Nintendo Direct 14/02 Summary

February 14, 2014

Nintendo has wrapped up the first major Direct for 2014. If you missed it due to work, sleeping, or canoodling with your significant other, you can watch it in its entirety here. Or you could read our summary.

Starting off with a bang, Nintendo has revealed Little Mac from Punch-Out!! as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl Little Mac appeared as an assist trophy, but now the character’s boxing skills and power meeting will be playable by all. Here’s the humorous reveal trailer.

Next, a new trailer for Mario Golf World Tour was shown, hinting towards RPG-like customisation of your clubs and outfits, and dating the release for May 2nd 2014 on Nintendo 3DS/2DS.

Following Mario is Kirby, in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, also for 3DS/2DS. Here Satoru Iwata detailed the many collectables, including keychains, built into the game system. Kirby: Triple Deluxe will launch on May 16th 2014.

Not done with the 3DS, a new trailer for Yoshi’s New Island showed off Yoshi’s various power-ups and abilities, as well as its “super guide” feature. Yoshi’s New Island will be available March 14th 2014.

Next Nintendo announced a new title: Steel Diver: Sub Wars, a first person submarine battle game, with single and multi player modes, and a somewhat F2P business model. A free version should be available on the 3DS/2DS eShop right now, with an optional upgrade to “premium” for all submarines and missions.

Following with more eShop content, Nintendo has announced Pokemon Link: Battle!, a Candy Crush-like game for 3DS/2DS featuring….you guessed it, Pokemon. All of them, apparently. Trailer below, launch date March 13th 2014.

The stream then highlighted several formally announced 3DS/2DS titles and their PAL release dates. Professor Layton Vs. Phoenix Wright will hit March 28th, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate launches in the first half of 2015, and Nintendo Pocket Football Club will be available on the eShop on April 17th 2014.

Now, catching up to the past, the final Guild 01 game, titled Weapon Shop de Omasse will hit 3DS/2DS on February 20th. Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium  Girl will launch May 2nd 2014. And Inazuma Eleven is available on eShop…right now. Finally, Ubisoft’s Child of Light has been confirmed for Wii U eShop, and will be up for download on May 1st 2014.

Sticking with a Wii U theme, a final trailer for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was shown, and the launch date of February 22nd reconfirmed.

If you liked NES Remix for Wii U, you’ll be happy to know Nintendo has confirmed NES Remix: Volume 2. Like the first, this will take classic NES titles and combine/remix them for added flair. The latest verison includes remixes of games like Zelda II: The Adventures of Link and MetroidIt will be available on the eShop on April 25th. April too will see the activation of GameBoy Advance Virtual Console for Wii U, with the first crop of games including Metroid FusionMario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3.

Next up is Mario Kart 8, the latest trailer showcasing Bowser’s minions as playable characters, and confirming the launch date of May 30th 2014.

Fans of Xenoblade will be happy to see some more footage of Monolith Soft’s X, now showing off uncut battle footage. According to the game’s director, the battle system plays similar to Xenoblade, though with more polish. You can watch the battle sequence starting here. No release date for was hinted or implied, and it is unknown if it will make 2014.

Finally, Platinum Games has cut together a new Bayonetta 2 trailer titled Did You Miss Me? The trailer is more narrative focused than previous footage, showing off returning character, new locations, and boss fights. A release date was not given, beyond later 2014. Here’s the footage.