STARFOX ZERO, NINTENDO E3 DIGITAL EVENT, Nintendo
Now that the big boys Microsoft and Sony have unveiled their E3 games and announcements, it’s time for Nintendo do do their own thing off the beaten path as always. This years E3 Digital Event streamed live on Nintendo’s website today and gave us a look at what’s to come later this year and beyond. And besides the hilarious puppet-themed performance (seriously funny), the announcements and reveals were pretty “meh”…and this is coming from a HUGE Nintendo fan.
I suppose the first announcement was also the biggest in the form of a new STAR FOX game for the Wii U titled STAR FOX ZERO coming our way Holiday 2015. Much sooner than expected and most welcome. While the game does look really fun, it also looked pretty dated by todays HD standards. I enjoyed the transformation options for your main ship and the cockpit view on your Wii U gamepad was cool. STAR FOX is a classic and I hope this one plays fun and looks a little sharper when it finally releases later this year.
We then got a quick sniff at the SUPER MARIO MAKER game witch then lead into the announcement of a team-up between Nintendo and Activision’s famous SKYLANDERS franchise. A couple of Amiibo’s for Bowser and DK were shown off that will also work with the newest SKYLANDERS game called SKYLANDERS SUPERCHARGERS.
Another big announcement is that we are getting another LEGEND OF ZELDA game for the 3DS in Fall of 2015 called THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TRIFORCE HEROES that smells a lot like FOUR SWORDS ADVENTURES. It’s a 3-palyer co-op experience using the A LINK BETWEEN WORLDS engine and looks pretty cool overall. Sad it wasn’t a proper new addition to the franchise on handhelds, but it looks neat nonetheless. It was then added that a 3DS version of HYRULE WARRIORS is on the way called HYRULE WARRIORS LEGENDS featuring characters from the WIND WAKER series coming our way 1st quarter 2016.
Up next we got our first peak at a new 4-player co-op game called METROID PRIME: FEDERATION FORCE. This seems like the same formula as TRIFORCE HEROES in that it’s mainly a co-op experience and not a true addition the the famous franchise. A little disappointing. It looks ok…
We then get a Japanese RPG hat trick in the form of FIRE EMBLEM FATES coming to 3DS in 2016, something called #FE (I think…) from Atlus, and a beautiful updated look ay XENOBLADE CHRONICLES X for the Wii U with an official release date of December 4th 2015.
Next we got a few ANIMAL CROSSING updates. A new 3DS game called ANIMAL CROSSING: HAPPY HOME DESIGNER is coming September 25th 2015 which has you taking requests and building dream homes for your neighbors. And a new Wii U Amiibo-inspired game called ANIMAL CROSSING AMIIBO FESTIVAL is heading our way Holiday 2015 that appears to be a boardgames-style game in the vein of MARIO PARTY.
YOSHI’S WOOLLY WORLD was then given an official release date of October 16th 2015 and we got to see more gameplay and a look at the super cute Yarn Yoshi Amiibo. Yeah, I need that.
The 3DS got a little more love with the announcement ok a Pokemon-esque looking creature capture game called YU-KAI WATCH for Holiday 2015 and a new game called MARIO + LUIGI PAPER JAM featuring both 2D and 3D versions of our favorite plumber brothers coming at us Spring 2016.
We got one more surprise with MARIO TENNIS ULTRA SMASH for the Wii U becoming available Holiday 2015 followed by a deeper look at SUPER MARIO MAKER in honor of the 30th anniversary of Mario. The game looks fun and sharp with seemingly endless options for Mario fans to craft their own stages. I’m sure it’s a fun game, but I not completely interested in it to be honest.
And that was it…
No new footage of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA for the Wii U which got delayed until 2016, no new proper METROID announcements, no new Wii U Mario games, nothing that big for the 3DS, and overall nothing that really has me excited about Nintendo this year. Considering some of Nintendo’s biggest franchises such as MARIO, MARIO KART, and SMASH BROS. are already out on Wii U we are in a bit of a slump for the system. At least I can play as Ryu in SUPER SMASH BROS. Wii U to make all my worries go away…
You can check out the whole presentation for yourself HERE.
In case you missed it:
E3 2015: Bethesda Press Conference Impressions
E3 2015: Microsoft Press Conference Impressions
E3 2015: EA Press Conference Impressions
E3 2015: Ubisoft Press Conference Impressions
E3 2015: Sony Press Conference Impressions
