't look at me like that.  I can be a real jerk when an anticipated game drops off the face of the planet.

*cough* Human Assisted Mallet Mechanical Emergency Response *cough*

(via NeoGAF)