Nintendo Direct Airs Today, Focuses on Upcoming Wii U Titles

[Steven Bogos]

Nintendo Direct Airs Today, Focuses on Upcoming Wii U Titles

The "direct-to-you" Nintendo event will feature games being released over spring and summer.

Nintendo's Nintendo Direct [http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/archive/05-17-2013/] event has proved to be a smash hit with both fans and journalists alike. Providing information on upcoming titles for all of its systems in several presentations interspersed throughout the year, direct to everyone and anyone through its official website. It's much better than having to hold out for those big E3 press releases once a year. Nintendo has just announced that the next Nintendo Direct event will happen on May 17, at 10:00 AM EST, and will feature titles being released over spring and summer, with a focus on the Wii U.

As someone who has lived in three different time zones throughout his life (and currently reports to an editor in a forth), I can appreciate the frustration our global viewers may have when only EST times are given for these kinds of events. As such, I've provided a handy little list of exactly when the event will occur in different corners of the globe:

Friday, May 17 at 7:00 AM PDT
Friday, May 17 at 10:00 AM EST
Friday, May 17 at 2:00 PM UTC/GMT
Friday, May 17 at 11:00 PM JST
Satrday, May 18 at 12:00 AM AEST


The last Nintendo direct in April had a focus on upcoming 3DS titles. Among the titles announced were EarthBound [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122128-Donkey-Kong-Rolling-to-3DS-Summer-2013] for the Wii U's virtual console was also announced, but other than that, Nintendo's home console didn't get too much love.

This time should be different, as Nintendo are expected to give information on Wii U versions of their latest titles in the Mario Kart, Zelda and Smash Bros. series. Nintendo already confirmed that these titles will be making an appearance at E3, where Nintendo will "software showcases." [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123519-Nintendo-Ditches-its-E3-Press-Conference]

Source: Nintendo Direct [http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/archive/05-17-2013/]

Permalink

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

You almost gave me a heart attack, Steven! Earthbound was the game mentioned in the last Nintendo Direct, which is known as Mother 2 in Japan. For a second there I thought I missed something and was going to get to play an official translation of Mother 3 on my gamepad. The excitement center of my brain is now functionally useless, and nothing that happens today will make me happy.

In other news, it's good to see that there's some damned Wii U games in the pipeline, and Nintendo Direct has been a pretty cool way to talk about them. It feels personal, like they care...I think I prefer it this way.

 

[Steven Bogos]

You almost gave me a heart attack, Steven! Earthbound was the game mentioned in the last Nintendo Direct, which is known as Mother 2 in Japan. For a second there I thought I missed something and was going to get to play an official translation of Mother 3 on my gamepad. The excitement center of my brain is now functionally useless, and nothing that happens today will make me happy.

In other news, it's good to see that there's some damned Wii U games in the pipeline, and Nintendo Direct has been a pretty cool way to talk about them. It feels personal, like they care...I think I prefer it this way.

My mistake, thanks for the heads up

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

You almost gave me a heart attack, Steven! Earthbound was the game mentioned in the last Nintendo Direct, which is known as Mother 2 in Japan. For a second there I thought I missed something and was going to get to play an official translation of Mother 3 on my gamepad. The excitement center of my brain is now functionally useless, and nothing that happens today will make me happy.

In other news, it's good to see that there's some damned Wii U games in the pipeline, and Nintendo Direct has been a pretty cool way to talk about them. It feels personal, like they care...I think I prefer it this way.

My mistake, thanks for the heads up

It's all good, obviously I was being dramatic. They did kind of tease the hell out of it in the last Direct, which wasn't fair (Iwata, the current Nintendo president and speaker for the Directs, cut his teeth on the Mother series many years ago). Basically implying that they knew we wanted the trilogy outside of Japan. Though if they're making the effort to port Earthbound, sales of that might force their hand. They're sitting on a pile of money there, the unofficial translators for the ROM hacks even offered to do the translation for free.

Sorry if that was a bunch of information you couldn't care less about : )

 

[Scribblesense]

Will probably be official release dates for W101, Game and Wario, Wii Fit U, Wii Party U, Wind Waker HD, and Pikmin 3, as well as gameplay and/or DLC plans for them.

Maybe some upcoming Virtual Console titles (EARTHBOUND PLEASE!), and probably their plans for the Summer performance update. We might even see some more small downloadable titles like Minis on the Move (which is awesome, btw).

And I'll bet my goat farm the Nintendo Direct will end on a cliffhanger to build hype for E3... an unannounced title, third party support, Retro's game, or Smash Bros.

Here's hoping they announce GTA5 for Wii U, but that's incredibly unlikely.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Just so it doesn't cause any confusion 2pm GMT is 3pm BST, which is what we're in just now.

I know I looked twice when I saw it said 2pm, because I was sure that someone said it was on at 3pm in the UK.

But I'm looking forward to this anyway, hopefully they can come up with some surprises (the good kind, anyway)

 

[Steven Bogos]

Just so it doesn't cause any confusion 2pm GMT is 3pm BST, which is what we're in just now.

I know I looked twice when I saw it said 2pm, because I was sure that someone said it was on at 3pm in the UK.

But I'm looking forward to this anyway, hopefully they can come up with some surprises (the good kind, anyway)

ack! My attempt to ease confusion by providing multiple time zones only server to create more confusion!

 

[Hazy992]

INB4 Nintendo Defence Force.

Come on Nintendo, actually give me a reason to buy the thing. I don't want to be so disappointed in Nintendo but they're making it so easy ATM, at least on the Wii U front. I have more hope for the 3DS

Another thing, make the 3DS Virtual Console actually good (seriously why no GBA games unless you were an 'Ambassador'?) and I'll have no reason to not buy one any longer.

 

[GonzoGamer]

So is this to address the whole all developers "not developing anything for the wiiu" stories that have been floating around?

 

[Andy Shandy]

Just so it doesn't cause any confusion 2pm GMT is 3pm BST, which is what we're in just now.

I know I looked twice when I saw it said 2pm, because I was sure that someone said it was on at 3pm in the UK.

But I'm looking forward to this anyway, hopefully they can come up with some surprises (the good kind, anyway)

ack! My attempt to ease confusion by providing multiple time zones only server to create more confusion!

Curse these confusing time zones!

 

[Serrenitei]

I'm excited for this. I love the system -- it's fun, intuitive, the dual display works great and is a lot of fun to use. My only issue is that the content is really lacking. I have about 10 games (I don't know the exact number) for it right now, and outside of Sonic All-Stars nothing really holds my attention for all that long. I've been playing more MH3U on 3DS than WiiU.

 

[greyfox115]

Im going to guess and say this is going to be 2 min CGI films of games just to give the illusion and message "We are nearly done" when in reality its "Lads have we finished the story bored yet? No? Its ok we have a year and a half".

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

That the Wii-U really needs is it's own killer app, But it came about 20 years too late for Nintendo to be interested in creating a new IP.

Because Wii Sports wasn't a new IP at all, but a Mario rehash. Obviously.

Wii sports was a game franchise? I thought it was a tech demo for motion controls

On topic, I wish Nintendo the best of luck and hope they announce some cool gamz

 

[Steven Bogos]

That the Wii-U really needs is it's own killer app, But it came about 20 years too late for Nintendo to be interested in creating a new IP.

Because Wii Sports wasn't a new IP at all, but a Mario rehash. Obviously.

Wii sports was a game franchise? I thought it was a tech demo for motion controls

So I guess Mario 64 was a tech demo for analogue sticks then?

This is just absurd. It was a new game series. It sold like crack. Pulling a No True Scotsman doesn't change the fact it was a new IP that sold ridiculously well.

This is a little misleading, as it came bundled with the Wii in America and Nintendo considered that as copies "sold"

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

That the Wii-U really needs is it's own killer app, But it came about 20 years too late for Nintendo to be interested in creating a new IP.

Because Wii Sports wasn't a new IP at all, but a Mario rehash. Obviously.

Wii sports was a game franchise? I thought it was a tech demo for motion controls

So I guess Mario 64 was a tech demo for analogue sticks then?

This is just absurd. It was a new game series. It sold like crack. Pulling a No True Scotsman doesn't change the fact it was a new IP that sold ridiculously well.

Sure it was fun. My sisters were extremely saddened when my copy of it got lost. Not that I looked hard for it. Its not an IP in the same sense as Zelda or Mario. Wii Sports doesn't have a campaign mode or some kind of story. Its just a collection of motion control sports games made to be fun for the whole family. Its not imaginative or anything. And its not like its fun to play solo. I can't think of a sadder image than a person playing Wii Sports alone in a room, beating their own high scores at bowling and golf. I shiver just thinking about it

Does anyone else think this is a little sad though? That the only new Nintendo IP you name is Wii Sports?