Nintendo Direct Roundup: December 2013

SUPER SMASH BROS. REACHES FOR THE STARS

Predictably, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U were given disappointingly limited coverage. One spectacular pre-rendered trailer was shown however, confirming yet another new character; Super Mario Galaxy’s Rosalina, who has been something of a recurring favourite across Mario games lately, even being a bonus character that can be unlocked in the recent Super Mario 3D World!

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U - Gameplay

Rosalina also fights with her companion, Luna, with their attack styles being demonstrated across various environments in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Their dual fighting nature on Wii U makes Rosalina and Luna feel similar to the recurring Ice Climbers fighters at first glance. Rosalina and Luna’s status as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS hasn’t yet been confirmed, nor demonstrated.

That’s all that Super Smash Bros. fans get, again, though both games are still on track for a release sometime in 2014 according to Nintendo. They’ll probably keep releasing news at a mere trickle, so get used to little more than a methodical drip of press for now, folks.

MARIO KART CONTINUES TO EMBRACE THE OFF-ROAD

Closing out the final Nintendo Direct of 2013 was a more predictable bit of coverage, this time for another high-profile Spring 2014 Wii U blockbuster, Mario Kart 8. Like Yoshi’s New Island, details for Mario Kart 8 have continued to prove surprisingly scarce, despite the Spring 2014 release window. Still, we did get some new tracks teased, including Sunshine Airport and a Dry Bowser-themed track in the desert. It was also confirmed that buggy-type karts would be driveable for the first time in Mario Kart 8!

Mario Kart 8 - Sunshine Airport

Beyond that however, nothing else was said about the game, which was a bit disappointing. It’s inevitable that it will get bigger, better coverage for future Direct streams however, so stay tuned. In the meantime, Mario Kart 8 will come to Wii U sometime in the Spring.