The mother of all Nintendo Directs

Nintendo‘s choice to use Nintendo Direct as a means to show off their new line of titles for E3 came as a big surprise to everyone. Many were wondering just how well they could pull this off. Today’s Nintendo Direct proved that they can offer players just as much as they did in live conferences, if not more.

Pokemon X and Y was the first to be shown. You are treated to a trailer that goes into detail about the game. A new pokemon type, known as fairy, is shown in the trailer; what’s particularly interesting about this new pokemon is that its attacks are super effective on dragon types. Demonstrating the abilities of this new type is Sylveon, one of many fairy pokemon that you will see in the game. Shortly after, the trailer goes into detail about a new feature called “Pokemon-Amie”. In Pokemon-Aime, you are able to interact with your pokemon using the touch screen on the 3DS. You can pet it with the stylus, feed it, and even play with it. Pokemon X and Y will available October 12th in stores and on the eshop.

Next in line is a game we’ve all been anxiously waiting for, and that would be Nintendo’s next big Mario game. Super Mario 3D World is the name of this new title, and it’s an all new 3D platformer. The first thing you’ll notice when you watch the trailer is that the game is set up much like Super Mario 3D Land. Only this time, Mario has some friends to accompany him in his new adventure. For the first time since Super Mario Bros 2, Toad, Luigi, and Princess Peach will all join Mario together on his quest. Up to four players at a time can join in; you will also notice that like Super Mario Bros 2, each character controls differently.

Luigi has his patented high flutter jump, Toad has really high dash speed, Princess Peach can float in the air for a short time, and Mario is the character with balance. The newest addition to the power up family arrives in this game as well. The cat suit, or “Cat Mario” if you will, gives you the ability to climb up walls and scratch enemies. Super Mario 3D World is expected to be released this holiday for the Wii U in stores and on the eshop.

As if that wasn’t enough, we get another Mario game confirmed for the Wii U. Mario Kart 8 makes its debut, and it looks great. The first thing you will notice is that bikes are back; previously they were missing in Mario Kart 7, which left some fans with a slight sense of disappointment. The next thing you will see is a new feature added to the series, anti-gravity. The wheels on your kart turn on their side, keeping you firmly glued to the surface that twists and turns in all sorts of directions; a nod to F-Zero perhaps? Riding underwater is still present in this title, as well as the ability to glide over wide gaps in the courses. Expect to see Mario Kart 8 in Spring 2014 via the eshop and in stores.

Wii Party U is also shown amongst the slew of new games. There will be 80 new minigames in this title, and a great deal of them will utilize the Wii U gamepad. The game will be coming out by the end of 2013.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD gets more exposure with a video displaying what the title will look like on Wii U. The game gets a nice new coat of paint without changing the general style of it. Shaders are added the environments and character models, bloom lighting is carefully applied, colors are vibrant. There’s no doubting that this is an HD remake done right. The game is set to be released October 2013 in stores and on the eshop for the Wii U.

Players are treated to more information and footage from the upcoming Wii U title The Wonderful 101.Nintendo President Satoru Iwata goes into greater detail about the game, noting that the characters have an ability called “unite morph” which fuses them into one giant weapon. You activate this ability by drawing a symbol on the Wii U gamepad. You’ll be able to enjoy this game real soon as it hits stores and the eshop September 15th in North America and August 23rd in Europe.

If you’ve been waiting for another Donkey Kong Country title to emerge, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise. The sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is finally here. In this title, the gameplay is true to the original formula, with the same kind of clever level design that you would expect. Some of you will be happy to know that certain elements that appeared in the original trilogy have returned. Along with the ability to swim, you will also see Donkey Kong‘s old friend Dixie again. This time, you aren’t fighting tikis or kremlings anymore, your new enemy is a group of vikings that have invaded Donkey Kong island. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is expected to launch later this year in stores and on the eshop for the Wii U.

Bayonetta 2 is next in line, and this time Bayonetta is sporting a new look. She cut her hair to a shorter length, and has a nice new costume to go with the style. The trailer and gameplay are what you would expect from a Bayonetta title, full of action and flash. She also has a couple new abilities to go with her new look, and they’re shown off a bit in the gameplay section of the trailer itself. Bayonetta 2 will be launched some time in 2014 for the Wii U, both in stores and on the eshop.

Monolith Soft’s mysterious new title, simply called X is given more exposure. The first time that it was shown, was during the February Nintendo Direct, where we were shown some footage of battles both in mech and on foot. In this trailer, we get a glimpse into the vast world that Monolith Soft has created, as you view an unnamed character as he traverses the vast environments in this world. More footage of mech action is also displayed, as you see the mechanical monstrosities travel across landscapes, transforming into vehicles and vice versa. The trailer is breathtaking, and the music itself is beautiful. The title is expected to be released sometime in 2014 for the Wii U.

Last but certainly not least, the next Super Smash Bros title is finally unveiled. Footage of both the 3DS version and Wii U version is shown. Some of your favorite characters return to the scene, such as Star Fox, Pit, Donkey Kong, and others. From the look of the trailer, it appears as though final smash will makes its return to this new title.

A villager from Animal Crossing appeared in the trailer as a playable character, but perhaps the most surprising and arguably amazing news of all is the inclusion of the blue bomber himself, Megaman. That’s right, for the first time ever, a Capcom character will appear in Super Smash Bros. His abilities in game are faithful to his design, as he sports various powers like crash man’s bombs, Metal Man’s blades, and even his dog Rush.

It also looks like we’ll be getting a steady stream of new Smash Bros information as well. The official Super Smash Bros website is up and running again, so be on the look out for some new and exciting information that appears on the site. Super Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS is expected to be released sometime in 2014 both in stores and on the eshop.