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Nintendo Direct: N64 games coming to Wii U Virtual Console

Including Super Mario 64 and Donkey Kong 64. Plus Splatoon gets release date, and Mario Kart 8 gets even faster

Thursday 02 April 2015 12:04 BST

At 11pm last night, Nintendo hosted its latest Nintendo Direct video stream, announcing a variety of games and features set to hit the Wii U and 3DS in the next year.

Presented by Nintendo’s President, Satoru Iwata, and the President of Nintendo Europe, Satoru Shibatu, the pair gave fans a closer look at a number of upcoming games including the as-yet unnamed 3DS Fire Emblem game (given a 2016 release date), Yoshi’s Wooly World, Mario Maker, Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, Splatoon, Attack on Titian and Pokemon Rumble World.

While there were no internet-breaking announcements, fans were given a lot to digest, so here are six things we learnt from the Nintendo Direct stream.

Nintendo love Amiibo

Yes, those £10.99 plastic character figurines are here to stay. Nintendo announced a bunch of new amiibo’s set to hit shops soon including two new waves of Super Smash Bros amiibos, three new Yoshi figurines made of yarn to celebrate Yoshi’s Wooly World - which will be released on 26 June, and three Splatoon figurines to coincide with the game's release, which was announced as 29 May.

Amiibo’s are also getting their own Wii U app called ‘Amiibo Tap: Nintendo’s Greatest Hits’, allowing users to tap their figures onto the Wii U Gamepad and receive a three minute demo of a completely random NES game. Iwata went on to describe it as like “opening a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get”.

Nintendo games over the years

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1/27Nintendo games over the years

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario Bros (NES)

Though not the first time Mario ever appeared (he was originally called Jumpman in a Donkey Kong game) but this 1985 platformer on the NES was praised for "resurrecting a crashed American video game market" - it was the best ever selling video game up until Wii Sports took the title in 2006.

Nintendo games over the years

Metroid (NES)

As the first outing for Samus Aran in 1986, the female protagonist bounty hunter was said to be hugely inspired by Ridley Scott's 1979 horror film Alien.

Nintendo games over the years

The Legend of Zelda (NES)

There's no doubt this game was influential in gaming. With a free roaming world to explore and a new save system, the little guy in green who first graced our screens in 1987 has built a franchise that's sold over 70 million copies.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario Bros 3 (NES)

The 1988 fourth version of Mario saw the plumber being able to fly for the first time. Plus, it introduced the world map, which is now integral to platform gaming.

Nintendo games over the years

Mega Man 2 (NES)

Known in Japan as Rockman 2: Dr. Wily no Nazo, this was the sequel Capcom made - despite disappointing sales of the original. Needless to say, the 1988 version was a much bigger success.

Nintendo games over the years

Tetris (Game Boy)

Portable gaming is so ubiquitous in modern day in the form of mobile phones that it's easy to forget how popular the Game Boy was when it was released in 1989 - along with Tetris, which sold over 35 million copies. The simple and addictive gameplay has gone on to inspire countless copycat formats - and it's the best selling game of all time.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario World (SNES)

As the launch title for the Super Nintendo, the 1990 platformer was the fifth in the series - but the first time we met Yoshi. He of course stole the show, and got his own spin-off.

Nintendo games over the years

Street Fighter II (SNES)

This 1991 sequel was the first one-on-one fighting game where the players had a choice of characters with different moves. Whether it was Chun Li's Lightning Kick, Blanka's Electric Thunder or Ryu/Ken's Hadouken, each fighter offered something original.

Nintendo games over the years

The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past (SNES)

It was the first time the Zelda series had seen two parallel worlds in 1991, and fans were unanimous in praise for the dark world. Shigeru Miyamoto, the Nintendo mastermind behind this, also created The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario Kart (SNES)

As the third best-selling SNES game of all time, in 1992 players were elated to take down others in races with powers specific to your chosen Nintendo character. The Donut Plains course originally appeared in Super Mario World - and re-appeared in Mario Kart 8 this year.

Nintendo games over the years

Kirby's Adventure (NES)

Suck-happy Kirby made his second appearance in 1993, following a debut on the Game Boy a year before. He's since starred in over 20 games - and has his own anime and manga series.

Nintendo games over the years

Donkey Kong Country (SNES)

The second best-selling SNES game from 1994 saw Diddy Kong introduced, as well as Rambi the Rhino, Enguarde the swordfish and Squawks the parrot. Plus some exciting rides on a mine cart.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)

The adorable world from Nintendo in 1995 saw a selection of Yoshi's teaming up to save baby Mario, as he carried around eggs to target enemies.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario 64 (N64)

For younger gamers, it might be hard to imagine a time before 3D gaming. But when Super Mario 64 hit the brand new console the N64 in 1996, players could take Mario beyond linear - on an open world journey.

Nintendo games over the years

Star Fox 64

Also known as Lylat Wars, the 1997 scrolling shooter was a reboot of the original Star Fox, where Fox McCloud (red fox and leader of the Star Fox team) must save Lylat.

Nintendo games over the years

Golden Eye (N64)

The hugely popular split-screen multiplayer mode left players arguing over who would get to be unfairly-short-and-tough-target Oddjob. Released in 1997, it's the third best-selling N64 game.

Nintendo games over the years

The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time (N64)

The fifth game in the Zelda series in 1998, sees Link learn songs on the ocarina (which also meant sales increased of the instrument in real life). In 2008 and 2010, Guinness World Records listed Ocarina of Time as the highest rated game ever reviewed.

Nintendo games over the years

Banjo Kazooie (N64)

The 1998 puzzle platformer from Rare saw players collecting musical notes and jigsaw pieces, as a bear who carried a bird in his backpack - all to stop the mean witch named Gruntilda.

Nintendo games over the years

Pikmin 2 (GameCube)

The 2004 sequel again saw the player delegate tasks to a horde of called Pikmin – but this time they could control two at once.

Nintendo games over the years

Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)

The best selling game on the DS sold over 11 million copies since 2005, and saw players take on the role of a a human who has moved into a village populated with anthropomorphic animals. It was the first in the series to feature online play.

Nintendo games over the years

Wii Sports (Wii)

The second best-selling video game of all time (released in 2006) changed the way we played. Gamers got off their seats, and into active mode – complete with warnings of banging arms and breaking lights.

Nintendo games over the years

Resident Evil 4 (Wii)

The sixth entry in the horror series follows U.S. government special agent Leon S. Kennedy. The 2005 game was the best-selling in the series.

Nintendo games over the years

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (DS)

The fifth installment of the Pokémon series of RPGs added online battles - and over a 100 more Pokemon in 2006.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Mario's 2007 space adventure was a huge hit with critics and players - on the GameRankings site it's the highest rated game.

Nintendo games over the years

Mario Kart (Wii)

The best selling racing game of all time from 2008 saw players master the Wii Remotes (to varying degrees of success) with 24 characters and 36 vehicles to choose from.

Nintendo games over the years

Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii)

The third hugely entertaining instalment in the series in 2008 saw players take on either single mode – or the classic multiplayer beat em up. Fans are undoubtedly excited for the upcoming 2014 release.

Nintendo games over the years

Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)

The most recent in the series in 2014 introduced anti-gravity and new attacks - including the boomerang flower and Piranha Plant.

Nintendo

Not only that but Nintendo also announced Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer amiibo playing cards - yes cards - which are compatible with the game.

If you’re not a New 3DS owner, don’t worry, you won’t be missing out on all the amiibo fun. Nintendo also announced an all new NFC adapter, which will allow users to scan amiibo compatible objects onto their 3DS/3DSXL/2DS using a large tic-tac like device.

Mario Kart just got a whole lot harder

As if 150cc wasn’t hard enough, at the end of the video stream - and after a montage of every Mario Kart game - Nintendo announced that the eighth instalment in the series will soon be updated to include a 200cc mode from 23 April.

Nintendo are entering the DLC market full on

After years of reluctance towards DLC, Iwata confirmed that extra content would be available to purchase for both Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS.

While the 200cc mode will be a free download, the new Animal Crossing DLC, featuring new characters, vehicles and tracks, will set you back a few pounds much like the current Zelda DLC which currently costs £7.

Smash Bros. will also see plenty of downloadable content made available, including the playable character Mewtwo added on April 28, followed by Mother 3’s Lucas and a number of Mii fighter costumes soon to be downloadable.

Free-to-play Pokemon games are now a thing

Even after our one-star review of the free-to-play-but-pay-to-play game Pokemon Shuffle, Nintendo seem intent on carrying on down the same road, announcing Pokemon Rumble World, their latest foray into free-to-start-playing gaming.

With Nintendo’s recent partnership with DeNA, known for their free-to-play mobile games, could we be seeing Nintendo trialling future mobile games on their own devices first?

N64 and DS come to the Wii U

While many expected GBA/DS downloads to be added to the 3DS virtual console store it was actually the Wii U which received the latest update, with N64 and DS games soon to be available on its virtual console.

Super Mario 64 and Yoshi’s Island DS are available now, and Yoshi’s Touch & Go, WarioWare Touched, Donkey Kong 64, and Mario Kart DS will all be available later in April.

No news on Nintendo NX, Star Fox or Zelda

Often these types of events are characterised more by what isn’t on show rather than what is. After revealing earlier this year that the company were working on a new console, codenamed NX, some gamers speculated more details may be announced through the video stream.

Many more expected Nintendo to say whether the next The Legend of Zelda game had been delayed to feature on NX or some news on the latest Star Fox adventure. Unfortunately, none of this happened.

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