Today’s Nintendo Direct focused on 2013 games hitting this holiday season as well as hinting on some stuff for 2014. This half-hour long presentation shows off games like Super Mario 3D World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds in a whole new light.
Iwata started thing off with Super Mario 3D World. Launching on November 22nd (the same day as the Xbox One), Mario’s newest 3D adventure has him, Luigi, Peach, and Toad rescue a fairy that Bowser stuffed in a bottle. The game will have the heroes use various powerups such as the new Cat Suit, the Propeller Cap from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the Coin Block cap from New Super Mario Bros. 2, the Tanooki Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3, cherries which split the character into two, a cannon cap which allows him to shoot, the Boomerang Bros. Suit from Super Mario 3D Land, and a new Goomba Suit that’ll fool enemies to think they are one of them. While I thought the game might be a little boring, even after playing a bit of it, this new trailer shows off a lot of personality that we haven’t previously seen. That’s great because that was what Mario 3D Land lacked.
Next up was Wii Party U, due out in October 25th. Bundled with the Wii Remote Plus and Gamepad stand for $50, this bargain uses the Gamepad in some of its best ways. One game has people carrying water from a stream to a pitcher by running back and forth from the Gamepad (on the floor) to the TV. Another game has players in a circle with both hands on Wii Remotes dancing in coordination with the Gamepad, which is in the middle. One last game has players trying to press buttons on the Gamepad and three Wii Remotes like Twister. Like Mario Party, the main part is a board game followed by minigames.
Iwata apologized over the next bit of news, which was that Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze has been delayed until February 2014.
Mario & Sonic at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games has now been dated for November 15. It is the first in the series to be published by Nintendo worldwide as well as the first to have online multiplayer, though it is limited to just four games. If you play the games online, you’ll score points for your country in a worldwide leaderboard. The game will also have the option to be bundled with a blue Wii Remote Plus.
Iwata wasn't finished with Sonic, because he announced his return in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. The game will also have a stage based on Sonic Lost World.
Next up was Pikmin 3, which received DLC today for the mission mode. Missions 7-10 are now available for $1.99 on the eShop, and if you update the game today, you’ll get a demo for the first paid mission in addition to improved leaderboards that now show top scores.
Nintendo of America’s Damon Baker focused on some key third party content hitting October for Wii U and 3DS, including Etrian Odyssey: Millennium Girl (Oct. 1), Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate (Oct. 25), Sonic Lost World (Oct. 29), Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Oct. 29), Just Dance 2014 (Oct. 8), Skylanders SWAP Force (Oct. 13), LEGO Marvel Superheroes (Oct. 22), Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies (Oct. 24 with a demo today).
NoA’s Erik Peterson was next showing off Link’s crawfish shirt from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, and announced that Animal Crossing: New Leaf fans can download with QR codes. He then showed off the StreetPass relay points in action, which saves the last six Miis that passed it for you to take advantage of. These relay points will contain future DLC for various 3DS games like Kid Icarus Uprising, Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7 and Animal Crossing. In fact, Animal Crossing gets two this month: a fedora chair (Oct. 1-14) and sushi platter (Oct. 15-31).
Peterson then showed off a new trailer for 2014’s Bravely Default showing off the characters, English voice acting, nice presentation and gameplay.
Iwata returns to discuss The Legend of Zelda: A link Between Worlds, which launches alongside Mario 3D World on November 22nd. This Zelda title will break normal tradition by not allowing Link to obtain new items in dungeons. Instead he will have to rent them in Ravio’s shop. Because of this, you can choose the order of the dungeons, as long as you budget Rupees and select the right items. After you beat certain dungeons, you can buy the items for permanent use.
Lastly, Iwata teased a brand new Kirby game for Nintendo 3DS. Other than the fact that it plays much like normal Kirby titles like Kirby’s Return to Dreamland and Kirby’s Adventure, nothing else, even the name, is unknown.
Nothing was overly surprising in this Nintendo Direct, but it did show off the games much more positively. These games looked so generic when they were fist shown off at E3, but now they are showing their true forms, which are high quality AAA experiences (this is a trend Nintendo needs to stop doing). Hopefully these titles get you psyched for the holiday season, which is very soon.
