Wii U is Doomed? 70+ Upcoming Wii U Games We\’re Excited For

by Menashe

Read this first: There are actually 114 games in this article, but the 70+ in the title refers to the Wii U Games that are pretty much confirmed and we are most excited for. Those can be found in section 2. However, we also take a look at rumored games and games we still know too little about to discuss in the following sections. The title of this article may seem like it’s some kind of Nintendo fan justification for the Wii U’s lack of games meant to bolster one side of the \”Wii U-doomed\” argument, but that was just the attention grabber. The real purpose of this article is just for the discussion among Wii U owners of upcoming games that seem promising. The purpose is not to read the headline and skim through the list. I put in time writing and researching each game, and reached out to a ton of developers for this article to get exclusive info that would make for an enjoyable read and instigate positive discussion about their upcoming projects. I especially want to thank the 13 developers who sent in exclusive quotes or info specifically for this feature. Namely: Renegade Kid, Shin\’en, Wayforward Technologies, Two Tribes, Pwnee, Maestro Interactive, VBlank, FrozenByte, Qubic Games, Lacuna Entertainment, Zen Studios, Fuzzy Wuzzy Games, and WaterMelon Corp.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Games We\’re Excited For (75 Games)

3. Confirmed But Still Completely Under Wraps (6 Games)

4. Rumored but Not Confirmed (9 Games)

5. Up for Consideration / Possibilities (19 Games)

6. Everything Else

1. Introduction

If your taste in games only allows you to appreciate first person shooters and hardcore action games you\’ve come to the wrong place. Taking a look at this list you\’ll realize that the Wii U will have a healthy, well-rounded library of games giving you a wide variety of genres and styles. Of course you\’ll get the massive first-party Nintendo games but they will be interspersed with mature third-party ports and exclusives, experimental indie titles, family-oriented casual games, and wild, multiplayer, party games.

Gamers who crave a diverse pallete throughout the year will be quite pleased. The Wii U’s upcoming library covers a lot of different bases and that’s where its strengths, and even its weaknesses lie. If you want a console that focuses purely on graphics and slaughtering enemies, you\’ll be getting the short-end of the stick frequently (although, not always e.g. Bayonetta 2). But if your tastes in gaming allow for a more diverse cuisine, then this smorgasbord will offer a broad selection that isn\’t available on any other platform. If you want a sample of the menu over the next year or so, we\’ve gathered the games we\’re most excited for in this list.

2. Games We\’re Excited For

New 3D Mario Game from the Galaxy team

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Nintendo’s EAD is probably the best development house in the world. Of course, it houses Miyamoto’s most personal projects, which include such obscure games as Mario and Zelda. Did you know there are actually four Mario teams at EAD? Two teams have been working on the New Super Mario Bros series and another two worked on the Super Mario Galaxy series. TDG No. 1 (as they are called internally at EAD) made Super Mario Galaxy and TDG No. 2 worked on Super Mario Galaxy 2. When they finished with Galaxy 2, TDG No. 2 began work on Super Mario 3D Land. So, what have TDG No. 1 been up to since they finished Super Mario Galaxy in 2007? They\’ve been working for nearly six years on the next true 3D Mario sequel for the Wii U!

Expect it to be a huge game, both in magnitude and conceptually. We have no doubt that the game will be a platformer that innovates with the Wii U’s unique hardware and EAD will also push the graphical boundaries of the Wii U to their limits as they\’ve done in the past on the Wii. Stay tuned for Nintendo’s presentation at E3 to get a better picture of what’s in store.

Mario Kart Wii U

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Mario Kart games are handled by EAD’s Hiddeki Konno and his SDG No. 1 team. At the past Nintendo Direct we were told Mario Kart would be playable by this upcoming E3. That means the game will probably be ready for release by the holiday season However, many of us are worried that the Mario Kart formula is becoming too stale. I think Nintendo has felt those vibes around the internet and will make sure to freshen up the series for the upcoming title. One thing is certain, Mario Kart on Wii U will emphasize all of the Nintendo Network features, from Miiverse to Online Leaderboards.

Bayonetta 2

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Here’s what the director of the sequel had to say to fans upon the announcement of the Bayonetta 2:

I’m Yusuke Hashimoto, director of Bayonetta 2. It has been three years since Bayonetta. I’m incredibly happy to be able to announce that we are working on a sequel. Alongside Bayonetta’s creator, Hideki Kamiya, I’m working on everything from creating a compelling world to character designs (I will be designing the enemies again), and everyone on our talented team is united around the core of Bayonetta, incredible action, in an effort to push the series forward. From empowering our heroine with awesome new moves to introducing new characters (which you may have noticed in the teaser trailer), Bayonetta will further expand on the mythology of the Trinity of Realities – Inferno, Paradiso, and our human world. I can’t wait to take the journey with you.Yusuke Hashimoto

Director, Bayonetta 2

Game & Wario

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

This one is actually very similar to NintendoLand, the major difference being that the WarioWare team is making it. Meaning, expect it to be much much weirder and more bizarre. Also, there will probably be more mini-games than in NintendoLand but they won\’t be quite as long and deep as the NintendoLand mini-games. As an example, one mini-game has you pulling back an arrow with Wario’s nose attached to it on the GamePad and letting it launch on to the screen where you attempt to kill these mini Wario creatures. The gameplay is similar to Angry Birds in 3D. The little Wario creatures advance towards you and if they get close enough they jump onto your GamePad where you have to stomp them with your finger to crush them. At the end of the mini-game there is a boss fight. If you enjoyed NintendoLand you\’ll probably enjoy Game & Wario.

Lego City Undercover

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

A sandbox-style, action game taking place in the vast Lego City, players play as an undercover cop named Chase McCain as he goes on the hunt for criminals. Chase has various moves at his disposal, such as swinging across poles and performing wall jumps. He can also gain disguises that give him additional abilities, such as a robber disguise that lets him break locks. Chase can also pilot vehicles such as cars and helicopters and use loose bricks to build various objects. The Wii U GamePad also has various uses, such as a scanner to locate criminals.Gameplay borrows many elements from the Grand Theft Auto series, however is role-reversed with the player taking on the role of a police officer enforcing the law, rather than a criminal committing crime. The game is actually the first one ever announced for the Wii U and it’s been in development for a very long time.

Monolith Soft’s X

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Xenogear-like mechs, a massive Xenoblade-like world, and stunning graphics, makes this one of our most anticipated games on the Wii U. Acquiring Monolith Soft has been one of the best moves Nintendo has made, second only to acquiring Retro Studios. This time there will also be an online component so this may be console gaming’s first major MMORPG in a sense.

Pikmin 3

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

What’s so important about this new Pikmin game is that it will finally allow Miyamoto to realize his full vision for the Pikmin franchise. Pikmin has always been an attempt at making a strategy game fit to a console. The problem in the past has always been a lack of a mouse to select units. To get around that Nintendo cleverly made a system where you control a single unit, Captain Olimar, and the 100 Pikmin follow him around, allowing themselves to be maneuvered and tossed where you want them to be used. But now with the Wii U GamePada and the stronger technology, the game can handle PC strategy elements a lot better. Because of this, the entire game will change. Instead of managing just one part of the map at a time, you will break your party up into four teams and micro-manage the whole scene. The strategy will get much more hectic and challenging. Another thing is that because of the superior graphical capabilities of the Wii U over previous Nintendo consoles, the entire map will have an entirely different level of detail and depth. So, if you want to see the nature, scenery, and creatures up close and personal, you\’ll be able to do that.

Super Smash Bros Wii U

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Everything We Know About Super Smash Bros Wii U / 3DS You can read all about it in my in-depth analysis:

The Wonderful 101

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Hideki Kamiya is really bringing his best to Wii U. Besides for Bayonetta 2, Platinum Games is also working on The Wonderful 101, a new IP which reminds us of Pikmin mixed with Freedom Force. gameplay revolves around the player controlling a large group of superheroes to fight off an alien invasion threatening the city. By using the GamePad, players can command the superheroes to combine into various forms, such as a large fist, a giant sword or a protective gelatinous flan. These forms can be used to fight off enemies or interact with the environment. The GamePad can also be used to see areas unviewable on the main screen. So far the production values look great, with lots of stylized cutscenes and superhero \”moments\”. There’s even a bit of a Viewtiful Joe vibe that I\’m getting, which makes sense seeing as Kamiya also created Viewtiful Joe.

Rayman Legends

Exclusive? Not anymore

Synopsis: Even though it’s been delayed until September and now going multi-platform, there is still a lot to be excited about for the Wii U version. The main difference is obviously the gamepad screen, as levels that focus on guiding characters with Murphy will have to be tweaked to work with regular controllers, and who knows how much they will change. Another feature that will be lost in translation is the 5 player co-op mode.Ignore the fact it’s delayed and that it’s not an exclusive anymore. Rayman Legends is the sequel to the criminally overlooked Origins and it would be a shame after all the support Ubisoft is giving to the Wii U that we don\’t support them back. And heck, even without altruism, we want to play the game purely for our own enjoyment.

Wii Fit U

Exclusive? Yes

Synopsis:

Why would we be excited for Wii Fit U? Because the possibilities of using both the GamePad and the Balance Board in conjunction has piqued our interest. What kinds of new exercise and yoga \”games\” will this lead to? Plus, you can now do exercise away from the TV using just the GamePad. Lastly, there is a new device to be included with the game called the \”Fit Meter.\” It’s essentially a pedometer and it will monitor you as you engage in exercises like jogging, outside of your home. At the end of the day you can sync it up with your GamePad, uploading your stats for the day. Combining workouts inside and outside of the home, this exercise program just got a whole lot more robust!

I usually like to keep long articles to as few pages as necessary so readers won\’t have to click, but being over 13,000 words and having a metric ton of screenshots, our servers wouldn\’t be able to handle this feature without splitting it up into separate pages.