Nintendo Direct

Nintendo Direct

The Direct began with a new trailer for Super Smash Bros.  The trailer has revealed the Little Mac from Punch Out will be a playable character in the game; it also appears as if a Punch Out boxing ring level may also be in the game.  Many questioned if this game would ship this year, but Nintendo insists it will be available in 2014.

Nintendo announced that Mario Kart would receive new characters that have never been playable in the game before.  I was very shocked to see the seven Koopa siblings as playable characters.  Mario Kart 8 looks very good and I cannot wait to play it.  Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long.  Mario Kart will ship May 30th.

A sequel is coming to NES Remix with new titles such as Super Mario 3, Metroid, Ice Hockey, and more.

Nintendo plans to release a collection of baseball mini games on the 3DS.  They will once again experiment with micro transactions, but will do so in a different way.  They announced that there would be some type of haggling system within the game that will allow you to unlock the mini games you want to play for a lower price then what they will be listed at.  I’m not particularly thrilled with this game, and the haggling system left me more confused then excited.  It does appear to be an early look, and more details should follow explaong the

Mario Golf: World Tour for the 3DS received a major update after being dormant since last fall.  The game play video showed Mii’s participating in rounds of golf.  Nintendo announced that Mii’s will have lots of customization, with specific articles of clothing giving performance boosts.  It appears as if there will also be an over world map in the game that the Mii’s can walk around, almost like Mario Tennis on the Gameboy Color.  Mario Golf will be available on May 2nd.

Kirby Triple Deluxe was shown next.  The vibrant Kirby sidescroller will have two types of collectibles: key chains and sun stones.  I feel as if the key chains act as a type of achievement.  Sun Stones give players a bonus when they are all collected. Kirby will also release on May 2nd for the 3DS.

Yoshi’s New Island detailed some new features, one of which was borrowed from the New Super Mario Bros games.  Yoshi can now produce large eggs that roll through levels destroying everything it its path, much like Mega Mario.  Nintendo also unveiled a metal egg which will allow Yoshi to travel underwater, a first in Yoshi games.  Yoshi’s New Island will be available March 14th.

A number of other games were briefly touched upon, including Pokemon Battle Trozei (March 20th), a battle style match 3 puzzle game, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (February 28th), and Children of Light (April 20th), a Wii U RPG.  Nintendo also unveiled two games that are available now on the eShop: Inazuma Eleven, a RPG soccer game, and Steel Diver: Sub Wars, a free-to-play Steel Diver sequel.

Gameboy Advanced games coming to the Wii U was not surprising, but it was good to get more details on the list of games that will be available soon.  North America should see the following titles released throughout spring: Metroid Fusion, Mario and Luigi Super Saga, and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advanced 3.  Japan will be receiving Golden Sun, Wario Ware: Advance Wars, F-Zero, and Mario Advanced 2.

Finally, Nintendo released more video for two upcoming games, including X, an RPG from Xenoblade developer Tetsuya Takahashi, and Bayonetta 2.  There is currently no release date for Bayonetta 2 in North America, but Japan should see it sometime in 2014.

For more details on these games, gameplay videos, and the full Nintendo Direct, visit Nintendo’s YouTube Channel.