Below is a list of news that announced during the Nintendo Direct conference.
Lots of announcements for upcoming games such as a new spin-off for Legend of Zelda and more characters for the new Smash Bros. were announced. Its nice to see some more announcements from Nintendo before the year ended after only seeing them for a bit at the VGX.
- Super Smash Bros.: Rosalina, who was introduced in the Super Mario Galaxy games for Wii and makes a surprise appearance in the new SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD Wii U will be a playable character, accompanied by her starry friend, Luma. Stages shown in the Nintendo Direct include one based on Rainbow Road from the Mario Kart series. The game will launch on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in 2014.
- Mario Kart 8: New playable characters include Rosalina and various ‘Baby’ Nintendo characters, like Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. New course settings include an airport, the desert and high in the clouds. Meanwhile, vehicles include UFOs, four-wheel ATV buggies, standard karts and bikes. The game is scheduled to release in spring 2014.
- Hyrule Warriors (name not final): A new title bringing the action gameplay of Tecmo Koei’s Warriors series to the world of The Legend of Zelda will release on Wii U in 2014. A first-look trailer was revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct.
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: The latest Kong adventure is releasing in stores and on Nintendo eShop on 21st February, taking place across six distinct islands, each filled with dynamic levels. To help Donkey Kong repel the ‘Snowmads’ from DK Island, Cranky Kong will be joining the team – alongside Donkey, Diddy and Dixie – as a playable character, with his cane allowing the eldest member of the Kong family to perform unique moves. With Cranky now in the thick of the action, the in-game item shop will be manned this time around by none other than Funky Kong. A new special move called Kong POW can be performed with a player’s buddy character after 100 bananas are collected – get ready as when activated, all enemies on-screen will turn into items!
- Golf joins Wii Sports Club line-up: Get ready to tee off as Wii Sports Club introduces a new sport to its roster as of today – Golf. Offering a more realistic experience than the Wii Sports iteration, Golf allows players to review the course terrain and wind direction on the TV screen before getting down to the shot by swinging their club – a Wii Remote Plus controller – at the ball displayed on the Wii U GamePad laying on the floor in front of them. Featuring a newly developed nine-hole course based on a Famicom game called Golf US Course – coupled with the existing nine-hole course from Wii Sports – Golf includes online multiplayer functionality and releases with a 24-hour free trial so all players can try the game, as well as Tennis and Bowling, before purchasing. The trial offer is open to everyone, even to people who sampled a 24-hour free trial of Wii Sports Club before*. Boxing and Baseball will be coming to Wii Sports Club in 2014.
- NES Remix: An exclusive new title is available as of today on Nintendo eShop for Wii U, bringing together some of the best videogame moments from early Nintendo Entertainment System titles. NES Remix features 16 different games, from Super Mario Bros. to Donkey Kong, taking the best gameplay set-pieces from each and re-imagining them with new twists and challenges. In addition to presenting levels as originally experienced on the NES, ‘Remix Stages’ are quick levels that have been altered from their originals to include brand new elements. The game is compatible with Miiverse and incorporates the stamp feature using 8-bit stamps, while also allowing players to post from within the game, including their clear time and record for each stage.
- Sonic enters the world of Yoshi: Two downloadable Nintendo-themed levels are arriving for the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World. In Yoshi’s Island Zone – free to download now on Nintendo eShop for all Sonic Lost World owners – Sonic and Yoshi’s world collide with pipes, coins, Shy Guys, Piranha Plants merging with staples from Sonic’s world to present a new level rendered in the Yoshi art style. The mission – Sonic must race across this brand new level and save the Yoshis by finding all their eggs! The second piece of Nintendo-themed DLC for Sonic Lost World is coming early next year, with a level based on The Legend of Zelda franchise.
- An appointment with Dr. Luigi: Another download exclusive coming to Nintendo eShop for Wii U. Much like the classic puzzle game Dr. Mario, Dr. Luigi requires players to line up colour-coded pills to destroy viruses. Dr. Luigi offers different skill settings and attacks in multiplayer games, and an original mode where the pills are, of course, L-shaped. As well as a Dr. Mario mode, GamePad compatibility and online play, players can also experience a Germ Buster mode as featured in the Brain Training series on Nintendo DS. Dr. Luigi is scheduled to release on 15th January 2014. In the meantime, with the Year of Luigi celebrations extending into 2014, a new Luigi’s Mansion 2 Diorama is available from the Club Nintendo Stars Catalogue from today while stocks last.