Nintendo Direct Talks Mario Kart 8, Smash Bros., Bayonetta, More

Yesterday's Nintendo Direct was a little on the massive side, overflowing with loads of announcements and trailers for upcoming games on the Wii U and 3DS, including highly anticipated offerings like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8, as well as release dates for games like Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze.

Before we get to the rest of the day's announcements, I'm going to skip straight to the surprises, which resulted in a collection of games and sales being offered out of the blue yesterday on the 3DS. It's kind of funny that this is how Nintendo elected to handle their announcements, as I wold have been less harsh on their weekly update had these titles been included. In fact, I would have sung Nintendo's praises for the week rather than complain about their continued lack of substantial content across either platform.

For starters, the free-to-play version of Steel Diver: Sub Wars is now available on the 3DS eShop. Players have full access to online play, as well as seven of the single player missions in this first-person sub battle game. Additional content can be purchased within the game for 10 bucks, and several premium subs are also up for grabs. Level 5's Inazuma Eleven also randomly popped up on the 3DS for $19.99 yesterday, offering a unique soccer RPG for fans of experimental gameplay. To celebrate this launch, all of Level 5's other Guild games are being offered for $2.99 a pop, including Crimson Shroud, Bugs vs. Tanks, The Starship Damrey, Attack of the Friday Monsters, Liberation Maiden and Aero Porter. The rhythm/crafting Guild game, Weapon Shop de Omasse, will also be available for $7.99 starting next week, thus completing the unique 3DS collection.

A bunch of other new games were also announced and dated for the 3DS during yesterday's Nintendo Direct. Mario Golf: World Tour is swinging for a May 2 release, complete with a bunch of single player modes and even multiplayer features. The new Kirby game, Triple Deluxe is also set to arrive May 2 while Yoshi's New Island was once again shown off before its approaching March 14 launch. Finally, Pokemon Battle Trozei, the match-three puzzle game set within the monster catching world, is set to launch on the 3DS later this year.

As for the Wii U, perhaps one of the biggest announcements of the day was that Game Boy Advance gmes will finally arrive on the Wii U Virtual Console beginning in April. Meanwhile, 3DS owners are still left wondering why those games aren't available on the platform it makes the most sense to have them on.

NES Remix 2 is also headed to the 3DS this April, on the 25th to be more specific, offering more mini-games inspired by classic Nintendo titles. Child of Light is also headed to the Wii U May 1, offering up its unique brand of RPG goodness from Ubisoft.

As for the big, AAA games, Mario Kart 8 is speeding toward a May 30 launch date with Little Mac, of Punch-Out fame, being announced as the new combatant for Super Smash. Bros..

Bayonetta 2 was also shown off, as well as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which should arrive come Feb. 21.