Today's Nintendo Direct has come and gone, bringing with it an exclusive Sonic release, more mascot Olympians and some long-awaited release dates. Whether it pushed enough buttons is down to personal opinion, but it was relatively snappy and low-key compared to some other recent broadcasts.

Whether a reaction to that or simply an effort to build hype ahead of its E3 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo of America has tweeted confirmation that three huge releases will be shown next time around: Super Smash Bros., 3D Mario and Mario Kart. Let's not forget that the latest Super Smash Bros. entry is supposedly coming to 3DS, too.

#IwataSays We will discuss new Smash Bros., 3D Mario game, Mario Kart and other Wii U titles in our #NintendoDirectNA before the start of E3 May 17, 2013

Considering the fact that the broadcast is, among other things, supposed to show games coming in the Fall and Winter periods, we can expect — courtesy of previous press releases and rumours — one or perhaps two of those titles to land in 2013.

In any case, it'll be exciting to see what the Wii U generation of hardware can bring to these fabled franchises. Just how high do these games rate on your hype-meter, and what Wii U functionality would you like to see shown off in the broadcast?