Nintendo at E3 2011

[BreakABone]

So we are just about 5 weeks shy from the start of e3, which means we are about to hit prime time for rumors and reveals and leaks.

So for the month or so before the big show, thought it would be nice to have threads detailing the big 3 going into the conference. What we know, what is rumored, what we can expect and more.

Finally, we come to Nintendo who probably has the most balls to juggle at this year's e3. They've already announced plans for their next gen console, but that's not until next year. They need to prove to their audience that the Wii is still viable for another year. And if that wasn't enough, they just launched a handheld that has been off to a rocky start.


[b]Time: 9am PSt/12PM EST
Date: Tues June 7th, 2011[b]


What We Know
Zelda: Skyward Sword, right now remains as probably the only Wii game that matters this year. Sure they announced Wii Play Motion and some mystery title, but neither will be a blimp on the radar. And the question a lot of people are asking is does Zelda remain on the Wii?

Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, Kid Icarus and so much more are primed and ready to roll out on the 3DS at some point. While Zelda most likely won't be a focus (it comes out a week after the show), we will get the first real look at Super MArio 3DS and Mario Kart 3ds. There are still projects from last e3 that have never surfaced so look out for Metal Gear Solid 3DS.

Project Cafe/Stream/Feel, whatever. We know Nintendo is working on a next-gen console. We know it is set to debut at e3. We know it will be playable. And there are a ton of rumored specs, but we know the console will have a big impact on their show.

What Is Rumored
Its hard to discern fact from fiction when it comes to Nintendo and with the hype of a new console around the corner, there are all manner of rumors. I won't waste my breath stating them all especially since we have a Project Cafe rumor thread already on the forum.

Nothing really is said for the 3DS or the Wii (though that is to be expected)

What We Can Expect
Nintendo to roll out a line-up of Wii games headlined by Skyward Sword. Most likely than not, these titles will be localizations of some of their Japanese titles including Xenoblade, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower. There will be a scatter of 3rd party titles probably headlined by a new Rabbids and Just Dance game from Ubi Soft.

Nintendo will have to assure their audience that the 3DS means business so expect solid information on all the games above and release dates. I would expect a major 3rd party announcement or two.

Project Cafe will most likely play home to a ton of current gen ports, which will probably make up the console's first year. So expect Nintendo to roll out at least one major franchise that has never been on their console before or is returning. Then you can expect to see the usual assortment of first party titles. Though curious who will kick it off if Zelda remains on Wii and we just had a Metroid/Mario game in the last year.

Developers

1st party
EAD Comprehensive - making Star Fox 3DS
EAD 1 - recently made Nintendogs and now making Mario Kart 3DS
EAD 2 - making Wii Play Motion
EAD 3 - making Zelda Skyward Sword
EAD 4 - making Pikmin 3
EAD 5 - recently released Steel Driver
Tokyo - making Super Mario 3DS
NST - recently released Mario vs DK miniland mayhem
Monolith - recently released Xenoblade
NSD - last game released was Brain Age Express for DSiware
Retro - rumored to be making WiiHD game
Browny Brown - last game released was A Kappas Tail for DSiWare
Intelligent Studios - making Paper Mario 3DS
Project Sora - making Kid Icarus
Hal - making Kirby Wii and Kirby DS

3rd party
AlphaDream - last game was Mario and Luigi Inside Story
Creatures - usually make Pokemon Rangers games
Ganbarion - making Pandora's Tower
Camelot - recently released Golden Sun Dark Dawn
Genius Sonority - rumored to be making Pokemon XD port for 3DS
Good-feel - recently released Kirby Epic Yarn
Monster Games - recently made PilotWings Resort
Noise - make Custom Robo games
Skip Ltd - usually make Chibi Robo and Art Style games
Treasure - making radiant Silvergun for XBLA
GameFreak - making next Pokemon games

[Blix]

For the first time in a long time I'll be looking forward to this E3 presentation. On a couple of the last E3's I've just heard the news after they're out but I had not really bothered to check it out while it's happening.

[BreakABone]

Question of the week.

How much time should Nintendo spend on the Wii? Do they need to assure fans that the system is worth investing in over the next year + until the release of Project Cafe? What do they need to announce for it?

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by BreakABone

How much time should Nintendo spend on the Wii? Do they need to assure fans that the system is worth investing in over the next year + until the release of Project Cafe? What do they need to announce for it?

Nintendo will do what Nintendo does best - plug the shit out of Mario-something and a new Zelda game, while telling people how revolutionary their next 'big thing' is, and to 'just wait'.


I see absolutely 0 point in owning a Wii anymore. Not for people who aren't mothers playing Wii Sports resort while they wait for their Farmville stuff to grow, or toddlers playing some really dumb, horrible game while their mother plays Farmville. But now, even with Kinect and Sony Move - there is less reason for new parents to get their toddlers a Wii. Considering with a PS3 you also get a blu-ray player, and with a 360 you get all the FPS games it offers.

If the PS3 and 360 are really cool clothing ensembles, the Wii would be a pair of corduroy slacks that are too short.

[Angrist]

I have to admit that even I feel like the Wii is pretty dead. I want to play Zelda and there are some games that I never picked up because I felt they didn't deserve full price. So I hope to be playing DKC, Kirby, Paper Mario etc. some day. Possibly on the next Nintendo. My Wii disc drive broke down and I don't know if it's worth the money to replace it.

[Jason1]

I just want to see what nintendo can do with the higher specs. It would be really awesome to see some of their flagship games running in High Definition with true Next-gen graphics.

[Vampyr]

HD Ocarina of Time remake?

The awesome thing is you know it will happen.

[Angrist]

Ugh, please NO MORE OOT REMAKES! I've already played that game too many times.

[Blix]

Originally Posted by Angrist

Ugh, please NO MORE OOT REMAKES! I've already played that game too many times.

I agree and for the same reason. I love the game but I don't want another re-release.

[Vampyr]

Nobody's making you buy it, don't ruin it for the rest of us.

I'd be quite happy to play an HD OoT.

[Angrist]

Would you rather have another OoT remake than a completely new Zelda?

[Vampyr]

Originally Posted by Angrist

Would you rather have another OoT remake than a completely new Zelda?

I don't think it's an either or decision. I'm pretty sure the team that remakes OoT in HD isn't the team that will be working on a completely new Zelda. It requires totally different skill sets.

And even if it were an either or...an HD OoT that I can play on my 37" LCD sounds so amazing to me. One of my main gripes with Wii games are how jaggy and just plain bad they look on my TV - it's distracting.

Being able to play a crisp and clean looking version of my favorite game would be great.

[Angrist]

I wish Nintendo could really do 3 Zelda games at the same time, at full speed. But I'm prettu sure it doesn't work like that. Teams help each other. And I doubt they have enough times to do a console, a handheld and a remake version.

So you want HD Zelda... It's probably on the way. And for most people it will be much better than OoT in HD.

[Seth]

Originally Posted by Typhoid

Nintendo will do what Nintendo does best - plug the shit out of Mario-something and a new Zelda game, while telling people how revolutionary their next 'big thing' is, and to 'just wait'.


I see absolutely 0 point in owning a Wii anymore. Not for people who aren't mothers playing Wii Sports resort while they wait for their Farmville stuff to grow, or toddlers playing some really dumb, horrible game while their mother plays Farmville. But now, even with Kinect and Sony Move - there is less reason for new parents to get their toddlers a Wii. Considering with a PS3 you also get a blu-ray player, and with a 360 you get all the FPS games it offers.

If the PS3 and 360 are really cool clothing ensembles, the Wii would be a pair of corduroy slacks that are too short.

until you do a soft something to your wii and it plays everything from ogg to .rmvb

who knew that one of the best media players is on the wii. I hadnt played my wii for about a year...then my buddy helped me through the ècustomizationè of it. I was suprised how many home dev apps are available.

[Angrist]

SO AWESOME!!!