It's been a rough first few months for Nintendo's newest console. The Wii U was released back in November to curious-yet-skeptical reviews, and its post-launch period has been plagued by a number of issues. Sluggish user interface, slow download speeds, and a barren new release landscape highlighted the system's problems, but now Nintendo is hoping to make amends.
In a Nintendo Direct broadcast on Wednesday, the company's president, Satoru Iwata, directly apologized to fans for the lack of games, promising that after March new releases will flow at a consistent and steady pace. Then he made a bunch of new game announcements.
Generally, the announcements didn't stray far from Nintendo's heavy-hitting line-up of franchises. Iwata said that a new 3D "Mario" game is being developed by the same (extremely talented) team responsible for the "Super Mario Galaxy" and "Super Mario 3D Land" titles, and that a new "Mario Kart" is on the way. Details on either title were pretty much nonexistent, though Iwata did say they will both be playable at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in June. He also pegged E3 as the time when the company will be ready to reveal the first details about "Super Smash Bros. Wii U."
A new "Legend of Zelda" is in the works, according to series director Eiji Aonuma. Those thinking they know what to expect from Nintendo's treasured but conservative franchise might want to hold back judgment, as Aonuma said his team is developing the game with a brand new philosophy in mind. The new "Zelda" is all about going "back to basics" to recapture the essence of the series, and Aonuma hinted that he is rethinking its entire foundation - from exploring dungeons in a certain order to even venturing out on the quest alone. This could mean a number of things. Multiplayer? Open world?
Unfortunately, the game "will take some time" before it's completed, so we won't find out the answers to those questions anytime soon. To make the wait less painful, Nintendo will release a high-definition remake of "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" this fall. In addition to upgraded graphics, it will feature Miiverse functionality as well as a tuned-up overall experience.
This is all well and good, but how about a new game with some footage to go along with it? Iwata announced that the team behind the way-too-cute "Kirby Epic Yarn" is developing a new side-scrolling Yoshi game employing a similar style. "Yoshi's Island" director Takashi Tezuka will helm the new entry as a supervisor.
Outside of these internally-developed games, Nintendo also showcased new trailers for "The Wonderful 101," "Bayonetta 2," and a new RPG from Monolith Soft simply dubbed "X."
"The Wonderful 101"
"Bayonetta 2"
Monolith Soft RPG "X"
