Did you know that Pikmin is 10 years old this year? Well, it is, and Shigeru Miyamoto actually wanted to launch a new title in the franchise for Wii. However, after spending some with Nintendo’s new console and the system’s graphics, he decided to move development to the console instead. It apparently could be released sooner rather than later.
Miyamoto on casual games for 3DS
– nintendogs + cats was made before Mario
– This was unusual for Nintendo
– Miyamoto: as long as nintendogs is out there, casual gamers will have something to play
– Built-in 3DS features such as Face Raiders were made more for casual experiences and they’re included with the system so you have experiences to enjoy when you buy the system
– Nintendo focusing more on traditional experiences with 3DS
– This is the area that Miyamoto is putting his energy into for now
– Developers making casual games that will be revealed when development is more complete
– Likely releasing early 2012
– Far along in development
– Miyamoto jokes about the lack of Pikmin, says no one can ask questions about it
– Miyamoto made the game because he wanted to
– Developed by Next Level Games (Punch-Out!! Wii)
– Miyamoto’s team isn’t overseeing the game, although he’s become personally responsible
– Exclusive Luigi’s Mansion 2 video shown at the roundtable
– Trailer shows: Luigi dancing in front of an old car, talks to E Gadd, E Gadd gives him a DS scanner
– Map on the touch screen
– Many secrets in the game
– X button: action button
– Gyro-sensor support
– Ice mansion level shown
– Help Toad find ghosts that only show up in mirrors
– Game is a mix of action and puzzles
– For male/female gamers
– Flashlight has a new strobe function, flash it at ghosts
– Nintendo still working on the final name for the game
– Game is a return to a more traditional Mario world
– The Galaxy games allowed Yoshiaki Koizumi to think about what Mario is really about
– Koizumi wanted to make the most Mario-like 3D Mario game ever
– Dash: X or Y button can be used
– Game automatically controls camera angles
– Has the moves from Super Mario 64
– Flagpole at the end of levels now instead of stars
– Airship level showed off at the developer roundtable
– Boss battle at the end of the level
– Stomp on him to make him go into his shell
– He’ll spin around the area after that
– There’s a secret in the E3 levels that involves a hurdle
– Game has side-scrolling levels
– Another level: Zelda-themed stage
– The level is top-down, floor pattern comparable to A Link to the Past
– Use the fireball suit to light up four torches with fireballs
– Has Zelda chimes, spikes, and fixed perspective, and more
– Exploration plays a big role in the game
– Use the sword to find items
– Spirit resides in Link’s sword
– Spirit is named Fi or Fye
– Demo area is the second place players will find themselves in
– Takes place in a desert
– 5 pieces hidden
– Monmas: new race (tentative name)
– Monmas talk about a key they have for a temple nearby
– Demo shows first-person mode being used, Wii Remote allows you to point to parts of the ground and the sword acts like a metal detector
– Metal gauntlets let Link dig objects up
– Second part of the demo is in the Siren world
– Go through the game trying to forge the Master Sword
– Siren power makes the world turn into an alternate reality of sorts
– Must collect items to leave the Siren world
– Collect teardrop items to progress
– Link is unarmed in this world since he used his sword to get there
– Guardian can kill you with one hit
– Guardians can be put to sleep
– Once the meter expires, the guardians will return
– Pick up teardrop items to refill the meter
– Do different things in the Siren world than you would in the regular world
– Environments in the game leading up to the dungeons are comparable to the actual dungeons
– New puzzles and other things to do if you leave an area and come back later
– Going back to different areas multiple times is very important in the game
– Eiji Aonuma: Skyward Sword is “a game you can play for a very long time. Understanding the map is going to make the game very interesting to play”
– Knowledge of environments will help you since you’ll be visiting them numerous times
– 60 FPS
– Miyamoto wanted to call the game Super Mario Kite since he loves gliding
– Hanggliders are on every bike
– Retro Studios involved with the game to design tracks
Hey guys, Austin here. I just got back from 6 hours on the show floor at E3, and I played a looooot of stuff. No Wii U yet (lines, man), but I did play all of the following things:
– Skyward Sword
– Star Fox 64 3D Multiplayer
– Resident Evil: Revelations
– Super Mario 3D
– Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D
– Kirby GO ATTACK FUN (or whatever it’s called; the DS one)
– Mario Kart 3D
– Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (3DS)
– Sonic Generations (3DS)
– Need for Speed: The Run (3DS)
If you have questions about any of these games, OR about anything E3-related in general (including the Wii U; I didn’t play it, but saw a LOT of people playing it), please comment on this post and we will get to all of them in a podcast going up later tonight. Thanks, guys!
We’ll have to wait another day for new Wii U news. Tonight’s roundtable event will focus just on the Wii and 3DS. I guess that means we can look forward to third-party Wii U talk and details about the console’s online functionality tomorrow!
At Nintendo’s E3 2011 media briefing earlier today, Ubisoft teased a new Assassin’s Creed for the Wii U. Unfortunately, it was just a tease – literally nothing was said about the project.
It looks like that’ll be changing tomorrow, though. On a GameTrailers TV segment, Ubisoft’s CEO hinted that news will be shared tomorrow.
“During our live interview, Ubisoft CEO teased Assassins Wii-U news tomorrow night at third party roundtable.”
Nintendo is currently hosting a roundtable focusing on first-party developers and software. Tomorrow’s event, which takes place at 8:30 PM EDT, will feature third-party projects.
Update 3: Looks like it’s about to start. Be prepared for updates!
Update 2: It’s running late, but stay tuned… not sure when it’s starting.
Update: It starts at 9 PM actually!
If what I’m hearing is correct, Nintendo’s annual E3 roundtable will be taking place in roughly 30 minutes (7:30 PM EDT). There’s a decent chance that we’ll get something interesting out of the conference. In past years, we’ve received a Pikmin 3 confirmation (where the heck is that game?), a Smash Bros. Brawl trailer, and Skyward Sword art.
I’ll be covering the event for you guys live. Also know that a second roundtable will be hosted tomorrow. One of the two events is likely to contain information about Wii U’s online functionality.
