This year is set to see some big releases on the Nintendo Wii U. Let’s take a look at what are set to be the top 5 titles…

Mario Party 10

‘Mario Party 10’ is an excellent addition to the Mario franchise which is due to be released in March. The game is built around the principle of multi player game play, with participants working to best each other in a series of enjoyable mini games. There is an element of chance and dice rolling to the game concept, with players landing on squares which trigger the mini games. There is also a chance to activate a boss game where one player takes the role of timeless villain Bowser, and the others work together to try and defeat him. All in all, a game which promises great family fun while taking on the role of much loved Mario characters.

Mario Maker

Another Mario offering which is due before the Autumn is very exciting for those with a nostalgic love for the early Mario games. ‘Mario Maker’ allows players to design their very own Mario levels from start to finish, adding hazards, platforms, and all the other ingredients that made early Mario games such a great success. Players will be able to share their creations and download those made by other players, to effectively give them a never ending supply of Mario levels to enjoy. Graphics can also be switched from modern to older more authentic Mario, which will really add to the nostalgia value for those who remember the earlier Mario games on Nintendo consoles.

The Legend of Zelda

‘The Legend of Zelda’ for ‘Wii U’ looks likely to be the biggest and most exciting release of the year as it aims to offer a similarly expansive world full of questing to other major titles on other consoles, such as the Elder Scrolls series. Zelda games have perhaps been in the shadow of Mario games at times during the past, but games such as ‘Zelda – Ocarina of Time’ and ‘Zelda – Majoras Mask’ took great strides forward in bringing Zelda games the recognition they deserve. This latest offering looks set to continue that trend and become a truly memorable Zelda title.

Being able to fire arrows from horseback and pick apples to eat while travelling across a vast terrain with woodlands and mountains, is just one small glimpse into what this game will hold. The release date for this game is not set in stone yet, but it is expected to be sometime during 2015.

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Another RPG with a huge open world to explore will arrive in 2015, courtesy of ‘Xenoblade Chronicles X.’ The first chapter of this series received a good response from most gamers and so there will be plenty of anticipation surrounding this latest offering. The game promises action packed play in a galactic wartime setting, with interesting characters for the player to control.

The game is set in the year 2054, and the destiny of each character, and their entire species, is in the players hands, as they do battle with invaders from a distant planet. This game has an expected release time of 2015, but nothing has been mentioned yet in terms of which month.

Yoshi’s Wooly World

Yoshi’s Wooly World is a game which has its roots in Mario history. As the dinosaur friend of Mario in earlier games, this time around, Yoshi is setting out on his own adventure. Players will need to navigate their way through neatly designed levels with hidden dangers and secrets to be uncovered throughout. The style is not entirely different to the Mario platform genre and offers many of the same joys in terms of game play. One key difference is in the visual aspect of the game, with a theme of knitted wool being predominant. Collecting coins while firing balls of wool at bad guys may seem unusual, but it all comes together nicely as Yoshi travels through knitted drainpipes and undertakes all the usual Mario styled adventuring. This one is also given a scheduled release date which falls under the broad category of 2015, but the second half of the year is certainly most likely.

While many of the upcoming releases this year follow a theme or genre that has been seen before, they all remain exciting additions in their own right. Mario games always deliver enjoyment and never let you down, but the Zelda game with a magnificent free roaming world is probably the most appetising arrival for 2015. As someone who loves this sort of freedom in games I’m a little bit biased, but there is plenty of variety out there for gamers this year no matter what their tastes.