Today’s Nintendo Direct was filled with excitement, as new and old titles got some love and attention, and Mario Tennis and Splatoon 2 got the biggest announcements of the bunch. If you missed the Direct today, then fear not, for we have the basic run down for you.
The 3DS had a few announcement for watchers to start off the Nintendo Direct. WarioWare Gold, a collection of over 300 WarioWare micro games, will be making its way to the 3DS on August 3. Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers, an action-meets-tower-defense game, will also be coming to the Nintendo handheld, and it will allow players to transform their Mii characters into furries to join in battle. A demo for the game will be available May 10, and the game will roll onto Nintendo e-shop on May 24. Mario & Luigi Bowser’s Inside Story is back again with an extra side story, Bowser Jr.’s Journey, and will be available sometime in 2019.
Detective Pikachu also had an announcement, for the game is now available for pre-purchase on the Nintendo e-shop. Also, a bigger Detective Pikachu Amiibo, which is 5.3 inches tall, will launch alongside the game on March 23. Last on the 3DS block was Luigi’s Mansion, which will be getting a 3DS remake, complete with updated graphics, UI, as well as a boss rush mode. The game will be available some time this year.
The Nintendo Switch had a hefty amount of announcements and updates for various games coming out later this year. First up, Kirby Star Allies will be jumping onto the Switch later next week. More dream friends, fan favorite villain characters, will be added for free post-launch, and the first characters will include Rick, Kine, and Coo, Marx, and Gooey. Kirby Star Allies will launch March 16 with the first free update coming March 28. A free demo is also available for the game currently.
Okami HD will be ported onto the Nintendo Switch, complete with touchscreen capabilities, tv and tabletop modes, and the original game with updated graphics. The game will come to the Nintendo Switch during the Summer of 2018.
Newcomer Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido will feature sushi battles with the likes which have never been seen before. Wage conveyor belt sushi battles in a world where sushi is forbidden. The game mixes strategy with puzzle, and has you matching sushi colors in order to pile on plates to toss at your opponent. Commence battle in the story mode, or against friends via online play. Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido will release June 8 for both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS.
Octopath Traveler also got a wealth of announcements. First up, two new main characters were introduced, Tressa, a merchant who can purchase special items from vendors, and Alfyn, an apothecary who can find out info that others cannot in standard conversations. Jobs in battle were revealed, with secondary jobs having strategic use inside combat as well as outside. Lastly, a special edition of Octopath Traveler was revealed to have the base game, a popup book with all eight main characters, a selective soundtrack, a map, and a collector’s coin. The game launches on July 13.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes was revealed, and it will feature Travis embarking into the game world to go on a rampage of epic proportions. It will feature seven different game genres that Travis will have to traverse with a boss at the end of each genre’s stage. In addition, co-op multiplayer will be present, and all of this meets the world exclusively on Switch later this year.
Dark Souls: Remastered got a little announcement with a network test that will have more info at a later date, as well as the reveal of the Solaire Amiibo. With the Amiibo, players can “praise the sun” at any point if they use their amiibo while in game. The game and Solaire amiibo will be available May 25.
Straying away from game announcements, Nintendo also revealed that Gold Coins, or Gold Points, can be used for the purchase of e-shop titles. The redeeming of coins can be done through the e-shop or through the official Nintendo website.
Also headlining the Switch announcements was Mario Tennis Aces, a fresh new spin on the Mario Tennis series. The game will feature new mechanics, fifteen characters, four player games, and a whole lot of fun to be had. In terms of mechanics, Mario Tennis Aces will have basic shots, like top spins, slices, and lobs, but it will also introduce a more tactical way to play with zone shots. Zone shots are a way to slow down time to aim before you shoot, and are used by depleting your character’s special meter. This meter is charged by either keeping a volley going, or performing a trick shot. In addition, zone shots can break your opponent’s racket if your opponent is not ready for a zone shot, and if a racket breaks, the owner will automatically forfeit the game. A character’s meter also has another use with zone speed, which is a way a player can slow down time to react to shots.
Once a character’s meter is full, they can perform a special shot, which has the potential to break an opponent’s racket in one fell swoop. However, special shots cannot guarantee a win, and is a big risk since it will fully deplete your meter. Basic rules will also come with Mario Tennis Aces, and the game can be enjoyed without the new mechanics. Online multiplayer will also allow for up to four people to play form across the world. In addition, an online tournament for Mario Tennis Aces will be held later this year, and everyone who participates will get special items or additional characters. Swing mode will also be available, where players can use the joycon controllers to swing their tennis racket in game. Mario Tennis Aces will release later in 2018.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker will have players navigating tricky sandbox-style levels as they lead toad on a quest for treasure in levels designed to resemble Japanese box gardens. Players can shift the camera of the world to get better looks at the environment, or even find hidden secrets throughout. Also included are a few Super Mario Odyssey levels for Toad to explore. A 3DS version of the game will also be coming to the Nintendo e-shop. The game will launch July 13.
In a special announcement – a most remarkable announcement – it was also shown that Undertale will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch…eventually.
For the first time, a Crash Bandicoot title will be playable on a Nintendo console with the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which includes all three original Crash Bandicoot games remastered. The game will be making a wump on the Nintendo Switch July 10.
The horror-puzzle game, Little Nightmares Complete Edition, is scurrying its way to the Switch sooner than you might think. The 3D environment puzzles and platforming, charmingly surreal graphics, and stories are presented through the Maw, a vast vessel of mystery haunted by corrupted souls. Choose between two characters to play as, who each have eight chapters worth of gameplay to them. Also, players who own the Pac-Man Amiibo will be able to unlock a special Pac-Man outfit in game. The title launches May 18.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole will be coming to Nintendo Swtich, along with all of its current and future DLC. The first two DLCs will be available at launch, and the third DLC, Bring the Cruch, will be available for purchase the same day as other platforms get the DLC. All downloads can be purchased individually, or together in the game’s Season Pass. South Park: The Fractured But Whole will launch April 24.
In a short announcement, it was shown that Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition will be available on the Switch come May 18 of this year.
ARMS will be hosting a three day global testpunch, an event which will allows players who own the Switch to try out the full ARMS game for free. The global testpunch will commence on March 31. In addition, an ARMS open invitational tournament will be held in the US and Canada. The prelims will take place in the game’s online ranked mode from March 8 – 18, and best eight players from each region will move on to the finals. These sixteen players will duke it out in bracket online, and the event will be streamed for the whole world to see on March 31. All finalists will receive a custom art piece created by the development team.
Splatoon 2 got a lot of attention during the last stretch of the Nintendo Direct. Ver. 3.0 will be coming in late April, and with it, 100+ new pieces of gear will be available for purchase. Three stages will be brought to Splatoon 2: Piranha Pit and Camp Triggerfish from the original Splatoon will now be playable in its sequel, and new map, Wahoo World, will be making its debut as well. Rank X, a new, hardcore rank that goes beyond S+, will be available for players to attain. More details on the rank will come soon. Also, Callie will now appear in Octo Canyon once certain conditions are met.
Splatoon 2 will also be getting its first ever DLC, Octo Expansion. In this DLC, playable Octolings will be available for play. Included is a brand new story surrounding agent 8, an octoling who mysteriously wakes up with amnesia on a train platform. Also, players who own the DLC will be able to play as an octoling in multiplayer battles. The DLC will be priced at $19.99, and it is available for pre-purchase today along with octoling-themed pre-order bonuses.
Last but not least, the Direct ended with a special announcement. After years of jokes and requests, Splatoon will finally be included in Smash. In addition, Super Smash Bros. will be coming to the Switch as well sometime in 2018.
If you want to see the Nintendo Direct in full, the VOD will be included below.