This article will be updated periodically as more information is added.
T’was a Nintendo Direct, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring… because everyone was frozen with anticipation as their eyes were glued to the screen watching all the news pour in! Nintendo brings news like guys on sleighs bring toys! And every time one of these things is announced, many a Nintendo fan waits in anticipation for ole Reggie (or his many underlings as of late). So, what did today’s show have in store?
The show opened with fanfare regarding the Wii U. Nintendo was quick to mention how successful the console’s launch was, then went into new games and applications coming to the system. Wii U Panorama View, which had been shown off since E3 2011, is coming to the eShop in Spring 2013 with a demo coming before then. Google Maps was also shown, with the Game Pad running a panoramic street view. That will be available in Q1 of 2013.
Well, that’s enough of that. Let’s get to what we really want to talk about: game news.
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Unfortunately, not many games were shown this time around, as Nintendo focused on the variety of games rather than the quantity. However, Reggie promised that the number of Wii U games will double before the launch window is over. The games that were talked about, along with release time frames if mentioned, are as follows:
– Lego City Undercover (Early 2013)
– Pikmin 3 (Q2 2013)
– Wii Fit U
– Game & Wario
In addition to the games above, new characters were announced as free DLC for Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. A new female ninja named Momij and Kasumi from the Dead or Alive franchise will both appear in an upcoming patch.
Now, even though those were the only ones mentioned, there are plenty of other games coming out for the Wii U, such as Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Cloudberry Kingdom, The Wonderful 101, and Rayman Legends. Be on the lookout for those during the launch window and into the Spring of next year.
After talking about the Wii U at length, the 3DS was brought up. Unfortunately, just like the Wii U, not much was shown during the stream; again, focusing on variety rather than quantity. However, what we got was very good news. The biggest news: Fire Emblem: Awakening will release on February 4th, 2013.
Also announced during the stream: the localization of the eShop game HarmoKnight.
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In addition to that, there was also talk about three other Nintendo published games coming in the first part of the year: Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, Brain Age: Concentration, and Tokyo Crash Mobs.
Finally, new DLC packs were announced – and released – for New Super Mario Bros. 2. These packs are Coin Challenge C and Platform Panic. Also, they reminded NSMB2 players that the Gold Classics Pack – based on levels from previous Mario games – is available for free.
And another Nintendo Direct Recap is behind us, ladies and gentlemen. This post will be updated live throughout the day with additional news, video, and screenshots as they come. Which games are you anticipating the most? Which announcement made you the most excited? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
If you want to watch the entire stream, including seeing “Lego Iwata,” click here (embed has been disabled).
