Everything you need to know from Nintendo’s E3 2013 showings

After providing more information on their consoles and premiering games for it, Microsoft and Sony have the day off. Up next with a slew of updates came Nintendo – showing that even though they don’t have a fancy new console to premiere, they can still wow their fans (and new ones) with new games.

Before E3 began for the day, Nintendo greeted fans worldwide with a one hour Nintendo Direct broadcast. With the broadcast, viewers were greeted by Satoru Iwata who presented game trailers of games that have already been announced and some newcomers to look forward to. Though they didn’t have an official press conference, Nintendo was still very much present at E3. Here are games highlighted throughout the day:

BAYONETTA 2 – 2014

Platinum Games wasn’t short of trailers and games during the Nintendo Direct event. Following the release of some gameplay from their game The Wonderful 101 was that of Bayonetta 2. The first installment of the series was well-received by gamers and critics alike, amassing a score of 90 and 87 on Metacritic’s Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 reviews, respectively.

There is no word on whether Platinum will be releasing this on other consoles, but from what it looks like, this will be a game exclusive to the Wii U. There is a detailed Wii U Developer Direct video for the game if the trailer doesn’t satisfy your Bayonetta craving.

The game centers around title character Bayonetta, who, in this game, sports a shorter haircut – leaving players to wonder where her powers are going to come from. The trailer does show her having rather long clothing, which could be where some of her “hair” power will come from. She’s also dual-wielding weapons in the trailer, something that may be added to the final game.

DONKEY KONG COUNTRY: TROPICAL FREEZE – November 2013

Making its Nintendo debut is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Wii U. Vikings from the North Sea have taken over and it is up to Donkey Kong and his friends to save the island. Donkey Kong takes a trip to five islans in this game in order to ensure their safety. Familiar gameplay and music are featured in the game  and players who are familiar with the older Donkey Kong Country games will feel right as home with this one.

Iwata, in the Nintendo Direct presser, mentioned that with this installment in the Donkey Kong series, players will be able to enjoy the game in full HD graphics. One notable example of the upgrade in graphics is being able to see “Donkey Kong’s fur flowing” in the wind. New camera angles will allow players to experience Donkey Kong in a new way. The changing angles will, at times, require the player to make a decision on which way they would like to go.

Players will be able to play as Donkey Kong and with a second controller, have the ability to control either Diddy Kong or his girlfriend Dixie Kong – who makes her return to the series as a playable character. Both Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong have different abilities that will change the way the game is played. This game is slated to hit store shelves in November. 

LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK BETWEEN WORLDS (3DS) – Q4 2013

E3 wouldn’t be the same without a new Zelda game announcement. Now, there is a Wind Waker remake, which you can read below, but there hasn’t been an original Zelda game on the 3DS (the one that is out for it – The Ocarina of Time – being a remake of the Nintendo 64 great). With A Link Between Worlds the remake card is pulled again, but done in such a way that gamers won’t mind – remaking the world in the game, but not the story.

A Link Between Worlds brings back Hyrule in all its glory. The world used in this game is the same world used in A Link to the Past. The game is being considered a sequel to the 1992 game. The game has updated the world with 3D graphics that make it very pleasing and nostalgic.

Link is capable of turning into a 2D version of himself and walking along the walls in the game. A new feature that will indeed bring a new style of play to classic Zelda.

LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER HD – October 2013

The game we all loved and critiqued – originally for the Gamecube – is making its return to the Wii U with updated gaphics. The gameplay you know and love is still there and looks better than ever. Though the game isn’t the Zelda game shown during the Wii U’s premiere, it is one that can hold Zelda fans over for a bit.

The game is output at 1080p, giving fans a more immersive experience with the title. Iwata highlighted some changes that have been made with the upcoming release compared to that of its Gamecube counterpart. The first is the Tingle Tuner, an item given to the player by the in-game character Tingle. The tuner allowed for players to use their Game Boy Advance systems and a GameCube Link Cable to have a second player take control of Tingle. The Game Boy Advance was able to be used to check the map of the area in addition to other activities.

Due to the inability for a Game Boy Advance – if anyone even has one anymore – to connect with the Wii U, Iwata said a new feature, the Tingle Bottle, will allow players to write messages in a bottle or attach an in-game screenshot to their message and throw them into sea. The messages will wash up ashore in other players’ Zelda games. Let’s just hope this doesn’t backfire and players begin sending out inappropriate messages to unknown users.

For more information on the game, Wind Waker producer Eiji Aonuma goes more in depth in the Developer Direct video by Nintendo. Expect the game October 2013.

MARIO KART 8 – Spring 2014

No new console is complete without a Mario Kart game. It started with the Super Nintendo then moved on to the Nintendo 64, Gamecube, DS, Wii and 3DS. It is now the Wii U’s turn for its own Mario Kart game. This preview won’t have much depth because it has been previously highlighted on the site.

The game’s trailer features new car models, and track types. Players can use hovercrafts and handgliders, among others, to defy gravity and race on walls and upside down even. Levels will go from above ground to underground to underwater in seconds (just like the 3DS’ Mario Kart 7).

No word yet on its release date, but expect the game Spring 2014.

NEW SUPER LUIGI U – June 20, 2013 (Nintendo eShop version), Aug. 25, 2013 (retail).

Now it’s his turn to star in a game. Being a previously-titled series exclusively to his brother Mario, Luigi gets his turn as the the star of a new New Super __ game. Play as Luigi or Nabbit in order to explore the more than 80 courses in the game.  The game is due out June 20 for the Nintendo eShop version and available Aug. 25 for those looking to purchase the actual disc. The games will sell for $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. Let’s just hope Luigi doesn’t get bitter because his game is selling for less than his brother’s.

POKÉMON X/Y – Oct. 12, 2013

Though the game already had a release window of October 2013, Iwata revealed that the game now has an official worldwide release date of October 12, 2013 along with a new trailer. The game features brand new Pokémon and a new region for gamers to explore. It will be released exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS in order to take advantage of Nintendo’s handheld.

Pokémon X and Y also features a new Pokémon type – fairy. The fairy type adds a 18th type to the list. Fairy Pokémon (such as Jigglypuff, Marill, Sylveon and Gardevoir) are super effective against Dragon type, adding an interesting twist in the way gamers choose to raise their Pokémon.

Also featured in the trailer is a new game variant “Pokémon-Amie.” It’s unknown whether or not the fact that “amie” was chosen has anything to do with the French word meaning friend. Plausible, but uncertain. In this game mode, players will have the ability to “feed, pet and play with their Pokémon” in order to “build [a] bond” with them.

SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD – December 2013

A Nintendo E3 wouldn’t be a Nintendo E3 without a new Mario game. This time around the first announced, of a couple they had, was Super Mario 3D World. The trailer shows Mario and his partners in crime – Princess Peach, Luigi and Toad – running around a 3D world.

The trailer was full of four player action where each character was helping out in one way or another. Each character brings a different set of skills to the table, much as previous versions of the game have done. Peach can float in the air, Toad can run faster than the other characters and Luigi can jump higher.

Another surprise in the game was a new in-game powerup Mario and his companions have. Rather than the proverbial tanooki suit Mario has sported in previous games, in the Wii U version, there will be a cat suit that players can sport to help them get through the various levels of the game. The cat suit will allow players to climb up walls and even scratch enemies using the cat suit’s claws.

No street date yet, but the window from Nintendo has it releasing December 2013.

SUPER SMASH BROS (Wii U / 3DS) – 2014

What began as a potential trailer for a new Animal Crossing game quickly changed when a letter opened by a villager fell to the ground sporting the well-known Super Smash Bros. logo. Mario, Link, Samus, Kirby, Star Fox, Kid Icarus, Donkey Kong and Pikachu are all included in the trailer as characters making their return to the series.

The game makes its debut on a handheld with its release to the 3DS system. It’s unlikely the game sports the ability to cross-play from 3DS to Wii U, but the hope is always there. The cross-play function has been sported on other consoles (Playstation 3 and the Playstation Vita) and there may be a possibility these two systems can do it in the future, but as of yet there are no games capable of doing so – especially with the difference in graphics, controller and stages that seem to be different between the two games.

Two new characters are featured in the game’s trailer. The first is Villager from Animal Crossing and the second being the long-awaited Mega Man from his self-titled games. Villager’s style is reminiscent of Ness in that he is small and packs a punch (pun not intended). Mega Man shows signs of Samus with his charge/blasts. This game will be in our systems sometime next year.

WII PARTY U – October 2013 (previously Summer 2013)

Making its debut to the Wii Party series on the Wii U is Wii Party U. The game will feature a mix of Wii party games and board games. The games will “utilize the unique control schemes of the Wii U game pad and the Wii controllers.” Iwata said he hopes the new Wii Party game becomes the go-to party game for Wii U owners. The game was created with the gamers of all skill levels in mind – hoping to become the staple for Wii party gaming. Iwata previously mentioned the game would be released summer 2013, but he said they would like more time to work on the game – release window has been set to October 2013.

THE WONDERFUL 101 – September 15, 2013

Another game revealed during Nintendo’s Direct broadcast was The Wonderful 101. “This is an action game where a group of heroes and their leader…battle against a space invader group… that has started to attack earth.” First impressions from the game’s trailer shows a game that resembles Nintendo’s own Pikmin in the sense that there are a banded group of – in this case – people aiming for a common goal. The group travels in a pack and are, for the most part, all used in order to defeat the enemies they encounter.

Platinum Games’ The Wonderful 101 will allow gamers to control a group of heroes to help defeat a boss. Up to five players will be allowed to join in on the fun. In order to create different shapes to help defeat enemies, players will use the Wii U’s Game Pad to draw. Players will be able to purchase skills and new Unitemorph powers.

Honorable mentions:

• A new installment of Art Academy is in the works. Additional details will be announced “in the future.”
• Mario and Luigi make their return working together in Mario & Luigi: Dream Team. Find it on shelves in August.
• Pikmin 3 will be making its way to the Wii U. New adventures and new characters you can use. 
• Wii Fit U was previously scheduled for October 2013, but because of new features being added to the game, the release date has changed to December 2013.
• Yoshi’s Island is making a return this time to the 3DS system with Yoshi’s New Island.