We called it.
After a tragically long hiatus, we finally got a full-length Nintendo Direct and it was just as brimming with hype as you would expect.
We opened on a video showing Rex of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 fame searching for his partners after the events of the game… only to realize that the legendary blades Pyra and Mythra will be the newest characters added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Some people may be disappointed to see more sword fighters added to the game, but their flashy animations and incredible stage coverage so far seem to be more than enough to get the rest of us excited. Even more exciting is the fact that they represent a return to the 2-in-1 switching character first seen in Zelda and Sheik in Melee, though exactly how different they will be remains to be seen.
Our first of many “Nintendo Switch headlines”—as general manager and host Shinya Takahashi called them—showcased Switch ports of Fall Guys, The Outer Wilds, and the classic 8-bit sleuth adventures Famicom Mystery Club: The Missing Heir and its sequel, The Girl Who Stands Behind which are already available for pre-order.
As for new games, we saw short trailers for Samurai Warriors 5 which follows the exploits of legendary Japanese warlord Nobunaga Oda; Legend of Mana Remastered which promised a new minigame and rearranged soundtrack, and Monster Hunter Rise which showed us more of its feudal Japanese flavor in a trailer that emphasized town-defense and monster control.
But the biggest surprise in this section was easily Mario Golf Super Rush, featuring motion control and unexpectedly technical additions that seem plucked out of a golf simulator rather than a Mario game. That will probably make real golf fans happy, but those looking for a more footloose experience will likely spend their time with Speed Golf, a new fast-paced game mode best described as golf by way of Mario Kart. Speaking of modes, a story campaign featuring players’ Miis was also announced, just in case you thought the game needed even more content.
More ports were announced next: Tales from the Borderlands, Capcom Arcade Stadium, and cult-classic action game Stubbs the Zombie. But the real action came packaged with the latest trailer for No More Heroes 3, whose entire story will apparently revolve around a massive tournament arc, in case any of you were worried it would not be anime enough. We then got a taste of Neon White, a light-gun game set in heaven that seems worth the price of admission for Steve Blum’s voicework in the lead role. We also saw DC Superhero Girls: Teen Power which promises to balance school life and superhero action, Plants vs Zombies Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition which ties all the game’s content and downloadable additions into one package, and Miitopia making easily the least likely return seen in the entire show.
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We then learned Animal Crossing: New Horizons players can look forward to some Super Mario-themed items coming for a belated 35th anniversary celebration in a free update coming February 25th. And speaking of celebrations, we then launched into a cinematic trailer for Project Triangle Strategy, the strategy RPG successor to Octopath Traveler. Though the genre may be unfamiliar territory for the series, the gorgeous HD sprites, complex character relationship system, and epic music are not, as the presentation seems to uphold its predecessor’s high standard.
Some rapid-fire looks at other upcoming releases followed, namely:
Speaking of DLC, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is getting some spiffy new updates via a season pass featuring new weapons, items, battle skills, and of course new characters, stages, and vignettes. These are planned to come in two waves, first in June and later in November with new weapons and costumes as a purchase bonus available starting May 28th. Unfortunately, what these goodies may be is currently a secret to everybody.
We then got to see more of Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection and its new unique power-ups, SaGa Frontier Remastered and its new characters and scenarios, plus a Switch port of FPS battle royal Apex: Legends which does not seem to offer anything new, but with such a fine game available on the go, who can complain?
Then we were directed to Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma who confirmed he had nothing to share on Breath of the Wild 2’s development but did have a Skyward Sword HD remaster in the works to tide fans over. The title features improved motion controls, button-only controls for portable play, and some sweet branded joy-con skins. Hopefully this will give the underrated game a newfound appreciation among series die-hards and casual players alike.
It was then time for the final announcement. If the sight of an Inkling in a Mad Max-esque desert before venturing to a revamped Inkopolis and joining an all-out turf war with new maps and floating platforms didn’t get your heart pumping, you may just need to speak to your cardiologist, because the upcoming Splatoon 3 looks amazing so far.
Author's Note: What did you think of this Direct? Are you heartbroken at the lack of new Zelda content? Are you excited about the metric ton of ports coming to the Switch? Have you already set Pyra as your main? Let us know in the comments below.
Credits
Editing & Graphics (@Zerp)
After a tragically long hiatus, we finally got a full-length Nintendo Direct and it was just as brimming with hype as you would expect.
We opened on a video showing Rex of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 fame searching for his partners after the events of the game… only to realize that the legendary blades Pyra and Mythra will be the newest characters added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Some people may be disappointed to see more sword fighters added to the game, but their flashy animations and incredible stage coverage so far seem to be more than enough to get the rest of us excited. Even more exciting is the fact that they represent a return to the 2-in-1 switching character first seen in Zelda and Sheik in Melee, though exactly how different they will be remains to be seen.
Our first of many “Nintendo Switch headlines”—as general manager and host Shinya Takahashi called them—showcased Switch ports of Fall Guys, The Outer Wilds, and the classic 8-bit sleuth adventures Famicom Mystery Club: The Missing Heir and its sequel, The Girl Who Stands Behind which are already available for pre-order.
As for new games, we saw short trailers for Samurai Warriors 5 which follows the exploits of legendary Japanese warlord Nobunaga Oda; Legend of Mana Remastered which promised a new minigame and rearranged soundtrack, and Monster Hunter Rise which showed us more of its feudal Japanese flavor in a trailer that emphasized town-defense and monster control.
But the biggest surprise in this section was easily Mario Golf Super Rush, featuring motion control and unexpectedly technical additions that seem plucked out of a golf simulator rather than a Mario game. That will probably make real golf fans happy, but those looking for a more footloose experience will likely spend their time with Speed Golf, a new fast-paced game mode best described as golf by way of Mario Kart. Speaking of modes, a story campaign featuring players’ Miis was also announced, just in case you thought the game needed even more content.
More ports were announced next: Tales from the Borderlands, Capcom Arcade Stadium, and cult-classic action game Stubbs the Zombie. But the real action came packaged with the latest trailer for No More Heroes 3, whose entire story will apparently revolve around a massive tournament arc, in case any of you were worried it would not be anime enough. We then got a taste of Neon White, a light-gun game set in heaven that seems worth the price of admission for Steve Blum’s voicework in the lead role. We also saw DC Superhero Girls: Teen Power which promises to balance school life and superhero action, Plants vs Zombies Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition which ties all the game’s content and downloadable additions into one package, and Miitopia making easily the least likely return seen in the entire show.
We then learned Animal Crossing: New Horizons players can look forward to some Super Mario-themed items coming for a belated 35th anniversary celebration in a free update coming February 25th. And speaking of celebrations, we then launched into a cinematic trailer for Project Triangle Strategy, the strategy RPG successor to Octopath Traveler. Though the genre may be unfamiliar territory for the series, the gorgeous HD sprites, complex character relationship system, and epic music are not, as the presentation seems to uphold its predecessor’s high standard.
Some rapid-fire looks at other upcoming releases followed, namely:
- Star Wars Hunters, a free-to-play shooter set in the franchise’s sequel timeline.
- Knockout City, which seems to be trying to do to dodgeball what Splatoon did to paintball.
- World’s End Club, a side-scrolling narrative adventure game
- A physical edition for the acclaimed Hades with a download code for the game’s Soundtrack and art book.
- Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection set to combine the best versions of all 3 games in the reboot of the classic action series with all their DLC included.
Speaking of DLC, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is getting some spiffy new updates via a season pass featuring new weapons, items, battle skills, and of course new characters, stages, and vignettes. These are planned to come in two waves, first in June and later in November with new weapons and costumes as a purchase bonus available starting May 28th. Unfortunately, what these goodies may be is currently a secret to everybody.
We then got to see more of Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection and its new unique power-ups, SaGa Frontier Remastered and its new characters and scenarios, plus a Switch port of FPS battle royal Apex: Legends which does not seem to offer anything new, but with such a fine game available on the go, who can complain?
Then we were directed to Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma who confirmed he had nothing to share on Breath of the Wild 2’s development but did have a Skyward Sword HD remaster in the works to tide fans over. The title features improved motion controls, button-only controls for portable play, and some sweet branded joy-con skins. Hopefully this will give the underrated game a newfound appreciation among series die-hards and casual players alike.
It was then time for the final announcement. If the sight of an Inkling in a Mad Max-esque desert before venturing to a revamped Inkopolis and joining an all-out turf war with new maps and floating platforms didn’t get your heart pumping, you may just need to speak to your cardiologist, because the upcoming Splatoon 3 looks amazing so far.
Author's Note: What did you think of this Direct? Are you heartbroken at the lack of new Zelda content? Are you excited about the metric ton of ports coming to the Switch? Have you already set Pyra as your main? Let us know in the comments below.
Credits
Editing & Graphics (@Zerp)
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