Editor's Note: E3 is a show that everyone watches each year in order to see what new gaming products are being created. It is a show that has historically presented industry changing titles and consoles. While E3’s obsolescence has been talked about in recent years, the presence it brings throughout the industry is widely felt and industry members come from across the world to attend and cover the event. It is quickly approaching, but what will be shown this year? Chris Weil, our staff member, dictates his expectations for Nintendo as follows…
First of all, we wholly expect to see the new Zelda Wii U game in its full final form. It has seen its fair share of delays, which is all but typical for Zelda games, however at this point in time, it should be nearly complete. It was supposed to be released last year anyway…buuut maybe that was just to create Wii U hype and help sales?
Who knows, I’m just creating useless speculation here. Along with a new gameplay video and further details, I think it’s fair to assume that a release date or at least window will be announced. (The most obvious date is Friday November 18th 2016.) Hopefully there will also be a limited edition bundle as well. What will it include? Maybe a music CD and an Amiibo like Twilight Princess HD had, but that part we don’t really know yet.
My official guess is: They’ll release it this year and go over it in detail at E3. It will likely be the star of the show.
Secondly, there is a lot of talk revolving the NX. According to the rumors, it’s supposed to be released this year. This however, may not be true. It seems a little too early to really replace the Wii U, even if it isn’t the success it was meant to be. The thing is though, I don’t believe that Nintendo has ever gone directly from product announcement to release. The Wii U, for example, was revealed at E3 2011, but did not hit shelves until November 2012.
As a 2017 release date for the NX is fully plausible, it is likely we will see details emerge at this year’s E3. This coverage should be similar as it was for the Wii U. They’ll focus on what’s specifically new and exciting for the console. If it was to release this year, it too would be set for a November 18th 2016 release date. This would leech sales from the new Zelda Wii U game and whatever else Nintendo may have planned for the holiday season.
My official guess is: They’ll save the release for next year, but reveal it this year.
Now, I want to get into the unobvious. The far off guesses. The system sellers. The things I want to see. As far as I am concerned, any new unannounced titles planned for the Wii U should be pushed off to be release titles for the NX. Of course Nintendo should show off some of these titles with the announcement console in order to really drum up interest; keep people talking. What I would hope, is that they listen to the fans. A lot of people have been asking for a new Metroid Prime game. The answer is obvious. Make a Metroid Prime NX release title and just maybe utilize the rumored graphical power of the NX to have a really nice looking HD remake of the current Prime Trilogy. Do I have your attention yet?
If not, then another game seems obvious here, Super Mario Galaxy 3. That would be a perfect console seller, and as statistics have shown, Mario games sell consoles even more so than Zelda games. Of course I think it would be a great idea to have a Zelda game as a launch title for the NX, but realistically, what could they do? Skyward Sword HD? I don’t think so. The Wii U has had two HD remakes of Zelda games, and it would be silly to remake a game that’s only 5 years and one generation removed. Give it another 5 years, and maybe then we’ll talk.
My official guess is: With the NX, we’ll see some really big kind of system seller. Nintendo won’t make the same mistake twice, right?...
Finally, what about the 3DS? What’s in store for the handheld market? Since the introduction for the more powerful New 3DS, we haven’t really seen much action on the front. There is still only one New 3DS only game, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, and even then you have the options of the Wii version and the Wii U eShop version. There are the recent releases of the SNES Virtual Console games, however those aren’t New 3DS only, because if you still have a SNES or a Virtual Console on another home console system, you can still play those games.
In a sense, the New 3DS is like the DSi. The awkward in-between phase. I don’t think we’ll see a brand new handheld system for another few years, Nintendo wants to put the focus on the NX for now. What we should see, however, is a couple New 3DS only titles. These may include more ports from the Wii or GameCube to the N3DS, like Super Mario Galaxy.
I know there were articles a few years back on how when Nintendo tried to bring Super Mario Galaxy to the N3DS, Mario himself was just too small on the screen and it wasn’t an enjoyable experience, as the platforming was then too difficult. We are still waiting on a few 3DS games to hit the shelves, but there should be something new announced.
Whatever E3 has in store for us this year, hopefully it’s one to remember. The competition is usually fierce, and if you ask me, Nintendo didn’t really hit the target last year. This year they need to bring the jaw-dropping exclusives that really make people lust over them, and show us once again what they are capable of in their game development studios.
About the Author:
Christopher Weil
The 2006 Time Magazine person of the year, born in Toronto, Canada, Christopher developed a passion for gaming at a young age. His favorite franchise has always been The Legend of Zelda, but he can also usually be found playing SimRacing games such as iRacing. He's in university studying mechanical engineering and looking to start his own 3D printing business.
