E3 2017: Hopes and Predictions

Huh, wild to think that I haven’t written about video games here in a while. Not that I haven’t written about video games in a while — just check out Mario’s Hat, The Mega Man Network, and other places for evidence to the contrary. I simply haven’t been writing about them here, and the 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo seems like as good a time as any to remedy that. (Plus, the Swiss Chalet Kick’n Crispy Chicken promotion ends tomorrow, so that won’t be good for much longer.S)

In addition to the usual “Top 5” stuff I do for the Big Three’s pressers each year, I’ve also been bitten by the hype bug, and have decided to make a quick list in anticipation of the event. As of this writing, Electronic Arts has already held their presser, but nothing I’ve thought about concerns them at all anyway, so I think I’m still good.

Anyway, this list is in no particular order — just a bunch of things I hope we’ll see or hear about at the show, along with how likely I think it is we’ll see it happen.

Mega Man

First up is the Blue Bomber. Just anything with Mega Man or one of his ilk. And really, I can label this with 100 percent certainty, given that we learned just days ago that Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is coming, and it will be at the show. Throw in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite with Mega Man X and Sigma in lead roles, and yes, Mega Man will be there.

Ah, but what about something we haven’t heard about already? I’m willing to lay 50/50 odds on this. There is the new cartoon that was scheduled for this year, but was pushed back to 2018, and I’d be surprised if we didn’t see something regarding that. Maybe not whatever tie-in game they may or may not be planning, but a new trailer at least?

Metroid

This just feels inevitable to me. Each year that doesn’t have an announcement just makes the next year that much more likely in my mind. And I’m not counting Federation Force-type stuff, either.

Transformers: Devastation 2

Transformers: Devastation was awesome, and perhaps the best Transformers game I’ve ever played. It’s possibly the most popular one I’ve seen released, too. It loosely tied in to the “Combiner Wars” saga, and with “Titans Return” underway, I feel like a sequel is warranted.

Something from Retro Studios

They’ve been working on something since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze wrapped, and that came out in 2014. They can’t hide forever!

I’m trusting it’s not a Switch version of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, but I’ll gladly take one.

Battletoads

This one, I feel pretty confident about. We’ve been seeing bits and pieces, hints and teases for the last few years now. From the new look in Rare Replay to the guest spot in Killer Instinct to being featured bonus content in the Xbox One version of Shovel Knight, it’s felt like there’s been a full-on revival of the toad trio going on, but for one thing: Their own game.

I think/hope E3 2017 will mark their truly triumphant return.

Kid Icarus

This is pure whimsy on my part. I’d love a sequel to Kid Icarus: Uprising, appreciate a Switch version of Kid Icarus: Uprising (maybe with pointer controls, as well as more traditional twin-stick and touch?), or just anything that follows on from the world Kid Icarus: Uprising brought us. Not holding my breath, though.

Batman Beyond

This feels like a total long shot, but the idea was planted in my head by Michael Huber of Easy Allies and now I can’t get it out. A Rocksteady game which takes place years after the retirement of the original Dark Knight, starring the Batman of the future? I never managed to get into the Arkham games, but I would damn sure make a strong effort to see my way through a Terry McGinnis adventure.

Kirby

Kirby games are known to breed both at the start and at the conclusion of a console’s life cycle, and between the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch, we’re experiencing both. Anything could happen.

Rare Replay 2

I’d also happily accept remakes of the Wizards & Warriors trilogy on their own (with the originals included), but a second Rare Replay to round up all the stuff missed by the first (like Killer Instinct for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System) just seems altogether more likely. Either way, I want Wizards & Warriors back in my library, and if I can get something that tones down the bite of the second game and just makes the third obtainable at all through legal, affordable means, I’ll gladly take it.

Mortal Kombat 11

NetherRealm Studios just released Injustice 2, so this is probably the next thing they have coming, right? Of course, I still need to play the last two, but there’s no incentive for catching up like knowing another is on the way!

Excite Truck

This was one of my favorite games from the Wii’s launch (I even have the toy truck on my desk), and while I did like Excitebots: Trick Racing, I just want more Excite Truck. Given the franchise has been dormant for a while, though, I’m not expecting much here.

Streets of Rage

There’s been some buzz for a while that SEGA’s doing something with this property, and more recent talk about making better use of their library of intellectual property has only added further fuel to the fire.

And/or if SEGA were to bring Golden Axe back to its roots, I’d be cool there, too.

Ori 2

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of my favorite games on Xbox One and one of the motivators for me getting the system at all, even though I still need to finish it and complete my long-overdue review. But I love this game, and like I said before, nothing spurs on the completion of an older game like hearing a sequel is on the way!

Halo: Spartan Strike on Xbox One

This game came out on Windows and mobile just over two years ago, so if it’s not there by now, my hopes are pretty low that they ever will be. But I’d rather have it there to go alongside the copy of my favorite Halo game, Halo: Spartan Assault, than have to play it anywhere else.

Sunset Overdrive 2

The first game was a blast and scored well with critics, but with Xbox One lagging behind the PlayStation 4, it didn’t quite get the love from consumers that it deserved. But with the new Scorpio on the way, maybe that’s just the thing to help showcase what the new 4K-ready system can do? At the very least, having more good games never hurts, and if Insomniac can meet or surpass their initial effort here, then that would be one more bullet point for the console.

OutRun

We’re long overdue for a new OutRun game, especially since OutRun Online Arcade was pulled from Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Store due to licensing issues. A new release free of such baggage would make my day.

On that note…

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars

Sonic is already going to have a presence at the show, what with Sonic Forces and Sonic Mania on display. But another entry in the Sonic & SEGA All-Stars series would make my day, particularly if it’s racing. I still maintain that Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed were better than most recent Mario Kart releases prior to Mario Kart 8, and I’d like to see if Sumo Digital can reclaim that crown.

That said… if SEGA instead opted to do something else with their All-Stars line-up, like say a fighting game? Maybe something in the vain of Super Smash Bros.? I wouldn’t be disappointed one whit. (Bonus points if Blaze is playable — either one, in either one.)

Speaking of which, that finally brings us to…

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch

Following Mario Kart 8‘s port as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I feel like this has a pretty good shot. It feels nigh inevitable due to how obvious it is — take the contents of both Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, smush them together and upscale the assets of the latter, sprinkle in a few other things (like maybe Ice Climbers), and you’re good to go.

On the other hand, if there’s one thing Nintendo’s good at doing, it’s not following the obvious route to money. I think if this is going to happen, though, it has to happen sooner in the Switch’s life than later (if nothing else, to keep hopes up for proper sequels to this and Mario Kart 8), so this would be the event to at least announce it — and perhaps reassure people those last few Smash-themed amiibo are still on the way, probably to launch alongside the new version.

It’s hard to lay odds on something like this, but I think that if it’s going to happen, even if the game doesn’t launch in 2017, it will be announced at the show.

Or not. Nintendo has Nintendo Direct, they don’t need no stupid industry shows. Come to think of it, that probably goes for literally everything from Nintendo that I can name here, which has potentially made the portion of this entire exercise that was dedicated to them a complete waste of time.

Whoops.

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David Oxford is a freelance writer of many varied interests. If you’re interested in hiring him, please drop him a line at david.oxford (at) nyteworks.net.