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StarTopic Nintendo Direct Speculation |ST8| Press Your (Nintendo Direct) Luck!

Reader mode
I'm going to be the millionth guy to join the "random list of predictions" club with this new announcement in tow. I'm going to do two lists, one very pessimistic and one very hopeful, anticipating that reality lies between the two.

Grounded List
This will stick to just one major release per month. In this timeline, Nintendo is stretching each release as thin as possible to get as much time in the light out of each.
May: Paper Mario The Thousand-Year Door

June: Luigi's Mansion 2 HD

July: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (The only release for this month)

August: Entirely absent, Nintendo often skips this month for releases

September: Fire Emblem: Scions of Light (I doubt they'll use the original name, and this one conveys the meaning of the original while still being referenced in the original game's text + modern promo material often)

October: Metroid Prime 2 + 3 & Super Mario Party 2 (In spite of what I said earlier, it seems they like to put both of these titles in this timeslot. Plus some time ahead for Mario to garner more sales before Black Friday pushes it more)

November: The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker HD (Now, I know a lot of people here WANT this to be a double pack, but there is little incentive to do this at all. People will buy it in droves when they're split, and the separate age ratings might make a purchase of both more challenging for parents during this season.)

December: Entirely absent, another regular skip

January: The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess HD (They usually like to have a light release here. I think this is also where they may do a big blowout on the successor system, so this would release before said event to tide some time).



Hopeful List
May: Paper Mario The Thousand-Year Door

June: Luigi's Mansion 2 HD

July: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, digital release of Metroid Prime 2 + 3 (In line with the HAGI ports and MPR from last year, I could see them splitting up digital/physical to double dip on attention around its release)

August: A Kirby title of some kind (Be it a small eShop release, a remake, or a port of Air Ride... something that isn't a full new mainline entry would slot well here if HAL has had the extra manpower to spare outside of whatever they're inevitable developing for the next system)

September: Fire Emblem: Scions of Light & Metroid Prime 2 + 3 physical release (Reasons for the title explained above. While it would feel much later, I think the Metroid title would come early in this month where FE is later. Plus, while it's a recycle of a recycled release from the same year, it does drum up hype for two releases in a month again)

October: Metroid Prime 4 & Super Mario Party 2. (If they're super confident in their launch lineup and don't want to save Prime 4 as an easy win to flesh out a launch day suite of games for the next system, it would make for a big drop this year, even if it eventually gets an upgraded Switch 2 SKU. I don't personally see this happening, but in an ultra-hopeful world, I can imagine it being the case.)

November: The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker HD & The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess HD (NOT a dual pack, but two separate SKUs releasing on the same date. People can buy whichever one they like more or both. Still, I could imagine them saving both separately to thin out their desire for a Zelda once a Year.)

December: still nothing sorry lol

January: Famicom Detective Club 3: The Girl Who Stands Ahead(?), (Really, this slot is meant to be anything from MAGES, but I feel a new FDC title would make the most sense if they're working on something for Nintendo. I doubt they'd be able to turn the Satellaview game into its own full substantial release beyond maaaybe a bundle-in bonus for this game like how Radical Dreamers and BS Fire Emblem: Archanea Saga, two other Satellaview titles, were treated. I imagine after their work on the remakes, Nintendo would trust them to handle a full-on successor to the long-dormant franchise.)


That's all! So how did I do? It's my first time making a post like this and I'd be curious to see what you all think? Is my pessimistic list TOO pessimistic? Is my hopeful list too hopeful, or maybe not dreamy enough? I'd love to talk more about the future schedule now that we have NWC solidly in July. If you read this far, thank you very much!! :D
 
Man, NES World Championships looks kinda trash lol, glad they didn't save that for the Direct. Granted, I'm kinda biased cuz I  really don't give a shit about the same like, 10 NES games that Nintendo loves to shove down our throats 24/7.
tuskoub said:
September: Fire Emblem: Scions of Light (I doubt they'll use the original name, and this one conveys the meaning of the original while still being referenced in the original game's text + modern promo material often)
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Nah, I think they'll definitely use the original subtitle for the remake. I mean, the original game is already officially translated as Genealogy of the Holy War, so I don't think Nintendo has any issues with the name.
 
xghost777 said:
Please keep the name! Your story is amazing! Don’t let one guy ruin it!
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The people have spoken!! Thanks for the support lmao-

Here's something I've been thinking about recently- If Nintendo does come out with a big budget game this year (Metriod Prime Copium) Who's to say they won't do a dual release like BOTW when that came out on WiiU and Switch? Maybe if a game like that is revealed, it may narrow down the time frame for Switch 2's announcement. :unsure:
 
Oh good, we're back at the stage of the thread where 13 million copies in 4.5 months isn't a big game because something something two dee something something
 
Optimistically, I could see H2 being something like...

July: Small downloadable game
August: F-Zero GX HD
September: Zelda WW/TP HD doublepack ($40 individually, $70 total)
October: Metroid Prime 4
November: Donkey Kong game

This would be a really solid lineup that would make sense if they want to hit their hardware goals for next FY.
 
May 23 - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
June 12 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes HD + Metroid Prime 3: Corruption HD
June 27 - Luigi's Mansion 2 HD
July 18 - Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
August 15 - Kirby eShop game
September 5 - Kid Icarus: Uprising HD
September 19 - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD + Twilight Princess HD
October 3 - Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
October 24 - Metroid Prime 4
November 14 - Pokémon Black and White remake
January 16 - Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World
February 6 - Xenoblade Chronicles X
March 6 - Switch successor launch
 
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Wockio said:
May 23 - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
June 12 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes HD + Metroid Prime 3: Corruption HD
June 27 - Luigi's Mansion 2 HD
July 18 - Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
August 15 - Kirby eShop game
September 12 - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD + Twilight Princess HD
October 3 - Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
October 24 - Metroid Prime 4
November 14 - Pokémon Black and White remake
January 16 - Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World
February 6 - Xenoblade Chronicles X
March 6 - Switch successor launch
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A Poochy and Wooly World port wouldn’t be my first choice but I wouldn’t be upset if they announced it
 
Number1000DKFan said:
A Poochy and Wooly World port wouldn’t be my first choice but I wouldn’t be upset if they announced it
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They seem very committed to extracting as much worth as humanly possible out of the Wii U's back catalog so I'd be surprised if it never made its way to Switch now that Crafted World has been out for a while and Good Feel having been busy with Peach, meaning the next Yoshi is at least 3 years away.

I've never played it but I've heard good things about it so I might give it a go. I could always just play it on my 3DS though.
 
I do wonder if Nintendo would announce some big 2025 game at the June direct, which ends up being cross-gen.. Obviously a 3D Mario or new Mario Kart would be an exclusive and would be marketed alongside the new system, but something like a big new Kirby or DK could be teased for 2025 and end up being a cross-gen release early next year

I'm doubtful though, I'm definitely expecting a direct with many more low-key announcements
 
May 2023: Microsoft is shitting the bed and Nintendo releases Tears of the Kingdom
May 2024: Microsoft is shitting the bed....

Come on Nintendo, give us that Zelda shadowdrop
 
Boy howdy this is the first time pessimism surrounding future directs led to me being pleasantly surprised. As in I should try less pessimism overall, or at least according to my therapist.

But YES this is all I wanted; announcement of an imminent direct in approximately a month so discussion of potential titles can flourish as opposed to the specific date.

Anyways, since TTYD HD is this month and it wouldn't make sense to drop a Luigi's Mansion GC port when the 3DS HD remaster is out in two months, I think the next Gamecube port that could get a shadowdrop+physical retail release two months later could be Mario Superstar Baseball.

Tennis, Golf and Strikers already made their way to Switch with new entries, the last entry released was Super Mario Sluggers on Wii but seemed to fair critically worse than the GC version, and to make a whole new game right in the last year of Switch, I don't think there's been enough time to develop it (especially if they plan on doing that nonsense free update patch for a half-finished game like the other Switch sports games). Genre is far enough removed from RPG and action-adventure (which I think discounts Chibi Robo, Wario World 4 at this time), but the only other game I could think of that could get a shadowdrop would be F-Zero GX if there were never any HD/online plans for that game.

Or maybe Wario World as a 3D platformer/beat 'em up that's a primarily single-player experience.
 
Brofield said:
Anyways, since TTYD HD is this month and it wouldn't make sense to drop a Luigi's Mansion GC port when the 3DS HD remaster is out in two months, I think the next Gamecube port that could get a shadowdrop+physical retail release two months later could be Mario Superstar Baseball.
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I don't get this. When Pikmin 3 HD came out, they re-released Pikmin 1&2 around the same month. Why wouldn't they do the same with Luigi?

Or maybe Wario World as a 3D platformer/beat 'em up that's a primarily single-player experience.
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Wario World would slap. I would rather have it remade though, since we haven't had a Wario Platformer in ages. COUGH COUGH WARIO LAND PLS COUGH
 
Dark Cloud said:
What do people believe in more- a new DK game or new 2D Zelda game coming first?
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chocolate_supra said:
DK for sure.

Nintendo isn't currently building a theme park expansion based on 2D Zelda.
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I think it's a tough call and either could conceivably happen; Zelda is the next choice for a movie, after all, though the external merchandising won't dictate what games are getting made so I feel that's a little illogical.

The major point in DK's favour is that EPD 8 2D hiring call, because there aren't all that many options for what it could be. Yoshi's Island going internal again? Wario Land going internal? As much as I'd love the latter, DK has always seemed likelier to me given just how big it was in the 80s and 90s. And obviously, we have the rumours attached to that. But I hesitate on DK being this year because I think, if you're going to essentially do a soft reboot or revival, is that better coming on new hardware as a flagship game so it can become a new generation evergreen? It has potentially been long enough for a DK game to take shape, given we're four years on (almost) from that hiring call.

2D Zelda I feel is closer than people realise and part of me thinks it has a shot at this year; but the real question is what form it would take - remaster, multiplayer, or single player. Aonuma's last comment on the matter was 7 years ago now, but he did commit to 2D Zelda reinventing itself and so I don't think the 2D style is dead or restricted to remasters. It took eight years from Maker in 2015 for Nintendo to come up with their next new take on Mario Bros, after all. Another question about the 2D Zelda series was who could direct, given multiple Zelda leads moved to other EPD groups like EPD 4 and 10; but another glimmer of hope for the 2D series lies in Yoichi Yamada, a long time Zelda veteran, not working on Tears of the Kingdom, potentially placing him at the helm of a new 2D Zelda. Several key Grezzo staff from Link's Awakening also only had minor roles in their recent mobile game, so it's possible the EPD 3 and Grezzo staff have been beavering away on 2D Zelda. And finally, Zelda titles like Oracles and Minish Cap effectively launched as their generation was ending, months before new hardware, so the series has form in that regard.

Another wrinkle: both franchises have easy options for titles this year if the new entries aren't ready. HD remasters of Zelda games exist but aren't yet on Switch, while Donkey Kong Country Returns would be an easy option for DK. The flipside to that is that if either series got its new entry this year, Nintendo would still have easy filler DK and Zelda games for the next generation.

Anyway, after all that, I don't know. I actually feel they're both great candidates for this cross-gen period and I think it's possible they've both been in the works for a similar amount of time, one at EPD 8 and the other as a joint EPD 3 and Grezzo production. Either game could headline this Christmas season, potentially alongside Metroid, Fire Emblem and some form of Mario title.
 
Mr.Bones said:
I don't get this. When Pikmin 3 HD came out, they re-released Pikmin 1&2 around the same month. Why wouldn't they do the same with Luigi?
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I dunno; honestly when we thought we were getting a full-sized Direct and not a partner, I would have thought a LM shadow drop with about 4-5 months spacing leading up to LM2 would be the perfect marketing to get people excited. Not to say there's any reason they wouldn't, but to drop a GC shadowdrop as well as the follow up HD remaster sequel in the span of weeks feels close to saturation. Yes they are tonally different in aesthetics and map layouts, but there's a small part of me that wonders if dropping the first game might kneecap sales of the more heavily invested sequel just because it's "first" and some might think it makes more sense to play the first game before the second.

It also could be entirely conjecture and LM will get released a month before LM2 and get a physical release in September lol

Mr.Bones said:
Wario World would slap. I would rather have it remade though, since we haven't had a Wario Platformer in ages. COUGH COUGH WARIO LAND PLS COUGH
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Honestly I've never even had a chance to play or even watch gameplay of Wario World on Gamecube; I just saw the boxart and for whatever reason...it just never "grabbed" me, and I'm learning to regret that. Whether a HAGI shadowdrop or a remaster in HD, I'd gladly pick it up just to see what all the hullabaloo is surrounding it
 
Sin & Punishment said:
Big in name. Not big in budget. It's a 2D Mario game. That's not AAA.
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Can we not have such a reductive attitude that only 'AAA' games are 'big'? It's absolute bollocks. AAA is a marketing term invented by executives to glorify a technological and financial arms race that has culminated in a console industry currently incapable of creating profitable enough games without firing thousands of people.

A new mainline Super Mario which averages 90 plus review scores, stars one of the most popular characters of all time, sells 13 million copies and is developed internally at one of the best games divisions in the world is a big game. Pokemon Legends ZA in 2025 is, so far, the last 'big' Switch game.
 
MisterSpo said:
Can we not have such a reductive attitude that only 'AAA' games are 'big'? It's absolute bollocks. AAA is a marketing term invented by executives to glorify a technological and financial arms race that has culminated in a console industry currently incapable of creating profitable enough games without firing thousands of people.

A new mainline Super Mario which averages 90 plus review scores, stars one of the most popular characters of all time, sells 13 million copies and is developed internally at one of the best games divisions in the world is a big game. Pokemon Legends ZA in 2025 is, so far, the last 'big' Switch game.
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☝️ ☝️ ☝️
 
MisterSpo said:
Can we not have such a reductive attitude that only 'AAA' games are 'big'? It's absolute bollocks. AAA is a marketing term invented by executives to glorify a technological and financial arms race that has culminated in a console industry currently incapable of creating profitable enough games without firing thousands of people.

A new mainline Super Mario which averages 90 plus review scores, stars one of the most popular characters of all time, sells 13 million copies and is developed internally at one of the best games divisions in the world is a big game. Pokemon Legends ZA in 2025 is, so far, the last 'big' Switch game.
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It's not a marketing term. It just refers to the budget.

Did Mario Wonder cost as much to develop as Tears of the Kingdom or Mario Odyssey?

No. It's a smaller game.

I'm referring to budgets here, not the popularity of IP.
 
Sin & Punishment said:
It's not a marketing term. It just refers to the budget.

Did Mario Wonder cost as much to develop as Tears of the Kingdom or Mario Odyssey?

No. It's a smaller game.

I'm referring to budgets here, not the popularity of IP.
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And I categorically reject the idea that we judge how big or significant a game is based purely on the amount of money it cost or on the number of people credited on it. It's an unhealthy culture that's contributed to the mess unfolding across much of the industry.
 
If this DK game is happening- whether its 2D, 3D I don't really care about that. I just want the Kremlings man. Bring back K. Rool. He deserves a chance to shine again in a major Donkey Kong adventure. DKCR & DKTF are both fantastic platformers, but there's a certain charm missing from them I think. It was the lack of bug eyed Crocodiles.
 
MisterSpo said:
And I categorically reject the idea that we judge how big or significant a game is based purely on the amount of money it cost or on the number of people credited on it. It's an unhealthy culture that's contributed to the mess unfolding across much of the industry.
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A game's scope and it's significance are two entirely separate things

You're making a different argument
 
Thunder84 said:
I’m kinda expecting another surprise remaster like Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. A game that nobody is really expecting to come back as of now.

Maybe it’s just Kirby Triple Deluxe Deluxe lol
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I've been hoping for a remake/remaster of Kirby 64 since Super Star Ultra.

Speaking of SSU, I'd take a remaster of that as well xD
 
Thunder84 said:
I’m kinda expecting another surprise remaster like Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. A game that nobody is really expecting to come back as of now.

Maybe it’s just Kirby Triple Deluxe Deluxe lol
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I could see a 3DS remaster for Kirby. Robobot would be hype.

Why are so many people thinking Mario Party this year? With how those sell it seems like it may be good to have in the launch year instead?
 
Sin & Punishment said:
A game's scope and it's significance are two entirely separate things
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Yes, this is my point.
Sin & Punishment said:
You're making a different argument
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You said Zelda was the last big game. I said more factors than budget and scope dictate what a big game is, hence Zelda not being the last big game. But I'm not sure we achieve much other than derailing the thread by continuing this and I'm sure this is the umpteenth iteration of The Big Game Argument.
 
I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if the “no big games” narrative that was passed around by journalists stemmed from budgets. Wonder was obviously a huge title sales wise, but I would agree that it’s not really “AAA” like Zelda is. That might’ve gotten misconstrued along the way into there simply being no games at all.

Doesn’t really work as a defense for Mr. C-Team though.
 
ColdGoldLazarus said:
What was the C-Team thing all about? I've seen it referenced a bunch, (particularly when I was still lurking and hadn't made an account yet) but was never able to glean the context, and google was no help either.
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The tl;dr is that several people said Switch had no more "big" games after TotK. Chris Dring, a noted sales analyst, implied he knew Nintendo's upcoming line up was weak which is why they were skipping the yet to be canceled e3. So of course in June when Nintendo announced a new 2D Mario, everyone went back at Dring like "I thought you said no more big games?" To which he famously replied "this is a game by the C team"
 
Dark Cloud said:
What do people believe in more- a new DK game or new 2D Zelda game coming first?
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I think it's a coin-toss, but DK feels like more of a potential system seller, and there's some precedent for 2D Zelda coming way late in a system's life (Minish Cap and the DS came out right around the same time)

So I'd go with 2D Zelda as being marginally more likely to happen this year
Sin & Punishment said:
Big in name. Not big in budget. It's a 2D Mario game. That's not AAA.
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He never actually argued about "AAA" though. Dring's whole thing was specifically that Nintendo didn't have a "significant game" after Zelda, and tried to downplay the sales potential of Mario Wonder after it was announced to argue he was still right (it went on to sell 10+ million by March) and that he heard it was made by "a C-team" (we now know that was very much not the case)






frankly it feels like the dude got some bad info, thought the Switch only had Pikmin/Metroid-scale sellers left, and instead of just owning it and admitting "my bad" he doubled down to an embarrassing degree
 
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Honestly, I could see a smaller scale Kirby game, like either another remaster or some experimental eshop stuff like the gourmet race thing, get a surprise reveal.
 
BlackthornOrion said:
He never actually argued about "AAA" though. Dring's whole thing was specifically that Nintendo didn't have a "significant game" after Zelda, and tried to downplay the sales potential of Mario Wonder after it was announced to argue he was still right (it went on to sell 10+ million by March) and that he heard it was made by "a C-team" (we now know that was very much not the case)






frankly it feels like the dude got some bad info and instead of just owning it and admitting "my bad" he doubled down to an embarrassing degree
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The whole thing was just him moving goalposts to stay "right," even in the face of more and more info to the contrary. The funniest part was after it came out and was a success with great reviews he tried to spin the "C-Team" comment into that he was actually complimenting them 😅
 
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Mr.Bones said:
The people have spoken!! Thanks for the support lmao-

Here's something I've been thinking about recently- If Nintendo does come out with a big budget game this year (Metriod Prime Copium) Who's to say they won't do a dual release like BOTW when that came out on WiiU and Switch? Maybe if a game like that is revealed, it may narrow down the time frame for Switch 2's announcement. :unsure:
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I Yeah!d earlier, but heck yeah!

Yeah I think that’s the big question with Prime 4 (and potentially stuff like a new Donkey Kong or Pokemon Legends 2). Is it hitting in October or November where it’ll be the final extra big Switch game or do they wait five months or whatever at this point and it becomes a dual release cross gen game like Breath of the Wild. I can see the arguments for both and depending on how backwards compatibility works (potential for next gen modes essentially like PS4 to PS5 or Xbox smart delivery) it might do fine this holiday. I’d feel more comfortable of something like DK operating as a good seller if it comes out in November ahead of Switch 2 rather than Prime 4 however. Prime might need the new console buzz / association no matter how good it is or looks. So yeah, lot to consider for guessing!
 
Y'all think Pokémon is definitely early 2025 now? I'm still hoping for fall because that would mean they gave it more time but if Switch 2 launches then or is perhaps already out by then... not like GF are strangers to putting games on the old console I guess
 
Thunder84 said:
I’m kinda expecting another surprise remaster like Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe. A game that nobody is really expecting to come back as of now.

Maybe it’s just Kirby Triple Deluxe Deluxe lol
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Vanpool used to do the re-releases of older Kirby games (like last years Return to Dreamland) but now they're gone. Unless HAL finds/forms another support studio to do the remasters, I think we can forget about frequent Kirby releases. Next stop should be Forgotten Land 2, possibly in the successor's 2nd year.
 
jirou said:
Y'all think Pokémon is definitely early 2025 now? I'm still hoping for fall because that would mean they gave it more time but if Switch 2 launches then or is perhaps already out by then... not like GF are strangers to putting games on the old console I guess
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I'm thinking some time around May-June
 
SpaceGodzilla said:
I think a new mario party is 100% possible for this year, but would be something like a superstars 2 instead of a completely original game
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Don't you think they'd save that for the successor? That'd be the perfect showcase for its new gimmicks. Like those mysterious 2 new back buttons.

Plus this year already had too many mario games. I feel the fall season should be Mario free.
 
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