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Nintendo Announces New Mario Bros, Mario Galaxy, Metroid

Posted by Soulskill on from the new-ip-is-for-sissies dept.

Nintendo's E3 press conference was an eventful one, with announcements for a new Super Mario Bros. Wii, a sequel to Super Mario Galaxy, and a new entry into the Metroid franchise by Team Ninja. The new Mario Bros. game will be available for the holiday season, and the other two are scheduled for 2010. Nintendo also confirmed an updated version of the Wii Fit, called the Wii Fit Plus (trailer), due out this fall. A full list of Nintendo's announcements is available, which includes more games and new features. Live blogs of the press conference, with commentary and pictures, are up at Engadget and 1Up.

15 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Also Golden Sun DS by Archaemic · · Score: 5, Informative

    Golden Sun DS (not mentioned in TFS) is really what I'm most excited about. Golden Sun and its sequel for GBA were possibly my favorite RPG series for a long time. What a brilliant mixture of RPG gameplay with puzzle solving it was, with great graphics (for GBA) to boot! I've been waiting for a third for ages, as the second had a somewhat open ending.

  2. Nintendo.... by Darkness404 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Its nice to see Nintendo actually making an effort to appeal to gamers who want a game more involved than a tech demo, but can we please have something... fresh? Sure, Mario, Metroid, and Golden Sun are good, but it seems like Nintendo has really stagnated in good games that aren't gimmicks. Plus theres a bunch of old IP that isn't being capitalized on such as the old Japanese Fire Emblem games, Earthbound hasn't even seen a US release on the Virtual Console and Kid Icarus hasn't seen a new game in ages.

    Nintendo needs to make more "hardcore" games so whenever they aren't in first place anymore they won't go belly up.

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    1. Re:Nintendo.... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 5, Interesting

      That's kind of my feeling. I thought Nintendo did better this year (and Cammie dropped the creepy smile, so that's a win), but I still came away feeling like there was nothing new. It was the same thing we've already tread on the Wii. Where was the Starfox or FZero or Kid Icarus or SOMETHING new and exciting? Even the New Super Mario Bros. Wii reminded me of the multiplayer Mario flash game where players stomp on each other's heads.

      Even the DSi announcements fell flat. Mario and Luigi 3 looked kind of fun, as did the Mario vs. Donkey Kong for DSiWare. Of course, the latter is just the continuing strategy of ripping pieces of old DS games out and putting them up as DSiWare. (At least we got Mighty Flip Champs on Monday.)

      When Nintendo showed the interviews with the kids on the street, I got a kick out of the girl saying she was excited for the new internet features of the DSi. As I expected, Nintendo did nothing with that. I joked with the guys over on DSiCade* that Nintendo should really cut to DSiCade and show our conversation as it was happening. Alas, the poor DSi still got so little love.

      * Disclaimer: I wrote DSiCade.

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
    2. Re:Nintendo.... by Toonol · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think this upcoming year is a good one, with some serious games. Conduit, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, a new Resident Evil, a new 'mature' action Metroid...

      And Red Steel 2, which I'm anxiously awaiting. Overall, I think all three developers had a good showing this year, but I think Nintendo's was strongest. Not just because of their conference, but because the entire subtext of Sony and Microsoft's presentations was about them trying to copy the Wii's success.

    3. Re:Nintendo.... by BenoitRen · · Score: 5, Informative

      the original PlayStation was the most powerful console of its generation

      Nonsense.

      • The Sega Saturn was, in some respects, more powerful. It actually had a two-processor architecture, but that was hard to program for.
      • The Nintendo 64 was more powerful. No question about it. Of course, it was hampered by its storage medium.

      PlayStation vs. Nintendo 64:

      • CPU: 33 Mhz vs. 94 Mhz
      • Memory: 2 MB main RAM and 1 MB video RAM vs. a unified memory system of 4 MB RAM

      The PS2 was either on par, or slightly inferior to the original Xbox, I don't know their stats offhand, but it was certainly superior to Sega's DC, and Nintendo's GC.

      What the hell? This is so wrong.

      The Dreamcast had more video RAM than the PS2 and the GameCube, though its CPU wasn't as fast. That being said, never underestimate the effect of more video RAM on a game console.

      The Xbox was much more powerful than the PS2, and the GameCube was more powerful than the PS2, its better shading effects giving it an edge.

      PlayStation 2 vs. GameCube vs. Xbox:

      • CPU: 295 Mhz vs. 485 Mhz vs. 733 Mhz
      • RAM: 32 MB main RAM and 4MB of video RAM vs. 24 MB main RAM and 3MB of video RAM vs. a unified memory system of 64(!) MB RAM

      Were you brainwashed by Sony, or something?

  3. Re:dangle tags at your own peril by RandomPrecision · · Score: 5, Funny

    This story needs /emphasis

  4. I'm a hypocrite by wilsoniya · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As the type of person who despises media companies that crap out products having never-ending sequels (sims, guitar hero), Nintendo really brings out the hypocrite in me, as I feel compelled to always buy the canonical Mario games.

    They had me at at Super Mario World.

    --
    I can't remember the last time I forgot anything.
    1. Re:I'm a hypocrite by Darkness404 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The difference is that each Mario game seems to be more than just an expansion pack. Super Mario Bros. was a classic platformer, SMB 2 (US version) was totally different yet still addicting, SMB 2 (Japanese version, Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels for westerners) was somewhat of an expansion pack but really seemed polished (and difficult), SMB3 added so much to the series and video games in general, Super Mario World added TONS of replay value, Super Mario 64 defined 3D platforming, Super Mario Sunshine was an experiment that worked sorta well, but played differently then any other game at the time or since then, Super Mario Galaxy expanded the Mario world a lot. Each new release isn't just new tracks or new powerups its a totally new experience that seems to redefine video gaming as a whole. While the next Guitar Hero just will have new tracks, the new Mario games usually have something unique to offer.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    2. Re:I'm a hypocrite by atamido · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The thing about these characters is that they are such a valuable piece of property to Nintendo that it pretty much guarantees that they won't risk releasing a crappy game with those characters that would destroy the franchise. Let's face it, Mario's story isn't exactly great, it's Nintendo's dedication and time to developing Mario games that makes him so popular.

  5. Still dissapointing. by MindlessAutomata · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sure, everyone loves Mario but at this point it's obvious Nintendo is very stagnant. Most of the stuff on the Wii is pure shovelware garbage, and I've yet to be truly impressed with the uses of the Wiimote (although the device itself is fantastic and I even use it with my computer via bluetooth). The Wii is a stagnant system all-around for the more active gamer, and its "environment" is so sterile (less mature games, using the friend code system, etc) and the system is far enough behind the others in terms of graphical and processing ability to not allow for faithful ports of games on the XBox 360 or PS3.

    You'd think Nintendo would at least ramp up 1st party games but nope. Most of what is coming out is unremarkable shovelware. The DS is definitely starting to lose some of its luster as only a few good games on it seem over the horizon--though I do think the DS was overall a success with many quality games.

    Mario, Mario, and Metriod. And another gimmick, Wii fit. How depressing for us Wii owners.

    As an aside, when is Nintendo going to come out with a faithful quality sequel to Star Fox 64?

    1. Re:Still dissapointing. by Toonol · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Mario, Mario, and Metriod. And another gimmick, Wii fit. How depressing for us Wii owners.

      If it's that depressing for Wii owners, why do those games SELL SO WELL? Why is Sony and Microsoft intent on copying them?

      I get what you're saying. I want some hardcore action, FPS, RPG, and strategy games. The Wiimote would make a sweet interface for a RTS like Starcraft. But just remember, Wii Fit makes more people more happy than a port of 'Bioshock' would. Just not necessarily you or I.

    2. Re:Still dissapointing. by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I hope Nintendo doesn't listen to you, for their own good. They did the homework already, about what kind of demographic gets them the more profits, and they nailed the equation. Just because there is one console manufacturer that doesn't cater to your needs, doesn't make their strategy a bad one. You have Sony, Microsoft and a host of PC game developers catering to the likes of you. Surely that's enough?

      I for one find the "hardcore gamer's games" boring and unplayable. I could complain why doesn't Sony bring more fun games to the PS3? Its amazing hardware could make for a great experience for those games, but you don't see me or anyone else complaining to Sony. So you guys play with your crap and we play with ours. We shut the fuck up, so can you.

      --
      "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  6. And new Wii Zelda by RyoShin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    While there's extremely little information outside of "It exists", a new Wii Zelda has been announced. Supposedly more "mature", though that can mean many things to many people.

    All in all, this is a MUCH better showing from Nintendo than last year's "Yay let's flail around faking music!" show. I almost wish they had split what we've see this year between this and 2008 E3s, so that we might see more of each thing.

    Personally, I'm more excited for Golden Sun DS than anything else, though I'm sure to pick of SMG2 and Metroid. Too bad that rumored Metroid: Dread for DS never came about.

  7. I don't get you. by nobodyman · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I agree that the 3rd party situation is abysmal, but I'm scratching my head when you say that they are stagnating. If anything, I'd say they are the only console manufacturer that has truly managed to innovate and break out of traditional "gamer" demographic.

    And then there's this:

    Mario, Mario, and Metriod. And another gimmick, Wii fit. How depressing for us Wii owners.

    As an aside, when is Nintendo going to come out with a faithful quality sequel to Star Fox 64?

    Translation:

    <sequel/>, <sequel/>, and <sequel/>. And another gimmick, Wii fit. How depressing for us Wii owners.

    As an aside, when is Nintendo going to come out with a faithful quality sequel to <sequel/>?

    So you want innovation... except when you don't?

  8. I hope they get Wii Fit right. by andi75 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What really breaks Wii Fit is the time spent navigating the menus between exercises.

    What it needs is a way to setup a simple list of exercises in advance (like a songlist in Guitar Hero's quickplay mode), and then run you through those as quickly as possible (don't explain to me how it worked *every time*, thank you), and with as short load times as possible.

    As it is now, you never really break a sweat...