Now that 2014 is behind us, we’re eagerly looking forward to the games that we’ll see released this year. Some of these in this list don’t have a confirmed release date yet, so it’s possible they could slip into 2016. That being said, we’re still excited to have them on the way and if they don’t make the 2015 release date, that means we’ll be getting a better product for a bit longer wait. So without further ado, here is Wii U Daily’s top ten upcoming games for the Wii U!
10. Mario Maker
We thought for sure when it debuted at E3 this year, Mario Maker would be on the list of holiday titles debuting in 2014. Sadly that wasn’t the case, as the release date for Mario Maker has slipped into 2015. That’s okay, though! If there’s anything that deserved a release period of hype all its own, it’s Mario Maker. One of the most popular activities of the early internet was hacking old Super Mario Bros. ROMs to create custom levels. Mario Maker takes this exact concept but makes it so that you can create your own levels using official tools instead of ROM hacks.
When the game was initially shown off at E3, the editor was pretty barebones. Since then the most recent Nintendo Direct in November highlighted some changes Nintendo has made to the game and it’s looking like one of the most polished games for creatives to enjoy. If you enjoyed creating your own puzzles in Pushmo & Crashmo, then Mario Maker will likely be right up your alley.
9. Yoshi’s Woolly World
Originally debuted at Yarn Yoshi during a January 2013 Nintendo Direct, Yoshi’s Woolly World takes the bright, yarn-inspired artwork of Kirby’s Epic Yarn and weaves its own tale starring Yoshi. The game features several of Yoshi’s signature moves, including his floaty jump, the ability to hatch eggs, and of course, his long tongue that can be used to snap up objects and create eggs.
We played the game during our E3 demo and found it very soothing, if lacking some challenge. We’re excited about the game because it’s very rare that tertiary characters to the Super Mario Bros. franchise see their own game. Hell, it took Luigi nearly eleven years to get a sequel to Luigi’s Mansion. The gameplay is colorful and lively and if it manages to be half as soothing to play as Epic Yarn, we’ll chalk it up as a success.
8. Devil’s Third
Devil’s Third was a huge surprise at last year’s E3, especially since it is now a Wii U exclusive. There was a lot of speculation about the game after the closure of THQ in 2012, especially considering the auction held for THQ’s holdings never mentioned the game. Many thought it was dead, but creative director Tomonobu Itagaki surprised everyone by announcing the Wii U exclusivity of the game.
Devil’s Third is one of the few mature titles that are headed to Wii U this year. Last year the well-received Bayonetta 2 received much attention and fanfare and we expect Devil’s Third will do the same, especially if the fighting sequences are as fluid as Itagaki’s previous games, including the Dead or Alive series. Either way, Devil’s Third is yet another title saved by Nintendo, so we expect fans will be excited once an actual release date is finally revealed.
7. Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter is an indie game developed by Heart Machine that reached its Wii U stretch goal for Kickstarter in the final days of funding. The title is due out this year and it’s a return to 2D action RPGs, featuring more modern mechanics. Its creator describes the game as one part A Link to the Past, mixed with Diablo style combat and loot upgrades. The combat is designed to be quick but fair and the main character will face increasingly hard challenges with end bosses similar to Dark Souls and Shovel Knight, in that they each have a specific moveset for players to learn to avoid.
The real masterpiece of the game is that it’s easy to pick up and play, but it will be difficult to master as the challenges you face become more difficult as you progress. Release date for the game is still not decided, but it’s coming to nearly every platform under the sun. If you loved Shovel Knight, you should have your eyes set on Hyper Light Drifter as a similar project to scratch that same itch.
6. Star Fox Wii U
A new Star Fox game for Wii U was another surprise from E3 2014, courtesy of Miyamoto himself. We’re super excited to see the direction the game will take, especially with the GamePad’s second screen. However, we would be remiss if we didn’t admit that it’s likely this title might slip into 2016. When you consider the lengthy time Nintendo has been working on other franchises, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Still, we’re happy just to know it’s being worked on and on the way, so if it doesn’t make a 2015 release we won’t be too unhappy.
5. Mighty No. 9
At the beginning of this year, developer Keiji Inafune released a short video wishing all of his Mighty No. 9 backers a Happy New Year and letting them know that the development phase of Mighty No. 9 is almost complete. As the team begins to focus on the marketing of the game, it looks like Mega Man fans will finally be getting a modern platformer from Inafune that he couldn’t make while he remained with Capcom.
4. Mario Party 10
Ain’t no party like a Mario Party ’cause it’s a party that don’t stop! Ahem. Mario Party 10 was another E3 surprise and while many expect Nintendo to continue pumping out Mario Party games the same way each successive generation gets a new Mario Kart, we can’t say we’re displeased. The series is one of the last few bastions of couch co-op in a world where multiplayer gaming means sitting down on your couch and getting yelled at by strangers thousands of miles away.
We’ll take getting dicked over by the RNG with friends over that, any day. If you haven’t had at least one friendship on the brink thanks to Mario Party, then you haven’t really partied at all.
3. Splatoon
Nintendo has a bit of a legacy problem. When it thinks outside of the box and comes up with new ideas, you get hardcore fans decrying new IPs and asking, “But where’s the next Zelda?! I want more Mario!” Yet, when the company releases those games, the gaming public in general seems to sigh and say, “enough Mario already, what’s new?” Well, Splatoon is new.
Splatoon was the surprise of E3 for me and seeing it being played solidified that opinion. It was the largest attraction at the Nintendo booth by far and all three days of E3 the lines were long enough that you had to stand at least an hour in order to wait and play the game. So what makes it so great? It’s not Nintendo’s first foray into online gaming, but it is the first that seems to revolve around it. Of course, Splatoon will have a single player component, but the game is 100% as if Nintendo looked at past arena-based shooters and how control of those maps work and went, “Let’s take this concept and add a visual component of control to the map.” Thus, Splatoon was born.
We’re not entirely sure if Splatoon will make a 2015 release date knowing the perfectionists at Nintendo, but it is certainly our third top pick for best upcoming game of 2015. We can’t wait to spread paint and dominate. Hey that rhymes!
2. Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenoblade Chronicles X was teased waaaaay back in the same Nintendo Direct that revealed Yarn Yoshi. We didn’t hear any news about it for almost a year and then in the first direct of 2014, we got our first glimpse of gameplay from the title. It’s a direct sequel to 2011’s Xenoblade Chronicles, which was one of the most under-appreciated games on the Wii. It’s a sprawling, open-world JRPG with unique fighting systems that we can’t wait to delve into.
1. The Legend of Zelda Wii U
This game was on everyone’s mind even before the Wii U hit store shelves in 2012. Despite the ups and downs and teases we’ve had so far, what series producer Eiji Aonuma has showcased so far has been phenomenal. The most recent look we got of the game happened at the Game Awards 2014 and it’s truly an open world Zelda game. That’s something that many people have been wanting for a very long time, so if it brings together some of the best dungeoneering combined with an open, explorable world similar to Skyrim and the like, tons of fans are going to have GOTY status in mind for the game.
So there you have it, folks! That’s our top ten list for 2015. Did we miss anything you’d add? Let us know in the comments!
