14 replies to this topic

[andisart]

First of all Hello to everyone this is my first post here. Glad to have found the forum.

Now, what I would like to do is to get the infos together that we have so far to estimate what launch games we might get.

Here's my input:


- Super Mario: producer Yoshiaki Koizumi didn't really know much about Wii U until E3 and says that development of Mario for Wii U is in very early stage. This kinda rules out a title for launch, since it can only be in proper production since a month now. At least a full fledged Mario title. Even for a late 2012 launch, a year and half does not sound likely.

Estimate: very likely no launch title, earliest in 2013.


- Zelda HD: Miyamoto has confirmed there will be some sort of HD Zelda, but that is kinda a given. No definite confirmation of title in development was made so far. The Zelda development team is still finishing up Skyward Sword. Another team might work on a new Zelda, but it is known that Nintendo has dedicated departments for specific game series. Also in light of the release of Skyward Sword Nintendo might want to leave a bigger gap (Wii U's earliest launch is May 2012, SS will release late 2011). There might be a surprise though, like Retro revealing the next Zelda (*dream*)

Estimate: likely no launch title, earliest late 2012, probably in 2013 or after


- Smash Bros. Wii U:  As confirmed, the development team for Smash Bros. Wii U has not started production yet since they are finishing up Kid Icarus for 3DS. This is a pretty clear indicator, ruling the title out for launch.

Estimate:  as good as guaranteed not at launch, probably 2013 or even 2014


- Pikmin 3:  So we come to the hot contender for the launch! As we all know, this game has been in development for years, announced several times, nothing has been shown so far, officially moved to Wii U. The title must be well developed by now and there is a high chance it will be ready by launch.

Estimate:   launch title


- Kirby:  HAL Laboratories are busy with Kirby Wii and Kirby Mass Attack, it is unlikely they have the time and resources for releasing a Wii U title at launch.

Estimate:  likely not at launch


- Mario Kart:  The development team for Mario Kart is finishing up Mario Kart 3D for holiday release. They might simultaneously already work on Mario Kart Wii U. It's thinkable that this could be a launch title.

Estimate:  possibly a launch title


- Luigi's Mansion:  With the release of Luigis Mansion 2 on 3DS early next year it is highly unlikely that there will be another entry in the series for Wii U in 2012.

Estimate:   very unlikely for 2012


- Revivals: F-Zero + Star Fox. There hasn't been a proper release for either of these titles for a home console in many years. These are two of the most beloved Nintendo franchises still, one of these titles might very well be in the works for Wii U. Both of these could be  great to show off the graphic power of the new console.

Estimate:   good chance one of these will come at launch


- Metroid:  This is an interesting one. Retro has said they're done with Metroid, so we shouldnt expect a new title from them. Last year's Other M was received very mixed. It's going to be interesting to see what Nintendo will do next with this series. I think it's fair to say they will let more time pass after the Other M controversy.

Estimate:   probably not at launch


- brand new I.P.:   Miyamoto has said himself in recent times that he's looking into ideas for a new game series. We might be surprised and get a brand new game for launch.

Estimate:    possible for launch



That's my take on it. What's your's?

[Dementis]

Katsuya Eguchi named things like using the Wii U mote as a scan visor (Which I had actually thought of previously, which is why I remember it) so there might be a chance that it's in development. It's on the Wii U Blog.

Edited by Dementis, 04 July 2011 - 10:43 AM.

[Happy Monk]

hmmm, Pikmin 3 is the most likely.
However, the U will need at least 2 games at launch from nintendo...

1. A game to show off the graphics and power of the new system; this game will most likely be Pikmin 3.

2. One to show off the new controller, so expect to see something like Wii Sports 3.

and, less importantly

3. One to show the new features online, this will probably be handled by a 3rd party game, but seeing the point of this thread, this might be where we see a new IP from Nintendo!

[AMAC]

I think that another contender for being a first party launch title, could be a new Pilotwings game. The Pilotwings games have always been released as launch titles and with Nintendo reviving the series for the 3DS, I think a Wii U game is quite likely. It's also a game that I think could really benefit from HD visuals, like the 3DS version benefited from 3D visuals. Hopefully it would have more content than the 3DS game though...

Another possibility for a launch title could be a Nintendogs game. I know that the Nintendogs games have previously been on handhelds, but a console version of the game could be made and it has been a launch title on the DS and 3DS.

I think those smaller first party franchises are more likely to be launch titles than Nintendo's bigger franchises, but I hope that we'll see a launch title set in the Mushroom Kingdom or Hyrule.

[andisart]

@Dementis: Interesting! He does talk like they are already working on something... And now that you say it, his team just finished Star Fox 64 (which is a port/remake, so not too heavy on workload I imagine) and is only working on Animal Crossing 3DS (probably won't differ too much from the Wii version, so again possibly not too heavy on the workload). It really looks like there is the space for them to work on something else

@Happy Monk: yea, they should have at least 2 titles at launch. And they need to be strong enough, or it could be another slow start like with the 3DS. Wii Sports for showing off the controller makes a lot of sense! Also judging from the E3 demo video, they already have concrete ideas that might well appear as an in-package game.

@AMAC: I didnt even consider those two, probably because I have them so fresh in mind from the 3DS start. Pilotwings could certainly be made with amazing grafics to show off the power, I'd love that. I think you're right that more likely smaller franchises will make the start since N really is pushing for 3rd party developers and they already made them the space for the 3DS launch (although that didnt go so well)

[AMAC]

The fact that the 3DS suffered from not having a big first party launch title is what makes me hopeful that the Wii U will have one of Nintendo's biggest franchises as a launch title.

I hadn't thought about a Wii U Sports game, although now that I have, it seems like a likely candidate to be a launch title. Those sort of games are good for showcasing new types of controllers. Nintendo did it with the Wii Remote and Wii Motion Plus. Microsoft and Sony also made similar games for Kinect and Playstation Move respectively.

[Tony Bradshaw]

A big launch title such as Mario Karts Wii U will be enough to get me to pre-order the console. However, if there's no big 1st party launch titles, i'll be happy to wait until Super Smash Bros gets a release date.

[Happy Monk]

I'd like there to be a new mario game at launch, but the likelyhood of it being a new one is incredibly unlikely, plus they've said they're already making one at the moment but it's in its very earliest stages. So we may see one.
Personally, I'd like to see Mario Party 10 as a launch games, or Wario Ware, or Wii U sports. A 1st party minigame would go down a treat at launch to show what the controller is capable of.

[Guy Fieri]

I do think Pikmin 3 would be likley because they have been working on it for a long time.

[Hamez]

I just want a good 1st party Nintendo game at the launch. Please don't repeat the crappy launch titles for the 3DS launch.

[DaPimpJ]

Mario party ten would also be good to show off the new controller

[Joshua]

I do think Pikmin 3 would be likley because they have been working on it for a long time.

Yes, Pikmin 3 could very well be a launch title game for the WiiU. Because, as said reason, it has already been worked/ing on the Wii. Nintendo decided however to cancel it for the Wii to move it onto the WiiU.
My guess is because it is just one of those games that deserve high-level graphics, due to it being based on real life environments.

[Caius Casshern Sins]

Yes, Pikmin 3 could very well be a launch title game for the WiiU. Because, as said reason, it has already been worked/ing on the Wii. Nintendo decided however to cancel it for the Wii to move it onto the WiiU.
My guess is because it is just one of those games that deserve high-level graphics, due to it being based on real life environments.

That is kinda what Miyamoto said because in the roundtable, he said he just loved the HD visuals of the wii u.

[GunGoomba]

That is kinda what Miyamoto said because in the roundtable, he said he just loved the HD visuals of the wii u.

I don't want to see the Creepy Water Lizard in HD.

[AMAC]

Mario party ten would also be good to show off the new controller

If there is a Mario launch title, I think Mario Party 10 would be the most likely candidate. It would show off the Wii U's capabilities and probably sell better than other party games.