With E3 2012 one month away and after re-watching last year’s press conferences (mostly to get them off my DVR), let’s recap the claims that were made by each of the Big Three companies and see how they did almost one year later! On Friday, we looked at Microsoft. Yesterday, the focus was on Sony. Finally, we have Nintendo at E3 2011, after the break!
CLAIM: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening will available by day’s end on the eShop, to usher in that service’s release.
RESULT: True! The first big release on the eShop did drop as promised.
CLAIM: Ocarina of Time 3D will launch the next weekend for Nintendo 3DS, which includes Master Quest and Boss Rush modes.
RESULT: True! Sunday, June 19th was indeed the day OoT 3D launched, with the features promised.
CLAIM: Four Swords Anniversary Edition will be available with 4-player co-op on DSiWare this September for free.
RESULT: True! This arrived in both Europe and North America on September 28th.
CLAIM: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will release worldwide this holiday for Wii, with a golden Wii Remote Plus included.
RESULT: True! November 20th was the day in North America when Skyward Sword made its debut. The game was available in standard editions for $50 and limited editions for $70.
CLAIM: Zelda 25th Anniversary symphony concerts will be held in Japan, Europe, and the United States this fall. More info to come. Additionally, Ocarina of Time 3D soundtracks will be available to those who first register through Club Nintendo, as well as a 25th Anniversary symphony CD included with copies of Skyward Sword.
RESULT: True! These concerts are still going, Nintendo had to expand their releases of the OoT 3D soundtrack because of registration issues, and the CDs were indeed included in Skyward Sword. Well done on all Zelda fronts, Nintendo!
CLAIM: Mario Kart will release for 3DS in Holiday 2011.
RESULT: True! The name was changed to Mario Kart 7 and was launched on December 4th in North America.
CLAIM: Star Fox 64 3D will be in US stores this September.
RESULT: True! Star Fox did a barrel roll to avoid a September 11th release date, instead opting for a Friday, September 9th launch in North America.
CLAIM: Super Mario 3D will be out before the year is over for 3DS.
RESULT: True! The name was changed to Super Mario 3D Land and was launched on November 13th in North America.
CLAIM: Kid Icarus Uprising will feature 3v3 multiplayer and AR card features when it releases later this year.
RESULT: WRONG! The features were intact, except the game got whacked with the Delay Stick until March 23rd, 2012 in North America. Nice try, Nintendo.
CLAIM: Luigi’s Mansion 2 is in the works for 3DS. No news on its release date.
RESULT: To be determined. Haven’t heard anything more on this one, but perhaps we’ll get something at the 2012 show? You know, along with Paper Mario, Animal Crossing, etc.
CLAIM: Games included in the sizzle reel for third-party 3DS games, likely to be released this year: Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Ace Combat 3D, Tetris, Cave Story 3D, Resident Evil: Revelations, Driver Renegade, Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions, Tekken 3D, and Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.
RESULT: Shaky. All of these games made a 2011 release, except for RE: Revelations on (February 7th), Mario & Sonic (February 14th), Tekken 3D (February 14th), and Snake Eater 3D (February 21st). And even the last one had issues with framerate, as well as an HD release of the original MGS3 game.
CLAIM: The internet browser and eShop features just launched. 3D game trailers will soon be able to be viewed and game demos will be available later this year.
RESULT: Shaky. Those 3D game trailers did show up right after E3, but the game demos slipped to January 18th, 2012. Close, but just missed the cut, there.
CLAIM: Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games will be made available through a Virtual Console service, date undetermined. Free downloads that will be live soon include 3D Classics: Excitebike and Pokedex 3D.
RESULT: True! These all launched on June 6th without a hitch, but I don’t think many excpected the Ambassador program to occur.
CLAIM: The next Nintendo console will be named the Wii U. Some features for its new controller include switch from TV, draw on, play only on, motion to control, get new views, stay fit free from TV, take aim, play across with TV, make video calls, browse, share from to TV, and get more detail. The Wii U is coming in 2012.
RESULT: To be determined. Wii U info has been difficult to come by, but we are supposed to hear more at this year’s show.
CLAIM: All Wii games and controllers can be used with the Wii U, as it is backwards compatible.
RESULT: To be determined. This should be true, but until the Wii U launches, we don’t know for sure, especially when certainly peripherals may turn to out to be excluded.
CLAIM: Masahiro Sakurai has agreed to make a Super Smash Bros. game for Wii U and 3DS, with emphasis on the connectivity between the two.
RESULT: To be determined. For years and years and years until we actually find out anything about the next Smash. And we’ll be on top of it, trust us.
CLAIM: A sampling of prototype concepts for gameplay styles to be shown on the floor at E3 include New Super Mario Bros. Mii, Shield Pose, Chase Mii, and Space Shooter.
RESULT: True! These were all on the show floor, in addition to The Legend of Zelda HD experience that looked simply fantastic. So much want…
CLAIM: The open-world game LEGO City Stories is being developed for Wii U and 3DS. No word on a release date.
RESULT: To be determined. Again, no clue on this one yet, with Nintendo’s secrets.
CLAIM: The developer sizzle reel for Wii U includes Darksiders II at launch, Tekken Wii Successor, Batman: Arkham City, the next Assassin’s Creed, and Ghost Recon Online. These games plan to appear on Wii U.
RESULT: To be determined. Again, Wii U = We don’t know yet.
CLAIM: Another sizzle reel includes Darksiders II, Dirt, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Ghost Recon Online, Metro Last Light, Tekken, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. These games plan to appear on Wii U.
RESULT: To be determined. Is this getting old yet? Interesting how Ninja Gaiden 3 lost the subtitle, though.
CLAIM: EA plans to greatly support the Wii U, emphasizing third-party support. There exist teases of the possibilities of what Madden and Battlefield would be like on Wii U, with an emphasis on content, gameplay, and community, as well as mobile and social perspectives.
RESULT: To be determined. And so things ended with a shrug and a whimper, from a retrospective perspective.
CONCLUSION:
True: 10
To be determined: 8
Shaky: 2
Wrong: 1
Nintendo knocked the Zelda claims out of the park, but really suffered in this retrospective from their tight-lipped ways on Wii U. While some say it will make for a great show in E3 2012, we just hope things are more specific than the vague statements made last year. Since we can’t give it an I for incomplete, we at least have to give the Big N credit for what they did right, as opposed for just saying “Wii U” for all the TBDs.
