In traditional style, Nintendo have sat on a month's worth of incredible game announcements, and crammed them all into a 36 minute overload of Nintendo goodness. If you missed the broadcast the first time round, or want to revisit any of the news, we've rounded up all the trailers and info below for you to sink your teeth into. Enjoy!
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
Kicking things off with the most explosive of bombshells, Nintendo made plenty of hearts skip a beat by announcing the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - a 3DS remake of a cult N64 game that some regard as the best Zelda game ever. With a giant moon with an evil face set to impact the world in just three days time, young Link faces up to his biggest challenge yet, in a game that mixes classic Zelda dungeon crawling adventure with a groundhog day style storyline. With only 72 hours to work with, can Link manage to pull it all together, and save the world? With the help of the slightly creepy "Happy Mask Man", and some magical masks that transform Link into a totally different person, you'll be able to dive back in - or discover a classic Zelda for the first time - next Spring.
Better yet, in an unusual move, Nintendo are even releasing a decent looking special edition. Coming complete with a shiny looking pin badge, a steel book and double sided poster, along with a fancy presentation box, the special edition will set you back £45, which is less than the game on its own cost us the first time round - £70 from an HMV in Worcester.
Ultimate NES Remix coming to 3DS 7th Nov
Next up was news of Ultimate NES Remix on the 3DS, a compilation of the Wii U's NES Remix 1 and 2, with a few added extras. Taking old school Nintendo games, and giving you fast paced, Wario Ware style challenges (hit four enemies with vegetables in Mario Bros 2; collect 8 coins against a strict time limit), we thought the second game was OK, if a little bit frustrating in places. Either way, this compilation's out tomorrow.
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS) and Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
Sonic fans have had it tough over the last few years, with a selection of games ranging from the incredible (Sonic Colours), to the, er, not so great (like Sonic Lost World). With a new development team at the helm, and publishing duties handled by Nintendo, the upcoming Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U) and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal due for launch on the 21st November. With the Wii U version delivering a kind of more LEGO-style approach to gameplay, with a heavy emphasis on puzzle solving, while the 3DS has a more traditional Sonic platforming style, there's a demo of Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal available to download from the Nintendo 3DS eShop now - so you can try it out for yourself.
Shovel Knight (3DS + Wii U)
Continuing the theme of surprise announcements is the news that Shovel Knight, the retro inspired platformer starring one man and his spade, is now available for download on both the Wii U and 3DS eShop. Buying the game on one format will net you a 33% discount off buying the game on the other (which is a nice touch, if not as good as Sony's Cross-Buy deal), while picking up the game on the 3DS will net you a free theme.
eShop montage - Winter 2014
Let's face it - it wouldn't be a good Nintendo Direct without a montage, and Nintendo certainly delivered, with this stylish compilation of upcoming download-only games. From the creepy, yet interesting Affordable Space Adventures, to the colour of Swords and Soldiers II, and plenty of retro inspired adventures, like the fantastically named Woah Dave!, there's plenty to pick and choose from, with each game coming out over the next few months.
Here's a full list of games featured: Affordable Space Adventures (Wii U), Azure Striker Gunvolt (3DS), Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians (Wii U), The Fall (Wii U), Forma.8 (Wii U), Gunman Clive 2 (3DS), Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut (Wii U), Nihilumbra (Wii U), Proun+ (3DS), Rive (Wii U), Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (3DS), Shovel Knight (3DS + Wii U), Steamworld Heist (3DS + Wii U), Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones (Wii U), The Swapper (Wii U), Swords & Soldiers II (Wii U), Trine: Enchanted Edition (Wii U), Thomas Was Alone (Wii U), Woah Dave! (3DS)
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)
Because you can never have too many cross-overs, Nintendo have announced that in the upcoming giant 3DS co-op monster slaying adventure, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, you'll be able to use Nintendo themed items - like the red mushrooms to make your character bigger - and dress the cat like Felyne race in Mario and Luigi costumes. Yes...
Codename S.T.E.A.M (3DS)
After showing a first glimpse at this way back at E3, Nintendo debuted a brand new trailer - and some new info for Codename S.T.E.A.M., a steampunk turn based strategy game from the team who brought us the incredible Advance Wars and Fire Emblem. Ditching the familiar (and reliable) grid based combat for a more free form approach that gives you direct control over your characters, this is a step away from the sort of games we usually expect from Intelligent Systems, yet one that seems oddly appealing nonetheless. With comic book stylings, and lashing of strategy fun, we'll be looking forward to seeing more of this before its launch in May 2015.
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker (Wii U)
Taking the perspective based puzzling bonus levels of Super Mario 3D World, blowing them up on a larger scale, and giving them their own, disc based release, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker had us excited enough before. With an isometric style camera, and vertically based levels, it's up to you to guide the somewhat diminutive adventurer Captain Toad through each stage, turning the camera around as you go, as you try to figure out which bits connect to where, and how you can get to the end. In the most recent Nintendo Direct, Nintendo confirmed the game will feature some 70 levels, each with its own bonus objectives (like completing it without being seen by Shy Guys), and is on for a 2nd January release. With the addition of Toadalina as a playable character, we're looking forward to this one.
Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush (Wii U)
While Yoshi's Woolly World was notable by its disappointing absence, at least we got an update on our other most anticipated platformer - the epic Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush. Asking you to use the gamepad to paint a course through the level for Kirby to follow, creating makeshift platforms, or guiding him towards important locations, Nintendo announced that the game will also feature four player co-op, with the other players taking on the role of familiar Kirby characters, Waddle Dees, who can walk on rainbows, and carry Kirby through the stages to lend a helping hand. Arguably one of the best looking games we've ever seen, with a fantastic claymation style, the only bad news to come out of this is that we won't be able to play it until the second half of next year.
Smash Bros Wii U - Duck Hunt approaches!
Continuing the Nintendo Direct trend of shuffling release dates around, the hugely anticipated Nintendo beat 'em up Super Smash Bros Wii U will now be releasing on the 28th November, or, as it's alternatively known "the wallet apocalypse". Releasing on the same day as Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Amiibos and plenty of other non-Nintendo related games may be a bad idea, as people only have so much disposable income. Still, we were excited for this before, and we're still excited now - especially with the reveal of everyone's favourite Pokemon puffball Jigglypuff, and the dog and duck from Duck Hunt as unlockable characters. As an added bonus, Duck Hunt will also be coming to the virtual console - with Wii Remote support and all!
Also announced was that a second wave of Amiibo characters will be released on the 19th December, featuring figures of Zelda, Luigi, Pit, Diddy Kong, Punch Out Guy and Captain Falcon. Stay tuned for a lot more on the Amiibo over the next few weeks.
Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 1 (Wii U)
Set to hit on the 13th November, the first expansion pack for the Wii U's incredible racer, Mario Kart 8, will include a whole range of brand new tracks, and several new characters. And it's looking amazing. A new trailer shown during the Nintendo Direct lifted the lid on the F-Zero themed course - which looks like it could have been lifted straight out of an F-Zero game, and a Zelda track that lets you drift your way through Hyrule Castle. Also packing a crazy Excitebike track that turns into a 2D race half way through, along with a re-mastered version of Wario's Gold Mine, and another rainbow road, the pack also comes with another three courses (for a total of eight), three characters (Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach and Link), and new karts, including an F-Zero car, and a 'Master Cycle' Zelda bike that, sadly, looks nothing like his trusty steed Epona.
Mario Kart 8 Pack No. 2 will hit in May 2015. The packs cost £7 each, or can be bought in a bundle together for £11.
Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
Having finally got itself a name, after spending the best part of a year known as "New RPG from Monolith Soft", Xenoblade Chronicles X is shaping up to be a rather impressive Wii U role player. Promising a huge, uncharted planet to explore and research, some incredibly stylised visuals, and monsters the size of a small city to face off against, Xenoblade Chronicles X looks set to provide exactly the sort of in-depth, immersive games the Wii U needs, to compliment its already strong line-up of pick up and play titles. Look for more on this soon.
Splatoon (Wii U)
Ending on a less than traditional note, Nintendo wrapped up the Nintendo Direct broadcast by providing some more details about its upcoming squid-based shooter, Splatoon. Easy to pick up and play, and chaotic fun, one of the only concerns we had when we went hands on with the game was about the perceived lack of any single player mode. Thankfully, any worries we had have now been brushed swiftly away with the news that Splatoon will come complete with a full single player adventure, which seems to be more puzzle based than the frantic splatting action of the main multiplayer mode. Playing as a small squid girl with an ink gun, you can sink into, and swim through patches of ink that are the same colour as you. Better yet, while in your squid form, gravity doesn't seem to actually affect you - so spraying ink up a wall before diving in lets you swim straight up the wall. It's a great little idea for a game, that lends itself to some interesting puzzles, and one we're looking forward to seeing how it turns out in Q2 2015.
