After decades of playing second fiddle to the No. 1 video game hero, Luigi is getting some love from Nintendo. Nintendo has named 2013 the “Year of Luigi,” thanks to the numerous appearances that Mario’s timid, green-clad twin brother will be making in games this year. In a Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo provided details about games on the way that feature Luigi, as well as information about more than two dozen upcoming games, including content for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS across packaged and digital formats.
“Luigi is just the green tip of the iceberg of all the great news we have to share with Nintendo fans this year and beyond. We’re showing how Nintendo 3DS and Wii U continue to be a source of fun, entertainment and great surprises.”
– Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s president and COO.
To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. Today’s announcements included:
The Year of Luigi
- Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon: The game that kicks off the Year of Luigi launches March 24 and will include additional multiplayer modes beyond the previously revealed Hunter Mode. Up to four players with their own Nintendo 3DS systems can team up via local wireless, pair up in Download Play or connect over the Internet to escape each floor within the time limit in Rush Mode and search for the hidden ghost dogs in Polterpup Mode (up to four game cards may be required).
- Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: A new installment in the Mario & Luigi role-playing series is coming to Nintendo 3DS this summer. The game takes place inside the mind of a sleeping Luigi, who is a powerful, brave hero in his dreams.
- New Super Luigi U: To continue the fun of New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U, Nintendo is letting Luigi take over in new downloadable content that is coming in the Year of Luigi that provides alternate versions of the game’s more than 80 stages. Players can freely change between the New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. Ustages. These Luigi-focused stages provide a whole new level of game-play challenge and will be available for purchase as a single download.
- Fore!: Luigi and his Mushroom Kingdom neighbors are teeing up once again in Mario Golf: World Tour. The Nintendo 3DS game includes both simple controls and a deeper experience for golf fans, plus courses that range from traditional to those inspired by the Mushroom Kingdom. The game launches this summer.
Nintendo 3DS
- Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: The smash-hit Wii game is getting a portable 3D makeover that makes the already-amazing layered graphics pop. The game launches this summer, but an exclusive 3D video is available now in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS.
- Turning Over a New Leaf: Animal Crossing: New Leaf launches in North America on June 9. It is the definitive version of Animal Crossing, with new features and general improvements across the entire game, including new species of animal neighbors, new ways to customize your house and town, and a new main street shopping area and model home showcase.
- Animal Style: Style Savvy: Trendsetters is getting the Gracie Grace line of clothes, inspired by the fashion-forward giraffe from the Animal Crossing series. Owners ofStyle Savvy: Trendsetters can download the trendy free clothes via SpotPass. Additional fashions are planned to arrive via SpotPass, including in-game fashions based on the popular Japanese brand Liz Lisa.
- The Chase Begins: LEGO® City Undercover: The Chase Begins launches April 21. The game is set two years prior to the action of the Wii U game, and follows the first case of rookie cop Chase McCain in a still-growing and -developing LEGO City.
- Downloadable Games: Nintendo announced a number of new games coming to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS, including Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (coming soon), Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger (coming April 11), HarmoKnight from Game Freak (demo available March 14, full game on March 28) andKersploosh! (coming March 7).
- Spreading Like Fire Emblem: Two new downloadable maps are now available for purchase at the Outrealm Gate on the world map in Fire Emblem Awakening. For $2.50, the Champions of Yore 3 map lets players battle against legendary characters such as Marth, Roy and Ike. Players who have already purchased the Champions of Yore map pack can now access this new map to earn a new playable character named Michaiah and a special skill that will increase all of a character’s stats by two points. The Golden Gaffe map is the first in a second set of three maps, and is also now available for $2.50. It pits players against a group of very wealthy enemies, and is a great way to earn gold. Nintendo plans to release fresh downloadable content in the weeks and months ahead to keep the adventure going with more playable characters and class types. The Champions of Yore 1 map is available as a free download through March 6.
- Virtual Console: Two classic Game Boy Color games from Natsume, Harvest Moon and Legend of the River King, are on their way to the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in the coming months.
- Buy and Register Nintendo 3DS XL, Get a Free Game: As a special promotion for people who have not yet purchased a Nintendo 3DS XL system, anyone who registers a Nintendo 3DS XL and either Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon or Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity between March 21 and April 30 will receive a code to download one of these five great games for free from the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS: Super Mario 3D Land, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!, Star Fox 64 3D or Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! For more information.
- Nintendo eShop Sale: Nintendo 3DS owners can now buy and download select games from the Nintendo eShop at a discounted price for a limited time. These includeBIT.TRIP SAGA from Aksys Games; Crashmo, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword and Ketzal’s Corridors from Nintendo; Fractured Soul from Endgame Studios; and Mutant Mudds from Renegade Kid. One game will be available at the reduced price each week.
- Castlevania Demo: A demo of Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate hits the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 28. The full digital game download launches on March 5.
Wii U
- Zelda Miiverse Community: Nintendo is launching a Miiverse community dedicated to The Legend of Zelda series today, letting fans discuss the past, present and future of this timeless franchise.
- LEGO® City Comes to Life: LEGO City® Undercover launches March 18. Nintendo revealed some new sections of the game, including LEGO City Airport, Kings Court and Paradise Sands.
- City Mapping: The Wii Street U powered by Google application is now available as a free download for a limited time from the Nintendo eShop for Wii U. The application taps into the Google Maps service and allows users to get a 360-degree view of locations around the world using the Wii U GamePad.
- Razor’s Update: A new, free update to Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge later this month includes one new costume each for Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji and Kasumi, as well as 25 new Ninja Trials missions.
- Third-Party Games:
- BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien from Gaijin Games is coming to Wii U in February. It features narration by Charles Martinet, and a demo is planned for the Nintendo eShop soon.
- This month, Zen Pinball 2 from Zen Studios introduces a number of pinball tables, including Marvel Pinball and Plants vs. Zombies Pinball. The game will be available as a free download in the Nintendo eShop for Wii U with additional tables available for purchase.
- Soon Two Tribes will release Toki Tori 2, a puzzle/platforming game that will support off-TV game play on the Wii U GamePad. A level editor will be released at a later date.
- Need for Speed Most Wanted U from EA is arriving on Wii U on March 19 as the first third-party title to incorporate Miiverse functionality into the game play. Exclusive features include a new Co-Driver mode for local co-op play, Off-TV mode to play on the Wii U GamePad and the Ultimate Speed Pack included at no additional charge. The Ultimate Speed Pack includes 25 additional High Speed Races and Speed Runs, five of the world’s fastest production cars and more than 70 new speed-themed milestones, plus stacks of additional rewards and unlocks.
- The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct from Activision is coming to Wii U on March 26 with a unique style of game play that blends first-person action with resource management for a focus on surviving the undead nightmare.
- Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment launches on April 16. The game includes Off-TV play and lets players battle as some of their favorite heroes and villains, like Batman, The Flash, Superman, The Joker, Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman.
Coming to Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
- Capcom’s Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate launches for both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS on March 19. A Wii U player can connect with up to three Nintendo 3DS players to create a hunting party. People can play the game on Wii U and then transfer their data to the Nintendo 3DS to continue the hunt. A demo will be available in the Nintendo eShop on both platforms on Feb. 21.
- Disney Infinity from Disney Interactive is coming to Wii U and Wii this summer. For the first time, players will use real-world interactive figures to activate original, story-driven adventures in the game worlds, also known as “Play Sets.” At any time, players can also access their personal “Toy Box” and use the items to create one-of-a-kind Disney adventures featuring any combination of characters, environments and items across all franchises featured in the game. Disney Infinity will also be available on Nintendo 3DS.
so many free stuff!!!!!! :D
It would be cool if u wanted to trade in your wii game for the 3ds if the 3ds one has more content
Not a single manly game among this large list. Obviously, Nintendo is a baby company for unmanly gamers. Pathetic. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
~THE REAL Bill~
I get that you’re a troll and everything, but i’d still like to say that if you play video games to feel manly, then you might be a bit more pathetic than you claim everyone else is.
If you get that he’s trolling, then why do you think he plays video games to feel manly? The point of trolling is just to piss people off. He doesn’t mean what he’s saying. He’s trying to act like a moron for attention.
^This. Bada-bing!
A game doesn’t have to be manly to be fun :P
Oh, cut out your ‘true gamer’ crap. Nintendo has made much better games than these core gamer stuff (not that I’m saying that I don’t like hardcore games). But I mean look how the Zelda universe has opened up and all their other franchises. I think Nintendo should quit trying to please everyone and become a new type of console producer.
I see blood… blood everywhere! that’s manly enough for you? lol that’s pathetic!
YOU MAD?
Oh yeah here is the manly macho dude mocking people on the internet like an Idiot, that’s sooooo HOMBRE!
Go and get yourself a manly gay guy and have gay fun somewhere else Bill. Nobody wants your homo-like comments here anymore.
Says the guy with an infantile name. Try harder, Lil Bill. ;)
Based upon your clear need to feel manly and superior I surmise that you have a very small ding dong, low self-esteem, and watch weepy chic flicks when no one else is home.
This direct was kindaaaa horrible.
You smokin ding ding?
It is not horrible , it is just that the previous direct was too big that have set our hopes very high , anyways it was a good direct for the 3ds
All good stuff!
This is all shit. I guess an unmanly person like you will buy and consume a bag of urine if Iwata tells you to do it.
I wouldn’t think twice about it.
Mario golf? I must be psychic.
Hey, Bear Grylls is pretty manly.
Bill you’re a dick head baby.
Feeling defensive because I am right, hmm?
Don’t you know that Nintendo fanboys don’t like the truth live’em alone to live in their world full with rainbows and flowers
truth is every multiplat on the u will be the definitive version cuz the gpad is more advanced than the shitbox 720 and fagstation combined it’s as good as i think dual log can get and the u has that crap if the box stations are like 550 the graphic difference will probably be like 60 bucks overated just like the psshit60
Bill, why do you care so much jesus fuck. Stop stalking this place and read a book or something.
You see bill the funniest thing about you is you’re probably so unmanly you try to make other people feel unmanly sorry your buttsexbox 360 sucks and they give you no games to play so that you have to come on a nintendo website and troll to make yourself feel better. I’m sorry there hasn’t been a decent game for it since halo 4 and won’t be for a long time. what has xbox announced lately besides the fact you play sesame street once upon a monster kinect all day in your diaper ? oh wait they announced failbox 720 with kinect only, no pro controller,online only,no pre owned games, no backwards compatibilty and it runs on windows 8. greaaaat features they must be the most manly system given they suck so hard.but go ahead play your “manly” system with pride given you’ll be paying more for online in a year than you do for your 3 games 3 years go ahead sir.and ps4 is doing the same things xbox is so you also have no argument there either if you say you don’t game with xbox.so when you are waiting in a line with the 5 other people who are gonna buy a crappy console that cost well over 400 dollars remember how manly you think you are and you will feel so much better cuz it’s the last self esteem booster you have left.
Not me. I’m a huge Nintendo fan and I’ve only bought what I want to. Bill, you need a new hobby. Trying to get Nintendo fans upset on a Nintendo news site is kinda pathetic.
Still no Europe demo for Fire Emblem….
It’s okay, i can wait TWO MONTHS -.-
That really sucks dude.
If you like games like Advanced Wars, FF Tactics, – You’ll love it. Best turn-based RPG/Strategy I’ve played in a while… Maybe my favorite overall, very good story so far.
Conversely, if you hate Advanced wars… You may not like it.
Hey, at least it’s coming out at my birthday :D
At least Europe gets the Fire Emblem XL bundle.
3DS XL*
Donkey kong and Mario golf? *faints on floor*
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team YESSSS! YESSSSSS!!!!! the mario rpg series has always been my favorite!!!
Still not enough for Wii U…
I mean, the Direct before this one was amazing but I still feel like there isn’t enough. Maybe announce some more big 3rd party titles? Fuck this game drought. 3DS is doing fine though.
THIRD PARTY Wii U direct comining end of this month or early March. Be patient they already told us this would be a more nintendo specific direct. It was one for announcing release dates, updates and free!!!!!!!! goodies :).
Hey Bill how about you get of this website and go shit your pants auto the new Xbox and ps4, If you hate Nintendo so much get the fuck off a news source for their games.
Lot of great stuff coming from Nintendo, indeed! I just hope that Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is a new game and not just a port of the Wii title. If it is, then that will be extremely disappointing.
The 3DS XL has more games for it than any other core console this year. If you’re mad about a legendary game like DK returns in 3D, you need to increase your smiling. Imagine we have a Wii U with diverse genre games and monster hunter combo pack coming to the UK, it does not get better than that my friend. Monster hunter 3 Ultimate will be on both the 3DS XL and Wii U at the same darn time!
Can’t wait for Luigi’s Mansion and Donkey Kong, I haven’t gotten new games for my 3DS since 2011.
Feel like I was just robbed in a back alley of Sesame Street.
‘Year of Luigi’? Fuck off Iwata. Give me something worth playing or it’ll be the year of me not giving a shit about Nintendo anymore.
Monolith Softs’ ‘X’ game… I’ll wait till that drops; Probably Christmas 2014 before I buy anything for Nintendo systems again.
Guess I have no choice but to break my vow and buy a filthy Sony product. If you guys think I’m trolling now, just wait. Once I turn to Sony…. oh dear, I’ll become one of the worst kind of people on Gods green earth. Sorry in advance. :(
What?
I heard but not sure that the monolith x game was coming to japan by the end of this year , its a rumour though . So don’t take this as a fact
And again the reply button failed me again , I meant to reply to oscar
@Oscar
E3 is where you should expect big announcements and surprises, not Nintendo Directs.
If you’re waiting for Nintendo to be like everyone else, save yourself the time and go to Sony if you want.
Patience is usually rewarded as far as Nintendo goes. This will be one of their best E3’s!
Bring it! Remember pride commeth before a fall. You shall eat your words after E3. Remember bro. please stay nintendo, for this E3 nintendo has no new system to announce. All they will do is ANNOUNCE games! games! games!
but…. but they just announced like, a bunch of shit. really good shit, too
It’s totally okay to have a Nintendo console AND a Sony one. I have for over a decade and the universe has yet to implode.
A new Mario and Luigi RPG taking place in Luigi’s psyche? That sounds pretty neat
And dangerous.
But most importantly a golden opportunity to explore Luigi as a character, which is way better character than Mario
NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED is coming with Co-Driver local co-op. Free DLC for the game, off tv play, PC graphics ( a minor boost ) and other PC features etc. I am saving money and grinning while joyously laughing right about now. Tell everyone it’s on.
Just like the PC version, Need for Speed: Most Wanted U is the definitive version on the Wii U. I’m with you on that one, Gamer. Time for me to save up all of my cash until the March 19th launch.
Pingback: Complete Nintendo Direct Wii U And Nintendo 3DS US Roundup … | Nintendo 3DS Release Date
The only thing that seemed interesting to me on this list was the new Mario & Luigi installment. Until I saw the video. I really loved the series for its unique style but what did Nintendo do? Screw it up. Really, Nintendo… It looked a thousand times better before. I hope they at least kept all the other features I love the series for.
U mad or in denial?
Animal crossing in June? Damn that’s far away but finally a date. That Mario and luigi is what I need I can’t wait for it!
My wallet is crying right now.
Pingback: Here’s The Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Trailer In High Quality | My Nintendo News
It’s like Nintendo is making “mini E3” directs. :D
Obviously not as good as the last Nintendo Direct lol. But was deffinitly a good one.
Awesome! I will be getting Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon, Mario and Luigi Dream Team, and the Fire Emblem DLC for the 3DS as well as Lego City Undercover for the WIi U. LCU: The Chase Begins I will get depending on if it is worth it (quality, differences between Wii U version) and I am still on the fence for Animal Crossing New Leaf.
Then you have Pokémon X/Y, Pikmin 3, and Wonderful 101, upcoming games not mentioned in the Nintendo Direct. There is also all the Wii U games from the last Nintendo Direct, 3rd party games, eshop stuff, and then E3. Although my body is ready, my wallet isn’t :(
And Monster Hunter for the Wii U. Can’t forget about that.
Pingback: Kotaku Says “The Nintendo 3DS Has Become The Best Gaming Machine Out There” | My Nintendo News
I swear, I never care about ANYTHING other than Nintendo’s first-party games. It’s all I like anymore. Although even some of those I have complaints about. Mostly the free downloadable games. It’s not games if they’re digital. It’s just gimmicks.
Finally, a new Mario Golf! I hope they have a Strikers or Sluggers game planned in a few years.
I hope so, but a WiiU installment.
Pingback: Here’s The Beautiful Box Art For Animal Crossing: New Leaf | My Nintendo News
Pingback: Gaming News: 2/16/13 « SlickGaming
Pingback: Miyamoto Discusses Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon In Amusing Video | My Nintendo News
Pingback: Third-Party Nintendo 3DS Direct Airs In A Few Hours | My Nintendo News
My brother recommended I might like this website.
He was once totally right. This post actually made my day.
You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this info!
Thank you!
This is to accommodate all the important objects for the exercise.
After all, what super hero wants to carry an umbrella. You may decide to machine wash but be sure NOT to place your backpack in the
dryer. How many pockets do you need and are they large enough.
Quality articles is tthe main tο nvite tɦe people to goo to
seе the site, that’s what this site іs providing.