With confirmation that Nintendo won’t be having their usual big press conference at this year’s E3 expo in June, all eyes are on what Nintendo are actually planning to do instead to pass the time. We previous heard that the company will instead be having ‘smaller’ events to showcase new upcoming software and fans will desperately be hoping that these include some actual gameplay for Pokemon X and Y on the 3DS and if they’re lucky – the first proper gameplay for Zelda on the Wii U as well.

If Nintendo deliver on these two wishes at E3 2013, we would predict that they’ll be making a lot of fans very happy who would instantly deem Nintendo’s low-key E3 strategy as a success. This week, we have some new information on these smaller events that are taking place, with confirmation that the first will begin on Tuesday June 11 at 10.30 Pacific Time.

Nintendo has just begun to send out invites to the event, which they say will be held at their booth on the E3 2013 show floor. Invites have gone out with the title “Come Play With Us @ The Wii U Software Showcase” and you’ll be pleased to hear that none other than Reggie Fils-Aime and legendary Mario and Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto will also be in attendance as well.

At the moment, there are no hints on what games will be shown, but they really need to provide some exciting footage if they are going to attract some attention away from the ‘Sony and Microsoft’ show at this year’s event. We’ve been keeping you up to date with Pokemon X and Y information as it comes, but gameplay is what fans really what to see.

The same can also be said for the elusive Wii U Zelda game as well, which looked so impressive when Nintendo released their tech demo. Is the game ready for its first proper showing, or will Nintendo keep fans waiting instead? One alternative if the Wii U version isn’t ready, is to provide some more gameplay of the new Link to the Past Zelda game that is on the way to the 3DS this year.

With Reggie and Miyamoto both on the showfloor, does it mean that lucky attendees will actually have the chance to participate in games with them? Imagine playing a round of the new Smash Bros game with both – epic stuff for sure.

Will you be disappointed if we don’t see new Pokemon X and Y, Zelda gameplay at E3 2013?

We have some more exciting details for you now, on the highly anticipated sequel to SNES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. A new game is coming to the Nintendo 3DS during the 2013 Holiday season, and now we have some information on the importance of 3D for the game, as well as the exciting confirmation of Dark World gameplay.

The happy memories are flooding back to us already. Using the mirror on random areas of the Light World map to freely transform to the Dark World to gain access to previously unattainable items, was just one example of the many joys that that original game had.

Now the young generation will be able to relive this classic game with the 3DS sequel, although a title still has yet to be finalized – we’ll call it A Link to the Past 2 until then. Zelda series director Eiji Aonuma recently spoke to CNET, giving an interview and confirming that the Dark World will also feature in the new 3DS game.

Whether it will act like the original Dark World in A Link to the Past remains to be seen, but hopefully it will be a mixture of both new and old elements for Link to explore. We also hope that the Dark World theme returns, to make it feel that much more special – the main overworld theme is returning, so perhaps the Dark World music will as well, remixed.

Aside from confirmation of the Dark World, Aonuma also revealed some very interesting details about the 3D aspect of the new game. As you know, Zelda A Link to the Past 2 will support 3D gameplay, but not everyone is a fan of long periods of gameplay using the effect – with frequent complaints of headaches beginning to creep through.

However, Aonuma has specifically said that players can switch the 3D effect off, but by doing so ‘they will not get the full experience of the game’, basically saying that it is a necessary requirement to get the full potential. We think that is a good thing, as it means that Nintendo will be making a big effort to make sure 3D gameplay looks fantastic to take advantage of the hardware – much more than what they did with the Ocarina of Time 3D remake.

What are your thoughts on this? Are you happy that 3D is needed for the full experience, or do you always play with 3D off? Let’s hope new gameplay and 3D demos will be available during E3 2013.

Nintendo has only just finished wrapping up their individual Nintendo Direct event, in which the company announced a new Zelda title for the 3DS handheld, as well as giving a welcome reminder of some of the new software titles that are on the way to their systems throughout 2013.

With that in mind, it now appears that Nintendo Direct has become a much more important event to them than E3, which takes place once a year in June. Nintendo has now announced that they will not be having their usual ‘big’ press conference this year along with Sony and Microsoft, but will be in attendance in a more low-key affair.

Company president Satoru Iwata confirmed the news in a statement this week, revealing that Nintendo will still be showing off software titles, but will do so in a series of ‘smaller events’ during E3, rather than one big fanfare as what they usually do each year.

Skeptics may treat this as another sign of Nintendo’s recent struggles with the Wii U, but others will argue that Nintendo Direct events have become much more beneficial to users anyway. We also think that this isn’t too much of a surprise, given that there will be no hardware shown at the event, although it would have been nice to have seen some brand new exclusive IPs shown on stage.

Does that mean that Nintendo actually doesn’t have any exclusive titles to show? Iwata has reiterated that new software titles will be shown and we’re praying that one of them includes the highly anticipated Zelda game for the Wii U. A Link to the Past (2) looks amazing on the 3DS from what we’ve seen, but the Wii U game is the title that everyone wants to see and could easily become the company’s primary system seller.

What happens if we see Zelda Wii U gameplay for the first time, but only in a low-key presentation that many people won’t get to see? We’ll have to wait and see what Nintendo are planning, but you have to give them credit for wanting to try something different.

Is E3 becoming less significant each year in your opinion, or do you think Nintendo knows deep down that all the focus will be on the PS4 and next Xbox console?

Following on from the exciting new Zelda game announcement for the Nintendo 3DS, we have some brand new extended gameplay for you to enjoy. If you liked the look of the all-new Link to the Past yesterday, make sure you watch the following gameplay as we now have a complete look at a dungeon walkthrough for the new game.

If you watched the debut gameplay trailer for the game yesterday, you’ll know that the Link to the Past spin-off game is looking fantastic. Nintendo has confirmed that the game will be out in the 2013 Holiday Season, but it looks like they are also planning to release a demo at some point as well.

Footage from this demo has now reached YouTube, showing a person playing through what seems to be the first dungeon in the game. Upon watching, you’ll instantly get flashbacks to the amazing style of gameplay that was featured on the SNES version, while also getting another glimpse of the new 3DS features coming, such as clinging to walls to reach new areas previously inaccessible.

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D was a great addition to Nintendo’s handheld, but we have a feeling that this is going to become one of the defining games on the 3DS when it is released. The amazing Zelda music is back as well for the title and we just hope that the scale of the game is as big as the SNES game – ie, with Dark World elements as well.

Unfortunately, there is no sound with this 10 minute gameplay demonstration so you’ll have to make do without for the moment. Hopefully Nintendo will confirm the fact that a demo is on the way and it will release on the Nintendo eShop in the coming weeks.

How pumped up are you for this new Zelda game – enough to buy a 3DS for it?

We have some fantastic news for old school Zelda fans now, as Nintendo are bringing back a classic in a big way. Announced at the Nintendo Direct event just hours ago, a new Zelda game is coming to the 3DS handheld, a game that is set in the world of A Link to The Past, the amazing SNES classic.

The Legend of Zelda: A link to the Past remains one of the greatest games of all time and arguably the best Zelda game released to date, not to mention being amongst the best SNES games ever released as well. To hear news that it is returning somewhat in an all-new adventure, it should provide the suitable tonic for those that are still patiently awaiting news on the highly anticipated Zelda game for the Wii U.

We have the debut video to show you now, giving you an idea of the new gameplay you can expect to see in the upcoming game – it has yet to be given a proper name just yet. Just to reiterate, the game is set in Hyrule once again, but will contain all new dungeons and gameplay features different to what players experienced in the SNES game.

For example, Link will now be able to switch between 2D and 3D gameplay to move from area to area, while there is also a unique ‘drawing’ feature, allowing link to attach himself to walls to reach seemingly unattainable areas. This means that the classic puzzle solving traits of the SNES classic will take on a whole new meaning for the sequel and fans are definitely in for a treat we feel.

A release is planned for the 2013 Holiday Season, but no set release date has been confirmed just yet. For now, enjoy the fantastic gameplay above and let us know if this is an easy day-one purchase for you. A Link to the Past was a masterpiece in my opinion, so let’s hope Nintendo does the new game justice and continues the legacy.

Nintendo has now wrapped up their latest Direct presentation broadcast and as expected, we have some new details on the status of The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U – arguably the most anticipated game for the next gen system to date. Unfortunately, it looks like fans are in for an extended wait to see the game, as Nintendo has now said that the game still isn’t ready for a public showing or discussion. As a frustration curb though, the company will be releasing an HD version of The Wind Waker instead.

While it is obviously bad news that the Wii U Zelda game is still a long way off from release or unveiling, we have to say that the HD port of The Wind Waker looks very good indeed. The game originally released for the Gamecube almost 10 years ago now and the conversion in graphics look absolutely fantastic, as you’ll see in the video below.

Nintendo gives examples of some of the locations in the original game, that have been recreated in HD for the Wii U version and there’s a big difference to be seen. Aside from the HD upscale, Nintendo has also confirmed that the game will support off-TV mode as well, meaning that you can play Wind Waker HD on the GamePad if you prefer a more intimate experience.

The game will be out this Fall according to Nintendo, and we expect we’ll get some proper gameplay footage at E3 in June. Watch the video below and let us know if you think Wind Waker HD is a suitable tonic for the extended wait for Wii U Zelda. We’re not even sure we’ll get gameplay for the highly anticipated game at E3 now, as the game seems nowhere near completion.

While Black Ops 2 and Assassin’s Creed 3 have been very well received on the Nintendo Wii U, it’s fair to say that a lot of Wii U launch buyers are waiting for a dominant first party title to arrive that will set the benchmark in 2013. Wii U Zelda is a name that definitely fits this bill, but unfortunately nobody knows if the game will even make a 2013 release and Nintendo are so far unwilling to drop any updates on the game’s development.

With this in mind, we welcome the slightest amount of rumors to fill the waiting gap in the meantime and we have some really juicy information for you to digest, information on the game which has allegedly come from a Nintendo employee. Zelda Informer has the scoop and the tipster has gone on record to drop some information on the game against the wishes of his or her employers – although we do find it hard to believe that someone with apparent knowledge on the game would leak details out of Nintendo’s secretive Japanese headquarters.

Still though, it is information which is a good read and we’ll start off by talking about the tipster’s claims that Wii U Zelda will be unveiled again at this year’s E3 expo in June. While this isn’t really a hot rumor since it is a logical one, his additional comments about a Zelda demo releasing in 2013 is certainly news which fans will hope is true.

The tipster goes on to say that development for the highly anticipated title is still at a very early stage and he has also said that the game is also likely to skip a release in 2013, with an early release in 2014 now on the cards. That means that the demo will take on added significance this year, so let’s hope that Nintendo confirm this at E3 if they are really planning to wait until 2014 to bring the game out.

Another big talking point about the insider’s leak is that the art style for the game has apparently been ‘altered’ to be in line of the design seen in Skyward Sword, rather than the more realistic, non cartoony visuals that we saw in the fantastic tech demo. We really hope that this part doesn’t turn out to be true, as the tech demo looked fantastic in our opinion and it’s definitely time to move on from the cartoon style Zelda graphics and move along into next-generation tech with cutting edge visuals.

There’s a lot more eye raising information through the link to Zelda Informer, including details on the control scheme in Wii U Zelda and the possibility of a well known character returning for the game. Is it legit information or just a bogus collection of rumors without any substance? Read the whole thing and let us know what you think about it.

Is Zelda going to be the defining game on the Wii U? How would you feel if the game is really held back until 2014? If true, then a demo in 2013 really becomes essential to keep fans satisfied.

One of the images also gives us a glimpse of what the official package will look like and judging from the designs on the outside of it, it seems a copy of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D will also be included in the bundle. According to Nintendo Life, it will be hitting stores in Europe before the new year starts and adds to the various other limited edition consoles they have released this year including the ice white 3DS and the blue Nintendo Wii with Sonic and Mario at the London 2012 Olympic Games game.

The company has already re-released a copy of Zelda: Four Swords on the Nintendo DSi and launched a series of music concerts to commemorate the Zelda anniversary of 25 years. This will be the latest and possibly greatest addition to the efforts they have been making. This will also be another way of boosting sales of the company’s handheld console that has had a tough year so far. It will cost around £169.99 in the UK and €199 in the rest of the continent with November 25th marked as the date that we will most likely see the console released.

Nintendo sales in general have been falling short of estimates, despite the efforts they have made to boost them all year, but they will be hoping to change that with the release of their next generation console, the Wii U. Earlier today we brought you news that the original Wii price had fallen to an all-time low. What are your thoughts on the efforts Nintendo has been making this year? Will you be getting the Zelda themed 3DS console this year?

Any fan of Zelda who owns a Wii will be wondering when Skyword Sword will be released, sadly we don’t have an exact release date, however we can confirm that it will launch this holiday season.

It was also revealed that the MotionPlus controller will be used for Zelda’s sword, if you do not have a Wii MotionPlus controller a special Zelda controller is being released which had built-in MotionPlus, you can find out more about this controller here

Some people were wondering whether the game would also be coming out on the recently revealed Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime has refuted this by saying that “Skyward Sword was built to be played with a Wii controller”, which makes a lot of sense to us, you can find out a little more about this over at VG247.

Hopefully soon we will hear details regarding a solid Skyward Sword release date, when we do we will keep you informed.

The company’s announcement is thought to be coming at next week’s E3 event. This news comes from a report by P-Nintendo. According to the article word of the new title came from series Producer Eiji Aonuma whilst making a Japanese TV appearance.

It is thought that this TV appearance being referred to was the Famitsu live-stream where Aonuma was showing off the latest title from the series Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. It is about to release this month and we have been providing news of that game in the meantime, including news of a pre-release review.

Satoru Iwata, Nintendo CEO first mentioned back in march that Zelda series creator Shigeru Miyamoto already had plans in preparation of the celebration but until now it was unknown how the company intended to mark the anniversary.

Check out the full article by clicking the link above for more on the newest titles from the Zelda series. What do you think the new game will be like?