Screenshot 2014 04 19 at 17. 26. 52

Nintendo sure knows how to play with our expectations. After a month had passed from its February Direct broadcast we were left guessing on when the next would come along, and logical predictions passed without any results. We waited and wondered what was happening while Nintendo maintained its silence, coaxing us along with the occasional tasty morsel while holding off the main course.

Yet then, a couple of weeks ago, it surprised us all. The Super Smash Bros. Direct was a surprise due to its surprisingly long run in; we were given a whole weekend and more to prepare as opposed to the customary 24 hours. Just as that was digesting Nintendo then surprised us with another focused Direct uploaded to YouTube, in this case confirming the release date of Tomodachi Life and showing the game in action. Two Direct videos separated by less than 48 hours.

What was interesting was the decision to go with presentations focused exclusively on specific games, rather than the usual bombardment of details on multiple games. The Super Smash Bros. Direct was hosted exclusively by Masahiro Sakurai, and to his credit its 39 minute run time felt in no way excessive. There was much we didn't know about the 3DS and Wii U titles — though some mysteries remain — but we had release windows and an impressive amount of detail not just on new characters, but on modes, online features and more.

As for Tomodachi Life, it did employ a wider cast depending on your region, though much of the footage and script were the same. There were some filmed sequences with Bill Trinen (Nintendo of America) and Satoru Shibata (Nintendo of Europe) and, on the whole, the writing and production style absolutely made that Direct a winner. It was a little over ten minutes of absolute madness, and certainly seemed to prompt an excitable reaction in the Nintendo Life community, with plenty suddenly interested in what had been a quirky and distant game in Japan.

Sakurai Direct

With the dust settled we're now back to looking ahead and wondering what Nintendo's next Direct moves will be. With E3 2014 getting surprisingly close, we suspect any new games will be held off until then, and we still don't definitively know whether Nintendo will return to the live stage in L.A. or serve up another Direct instead; we strongly suspect the former, but until it's dated and confirmed let's wait and see. There's much we still don't know, for example, about Mario Kart 8 ahead of its 30th May release.

The May and June line-up is looking relatively full for 3DS and Wii U — MK8 is it for Wii U, yes, but as it hits at the end of May it'll likely be it from Nintendo on the home console until July. We also know that E3 will supposedly have an NFC (near field communication) and GamePad focus, and we can assume some big news and hyped games — the new Wii U Zelda springs to mind — will be shown; rumours will be everywhere until it happens. We imagine there'll be at least one Nintendo Direct pre-E3, but will it be all about Mario Kart 8, or will it give much needed updates on the various Wii U projects that desperately need details and release windows? It all depends how much Nintendo has up its sleeves, so if we have a multi-game Direct in May that suggests there's a lot going on, whereas if we don't then E3 may give us firmer news on projects such as Monolith Soft's X, Bayonetta 2, Hyrule Warriors and Yarn Yoshi, to name just a few.

We're curious, however, do you prefer Direct presentations that bombard us with info on over a dozen games, dashing from one to another, or those that we've had recently that focus in on specific titles? Would you rather have regular game-specific videos dropped right onto YouTube or live streams that we can all enjoy together? What do you want Nintendo to do at E3?

Let us know your preferences in the polls below, while the comments are a good place for us to chew over what we expect and hope to see from Nintendo Direct broadcasts in the coming weeks and months.

Do you prefer a Nintendo Direct focused on one game or a wide variety? (530 votes)

  1. I much prefer the blow-outs covering loads of games24%
  2. It depends, but I just about prefer multi-game presentations39%
  3. Bah! I can't decide!11%
  4. I much prefer those focused on single games7%
  5. I like both, but in a tight spot would choose the detail of a single game broadcast18%
  6. Neither, because I don't like Nintendo Direct  0.4%

Please login to vote in this poll.

Are you a bigger fan of live streams or pre-recorded YouTube presentations? (506 votes)

  1. Live every time, because we can all enjoy the reveals together34%
  2. I slightly prefer live streams17%
  3. I like both equally25%
  4. I prefer pre-recorded videos15%
  5. I slightly prefer those uploaded straight to YouTube9%
  6. Neither, again, because I don't like Nintendo Direct  0.6%

Please login to vote in this poll.

Do you want a new Direct every couple of weeks, or would you prefer a longer gap? (512 votes)

  1. A mix of small and big presentations every couple of weeks would be awesome25%
  2. Once every month is fine, as they'll be less exciting if they're too regular54%
  3. I think Nintendo Direct videos should be less regular, every 6-8 weeks18%
  4. We should only have one or two broadcasts a year2%
  5. Nintendo Direct should be scrapped  1%

Please login to vote in this poll.

Do you want Nintendo to return to the stage at E3 or release a special Nintendo Direct? (510 votes)

  1. Both, just like in 201251%
  2. Just a stage show, reserving all the big reveals for that presentation35%
  3. Stick with a Nintendo Direct again9%
  4. I can't decide3%
  5. I'm not bothered about E3, so I don't care3%

Please login to vote in this poll.