E3 2014 Review: Nintendo Nailed It

Sadly Nintendo has been losing out on both the console wars, and on sales. With the launch of the Wii U going all the way back to 2012, and two new consoles from both Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo’s newest console does not stand out like it did briefly when it was first released. The company showed a lot of games for the console, but those games have yet to come out. So at this year’s E3 Nintendo’s goal was simple — sell its system using amazing games to do so. Nintendo needs these games to be system sellers, but more importantly it needed to draw in longtime fans as well as newcomers.

Unlike its competitors Nintendo did an online stream instead of a live press conference. Starting off with a Robot Chicken opening we could tell we would be in for a treat, not to mention that we saw probably one of the best moments of E3 — Reggie Fils-Aimé versus Satoru Iwata in an epic showdown that lead up to revealing Mii Fighters for Super Smash Bros 4.

After starting off with a bang, Nintendo continued to show off a lot of brand new games coming to their system. Many stood out such as Xenoblade Chronicles, the highly anticipated Bayonetta 2, Hyrule Warriors, a new Legend Of Zelda game, and my most anticipated Nintendo game, Super Smash Bros 4. With these all new great titles coming out, Nintendo did what it set out to do for E3 –showcase that new games that are coming out, and try to prove that the Wii U is worth getting.

Nintendo has some great franchises under its belt, which is something I feel that it has over its competitors. Mostly all of its titles are household names, and everyone knows its characters, so to see Nintendo bring the majority of those characters back over the course of this year, and get shown what is in store for the rest of the year and beyond was great.

I am personally very excited to get my hands on Hyrule Warriors, and the new Super Smash Bros. But I must be honest. I feel it is going to take a lot more for Nintendo to get back in the running in the console war. What made the Wii so popular was that it was something new. Needless to say it was revolutionary. It made it stand apart from its competitors, and Wiis were everywhere. Everyone had one. It may have been lacking as far as a hardcore audience, but it had what the other consoles didn’t — appeal to casual gamers. It made people get up, and get moving to play their Wiis. The Wii U despite the Wii U gamepad being very unique, does not have that same appeal.

Nintendo has to target the hardcore gamers, but it can not lose the casual gamers it attracted — it has to get them back by showing the Wii U is different from its predecessor. But as far as Nintendo’s conference goes I have to say Nintendo had the best of the lot. It may have been shorter and smaller, but it stood out the most. Nintendo has some great games in store for the future. With great exclusives such as Xenoblade Chronicles, Bayonetta 2, Super Smash Bros 4, Hyrule Warriors, and a teased blurred out look of a new Star Fox game, it had the best line up of games of the conference showing.

Way to go Nintendo, I hope to see more gameplay soon, and Wii U sales pick up.

Nintendo Highlights

• Mii Fighters (3 different styles of Mii’s with customizable special moves), announced for Super Smash Bros, along with new release date windows (3Ds October 2014, Wii U Holiday 2014)
• Amiibos; figures that allow you to send unique characters into compatible games. Used in Smash Bros to call that character in that game, and has its unique stats and attributes
• Yoshi’s Wooly World. A new Yoshi game, based in the same art style and mechanics as Kirby’s Epic Yarn, but used with traditional Yoshi game mechanics. Coming 2015
• Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker. A new platforming game using Toad in the Mario World U game mechanics and style. Holiday 2014
• A new open world Legend Of Zelda game announced in development for 2015.
• Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, using the updated X & Y system to retell the Hoenn story to a new generation of gamers. Introducing Mega Evolutions for the starters, Powered up versions of Groudon and Kyorge, coming Nov. 21, 2014
• Bayonetta 2 along with Nintendo-themed DLC outfits and weapons, coming together to the Wii U October 2014
• Hyrule Warriors shows off new gameplay, discusses new game mechanics, and announces Zelda, and Minda as playable characters
• Kirby The Rainbow Curse announced, coming out in 2015
• Xenoblade Chronicles coming 2015
• Mario Maker. Allows you to create your own Mario levels in either classic or Wii U versions of Mario. It has been announced coming 2015
• Splatoon, an Multiplayer Area Capture shooter with very unique gameplay mechanics coming out 2015
• Palutena confirmed for Super Smash Bros, proving true the leak last year about her coming to the game

Don’t forget to check out my reviews of the Sony press conference and the Microsoft press conference as well.