Despite Nintendo’s recent financial woes , Wii U is still a major part of the company’s plans for the near future. Hope is not lost for Wii U, and there’s already an impressive lineup of announced games heading to the system.

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Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze

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Mario Kart 8

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Bayonetta 2

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Super Smash Bros for Wii U

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Monolith Soft’s X

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Hyrule Warriors

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If you’re already a Wii U owner, you can look forward to some of Nintendo’s biggest franchises in 2014. Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros are both expected to deliver solid entries. And there’s more potential packed into Nintendo’s release calendar with stylish action from Bayonetta 2 and Monolith’s next impressive-looking RPG called X. Of course the tricky part for us is that Nintendo probably has a few unannounced projects waiting in the wings for later this year. Here’s our current list of Wii U game to watch out for this year.We’ve gone hands-on with Tropical Freeze multiple times in the past few months, and each time we’ve walked away more and more impressed. Retro has taken the gorgeous, biting platformer revival from the original Wii and cranked everything up to the next level. Beautiful presentation, heaps of collectables, and the addition of multiple secondary characters complete with their own inherent abilities all add up to a sequel worthy of the DK mantel. As Nintendo’s first big Wii U release of 2014, Tropical Freeze looks primed to set an amazing tone for the year. Keep an eye out for our full review leading up to its February 21st release.Some of our finest Nintendo memories stem from playing Mario Kart games throughout the generations. The original Super Mario Kart ushered in a genre that nearly every video game mascot has dabbled in at one time or another. Mario Kart 64 provided years of multiplayer insanity, and a deep-seated hatred for the Blue Shell. And of course, Mario Kart Wii is the best-selling game for Nintendo’s last-gen console. With Mario Kart 8, we’re hoping that Nintendo delivers the expected, insane multiplayer, while also providing us with some fresh additions. We know Rosalina has entered the competition, and the new anti-gravity vehicles add an additional layer of madness to the races. Here’s to hoping for more surprises this spring.The E2 2013 demo for Bayonetta 2 showed off some of the most off-the-wall action hijinks we’ve seen in the genre. For her follow up adventure, Bayonetta glided between enemy spear attacks with the type style and elegance fit for a professional dancer and punished her foes with unrestrained brutality. We’ve only seen a small slice of the topsy-turvy world of Bayonetta 2, but if developer Platinum Games’ first outing is anything to go by, everyone will be talking about this next installment in the series.Super Smash Bros has becoming one of the biggest properties in Nintendo’s stable and for good reason. Each entry boasts an impressive balance of nods to the Japanese developer’s unique history along with fun game mechanics and near-endless collectibles. So far, series creator Masahiro Sakurai is focusing on the right ideas: Tripping is out. He’s trying to cut down the number of clones and focus on unique character move sets. Judging from the characters currently announced for the roster, the latest entry of Smash Bros. will not disappoint fans when it’s released later this year.The trailer that Nintendo showcased for Monolith Soft’s X at E3 2013 was the stuff of dreams. Rad mechs, giant beasts, a gorgeous world, and the pedigree of amazing RPGs like Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles immediately vaulted X to the top of our most anticipated list. But like a lot of the games on this list, X has been on radio silence for the past few months. So, we’re left with a bevy of questions. Is it set in the same world as Xenoblade? Is it an MMO, or are there online components? Can robots fall in love? Hopefully Nintendo answers these three questions in 2014.Hyrule Warrior received a fairly divided response when Nintendo announced it last year. This Zelda-themed Dynasty Warriors game couldn’t have been predicted, but that could work in its favor. As a new type of Zelda game, Hyrule Warriors could take plenty of risks and introduce opportunities to play as some of your favorite characters from the series. As long as Tecmo Koei avoids the formulaic, repetitive missions where you pummel enemies endlessly, this could be a unique spin-off for one of Nintendo’s most revered franchises.