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Nintendo Wii U could get Mario Kart AND Smash Bros. by next spring

Nintendo Germany boss suggests both Mario Kart 8 and the new Smash Bros. are on the way for next spring; company declines to comment.

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The Internet is buzzing today with speculation about the release dates for a pair of high-profile Wii U games after Nintendo Germany general manager Bernd Fakesch was quoted by Neckar-Chronik as saying Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. are to be released this spring.

We already knew Mario Kart 8 was planned for spring 2014, but the date is new for the Super Smash Bros. title, which will also see release on 3DS. We reached out to the Mario maker for comment on the story, but were told, "Nintendo has nothing to announce at this time."

According to Fakesch, the spring 2014 date for the new Smash Bros. game pertains only to the Wii U version, not the 3DS iteration.

The Mario Kart and Smash Bros. franchises are two of Nintendo's biggest properties. Last generation, Mario Kart Wii was the top-selling non-bundled Wii software, moving 34.26 million copies. Meanwhile, Super Smash Bros. Brawl sold 11.49 million copies, making it the system's eight-biggest game.

Both franchises are generally seen as system-movers. And releasing both heavy-hitters during the same quarter would conceivably give the Wii U platform the shot in the arm it will need to help the console sell 9 million units by the end of March as Nintendo has previously forecast.

Mario Kart 8 was playable at E3 2013 and Nintendo has released numerous gameplay videos for the upcoming racing game. However, the developer has been far less forthcoming for the new Smash Bros. game.

While we have seen a few cinematic trailers, Nintendo has yet to reveal any gameplay from the project outside of a video demonstration from E3 2013. The new Smash Bros. game is currently in development at Sora Ltd. in partnership with SoulCalibur series studio Namco Bandai.

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GOGOHeadray

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sounds good but I doubt it.

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ekolite

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Both by next spring? Well that would be rather sweet.

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amk11

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Yes, cause the original Wii and HD were a couple. Nintendo is getting there and Mario Kart will be better than ever. HD blue shells of death

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KoRLumen

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Nintendo can only push out so much stuff at a time. Blame the third party devs and their reluctance to fully support the Wii U.

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Sublation

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Nintendo is still in business?

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Poodger

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I was already assuming Smash Bros would be released sometime in march. Brawl was released in March at any rate, and the game looks pretty far into development.

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ignautius

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I thought it was illegal to put games on the Wii U that people wanted to play... ?

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Jigen32

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I'm guessing SSB will be released next September or October.

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McGregor

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I'll believe it when I see it. I'd really like to snag a Wii U, but so far the system would just collect dust right next to the Wii (and my 360/ps3 for that matter, thank you PC).

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Nintyfan95

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I can't wait, Last of Us DLC, Bravely Default, Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS, Destiny, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes/Phantom Pain, Titanfall, Halo 5, Thief, and Watch Dogs all in a year.

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steve4123456789

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Carm down they will probably delay 50% of those again.

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BrutalPandaX2

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I hope they're not rushing Super Smash Bros

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amk11

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Nintendo doesnt rush games. The game was likely in development from the time Brawl hit store shelves.

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abHS4L88

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

Remember that unlike the last 2 games, this one has Namco-Bandai helping, which probably lightened the load a great deal of Sora Ltd.

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Poodger

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Even a rushed Smash Bros game will be super fun to play. It is already the only console game I intend on buying so far this gen.

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Kiyosuyo

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Never rush a smash bros game. You will anger the competitive community in such a way that will have your balls removed and shoved down your throat with a monkey wrench. I've seen it happen.

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rIVAL_sWORD84

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looking forward to mario kart and DK: tropical freeze......

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faceless-mask

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Not gonna lie, would be a bit confused if you weren't looking forward to DK tropical freeze.

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rIVAL_sWORD84

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<< LINK REMOVED >> you Observe well, Sir

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Cozm1kaos

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Sources say, after the release of these games, Nintendo can focus on finishing up the Zelda game.A new IP will be announced on E3 along with the release date of Zelda. Stayed tuned folks, Nintendo is coming hard!!

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amk11

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<< LINK REMOVED >> The WInd Waker team already moved over to the new Zelda title, so it's at full production again. The new one was in development well before the announcement of a new one.

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Hurvl

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Nintendo be all like: What the Fak esch this German going on about!

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getupandboogie

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And this is when im getting my wii u! almost caved for mario 3D, this will be the last push i need. :)


Then with zelda, and DK, Pikmin, and others, I strongly believe that this will be just as fun, if not more, than the ps4 and xbone.

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Cozm1kaos

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You should have caved for 3d World, that game is so amazing I cannot let the control go bro!! especially when my wife and I play!! lol its a blast.

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getupandboogie

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<< LINK REMOVED >> ha, was soo close, its still in my basket for that nintendo bundle, went to checkout and just couldnt do it..... not yet..... soon :)

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abHS4L88

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

For such an "intelligent higher person in society" you seem to be rather obsessed with a videogame company you seem to hate.

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faceless-mask

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Not to mention his love of cliches.

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deactivated-57fce817a4cf5

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

Trust me, we are all thinking the same thing. Still, both Mario and CoD are still fun to play. And that's all that matters in the end.

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Cozm1kaos

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LMFAO it is!!!

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Hurvl

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<< LINK REMOVED >>Lol, that sounds like a quote from a Linkin Park song. I think being fun to play is the most important thing about a game, so let me reply to you by quoting Metallica: Nothing else matters.

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g1rldraco7

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This better not be a hoax, otherwise this would be a Feedbackula Armageddon episode.

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19James89

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Man I'm so excited. The thought of getting MK8 and SSB around my Birthday is too much for me to handle, I'm starting to feel emotional.

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ewjiml

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The word "could" is synonymous with "delays" for Nintendo. Spring 2013 is about as likely to happen as Nintendo selling 9 millions units by March.

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Poodger

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Assuming these games are released in March, that number could very well come close to being reached!

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Avatar image for KoRLumen
KoRLumen

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I can only see the delays happening to Smash, but that's only because of what happened to Brawl. I'm fairly confident MK8 will be out in Spring, since the build they had for E3 looked very nearly completed already.

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TheCyborgNinja

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I'm over Mario Kart these days, but Smash Bros. will be a day one buy.

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amk11

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I am over smash bros, but for me and my girlfriend who are very competitive online. It's our favorite game.

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Poodger

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Agreed. Smash Bros will be a day one buy, with the purchase of the Wii U itself. It is all I am waiting for to get the damn system.

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Mr_BillGates

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They better hurry. Preschoolers doesn't have patient and will settle for the latest toys from Toys R Us instead!

Currently, Hasbro has the lead on Nintendo.

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snxx

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“Critics who treat 'adult' as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” - C.S. Lewis

There's always someone who needs to read this on Gamespot forums.

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Poodger

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C.S. Lewis was such a brilliant man.

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mr_england

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Boom, and he knocks it out of the park. Don't be surprised if you get a response of 'Who is C.S. Lewis?' though.

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