According to a recent report out of MCV today, the Nintendo NX launch will see a new Mario game and a new Pokémon game, in addition to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, all within six months of launch. This is a hugely exciting reveal for Nintendo fans, who have already been waiting for a true console Zelda title since Skyward Sword released in 2011. The Wii U also received a fair bit of criticism over the years for a consistent lack of impressive first person titles. With Mario and Pikachu joining Link on the NX, Nintendo fans can look forward to a burst of classic Nintendo franchises on the new console around launch.
Nintendo seems completely aware of the reputation the Wii U received in relation to first-party titles. According to MCV, Nintendo representatives specifically called out the slow start on their previous console. They hope to jump start the NX’s release by promising major franchises like this right out of the gate.
While this is exciting news, we still don’t know a great deal about the Nintendo NX. We do know its graphics won’t be competitive to the PS4 or the Xbox One, let alone the upcoming PlayStation Neo or Microsoft’s Scorpio. We also know that the NX will feature a handheld gaming component that docks into the main system at home to play NX games both on the go and on the couch. Zelda: Breath of the Wild was already delayed to release around the NX launch and be compatible with the new system. Some E3 sleuths noticed the NX controller’s appearance in the Breath of the Wild UI, but how the game will work with the new device remains unknown.
We can expect Nintendo will reveal more about the NX and its slate of high-profile games at either Gamescom or the Tokyo Game Show later this month.