Feature: The Biggest Wii U Games of 2016

I need more games... I NEED MORE GAMES!
quietly retreats to Mira

Still haven't decided how I feel about the new FE game. I would love another FE game on home console instead of portable console, but the trailers make it not look like a FE game....time will tell.

Easily Twilight Princess HD as I'll finally get to play Twilight Princess with left handed Link and the original vision of the map (matches up with Ocarina of Time). Zelda U suffers from knowing virtually nothing about the game and the potential of being a severely inferior version with the NX rumours.

Zelda U is easily my most anticipated Wii U game, but I'm also looking forward to Star Fox Zero. I'm not hyped for Pokken Tournament, but I'll likely pick it up and enjoy it.

Zzz

Zelda x2!

Lineup is great for me. I've never played TP, StarFox is looking to be more of the version I want....although I'm still hopeful for multi player dogfights and then a new epic Zelda and the intrigue that is FE x SMT. Not to mention SteamWorld Heist in HD and hopefully EarthLock as the 2 main eShop releases I'll be getting. If I get 2 of the 4 retail releases I'm probably having a good gaming year for the time I can devote too it.

God, that's a disappointing list so far. There's only a couple of games worth getting genuinely excited about on that list and then a few more that are hopefully decent enough to get a few hours fun out of. Hardly mind blowing stuff. But, I guess it basically sums up the Wii U on the whole pretty perfectly.

• Zelda U - I just hope there aren't any deers in this game. I am very afraid of deers and their inclusion could make me drop the game in its entirety **sucks on thumb at the mere thought of a deer in Hyrule**
• Star Fox Zero - I've never liked Star Fox. I wanna be perfectly honest here. Never liked it. But I'll pick it up nonetheless.
• Pokken Tournament - Looking forward to it!
• Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem - Might not exactly be a true Persona game but I consider a nice appetizer until Persona 5 comes out.
• Twilight Princess HD - not quite my favorite Zelda but I'll still pick it up - and not just because of the amiibo!
• Lego Marvel's Avengers - nope
• Mario & Sonic - skipped the last two installment because the series has become kinda stale. But looking at this roster, I just can't say no as the small roster in a crossover like this has always been too small for my tastes.
• Project Guard / Giant Robo - not exactly interested in those two projects but who knows, maybe Miyamoto has made something usefull with those two concepts. Like Guard would make for a great multiplayer game I'd say.
• SteamWorld Heist - never played a single game from that series so I don't know
• Shantae Half-Genie Hero - YES!

@GoldenGamer88 Why is having deers in Hyrule a bad thing?

Only 3 games on this list even interest me (Zelda x2 and Pokken), they really need some new announcements.

@Dakt I'm not worried about the singing part. They most likely will just leave the Japanese vocals in for that like they did for Stella Glow.

Really looking forward to Zelda, although if it does get a dual NX release, I imagine most of us will get it on that, like we got Twilight Princess on Wii. Even if most Nintendo fans are still desperately saying they want the Wii U to keep going, it's clear they'll do a 180 once the announcement comes, like they do for everything once Nintendo announce it.

Genei Ibun Roku is another I'm very excited about, and I'll pick Twilight Princess up if they confirm you can play it unflipped. Probably digitally if the amiibo pack is the only physical release it gets. Star Fox? Love the series but nothing I've seen of it excites me much for now. It looks like yet another soft reboot of the series so they can make the same again.

No interest in Pokken or another Olympics game. I do wonder what sort of releases we'll get this year. Probably games where they can rip most of the code from something already released. At least the 3DS and PS4 have fantastic line ups announced.

@Kirk Afraid of them for pretty much my whole life. PS: Ironically, Sawsbuck is one of my favorite Pokémon.

@Spoony_Tech But SMTxFE is there, directly below Pokken Tournament. Also, it's already been confirmed to come to the west. Let's hope for as little censors as possible.

Looks like a lineup of a system winding down. That's way, way too thin.

Looking forward to:
-Zelda (both)
-Starfox Zero
-Project Guard (thought that it could be fun. Giant Robot didn't look so hot to me, though.)
-Half-Genie Hero
Not too sure about Pokken, since...well...I suck at fighting games. Smash is literally the only fighting game that I'm good at.

3 games that I'm interested in. Zelda U is the big thing, Star Fox will be cool, and Pokken Tournament could be good even if it lacks fundamental game modes.

@Peach64 If it is dual release then it'll be best to pick up the Wii U version even if getting the NX version because 2 reasons:

• GC version of Twilight Princess is better than the Wii version
• GC version of Twilight Princess is very expensive so a great money supply

Could have titled this - Zelda U, Starfox, Pokken, and the rest of 2016 as there is a big drop-off after that for mass market appeal. GIR#FE isn't going to sell all that well and TP HD is just barely HD. And Hyrule is a totally barren wasteland after even just 10 hours on Mira. It could sell 10 million copies but it won't sell hardly any Wii U so soon after the holdiays. Though we still don't know all that much about it, they changed up WW HD enough to get me interested. And I'm wondering if they put both versions of TP in the game - Gamecube and Wii - so everybody who has played it on either system has a reason to buy it, to play it the other way. It doesn't need to be 2 full versions of the game, just a choice in control schemes. The amiibo is tempting, but after Activision went and sold DK and Bowser separatly right after we purchased both the Wii and WiiU versions of Superchargers we might hold off and take a wait and see approach.

The list really does make NX look ever more likely this year for the holidays. And Zelda U really needs to be shown a lot more, and get a name, and get a date. But with only maybe 14 million Wii U sold by the end of 2016 it's worth angering Wii U owners to port it to NX, which should sell more than that in 2 years. Maybe only 1 year if Nintendo markets it correctly. Wii U was a sales failure, time to move on.

Easily Star Fox Zero.
I'm also very hyped for Zelda U, but there's not much info about the game to get me excited just yet. Maybe if we get a name and a trailer showing dungeons and such (which we should get this year).

@GoldenGamer88 I must have scrolled right past it. Thanks for the heads up.

I knew Nintendo was wasting their time on stupid Lego games.

Your poll shows that the one game with the highest vote is the one game that we are not going to get for the Wii U. Twilight Princess (with its £40 price tag and £15 Amiibo) is a poor substitute filler. The new Zelda will be an NX game and maybe will have a lesser Wii U version at the same time.

I don't play Pokémon games or the low scoreing Mario and Sonic Olympic games. And 3ds games ported to the Wii U to pay and play again is scraping the barrel as far as trying to hype up the game content of the Wii U for 2016.

So the Wii U is a dead console walking and will be fine to play old games on and unless Nintendo sell Twilight Princess at a budget price and not the price of a new game there is nothing much new for the Wii U.

But that's not so bad. There is enough coming to the 3ds to keep Nintendo gaming alive until the NX. If the launch games for the NX are poor and Zelda is the BIG launch game then NX will struggle. No one is going to buy the hardware over the software.

A brand new Mario game (Super Mario 64 style) will sell the NX. Zelda won't.

Zelda U is easily my most-anticipated.

I'm also looking forward to Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, although from what I've seen it doesn't look as appealing as the 2nd or 3rd games. Finally, Twilight Princess HD can't be bad, and has the potential to be excellent depending on how much they actually improve it (I'm afraid I do think it could do with much better graphics).

Nintendo needs more game developers STAT ! What is Retro Studios working on? Whatever it is, I want that and Zelda. I'll eventually get Heist HD too.

Zelda wii u takes the vote but it's unlikely to see the light of day on wii u so that's the reason I gone for pokken tournement, twilight princess another on my list but I can't help feeling now that the wii u is saying goodbye even though sales over Xmas in Japan are encouraging but it has the wrong games for Europe and America.

I'm waiting for Terraria, my highlight this year

I live in hope that Metroid Prime 4 will be announced for this year on Wii U. Happy 30th Samus

I can't believe i'm saying this,but i want the portable version of the latest lego game.I know it sounds stupid when you look back at how mediocre previous lego 3ds/vita ports have been,and don't worry i'm getting the ps vita version,so at least the audio is crisp,but from what i read the 3Ds version will infact be open world,and i really loved lego marvel's open world,so it will be great to have it on the go.

I'm all about pikmin 4.......

Not a bad list for a soon to be unsupported console. Zelda Wii U sounds awesome, I just hope they don't change up the formula too much. Zelda is Zelda, it doesn't need to be anything else. Star Fox is a must buy

The Legend of Zelda: ALL ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN!

Star Fox Zero: Not a fan of Star Fox, so I probably won't buy it.

Pokken Tournament: Looks pretty cool and I enjoy the Tekken games, so I will probably buy it.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE: Haha, give me a break. -_-

Twilight Princess HD: Doesn't have enough new features/doesn't look different enough from the original to justify buying it. That Wolf Link amiibo looks pretty cool, though.

LEGO Marvel's Avengers: I LOVE Marvel, especially the MCU, so I will probably buy this somewhere down the line.

Mario and Sonic: I've given up on this series.

Project Guard/Giant Robot: I might get it if it's free.

SteamWorld Heist/Shantae: Not interested.

This lineup is looking very disappointing.

Also, my most anticipated game of the year is Final Fantasy 15, closely followed by Yooka-Laylee but I have my doubts those two will be released this year.

Lol! So many people vote for Zelda.

That new FE looks retarded imho. But they didn't include on the list one of my most anticipated games of the past 5 years that is likely to come out this year: HYPER LIGHT DRIFTER!!!

Two Zeldas and Zero. Maybe Pokken, too.

@NintyMan That's right! Where the heck is Yooka-Laylee!?

@zool
"the one game with the highest vote is the one game that we are not going to get for the Wii U"

We'll get the new Zelda for Wii U. No if's, ands or buts about it. Ya, it's almost certainly going to be a dual release so they can sell as an NX launch title as well, but we'll get it on Wii U all the same.

"So the Wii U is a dead console walking"

This is routine stuff, every 5-6 years. Unlike rival platforms, Nintendo makes a clean break every generation, so there's always that lull in the final year before the new hardware releases. But I will commend Nintendo for an exceptional Wii U lineup this coming year- usually we get zilch... one game at best. But it looks like they've learned from that and have taken measures to ensure we have some new games to play in the home stretch.

The poll should have been "What's your most anticipated Wii U game of 2016 other than Zelda?"

Very eagerly anticipating any news on the new Zelda. In the meantime, TP is one of my favorite all-time games, and Star Fox 0 looks like it will be a blast to play. Wii U is going out with a bang for me.

Yall know Pikmin 4 was announced right?

Why is the most anticipated game of 2016 even up for debate? We all know who the clear winner is.

@GoldenGamer88

Deer is already plural. But aside from that, I kinda doubt Deer will be in the game. Unless you can hunt them...

@Dakt What do you mean they didn't get it done right?

I'm definitely getting TP HD, Pokken and Zelda U on release day.

Well, 2016 is boiling down to:

StarFox Zero
Zelda Twilight Princess HD
Pokken Tournament
SMT X Fire Emblem
Zelda U

That's 5 rock-solid games for the final year. Not bad considering that's just as many as we got in 2015. I'm absolutely stoked for StarFox Zero and SMT X Fire Emblem! Twilight Princess too, but I've already beaten that game, and until we know more about Zelda U it's hard to get hyped for it just yet. And Pokken Tournament looks great, but I'm not over the top for it or anything. We'll see how good it is when I get it.

What's got me excited for 2016 though, is the fact Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright releases in like 6 weeks, which should give me enough time to finish playing Xenoblade X (already beat the game but nowhere near done playing). And as soon as I beat that game, it's on to Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest! And after that, it's on to Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation! 3 Fire Emblems back to back to back! With StarFox Zero waiting in the Wii U disc tray for as soon as I finish

The Legend of Zelda for Wii U - From what's been said about this game, it appears it's direction will be akin to the original Legend of Zelda and/or open world styled games like Skyrim... so I'm going to pass on this entry. None of what's been said about it's direction pleases me.

Star Fox Zero - My primary reason for wanting this game is it's usage of the Wii U gamepad... and it also looks pretty fun in my opinion.

Pokkén Tournament - I like fighting games, and I like Pokémon, so this is naturally an appealing combination to me.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE - This is my most anticipated game of 2016, and not just out of the Wii U titles, but out of all games coming out in 2016. It's a large, retail turn based RPG filled with vibrant graphics and catchy sounds!

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD - I wasn't a fan of Twilight Princess before, and nothing this HD remake has shown entices me to get this game again.

LEGO Marvel's Avengers - Wait, this doesn't include all of the phase 1 and phase 2 Avenger films? I think I'll certainly pass on this then, though to be fair, I'm not a huge fan of the Lego games (Lego City Undercover is a bit of an exception).

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games - I think I'll pass on this game. If I want a mini-game based Wii U game, I think I'll simply continue my hunt to find a copy of Game & Wario.

Project Guard / Project Giant Robot - Due to having so much fun with tower defence games such as The Lost Town and Dillon's Rolling Western, I'm particularly interested in Project Guard. I'm not too interested in Project Giant Robot though, at least as a standalone release (be it as a small eShop title or bigger retail release).

SteamWorld Heist - Whilst it looks nice, it is still an SRPG, so I'll pass on this game.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - I really enjoyed playing through Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, which leads me to look forward to this next game. I'm pleased to see that the graphics have taken a huge leap in improvement, it's got a much nicer style to it than Pirate's Curse.

@GoldenGamer88

FF XV for me too! I am so freaking pumped for the amazing Open World RPG lineup this year. Look up trailers for Horizon: zero dawn, looks fantastic.

FFXV is gonna be the system seller for me. I still haven't bought the PS4 cause I've been waiting for a LE FFXV edition to be announced. An LE FF VII remake edition would be welcome too...

Looking forward all these games really .

@JaxonH that would depend on how long the home stretch is and how much you want to play Pokemon, Olympics and the old Twilight.

Hoping for a better Kirby game for wiiu for its anniversary and Pokemon Amiibo cards. But right now I'm super hyped for Zelda U and Star Fox.

@Kirk what are you talking about!?! What do you want like!?!

@Grumblevolcano my thoughts exactly! Jonestly, I think I'm one of the few people that liked TP on the Wii with the waggle controls, but it always felt wrong Link not being left handed. Now, Link is back to his usual self!

Yeah I think if the project games exist they'll be released in the summer as $15 eshop titles.

@J-Manix98 Okay then, didn't know that. Well, we already got wild horses and goats roaming Hyrule. I don't know, I've watched a Gamexplain analysis of a Zelda U trailer some time ago and Andre pointed out that something in the distance looked like a deer. Good god, if I was required to hunt them, too, that'd be the death sentence for the game in my book. I doubt Nintendo will go that route, though.

I know! Horizon looks so amazing! And I don't have to worry about deer showing up as all of your enemies seem to be purely mechanical in nature. Also looking forward to Uncharted 4 this march! Preordered the Libertia Limited Edition or whatever it's called just recently!

TP HD, Zelda Wii U, and Genei Ibun Roku #FE for me. That last game looks intriguing, even if I'm not a huge fan of the whole idol thing it has going for it. I didn't necessarily have my heart set on some grimdark, hardcore RPG, though.

As for the others... Star Fox Zero still looks like it spoils the fun of Star Fox by making the traditionally arcadey gameplay too involved, so I'm definitely waiting for reviews on that one. I have no interest in Pokken Tournament whatsoever. Don't really care about sports or lego games. Not really hyped for the small Miyamoto games. Didn't want Steamworld Heist when it dropped on 3DS , so I certainly wouldn't be excited about it here. I am extremely excited for Half-Genie Hero, but I Kickstarted it years ago and chose the PS4 as my platform of choice when they release the codes, so I don't really think about its release on the Wii U.

Pretty poor list if you ask me. Even the best games on there aren't even too appealing.

Both Zeldas and StarFox. Pokken I'm gonna keep an eye on. Not quite sold yet.

@sandman89 Other than Zelda and a couple of decent looking indie titles it's not an impressive lineup thus far. I want a lineup that actually excites me.

@GoldenGamer88 Ha, that's kinda funny. lol

Zelda Wii U will be a day-1-must buy, the first in quite a while. Starfox didn't convince me until now, but I wouldn't be surprised if it'd end up being a great game. Pokken is not for me, nor Mario & Sonic. The FE thing may become a must-have, but most likely not something I'll get too soon – too many other, presumably smaller titles are waiting. And Zelda HD: Gonna get it some day, but as I wasn't such a great fan of the original and I'm unsure about the changes alongside the HD graphics, I don't think I'll get it any soon.
Okay, all in all, that sounds rather negative, but in fact I'm quite pleased with the 2016 line up so far. The thing simply is that so many other games are still waiting to be played, some of them waiting at home already, and around a dozen others I still haven't bought, and with the exception of Zelda Wii U the older games are more interesting.

I hope this isn't the full list of games for 2016. I'm hoping they'll have a direct in the next 1 or 2 months. Tho I am excited for shantae, Zelda, starfox and pokken.

@Dakt Xenoblade X was localized just fine.

@Dakt it's coming. I don't know what you mean by not get it right. Do you mean the censorship that really isn't a big deal but people made a big deal? I don't think #fe will get censorship except maybe the hot tub dlc. If it becomes and issue we just won't get that dlc.

@TonyCrispy it's not

Was never crazy for Zelda so other than maybe Starfox I'll be gaming on the other 2 consoles I guess...again for the 100th time picking up the VC release pace wouldn't hurt....but that won't happen either!!

Not many big games on Wii U for 2016, but PS4 and Vita are getting a tons on JRPG big releases. 2015 was mostly the year where the Wii U kind of shined for big games, sadly 2 of them didn't got marketed that well.

@JaxonH Do you really think this is the last year for the Wii U? Because I'm thinking the NX is a hybrid and its handheld component will be released this year... along with a Wii U Lite or something.
But yeah, call me crazy, but I still think Nintendo has ways to go and still squeeze some money out of new customers. It's not like we pre-existing owners have very much to look forward too this year(at least, one or two games can take much of our time, so there's that), so... shrugs
EDIT: And let's not forget the surprise games that we'll get to play this year. Nintendo is really full of surprises.

@GoldenGamer88 WT Frig is the big deal about deers, and its just a game, they cant hurt you, and since there are goats and can 99.9% guarantee you that there's gonna be deers XD .

This might be Nintendo's last full year of Wii U, but I don't think NX will be coming out in the Fall.

That said, I'm surprised for those who voted on Project Guard being the most anticipated game for this year =.=

@NintendoFan990 TP HD will have a lot of new features. We just don't know about them. It will have compatibility with all Zelda amiibos and even save data onto the Wolf Link one. It will also have more changes beyond amiibos and appearance that was hinted at.

@Pac-Fan
Do you happen to know if Lego Avengers on vita and 3ds will be the same games that are ported to the handheld or that they get their own versions like they always had? I too heard that the handheld version would have open worlds, but I just want the exact same game. For the Vita it surely can't be a problem, it never was, but I don't wanna be stuck with an inferior version.

Lego Marvel is such a wonderful game which my kids play at least 4 times a week so we can't wait for this one. But as a real Marvel fan I'd very much like to have a version of my own on the Vita since that's my favorite handheld in like forever. The fan service and humor in these games is so wonderful that I always get a little pissed that we don't get an actual Marvel game of that quality; a Marvel Ultimate Alliance kinda game on this gen with Lego Marvel's open world and mission structure, the incredible fanservice and humor would be so awesome!

Genei Ibun Roku #FE is so freaking exciting for me, it looks very reminiscent of Persona.

Star Fox and Pokken also look fun. Though nothing else on this list really grabs my interest. But 3 games in 2016 is better than only buying 2 Wii U games in 2015! :/

@TonyCrispy Obviously it's not the full list. People pretend as if the Wii U isn't going to get any games this year. I remember a couple of months ago how everyone wrote the Wii U off, because the only confirmed game was GIR#FE.

January/February Directs usually reveal a game or two, and let's not forget about E3; even Super Mario 3D World got announced during E3, 5 months before its release. Oh, there's Pikmin 4 as well. Plenty of possibilities left to reveal more games.

@Kirk ............so what do you want then?

@Shiryu Splatoon has consumed my life. but you know this lol. .

Excited for all of them. I'm not getting a NX because I'm happy with my Wii U and New 3DS. Personally I don't think the NX is replacing the Wii U or 3DS. I think it might be a mobile system

@cfgk24 Save something for Splatoon 2.

@Kirk Yeah, it's sometimes funny what some people are afraid of. It can't be helped, though, sadly. xD

@KeepYourCool720 I know it's not a big deal, it's just a deeply rooted fear. I can't logically explain it but it's just the way it is. Same with other seemingly trivial fears - it's all in the head and nothing can change that. Believe me, I tried. But yeah, it figures that there are deer, too. Gonna make Zelda U a true horror game for me.

This seems like a great lineup to me! Zelda U is my most anticipated game by far, but I'm still looking forward to others as well, like SMT X FE because I love Persona games. Not sure why some people are still saying Zelda U won't be coming to the Wii U. There's no question about it, it will come to the Wii U even if it ends up being a dual release.

This lineup is also much better than the current 3DS lineup in my opinion. The only 3DS game I'm looking forward to so far is Fire Emblem Fates, and I might get Hyrule Warriors Legends if that ends up being the only way to get the new content on the Wii U version.

However, Nintendo did say that the games they announce at E3 are now going to be announced much closer to their release date, so we should be getting more games announced for both platforms this year, as well as mobile. Most likely one of them will be an official announcement of the new Pikmin game.

2015 has been my cheapest year ever!
With such a crap dull or postponed line up.
Last decent purchase was splatoon.

Yooka Laylee is my most anticipated after LoZ Wii U - I'm hoping they make the Wii U version then definitive one (with more unique features).

@Shiryu :-}

Zelda, because despite how much I hated Skyward Sword, a Twilight Princess x Wind Waker Zelda with an open world and ALBW-esque open gameplay sounds marvelous to me.
For anyone wanting to pick up the 'crossover' game, save your money. The FE characters are little more than cameos and nothing about the series' gameplay is even remotely there. If you're a Persona fan, wishing you had a PS4 to play P5, you'll like this game.
It's not really even all that SMT to be frank.
Shantae is going to be a big one. Forget that it's multiplat, it's every bit the kind of game a Shantae fan could hope for. Makes you want better cutscenes, or maybe an animated series..
Retro's next project should be pretty solid, so that's an E3 moment to look forward to.
Until Zelda and Shantae emerge from developmental shadows, I'll be looking forward to some of the big PS4 games coming this spring, and Telltale Batman later in the year. All in all, it's going to be a big year for gaming.

@Vee_Flames
Ya I don't know... nothing is for sure, especially when it comes to Nintendo. I'm making an educated guess of course, knowing that every Nintendo console to date has lasted no longer than 5-6 years (usually 5). Assuming that pattern is followed (and I see no reason why it would be longer, particularly given the poor sales of Wii U) the Wii U will have run its course in 2017 anyways. So it's not unreasonable to think they'll cut it short by one year, given the circumstances.

But who knows, right? We're all assuming NX is a home console (or if a hybrid, at least has a home console component). They could come out at E3 this year and announce NX as a portable platform that runs Android (not really, but you get my point- NX could be anything for all we know).

I really do think NX is a hybrid of console and handheld, and that one will release this year in November and the other will release in 2017- either in spring or November. I think the handheld component will be able to sync up to the console component like the Wii U gamepad, allowing for dual screen mechanics in certain games. Which would all be optional of course, since not everyone will own both.

I think the games released will get a version for each component (one game released for NX console and NX handheld), effectively doubling the software output for each platform. This is necessary more than ever now with total lack of 3rd party support. Of course, with all 1st party games available on either platform, fans would no longer need to buy both platforms to play all their games, which works against Nintendo's favor.

With that said, the benefit for handheld owners to also buy the console would be cross-buy and the ability to play all those games on a home console (with dual screen integration), and the benefit for console owners to also buy a handheld would be cross-buy and the ability to play all those games on the go (and at home with dual screen integration). So that ensures Nintendo doesn't lose too many sales from gamers who typically buy both platforms for all their games.

*** Now, the reason I think it will be the home console component that releases this November and not the handheld, is because:

A) Wii U is running on fumes- with such a low install base Nintendo is struggling just to not lose money every quarter. Whereas the 3DS has a 50-60 million strong install base that took 5 long, hard years to cultivate. It's still fertile ground and the backbone of their profitability. To replace that now, with no other safety net to fall back on, would be unwise.

B) Nintendo only just launched the New 3DS in March of 2015. I think they're going to give it a little more time in the market. By Nov. 2016 the New 3DS will have been out (in the west) for 18 months. So I suppose it's not unthinkable, but I'd still wager it's the console being replaced.

C) While Nintendo does surprise a lot with unannounced games, the fact is Twilight Princess HD, Pokken Tournament and StarFox Zero are all pegged for the first half of 2016. SMT x Fire Emblem and Zelda U are the only major titles that aren't releasing in the next couple months. But 3DS has numerous titles floating for a late 2016 release. And even more potentials (such as Monster Hunter X) that could extend well into 2017. Point being, 3DS has games to keep it going- Wii U doesn't.

Since this is supposed to be Wii U's last year, this is actually pretty good for Nintendo's standards. Most last year lineups have 1 or 2 games at the most.

As for 3DS it's a great lineup in the west, but horrible in Japan (slimmer than Wii U's). Not one game from Nintendo coming other than a port handled by Koei Tecmo and Pokemon Z.

@SahashraLA
"For anyone wanting to pick up the 'crossover' game, save your money. The FE characters are little more than cameos and nothing about the series' gameplay is even remotely there. If you're a Persona fan, wishing you had a PS4 to play P5, you'll like this game."

While its true that SMT X FE is not rooted in Fire Emblem gameplay (I think everyone is well aware of this already) there is a little more than just character cameos. A lot of little things, like the weapon triangles for example, have made it into combat system of the game. Nothing excessive, but certainly a little more influence than just character cameos.

But I wouldn't go telling fans to not buy the game simply because it's not like Fire Emblem. Anyone can enjoy a good game, right? And if you do happen to be a Fire Emblem fan, it will just be that much more engrossing to see elements of the series mixed in.

I am also a Persona fan, and I like SMT (at least what I've played of SMT4) and I agree that this definitely has that same type d appeal as Persona. But I'm not wishing I had a PS4 to play Persona 5- I actually do have one and I will be playing it as soon as it releases. So my interest in SMT x FE is not as a Persona substitute.

Anyways- agreed, it's gonna be a great year! Top game for each platform I'm anticipating is Fire Emblem Fates on 3DS, God Eater 2: Rage Burst on Vita, StarFox Zero on Wii U, Scalebound on X1 (Quantum Break if Scalebound doesn't release this year) and Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 (or Final Fantasy XV).

My most anticipated title for thw wii u has to be star fox zero, it WOULD be zelda u but we havnt gotten a lot of information on the game. My most antipated titles of 2015 tho is one piece burning blood and ratchet and clank for the ps4.

2016* I meant

@electrolite77 thx for the info.! .😊

I'm looking at that list and I'm not seeing a great finish for the Wii U. Apart from Zelda (which looks awesome) I'm not looking forward to anything else apart from further DLC for Mario Maker and hopefully a few decent VC titles.

Not bothered though as judging by the ridiculous scale of Xenoblade Chronicles I may be playing this game for the rest of my life anyway!

If we don't get Majoras Mask and Skyward Sword on VC this year I would be very surprised.

That list makes me think 2016 is going to look like a lot 2015 in that there are some big releases but with A LOT of filler titles in the release calendar.

@JaxonH
"I really do think NX is a hybrid of console and handheld, and that one will release this year in November and the other will release in 2017- either in spring or November. I think the handheld component will be able to sync up to the console component like the Wii U gamepad, allowing for dual screen mechanics in certain games. Which would all be optional of course, since not everyone will own both."
Exactly. I'm not one to talk sales ever, but the fact is that sales of the 3DS (Wii U... well, you get the point) is dwindling. Maybe if Nintendo manages to release more exclusives for the N3DS, but I do see Nintendo releasing the handheld component of the NX (I too believe it's an hybrid) this year to start fresh again, with the home console component releasing 2017. The current systems will also get an overhaul so that Nintendo can truly create an ecosystem of consoles. Of course, NX is where it's all at (kinda sad, but I guess that's reality), but the Wii U and 3DS will still see some satisfying support.
In all I pretty much agree with all that you said, but I'm not so sure about the seperate versions thing (a version for home component, and one for the handheld, if I'm understanding you correctly). Most people might look at it and think it's some sort of scam, especially it the games are at full retail price. What I think should happen is obvious: home console plays the full version of the game for you, while the handheld plays a lite version (kinda like Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS) of it. Exclusives to either system can happen, too.
The only problem I see with that is the cost of the whole thing. Nintendo are usually known to make consoles at family value, so it'll be interesting (and yet very scary) to see where Nintendo goes next. Fingers crossed at E3 in advance...

Mario in Rio and Nintendo's yet to release one single game in Brazilian Portuguese. Meanwhile, Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft etc. are all here in Brazil.

It should say something when I voted for Twilight Princess HD. Pokken Tournament looks fun and I have high hopes for Star Fox(especially if they can add in online play)

But Zelda Wii U has me very uneasy given Nintendo has shown off so little regarding it and I have been disappointed by every new Zelda game since Spirit Tracks.

As for Genei Ibun Roku #FE, I'm just not intrested in it For someone like me who is a huge Fire Emblem fan, I just don't see anything in that game that really draws my attention.

But the 3DS has some good games coming in 2016. I'm looking forward to Fire Emblem Fates, Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario & Luigi Paper Jam, Dragon Quest VII, and Dragon Quest VIII.

Even if the Wii U is somewhat lackluster for me, the 3DS lineup looks awesome.

I wish people would stop using that white skinned shantae art for half-genie hero, wayforward used it for like two days before switching to a proper version of shantae's skin tone and yet I still see this version pop up everywhere.

Zelda and star fox are the only cool things coming, but I think it will be enough to get some good sales, if Nintendo would lower the price on the Wii U, that would help alot too.

@GoldenGamer88

Yeah, i doubt that would be the case

@Vee_Flames
I mean each game they make gets released on both platform- so the make a new Mario Kart 9, it releases on NX Console and NX Handheld. Buy it once and play it on either system.

Thing is, they'll have to design the platforms to be similar so that games can be easily scaled back for the handheld. Which seems to be what they're doing- hence the whole hybrid concept.

That way they don't have to do like they did with Smash Bros and make a completely different version for each platform. They can make one game, spend a little time and resources making a scaled back version that runs on the handheld, and call it a day.

I'm surprised that people are more excited for a new LOZ than the return of Star Fox which hasn't had a sequel in ten years.

Games I'm looking forward to the most in 2016: Yooka-Laylee, Genei Ibun Roku #FE (Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem), & Dragon Quest XI

Watch Zelda U be delayed until Q1 of 2017

@pek727

Because no one cares about Star Fox anymore. The last version of it for DS sold half a million nation wide and that was on the second best selling console of all time. Now Zelda on the other hand, this is going to be the biggest Zelda game ever with the first true (hopefully) open world.

Of those on the list, definitely want Genei Ibun Roku the most. Even if my friend likes to bash it into submission, especially after its poor launch.

It's an Atlus game. Atlus hasn't disappointed me in a decade. Doubt they'll start now.

@Shiryu I'm with you buddy, with only 30 hours in and just starting the search for my skell license I think I'm fine with waiting for some big games to hit the store shelves!

I will be looking forward to Zelda Wii U and #FE as my two big purchases this year. Until then, I have Super Mario Maker and Xenoblade Chronicles X to keep me occupied.

Project Guard looks like it might be fun with the family, but I doubt I will pick it up unless it is a $15-20 eShop title.

@JustJulyo 120 hours in, I am speechless with the amount of new things I discover every single day.

And then Mario Galaxy 3 as an NX launch title right? Right?

Well there is 4 titles there I'm going to be picking up, and they all look excellent.
Maybe a small output, but at least they should be decent.
I have to admit, I felt a little skeptical about the ZTP HD Remake. Yet when I thought about it, how could I resist going through that game again.
Maybe, just maybe, there will be one more grade A title announced to see Wii U off into the early sunset.
I'm not holding my breath though.

It may sound ridiculous, but if Half Life 2 came to Wii U, I'd be a total sucker to re buy that for the fourth time.

Not a good sign when a Lego game and waggle fest (Mario and sonic) make the "biggest games" list.
I hope I get to buy an NX by the end of the year.

Assault Android Cactus + Rive. Bring 'em!

Mario & Sonic Rio, Shantae, and Zelda U are the Wii U games I'm most interested in. I'm still on the fence about TP HD...

"DUN DUNN DADADADA DUNNNN!"

Star fox zero. Cannot wait!

@ikki5 This will probably get me into trouble, but oh well:

Fire Emblem Fates will comfortably outsell Star Fox Zero, and the former is now a bigger franchise to Nintendo than the latter.

...Hence Corrin > Wolf.

In order of excitedness: Zelda U > Star Fox Zero > Genei Ibun Roku #FE > Pokken Tournament > Twilight Princess HD.

Also Lost Reavers still intrigues me, and I can always hope for Yakuza 1 & 2 HD. Indie-wise, pretty much Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.

Holy crap, 72% of votes for Zelda Wii U. Not surprised though considering the fact it's the most anticipated game for the console.

I'm definitely excited for Zelda U, TWilight Princess HD as well never played it on Gamecube or Wii. Yet, I did go to Gamestop during their Christmas sale and managed to grab their last copy for the Wii.

Gimme dat Atlus JRPG pop idol Goodness!

I guess Zelda is pretty good too, and Pokken. Oh, and y'all should get SteamWorld Heist, because it is very very awesome.

I voted for Shantae, because it's the only one I have confidence in for this list.

Zelda U is a no show, and almost no details on it have been publicly released, even though the NX will probably soon be upon us. It's starting to look like it will be further delayed as a swan song for Wii U and a launch title for NX, either at the end of this year, or the first half of 2017. (Hopefully.) For all we know, though, this one might not be out until the second half of 2017.

Star Fox Zero looks interesting, but it's questionable how much Platinum could have truly contributed, since it's Miyamoto's baby, so he will call the design shots. There might be some conflict there, so I can only hope this GameCube looking title turns out well.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE, or Performa Emblem, as it's called by some RPG fans, is starting to look like a bust. The completely wrong audience was targeted by the bizarre change in design, and that is being reflected by the poor sales. Any Western release has now been cast into doubt, and it now seems like translation guides and importing (after the Wii U is modded to be region free) will be the only way we will get to experience this title any time soon. But who knows, maybe XSEED or Atlus will throw us a bone?

Pokken Tournament has completely bombed in Japan, and has been taken out of the arcades due to lack of popularity. Japan has traditionally been a pretty good litmus test for what can survive and be well liked in an arcade environment or even in kiosk outlets, so if Pokken was snubbed, there's probably a very good reason for it. I'll be sure to take their advice and steer clear!

Project Robot... Nope, that was a tech demo. Don't count on that being turned into a fully fledged game, especially not with the negative feedback it got at E3.

Twilight Princess HD doesn't even look as good as the Dolphin HD versions which are already available, and there's perhaps an even better one still on the way...! Nintendo may fight them just to put out their relatively weaker looking entry without competition, which would be a rather sad and desperate move, so I hope they don't.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympics will probably be another relatively high seller, but it won't come even remotely close to the astronomical sales of the Wii titles in the series.

Nothing else is really a heavy hitter, although Shantae promises to provide more awesome WayForward goodness, bringing some much needed high quality gaming to the arid Wii U digital landscape.

Yeah... 2016 for Wii U is not looking as good right now as it was half a year ago. 3DS is looking much better, and of course, meeting the NX anticipation will be crucial for Nintendo. But Wii U? Beyond the sparse releases of 2016, it doesn't look like there is a future for Wii U at this point.

@GoldenGamer88 LMAO! Seriously? A phobia of deer? I'm sorry, but I've lived around deer all of my life, so that is just very strange for me. Trust me, they're WAY more afraid of you than you are of them. If you don't attack them, they won't attack you. (Unless they have rabies... In which case, back away slowly...)

Here's a joke for all of you, in case 2016 as a gaming year seems sucktacular to you for some reason.
https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYQHAAABAACNUKFM23E4WA

If this is the last year for Wii U games, I'll be happy as long as I get Zelda. If Zelda is the headliner, everything else looks better. I plan on buying Zelda Wii U, Twilight Princess, Star Fox, and the Rio Olympics (I like those games, they are simple and fun). Throw in 1-2 unannounced games and that's a decent haul. That would put my Wii U library up to 20 games. That's enough to make me a satisfied customer with my purchase and more likely to buy an NX.

The 3DS has an amazing line up of games this year! Can't wait for the steady stream of releases from Jan -Aug.

Who voted for Project Guard?

Zelda and maybe smt x fe. If this is the wii u's last year I hope they ride it out well.

Pumped for a new Zelda, been too long!
I'd love a Captain Toad Treasure Tracker 2, really enjoyed the original. Such a charming, fun little game.

My first post here at NintendoLife. And I gotta say this.
Those who think 2016 is Wii U's last year have a RUDE awakening coming.
Wii U is not anywhere NEAR the graveyard regardless of what the popular buzz says or what the rumor mill says.
NX is not Wii U's replacement. I could write a long explanation why that is but attention spans are short so I'll post it if requested.
Nintendo is preparing a HUMONGOUS year for both 3DS AND Wii U.

Keep in mind that 2016 is the year for key anniversaries.
We already know about the 30th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda.
But remember that 2016 is ALSO the 30th Anniversary of Metroid as well.
Metroid didn't get a proper celebration of its 25th so it will get the 30th celebration.
That's why Metroid Prime: Federation Force will come out this year on 3DS.
And that's ALSO why Metroid will be announced on Wii U this year.
Why do you think Sakamoto has been so quiet? It doesn't take that many resources to create a Rhythm Heaven game.
And before you say it, the series is called Metroid not Metroid Prime which is a SUB-SERIES of Metroid.

Also 2016 is the 30th Anniversary of Kid Icarus.
2015 was already the 25th Anniversary of Fire Emblem but we'll be getting that major game of Fates here this year.
And 2016 is the 20th Anniversary of Pokémon.
Pokémon X & Y hasn't got their summary game or followup game yet.
Most likely it will be Pokémon Z or Pokémon A & B (or L & R maybe).
That's why the original Red & Green/Blue get released on Virtual Console this year.
That's why Pokken Tournament comes out this year.
All representations of Pokémon's 20th Anniversary.

Also Animal Crossing has not seen a mainline release on Wii U yet.
There WILL be a release. It will use amiibos & that's why Nintendo is pushing amiibos so hard on those 2 spinoffs.
In addition, the mere existence of a Mario Tennis on Wii U means that a Mario Golf is coming since these 2 Camelot games always come out in tandem.
If those Mario Sports come out while Wii Sports Club exists then all Mario Sports will come out & that also includes Mario Strikers.
Rosalina hasn't got her attitudinal outfit yet & everybody's waiting to see that. And it might be on handheld too this time around.

Pikmin 4 has been announced by Miyamoto. That's a Wii U title.
The Upad is PERFECT for Real-Time Strategy games & Pikmin fits the bill.
ALSO with all of these amiibos coming out, don't you realize that there will be a title most likely named Nintendo World using them in a brand new unique viral way?
Think about how Animal Crossing's data morphs & changes if you want a clue on how they're gonna do this.
I give it the title of Nintendo World since there's already a Nintendo Land.
And don't be surprised if a F-Zero or Punch-Out shows up on Wii U either.

Nintendo is not going to cut off the sales trains of these key major titles abruptly.
There will not be another Mario Kart on Home Console until at LEAST 2020.
There will not be another Smash Bros. until at LEAST 2020 assuming Sakurai even decides to make another one.
Both 3DS & Wii U will have long lifespans because there are no new incoming competitors for Nintendo to address.

NX is focused on what Apple & Google are doing to the entire console business. I expect it to be a 3rd gaming line to coexist with 3DS & Wii U.
That's why they say they want to make it BECOME part of their core business.
If it is home console, wouldn't that be by default?

Nintendo in 2016 will shock the world.
Nintendo is UNIFYING the entire videogame business under them.
RE-UNIFYING I should say.
Wii U will be one of those vehicles to help them achieve this.
Notice that Wii U is still rising in sales even if slowly.
Notice how Wii U demolished PS4 AFTER PS4's price cut in Japan recently.
Once Nintendo UNIFIES Japan, they will have won this console race.

Just because Nintendo hasn't told you everything they're doing for 2016, don't think they're going quietly into the night with Wii U.
They have just BEGUN to fight & you will see what I'm talking about this year.

John Lucas

SMT x FE is my game I'm picking up. And that game was release on the day after Xmas and is like Xenoblade which is a niche title. Seriously why bring the hate on that game? Pikimin 4?

Mighty No. 9!

@ikki5 oh? As Far as I was concern fans cried to Nintendo about Star fox, and the same goes with Mertiod and F-zero which didn't sell that well either and earthbound. YET people still cry and moaning and demand to Nintendo for this games. And the fact mertiod federation force was so negative from this fan base that you assume no one cares about is surprising to me.

@Hinaru77 The Biggest Wii U games of 2016.
Pokemon Red/Yellow/Blue are all VC releases for the 3DS
Fire Emblem Fates is also for the 3DS.
We don't know much about the detective Pikachu game, much less whether it exists anymore.
What main Pokémon game was shown !ast year? I don't remember such an event, unless you're talking about Pokken... If so, that's for the Wii U.
We don't know much about Pikmin 4, either. We know it exists, but we don't know its target console yet.

Can we get a new 1080 for the Wii U please ?!

@PlywoodStick I know they are but just something about those antlers and the mere thought that I'd have to kill them makes me wanna run far away. Overall, I can't stand killing animals in videogames (and Pokémon is my second-favorite gaming franchise so yeah, irony and such). That's why I've stayed away from games like Far Cry or Monster Hunter as far as possible. But I still love Minecraft so I guess it just has to be cartoony and less realistic and I have no problem with it.

Zelda of course, followed by Star Fox and Pokken, not necessarily in that order. Plus Yooka-Laylee if it doesn't get delayed into 2017.

I saw somewhere that the Wii U is up to 10.7 million consoles shifted. At least one of these should tip it over 11 million. How depressing that that's the best we can hope for. With NX launching I doubt it will ever make it to 12 million.

This is a pretty good lineup, and that's just for the first half of the year (plus, it leaves out a few things like "Lost Reavers" and "Youka Laylee"). There's sure to be even more things coming in 2016 that have yet to be announced such as Retro's current project. I still don't see any reason to expect the NX before 2017.

Anyway, I'm definitely hyped for Star Fox, Pokken, Lego Avengers, and Shantae (I'm a backer for the latter). SMT x FE looks pretty interesting, although I need to learn more before deciding if it's my kind of game. Same with a smaller degree of interest for the two tech demos turned games. So far, the Wii U's upcoming lineup looks much stronger than the 3DS to me, where I only really have the new Fire Emblem and a Metroid spin-off to hold my interest.

A small list, sure. But if every single one of these games are brilliant and system defining efforts then it wont matter how small the list is. When you see a sparse release list you may at first think negatively and proclaim the legendary phrase "this console has no games". But I would wager if you conpared the number of amazing games for the wii u compared to xbox or ps4, I think the wii u will, at least, have just as many if not more than the competition.

@johnlucas A great speech dude. But without proof to all of your points for 2016 it is just that. A speech. Do you have any proof this will all be happening or is it blind belief that Nintendo will pull all this out of the bag?

Zelda WiiU - 7.8 Too Much Deers

Where is Pikmin 4?

I'm fine for now, Xenoblade Chronicles X is going to keep me going for ages!
...After that, Zelda please (Not Twilight Princess).

(I also have an shockingly large backlogue to work through).

Pokken Tournament for me. I played it in Japan last year and was definitely surprised by it's visuals and control schemes.

You're really stretching that list of 10 games. Let's be real here, only 5 of those are really of any note. And if we look at those 5 games:

• Pokken Tournament, Pukemon, never liked the franchise so the game is of no interest whatsoever to me.
• Star Fox Zero, has had a troubled development, remains to be seen whether it'll be worth buying.
• Zelda Twilight Princess HD, I'm buying it but it's a remaster of a game I've already played and the visuals are nowhere near as good as they possibly could be.
• Genei Ibun Roku #FE, will this even make it to the West, it absolutely bombed in Japan. If Nintendo were hesitant before the Japanese release, they could be doubly so now. It would take a tonne of localisation and we've yet to see anything from them.
• Zelda U, realistically this is the only game that will definitely be worth purchasing. But again, question marks hang over this too. Will it move over to the NX? Will the Wii U version be inferior to the NX version? For the record, I know this will be on the NX.

Oh, one game I realised is not on that list is the Wii U version of Terraria. I believe it has been said to be getting an early 2016 release, is it not?

Given it is already out, I can understand why the physical release of Mincecraft was not listed, though some might consider that a big thing considering how popular the game is.

Anyway, aside from games that have been listed here such as Genei Ibun Roku #FE, Star Fox Zero, Pokkén Tournament, Project Guard, and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, there are other games that I'm looking forward to this year. As a backer of Twisted Fusion's Kickstarter, I should be getting a free copy of that game when it comes out this year, and 90's Arcade Racer will likely release this year. I look forward to trying out Lost Reavers if it gets released outside of Japan this year, and I'm still interested in Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories.

There are other Wii U games I could mention, but I'm not 100% sure on their release this year. Delays ended up effecting quite a few games I was looking forward to last year (both on Wii U and Xbox One) so I wouldn't be surprised if more occurred for me this year.

I still hope #FE arrives to west. But they have to keep the japanese audio unlike in the western released of Xenoblade Chronicles X.

Zelda is my most waited game for 2015 but Wii U has some other interesting titles coming too: Star Fox, Pokken Tournament, Shantae.

@Priceless_Spork Assault Android Cactus! Not sure if Rive counts but I loved the Nindie demo so I'm hoping that satisfies my itchy trigger finger too.

Genei Ibun Roku #FE is my most anticipated, with Zelda U right behind it.

@Sligeach It was announced for the west years ago. There's no reason they would cancel it because of JP sales. Lots of Nintendo games do poorly in Japan but do better in the west.

Though it will likely be a Digital-only release in some countries...

@khaosklub : and there it is! Only 141 posts before a proper mention! I am looking forward to Mighty No. 9 nearly as much as Star Fox Zero.

Much has been made of Star Fox Zero and the two screens. I recently thought about this in a different way. The BEST game in Nintendo Land is the Metroid game and there is quite a bit of two screen use there. Hoping the dual screens convey a virtual reality feel in Star Fox Zero which I think it might. Also have undying faith in Platinum Games. They are this generation's Treasure.

Also looking forward to Rive. The demo is great and Fast Racing Neo proves how legit eShop games can be.

@Sligeach So you're completely dismissing the e-Shop of offering anything noteworthy despite the many excellent titles it's already received? Your loss.

How do you "know" Zelda U will have an NX version? What's your source? The only release info we "know" about it currently is that it has only been announced for the Wii U.

I voted Star Fox and here is why. I do think Zelda will provide the most fun. But Zelda are Zelda. I mean, they are fun, they are good, they are also less and less challenging.

That is why I think SF will be better for me. It has also been so long since we had one, I can't wait to see what they did with it.

@Marshi Sorry Marshi. Not a fantasy.
To understand how I came to those conclusions you will have to do a deep study on the history of the videogame industry.
I don't expect many people to understand what I'm saying there.
Most people don't know what drives the videogame business.
They don't fully understand its structure.
There's a method to Nintendo's madness.
Wii U is not done. Not by a long shot. You will see soon.

John Lucas

@Doctor_Pancakes I don't think it's been officially announced. I think back in September or October, Miyamoto said that it was almost finished and will soon be ready but for some reason unknown, there were no details, dates, screen shots, or video released. It's weird that he made that comment and then nothing has been said or released since.

Zelda U will show Wii U's GamePad capabilities. Practical GamePad map stuff and cool new open world stuff.
Zelda NX will probably get a hybrid Zelda game with multiple players, like Tri Force Heroes HD or Four Swords Adventures HD.

@johnlucas Wow... If only that were all true. Well, you know what they say... If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Wii U hovering between 10-11 million sales says nope, it's a flop by Nintendo standards.

They're not going to pin their future on such an overall poorly selling console. Holidays sales are important, but it needs to sell ALL year. That has not consistently happened ever since the first year of Wii U's release, and that's not going to change. There's probably not going to be a bunch of rabbits pulled out of a magic hat to save the day here for Wii U. (Even if there were, it's too late.)

The Gaming Industry is driven by artistry, proper management, and money... mostly money, when it comes to the larger publishers and manufacturers, such as Nintendo. The Wii U is not where the money is at, so it's probably not going to be a huge focus for Nintendo beyond what's already been announced. That's reality. But hey, you're free to come up with whatever hypotheses you wish. Never give up hope until the end, and all that jazz, right?

@Vee_Flames oh that's right. As far as we know Zelda Wii u could be delayed again but its on the list.

@PlywoodStick uh..

That game came out on the 26th, and the sales were reveal after 4 days it been out, the day after Xmas, on a console that has a smaller install base then ever. And you do realize that persona is still smt right?

@BulbasaurusRex I've bought a tonne of indie games but it's not what I bought the Wii U for. Honestly, I probably have 30 indie games bought including the predecessors to Shantae and SteamWorld Heist on that list, will buy more like Rive, I backed Yooka-Laylee.

And mark my words, Zelda U will at the very least get a port to NX.

@Hinaru77 Persona is SMT, yes... But Genei Ibun Roku #FE? I'm not so sure... That's why I called it Performa Emblem, it's a joke title.

It borrows some elements from the two series it was inspired by (Personae... or rather, Mirages, with FE style promotions), but if this title was called something else entirely, and various names in-game were changed, who could tell the difference?

And yes, there's still the Media Create numbers to look forward to... But approximately 21% publicly reported (thus far) sell through of relatively sparse shipments is abysmal, especially because the install base is already so small. Most Atlus products ship in small numbers and sell out in due time, then are replenished later. This one is looking like it won't even meet those paltry expectations.

Zelda is the only game here that interests me for Wii U, poor lineup for me...

@sandman89 I don't know exactly--more, bigger, better--but I can tell you there's more games on the following list that I'm genuinely interested in:

http://uk.ign.com/videos/2016/01/04/official-20-ps4-exclusives-and-console-debuts-for-2016-trailer

Both Zelda's are a must have for me. I am new to Zelda (and, indeed, Nintendo since the original NES days). The only Zelda games I have played are Windwaker and the original NES game. However, after Windwaker, I am hooked. So both of those are must haves for me.

Then there is Star Fox, which looks simply amazing. My kids will also ensure I get both Lego Marvel Avengers and Pokken Tournament.

SMT Fire Emblem looks like a game I could really like and, indeed, looks better than the new Persona. The major problem here however is whether they give this a M-rating or a T-rating. If it is rated T, I will almost certainly pick this up as well.

@Kirk hmm I couldn't care less about them games there on a ps4 ffs I don't like ps4, do you own a wiiu? Playstation meh!😝

It's a pretty underwhelming list for 2016 hopefully more games get announced, Zelda Wii U is my most wanted game on my Wii U for 2016. In a way it's for the best as 2016 for my PS4 is going to be amazing.

Zelda, Pokken and Star Fox are all must-buys for me and I'm curious about Project Guard/ Giant Robot if that ever happens.

But for me the top three are those I backed on Kickstarter (hopefully still due this year): Yooka Laylee, Bloodstained and Little Devil Inside.

@sandman89 Really nothing in that showreel interests you? I find that hard to believe. I'd have thought anyone interested in the WiiU's line up would also be excited by the look of the new Ratchet & Clank at least. I wish Nintendo made games like that still!

Plus Horizon: Zero Dawn, No Man's Sky, Street Fighter V, Dreams, The Witness, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 4. Let's not lie, these games would be the pride and joy of us Nintendo fans were they our exclusives. But we'll never get them if we dismiss them out of principal, let's let Nintendo know we want these as well as the excellence they're bringing.

And hey, it's about time Sony gave us PS4 owners something to play anyway

@PlywoodStick To you and all others who have replied to me.
Let's see where I can begin without making this post too long.
It's a lot to explain.
Let's start with the Hierarchy of Markets.
What is the Hierarchy of Markets?
It's a pecking order that determines the power of influence over the industry.
The market that is #1 influences all markets behind it.
You cannot win the World Market without winning the #1 Market.

From 1972 to 1985 the hierarchy went like this:
#1 America. #2 Japan. #3 Europe & the rest of the World.

It was like this because the Videogame Industry started in the United States of America in 1972 from 2 entities.
1 - Atari Incorporated by Nolan Bushnell & Ted Dabney—The Videogame Arcade.
2 - Magnavox Odyssey by Ralph Baer—The Videogame Console.
The Americans started this thing so America was the #1 market.
However, both of the founders of this industry included Japan in the foundation of the industry (The word 'Atari' itself is a Japanese word from a Japanese game called Go).
In 1973, Atari made a Japanese branch called Atari Japan which had connection to the Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company AKA NAMCO.
In 1971, cardmaker/toymaker/gamemaker Nintendo struck a deal to provide their Beam Gun as a peripheral on the Magnavox Odyssey game Shooting Gallery.
This led to Nintendo being the Japanese distributor for the very first videogame console in the world, the Magnavox Odyssey.
Because of these efforts Japan became the #2 market.
Europe & the rest of the world was NOT included in this foundation so they became the #3 market.

But when the irresponsibility of the Americans led to the Crash of 1983, a shift took place that is still in effect to this day.
Ever since 1985 when Japanese Nintendo took over the Videogame Industry with the Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System, the hierarchy has been & STILL IS like this:
#1 Japan. #2 America. #3 Europe & the rest of the World.

Ever since Nintendo became THE BOSS & THE LEADER of this industry, you cannot win a generation without winning the Japanese market.
NES won Japan. NES won The World.
Game Boy won Japan. Game Boy won The World.
SNES won Japan. SNES won The World.
PlayStation won Japan. PlayStation won The World.
PlayStation 2 won Japan. PlayStation 2 won The World.
Game Boy Advance won Japan. Game Boy Advance won The World.
DS won Japan. DS won The World.
Wii won Japan. Wii won The World.
3DS IS WINNING Japan. 3DS IS WINNING The World.

The Sega Genesis actually outshone the SNES for most of its life in the American market.
Genesis had 65% of the American market but they still lost the overall race because they could not win Japan.
EVEN WHEN the two PlayStations won Japan in home consoles, Nintendo was STILL the overall market leader because of their handheld consoles in Japan (Sony made a handheld 10 years too late).
Nintendo merely lost a battle in Japan but still won the war.
Nintendo has consistently been the Market Leader of the Videogame Industry for going on 31 years. Ever since they took over in 1985.
Not many people realize this.

We just had a Media Create/Famtsu sales result showing Wii U RISING GREATLY even without any major holiday titles.
Wii U just sold over 100,000 hitting the #2 spot under its comrade the #1 3DS AFTER Sony cut the price of the PS4.
Wii U did not drop its price & STILL outsold PS4.

Nintendo remembers who made Japan the #1 market. THEY DID.
And you no longer win Japan with home consoles anymore.
You win them with handheld consoles.
Nintendo made this happen during the transition between GBA & DS.
THEY created that reality.
Sony had publicly quit on the Vita & has said there will be no successor because mobile was too hard.
Nintendo says 3DS is here to stay in the face of mobile.
Sony has publicly quit on PlayStation Mobile.
Sony is on the brink of exiting the smartphone business which means no more Xperia Play.
Sony is doing every single thing to make themselves irrelevant in the portable-loving/handheld-loving Japanese gaming market with these moves.
And Nintendo will be there to take advantage of it.
Who does handhelds better than Nintendo? NOBODY.
36 years of constant success since 1980's Game & Watch that has destroyed each & every challenger that has gone up against it.

Keep in mind that Wii U is The ONLY Handheld Home Console.
The future of consoles will be Handheld even the ones at Home.
The only obstacles in Nintendo's way are these portable All-In-One Devices, these Tablet PCs offered by Apple & Google.
Nintendo demolished an All-In-One market before.
The Home Computers of the 1980s through the NES.
That's why PC gamemakers keep shunning the PC they came from & go to the consoles to make money.
That's why former Amiga developer DMA Design now called Rockstar Games put out Grand Theft Auto on the PC 2 MONTHS BEFORE they put it out on PlayStation in 1997...
...but why that same Rockstar Games put out Grand Theft Auto V on PC 2 YEARS AFTER they put it out on PlayStation 3 (and XBox 360) in 2013.
The PC game market still exists but it doesn't have the power & prominence of the console market.
Shouldn't PC game companies like Bethesda, Crytek, CD Projekt, Codemasters, & the rest be promoting the PC FIRST & FOREMOST?

Nintendo has laid out a long range plan to UNIFY the gaming world.
I should say RE-UNIFY really.
3DS & Wii U are part of this plan. And so is NX.
Each of these vehicles has a specific mission to achieve but the end goal is an industry fully ruled by Nintendo without question.
The 3rd Parties have been in REBELLION against Nintendo for 22 years ever since the PlayStation showed up in 1994.
And Nintendo is fed up with the REBELLION which forces them to jump generations before they're ready, keeps the markets out of alignment, & keeps the craft of gaming from reaching its true potential.
So this UNITY plan aims to end the Console Wars.

The easiest part to UNIFY is the Japanese 3rd parties.
Their REBELLION is less severe than the "Western" one which ultimately stems from that destroyed All-In-One Home Computer market of the 1980s.
There's a reason why Cloud is suddenly in Smash Bros.
There's a reason why Namco is teaming strongly with Nintendo when you understand that both of these companies were on the ground floor with the founders of this industry.
There's a reason why Nintendo is suddenly calling the Indies "Nindies".
There's a reason why these amiibos are not just game toys but emblems of UNIFICATION (Pac-Man, Mega Man, Sonic, Ryu, Cloud, Shovel Knight).
All Nintendo has to do is UNIFY Japan & this generation is over.
You don't win The World without winning Japan.

Sony's PS4 gets its power mostly from European sales but what place in the hierarchy is the European market? #3......behind #2 America & #1 Japan.
Ask yourself how many European consoles have you ever seen. ZERO.
Football/Soccer is like a national religion in Europe with the World Cup sometimes causing Soccer Riots.
Who makes their soccer games?
An American company named Electronic Arts.
Rockstar Games is the most successful European developer of all time.
Who owns them?
An American company named Take-Two Interactive.
King Digital, a successful mobile game developer, just sold themselves to an American company named Activision.
Mojang, a successful PC game developer, just sold themselves to an American company named Microsoft.
You see that pecking order?

Sony will get crushed by American Microsoft in "The West" & Japanese Nintendo in "The East". This is part of Nintendo's plan.
That's why Wii U launched so early. To force this crunch.
Microsoft NEEDS America to sell XBoxes & if Sony gets in their way, Microsoft has all the money in the world from Windows to tire them out.
Sony has abandoned proper focus on their home market chasing Microsoft in "The West". Nintendo will make sure to push Sony out of Japan ENTIRELY.
Microsoft's money has no effect on Nintendo & the pecking order will show itself as Japan knocks on America & America knocks on Europe.

Nintendo is not leaving the Wii U if you understand these things I just told you. The U stands for UNITY & that's exactly what this console is going to achieve.
NX is focused on Apple & Google which threaten ALL consoles—Home AND Handheld. It has a different mission than Wii U even though it's aiming for the same goals: The UNIFICATION.
That's why NX was announced on the same day as the deal with mobile game developer DeNA.

I'll talk game cycles in another post because this one is already too long.
If you know what I know, you won't say Wii U is ready for the grave.
Nintendo will surprise so many people this year with what they have in store.

John Lucas

I want to be excited for Star Fox Zero, but I highly doubt it will have much replayability.

The Wii U game I am looking forward to is Zelda U (assuming it is only available on Wii U). I may pick up StarFox Zero, but only if it reviews strongly, as it's current state does not appear very compelling.

@johnlucas

"3DS IS WINNING Japan. 3DS IS WINNING The World."

The PS4 is outselling the 3DS globally, despite mediocre sales in Japan. Barring some unexpected catastrophe in which PS4 sales crumble (and nothing has occurred to suggest such an event could happen), PS4 will likely outsell the 3DS globally sometime within the next 2-3 years. This fact is not apparent for most people because the 3DS was released nearly 3 years before the PS4. If both the 3DS and PS4 were released at the same time and sold at the exact pace as they have/are currently selling, PS4 global sales would be outpacing 3DS global sales by a decent margin.

You don't win the world by winning Japan. You win the world by winning the world. And that is what PS4 is doing.

Now if you are comparing 3DS sales to Vita sales, then yes, the 3DS is winning the world. But that's a pretty pointless comparison to make, considering the Vita is a commercial flop.

@Ogbert no,nothing at all

@johnlucas Huge comment, and has some good information. There are several points I would come to a different conclusion to, though.

Japan has indeed traditionally been a good litmus test for what works, what survives, and what drops dead in the rest of the world. That is starting to change. Their creativity and leadership is stagnating (and in some cases even failing) compared to the past.

Success in Japan no longer necessarily dictates success elsewhere, nor does success elsewhere necessarily dictate success in Japan. The Xbox line has been the greatest lesson in this regard: Though it almost entirely focuses on the American segment of the market, it has nonetheless made surprising gains over time, and is currently capitalizing on the Wii U's severe weakness. They're beating the Wii U in sales, even though almost all of those sales are in the USA. That is despite the Wii U being an international console.

Most Americans want either the full home media experience, or full portability from their devices, not half portability, half home, like with the Wii U. Hopefully, the NX will actually serve both desires fully, and I expect that Nintendo is working hard to achieve that end. But it will not and has not been achieved by the Wii U.

PC's are cheaper than ever. In the past, they used to cost thousands of $'s just for a modern one, while the NES was originally sold for the equivalent of $300 in Japan, then was price dropped in the USA and Europe. (It was overpriced and late in most other markets, much like just about every other console.) Of course the NES won that one, with the significantly cheaper price tag for it's purpose.

PC's have become so powerful, and relatively cheap compared to the past, that they now stand to routinely obsolete the raw processing technology of home consoles. In fact, right at the beginning of this generation, the Xbox1 and PS4 were technologically obsolete right off the bat, and even their dropped price points are already a waning advantage. Nintendo is correct in their judgment to not chase a target that no longer exists, but they cannot hold dominance over the PC market (without participating in it) as they once did.

We of the public have no way of knowing the true reach and sell through of the PC gaming market, because most of those digital metrics are company/trade secrets. We cannot accurately measure them against the retail and digital outlets of the consoles. Only the financial officers and and bankers of the gaming industry's companies truly know how well each segment of the market is doing against each other, at this point. The public is left almost completely in the dark, outside of retail.

It is true that Sega fell by the wayside, but that's not due to "losing the war" against Nintendo, but because of their outstanding mismanagement. SEGA began as Service Games, an American company which imported arcade machines for the US military onto various military bases, including in Japan. The Japanese branch began from the business deals there. SEGA was originally an American company, and was jointly bought back after being sold, by two heads: American and Japan. They had a lot of arcade experience, and capitalized on it in the USA. However, they lost the synergy they once had between the two heads, which is what truly led to their downfall. On their own, they have slowly been collapsing.

Nintendo will not become a monopoly again. There are too many players out there now, and not all of them have to be big to play big. Games as diverse as Star Citizen, Undertale, and The Witcher 3 are attesting to that. They're certainly not going to be ruling the roost of the home console market any time soon, with the weakness of the Wii U, either. It has been thoroughly routed by the PS4 internationally and in Europe, the XB1 in the USA, and by it's own brethren (the 3DS) in Japan. Who can say how much longer the home console market will survive, anyways?

You make some very interesting statements about what you think Nintendo's plans are; of cunning, of calculation... of empire, even. But it is too grandiose for them. They're not in charge anymore, like they were in the 80's and early 90's. They don't have the wherewithal to put together such an incredible scheme. All that has happened and will happen has not been foretold, no one can tell the future.

Sony screwed themselves over, they're hemorrhaging money. Nintendo had little to no part in that, and if anything, Sony were the ones who had them cornered, perhaps even using the Xbox and Xbox360 to their advantage to force Nintendo into a different strategy. Sony blew it, though. They grew too much, grew too large. They couldn't sustain their rate of growth forever, they should have leveled out instead.

And you know what? That's what this is all about: growth. All of these big companies just want to keep growing, infinitely. But that's impossible in a finite world. They're all going to screw themselves over at a certain point, if they keep up their lust for infinite growth. They must level out or eventually perish. Nintendo is no different.

Well, hopefully, your prediction will come true for Wii U. Because there isn't any unification possible if there's even one weak link- and that weak link is the Wii U. Not to mention, it doesn't seem like 2017 or 2018 have much in store for either Wii U or 3DS. NX will be the sole unification point at this rate.

By far my most anticipated is Zelda Wii U. I also appreciate Nintendo giving us TPHD as an appetizer for what's to come.

@sandman89 I don't own any current-gen consoles--I'm too poor to afford any--but I play on my bro's Wii U every once in a while.

See, here's why it's hard for me to be excited about something like Star Fox Zero: https://www.oculus.com/en-us/rift/#eve-valkyrie

Nintendo isn't even trying to impress and excite me.

@Kirk Which one's in particular interest you?

I have to give credit to the PS4 where credit is due, this year does mark the first year where the PS4 has exclusives that interest me. Fire Watch does interest me, although I have a feeling it'll be a download only title, meaning I'll unlikely get it (given I'll have to play any of these games on my older brother's PS4, rather than a system I own). I'm interested in Gravity Rush 2, though whether I'll want it will depend on how I feel about my time with Gravity Rush Remastered. Oh, and there is a new Ratchet & Clank game, those are always good fun.

Before this year, the only PS4 games that were catching my interest were games I could get on my Wii U or Xbox One... and the port of Tearaway (though I don't own a PS Vita nor have a friend/relative who does).

For me, the Wii U still has more titles that I'm interested in and that interest me more (Genei Ibun Roku #FE, Pokkén Tournament, Star Fox Zero), though I'm impressed to see a good number of Xbox One titles I'm interested in this year (even if the one I was looking forward to most of all, Scalebound, just got delayed to 2017) and that the PS4 has even managed to pique my interest this year. Hopefully more Wii U titles that interest you will be announced during the year though.

@Ogbert I imagine a lot of Nintendo fans would enjoy the Ratchet & Clank games; I imagine a lot of people in general would enjoy the Ratchet & Clank games, they are great games after all.

I agree that fans of other systems should not dismiss the other competitions line-up, a line-up of games that might appeal to them, just because it's on another system. I do find it funny though that, for me, you proceed to list a bunch of the games from that exclusives showcasing that I've no interest in, even if they were on the Wii U. Plus Horizon: Zero Dawn, No Man's Sky, Street Fighter V, Dreams, The Witness, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 4; they'd probably be pride and joys for some, and whilst I can agree that they look like good games, they don't appeal to me.

Of the exclusives on PS4; the new Ratchet & Clank, Gravity Rush 2, and Fire Watch are the games that catch my interest. It's nice though to see the PS4 have exclusives that I actually want to play this year, even if I'll have to pop around to my brother's house each time I want to play any of them.

@Souldin Personally, the games I'm most interested in on that PS4 video are probably Uncharted 4, Firewatch, Alienation, The Witness, Ratchet & Clank, and No Man's Sky. But there's a few other huge games on there, like Horizon: Zero Dawn and Street Fighter V, as well as a bunch of other cool looking indie titles. It's like a 90% really strong list, whereas the Wii U's list of games is like 90% weak imo.

As a Star Fox fan, I'm really looking forward to Zero and hoping it turns out well. I'm also a big Zelda fan so of course I'm looking forward to it. I really hope more people actually give Gen'ei Ibunroku #FE a shot, there has been almost nothing but hate for it recently. I gave it a shot as a Fire Emblem fan and absolutely love it! There is just so much that I enjoy from it and I will be posting my thoughts soon in the SMTxFE forum.

For me, It's Zelda Wii U, #FE, Star Fox Zero, TP HD and.... Lego Marvel's Avengers (I Know, I know...).

The two Zelda games are keeping me hyped and also Genei Ibun Roku #FE. i watched the first hour of the game on GameXplain and it looks awesome

@Shiryu I just got my skell and the whole world literally just opened up to me, I don't think I can finish this game within the year hahaha

@JustJulyo Just you wait till that thing can fly...

@Shiryu I might never see Earth ever again!