With the amount of time that’s passed since the last Direct, speculation for this Thursday’s event could definitely get out of hand. That said, there are a few topics that are likely to be discussed across the Wii U, the 3DS and amiibo that could turn this into a very exciting and enlightening Direct.
With it also being the first Direct since Nintendo President Satoru Iwata’s passing there is a chance for a memorial portion, as well as an introduction to his successor, Tatsumi Kishimira. This would be a great opportunity to honor past ground work while showing what the future holds by revealing the new unified account system. Following that could be the topic of My Nintendo, which could be Nintendo’s way of stepping forward with its best foot in terms of user loyalty while allowing the company to sincerely thank fans for all the support. This would then transition perfectly into the software portion.
There are two main titles that are highly likely to be discussed for the Wii U, those being Xenoblade Chronicles X and Star Fox Zero. Nintendo will want to put Xenoblade in the spotlight due to its upcoming holiday release– with emphasis on multiplayer, a focus that hasn’t been talked about in depth in a Direct yet. While the game has received its own dedicated video segments outside of Directs, this is a chance to really show fans why it’s a title to be excited about.
Another good bet would be confirmation of the recently leaked The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD. A release of this title’s would most likely coincide with the 30th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series this coming February. A new trailer for the upcoming Zelda U is more than likely a long shot, but confirmation of the titles name may be something that could make a surprise appearance.
Hopefully, we’ll see some new features come to light for Star Fox Zero, with some references to amiibo support and online features (which have been spotted on the game’s official website). They may be acknowledged, but it’s more probable that we’ll get wind of a new release date and trailer.
For the 3DS, the star of the show could easily be Fire Emblem: Fates, which should also receive a release date and potentially a reveal of a collector’s edition that will contain both storylines, as was the case in Japan.
Hyrule Warriors Legends is another title we may see new footage of, especially with the Japanese reveal of Skull Kid to the roster of playable characters.
Another pair of titles that only received a brief showing during the last Direct were Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam and Metroid Prime: Federation Force. More details and new trailers could be shown, though I feel these will only get release windows, rather than specific dates (considering how quiet Nintendo’s been about them both). Nintendo Badge Arcade could see some attention, with it finally coming to Europe so we can decorate and enjoy our dashboards more than ever. This is one I could see Nintendo releasing the very day of the Direct, lining up with its Thursday eShop updates nicely.
I’m expecting amiibo news to be pretty clear cut, yet no less exciting: a release date for Series 2 Animal Crossing cards! With the first series having been a hit, it’s only natural for the next to strike while the iron is hot. While Nintendo won’t make the Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival a release for the second series, they could still make it to retailer shelves by the year’s end.
Also exciting is the likely talk of Lucas, Roy, and Ryu amiibo to fill out the Smash Bros. series. And speaking of which, we might finally see the results of the Smash Ballot that ended in October. Fingers crossed for that one!
It’s an exciting time for a Nintendo Direct. Almost no titles are known of past the holiday release timeframe other than the above listed, and a few titles that will more than likely require a lot more work (such as Genei Ibun Roku FE, due to localization). A new title or two could very well be revealed, and if the stars align, we’ll see Rhythm Heaven: The Best Plus localized, requiring less work than a full RPG and out in time for the holidays. A guy can dream, right?
As for brand new reveals go, a Kirby title on the Wii U more akin to Return to Dream Land would be a really awesome piece of news. There’s also a hope that Project Guard and Project Giant Robot could be shown off in some new forms. All that said, big surprises are something Nintendo can– and will– pull off. And even if every one of my predictions is wrong I’m still looking forward to this Direct!
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Written by Ricky Berg
When he isn’t writing for Nintendo Wire, Ricky’s anticipating the next Kirby, Fire Emblem, or if the stars ever align, Mother 3 to be released. Till then he’ll have the warm comfort of Super Smash Bros. to keep him going.
