It’s fair to say, Nintendo’s E3 Direct blew everything else out of the park – or rather the hosting venue. Most of their reveals were accompanied by gameplay footage, unlike other E3 conferences that only had cinematic trailers, and the pacing was just too perfect. With new Smash Bros. characters fans have been asking for, plenty of release dates, and extensive looks at new gameplay features, and more confirmation that the Switch will make your bank go bust than ever before, it’s tough to pick out only a few highlights from the extensive list, including in-depth looks at first and third party titles, and a pretty epic sizzle reel.
1 – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Dragon Quest Heroes and Banjo + Kazooie join the fight, with an extra dose of Dragon Quest love!
Following the recent Nintendo’s E3 character reveals, the excitement levels from Smash fans through the roof. This will undoubtedly lead to a few good monitors being Smashed in the ensuing euphoria with fan-favourite Banjo-Kazooie and Dragon Quest’s ‘Hero’ finally joining the fight.
To say Sakarai has been smashing it since Ultimate’s release would be an understatement. Especially considering how it is currently the highest selling fighter of all-time, and has grown to incorporate one of the oddest character line ups ever, with the likes of Cloud of Final Fantasy VII fame, Pacman, and Shulk from Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii/ 3DS) joining the already enormous Nintendo cast.
Fans have been hoping for Banjo-Kazooie’s inclusion in Smash Bros. since Melee and especially around Smash 4 when DLC characters were announced, while it was believed – or prophesied, if you prefer – prior to E3 that the Legendary Hero from Dragon Quest, Erdrick, would be revealed as a new fighter, which, as it happens, was only partly true. ‘Partly’ as it turns out the protagonists from Dragon Quest’s III, IV, VIII, and XI will be alternative costumes for the ‘Hero’.
To have both characters confirmed is exciting in itself, but with the inclusion of Banjo-Kazooie, there’s much to speculate about the relationship between Nintendo, Microsoft, and Rare. Will any of the Banjo-Kazooie games make their way over to the Switch in the future? Here’s hoping! But alongside these character reveals we also got to see more of Dragon Quest XI, with gameplay and a release date. It seems the long-running Dragon Quest series – which happens to be one of my personal favourite series’ of all-time – may finally get the love and attention it deserves.
2 – Luigi’s Mansion 3: Time to get spooked with Luigi as he takes on a haunted hotel, alongside fan-favourite gooey companion… Gooigi. Couldn’t make this up even if I tried…
Luigi’s Mansion was a unique game to launch alongside the equally unique, beloved indigo cube known as the ‘Gamecube’. It’s sequel, Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon (3DS), was received well enough, though criticised by original fans for it’s more linear mission based approach, while criticism was raised again at the decision to port the original Luigi’s Mansion to the 3DS towards the end of its lifecycle, rather than the newer Switch.
Now we finally have Luigi’s Mansion 3, this time on that new fancy Nintendo Switch we’ve all been breaking our wallets over (too many good games, not enough time…) and it’s fair to say, it looks fantastic. Set in a spooky hotel, Luigi is armed once again with a Ghostbuster’s Ghost Vacuum – the upgraded Poltergust G-00, which allows players to vacuum ghosts, smash them around the floor, and launch plungers to solve puzzles.
Also revealed was Gooigi, who not only functions as a single-player mechanic to get around obstacles, but also allows for multiplayer co-op options, as well. Already a fan-favourite, Gooigi looks like he’s made of melted green Gummy bears, though I’m sure it’s inedible ectoplasm… shame, really.
The in-depth gameplay footage has given us a better idea of how it will run on Switch and how it has been updated and improved over past entries, which thankfully seems to have been a running theme throughout the Direct. Aesthetically, the art and models look fantastic. For a haunted hotel, it sure is colourful, and we got an impression of the creativity behind the games design.
The question sure to be on everybody’s mind, though, is will Eddie Murphy from Haunted Mansion be available through DLC, and are there plans for a Munsters add-on pack?
3 – Astral Chain: Platinum Games showcases their new stylistic IP for the Switch, featuring demonoid doggo companions… aaww?
Platinum Games seem to be offering a plethora of spectacular games at the moment, while we patiently wait for Bayonetta 3. Astral Chain was a surprise reveal during the Spring Direct, where a trailer dropped for the brand new IP. Not much was known about it at the time, other than the fact that it was aesthetically pleasing, had some stunningly smooth animation, and oozed creativity. That and we also didn’t really know what an ‘astral chain’ was… are they heavy?
Stylistically it looks almost like a mix between Psycho Pass and Xenoblade, but with a very recognisably Platinum action oriented combat style. Astral Chain is set in a futuristic anime-inspired Blade Runner setting, in which you deal with strange dimensional invaders, accompanied with your own creatures which play a vital role in the combat.
Admittedly, when the initial trailer was shown I did think it was Shin Megami Tensei V, but I – as well as many other Switch fanatics – was glad to see something totally new dropped without prior indication. During this Direct we actually got to see more gameplay footage, had a better look at the graphical and artistic fidelity of the game, and got a better impression of what the story might be about. This is certainly one to keep on the radar and hopefully will lead to more somewhat random creative titles being revealed out of nowhere in the future, and has already made it onto my personal list of ‘most anticipated Switch releases’.
4 – Animal Crossing New Horizons: Sadly delayed, but thank god!
Breath of the Wild x Animal Crossing? The footage certainly gave that impression. Fans have been gagging for more news about the latest Animal Crossing game since it’s tantalising reveal during the last Nintendo Direct, and while some will no doubt be disappointed that it has been delayed to March 2020, there’s no denying it looks wonderfully charming, as you might expect – though due to the sheer number of releases coming up in the immediate future, I, for one, am thankful for this.
Animal Crossing New Horizons appears to be set on a deserted island, implying that where typical Animal Crossing titles introduce you as a new resident to a populated town, New Horizons seems to want you to help build the town from scratch. With new crafting mechanics and the interior decorating mechanics from Happy Home Designer joining the typical Animal Crossing shenanigans we’ve come to expect – fishing, hitting magic rocks for money, bug catching, planting trees, and exercising OCD in flower arranging – gameplay footage shown has certainly wetted our appetites. Excitingly enough, there will also be multiplayer elements included akin to Let’s Go Pikachu/ Eevee, where a second player can be invited to join by playing with a single Joy Con each, negating the need for a volleyball companion called Wilson.
As you might expect, it also looks as though Tom Nook has brought along his old exploitative tricks to the island, taking advantage of players’ precarious disposition by offering you a very minimal survival starting kit (including a tent), which will presumably lead to greater debt. Let’s hope he doesn’t recruit local wild boar or bears to join him as debt collectors, though it will be exciting to see how town and house upgrades will be handled when the game finally releases next year.
And don’t forget about that smooth, chill soundtrack and sound design, too. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Switch’s hybrid nature impacts the addictive nature of Animal Crossing…
5 – No More Heroes 3: Travis strikes again with the third instalment in the classic Suda51 No More Heroes series!
Quite on the opposite end of the gaming spectrum from the previously mentioned Animal Crossing is Suda51’s long-awaited No More Heroes 3. No More Heroes and its sequel originally appeared on the Wii, with a spin-off title, Travis Strikes Again, being the last instalment on Switch. Sadly there was fan criticism that it wasn’t the No More Heroes game they wanted, though tantalisingly there were messages within the game itself informing players that if TSA didn’t do well enough a third instalment would be unlikely.
Fortunately, it seems Suda51 had decided to work on it anyway, and what’s more, though a cinematic trailer with no gameplay footage, this latest instalment looks every bit as zany and brilliant as we might have hoped, utilising the comic book aesthetic the series is known for with the Unreal Engine.
Fingers crossed for a No More Heroes collection sometime in the future, or there truly are no more heroes left…
6 – Mana series on Switch!!
At long last, we no longer have to refer to the third Mana title by it’s Japanese name – Seiken Densetsu 3, which will now be known as Trials of Mana. This is a game that released on the Super Famicom in Japan, but sadly never made it over to the West. This was especially disappointing for fans of the excellent RPG classic Secret of Mana on the Super Nintendo.
But RPG fans can rejoice now the long-awaited Super Famicom classic has finally released – even if it is some 24-years late. But that’s not all: not only are we getting a gorgeous 3D remake, utilising bold colouration and character models with action RPG combat, but as of June 11th – after the Direct finished – fans were able to download the Collection of Mana straight to their Switch. This collection includes the Gameboy Final Fantasy Adventure, the critically acclaimed Secret of Mana, and at long last, the Trials of Mana we never got, in wondrous 16-bit glory.
It’s certainly a good time to be a Nintendo fan and an RPG fan, with the Mana games joining the likes of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Ys VIII, and Octopath Traveler, with a port of the PS3 classic, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch and (eventually) Shin Megami Tensei V later on.
7 – Legend of Zelda overload! Link’s Awakening, Cadence of Hyrule, and a Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild sequel…???
If there’s one thing you can rely on, it’s Zelda. Unlike Metroid, it’s almost guaranteed that a new Zelda title is being worked on, but when they’re straight up announced at E3, the hype and excitement goes straight into overdrive regardless.
And as if someone touched the Golden Triforce and wished for an overload of Zelda-related goodness, Nintendo only went and blew everyone’s minds by dropping a Triforce of Zelda, if you will.
For starters there’s the new Cadence of Hyrule, which is due for a June 13th release, marking an exciting occasion in which Nintendo has allowed an indie developer to use one of their most beloved franchises. This title takes familiar Zelda aesthetics and elements, and throws them into the music-based action-RPG world of Crypt of the NecroDancer. It’s an incredibly unique title on it’s own, but with it’s new connection to Zelda, it’s sure to see a dramatic rise in popularity. Hopefully Nintendo will allow more of their properties to be experimented on by mad indie scientists in the future.
But then there’s the remake of Link’s Awakening that came out of nowhere during their last Direct, which caught many fans off guard completely. Though those who played the original on the GB and GBC no doubt recognised the infamous storm intro recreated for the new anime-inspired trailer. With character models that look almost Play-Doh-esque, Link’s Awakening for Switch pulls on the heartstrings of nostalgic fans, while adding a few new concepts. Where the GBC version added the ‘Colour Dungeon’, the Switch remake will feature what looks like a ‘Zelda Dungeon Maker’ – perhaps hinting at the release of a Zelda Maker, along the lines of it’s Mario cousin?
And that was it. No more Zelda related content at all.
Except for right at the end, after we thought the Direct had finished, that is! After all, it opened with a Smash character announcement, so surely it will close with one. But then it wouldn’t be a Nintendo E3 if there wasn’t a hidden “one more thing…” snuck in at the end, like a post-credits scene at the end of a Marvel movie, now, would it? And so after the constant, non-stop game reveals that wrecked havoc on my blood pressure levels and emotional well-being, it was confirmed that the game fans had been clamouring for since finishing Breath of the Wild for the first time is in-fact under development: an official sequel to Breath of the Wild.
Be warned, however, as reactions may include uncontrollable, incoherent screams, hyperactivity, and heightened blood pressure akin to the erupting Death Mountain. At least according to Youtube fan reaction videos, that is…
The trailer itself took on a much darker, almost horror tone, than Breath of the Wild, featuring a mummified Ganondorf hidden away in a Crypt (of the NecroDancer?). From the looks of it, it seems to be utilising assets from Breath of the Wild to create a new game experience, akin to how Majora’s Mask reused elements of Ocarina of Time (which was also notably darker), allowing for a shorter wait for its release. Does that mean BotW 2 will be out in a year? We can but hope, though it’s always possible it could be a 2021 release, rather than 2020. Is it a sequel, as the closing text says, or will it turn out to be a prequel revealing how Calamity Ganon came about? Guess we’ll have to wait to find out…
In the meantime we’ve got enough Zelda to keep us occupied until then, and it’s enough for many that a sequel was confirmed to begin with, which doesn’t de-Minish my enthusiasm one bit.
