Let us preface this article by stating that we will be focusing on “crystal ball” predictions; that is, the things we don’t know anything, or much about, are what we will talk about. We all know we will be seeing more about Pikmin3, the Fire Emblem x Shin Megami Tensei project, Pokemon X/Y, and better MiiVerse integration and account management features; With that in mind, we will talk more about the games we want to see, or that we hope we see but don’t know about yet, as well as speculate idly about what some of these unknown games could be. Make sure to check back after Nintendo’s Direct event to point and laugh at us for our mistakes.

Will Ganbarion’s Next Game Be Pandora’s Tower 2 and Shown at E3?

Alex: Ganbarion have been confirmed to be working on a new Namco-published One Piece game — One Piece: Unlimited World R seems to enjoy Ganbarion’s skillful combat system and graphical prowess.

It is, however, a 3DS game, and it comes 2 years after Pandora’s Tower came out in Japan (May 26, 2011). With that in mind, is it possible that we’ll yet hear of a new Ganbarion project for the Wii U?

The setting of Pandora’s Tower is very well fit for a franchise, for that matter. Just like Dracula’s Castle set the tone for many sequels in the Castlevania franchise, so do “The Scar” and the Thirteen Towers offer much freedom for the Pandora’s Tower franchise to develop creatively.

Menashe: I imagine One Piece is not the only project Ganbarion is working on. They probably have something in the works for Wii U. However, I’m not sure if we’ll be seeing it this E3 or next. Funny how Ganbarion have basically been making One Piece games their entire existence except for Pandora’s Tower. It probably comes down to whether Pandora’s Tower was commercially successful or not.

Mike D: If Ganbarion is working on a Wii U game right now, I imagine it would be a collaboration. Partly that’s because they’ve been working on One Piece on 3DS, of course, but it’s also because of experience. As much as I adore Pandora’s Tower and admired its strong art style, there was definitely a chasm in overall graphical quality there. It was their first big-name home console exclusive, so there was bound to be a learning curve; the curve won’t be any more gentle on an HD release on the Wii U. I can imagine Nintendo once again serving as a sort of mentor with Ganbarion, but probably not for anything that we’ll see in the near future.

[One caveat would be if Nintendo decides to bring over One Piece to the eShop, similar to how Resident Evil: Revelations started off on 3DS, but saw new life on consoles.]

Verdict: Not very likely. We’ll probably see it only once Ganbarion have had more time to turn it into something awesome. It’s likely still very early on.

MonolithSoft’s “X”: Will the multiplayer be like Soma Bringer or will it be a full-feldged MMO?

Alex: To anyone that has played the Japanese exclusive MonolithSoft Nintendo DS game Soma Bringer, the prospect of a multiplayer component in an otherwise largely single-player game shouldn’t seem so intimidating. First of all, it helps to remember that much of the complexity of Xenoblade’s combat and affinity systems came as a result of translating Soma Bringer’s combat system from a multiplayer-focused to a single-player-focused experience. By reverting back to a multiplayer-focused experience, the systems of MonolithSoft’s Wii U game “X” could end up being more intuitive, with the added complexity only there for multiplayer.

It helps to bear in mind that Soma Bringer was a traditional JRPG quest with a multiplayer component to it — it was not a massive multiplayer online game, like many fear MonolithSoft’s “X” will be. It’s very likely that the multiplayer component of “X” will likewise be only an addition to what is otherwise a single-player-focused game, not it’s main structure.

Menashe: I never really thought about it that way but I think you’re right. Inasmuch as Xenoblade had its own vision and carried the Xeno name, it still was an evolution of a lot of what Monolith Soft learned from Soma Bringer and Baten Kaitos. I think Monolith will come up with a game that makes sense both as a compelling single-player game and multi-player game. It will never be a true MMO in which thousands of players can coexist at the same time, rather, it will probably be a game in which you can enjoy solo or co-op with one or two friends joining you.

Mike D: If Alex is right, and they make the single-player combat a bit more intuitive, the rest is all gravy to me.

Verdict: Probably will be more of a traditional quest with multiplayer components/co-op that fit very well with the epic scope of the game’s world.

What is Mistwalker’s next game?

Alex: Mistwalker recently uploaded a picture to their website and as their Facebook cover photo (https://www.facebook.com/mistwalkercorp). The image in question looks very much the way Last Story does, and could just be a hint of a possible sequel to that game being in the works. Let’s not forget that it has been about two-and-a-half years since Last Story came out in Japan, and the only projects Mistwalker has been in charge of in the meantime have been two iOS games, Party Wave and Blade Guardian. It’s entirely possible that they will have something to show to us this year, if not this E3.

Menashe: I think Sakaguchi realized that the best way for him to return to fame after leaving Squenix was not by going it alone at Mistwalker, but to partner with Nintendo. Which is why he let Nintendo take such an active role in the development of The Last Story:

“Mistwalker had a different problem. While their development process started out with a prototype approach in the first place, Nintendo initially didn’t approve of The Last Story’s scenario, which was the game’s first “reset” point, as revealed in a translated Iwata Asks interview. Character designer, Kimihiko Fujisaka, reveals that the original world he’d initially come up with for The Last Story was too bleak.”

You see how Nintendo was given a say in how the world of The Last Story developed. In Iwata Asks, Sakaguchi said that he left Square because he felt like he wasn’t in touch with the times, like everyone was surfing together but he was caught on a completely different wave than everyone else. But at Mistwalker he didn’t feel like he got back on track and found himself until he worked together with Nintendo on such a large-scale project as The Last Story.

So, I think he really appreciated working with Nintendo and is quite possibly working with them again on a new game for Wii U. I certainly hope they’ve expanded on their partnership together.

Mike D: As Alex has mentioned in the past, Xenoblade and The Last story were polar opposites of the JRPG genre (one pushing the boundaries of a huge world, the other a more intimate, character-driven tale). We already know X is coming with its considerable scale, so it seems the other side of the coin would be a Mistwalker game in the vein of TLS.

[Also, the idea of a Last Story sequel that looks a bit more like the original’s concept art is a tantalizing prospect.]

Menashe: You know what’s funny, Mike? In an Iwata Asks we found out that Nintendo gave both Monolith Soft and Mistwalker the same advice when it came to making their new RPGs for the Wii: go for a “romanticist approach”. Nintendo said they should try to create a story and world that would resonate with as many people as possible, but to do it in a way that played to each company’s individual strengths. So it’s cool that they each began the process of development from the same core idea but implemented it in their own unique ways.

Verdict: Considering we heard about Xenoblade not too long before we heard about the Last Story, it’s possible that we’ll now hear about a possible sequel to The Last Story not too long after hearing about MonolithSoft’s “X”. We’d call it a 75% chance of it showing up during E3.

Next Mario Game: Will it be world-based like Super Mario 64, or level based like Super Mario Galaxy, or a mixture of 2D and 3D design like Super Mario 3D Land?

Alex: As much as I’d want to see the mixed 2D and 3D design of Super Mario 3D Land get developed further, I think it makes more financial and creative sense for Nintendo to continue the main 3D Mario line. We all expect them to innovate beyond anything we’ve seen, though maybe they are now in a race to outsmart Valve’s own extremely creative Portal series.

All the same, it is a main 3D Mario entry that we will see next, but we can only imagine as to what crazy ideas they will implement this time.

Menashe: I think they will try to use it to be a showcase for the potential of the GamePad. But how so? They might try and come up with some new kind of control scheme, or a new type of perspective to look at the game world. I don’t know, the Miyamoto and the Galaxy team are too hard to predict.

Mike D: I think they might toss in a few 2D areas here or there, but I’d bet this is mostly a 3D Mario, as it should be (we get enough 2D with NSMB). The question is, will they put level design front and center, with control innovation as a subtle secondary factor, like Galaxy? I think there will be a few control curve balls, but like possible 2D areas, it will be as a spice, not the main course. I would bet more on them giving a meat and potatoes 3D Mario, with quality level design being the order or the day.

Verdict: If Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Sunshine have established a trend, it is that Nintendo doesn’t use 3D Mario entries to showcase their controllers as much as their top-tier level design and mechanical innovation. In this way, we expect the new 3D Super Mario game, which will absolutely be seen this E3, to continue that trend. The new Super Mario game for Wii U might take some liberties in using the gamepad in fresh or innovative ways during specific portions of the game, but the core of the game will be, as always, Nintendo’s ultra-tight level design.

Will the next Zelda be shown at E3?

Alex: It would be a great deal for potential Wii U owners to see what a top-tier Nintendo franchise looks like on the Wii U, and a simple teaser trailer would certainly move some units off the shelves in no time.

The real question, to me, is whether they have sufficient work to show at this point. They have mentioned that this new Zelda has been in development at least since Skyward Sword shipped, so it would be natural to expect a decent amount of progress in two years. On the other hand, it’s no secret that the Zelda team takes the most liberties in delaying their game over and over again, more so than any other game company I’ve ever heard of.

Menashe: I think they will be trying to focus on Wind Waker HD for now and won’t want to distract everyone with the more glamorous new Zelda. However, they might end up talking a bit about it in abstract form or showing a piece of art like they did with Skyward Sword.

Mike D: No worse than a 50-50 chance, I think. Nintendo needs to really supercharge the Wii U’s library for the “core” crowd, and their heaviest hitter wears a green tunic. If Wind Waker HD is shown off early, don’t count out a glimpse of a brand-new Zelda to close the show. However, if toon Link makes a late appearance, then I think the odds get a lot worse for us seeing the real next chapter in the Legend for Wii U.

Don’t discount A Link to the Past 2 getting a good deal of time, either.

Verdict: While it would be amazing to see real footage of Zelda for Wii U this early in the generation, they will most likely only give us a bit of information about the game, and show some form of conceptual art or main theme for the game. However, we’d also take a gamble on seeing at least a bit of footage. Let’s put it like this: while we have a 90% chance of seeing at least a logo or hearing Miyamoto talk about the new Zelda, we might have about a 50% chance of seeing at least a tiny bit of footage, like we saw of MonolithSoft’s “X” nearly half-a-year ago.

Where is Metroid?

Mike D: Either in Austin, TX, with Retro Studios, or with series co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto’s SPD1 in Kyoto. If Metroid: Other M was anything to go by, though, we may not know for years. Sakamoto hatched an idea for that game quite early in the Wii’s life cycle, but it didn\’t see the light of day until 2010. On the other hand, if Retro is involved, I think another Prime-style sidestory could be promising (more on that later).

Another factor to consider is the series’ handheld lineage. It’s been a long time since Samus was on portable terrain, and Sakamoto’s preference for the simplicity of 2D game design isn’t a secret. If he still has the keys to the Metroid franchise, an old-school sidescroller on the 3DS could be in our immediate future. Plus, Metroid Dread is too good a name to pass up, and I’d be surprised if Sakamoto doesn’t revisit it. Perhaps soon.

Alex: I just don’t know what to believe at this point. I don’t know what I want to believe at this point. I’ve long paraded the opinion that Metroid should no longer be a franchise for Retro Studios, but that has never been because I think Retro wouldn’t do it well anymore. Hell, I’ll take any Metroid game Retro makes any day, but I also want Retro the complete creative freedom that comes with a new IP — but more on that later.

An SPD1 Metroid, on the other hand, can do no wrong; and I truly mean no wrong, as I am in the camp of people that actually loved Metroid: Other M. Mike and I have often contemplated the potential of an improved “Other M” — a “‘Nother M”, if you will. Perhaps it would be easier to explain our idea if we called this potential Other M sequel, “Super Other M”. Think back to Metroid (NES); while extremely innovative in its time, Metroid (NES) has since been left behind in just about every way by every Metroid game that came after it. Specifically, Super Metroid completely obliterated Metroid (NES), improving every single aspect there was to be improved, and resulting in what is now widely regarded as one of the very best games of all time.

Now, think back to Metroid: Other M. Metroid: Other M was a very eclectic blend of genres, and was an actual attempt by Nintendo to expand the Metroid franchise into an organic storytelling format. It obviously didn’t succeed as well as we wish it did, but that’s the point now; were a “Super Other M” to not only fully develop the ideas that Metroid: Other M gave us a glimpse of, but also incorporated masterfully previous Metroid staples, like wide open exploration and a stronger sense of discovery, then we could be witnessing the birth of a new timeless classic, one that we will look forward to buying on some form of Virtual Console even 20 years from now.

Menashe: Here it is:



Verdict: Metroid probably hasn\’t been at this sort of crossroads since the choice to go first-person in Prime. If Retro is working on the series, we\’ll see their work shortly. If not? This E3 could be quite a crowded field, and Samus may be saved to bring a megaton on another day.

What is Retro’s new game? Raven Blade?

Mike D: If there’s anything that has driven us Nintendo gamers batty, it’s the absolute silence surrounding this project. A whisper campaign circulated last year that Retro’s game was a last-minute scratch from E3, and the complete lack of any new data has kept the rumor mill steadily grinding out new material. A Donkey Kong sequel? Star Fox? Metroid? Star Fox + Metroid? Zelda? Ah, now that’s a thought. Would Nintendo trust the Hero of Time to barbecue land? I’d love to see it (one could argue that Prime 2: Echoes was basically a Zelda adventure in space), but I doubt it for this time frame. Retro is supposed to be the western team that makes games that Nintendo typically doesn’t in the east, and EAD certainly has that particular base covered.

The most cryptic hint? Allegedly Retro has said that this is a “project everyone wants us to do.” Which narrows it down to…us wanting anything they do. Of course, they do have a pedigree as the premier creator of first-person adventures, so perhaps they are back on Metroid. In that case, I wouldn’t put it past them to be working on a sort of “expanded universe” Metroid title, one that is much more of a multiplayer-centric, sci-fi FPS. If Sakamoto wishes to retain Samus for the main Metroid stories, perhaps she only makes a cameo here. That frees Retro up to make what amounts to a new franchise, which really is what everyone has wanted from them for years.

The darkest of dark horses would be Raven Blade, which the company president called “absolutely terrible” upon seeing the early development work. Long odds on that, I’d say.

Alex: I don’t want Retro Studios to work on Metroid, or Star Fox, or some other Nintendo IP, or even Raven Blade. I want them to work on a new IP of their own seasoned creative minds, with no character restrictions and no sticking to terrible existing lore (even if they could cleverly expand it, as they would by making a Galactic Federation Metroid game). What Nintendo wants, however, is most likely something different.

Nintendo could be looking to get their own flagship online FPS game; they could also want their own alternative to the WRPG, considering the mainstream appeal that Skyrim demonstrated for the Elder Scrolls franchise. It’s very possible that we’ll see Retro yet again used as a chess-piece in Nintendo’s game, but in my opinion this could come at great creative cost. Were Retro to be given complete creative control, while still given Nintendo’s financial support, we could see them surpassing even what they did with Metroid Prime.

As for what the Retro Studios game will actually be, it’s anyone’s guess, going by the many cryptic hints and complete secrecy held around their title. It’s almost like the game is being developed by the Illuminati themselves.

Menashe: The sheer amount of possibilities here is what strikes up such a frenzy with the fans. Retro are a super-talented, eclectic bunch. Nintendo trusts them enough to hand them their beloved franchises like Metroid or Donkey Kong. But everyone knows they need a break from all the rebooting of old IPs. So, are they working on something new, old, or a mixture of the two?

I think the biggest question is whether they can live up to the hype with all the rabid fans expecting them to create the best game of all time.

Verdict: We have, as always, no damn clue what Retro is up to. We are divided evenly between thinking it’s one game, or the other, or the other, or the other, or a new IP. There is no way to make an educated guess here.

Unexpected games that might show up?

Mike D: Ubisoft has been pretty tight with Nintendo during the Wii U launch. Would Nintendo give them space to show off a multi-plat like Watch_Dogs or Rayman Legends? Or perhaps announce a holiday bundle? The wild card would be Zombi U. Ubisoft had some success with Red Steel at the Wii’s launch, but didn’t have as much success with Red Steel 2. Will we see a Zombi U 2? After the original’s belabored development process, I think it’s possible that Ubi gives this IP another shot, too (hopefully with better results than Red Steel).

Of course, there’s always GTA V and a little game called Destiny. If these games are ever going to see the light of day on a Nintendo console, this E3 would be the time to announce them.

Alex: I will take this time to talk about other games I’ve speculated about with my fellow podcasters, Charles Duffield and Matt Costello. In our last podcast, we talked about the possibility of Treasure working on something new.



Treasure finished work on Sin and Punishment 2 on 2009, and have since worked only on 3 HD ports of some of their classis for the Xbox Live Arcade platform. It is entirely possible that they are working on something new for Nintendo given the success of Sin and Punishment 2. The real kicker is this question: Is Treasure Games working on the next Star Fox?

We also haven’t seen what Arika, the developers of the Endless Ocean games, have been up to these days. I think it only makes perfect sense to use a new Endless Ocean to showcase the graphical capabilities of the Wii U, as well as some fun uses of the gamepad (as an underwater camera, most obviously).

There is a third, unknown game coming from the partnership between Sega and Nintendo. Rumors are that it could be a Sega and Mario racing game. While this could be very fun, it would be a dubious decision for Sega to make this on the heels of a Mario Kart, which will surely kill the excitement for many other arcade racers in the industry. This rumor seems very unlikely on its own.

Verdict: There will absolutely be an unexpected game of some sort. It could come in the form of an unprecedented 3rd party partnership, or from some developer we have failed to remember thus far. Expect some surprise or another at Nintendo Direct.