With E3 just around the corner, it is once again time for the Player 2 crew to get their crystal balls out of the attic and make some wildly inaccurate predictions as to what will appear at the world’s biggest games show. It is now Nintendo’s time to shine.
E3 2018 Predictions – Nintendo
Royce Wilson
Safe Bet
As apparently the only games reviewer on the planet who doesn’t own a Nintendo Switch, I haven’t been following the company’s games that closely so I’m really just guessing, but I’m confident we’ll see more stuff for the excellent Labo. I mean, for something that’s essentially cardboard, it’s surprisingly innovative and fun so they’d be very silly not to do more with it.
Fairly Likely
Mario something and a new Zelda game are possibilities because they’re two of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises and also something fans expect to see. I mean, you can’t go wrong with Mario or Zelda, right? It’s like predicting there’ll be a debate over Daylight Saving Time in Queensland when the clocks change in the southern states, after all.
Wishful Thinking
I know Nintendo’s thing is family-friendly, but it’d be pretty cool to see a “grown-up” game in development from them – I’m not suggesting some sort of dark, gritty reboot of Mario where he and Luigi hunt vampires and Elder Gods or something, but I’m not saying that wouldn’t necessarily make a stupid amount of money if Nintendo went down that road, either.
Stevie McDonald
Safe Bet
Super Smash Bros – more smash, hopefully a few less bros.
Fairly Likely
It’s very possible Nintendo may announce a revised Switch system to try and get on top of the recent, severe vulnerabilities exposed in the current tech.
Wishful Thinking
Do you reckon Nintendo could go a whole conference without saying the word ‘Mario’? I have nothing against the guy, but I think it would be funny to see them try.
Shaun Nichols
Safe Bet
Pokemon for sure. We already know that the next Pokemon game is being developed for the Switch and that it is expected late this year or early next year. Other than it will be a ‘main’ entry in the series rather than a spin-off we don’t know much. Expect all the details, and a few new Pokemon for good measure, to be unveiled to all.
Fairly Likely
Metroid Prime 4 was announced at last years E3 presentation and Nintendo has been radio silent ever since. With most of Nintendo’s other heavy hitters having already made the jump to the Switch, Metroid could be one of the big games to come out for year two of the Switch.
Wishful Thinking
Not since 2004 have we seen a new F-Zero game and with Nintendo’s well-known issues with bringing third-party games to its systems, maybe this is the time to revive the franchise of what was once a groundbreaking racing series, especially after the original was included on the SNES Mini last year. I want more Captain Falco.
Matt Hewson
Safe Bet
I think Metroid Prime will be a big focus for this year’s E3 Nintendo Direct. People what to know what Samus is up too and it is shaping to be a big release for Ninty later in the year. If they can recapture the magic of the original trilogy, well that is just another impressive feather in the Switch’s cap.
Fairly Likely
I think we will see some sort of Mario/Yoshi 2D platformer announced. There hasn’t been one for the Switch yet and that seems like a good enough reason for one to be announced. There actually has been surprisingly few 2D platformers and the ones that have been released have been released before (Donkey Kong, Rayman) so I think it is time for something fresh from the Italian plumber
Wishful Thinking
Unirally 2: The Flippening (or Uniracers depending where you are from). This sort of game would be PERFECT on the Switch so please make it happen Ninty… Please!
Hope Corrigan
Safe Bet
Smash Bros is fleshed out – Rabbids are introduced as new characters. We hear some more about Pokemon for Switch but if they haven’t shown us anything new before E3, I wouldn’t expect a big reveal for the show. They’ll save this for their own presentation at another time. They still click their fingers for every transition to do with The Switch.
Fairly Likely
We might hear some more about the new Metroid game teased at last year’s E3 but at best it’ll be a trailer. Animal Crossing will probably be announced for Switch as well as at least 3 new mobile games.
Wishful thinking
They’ve done it! Pokemon have been made real with some genetic modification and prototyping and they love me most of all. The developers descend on to the stage by use of a nearby mysterious Pokemon’s psychic powers and give everyone a Pokedex and some balls. “Capitalism is over” Mewtwo bellows into the hearts and minds of everyone watching “Go on your journey, be free!”
Or you know, Pokemon Snap on the Switch would be ok too I guess.
Stephen del Prado
Safe Bet
Smash will no doubt lead for Nintendo as it will no doubt help sell another boatload of Switch consoles. Metroid Prime 4 will get a proper reveal, alongside a Switch port of the Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Fairly Likely
Animal Crossing Switch is definitely a thing that I wouldn’t be surprised to see at E3. More Wii U ports to the Switch like Tokyo Mirage Sessions, The Wonderful 101, Project Zero, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and both Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD.
Wishful Thinking
A Majora’s Mask style Breath of the Wild remix would be a great way to blow my socks off this year Nintendo – make it happen.
Jenn Christodoulou
Safe Bet
Switch games Switch games Switch games, gimme gimme! The Switch is one of my favourite consoles in a very long time for a lot of reasons, and what I really want is more multiplayer games I can beat my brother at. With Smash Bros having been confirmed for showing this year, I’d love to see more of that.
Fairly Likely
Nintendo Labo stuff! With the new accessory only having recently come out, I’m not sure if we’ll be seeing new stuff so soon, but it would be an awesome chance to showcase what it actually is, what it does, and what sort of stuff we can expect to see next.
Wishful Thinking
Pokemon on the Nintendo Switch. Just, give me this, ok? Just make it and give it to all of us and watch the money roll in.
Paul James
Safe Bet
There’s almost no surer thing this E3 than Nintendo whipping out it’s giant Super Smash Bros, and swinging it about in peoples faces. Now, take a moment to get that image out of your head, and consider the possibilities. Character Reveals. New Modes. The Moment to Moment Gameplay. Smash Balls. This Nintendork is getting giddy just at the thought of it all. Bring on E3!
Fairly Likely
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee have been rumoured, leaked and frequently discussed through the last couple of weeks, so surely it’s the Pokemon game we’ll be playing on our Switch’s in 2018. Though obviously time filling until Gen 8 launches presumably in 2019, it does seem as though some cool features could still be coming via this spin-off. Hopefully, Nintendo pulls this ace out of their sleeve in a couple weeks
Wishful Thinking
I’ve had this dream for a long time that Retro Studios would take on the Kid Icarus IP and elevate it to superstardom, but that dream seems destined to remain just that, a dream. If a Kid Icarus game arrives in any shape or form I’ll be ecstatic, I feel it’s an IP with a tonne of untapped potential as an action action-adventure the Zelda ilk, but for now I wait.
James Swinbanks
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