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E3 17 Predictions: Nintendo Direct

What might Nintendo have in store for us?

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Let's get one thing straight. We fully predict most of these things NOT to happen. Nintendo is in such a strong position at the moment, and we don't expect them to over commit during this Nintendo Direct, simply because they don't have to. The Switch has proved a massive success for them, so we're expecting them to continue their slow and steady progress in fleshing out their library with indies, growing third-party support, and a sprinkling of first-party exclusives. But what might they announce during E3? Well, we throw some crazy theories around...

One thing that Nintendo might very well announce is the SNES Mini Classic. After the unexpected demand for the NES Mini turned the original retro-console into a must-have item for collectors, Nintendo will surely have taken note. Might they launch a new, expanded version of the NES Mini later this year, or even better, a SNES Mini? There'd certainly be plenty of takers.

With Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle being Ubisoft's main announcement during their conference we reckon more details will take up a significant portion of Nintendo's presentation. We don't know much regarding the actual story, the different environments Mario and the Rabbids will explore, or multiplayer. The game is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch which prides itself on multiplayer features, so surely Kingdom Battle will offer some ways to enjoy the game with friends. Perhaps Luigi, Toad, and Yoshi can join Mario and his band of merry Rabbids?

E3 17 Predictions: Nintendo Direct
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Following the Pokemon Direct announcement last week, we're expecting that we will get a closer look at both the recently announced titles; Pokken Tournament Deluxe and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. As far as Ultra Sun and Moon goes, we still know relatively little other than that it tells an alternative story to that of Sun and Moon and will feature new Pokemon. During Nintendo's E3 event (or during Treehouse afterwards) we expect to see some of these new Pokemon, as well as the differences held between these games and their predecessors. It may not be the next big entry in the franchise, but Nintendo needs to ramp up excitement and communicate why the titles should warrant our attention before their release in November.

With Pokken Tournament we've of course seen a lot of gameplay as it previously appeared on the Wii U, but we expect Nintendo to show us how the power of the Switch can help enhance the experience and show what makes it a deluxe title. It'll also be interesting to see some footage of people playing the Pokemon brawler on the go.

E3 17 Predictions: Nintendo Direct

With Pokken Tournament and Mario Kart 8 being treated to updated deluxe editions, it wouldn't be too surprising to see Nintendo fortify another of their most popular franchises for the Switch. Possibly the most likely contender for the deluxe treatment is Super Smash Bros, a franchise which has proved to be a success on past consoles, but had little time to flourish as it released during the declining years of the Wii U. Re-releasing on the Switch with new playable characters / content will work to lure older players back and also introduce it to a new generation of players on the upcoming console.

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The long awaited return of the Star Fox franchise may have arrived to mixed fanfare but it's one we'd definitely like to see make an appearance on the Switch. Much criticism was directed at the Wii U gamepad controls, so with new life on a new system, Platinum Games have the opportunity to rework the controls for a more accessible experience.

So we know Nintendo's Super Mario Odyssey is going to be showcased at E3, the company has already revealed that the game will be playable on the show floor for the very first time. We don't know a huge amount about the colourful, sandbox-style Mario at the moment, but we should get loads of new gameplay footage and some first hands-on previews at the show.

The bigger question is could we see any new Mario games announced? Could we see Super Mario Maker make its way onto the Switch or possibly even Nintendo and Sega team up again for something like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games? It's also a possibility that a new Mario Party game could be coming. You never know.
  
Third-person hack and slasher Bayonetta was ported over to the PC earlier this year and enjoying renewed success selling 200,000 copies. Further sparking our hopes of a Switch port, Platinum Games producer Atsushi Inaba revealed that he would be interested in bringing the title to the platform. With Bayonetta 3 rumoured to be on the horizon, it isn't completely irrational to think that Platinum Games may release the titles on the Switch to entice a new audience.

We could also see Nintendo bring back some of their classic first party IPs. It's been a long while since we've seen the badass galactic soldier Samus from Metroid, and there wouldn't be many better titles to persuade people to buy a Switch. Any of the folks from the Mario universe could make a return too, such as Wario, Yoshi, Toad, or Luigi. Perhaps Luigi's Mansion 2? F-Zero is another classic title that could make a return, especially with PlayStation's recent release of the WipeOut Omega Collection.

There's a lot that Nintendo could do, but that doesn't mean that they'll do it. Super Mario Odyssey is clearly the priority, but who knows, the company from Kyoto might have a couple of surprises up their sleeve.
 

E3 17 Predictions: Nintendo Direct


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