Earlier today, Nintendo surprised us with the announcement of an upcoming Direct, which will be broadcast tomorrow, March 3rd. Coming hot off the heels of the Pokémon Direct, the new presentation will be more traditional; focusing on the Wii U and 3DS games releasing this spring and summer. That’s right, no NX news just yet.
So, what exactly can we expect from the 3/3 Nintendo Direct? Well, we did some forward thinking and gathered the evidence to speculate what might be shown…
Known Releases
We can’t talk about a 2016 Direct without mentioning the year’s most anticipated game for many: The Legend of Zelda Wii U. While many are presuming it will have a winter release, Nintendo itself has never given a date more specific than “2016”. Given the Direct’s proximity to the launch of Twilight Princess HD, we could see a push of Zelda news, or at least a long-awaited update.
The other big Wii U title this year is Star Fox Zero, a game that should be launching next month. This Direct could be the start of the final marketing push, or, if rumors are to be believed, the announcement of a delay. Either way, it’s a safe bet we’ll see something from Fox and co.
Genei Ibunroku#FE, the anticipated Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem cross over, has been available in Japan for months now, and it still has a vague 2016 release date for the West. Expect a new trailer, if not a release date announcement.
Pokémon is also hot in the news right now, although the incredibly recent Pokémon Direct might mean we won’t see anything new from the enigmatic Sun & Moon. Pokkén Tournament is still releasing this month though, so don’t be surprised if we see the announcement of a new fighter, or just a general summary to get more fans on board. Likewise, don’t be surprised if a certain Detective Pikachu makes his localized debut (although maybe don’t hold out too much hope for Danny DeVito’s voice to come out of him).
We already know the 3DS is in for a good year of games, so expect a few reminders. Hyrule Warriors Legends is on the way, Square Enix is releasing Dragon Quest VII and VIII on the system, and there are myriad other third party titles primed for a segment.
From a Nintendo UK tweet, we know Yo-Kai Watch will be getting a segment in the European Direct, as it has yet to be released in the region. Likewise, American fans can expect the spotlight to be shone on Bravely Second.
Of course, the 3DS game that needs to prove itself now more than ever is Metroid Prime: Federation Force. After its divisive reveal at E3 last year, we’ve heard surprisingly little from the game, but its 2016 release means it could be a part of tomorrow’s Direct. We’ll have to wait and see if this multiplayer focused Metroid can win over fans.
DLC, Updates & amiibo
It isn’t uncommon for Nintendo to sprinkle smaller announcements between its big Direct bombshells; usually these take the form of DLC reveals or the confirmation of new amiibo.
Splatoon is almost a year old, and while the developers stopped doing regular stage and weapon updates back in January, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one last batch for a surprise hit. Not only that, but there was the recent rumor which suggested two new amiibo are accounted for in the game’s code. Could these finally make an official appearance tomorrow?
Super Mario Maker, on the other hand, has been receiving constant updates ever since it launched. While new costumes and stages are pretty much a given, it wouldn’t be unusual to see another big update with brand new game mechanics and systems.
Nintendo has been quiet on the amiibo front lately, but we’re still waiting on the release dates for Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta’s figures. Don’t be surprised to see new amiibo announcements for upcoming game’s either; a Star Fox Zero range feels inevitable, Mario and Sonic at the Rio Olympic Games has confirmed support, and we already have one amiibo card for Pokkén Tournament so we could see even more.
Rumors & speculation
While most Nintendo rumors are usually falsified for attention, some slip through the cracks that have some truth to them. Case in point, NeoGaf user Trevelyan9999 posted a list of upcoming 3DS titles, and one of those included “Pokémon Niji.” Fast forward a few days and we got the official announcement of Sun & Moon, which would have debunked the rumor if not for the Niji codename making an appearance in an overlooked file name on the official website.
So what does this leak tell us? We have three brand new 3DS games coming by the end of Summer 2016: “Caviar F,” “Cadillac” and “Torte City,” the former two mysterious titles are apparently smaller budget and targeted at all ages, where as “Torte City” is a big budget, core gamer focused title on track for a summer release. It would be a safe bet to say these games will make an official appearance tomorrow.
Another rumor, which has been somewhat forgotten thanks to the recent deluge, courtesy of the previous leak, is the development of a Paper Mario game for the Wii U. In general, the Wii U’s library is looking pretty sparse this year, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say we’ll see some fan pleasing announcements like Paper Mario come tomorrow.
So that’s all we’ve got for speculation right now! Tomorrow’s Direct definitely has the potential to really shake 2016 up, so be sure to follow us on Twitter to catch the announcements as they happen and keep checking back for further updates!
Leave a Comment
Written by Tom Brown
Whether it’s an exciting new entry in a series long established or a weird experiment meant only for the dedicated, Tom is eager to report on it. Rest assured, if Nintendo ever announces Elite Beat Agents 2, he’ll be there.
