Nintendo’s E3 2014: A line-up unlikely to ‘save’ Wii U, but who cares when it’s this much fun?

Edge- And now for something completely different. It doesn’t matter whether you believe Nintendo’s determination to do things its own way is its greatest asset or its greatest flaw, few will have watched Nintendo’s version of an E3 press conference without cracking a smile.

The tone was set from the very beginning with an extraordinary, GIF-friendly scrap between Reggie Fils-Aime and Satoru Iwata, and the Robot Chicken interstitials that ran throughout the show were genuinely funny too, poking fun at fanboy demands and subverting established Nintendo tropes. A well-judged sense of humour at E3! Who’d have thought it?

[maniacmayhem]

And here lies the difference between Nintendo as the rest of the big boys at E3.

Nintendo's games actually looked fun to play. From Smash to Devil's Third, these games looked like a blast. Where as Sony and MS were all "look at how many games we have" or "Look how gorgeous this game looks".

But there was nothing that said "Look how FUN this game is."

[WeAreLegion]

Little Big Planet 3 and Sunset Overdrive are insanely fun. What are you talking about?

[LOL_WUT]

^Agreed not to mention No man sky, Far cry, Rainbow six etc all look like fun and are games that won't come to the WiiU ;)

Edit: @ Below NSMBU, SM3DW, LuigiU, MK8, Dr. Luigi, Mario vs DK, Mario Maker is not milking?

[eyeofcore]

He didn't dish at LBP3 and SO...

Most games from Sony and Microsoft that they showcase are more of the same that we are getting for past two generations.

SO looks fun to me, I won't get Xbox One yet if I have spare money to spend il buy the copy to support the developer.

LBP3... Sony is milking it, already 5 games in 6 years.

[EliteGameKnight]

LOL_WUT

do you see the big difference? New super Mario bros is released once per system where we've seen 5 LBPs in 6 years, I don't think LuigiU counted as it was an expansive DLC. Mario kart and Smash bros are also one system releases. Really we don't get the same Mario game as often as people like to say, other companies do it more if you look closely.

As for using characters from a popular franchise, I don't see that as milking as long as the game is different, and a level builder is different. Its closer to Mario paint which is something that is over a decade old. same applies to Doctor Mario

[TekoIie]

Ordered my MK8 bundle earlier today. It's current selection of titles and upcoming lineup is now at a level where I feel the Wii U is a solid console :D

Pikmin 3, Wonderful 101, MK8, SSB4, Xenoblade, Splatoon, Zelda and Starfox. Can't wait to own them all! Worth noting that its quite a wide ranging library. Got a bunch of VC games to download as well :)

Here's all you need to do to make even more confident in my purchase ninty: Metroid.

[Spooney323]

Nintendo takes the road less traveled....and that makes ALL the difference.

[donwel]

Weren't Nintendo the only ones who've shown pretty much everything from in game footage as opposed to pre rendered movies?

[Derpy]

I agree with you on how fun Nintendo's games looked, but I kinda agree with the article too. Nintendo has great games both out and coming, but Nintendo needs to realize that probably the only thing that will save the Wii U is advertising. Real gamers (not counting fanboys) know that it is a completely different system, but it's surprising how many casual gamers think it's just an upgraded Wii with a tablet added. The Mario Kart TV adds are a step in the right direction. Hopefully they'll also advertise the heck out of these future games.

But whether they save it or not, this is going to be a fun couple years for owners of the console and I wouldn't miss it.

[Axonometri]

This title is very self-conflicting. Nintendo announcing and releasing games that are fun and gets people playing their Wii U games is exactly what they need and want. And exactly what is needed to ignite it's sales. Do you dislike the Wii U just to dislike it?

[Joegrine20]

This Save Wii U shit needs to stop. Its getting annoying. Just Play THE GAME!!

[Theyellowflash30]

Seriously..... Nintendo's booth was rocking at E3, I had a ton of fun in Smash Bros. Ninty will do just fine. The Wii U is not selling at a loss, and Mario Kart 8 is moving units.

STFU with the click bait

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Probably right but I'm ready to drop cash for Smash bros now.

[BTBuck1]

Squids shooter (because i can't remember the name), that looks like a solid 2 1/2 minutes of fun while i stand at the wii U kiosk in Wal Mart while my girlfriend looks at the bathroom stuff. Past that, i'd never give it a second glance.

[eyeofcore]

So you would not give it another chance/glance when its development is finally over so you are going to judge a game by a alpha/prototype/test build of that game rather than wait and play its final build? If that's so then you must be a full retard.

Also that "Squids" shooter is called Splatoon, is it that hard to memorize such a simple name for a game.

*facepalm*

If the game is not your cup of tea, I understand yet you can't judge the game by a alpha demo while the final product will have way more features and maps that will better use its mehanics or you hate competitive games...

[BTBuck1]

Maybe I chose not to commit it to memory because it left ZERO lasting impression on me. All it looked like was a super soaker game that would be fun for maybe 1 or two matches and then i'd be like "Neeeeeeeeeeexxxxt" I just don't see myself logging hours on a game like that, looks too basic. But hey to each their own.

*Facepalm* really? c'mon kid.. grow up.

[ballsohard2013]

Zelda looks decent and smash bros... but again its the same old shit from when i was a kid. Kiddy and Cartoony as usual. blah

[jholden3249]

If all you see when you look at games is "kiddy" or "cartoony" then sounds to me like you still ARE a kid.

Only two kinds of games in the world friend:

Those that are fun.
Those that are not.

[Neonridr]

Did you see how many indie games are going the different artistic route? Did you play Child of Light? This art style is visually striking. It's not supposed to be The Witcher or Elder Scrolls. Go play those games if you prefer more photo-realism.

[NLGSean]

Another "Nintendo is doomed" header to get some hits. Nintendo does not need to be saved... Nintendo will be fine and it seems like they are getting good reviews from this years E3... A new Smash Bros, new Zelda, new Yoshi, new Mario game, new Kirby game... new IP... Nintendo will be fine... Actually I am hearing a lot of "Now I have to buy a Wii U" talk... Only good stuff from the big N this week...

[eyeofcore]

@LOL_WUT

If you consider that milking then you might as well say that Sony is milking Grand Turismo, you just want to believe that Nintendo is doing that yet that is not the case at all...

New Super Mario Bros released on DS in 2006, New Super Mario Bros Wii in 2009, New Super Mario Bros 2 in 2 2012 and then New Super Mario Bros U in 2013 so Nintendo only released NSMB2 and NSMBU a year a part while we can see that Nintendo releases one NSMB game every three years also New Super Luigi U is a DLC and not an actual game while it had limited stand alone edition as a promotion of year of Luigi if I stand correct.

Super Mario 64 was released in 1996, Super Mario Sunshine in 2002, Super Mario Galaxy in 2007, Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 2010, Super Mario 3D Land in 2011 and then Super Mario 3D World in 2013, so SMG2 and SM3DL released are only 3D Mario games that just one year a part of each other.

Super Mario Kart was released in 1992, Mario Kart 64 in 1996, Mario Kart: Super Circuit in 2001, Mario Kart: Double Dash in 2003, Mario Kart DS in 2005, Mario Kart Wii in 2008, Mario Kart 7 in 2011 and then Mario Kart 8 in 2014.

Dr. Mario was released in 1990, Dr. Mario 64 in 2001, Dr. Mario Express in 2009 and Dr. Luigi in 2013.

Mario VS Donkey Kong was released in 2004, Mario VS Donkey Kong March Of Minis in 2006, Mario VS Donkey Kong Minis March Again! in 2009, Mario VS Donkey Kong Minis Land Mayhem! in 2010, Mario and Donkey Kong Minis on the move 2013, Mario VS Donkey Kong Wii U is set for 2015.

Mario Maker has no predecessor...

Can you explain me how is that milking? Nintendo didn't do yearly releases while it happened couple of times when one of them got released in succession by coicidence when Nintendo released new hardware. It is not consistent yearly release.

For example Sony did this numerous times...

Little Big Planet in 2008 then Little Big Planet PSP 2009 then Little Big Planet 2 in 2011 with Little Big Planet Vita in 2012, now Little Big Planet 3 and Little Big Planet Hub both in 2014. Sony consistently releases two games one after another then one year hiatus then do that again then hiatus then again.

Uncharted is not yearly released yet in 7 years there are 5 games and you have 6 games in 6 years for Little Big Planet, Killzone had 4 games in 5 years. There were 3 God Of War games released 2007-2008 and two of them in 2007. in 2008-2009 two games and in 2011-2012 also two games for Resistance, Ratchet and Clank from 2002-2005 had 5 releases and then from 2007 to 2011 6 releases. Syphon Filter from 1999-2001 3 games... Socom from 2002 to 2006 4 releases, 2005 to 2007 3 releases for portable version so its 7 games since 2002 to 2007. Sly Cooper 3 games in 3 years.

So tell me... Who's milking more? Nintendo or Sony?

Accept the facts, Sony is more milking.

Also if your concept of milking is that a lot of Nintendo use same characters does not mean they are milking it, do you see Mario Kart being yearly released or Mario platformers or Super Smash Bros released yearly? No...

Accept the facts and stop with the god damn myth, do the research and educate yourself.

[Gemmol]

Thank you for going in depth, you wont get no answers or reply back, best thing to do post this same post in a Sony section, and watch how they got no words for you

[Gemmol]

I also bubble you up

[tweet75]

the sales of smash brothers and and mario kart 8 alone will carry the wii u through. Not to mention how hot zelda will be when it comes out and mario maker probably wont be a bad seller either. I dont know what anyone is talking about wii u will be fine living out a normal life for any console.