Nintendo Doles Out Release Dates, Changes For Big Holiday Games

Mario and Donkey Kong are flipping release dates for Wii U this fall for what will be a Nintendo console and handheld line-up stacked with big Nintendo franchise sequels.

Nintendo gamers, these are the major Nintendo game releases to choose from and, with few exceptions, the biggest games of the season for Wii U and the 3DS:

For Wii U

(Release dates for North America)

The Wonderful 101 (9/15)

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD (9/20- digital download only/ 10/4 – disc version; $49.99)

Wii Party U (10/25; bundled with a black Wii Remote Plus; $49.99)

Super Mario 3D World (11/22; $59.99)

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (12/6; $49.99)

Wii Fit U (holiday; price TBA)

Mario and Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games (holiday; price TBA)

From third parties: Scribblenauts Unmasked, Skylanders: Swap Force, Sonic: Lost World(exclusive), Call of Duty: Ghosts, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Watch Dogs, and more.

For 3DS (and 2DS)

(Release dates for North America)

Pokmon X, Pokémon Y(10/12; $39.99)

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (11/22; $39.99)

Mario Party Island Tour (11/22; $39.99)

From third parties: Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate, Scribblenauts Unmasked, Skylanders: Swap Force, Sonic: Lost World (exclusive).

We got these release dates directly from Nintendo, during a phone interview with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, so we had to ask him: if he could only buy one Wii U game, which would it be? What’s Reggie’s pick?

He paused.

We suggested he was punting on the question.

He assured us he was giving the question serious consideration.

“I’ll answer it only for first-party, because I don’t want all of our third-parties to be upset with me,” he said. “I would buy Super Mario 3D World. I love the game. I played it with [Late Night host Jimmy] Fallon. It’s a fun game. I love going back to the different characters having different attributes: my ability with Peach to float, my ability with Luigi to jump a little bit higher. I’d go there.”

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