Nintendo has done a fabulous job at E3 the past several years, using the convention floor as the way to share its products rather than the big stage. While business suits turn to press conferences for companies like Microsoft, Sony, and EA, Nintendo lets its audience tour in the Mushroom Kingdom and Hyrule, recreated with full blown animatronics, and livestream their experience for all to see.

And then it airs a Nintendo Direct presentation without having to waste a cent on a boring press conference, one that has a very small chance of being memorable beyond the potential for humiliating memes.

I’m all for the Treehouse and Nintendo’s hands-on approach to E3, which is why I’m excited to hear Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime say that the company has huge plans once again for E3 2017.

E3 is always a big time for Nintendo. We look at each E3 as a unique opportunity to tell our story. And we’re gonna have a big E3 this year. We’re going to be showcasing a variety of games. We will have experiences for… consumers will be able to attend the show for the very first time. So I’m not gonna tell you all of the various games and all of our little secrets for E3, but I can tell you that E3 is going to be a major opportunity for us to showcase not only Nintendo Switch, but also content coming to Nintendo 3DS.

Super Mario Odyssey, Dragon Quest XI, and … Metroid?

After scoring big with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo’s best launch title since Super Mario 64, it’s going to take some seriously impressive software to continue the Nintendo Switch’s upward motion. The console is in steamroll mode right now with the most promising potential since the Wii or maybe even the Nintendo 64! How Nintendo capitalizes on this hype will determine its momentum for the next few years, and many have their wishlist for the console.

At E3 2017, there are four things that I need to see to believe that the Nintendo Switch can rise above its predecessors in its first year.

  1. More Super Mario Odyssey footage
  2. A Dragon Quest XI announcement (won’t happen because even Japan doesn’t have a Nintendo Switch release window)
  3. Virtual Console plans
  4. Confirmation that Retro Studios is working on a new Metroid Prime game

Add in some third-party support, like a GoldenEye killer-app that will guarantee console sales or more footage of Project: Octopath Traveler, and the Nintendo Switch might just get there. This momentum isn’t guaranteed to continue unless Nintendo delivers the goods. Look to E3 2017 for some huge hints about the console’s future.