Dumping Zelda U shots from press kit:
I like the art style a lot, it's like a mix-up between WW HD and SS. Also, Link is so gender-ambiguous here that I'm half expecting him to turn out to be Zelda (and note that he's using a "magic" bow, and that he isn't carrying a sword or a shield). That would be really neat, actually.
Fuckkkkkk I've never been so happy in my life ffff. It's so damn gorgeous agfhwa, you cannot even feasibly imagine how I reacted when this all showed up and ajfkdlsfj. I didn't think this game's visuals would be able to live up to the expectations I've built but holy shit they smashed it. jkflajdf and that gorgeous remix of the encounter theme that played throughouttt ;wwwww;
Also I, too, was wondering if this Link was female? I guarantee you it isn't Zelda, though, and frankly you are dumb and a terrible person for thinking so. And also a murderer. It's obviously Link, due to the hair and earring and general outfit, but it might be a female incarnation of Link. There's never been anything in the mythos that said the hero couldn't be female. I honestly don't care either way if it's male or female, but a female Link would be really cool. The weird magic-tech look is really intriguing, I've always thought some of the Beamos designs and many of the areas in the games (Tower of the Gods from Wind Waker, Lanayru Mine from Skyward Sword) had a really neat aesthetic that I wanted to see explored in more depth in future games.
The size of the world is fucking wonderful, too. I really hope they get rid of linearity even more thoroughly than they did in A Link Between Worlds, and I just in general can't wait to see what other stuff they've changed and/or messed with. The focus on making it more open, akin to the original The Legend of Zelda, is something I'm really hoping to see more of.
I think the new Zelda game looks great, but I'm conflicted about Link's model. Obviously he will get the tunic, but he looks very Disney. I was hoping for a darker art style (like TP), but I was hoping for that before Skyward Sword and still looked the other way.
Eugh. I don't know why people want so much grimdark Zelda. Twilight Princess was cool on its own, but I think it's better as just that one experience. It felt too gritty and grimdark "cool dark stuff" like a fanfic writer would make rather than they amazing realistic dark atmosphere (which has nothing to do with art style) of something like Majora's Mask, which is a type of Zelda I would be
very willing to revisit.
I'm not a big fan of the amiibos. Why? Who asked for Skylanders tech in Smash Bros? No one.
Me, actually.
I was talking to my nephew several weeks ago about how I'd like something like that, so I was pleasantly surprised when they were announced.
Now, for a more general post about the Nintendo Direct (I haven't watched Sony and Microsoft's press conferences yet, so):
Smash Bros. Ajkfldafj I don't know how they could get me more excited for this game at this point. The Miis being characters could have been tacky but actually seems really cool, and the whole beginning of the Direct (with Iwata and Reggie fighting) was a pretty wonderful start. The quick montage of Smash Bros 3DS gameplay hyped me up like hell. The only thing that's been consistently disappointing me about the game is all the character announcements. Rosalina? Paletuna? Little Mac? Greninja? Where are the amazing huge character announcements like Mega Man. ;o;
I'm also still upset that they went with some generic Link for Smash Bros. rather than the current incarnation like they always do. I can understand why, since this wasn't announced yet, but ajfkdslj. I hope (s)he's at least a playable character or, at the very very least, a skin. I was so upset when they still had Wind Waker Link rather than A Link Between Worlds Link, who could have had so many new moves and been a completely different experience rather than a smaller Link with different attributes.
Splatoon I'm actually pretty excited for, which I didn't expect. I was disappointed when it first showed up, but as it went along I grew more and more fond of the idea and how it looked. I would actually really love to give it a try, which is neat since I don't generally like shooters or competitive games.
Yoshi's Wooly World looks neat but I'm not really interested, the Kirby game I might try, Captain Toad could be cool since those were some of the neater parts of Super Mario 3D World. Bayonetta/Bayonetta 2 will be cool since I've never played the first before but it looks good. Xenoblade Chronicles I'll be excited to try but the trailer didn't really draw me into it much.
Hyrule Warriors looks wonderful. I'm so freaking excited for Impa and Midna. Midna was so out of left-field but she's so amazing, I'm incredibly pleased that she's going to be playable. Wow. I'm going to have such a hard time choosing between characters. ;o; And the fact that it's local multiplayer (one on the TV, one on the gamepad, so you don't need to be anywhere near one another or be splitscreen) is wondrous and I am going to use that for sure.
I can't wait for the Mario Maker game, either. That's gonna be so fun and I can't wait to see the levels people come up with.
Oh, and that fucking Star Fox U tease at the end was brilliant. Miyamoto talking about unique experiences on the Wii U all generically while, in the background, a blurred game plays that you can just vaguely tell is Star Fox but they don't say it at all. Perfect.
My biggest complaint is that the Paletuna announcement and the Zelda reveal should have been switched. Just casually showing a new Zelda like that in the middle, and using the "bonus reveal" at the end build-up to be some Kid Icarus character in Smash Bros.? Really? That could have been an amazing way to drop the bomb of a new Zelda, ending on that pan by Link's face and going to black. It would've been just as amazing as the Twilight Princess reveal and the absolute perfect way to end the direct. Ugh.
Anyway, tl;dr: Smash Bros. still looks amazing, Mii characters look cool, character announcements disappointing. Upset new Link isn't in Smash Bros, hope he/she is a new character or skin. Splatoon actually looks cool and I can't wait to try it. Yoshi's Wooly World looks okay but not interested, Kirby maybe, Captain Toad could be cool, would like to try Bayonetta, Xenoblade Chronicles maybe. Hyrule Warriors looks magnificent, so excited for Midna. Can't wait for Mario Maker either. Star Fox U tease was brilliant. Zelda announcement should have been the bonus announcement at the end, would've been the perfect bomb to drop rather than dumb Smash Bros. character announcement. Zelda U is beautiful and perfect.