Nintendo announced a batch of titles at its 3DS press conference. The big game was a brand new entry into the popular Monster Hunter franchise which is being referred to as Monster Hunter 4.
Nintendo also announced a new Mario Tennis title for 3DS along with a new Fire Emblem game. Nintendo also announced that Monster Hunter Tri G will be released December 10th in Japan. The bad news is that Kid Icarus has been delayed until 2012 in Japan.
1up has conducted an interview with Kid Icarus Uprising project leader Masahiro Sakurai. The interview contains plenty of details about the forthcoming Nintendo 3DS game, but the most interesting thing is that the game wasn’t originally meant to star Kid Icarus but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata thought Pit would be a great match for the game.
“I developed a concept for a hybrid between an aerial shooter and a ground-based third-person shooter. Exploring that and talking with [Nintendo president Satoru] Iwata, we realized that Pit would be a good match for this. Not only Pit’s abilities and personality as a character, but also the entire world of Kid Icarus would fit well, too. So, from the very first day of development, we had the intent of this being a Kid Icarus game.”
Nintendo has released its supplementary information and upcoming software launch schedule for 2011 and 2012. The list reconfirmed that Kid Icarus: Uprising won’t be released in Europe until early 2012. Also of note is the fact that Xenoblade Chronicles is still not listed with an American release.
A fact sheet apparently handed out during a Nintendo event in the Netherlands shows that Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS appears to have been delayed until 2012. The game was originally scheduled to be released sometime this year according to Nintendo Europe, but this could have changed. Whether the fact sheet is legitimate is anyone’s guess, but it will be a massive blow if true.
Edit: Just spoke to the Nintendaan who confirmed it to be true.
Tip: Noticias Ninty
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime appeared on US show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to give American audiences a taste of what Nintendo has to offer this year and beyond. The first title Reggie demonstrated was Kid Icarus Uprising. Reggie decided to show off the AR Cards rather than show off actual gameplay of the Nintendo 3DS title. Next up was the fantastic looking Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword which provides a great showcase for Wii MotionPlus. Lastly Reggie Fils-Aime brought out the Wii U and reiterated to Fallon that the console will be out sometime after April 2012.
Masahiro Sakurai, the creative force behind Smash Brothers and Kid Icarus has told the Official Nintendo Magazine that he has an inkling that it’s going to be difficult to go back to 2D since he’s been developing Kid Icarus in 3D.
“Yes this is indeed my first 3D game but I have a feeling that it’s going to be hard to go back to 2D.”
According to Sakurai, your eyes, in say Avatar, get used to the novelty element of 3D and “simply enjoy it for what it is”.
“That’s the nature of the way we get used to things as they become familiar.” He says that the “problem” is going back to 2D after 3D makes it feel “flat”.
“So in terms of game development I would think that going back to 2D after working on a 3D project may be very difficult for me.”
- Masahiro Sakurai
Masahiro Sakurai, the designer behind Kid Icarus Uprising and Super Smash Bros. Brawl has informed British gaming publication Gamesmaster that the game could include an online multiplayer mode.
“The online capabilities are currently being tested. There could be some versus play but we can’t go into any detail. There are a lot of capabilities that expand on what was in the DS that people are taking advantage of.”
- Masahiro Sakurai
Nintendo decidedly conquered E3 during today’s highly anticipated press conference, with the Japanese games company showing off a plethora of top class software and some extremely innovative hardware.
Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS games:
Nintendo 3DS: (via Kotaku)
Key games in development:
Edit: More games announced by Nintendo
Yoshio Sakamoto, one of the creators behind the popular Nintendo platformer Kid Icarus, has told online gaming publication Kotaku that he would happily make Kid Icarus for Wii providing it makes use of the Wii’s strengths.
“I don’t know personally about any project underway regarding Kid Icarus, but if so many of those people are interested in it and really want to see it on the Wii they should really speak up.”
“If we can find some sort of way to bring it to the Wii, a way to make the game for the Wii that makes sense, we would happily do so. But just keep in mind it may not be me making the game.”
- Yoshio Sakamoto, Kid Icarus creator
The fabled Kid Icarus could be coming to Nintendo Wii according to Reggie Fils Aime.
When questioned about the current lack of mature first party games, Reggie responded “We do Mario, we do Donkey Kong, Zelda, and Kid Icarus. That’s what we do. That’s the type of products we bring to life. It’s always been the third party licensees that push the edge, …not necessarily by Nintendo.”
