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.

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.

Just tell us when Animal Crossing: New Leaf is coming out! Please, Nintendo!!

That... is quite a helmet there, buddy.

I had low expectations and was still somewhat disappointed. At least we have a good idea of Nintendo's line-up for the next 6 months, but there are still a lot of questions.

So is Nintendo sending out helmets/cameras like that to sites to help them capture Gamepad footage?

It may not have been much in the way of announcements, but damn if Iwata wearing that goofy helmet didn't make my day.

@IVofRussia said:

I'm glad to hear that you like your Wii U, Patrick. That piece of information was highly relevant to this article. Giant Bomb has become a much better place since you turned it into your blog.

Because nothing about Giantbomb is about its editors injecting their own personality...

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/the-death-of-a-video-game-benchmark/4352/

I'd buy a Wii U if it comes with that helmet.

The EU Direct was much better.

Damn you February 4th! Get here sooner!

@DJJoeJoe:

Video game news.

I agree with IVofRussia, Patrick make the difference, always a limitless source of content. I like my WiiU but whatever...

It may not have been much in the way of announcements, but damn if Iwata wearing that goofy helmet didn't make my day.

Is Wii Fit U a tailor simulator?

I just.. don't understand how in the end this could be disappointing. Are people expecting these to be E3 stage shows every time? Saying "what are you thinking" about Google Maps makes it seems like it ate up stage time at E3, but a weird thing to ask when it is a company adding an app to their new console. My reaction to that isn't what are you thinking, it's... hey thats a thing a company would probably do.

@Brendan said:

Is Wii Fit U a tailor simulator?

ba dum tsh

Iwata is wearing a stupid helmet. Look at that thing! This Nintendo Direct was awesome.

No set release date for Animal Crossing 3DS is pretty disappointing :/

@leinad44 said:

@IVofRussia: Way to be a dick. It's like one fucking line.

and you still got your video game news you wanted so please (along with all the other Patrick haters) give it a rest.

@IVofRussia: Not sure this is the right site for you, buddy.

As soon as I read that some of the confirmations were delays, I frantically scrolled down. WHY PIKMIN 3 WHHYYYYYY

@oldenglishC said:

Damn you February 4th! Get here sooner!

My reaction was...different.

I was hoping to see a release date for Animal Crossing.

Luigi's Mansion and Animal Crossing are never coming out are they....

Hey, Patrick. Some of us are looking forward to things they did talk about, so I wouldn't whine if I were you.

What a complete waste of time. They talked about the same few games again and still failed to give release dates to any of them, just vague approximations. The news that Animal Crossing has slipped is even worse.

I was really hoping to at least see something about Dragon Quest 7 or Bravely Default being localised.

I'm enjoying my Wii U as well. Having a lot of fun with Nintendo Land with my wife and ZombiU. Downloaded Mario last night and would like to get Funky Barn and maybe Scribblenauts. Early next year looks pretty nice with Pikmin 3, Monster Hunter, Rayman, and I'm sure some more pleasant surprises.

Seeing pictures like that make me think the higher-ups at Nintendo all suffered some-sort of oxygen depriving injury, which explains the weird direction they've taken the WiiU and its functionality

@IVofRussia said:

I'm glad to hear that you like your Wii U, Patrick. That piece of information was highly relevant to this article. Giant Bomb has become a much better place since you turned it into your blog.

Go away, ass.

Can't wait for Christmas!

@Hailinel said:

Hey, Patrick. Some of us are looking forward to things they did talk about, so I wouldn't whine if I were you.

Yeah Patrick, you should not express your opinions on things in your editorials because some people might not share your... opinions.

@Brendan said:

Is Wii Fit U a tailor simulator?

Well done sir.

@Sesiras said:

That... is quite a helmet there, buddy.

Always practice safe Wii-U'ing

@patrickklepek: Awww.

I'm glad to hear that you like your Wii U, Patrick. That piece of information was highly relevant to this article. Giant Bomb has become a much better place since you turned it into your blog.

@BonOrbitz said:

@IVofRussia said:

I'm glad to hear that you like your Wii U, Patrick. That piece of information was highly relevant to this article. Giant Bomb has become a much better place since you turned it into your blog.

Go away, ass.

In the OP's defense, I can see how misleading it can be to an outsider or someone who doesn't follow the GB crew close enough to understand that Giant Bomb is an editorial site (even though it may misleadingly labels articles as "News"), when other sites like Polygon or IGN are much more neutral (and subsequently dry and boring) with their articles labelled as "News".

That being said, the OP doesn't have to be a hot fucking garbage of an asshole.

@patrickklepek From those of us that actually get what the site is about and it's intentions, keep up the good work.

@WinterSnowblind said:

What a complete waste of time. They talked about the same few games again and still failed to give release dates to any of them, just vague approximations. The news that Animal Crossing has slipped is even worse.

I was really hoping to at least see something about Dragon Quest 7 or Bravely Default being localised.

They gave a release date for Fire Emblem. For people who care about that, that is THE news that they wanted to hear.

EDIT: Also, since the two games you mentioned at the end are Square games, they aren't really Nintendo's announcements to make.

@IVofRussia said:

@DJJoeJoe:

Video game news.

Then you're here for the wrong reasons, to be honest. Polygon might be more of your flavour for that.

that screen capture looks like it's from a bad SNL skit

I can help but feel like the 3DS is loosing serious steam here. Not much is getting released or announced of the system so what is the point of me buying one?

I keep hoping against hope that N will let slip something, anything, about that new Smash Bros. game they said was coming.

Ah well, maybe E3 '13.

This console is Nintendo's last stand. I think this is their last console. Nintendo is too cut up to survive, and will be eaten alive come PS4/720 time. Just my opinion, given the impending rise of tablets as gaming devices and the veracity that the latest Microsoft and Sony offerings will be.

I totally read 'There are even some areas of Google Maps where you can explore underwear' at first..

Whys is that man wearing a helmet?

@IVofRussia: Oh damn, you got him good.

@Video_Game_King:

Different, but very appropriate.

And then there was happy dancing.

Sounds like Patrick was expecting a little too much from this.

This is ridiculous. I can't believe you're not writing unbiased articles like 99.9% of other gaming websites out there. Why are you allowed to offer a personal opinion and be one of the few on the web which provides something unique and interesting?

Damn you Patrick Klepek, damn you.