Nintendo Direct 12.04.2017

After the unfortunate passing of Nintendo President Satoru Iwata nearly two years ago Nintendo Directs have become quite the rarity. And while the Nintendo Switch event was held in similar spirit, the formal atmosphere couldn't match the carefree fun the Directs often had.

If you missed the Directs as much as I did, I have good news for you. Tonight we got treated to another Nintendo Direct, focusing on ARMS and Splatoon 2. Two of the biggest upcoming titles for Nintendos new console. But of course other titles were also mentioned.

So was this a good Direct? First take a look for yourself.

Source

It was tightly packed and eventful, that is for sure, but let us start at the beginning. So after the Nintendo Switch event it seems Yoshiaki Koizumi is going to be the new, permanent host. And while he hasn't reached Satoru Iwatas level of charisma yet, I'm positive that he will grow into the role. Overall his presentation was a little bit stiff at times. Still overall I found the Direct rather charming and well done.

But, and this can't be denied, the whole presentation felt rather rushed. Apart from Splatoon 2 and ARMS no game got much more than a minute of screen time. Also there weren't any meaningful announcement, but more on that later. For now let us focus on the information that we were given.

We started of with a slew of 3DS titles, but really now meaningful information on any of them. Granted it were all games we had seen before, but still it felt really rushed. The information we got, apart from a very basic overview on the games, were mostly release dates. Still I find it reassuring that Nintendo still supports their six year old handheld. This reinforces their stand on the Switch being a true Home Console and not some sort of hybrid, which replaces the Wii-U and the 3DS.

And the titles coming to the handheld system aren't bad either. Ever Oasis and Monster Hunter Stories have me interested the most, but there seems to be something to enjoy for everybody. And the Pikmin game, which is now called Hey! Pikmin looks really good. It is a big departure from the main series, but as a Spin-off the 2D Side-Scrolling approach could really work.

But something that has become painfully clear is that Handheld game development is now entirely a Japanese Club. There has been no game announcement from a Western Studio for the 3DS. Not even from an Indie Studio. While the handheld market has always been eastern dominated it is a shame to see that the West seems to focus solely on Mobile Games nowadays.

Still I think most of us are fine with mostly Japanese games for the 3DS. And like I said earlier there is a wide array of different games and genres coming this year, so we have lots too look forward to. So far Nintendo does an excellent job in keeping the 3DS alive and I hope they will keep it that way for at least a year.

List of 3DS releases:

• Hey! Pikmin: 28^th July 2017
• Ever Oasis: 23^rd June 2017
• Monster Hunter Stories: Fall 2017
• YO-KAI Watch 2 Psychic Specters: Fall 2017
• Culdcept Revolt: 29^th August 2017
• RPG Maker Fes: 27^th June 2017
• Miitopia: 2017
• Fire Emblem Echoes DLC: 2017
• New Kirby Multiplayer Game: Holiday 2017

But of course the 3DS wasn't the only focus of this Direct. There will be also new Amiibos. First up the already speculated new Zelda Amiibos finally got confirmed. On 23^rd June Kid Link from Majoras Mask, Link from Skyward Sword and Link from Twilight Princess will come to stores. The Data Mined Skywards Sword and Fierce Deity Outfits from Breath of the Wild already revealed that these Amiibo were in the making, but now we finally have a release date.

But that's not all .Because soon we'll all be able to hold Bayonetta in our hands. Yes that's right. On 21^st July 2017 the final three Amiibos from the Smash Bros. Series, including our favorite Witch will launch.

And now let us get to the main event.

Even with only a hand full of games the Nintendo Switch launch has been a huge success. But, and this has to be said, launching with on of the best games in history (Breath of the Wild) won't be enough to sustain a long term success, if there isn't a steady support of other games. And in this regard I'm not fully behind the Switch yet. On 28^th April we'll get the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 with Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, but apart from that there is no truly big title coming till e3. At least fans of Japanese games can get the Switch without any worries.

While the support of Western developers is still in the air somehow it seems their Japanese colleges are fully behind Nintendos newest console.

But as for now, except from Sonic Forces, there is no big third party title announced for the Switch. Still if you missed out on the Wii-U the Swich is worth a purchase.

But were the 3^rd Party developers dropped the ball (till now) Nintendo luckily is ready to pick it up. While the Wii-U suffered a long drought of games after it's launch this time it seems they have a slew of titles ready to launch overt he coming months.

Just like with Splatoon when it was first unveiled, ARMS looks better and better with each showing. It seems they truly have packed the game full with great Multiplayer content. The short presentation of a fight between Spring Man and new Character Min Min really showcased the intense and quick fun this game will (hopefully) provide. I'm still unsure if ARMS is going to be the next big thing, but it seems like a solid multiplayer title which will be loads of fun with your friends.

ARMS launches on 16^th June 2017.

And only one month later we will be treated to the first true highlight of the Switches post launch line-up. Splatoon 2. As we all know the first game was a blowout success, especially in Japan where it even managed to outsell Final Fantasy 15 and Mario Kart 8. So of course the announcement of Splatoon 2 created a lot of buzz. After the original Splatoon was Nintendos first attempt at a Multiplayer Shooter Splatoon 2 now builds and expands on this basis. New Weapons, New Equipment and new Game modes.

If you're a Sony or Microsoft Gamer you're probably familiar with Horde Modes. They are quite popular in games like Gears of War or Call of Duty after all. Well now Nintendo only games can join the fun in Splatoon 2. The goal of this mode is to defend and survive against Waves of Enemies, who continuously grow stronger. It's a simple premise but with the right team of friends it's nearly endless fun.

The Nintendo Switch will get it's next System Seller on 21^st July 2017 when Splatoon 2 launches.

List of Switch releases:

• ARMS: 16^th June 2017
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 28^th April 2017
• Ultra Street Fighter 2 The Final Challengers: 26^th May 2017
• Minecraft: 11^th May 2017
• Sonic Forces: Holiday 2017
• Sonic Mania: Summer 2017
• Project Mekuru (Working Title): Summer 2017
• Fate/Extella: 25^th July 2017
• Disgaea 5 Complete: 23^th May 2017
• Monopoly: Fall 2017
• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition: 2017
• Sine Mora EX: Summer 2017
• Battle Chasers Nightwar: (Late) Summer 2017
• Payday 2: 2017
• Namco Museum: Summer 2017
• Splatoon 2: 21^st July 2017

Verdict:

Was it a good Nintendo Direct? Well it was serviceable. Two months before e3 2017 I didn't expect a slew of unannounced games. Still with no announcement at all this only furthered my expectaions for Nintendos e3 presence this year. Only focusing on games we already know won't be enough. The Nintendo Switch needs to keep it's momentum and for this it needs the Hype of big announcements.

In regards to the Switch the Direct did it's job, but also reinforced the fear of the console being a Nintendo only machine once more. At least the support from Japanese developers seems to be a given, but even there the big titles are missing so far. All we get in the upcoming months are Indie and Retro titles. For the start this is enough, especially with Breath of the Wild keeping everyone busy, but in the long run the Switch needs to secure a steady supply of high profile titles to avoid the fate of the Wii-U.

But the Direct wasn't only doom and gloom. Because the first part, focusing on the 3DS, was really great, but also really rushed. It reinforced Nintenods statement that the Switch won't replace their dedicated Handheld. Instead they are focusing quite the resources into creating a lot of good games. Once again it is very Japanese focused content, but it is hardly Nintendos fault that most Western Studios nowadays associate mobile gaming with Phones and Tablets.

Overall it was a good Direct without any surprises or major upsets. The continued support of the 3DS is great and I withhold my judgement about the Switch until we have a clearer picture. Hopefully this will be the case after this years e3.

What are your thoughts on this Direct? Let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

 Picture Source

Nintendo Direct 01.09.2016

It was a good Direct. It truly was. I can't really complain about anything shown there. Even the more controversial games don't bother me. It really was a good Nintendo Direct focused solely on the Nintendo 3DS.

But first if you haven't watched it you can catch up right here:

Source

Objectively we got everything we could ask from this direct. New information about upcoming big games, Indie Love and some new announcements. And the skits in between are a great way to break up the continuous announcements.

Pokemon Sun and Moon look better and better each time they are shown. I like the concept of Alola forms for older Pokemon a lot. What I'm not so sure about is the restriction to Gen 1 only. It seems GameFreak is riding the Nostalgia Wave pretty hard with this one. But from the looks and information we got so far this Generation seems like it will break up a lot of established rules for the franchise. Something that is more than welcome after 20 years. To me it seems as if GameFreak intends Sun and Moon to be the next big leap in the Pokemon Franchise, maybe being as influental as the ground breaking first games.

Next up is one of the more controversial games in this Direct, but honestly one that I was expecting. Ever since it's announcement I was sure that Mario Maker will find its way onto the Nintendo 3DS. And on the first glance this is good. And on the second too. Yes I won't complain about them ''robbing'' the Wii-U of one of its exclusives, because in my eyes they're not. They're expanding the Playerbase and more Players means more wacky and more great designed courses. Of course it also means more trash courses, but let's ignore that for the moment.

But what I have to criticize is the way they implemented things. The idea of strengthening the local aspect of the game is great, but cutting down the Online functionality is not. For me this robs most of the games motivation.

But something that I imagine to be great would be like a level jam, where you meet up with other like minded People and you all create levels together and try to beat them. This is something this game offers. Anyway I'm sure it will be a huge success, especially in Japan.

Mario Party Star Rush also looks good, but for me it's still not really interesting because it has the same Problems every handheld Mario Party had so far. It's not the games fault, but more or less a platform problem. Mario Party works best with friends on couch. That's also why I've never missed online functionalities in those games.

Also something that I find quite interesting is the fact, that so far the classic Party mode (with or without car) hasn't been shown. Maybe they scrapped it all together in favour of Toad Scramble?

But anyways the game looks really solid and it offers a ton of different modes to play. So any handheld gamer, who was let down by Mario Party: Island Tour, can look forward to this iteration.

As for Animal Crossing. I'm not the hugest fan of the series, but a good friend of mine absolutely loves it. And she is looking forward to this new Update, which, for her, reinvigorated New Leaf. She is playing it regularly again in anticipation. Also the announcement of an Animal Crossing Direct raised some expectations. We'll probably get some new information about Animal Crossing for Smart Phones and hopefully a completely new Animal Crossing. As for platform I really can't make and prediction. It could be NX or even a new 3DS Title.

Tank Troopers and the Mii Plaza Games look like simple fun, and I'm pretty sure that they will find enough fans, who'll enjoy them.

The Zelda Amiibos look great and I'll definitely get Ocarina of Time Link. Also the release of Skyward Sword for the Wii-U Virtual Console reminded me that I have to play this game again before Breath of the Wild releases. Thanks Nintendo. You're always looking out for me.

And now we have the next controversial title after Super Mario Maker 3D. Yoshis Wooly World will be ported to the Nintendo 3DS with new levels and new features, as well as all the content that could be found inside the Wii-U Version of the game. And again I won't complain about them robbing the Wii-U one of it's exclusives, but instead try to stay positive.

The game looks great, even on the 3DS screen. The Yarn look is just timeless. Of course I prefer the HD Version, which looks more vibrant and detailed, but for someone looking for a great 3DS Yoshi game, after the disappointing Yoshis New Island, this is perfect. The new additions are not enough for me to say that I feel robbed and they are not enough to warrant another purchase of the game for me. So I'm just happy that more people get the chance to play this delightful game.

Ever Oasis got a little bit overlooked during this Years e3, which is a damn shame. It looks like Grezzo has taken all they learned from making Ocarina of Time 3DS and Majoras Mask 3DS and gave it their own spin with their first own IP. The game reminds me a lot of Fantasy Life, which was a great title for the 3DS. And with Level 5 chasing the mobile dream with that franchise Ever Oasis comes right along to fill that gap. The mixture of RPG, Town building and The Sims looks like a lot of fun. If Grezzo manages to balance all this aspects I think Ever Oasis could become a big success. Let's hope it will.

Mario Sports Superstars looks fine, but I really missed some wacky Mario like items or areas to spice up the Sports. So far it looks like it will be regular sports with Mario Characters attached, which really doesn't interest me. This was one of the main reasons I didn't buy Mario Tennis for the Wii-U. In a Mario Sports game I want crazy courts, abilities and items. I hope they deliver this to Mario Sports Superstars, because it looks like a solid game even without these features. But with them this could be a hit.

And lastly we have a surprising announcement. A new Pikmin is headed to the 3DS. Now to quench your worries. This is not Pikmin 4 and it's not created by the main Pikmin team. This new game is a 2D spinoff. The true Pikmin 4 is still headed to Wii-U or NX (probably NX).

This game focuses on puzzle solving and fighting in a 2 dimensional plane. On the one hand this reduces the complexity, but also opens up new ways to interact with your Pikmin. The announcement of this game took me completely by surprise and I'll hope it doesn't share Federation Force destiny.

Now I haven't talked about the worries of several people that Nintendo is robbing the Wii-U of it's games with these ports. I think this is an interesting topic and I want to discuss this in depth, so that's why this will be next weeks topic for the Wednesday Thoughtpiece. I hope you can be patient until then.

And now before I wrap this up I want to adress the people that called this direct disappointing. What did you expect? We got a lot of games. Big titles and smaller ones. New announcements completely out of the blue and more information on upcoming games. In fact let me just list all the games that where shown during this direct.

• Pokemon Sun and Moon
• Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS
• Mario Party Star Rush
• Animal Crossing: New Leaf
• Mii Plaza Games
• Tank Troopers
• Picross 3D Round 2
• Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC
• Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice
• Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King
• Yo-Kai Watch 2
• Disney Magical World 2
• Sonic Boom: Fire&Ice
• Shin Megaim Tensei 4: Apocalypse
• Poochy & Yoshis Wooly World
• Ever Oasis
• Mario Sports Superstars
• Pikmin

And that's just the games. I haven't even included the merchandise like the New Amiibos.

So what are your thoughts on this direct? Are you happy? What would you have loved to see, but wasn't shown? Let me know in the comments

and as always

thanks for reading

Source of all Pictures: Nintendo

Nintendo Direct 03.03.2016

So we got a Nintendo direct yesterday. Hurray! And it was... ok. It was nothing that blew me away (For that I would have needed footage of Zelda U), but it was a solid direct with some new announcements, some deeper insights and some surprises. 

Let's start of with the big hitter Star Fox Zero. It looks great. The artstyle reminds me of The Wonderful 101, one of my favourite Wii-U games, so I can't complain about that. And the action looks really intense. However it also looks like an updated version of Star Fox 64, which already was a updated version of Star Fox of SNES. Although Miyamoto says that there is a new story, this shows his lack of ambition in that department. While there was never a huge focus on Stories in Nintendo games a little bit more variation in that department wouldn't hurt. Still gameplay wise the game looks top notch. Especially the branching paths should add a lot of replay value. The only thing missing now is a good 4 against 4 mulitplayer.

Also Amiibo Support has been confirmed. Touchign a Fox Amiibo will give your Airwing the looks from the SNES classic and change the music to fit that change. It's purely cosmetic and as such I don't mind it.

Star Fox Guard seems like an enjoyable little game and I'll definitely try it out. It's not enough to be its own game, but as a download title it fits perfectly.

Next up was Splatoon and surprise, it will receive more content. This is great, but please fix the map rotation and replace it with a Mario Kart 8 like selection. You have enough maps to do that now.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games doesn't really interest me, but it looks like an enjoyable party game. A big selection of playable characters, fun looking sports... There is nothing wrong with this iteration of the series, and I'm sure it will sell well. Also the HD graphics look really good.

Mario Maker also gets new content. Yay! The addition of spike pillars, but more importantly key, key doors and pink coins, will allow you to create even more devious levels. After seeing some of the puzzle levels already created for Mario Maker I can only dread what will await us on March 9^th when the update hits.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE already wins the title for most convoluted name in 2016. This game is breathing Japan with every pixel on screen. The whole Idol theme isn't something we Europeans can relate to, but I'd like to give it a chance. I haven't tried a Persona or Shin Megami Tensei Game so far, but only heard good about them, so I think this could be the perfect opportunity to get into these kind of games. The decision to keep the original Japanese voice acting and only provide subtitles will make purists happy, and was probably done because of the less then stellar sales figures in Japan. Still it's miles better than only having an english dub, like with Fire Emblem: Fates. Speaking of Fire Emblem, let's hope that the censorship happy guys at Nintendo will spare Tokyo Mirage Sessions#FE. Their recent track record doesn't fill me with confidence, so I will keep this game on my radar but remain cautious.

Finally we're getting the Paper Mario Game I predicted for last E3, and many fans aren't to happy about it. Maybe because, according to them, it looks like Sticker Star 2. I can't share this resentment, because I have never truly played a Paper Mario game. So as an outsider to the series the game looks rather appealing to me. I really like the cardboard look of the environment, although it clashes a little with the flat paper characters. The colour feature, if used well, will bring an exciting new layer to puzzle solving and combat. About the fear of a Sticker Star 2 I would advise everyone to remain calm and wait for new information about the game. From this one and a half minute trailer however, I would say that this game looks promising.

Oh and can we talk about how that Shy Guy straight up murdered the Toad in the trailer by draining his very life essence?

After that we got some information on My Nintendo, which we already knew and release dates for Animal Crossing Amiibo before finally heading to...

Hyrule Warriors Legends. I still think that this game is mostly a cash grab and that a full fledged Cartoon Hyrule Warriors with characters from Handheld Zeldas and Wind Waker would have been better, but at least they are providing some new content. I can't approve the download code that unlocks all new characters and stages for the Wii-U Version. Why can't owner of the Wii-U Version download that content from the e-shop? Why do we have to buy a completely new game? A game which runs horrible on the regular 3DS and is practically a New 3DS exclusive?

Also there is a season pass, but the season pass for the Wii-U original was ok, so I don't mind.

And to end this small rant on a high note. Yay we're getting Medley for free on both versions of the game.

Ok first. Shibatas Yokai Dance was amazing. Also this game, which is currently replacing Pokemon as the King of Japan, will probably won't do that here, because it's to its very core Japanese.

Disney Art Academy: Skip!

And now let's talk about the biggest thing of the Direct. Metroid Prime: Federation Force isn't cancelled. I personally don't hate Federation Force. I don't even dislike it. In fact I think it looks like a fun and enjoyable game. But it comes at the completely wrong time. If it wouldn't bear the Metroid Name all would be good. It wouldn't draw the huge attention it does now, but much more people would approach it level-headed. The game itself looks like a fun co-operative shooter with RPG elements. I'm sure it will be a ton of fun with a group of friends. The only complaint I can objectively find about this game is it's artstyle. The chibi characters just seem out of place in such an environment, and Metriod Prime: Hunters already showed a better artstyle on the old DS.

But now let's talk about the biggest problem of the game. That it bears the Metroid Name, even though it's only a spinoff. It releases at a time, when the last real Metroid was already six years ago, and even this wasn't received all too well by the fanbase. Federation Force releasing this spring with a true Metriod Prime 4 on Wii-u coming later this year wouldn't be a problem. Spinoff games are there to complement the main series and offer a fresh look and new perspective on the world. They are not suited to replace a main game, if the series is on a long hiatus. Many fans are just bitter about the fact that this is probably the only Metroid Game they'll get in 8-10 years. And I completely understand that.

And yet it would have been so simple. Release Metroid Prime 4 on Wii-U and a classic 2D Metroid in the spirit of Super Metroid on the 3DS. Everybody's happy.

After that we got a look at some third party, or to tell the truth, indie games coming to Wii-U. I'll probably take a look at Lost Reavers. It looks like it could be fun with some friends and even if not, as a Free to play title nothing of value if lost.

Yeah I already talked enough about Fire Emblem fates and why I won't buy it.

As someone who hasn't played Dragon Quest nor Monster Hunter I can't say much about these games, apart from that I'm happy for fans that they'll get them.

And now for the last part of the direct. A completely new announcement. And the picture above these letters already spoiled it. Kirby: Planet Robobot. On first, and second, glance it falls under the ''More of the same category'' of games, but with the excellent Kirby: Triple Deluxe as it's predecessor I don't mind. It provides everything you'd expect from a classical Kirby platformer. New Abilities and a new main gimmick. While it were the Ultra Abilities in Return to Dreamland and the Hypernova in Triple Deluxe, this time it's the Mecha Suit, which can also use different abilities. And to be honest this looks like a lot of pure simple minded fun. There will also be a group of new Amiibo, and I'm ok with their integration. The game is compatible with every Amiibo, which will give you power ups depending on the Amiibo you use. For example Link gives you the sword ability of Kirby. The special Kirby Amiibo will also give you an ability, but on top also a costume. Met Knight awards you with the sword ability and his look. These are completely cosmetic changes and I'm ok with that.

And like every other Kirby game there is a second mode, which looks like even more fun than the main game. This time you and up to three other players can band together in an RPG style battle mode.

All in all this was a good direct. It provided a healthy dose of everything, gave us some new announcements and further insight into upcoming titles. With a small tease of Zelda U at the end this would've even been a great direct. But for now I'm pretty happy.

So what are your thoughts about the direct? Did it meet your expectations? Were you disappointed?

And as always

thanks for reading

Source of all Pictures: Nintendo Direct 03.03.2016

Nintendo Direct 12.11.15

Now that we had some days to calm down and look back at this direct without rose tinted Hype glasses, I have to say, that it was a pretty good direct. There was nothing that literally blew my mind and left me speechless, but it had the right amount of announcements and content to keep me satisfied. Of course the 3DS was once again the clear winner and if you like RPGs this Direct was probably the best one in years for you, but even as a more Wii-U centric gamer I didn't feel let down. We got some announcements for 2016 and some remainders for 2015. Yes I would have preferred Twilight Princess HD releasing this year to beef up their Christmas Line-Up, but the way it is, it will provide a good start into 2016 and the 30^th anniversary of Zelda.

We also got a short trailer for Star Fox Zero and a release date. I really like the way the game looks, even though the graphics are really nothing to brag about. But the different vehicles look interesting and should provide different gameplay approaches. And for me Gameplay always matters more than raw graphical horse power.

We also got the final confirmation that Nintendo intends to milk Amiibo for all that it's worth.

I don't want to go into too much detail, but all in all it was a pretty good direct and it ended with a high note. Hands up if you honestly thought that Cloud was a possibility for Smash Bros.

Yeah I thought so...

Anyone who hasn't seen the Direct can take a look at it here.

Amercian Direct:  

European (German) Direct:  

This post today is a little short, but expect a longer one about Linkle in the coming days.

And as always

thanks for reading  

Nintendo Direct 12.11.2015 - What do they have in store?

Picture Source: Nintendo Germany

The drought is finally over. Nintendo just announced a new Direct and the Hype is already skyrocketing. But this is not the time to lose our heads about hypothetical announcements of Twilight Princess HD, Zelda U Information, F-Zero, Metroid and the end of all wars. Already some Nintendo Fans are expecting the mother of all directs and, as a natural consequence, are setting themselves up for massive disappointment.

Let's be reasonable and not expect a second E3 out of this. The direct will likely have one, maybe two, bigger announcements, just like it has always been. Most likely they'll start and finish with a big announcement, while we get information about smaller games and the Ones that will release soon in between.

So with this in mind, here is my prediction for the Thursday direct:

I think they'll start with a first look at Pikmin 4. Miyamoto said that the game is close to completion, and this would a perfect opportunity to show it off. There are quite a lot of Pikmin Fans out there an the Third was great game.

Next they'll probably focus on the titles that are releasing soon. New trailers for Mario and Luige Paper Jam, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Mario Tennis and Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival.

After that some smaller announcements would fit. Maybe even the rumored Twilight Princess HD together with some E-Shop tittles.

Next they'll take a look at some upcoming titles, that are coming out in 2016. Fire Emblem X Shin Megami Tensei, Metriod Prime: Federation Force, etc.

Then it's probably time for Star Fox. It's certain that we'll get new information. A new trailer to show the improved graphics and maybe the announcement of a Multiplayer.

And then it's finally time for Zelda U. It's been nearly a year since we last saw anything and Nintendo has to know that the Fans are starving for new information. It's finally time to show, or at least, hint their vision for an open world.

Also I don't think they'll do a huge tribute for Satoru Iwata. It's not really Nintendos Style. But I'll expect a ''dedicated to the Memory of Satoru Iwata'' message at the end. Or at least something similar, but I expect them to keep it simple.

So what are your thoughts and expectations for the upcoming direct?

And as always

Thanks for reading

Nintendo E3 2015

It was a good E3... well not so much for Nintendo fans. I'm not going as far as some others and loose my shit, but the Digital Event was pretty disappointing. Even for someone like me, who already had low expectations. But I was a little right with my predictions. We got a new Metroid, a new Paper Mario and a new Animal Crossing. Just not the way the most of us wanted.

But let's talk about the Digital Event in General. After the strong start with the Smash Bros. Micro Direct and the World Championship, many were pretty hyped for the Digital Event. After the strong showing int 2014 the people were expecting the same for this year. Even after Nintendo announced they would focus on games that launch in 2015 or early 2016 many expected some bombs to be dropped. This however didn't happen. The Digital Event was disappointing. It was not awful or the End of Nintendo, as many are claiming, but it was nothing special. It was not E3 worthy.

Let's talk about the Event in General first, before glossing over the individual games. Because it showed one thing clearly. Nintendo is playing it as safe as it can with 3DS and Wii-U now. Also the don't seem to understand E3 at all. Or at least E3 Press Conferences, which the Digital Event is the replacement of.

First about the playing it safe. All the new announcements we saw for the Wii-U were safe bets. We got a new Animal Crossing Game, even though it's only a Party Amiibo nonsense. But now the Wii-U has an Animal Crossing. It probably will sell well and doesn't need to much effort, because it re-uses the engine of Mario Party 10 by the looks of it. The same can be said for Tri-Force Heroes and Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam. Altough I'm sure both will be excellent games, they are also very cost efficient to make. Mario and Luigi just re-uses many assets from Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Mario and Luigi: Dream Team Bros. The concept would have been much more interesting on the Wii-U, but of course would have needed much more work.

This is a trend that was clearly visible through the Digital Event. Nintendo is going the way with the least resistance. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but if it's this blatantly obvious, it creates a problem. It creates the image of Nintendo just riding out their consoles on their last breath. This may even be true, but you shouldn't rub it into your consumers face. Consumer confidence and trust is the most important thing in business. It is a thing which is lost easily and hardly regained.

As for Nintendo not understanding E3... E3 is the place for Hype. I know I have spoken pretty critical about the culture of Hype in Video Games, but if there is a place to create Hype with the Hardcore Crowd, then it's E3. And Nintendo had the perfect opportunity to bring both worlds, Hype and Reality, together. Give us a great show during the Digital Event (more games, less Developers talking) and then show us an in depth look at these games (with Developers talking) during the Treehouse Live Stream.

It would have been so easy to make this a great event. Showing Star Fox was a great start. Just don't announce it last year and end the Show with Metroid U (if it's in development, which I truly hope) and bam you have a great Digital Event.

This E3 just once again showed that Nintendo doesn't understand Marketing... or that they don't understand at least half of the time.

But well let's talk about the games that they did show.

Star Fox Zero:

It looks ok. I don't hate the graphical style. It reminds me a lot of The Wonderful 101 and Platinum is also developing this game, so it makes sense. It's pretty clear that it won't be as impressive, as say Bayonetta 2, because the console has to render the image two times. Once on the big screen, for the cinematic view, and once on the Gamepad for cockpit view. But Corneria was really lacking details. I hope they polish the game till release, because, while not looking bad, the worlds seemed rather empty. But apart from that the game looks like a lot of fun, but I'm not certain that this will be the system seller Nintendo is hoping for. However I will surely get it.

Hyrule Warriors Legends:

Well we already knew about it, and I'm not a huge fan of it. I agree with http://touriantourist.blogspot.co.at/ that a full fledged Hyrule Warriors for 3DS would have been better. I'm just not a fan of these remakes only one year after a game has released. Still we get two new characters and all the DLC ones, so the package is really nice for someone, who doesn't own a Wii-U. Still a full fledged Toon Hyrule Warriors with characters from the Handheld Zeldas, would have been better.

Tri-Force Heroes:

Cool game and I'm looking forward to it. Never had the chance to play a lot of four swords during the days, because link cables were a nightmare, but with Online Play this should be a lot of fun. Nothing more to add really, cause I'm pretty happy with this announcement and I'm looking forward to it. Oh and the costume idea is great, but some of them are rather strange.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force:

Well that was a bit of a bummer. At least with no proper Metroid Title going along with it. Honestly it looks like an original IP that just got Metroid tucked onto it, so that it would sell more units. I have no problem with a Metroid spinoff like this, where you don't play Samus, but you can't leave your fans hanging 5 years and then announce this. Along with Metroid Prime 4 this would have been nice, but as it is I can understand the backlash against this game, even if it get's more hate than it deserves. The Gameplay looks nice and all, but nothing all to special. At least this shows that the Metroid Prime brand is still alive, so bring this back into the canon and cross out Other M.

Fire Emblem Fates:

Haven't played any Fire Emblem Games yet, but Awakening is on my To-Do List. This looks like a great sequel. I'm not a fan of the seperate games for separate storylines approach. If the games themselves have enough content I may forgive it though.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE

Batshit Crazy Japanese... that sums this game up pretty nicely. Looking forward to it. I haven't played a Persona game yet, so this will be a first for me. But I like japanese RPGs, so this should be fine. Still all of the non-important characters beeing 2D cutouts, seems like a weird design choice to me.

Xenoblade Chronicles X:

It arrives much later than I have anticipated, but at least still in 2015. The game looks absolutely massive though, so most of the christmas holiday is already booked out I guess.

Animal Crossing:

I'm just glance over these two games, because I'm not and will never be an Animal Crossing fan. But I can understand the disappointment of the fans. After the teases from the developers, everybody was expecting a full Animal Crossing game for Wii-U and instead we get this Amiibo.. thing. It's a huge wasted chance in my opinion. Animal Crossing could have been a big system seller for the Wii-U (at least in Japan) and with this Home designer game they could have pulled of some nice interconnectivity. Design a house on the 3DS and see the same character inhabit this very house on the Wii-U version. Like Metriod Prime: Federation Force it's a nice to have title, but not replacement for a full installment of this series. Oh and also it seems like this bullshit requires Amiibos to actually play the game. So fuck you Nintendo on this one.

Yoshis Wooly World:

Great game. Comes out next week. Expect a review.

Mario and Luigi: Paper Jam:

Mario and Luigi are good games. Paper Marios are good games. So both of them together should make for a good game. Presentation wise this games reeks of a lot of re-used assets, but I don't mind if the game itself is new. Again it's not a Wii-U game, but the 3DS needs love too.

Mario Tennis Ultra Smash:

I would have preferred a new Mario Strikers, but Tennis is fine too.

Super Mario Maker:

From the first announcement of this, I was hyped for it. And, like many other Nintendo games, this one got better and better with each showing. The Levels at the Nintendo World championship really did show the absolute craziness that is possible with this game. So many Kaizo Mario levels will be made and I'm looking forward to try my luck as level creator.

All in all this Digital Event was pretty weak. It was not terrible, but also not exciting in the slightest. It definitely wasn't worthy for E3. Maybe Nintendo will fix this in the coming months with some good Nintendo Directs, but for now they fucked up.

But at the same time I'm not sure that this already means they have abandoned the Wii-U. In an interview they stated that Zelda U will still release on the console in 2016, and maybe they have more up their sleeve. As for now we still have a pretty good 2015 in front of us, and if they don't announce anything till the end of the year, then we can start to worry.

But what was your take on this Digital Event and E3 in general? Are you looking forward to any specific games?

And as always

thanks for reading  

source of all pictures: Nintendo

Nintendo Direct 01.04.2015

It was no Aprils fool prank. On the night from Wednesday to Thursday we got our second Nintendo Direct of 2015. And what a Direct it was. 3DS and Wii-U both got lots of love and if you didn't have unrealistic expectations (after all it's only 2 months till E3) it was quite satisfactory. If you didn't catch the whole thing, here is a link, so that you can watch it.

But now let's dive right into the announcements. First up we had some news regarding Super Smash Bros. And despite everything Sakurai said in the past, we'll get DLC beyond Mewtwo for this game. Not that it is surprising, after the gigantic success of the Mario Kart 8 DLC. I'm torn on this whole subject. On one side I don't mind DLC for this game. It has plenty of content already and the DLC won't feel like it has been cut out of the main game, just to be sold us for extra cash. I would have preferred for the characters to be cost 1 buck less, but I can live with the price of 5 bucks to get the character for both versions. What I don't like is the costume DLC. Now Super Smash Bros. already includes countless costumes for your MII-Fighters, even without DLC, but I absolutely despise such DLC. Costumes should be unlockables and not buyables. It's not as bad here as with other games, but Nintendo threads on a dangerous path. I hope they don't do this in future installments. As long as the basic version of the game doesn't feel butchered I don't have anything against DLC.

Now for the better announcements. So Lucas is back. Well I don't really care, but for his fans it's probably great news. What is even better is the possibility to vote for the next DLC character.

https://cp.nintendo.co.jp/us/

If you visit this page you can announce which character you would love to see joining the roster. This is truly a great idea, and I'm looking forward to whatever character may win.

So all in all I'm looking forward to more additions for the game and I hope that the DLC costumes only play a minor role in the future.

But this was only the beginning of the direct. Mario Maker looks better and better with each trailer and I can't wait to create my own levels, starting in September. We also got the confirmation that you'll even be able to create your own worlds and adventures. Maybe this really is the first step towards the job of level designer for a few lucky souls. We also got a release date for Yoshis Wooly World. On June 26^th we europeans can enjoy the cutest game since the invention of chocolate. We also get a special Amiibo made out of yarn. When I first saw this in the stream I couldn't believe my eyes, but they actually did it. When I first saw the Yarn Yoshis in the E3 2014 stream I said to my friend that they had to release those, but turning them into Amiibo is pure genius.

The Game will also offer two modes, which you can switch between at any given time. I prefer this method to the Super Guide often offered in previous platformers aimed at a more casual demographic. It doesn't feel forced upon you, but you can choose yourself if you need help to complete a level. And Choice is always preferable. I hope Nintendo also learns this for their online multiplayer.

For Splatoon we got another look at the Splat Zones mode, which really sounds exciting. But I don't understand why Nintendo won't support Voice chat for ranked battles. It would make the game much more tactical that way. At least allow it between friends.

We also got our first look at the local multiplayer, which sounds like a lot of fun. The 1vs1 aspect sounds cool and it can be used to get to know the different maps. I also hope they include bots for training matches. Splatoon seems like a game, where it's really important to know the maps, and such a mode is perfect for getting to know them.

We'll also get Splatoon Amiibos, which should surprise no one. But what this also means is that the Inklings now are a real possibility for Super Smash Bros. So everyone vote for them.

Next up is the long overdue virtual console announcement for N64 titles. And it starts with two bombs in form of Mario 64 and Donkey Kong 64. We also get Nintendo DS titles, which makes sense to me. The 3DS is already backwards compatible, so it doesn't need a virtual console for its predecessor. And the Wii-U can perfectly simulate the dual screen aspect with the Gamepad. So for me it's a good idea and I'm looking forward to getting Yoshis Island DS that way. However what's not so great is the price. 9.99 is pretty high for old games, but sadly it was expected, because Nintendo tends to demand a high price for their products. I would reduce the price of all virtual console games by 2 bucks, but that's just me.

After that we got a first glance at a game that many had already forgotten. But Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei lives. Although it looks more like a Persona game (which itself is a spinoff series of Shin Megami Tensei) I'm really looking forward to this game. It looks like nothing we can experience on the Wii-U and even though on first glance it has nothing in common with a traditional Fire Emblem title, fans of those games can look forward to the new 3DS game.

Which we also got a good look at in this direct. Now the information sounds awesome. Being the main character for the first time and getting to decide which path to take sounds great, but with new information from Japan I'm not looking forward to this title anymore. Looking at the footage from the Direct one may think that you can choose your path within the game, but this is not the case. The game will actually launch in two different versions, each containing one storyline. So the way you choose your destiny is with your wallet. Owners of one game can then download the other storyline as extra DLC. However this only applies to Japan, while we only get the Hoshido game. If you're only interested in the Nohr story, you'll have to pay double. Now this is exactly the kind of DLC and anti-customer behavior that I despise. If you think this is okay, I won't tell you what to do and I'm happy that you'll get a new Fire Emblem game, but I won't support such business practice. I can't make a final verdict, because I don't know how extensive the storylines will be, but for now it leaves a really bad aftertaste in my mouth. I hope this model doesn't prove successful. We'll know the answer when the game launches in the west in 2016. Oh and the Japanese get the game in June already.

We also got a slew of other 3DS announcements. Puzzle and Dragons looks good, but the only game that really sparked my interest is Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains. I didn't count on this game coming to the west, so this is a pleasant surprise and I will enjoy hunting Titans together with my friends.

Another big announcement, which I firmly believed would happen this year, was the localization of Project Zero 5 (Fatal Frame in the US). With a Hollywood film underway it would have been stupid to not release this game in the West. I'm counting on a October release for this game.

We also got our first look at the Amiibo cards. These cards will have the same functions as Amiibos, but won't cost as much. The first game using this cards will be Animal Crossing: Home Designer. As someone who never got into Animal Crossing this didn't impress me much, but I'll maybe get into it. It strips the Animal Crossing franchise down to the home design aspect. As someone who played Sims only as an architect this sounds interesting, but only time will tell.

The Amiibo cards however are a good idea. I already wrote that in earlier posts, but Amiibos are expensive, even if they only cost a fraction of real collectible statues. So if you want to own a wide array of Amiibos to use in your games it can cost quite a bit. With this cards I have the possibility to only buy Amiibos of characters I truly want and use the cards for the ingame uses. Amiibo Cards and the Amiibo reader for the regular 3DS will launch in autumn.

And now for the last part of information. After the shaky start with Smash DLC and the disappointing handling of the new Fire Emblem we got this:

Wow this is great. Not only will the second Mario Kart 8 DLC launch earlier than expected, but it will also be accompanied by a new high speed mode, which everyone gets for completely free. I said it once, and I'll say it again. Mario Kart 8 shows how DLC and support is done right. I can't express how stoked I am for the 23^rd of April.

And with that Nintendo ended a pretty great Direct. We didn't get any big announcements, but two months before E3 that expectation was unreasonable. What we got was a ton of information on titles we already knew. It was a informative Direct and I'm looking forward to E3. What was you takeaway from this Direct? Did it fulfill your expectations? Or were you disappointed?

And as always

thanks for reading

Source of all pictures: Nintendo