New Pokemon and Mario on the NX, Reports Say

The Nintendo NX is still quite a while away, as far as I can tell, given that Nintendo chose not to reveal it, or discuss it much, at their E3 earlier this year. That said, it's probably not MUCH further than a year off, as there have been lots of indications both within and outside the company that if they don't reveal it this year, they'll do it very early next--and we can look forward to a March 2017 launch.

Well, we're all very excited by what Nintendo has planned in its likely-mobile platform, but a console is only as good as the games it can play, which is likely why the Wii U was such a critical flop. While Nintendo is being as secretive as ever with the kind of future games we'll be seeing, a report from sources within the company, relayed by MCV reports, not only will the game host a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it will also get a new Mario and a new Pokemon game within 6 months of launch.

Now, a new Mario game is hardly surprising, Mario and Co have been headlining Nintendo consoles for ages now, but console Pokemon games have always been a breed apart, either being 3D Colosseum games, some strange spin-off, or even a more proper RPG. That said, if this really is a mobile console, then a new Pokemon game could, in theory, be some kind of evolution of Sun and Moon--Pokemon Eclipse, perhaps?

This comes in addition to the promises made by companies like Sega, Square Enix, Ubisoft (which is actually really surprising, Ubisoft doesn't sell non-Rayman games well on Nintendo consoles), Activision and Warner Bros to support the console at launch, so it seems like the Wii U will have a fairly strong launch library.

They continued to report on the state of the NX, saying they're targeting an audience...

"...that sits between smartphone gamers and the more hardcore users of PS4 and Xbox One. It's a nice bit of kit, a bit of a novelty, but a good one. It won't appeal to PS4 fans. Nintendo seems set on trying to upgrade smartphone gamers. That's going to be a big job for the marketing department."

They also said the graphics sit somewhere between a PS3 and a PS4. So, not really catering to the hardcore audience at all. That said, trying to sell to Smartphone players--the people who pick up games because they're convenient and cheap and comes on a device they already need for everyday life--is a hell of a gamble. Will a smartphone gamer be willing to shell out 300+ dollars for a dedicated mobile gaming platform? If they were, wouldn't they already have a Vita or a 3DS?

Just what are you planning here, Nintendo...?