Nintendo Reveal Gamescom Line Up

Nintendo have today revealed what lies in store for the lucky visitors to Gamescom in Cologne next week. Amongst the hotly anticipated and expected titles they plan  to be giving hands-on game time with are Zelda: Skyward Sword and Metroid: Other M on the Wii, while the DS will be showing off Mario vs.. Donkey Kong and ladies favourite Professor Layton’s new adventure The Lost Future.

So let’s cast a closer eye over what The Big N has instore for you Wii fans:

To call Zelda: Skyward Sword highly anticipated would be a clear understatement.  The first true Wii Zelda, it will also incorporate the (mandatory) MotionPlus accessory so “the precision of Link’s sword movements will be exactly replicated”.  The game promises some of the best graphics on the Wii, certainly it seems to borrow a design trick or two from the PS2’s underrated Okami, and herald gameplay mechanics never before used in a Zelda game.  With Nintendo on top form with Super Mario Galaxy 2, it’s a safe bet Miyamoto isn’t kidding.

Metroid, while constantly lauded in the gaming press, has struggled to obtain anywhere near the sales of the big Sci Fi sellers like the Halo series.  Whether this is down to it being a platformer that looks like a shooter or just because the Cube sold buttons isn’t clear.  But with the massive proliferation of Wiis in households now, Metroid: Other M has never been in a better position to change that.  Using the Wiimote to integrate more action and melee attacks, Other M also promises to put you in both third and first person modes never before seen in a Metroid game.

If Mario Party met Wii Sports at a party, got drunk and knocked boots, the end result may well be the forthcoming Wii Party.  The surprisingly obvious combination of games appears to be just what you’d expect, Mario Party – Mario + Miis + Wiimotes = Wii Party. If Wii Party can bring the fun of Sports and Sports Resort to the table, this could be a promising family and friends title, with plenty of room for schadenfreude.

While Mario is the most recognised of video gaming’s characters, he would be nothing without the star of another of Nintendo’s AAA games.  In Donkey Kong Country Returns, old faithful game ape DK himself returns to side scrolling action, complete with bananas, mine carts and Diddy Kong in a two player role.  Much like the DKC games of old, this is Nintendo’s non Rare outing of the legendary simian on the Wii and looks to be continuing in a similar vein to its heritage.

There are plenty of other games being shown for the Wii but for the moment, lets quickly turn our attention to Nintendo’s even bigger cash cow, the ever popular DS:

Bizarrely popular with the fairer sex (maybe it’s the stovepipe hat), Professor Layton’s puzzles-as-adventures games are hot hot property on the little handheld, and Gamescom get a look at the newest of his romps.  In Professor Layton and the Lost Future we see the titular academic joined by his young apprentice Luke for another round of puzzles, logical games and riddles in an attempt to save a future London from a terrible fate.  While this may not be set around governmental plans for the leftover venues after the 2012 Olympics, it’s sure to provide plenty of tense, fling the DS across the room moments – all offset by all the other moments when you are made to feel downright dumb when the answers are revealed.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Miniland Mayhem is another of Nintendo’s harks back to its gaming heritage with more hardcore platform action.  Following on from the excellent March of the Minis on the GBA, Miniland Mayhem expands the player’s repertoire with them “drawing red girders and control items with the Nintendo DS Stylus, and play games moving items such as pipes, springs and conveyor belts”.  Think Lemmings done Mario and you are getting warm.  Out Q1 next year, MvsDK is always worth 5 mins of your time.

Nintendo’s current machines are known as much for their non-games as their games.  Following in the non-game tradition, Art Academy is what it says on the box.  Using the DS stylus, it uses step-by-step guides to teach you drawing and painting techniques.  It offers lessons from beginner to advanced, and no need to worry about the materials – all built into the game.  It’s great to see Nintendo continuing to offer these types of program, bringing a wider audience to the video game world, let’s hope Art Academy continues this.

So that’s a look at some of what is expected next week.  There are more on both formats, including Kirby, Tetris and Golden Sun but there’s not word on the 3DS appearing.  However, you never know, and maybe we’ll even get a release date.  Gamescom runs from 18th – 22nd August 2010 in the Cologne Trade Fair Centre.

Posted by: Ian