Nintendo Direct Highlights Strong Holiday and Early 2016 for
Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
Cloud from FINAL FANTASY VII Headed to Super Smash Bros.; The
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Revealed; Original Pokémon
Games Return
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 12, 2015 –
Nintendo debuted a new Nintendo Direct presentation today, revealing
details about several new and upcoming Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
games. Some of the exciting news included the reveal that iconic video
game character Cloud from FINAL FANTASY VII will be added as a
playable DLC fighter in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash
Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. Other notable announcements included
the reveal of an HD remake of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
for the Wii U console, a new Wii U bundle featuring Splatoon
and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and news that the
Pokémon games that started it all – Pokémon Red
Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon
Yellow Version – will launch with new wireless communication
functionality in the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo 3DS system on Feb.
27. To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct.
“There’s never been a better time to join in on the fun with Nintendo,”
said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of
Sales & Marketing. “From new experiences like Xenoblade
Chronicles X that you can enjoy this year to re-imagined favorites
like The Legend of Zelda and Pokémon coming in
2016, we have you covered with games you’re sure to love.”
Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:
Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
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A New Challenger Approaches!: Cloud
Strife, the legendary protagonist from the classic RPG game FINAL
FANTASY VII, will enter the battlefield as a playable fighter in Super
Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for
Nintendo 3DS in the future. A special video presentation will be
released in December, which will share more updates about the hit
fighting games. More information is available at http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/.
Wii U
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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD:
Originally released for Wii and Nintendo GameCube systems in 2006, The
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is a visually remastered
remake of one of the most critically acclaimed games in The Legend
of Zelda series. The new game launches on March 4 in a bundle with
a detailed new amiibo
figure modeled after the Wolf Link and Midna characters in the game.
The game will also be compatible with five other The Legend of Zelda
amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series. The game’s iconic
soundtrack will be offered as a bonus for fans who pre-order the game
from select retailers.
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The Legend of Zelda for Wii U (name not
final): Next year marks the 30th anniversary of The
Legend of Zelda series. And with that comes The Legend of Zelda
for Wii U, the next entry in the storied franchise. During the Nintendo
Direct presentation, it was revealed that certain saved data from The
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD on the Wolf Link amiibo can
be carried over to this new game.
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New Wii U Bundle: A new Wii U Deluxe
Set that includes the Wii U console and pre-installed versions of hit
games Splatoon
and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U launches this holiday season.
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Pokkén Tournament: A
collaboration between The Pokémon Company and BANDAI Namco
Entertainment Inc., Pokkén Tournament is a new fighting
game for Wii U that lets players use their favorite Pokémon
characters to battle it out in fighting arenas. Fans who purchase a
first-run version of the game at retail stores will receive a
limited-edition Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card that immediately unlocks the
character in the game after tapping it to the GamePad. Pokkén
Tournament launches exclusively for Wii U in spring 2016 at a
suggested retail price of $59.99.
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Star Fox Zero: Star Fox
Zero delivers a new beginning for the classic shooter series. With
a unique control scheme that uses both the TV screen and the screen on
the GamePad, players pilot multiple vehicles through intergalactic
levels with Fox and his classic crew. The game launches exclusively for
Wii U on April 22.
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An Ink-redible Splatoon Update:
Today at 5 p.m. PT, a free new update for Splatoon adds more
than 40 pieces of new gear, including more winter items and some slick
bandanas. And on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. PT, another free new update
adds a new stage called Museum d’Alfonsino. Further stages and features
will be added in future updates through January. A Nintendo Treehouse Splatoon
Tournament will happen in December, featuring competitive game play as
well as tips for players about setting up their own tournaments. The
tournament will be live streamed at http://www.youtube.com/nintendo,
http://www.twitch.tv/nintendo
and http://live.nintendo.com.
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Super Mario Maker
Powers Up Once Again: In December, a new Web portal will offer
a more robust search function to find and filter levels in Super
Mario Maker across a variety of Web-enabled devices!
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Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival:
By tapping any of the Animal Crossing amiibo figures, players
can play as that character in the game’s main mode, a dynamic board
game. Players can also tap in their Animal Crossing amiibo
cards to play other modes like an Animal Crossing quiz. The Wii
U game that includes the Isabelle and Digby amiibo figures and three
amiibo cards launches on Nov. 13 at a suggested retail price of $59.99,
the same day as the standalone Animal Crossing amiibo figures.
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Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash: On
Nov. 20, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash launches exclusively for Wii
U at a suggested price of $49.99. The game includes a fun New Super
Mario Bros. power-up, the Mega Mushroom, which is featured in the
over-the-top “Mega Battle Mode.” Players can also select “Classic Mode”
to enjoy a more traditional game of tennis. Players can compete online
or together via local play, and the game is compatible with amiibo in
select modes, including online matches.
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Xenoblade Chronicles X:
Massive RPG Xenoblade Chronicles X launches exclusively for Wii
U on Dec. 4 at a suggested retail price of $59.99. For people who
purchase the physical version of the game, four free high-speed data
loading packs are available to download from the Nintendo eShop
starting today. The data packs greatly increase the speed of loading
times in the game, but are not required to play.
Nintendo 3DS
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Where it all Began: The original
Pokémon games – Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon
Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version – are coming
to the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 27, the same day that the
original games first released in Japan in 1996. And there’s no need to
pull out those old Game Boy Game Link cables while playing. Using the
wireless communication on Nintendo 3DS, players can trade
Pokémon with other players.
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Hyrule
Warriors: Legends: Take the epic Hyrule
Warriors experience on the go! Hyrule Warriors: Legends
offers players the entire Hyrule Warriors game on Nintendo 3DS
… but with even more content! This time, Tetra, Toon Link and the King
of Hyrule from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker join the
Skull Kid from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask on the
battlefield. In addition, new character Linkle, a girl who lives in a
small village filled with Cuccos and wields two crossbows, joins the
large cast of playable characters. Players will be able to command
multiple characters, taking direct control of them at any time, leading
to new strategic options on the battlefield. Hyrule Warriors:
Legends launches for Nintendo 3DS on March 25 at a suggested retail
price of $39.99.
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Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam:
The hilarious Mario & Luigi series meets the charming Paper
Mario series in the Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam game,
launching exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 22 at a suggested retail
price of $39.99. Using compatible amiibo, players can create a
corresponding character card in the game, which has powerful effects
during battle.
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Fire Emblem Fates: There are
multiple adventures waiting to be experienced in Fire Emblem Fates
for Nintendo 3DS. By purchasing one of the two main games at a
suggested retail price of $39.99 – Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright
or Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest – either at retail locations or
in the Nintendo eShop starting Feb. 19, players choose to embark on a
unique quest with a different story and different experiences. The
decision that the player makes early in the game will dictate the
game’s story and difficulty. After purchasing one game, the
downloadable version of the other is only $19.99 via an in-game
purchase. There will even be a third downloadable version in the near
future, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, for players who own
either Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright or Fire Emblem Fates:
Conquest and want to take on a new challenge and experience an
alternative version of the game. For fans of the series, a special
edition will be available that includes all three games, an artbook and
a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch at a suggested retail price of $79.99.
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The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
DLC: New free DLC is coming on Dec. 2, adding Linebeck’s
Uniform and Fierce Deity Armor outfits, each with unique powers, as
well as the new Den of Trials with more than 30 stages to conquer. The
upcoming software update also makes it more convenient to get Friendly
Tokens by purchasing them from the Street Merchant once the princess’
curse has been lifted. Additionally, two adjustments will ensure a more
comfortable online experience: By answering a question before
matchmaking, you will be matched with other players who gave similar
answers, plus players who leave a game in progress through the Pause
menu can be added to the blacklist.
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Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon:
Players can become one of 20 Pokémon in Pokémon
Super Mystery Dungeon, launching for Nintendo 3DS on Nov. 20 at a
suggested retail price of $39.99. With turn-based battles and
ever-changing dungeons, players can encounter every single known
Pokémon in the game – all 720 of them!
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Nintendo Badge Arcade: Now
available in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Badge
Arcade is a free-to-start game that lets players control a classic
arcade-style crane machine to earn badges from popular titles to
customize their Nintendo 3DS HOME menus. The game is constantly being
updated with new badges, so it’s always great to keep checking back!
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Two DRAGON QUEST Games are Better Than
One: The lineup of RPGs on Nintendo 3DS continues to grow with
classic games DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
and DRAGON QUEST VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, both
remastered for Nintendo 3DS and coming in 2016.
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Pokémon Picross: The
popular Picross series meets the lovable world of
Pokémon when free-to-start game Pokémon Picross
launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS in early
December.
amiibo
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Jan. 22 sees the release of Lucas in the Super Smash
Bros. series, amiibo figures for Resetti, Blathers, Celeste and
Kicks in the Animal Crossing series, and Series 2 of the Animal
Crossing amiibo cards.
Third-Party
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FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS from Square Enix,
Inc. (Nintendo 3DS): In the first FINAL FANTASY
action-RPG on Nintendo 3DS, players journey to an island filled with
mystical crystals protected by powerful eidolons. More than 20 jobs can
be learned, each with its own set of special skills. When FINAL
FANTASY EXPLORERS launches exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Jan.
26, it will include all the DLC that was previously released in Japan.
Multiplayer functionality for up to four players is enabled through
Nintendo 3DS local wireless communication.
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Mega Man Legacy Collection from Capcom
(Nintendo 3DS): Capcom’s iconic Blue Bomber has been a classic
part of Nintendo history since the NES days. Mega Man Legacy
Collection launches for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 23 and features
faithful reproductions of the first six NES Mega Man games (Mega
Man 1-6), plus new ways to experience these classics with
Challenge Mode’s remix stages and Museum Mode’s repository of original
production art. In addition, the game comes with exclusive new
challenges that can be unlocked using the Mega Man amiibo. But that’s
not the only amiibo that can unlock these bonus challenges! A new
gold-colored Mega Man amiibo figure also launches as part of the Mega
Man Legacy Collection Collector’s Edition.
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Hive Jump from
Graphite Lab (Wii U): Players shoot their way through
dangerous alien infestations in Hive Jump, a frenetic run ’n’
gun platformer for one to four players. Hive Jump launches in
the Nintendo eShop with exclusive Wii U features in early 2016.
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Kerbal Space Program
from Squad (Wii U): By using the Wii U GamePad, players can
take part in the complete space agency experience, from building a
spaceship part by part, to mission control by flying their creation and
conquering the planets and moons of the solar system. Kerbal Space
Program launches in Nintendo eShop for Wii U in early 2016.
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SteamWorld Heist from
Image & Form (Nintendo 3DS): For a limited time, players
who purchase side-scrolling, turn-based strategy shooter SteamWorld
Heist in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS when it launches this
holiday season will receive an exclusive Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme.
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FAST Racing Neo from
Shin’en (Wii U): It’s almost here! FAST Racing Neo,
the high-octane racing game with up to eight-player online multiplayer,
launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U in early December.
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Typoman from Headup Games and
Brainseed Factory (Wii U): Typoman is a puzzling platformer
that tells a dark tale of heroes and monsters, where words can either
be a blessing ... or a curse! Using the GamePad in a unique
way, players set out on an adventure to explore the incredible
power of words and how they can be used to survive
the environmental hazards and overcome vicious enemies. The game
launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U on Nov. 19.
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Mighty No. 9 from Deep Silver (Wii U /
Nintendo 3DS): From Keiji Inafune, the creator of the Mega
Man series, comes Mighty No. 9. This action side-scroller
can be played solo or with two players in online co-op and competitive
modes. The Wii U version of the game launches on Feb. 9, with a
Nintendo 3DS version following shortly thereafter.
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LEGO Marvel’s Avengers from Warner Bros.
Interactive Entertainment (Wii U / Nintendo 3DS): With an
extensive roster of new characters to play, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers
features storylines and locations from six different films in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as classic Avengers content seen in
Marvel Comics, all retold with a unique splash of LEGO humor. The game
launches for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 26.
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Project X Zone 2 from BANDAI NAMCO
Entertainment America, Inc. (Nintendo 3DS): Everyone’s
favorite Capcom, SEGA and BANDAI NAMCO characters are crossing over
once again in Project X Zone 2. But this time Nintendo is also
joining the fun by adding Chrom and Lucina from Fire Emblem
Awakening and Fiora from Xenoblade Chronicles to the game. Project
X Zone 2 launches exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 16.
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Terraria from 505 Games (Wii U / Nintendo
3DS): In Terraria, players explore vast fantasy worlds
and wage war on hundreds of enemies and giant bosses using weapons and
armor they craft themselves. They can even use the touch-screen
interface on the Nintendo 3DS system or the Wii U GamePad to reach
directly into the world of Terraria, fashioning elaborate and amazing
structures with their fingertips. It’s also possible to share the
adventure with friends, with online and split-screen multiplayer for
Wii U and local play for Nintendo 3DS. Hundreds of hours of
entertainment await in Terraria, launching in the Nintendo
eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in early 2016.
For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com/.
Remember that Wii U and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let
adults manage the content their children can access. For more
information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu
or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of
interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan,
manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U ™
and Wii ™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS ™ and
Nintendo DS ™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when
it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System ™, Nintendo has
sold more than 4.3 billion video games and more than 686 million
hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U,
Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy ™,
Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi ™ and Nintendo
DSi XL ™, Super NES ™, Nintendo 64 ™,
Nintendo GameCube ™ and Wii systems. It has also created
industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as
Mario ™, Donkey Kong ™, Metroid ™, Zelda ™
and Pokémon ™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of
America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for
Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information
about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com
EDITOR'S
HYPERBOLE NOTE: I'm glad that Nintendo decided to keep doing
these Directs. It's a lot easier for getting information and
interesting tidbits to the general public. -
Philip
Wesley (Main
Editor)
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