With the big reveals from rivals Sony and Microsoft out of the way on Monday, as well as super-publishers EA and Ubisoft, Nintendo had practically all of day two of E3 2014 to itself.
It’s a good thing that it didn’t disappoint then. There were an absolute ton of new titles revealed, providing a desperately needed boost to their waning Wii U console. If you already own one then you’ll be no doubt delighted that your faith has been rewarded. If you were looking for a reason to by one… how does all this sound?
The Legend of Zelda for Wii U was unveiled for the first time. Sure, we always expected that it would be announced, but the lack of surprise doesn’t detract from the pant-wetting level of excitement we’re currently experiencing (sorry for that mental image). It hasn’t got a name, and it’s not even really got any gameplay. What was revealed was a short trailer showing both some in-play footage (about one scene, really) and what can be presumed to be a scripted cinematic.
One thing is immediately obvious though: it looks absolutely gorgeous. The art style seems to be something of a combination between Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time. Okami certainly comes to mind, too. Outstanding graphics aren’t something that you’d immediately associate with the current generation of Nintendo titles, so consider these visuals a bonus. We also know that it’ll be open-world, so it has the potential to be the most immersive Zelda title yet. Check out the reveal video below.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has been out in the open for a while now, but we’ll never turn down an opportunity to gawp at it some more. It’ll be released ‘this holiday period’, and on October 3rd on 3DS – the first time it’s been available on a handheld. We also know that Pac-Man and Lady Palutena (from the Kid Icarus series) will be added to the fighters roster, too. Miis will also be able to join the fight, so you smash your friends right in their stupid cartoon faces.
Yoshi’s Woolly World will be the first home console Yoshi title since 1997’s Yoshi’s Story on the N64. It’s from the team that brought us Kirby’s Epic Yarn, which explains the visual similarities and, needless to say, it looks fantastic. The textile-based design has functionality, too, as Yoshi an use his giant sticky tongue to unravel and interact with the landscape around him. Yoshi can fly, which encourages exploration of the fanciful, colourful levels, and there’s some incredibly fun-looking co-op too. There’s a fair bit of gameplay footage for you to enjoy below.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is set for release in 2015, and has a similar major stylistic choice. This time out, Kirby is made of clay, existing in a stop-motion world. Using the stylus and the Wii U gamepad, you draw out a plasticine track to help clay Kirby navigate his landscape unharmed. It’s something of a followup to the under-appreciated Kirby: Canvas Curse which hit the DS all of nine years ago. Except it looks even better, as you can see from the gameplay footage below.
Star Fox is back. Star Fox is back! It’s been nearly ten years since the last original Star Fox home console release, so this game’s unveiling has come not a minute too soon. There’s very little known about it at this point (including its actual name), as it’s scheduled for a 2015 release, but early signs are very promising. It looks set to be a classic aerial combat game in the Starfox 64/Lylat Wars mould, allowing you to transition between both Arwing and Land Tank form.
Most interesting of all, though, is its control scheme. On your TV you see your fighter in third-person. On your Wii U gamepad however, you see a first-person cockpit view. You move the gamepad around the aim and use the analogue sticks to manoeuvre (and yes, before you ask, you can do a barrel roll). Sign us up.
Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire are the names of the two latest Pokemon titles. As you may have garnered from those names, they will be 3DS remakes of the insanely popular GameBoy Advance titles Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – you’ve got some new Pokemon thrown in there, as well as some great 3D visuals that are a far cry from the original.
Splatoon is a name that, unlike every other on this list, might not actually ring a bell with loyal Nintendo fans. That’s because it’s a brand new intellectual property, and that should be very exciting to you. Remakes and sequels of beloved franchises are all well and good (and just about all that keeps Nintendo’s head above water) but it’s important that something new come along every once in a while.
It’s a four-on-four multiplayer action game, with the core concept revolving around two teams vying for control of an arena. The players do this by spraying the surfaces of said arena with coloured in. Cover more of the surfaces with your team’s colour ink and you win. You can also blot your opponents and transform into a squid. It’s probably simpler if you just watch this footage below.
There was also a ton of other titles revealed, such like cult-sequel Bayonetta 2, the Dynasty Warriors ‘inspired’ Hyrule Warriors, Big in Japan Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, spin-off Captain Toad: Treasure Hunter and freakin’ Mario Party 10. The next 18 months are going to be awfully good for Nintendo fans.