The Nintendo Direct promotions have proven a reliable source of interesting news from the Japanese company, and their frequency means they don’t have to include bombshells every time. The first one after the launch of your new console, which has largely received a mixed reaction? Bring your A game, man! Nintendo didn’t.
Instead, we have confirmation of games that were probably coming here and are now definitely are, vague new release dates for desired upcoming games that are actually delays, and looks at new features that do little than prompt you to scratch your head and wonder what Nintendo’s thinking (get excited for Google Maps?).
Here are your updated release dates for the next few months:
Wii U
- Lego City Undercover -- Early 2013
- Pikmin 3 -- Q2 2013 (delay)
- Game & Wario -- Early 2013
- Wii Fit U -- Early 2013
- Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge DLC (character, co-op, multiplayer) -- “Soon”
- Dragon Quest X -- Spring 2013 (Japan)
- Panoramic Videos -- Free preview “soon,” paid eShop release in 2013
- Google Maps -- Q1 2013
3DS
- Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon -- Spring 2013
- Brain Age Concentration Training -- February 10
- Fire Emblem: Awakening -- February 4
- Tokyo Crash Mobs (eShop) -- “Soon”
- Harmo Knight (eShop) -- “Soon”
- (2) New Super Mario Bros 2. DLC Packs -- Available today
Nothing about The Wonderful 101. Nothing about Bayonetta 2. Nothing about Virtual Console. No updates on the abysmally slow Wii U interface. No news on Nintendo Network coming to 3DS. No clarification on transferring accounts or data between machines in the future. There were a whole lotta opportunities to shore up support amongst people who have bought or will buy a machine, but instead, it felt like business as usual. Pretty strange.
I don’t mean to be so down, since I do really like my Wii U, but this was pretty disappointing.