Wii Games

With third party support weak, people are increasingly emphasizing how Nintendo's own games can sell the Wii U pretty much single-handedly. This got me to thinking; what if Nintendo focused entirely on that? I decided to follow that line of reasoning and came up with an article: The Nintendo-Only Box: If Nintendo Consoles are All About Nintendo IPs, Why Have Anything Else?

Fans of retro 8-bit style gameplay are going to love Mutant Mudds Deluxe. Since I'm not one of those, my own enthusiasm is tempered, but it is a good game. To learn all about it, read my review of Mutant Mudds Deluxe.

Didn't make it to E3 but want to play some of the Wii U games Nintendo showed off there? Nintendo is offering in-store hands-on demos of Super Mario 3D World, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Marko Kart 8, and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze at selected Blockbuster stores today, June 12, and June 15th. Go here to find out if there's a participating Blockbuster near you.

Nintendo has put up a few "Developer Direct" videos for those who want to learn more about their upcoming games. The Super Smash Bros. one shows off new character attacks. The Wind Waker developer discusses improving the flow of the game's last part. For Bayonetta 2, an amusingly cocky young man explains how awesome PlatinumGames is.

If you've been wondering why Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut didn't come out in May as originally expected, here's a reason: like Rayman Legends before it, a Wii U exclusive has been delayed so it can come out on other platforms as well. Square Enix has just announced that the game will be coming out for the Wii U, 360, PS3, PC and Mac "later this year."

I don't mind that other platforms are getting the game, but I am convinced that this is the reason we don't have the game already, and that really irks me. Will it always be like this, that anytime someone proposes an exclusive for the Wii U that generates excitement, the publisher delays it and puts it on more platforms?

I do understand Square Enix's decision. The Wii U has not been selling well and they feel a cross-platform release is worth the effort. But it is frustrating, with such a dearth of games on the Wii U, to keep not getting them when expected.

For E3, Sony and Microsoft gave press releases while Nintendo put out a video. But what matters is not how the message is conveyed, but rather the quality of the content. I take a look at that content, ranking the three console makers, in The E3 2013 Report Card - How Well Did Nintendo Do In Its Eternal Battle With Microsoft and Sony?.

Nintendo Direct@E3 2013 - YouTube.

In Nintendo's E3 edition of Nintendo Direct they announced a previously unknown game, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. The 2.5D platforming side scroller will be released "toward the end of the year."

They also showed off some of Super Mario 3D World, a Super Mario game that will include four person co-op play, Mario Kart 8, which will include motorcycles and offer "anti-grav" that allows players to drive on walls and ceilings, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which adds Mega Man to the roster of fighters.

The also briefly mentioned that they are working on drawing software Art Academy, and while they offered no hint as to when this is coming, they did say certain drawing tools from it will be added to the Miiverse forums this summer that will allow Miiverse artists to use virtual colored pencils and pastels.

Besides announcing a few games and showing some gameplay footage for Bayonetta 2, X, and the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD remake, Nintendo announced two game delays; Wii Fit U and Wii Party U, which originally were promised for spring and summer releases, are now both set to come out this winter.

In a section showing off indie games coming to the Wii U eShop, a couple of new ones were revealed, including Oddworld: New'n'Tasty.

For those of you who don't believe my contention that Electronics Arts has a vendetta against the Wii U, the publisher has just announced that the game FIFA 14 will appear on pretty much every game system anyone is likely to own except for the Wii U. Not only will it appear on the upcoming Xbox One and PS4, current systems Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Vita, and 3DS, and iOS devices, but it will also appear on the older PSP and PS2!

EA has previously said they weren't making games for the Wii U because it didn't support their Frostbite 3 game engine, but obviously anything they can get running on the Wii they could get running on the Wii U. I'm disgusted by the whole thing.

Via WSJ.com.