You’d be forgiven for taking the information you’re about to read with a grain of salt, since it was announced on the first of April. Historically, April 1 has been a very bad day to cover release announcements and big news about upcoming titles, for obvious reasons. You can look at our humble website’s own satire articles to see that fake news is the April Fool’s drug of choice for companies and reporters alike.
And then there’s Nintendo, who dropped a huge fifty minute Direct, featuring new information on upcoming games, updates and accessories. Big titles covered include Super Smash Bros. For Wii U and 3DS, Yoshi’s Wooly World, Splatoon, Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Fire Emblem and Mario Kart 8. Read on for detailed, blow-by-blow coverage of the above and more.
Click the title of any section to be taken to that segment of the Direct.
Super Smash Bros. For Wii U and 3DS
Today’s direct was a damn good one for Smash fans. More than seven whole minutes were spent on the new characters and features on the way in for the game. There are a lot of reasons to be excited. Mewtwo’s New Challenger video opened the Direct, featuring the gameplay footage we’ve all been waiting to see since the DLC announcement back in October’s 50 Fact Extravaganza video. Mewtwo’s move-set looks to be similar to how he played in Super Smash Bros. Melee, with the addition of a final smash featuring his Mega Mewtwo Y form. Mewtwo will be available on April 28 at US $3.99 for one version of the game or US $4.99 for both versions. Players who registered both the Wii U and 3DS versions of the game before March 31 will receive free download codes for Mewtwo on April 15. So far, he’s looking great to play and should shake up the game considerably for anyone who thinks they know all there is to know about the current roster.
Mewtwo strikes back! | Photo: smashbros.com
A little later on, a second new challenger clip was shown, this one announcing Super Smash Bros. Brawl veteran Lucas, originally hailing from the Earthbound/Mother series. Iwata explained that the decision to include Lucas was the result of a large number of fan requests for him, and in order to facilitate such requests for future fighters a Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot has been opened. Fans will be able to vote for characters in future updates. Lucas is planned to be made available in June, and the Fighter Ballot is open now and will close this October.
Finally, it was announced that the patch that enables Mewtwo, coming on the 15th, will also bring in a number of new online features for sharing screenshots, replays, custom characters and custom stages. It will also tweak the balance of certain fighters and make available some previously unannounced DLC – a pack of costumes for Mii Fighters, including a Super Smash Bros. t-shirt, monkey and cat suits, Dunban’s outfit from Xenoblade Chronicles, Link’s outfit and Majora’s Mask from the Legend of Zelda series and X and Protoman’s armour from the Mega Man series. The announced price of the costume pack was US $0.75 for a single version or US $1.15 for both versions.
Mario Maker
It’s been 30 years since the release of the original Super Mario Bros on NES, and soon fans will be able to make their own Mario levels and worlds with the upcoming Mario Maker for Wii U. The first video shown here commemorated the series’ 30th anniversary by showing off a short level with words and sprites built into the level environment. There weren’t many other new features shown off, but Mario Maker is not a game with a lot of its own to show. The real joy will be the creativity (and cruelty) of the user-base making their own levels when it comes out, and it’s reaffirmed once again here that Mario Maker will contain all the tools needed to make magic happen. Mario Maker is scheduled for a September release.
A rather literal interpretation of the game’s title. | Photo: supermario.nintendo.com
Iwata advised viewers to stay tuned for more exciting things to come in the wake of Mario’s 30th anniversary.
Yoshi’s Woolly World
Bill Trinen, Nintendo of America’s marketing director, took over the Direct and introduced a short video of Yoshi’s Woolly World gameplay. The game’s art style continues to look absolutely gorgeous, and the gameplay closely resembles the classic Yoshi’s Island and its sequels.
The new information offered here concerned the two gameplay modes: a classic mode, in which the game plays like previous installments, maintaining (or so Trinen promised) their rock solid difficulty level. The other is mellow mode, in which players take control of a flying winged Yoshi, who may in fact not take any damage at all from enemies, though this was not stated and the video evidence is ambiguous. Players will be able to swap between the two modes at any point from the pause menu, preventing them from ever becoming entirely stuck should things get too hard. Yoshi’s Woolly World is planned for a Fall release.
The brilliant art direction of Yoshi’s Woolly World. | Photo: gameinformer
Splatoon
New Splatoon footage introduced the game’s online Ranked Battles, which may use different rules than the standard game, as well as scores and grades the player after each bout. In the Splat Zones game type, two teams fight over a specific area instead of an entire map, wrestling for control over the designated point. Trinen promised a more competitive experience in Ranked Battles than in the standard Turf War online mode or in single player.
Also new in the Direct is the Battle Dojo, in which local, one-on-one battles are fought. The gamepad’s screen is utilized here, so each player gets an entire screen to themselves. The objective is to score points by popping balloons, as opposed to shooting down your opponent. Which is not to say you can’t shoot the other player, because you can, and probably should, since the time it takes to respawn will cost them many points.
Pick a colour and join the battle! | Photo: splatoonus.tumblr.com
Amiibo News
Amiibos featured in the segments of all the above Wii U titles, save for Mario Maker, and I’m going to talk about them altogether here. More upcoming entries in the Super Smash Bros. line were announced, including Dark Pit and Palutena, coming July, and Olimar, Zero Suit Samus, Gannondorf, Bowser Jr. and Dr. Mario in September. Yoshi’s Wooly World will have a set of three Yoshi Amiibos available in different colours, though it seems the differences are purely cosmetic. A twist: these Amiibos will be made of wool instead of plastic. It’s not clear yet exactly how plush these figures will be, but we can confirm that they look amazing. They look exactly like the wool Yoshi in the game! Splatoon will also be getting an Amiibo line, featuring a male and female and a squid form inkling. The male and female will be available separately, or in a three pack with the squid. This appears to be the only way to get a hold of a squid Amiibo. Future plans for Mewtwo and Lucas Amiibos were also spoken of.
The adorable new Yoshi Amiibos. | Photo: Nintendo of Australia
In an aside later in the Direct, more stock of the previously released Marth Amiibos was promised to be on the way.
But what can you do with all these new figures? First, there’s a new, free piece of software called Amiibo Tap, which offers players a three-minute demo of a classic Nintendo title with each Amiibo connected. The piece of software on each Amiibo is decided randomly when it’s first tapped in, and could be almost anything, regardless of the actual figure. In the direct two Mario figures were shown tapping in, the first accessing Super Mario Bros and the second Super Metroid. It’s a cool idea, but it might get frustrating if the random generator decides to give you too many of the same games across multiple Amiibos.
Tapping a Yoshi Amiibo into Yoshi’s Woolly World puts a second Yoshi into the game, allowing the player to move through the singleplayer campaign as if it were co-op. At this stage it’s unclear how exactly the second Yoshi will be controlled or directed, or it it will be entirely computer controlled, or if this will work with the Super Smash Bros. or Super Mario Bros. Yoshi Amiibos.
The inkling Amiibos, when tapped into Splatoon will give the player bonus missions which reward them with exclusive items and outfits when completed. The inkling Amiibos will launch on May 29, alongside Splatoon.
The planned triple pack of inkling Amiibos. | Photo: Nintendo of Australia
Virtual Console
A selection of upcoming Virtual Console titles. | Photo: Nintendo of Australia
At last, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS games are coming to the Wii U’s Virtual Console. The first scheduled releases include Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64 and Paper Mario from the Nintendo 64 and Yoshi’s Island DS, Yoshi’s Touch and Go, Warioware Touched and Mario Kart DS from the Nintendo DS. Though this is an overdue update, and the practice of charging players for Nintendo 64 titles they already purchased on the Wii’s Virtual Console (albeit at a lower price) is questionable, the amount of customization shown for the controls and the setup of the two DS screens looks great. The range of titles could also have been better, but it’s a start. The Virtual Console could become something truly great if the range continues to grow.
Indie Games
And while we’re on the topic of digital titles for the Wii U, Nintendo showed off an assortment of indie titles on the horizon. Old school platformer Adventures of Pip, the genre defying Octodad: Dadliest Catch, action platformer Mutant Mudds Super Challenge and action adventurer Don’t Starve Giant Edition were featured. A montage afterwards showed clips from more upcoming indie titles for both the Wii U and 3DS, including: Forma.8, Dementium: Remastered, Affordable Space Adventures, Starwhal, Never Alone, Ninja Pizza Girl, Antipole DX, Life of Pixel, Badland: Game of the Year Edition, Slain!, Runbow, Back to Bed, Space Hulk, Race the Sun, Dooors, Dot Arcade, Swords and Soldiers II, Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails, Toto Temple Deluxe, The Bridge, Shutshimi, Nova-111 and Windup Knight 2. Whew, what a list! While there was plenty of the kind of pixelated puzzle-platforming you’d expect from an indie games montage, there’s also a number of unique and original-looking gameplay and art styles to be seen. Have a look – you might be surprised at what captures your interest.
Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem
The long-awaited crossover. | Photo: Kotaku
A new trailer for the highly anticipated crossover between Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem was shown, featuring a mix of in-game footage, both in and out of battle, cut-scenes using what appears to be the in-game engine, and a number of anime-esque clips set to J-pop music that gave it the feel of an anime opening. Which is hardly a first for the Shin Megami Tensei series. It was all very pretty, but there wasn’t much to be said after the trailer was done, and the impression I’m getting from the game is that there’s a lot more Shin Megami Tensei in it than there is Fire Emblem.
Fatal Frame
Up next was a short clip and explanation of Fatal Frame, an upcoming atmospheric horror game for the Wii U. The game released in Japan in September last year and has been highly anticipated by fans in the west. The game is expected to be out sometime this year. It’s unclear if the game will keep its expanded Japanese title, Oracle of the Sodden Raven. Trinen simply referred to it as ‘a new entry in the Fatal Frame series.’
3DS Software
Boxboy, was the first and most interesting looking of the assorted 3DS EShop titles shown. Developed by HAL Labs, the team behind the Kirby games, Boxboy is looking to be a title that lives up the promises of being unique.
Gotta love that minimalistic style. | Photo: nintendoenthusiast.com
Next up was a new topdown action Pokemon spinoff, Pokemon Rumble World. The announcement for this title promised it would feature over 700 Pokemon. And since the current National Pokedex count is at 712, it’s a safe bet that nearly every single one will be in the game in some form. Pokemon Rumble World is a free download, and will be available April 8.
Also coming soon is the double pack of games featuring Puzzle and Dragons Z and Puzzle and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, which is about as interesting as it was when they spoke about it in the last direct. That being, not very. They’re puzzle games with thin RPG plots, and it’s not this writer’s cup of tea. The double pack is coming May 23, but can be preordered on the E-Shop now.
Finally, we got a look at an upcoming game based on the Attack on Titan anime and manga series. There wasn’t much shown of this title, but it seems it’s going to capture the visual style of the anime well. The movement and action however looked too far on the slow side to capture the hectic pace of the anime’s better action scenes. It’s worth keeping an eye on however. As a promo for the game, the first two episodes of the anime have been made available on the 3DS E-Shop. Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains is due this May.
This is the last thing I ever expected to see in a Nintendo Direct. | Photo: teehunter.com
During this part of the direct a demo of the recently released strategy game Codename: S.T.E.A.M. was discussed, as were plans for an update to the game which will allow the player to fast-forward enemy turns, smoothing out the gameplay experience.
Streetpass Plaza
Two new Streetpass Plaza games were announced for the 3DS’s Miiverse – Ultimate Angler, a fishing game, and Battleground Z, a zombie survival action game. As well as these, a VIP version of the Streetpass Plaza was announced, this being a paid service that adds new features to the plaza and new ways to interact with Miis. The price for each of these was set at $4.99 and they can be purchased now. The Streetpass Plaza never really grabbed my interest before, but Battleground Z actually looks pretty fun.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
A new trailer for the New 3DS exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles remake was shown, and it was plot heavy. New in the 3DS version is the Collection Mode, which will allow players to view 3D models of characters and listen to the game’s soundtrack. Xenoblade Chronicles 3D launches April 10 in America, and April 2 in Japan and PAL regions. Expect more Xenoblade Chronicles coverage from Pixcelation soon.
Shulk discovers the power of the Monado. | Photo: Nintendo of Australia
Fire Emblem
The next entry in the Fire Emblem series was shown off with a fantastic looking trailer, though it was short on gameplay, and since it was all in Japanese and not subtitled in any way, thin on plot as well. The big draw this time around is the player’s ability to customise and create their own main character, and take control of the plot by choosing which of the two warring nations to side with. The new game is planned for a 2016 release, and that’s about all we know about it at this time.
Animal Crossing
An Animal Crossing spinoff title Happy Home Designer was announced for this fall, alongside a series of card based Amiibos to support it. The game largely involves interior design and decorating, with the player being tasked with furnishing a home based on the very specific interests of different characters, then kicking back in the completed room with the animal they designed it for and others.
Probably the most interesting thing about this segment was the news that the NFC reader that will bring Amiibo functionality to regular 3DS and 3DS XLs and the 2DS will launch alongside the game and Amiibo cards.
Mario Kart 8
Finally, we got a look at the upcoming second DLC pack for Mario Kart 8. There was enough gameplay footage here to show just about all of the Animal Crossing themed track and all the little details within. The attention to detail really makes the track, with characters from the series waving from the sidelines, Mr. Resetti appearing as an obstacle and apples being knocked from the trees if they’re hit by a racer or item. Each time it’s played, the track will rotate through the seasons, changing its aesthetic and music appropriately. The shifting ramps of the last DLC pack’s Excitebike Arena track were a great touch that kept the course fresh, so it’s good to see another track that changes, even if this time it’s only visual.
New character themed jumpsuits for Mii Racers were shown, this batch including Pac-Man, Sonic, Bowser, Mega Man, Toad, Wario, Olimar, Villager and Rosalina, each accessible by tapping in the relevant Amiibo.
Finally and perhaps most excitingly, Mario Kart 8 will have a new mode added on April 23: 200cc, the fastest Mario Kart mode yet. The clips shown made the new mode look frighteningly quick, almost as if the game was being played on fastforward. This extra momentum means jumps go even further, opening up a ton of new possibilities for shortcuts (or just throwing yourself off the track) and is looking to be a genuinely great addition to the game.
Nintendo finally delivers on the ‘way too fast’ speed setting they promised back in 1992. | Photo: Nintendo of Australia
And there you have it folks, the Nintendo Direct. It was a huge amount of new information to take in, with so many big things to get excited about. Personally, I’ll be keeping an eye on the Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 DLC, Yoshi’s Woolly World and Splatoon. Let us know what you’re looking forward to in the comments below.