With Nintendo Direct rapidly approaching we can't help but look back - this will be the first Nintendo Direct in quite some time and since Satoru Iwata passed away. There was an undeniably sad moment, for this writer at least, when this week's presentation was announced and it dawned upon me how integral Iwata-san was to these videos. The concept itself can be credited to the former President, of course, and it's evolved to encompass game specials and more members of Nintendo's regional teams.
Nintendo Direct has evolved a great deal and quite possibly will continue to do so this week and into 2016. It seems like a good time, then, to look back at a handful of our favourite moments.
We've picked just five, so naturally encourage you to join in below within the comments section. We honour Iwata-san with some of his moments, of course, and are avoiding 'Nintendo Digital Event' segments as they're technically separate. That doesn't mean E3 is completely out of the picture though, as the Digital Event only began in 2014, with special Directs preceding them in 2012 and 2013. Though we've chosen Iwata-san as the focus in most cases, we've also picked some great sequences from the local Nintendo of America and Europe teams.
Our focus is on humour and charm, it's also worth noting, and not specific game announcements - so this isn't a list of "wasn't it amazing when they revealed this game", then.
So, let's get to it.
Non-Specific Action Figure
This was from the pre-E3 Nintendo Direct in 2012 - it was a presentation focused solely on the Wii U hardware. It introduced us to the GamePad in detail, Nintendo Network and, of course, Miiverse. In the skit below we see a player tackling a zombie game - announced the following day as ZombiU - and asking for help on Miiverse. Non-Specific Action Figure became all the rage, but amazingly is yet to get its own amiibo...
Super Luigi Bros. - Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto
From a 'Luigi Special' in February 2013, this segment promoted Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, with Miyamoto-san showing off his very own Poltergust. The exchange between both men, and their playful natures, is an absolute delight here.
Satoru Shibata as Ace Attorney
Back in August 2013 Nintendo of Europe brought the news many 3DS owners were waiting for - Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney was confirmed for an early 2014 release in the West. NoE President Satoru Shibata has had a few memorable moments such as his mystery Goomba appearing in many consecutive directs and showing off his karaoke skills. We've opted for his enthusiastic efforts announcing this game, though, in which he allowed a vat full of hair gel to be applied to his head.
Reggie Fils-Aime faces down his own Mii
Many of Reggie's greatest moments have actually come during E3, but we've picked out a very brief segment that provided us with a favourite article image of ours. The giant-headed Mii characters used by Nintendo of America have always been a bit creepy, but Reggie puts his bizarre doppelganger in its place with an emphatic arm-wrestle victory followed by an impeccably timed look to the camera.
April 2015
This is a purely sentimental - and personal for this writer - choice, as this was the last Nintendo Direct hosted by Satoru Iwata, with the former President only lending his voice to the 2015 E3 Digital Event. There's a moment at around 5:45 that sticks in the mind, in which Iwata-san does the famous 'Directly' gesture and clearly has fun doing so.
Finally, as an extra, we wanted to include this wonderfully iconic moment from E3 2012. It became a famous meme and was regularly shown in commemorations to Satoru Iwata - he will never be forgotten.
There are many, many more moments that have been terrific. There was the moon from Majora's Mask descending towards Satoru Iwata, mini Bill Trinen in a similarly mini Direct, while game-specific Directs - such as The Wonderful 101, Splatoon, Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. - have featured fantastic humour and cameos alike. Also, if you fancy going a bit retro we wrote about some of our favourite E3 moments back in late 2012.
In any case, share some of your favourite memories below - we're not short of choices.
Comments (40)
Miyamoto, Iwata and Reggie are so cute doing these. Nobody hated them. Nobody.
Im Going to miss Iwata. The directs wont be the same without him
I really do miss Iwata, but I don't understand why people are less excited for Nintendo Directs just because Iwata isn't in them anymore. They're just presentations showing off New games, and more content and information on other games. Plus, it's Nintendo, I'm sure they will find a way to still make it very enjoyable to watch. I'm tired of seeing comments like, "It won't be the same without Iwata" and "Nintendo shouldn't continue directs without Iwata" Iwata would have definitely wanted Nintendo to continue with Directs, and he would have wanted Nintendo to show off a new face.
Tomorrow, we'll probably have to listen to 40 minutes of Bill Trinen.
Now I miss Iwata all over again
Directs won't be the same without him. But the show must go on!
Does anyone know where I can watch the JAPANESE Directs? Nintendo deleted all of them that were presented by Iwata.
The smashbros announcer narrating one, the joke that ZSS wouldn't be in the game, Majora's Mask being shown right off the bat. Those are some other good moments.
So glad Directs are continuing! They won't be the same without Iwata but he'd no doubt want them to continue. I'm honestly more happy just to see them continuing his legacy than at the prospect of new info.
Nintendo can do some awesome videos when they want. I'm glad to see Shibata get a mention in this article since he's not as known as Reggie, but still has his moments.
Directs will feel different without Iwata, but I'm optimistic that Nintendo can still create very entertaining videos.
What about that time Reggie fired Bill? Someone on YouTube called MasterEnex turned it into a Fire Emblem death sequence.
Its like fate wasn't so kind to Satoru Iwata......I still miss him.....if only there was a time machine to save the ones back in time.....
Hope you are ready to add a new one to this list, an Iwata tribute for tomorrow!
What I remember about non-specific action figure is that he fit in the Wii U's plans as well as the video conferencing highlighted in that video. A guy calling his grandfather to video chat, great idea! Never seen again. We've had our Wii U for over 2 years and still haven't used it.
Iwata will be missed though. I wonder if anyone will actually say "Directly to you" while doing the hand gesture tomorrow? That might be weird. Hopefully there will be goofing off and the entirety of it isn't overwhelmed by Iwata passing. 24 1/2 hours to go.
So many fantastic moments to choose from. Mewtwo being revealed in a Smash Direct hosted by the announcer, the Fighter Ballot and Lucas in the April 1st Direct, the January 2013 Direct in general, the self-parodying Wonderful 101 Direct, Iwata holding bananas, Bill in the elevator, etc.
Let's not forget the "WTF am I watching" Tomodachi Life Direct.
I can already tell that I'm going to expect Iwata to present the direct tomorrow. He will be missed, but I' sure the direct can still be good. And here's to many more great moments!
I personally just loved how random and layed back the Direct where. When it comes to Sony, Microsoft and other publishers doing events, it's all business, and mostly for the press. Where as Nintendo cared more about the fun side and talking directly to the people who would be playing the games they made. I just hope Iwata's passing doesn't also mean the directs will lose what made them special (though Iwata was a big part of that).
I hope that despite Iwata no longer being with us, Nintendo doesn't lose their taste for awkward, cheesy, engrish-slathered, borderline dadaist humor. It's so sorely needed in today's numbers-and-statistics dominated industry.
I loved non specific action figure. Was hoping for more of it
Most of my favourite Directs were usually the game focused ones like Splatoon, Tomodachi Life and the 50-Fact Extravaganza for Smash, but the regular ones had some enjoyable moments like tiny Bill and the ones listed above.
It's so bittersweet to see Iwata in his last Direct. He really seemed a bit ill and thin compared to other Directs. I miss him so much, I will never forget his E3 2005 entrance: "Who's your daddy?" to Reggie.
My favorite Nintendo Direct moment wasn't planned by Nintendo. This first time we were introduced to the Squid Sisters in the Splatoon Direct, Nintendo Twitter and NeoGAF exploded! There still isn't anything like it for a shooter.
I love Iwata, and it still is so sad to think of his sudden passing. That last Direct from April is tough to watch just knowing it was his last.
That said, I am very excited to see a new Direct, finally. My expectations are tempered, but glad because it kind of lifts the lid off the fear of if they would ever do one again. Hopefully, we won't have so many months between them again.
Aw man Shibata is brilliant. He seems to deliver every word in a way that's comically serious. Him with the spiky Phoenix Wright hair just sticks in my mind.
@abbyhitter
Bill's cool though
@abbyhitter
Bill's cool though
Gotta Love Shibata you can tell he has fun doing directs, Also I'm sad about Iwata all over again.
Bill's coolt hough
@abbyhitter 100% spot on. Definitely going to be Trinen.
@ThomasBW84 Minecraft Wii U Edition was just rated by PEGI.
http://www.pegi.info/en/index/global_id/505/?searchString=&agecategories=&genre=&organisations=&platforms=NWU&countries=&submit=Search#searchresults
I just hope that the new president has a goofy side of his own if he plans to appear in any of the Nintendo Directs because that is part of their charm and is a reminder as to why we love Nintendo. Few companies are so willing to show their playful side in an industry as cutthroat as this one. The Luigi themed Direct stands out as a personal favorite of mine!
Non-Specific Action Figure?
Are you damn kidding me? that was so dumb, humorless and childish that it was cringing to watch.
And it was "the rage"? what planet do you live on again?
Iwata does look like his suit is hanging off him in that last one. Rest in Peace Iwata.
Never Forget
@abbyhitter its actually the NOE prez doing the direct.
One of my favourites is easily the fight between Reggie and Iwata, where they announced the Mii Fighters for Smash. I know it was more like a trailer, but it was still awesome. I also loved last E3's muppets, even though I know why Iwata wasn't in it in person.
It won't be the same without Iwata-san, but I'm still excited to see what they've got in store for us. We'll see!
@rjejr I don't know if just one person can take over the 'directly gesture' whilst making it his own, but I know that if Reggie, Shibata, Miyamoto (& maybe others) will be standing together at the end of the direct, doing the gesture, it will be a pretty damn emotional moment.
I'm glad you included the Shibata Phoenix Wright one, that was my favourite for sure. For someone who is supposed to host the European directs we only see Shibata about twice a year, but I'm still glad whenever he hosts. He always seems kinda nervous but really excited about every game he announces, even games that are clearly not that good.
I've never understood why reggie doesn't do the USA directs but Bill does instead?
@JtotheY Well, if a group of people do it together, then it's an obvious tribute, like a 21 gun salute memorial service. They coudl even start it by showing an assortmnt of Nintnod employess - form th email room clerk to devleopers to sales peopel - all doing it - and that would be a nice gesture of a tribute.
But that's not the same as 1 person doing it to do it. Nobody should do it. Especially not Reggie. Maybe Miyamoto, or the new President I suppose, just not Reggie. He already has "my body is ready" and the Regginator, he doens't need to walk on Iwata's grave.
I've used the Wii U chat quite a bit, although usually for chatting with friends while playing other consoles and PC. Great videos, I remember watching these over the years and being beyond hyped about the Wii U and 3DS. Both have been great consoles and provided a lot of great games for my family and me. It's sad that Iwata won't be a part of these anymore but they are a good tradition and should continue. Iwata has done great things for Nintendo.
Tap here to load 40 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...