Nintendo could have played a prank on everyone just like the rest of the internet, but instead, they decided to post a Nintendo Direct video that featured a HUGE assortment of games coming to the WiiU and 3DS consoles. You can see the entire video here. Below is a list of all of the major announcements made during the video.
“The world of amiibo is getting bigger, better and even more interactive, And with existing amiibo support for games like Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8 and more, and upcoming support for Splatoon, Yoshi’s Woolly World and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, amiibo continue to stretch the definition of the toys-to-life category.” – Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing
In addition, a character named Lucas who originally appeared in Mother 3 (a game that has only been releaqsed in Japan but is often requested for US release) will also be coming to Super Smash Bros. this June.
There will also be a game update on April 15th. After which Super Smash Bros. players will also be able to purchase more costumes for their Mii fighters, including ones inspired by Mega Man X and Proto Man from Capcom’s Mega Man series.
Starting today, Super Smash Bros. fans can visit a specially designed website. to participate in a “Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot.” Fans can use this ballot to vote for which character they would like to see added to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U as a playable character. This is an option for fans to suggest their favorite characters. There really aren’t any guarantees, but you never know what will come out of it!
Nintendo has sold more than 2.5 million amiibo since they released last fall, so it stands to reason that they would double down on them. The next waves of Super Smash Bros. amiibo will launch over the next handful of months.
May 29
- Charizard
- PAC-MAN
- Wario
- Jigglypuff
- Greninja
- Robin
- Lucina
- Ness
July
- Dark Pit
- Palutena
September
- Zero Suit Samus
- Ganondorf
- Olimar
- Dr. Mario
- Bowser Jr.
That isn’t all though! Nintendo also announces a new form of amiibo that will release this fall! The first set of amiibo cards will be based on Animal Crossing characters and will be compatible with the Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer game. Nintendo announced that an NFC reader/writer peripheral for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL and Nintendo 2DS would be coming at some point. They have confirmed that this device will be launching on the same day as the new Animal Crossing title.
Nintendo also announced amiibo tap: Nintendo’s Greatest Bits. In it Wii U users can download the free application from the Nintendo eShop and tap any amiibo to unlock game-play highlights from select NES and Super NES games. Each amiibo will have a different game linked to them. So each amiibo you purchase will be a grab bag. There is a lot of potential excitement there!
The 30th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. is this year. (Don’t you feel old now?) Nintendo will release Mario Maker exclusively for the Wii U console this September It is designed to let players create their own levels and easily share them with the rest of the world. (I know I’m looking forward to creating Mario levels for my children!) The most exciting thing about this game is the toolset being provided to younger players. How many future game designers will credit Mario Maker as the place they cut their teeth?
Splatoon will launch exclusively for Wii U on May 29. They detailed a number of different game modes that should help diversify the experience. Nintendo has never released a multiplayer shooter like this before so it is safe to assume there will be some challenges, but at least Splatoon won’t be a one trick pony!
Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and Inkling Squid amiibo figures will be launching the same day. Tapping them to the GamePad lets players receive special missions to unlock weapons and gear.
Mario Kart will finally be getting its second DLC pack on April 23rd. It will include all of the Animal Crossing themed content that was originally promised, but there will be several free updates coming along with it.
First, a 200cc racing class is coming. This mode will be even faster than 150cc and will force players to actually BRAKE (which is weird… I’ve never braked in a Mario Kart game before).
It wasn’t officially mentioned in the presentation itself, but a screenshot showed a Mirror mode as well. Its tough to know exactly what is happening without details, but it likely means that certain tracks will be available for racing backwards. If that is the case then this is basically an entire new game.
Also on April 23rd a free software update will add support for nine more amiibo figures, including Mega Man, Sonic and PAC-MAN. Tapping each of them on the gamepad will give players access to even more themed costumes.
Starting today, classic Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS games are coming to the Virtual Console on Wii U.
Today’s releases are Yoshi’s Island DS for Nintendo DS and Super Mario 64 for Nintendo 64.
Upcoming Virtual Console releases include WarioWare: Touched! for Nintendo DS on April 9 andDonkey Kong 64 for Nintendo 64 on April 16.
They also spent a fair amount of time talking about Yoshi’s Woolly World. It will launch this fall and will be full of challenges and hidden secrets. The most important announcement about the game is the inclusion of a
“Mellow mode” that will allow players to manually turn on a casual setting that will let them play as a Winged Yoshi.
Nintendo will also be releasing a series of Yoshi amiibo figures that are made of actual yarn. Tapping one of these amiibo to the Wii U GamePad while playing Yoshi’s Woolly World will add a second Yoshi to the game even if it is being played a single player experience, fundamentally changing the game.
