With rumors spreading and Nintendo America teasing fans on a January Nintendo Direct, one was bound to happen since September. Well it did. A “mini” direct was released the morning of January 11, 2018 and Nintendo brought the goods. So let’s break it down on what was revealed this morning.
The World Ends With You Final Remix : 2018
Nintendo goes back to its Nintendo DS catalog and bringing new and returning fans to play the classic game on the Switch. The game will let you choose traditional controls or touchscreen. The game did come out for iOS and Google Play and having touchscreen capabilities is a no-brainer. SquareEnix (the publisher) will also have the game to include a “sizeable new scenario”. Not too much in details but the game will be available sometime in 2018.
Pokkén Tournament DX Battle Pack : January 31, March 23.
Nintendo has not forgotten about Pokkén Tournament and will be releasing a “Battle Pack”. The pack does come with a price at $14.99 and is available to purchase now. If you purchase the pack now, you also receive a set of avatar items. The new DLC will be released as two waves, here are the details:
- Wave 1 (January 31): New battle Pokémon Aegislash along with support set of Mega Rayquaza and Mimikyu. Aegislash can change between two forms. Players can wield them both.
- Wave 2 (March 23): New battle Pokémon Blastoise and support Pokémon Mew and Celebi.
Kirby Star Allies : March 16
Announced back at e3 2017 and shown from Nintendo’s September 2017 direct, the game has an official release date of March 16 for the Nintendo Switch. Players can adjust the available moveset when playing with friends in the game’s co-op mode. Nintendo also announced that Kirby Battle Royale is available now for demo in the 3DS eshop.
Dragon Quest Builders : February 9
Nintendo has announced the demo for Dragon Quest Builders is available. This underrated game from PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita is worth your time and highly recommend trying the game out. The game is Minecraft with Dragon Quest style.
Hyrule Warriors Ultimate Edition : Spring 2018
The original Wii U game saw a port to the 3DS and now coming to the Nintendo Switch. While not surprising the game would port to Nintendo’s newest console it does come with the original DLC from the Wii U and 3DS versions but also new features. You can now play co-op on the same screen and Breath of the Wild-themed costumes for Link and Zelda. No extra DLC was announced for this version but the new edition is a perfect package for those who were holding off on getting the game or making a return.
Mario Tennis Aces : Spring 2018
Camelot, the developers of Golden Sun from the Game Boy Advance are creating a new Mario Tennis game for the Switch. This is the first in the Mario Tennis series to have a story mode. Surprisingly we haven’t seen a Mario sport-themed game till now for the hot console.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
Action JRPG (Japanese role-playing game) will make it’s journey on the Switch in the summer. The game originally released on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita makes sense to take advantage of the Switch and it’s capabilities. With the localization patch coming out the end of this month, players shouldn’t have to go through the translation issues PlayStation players had experienced. Those who are thirsty for RPG titles on the Switch should keep their eye on this one.
Super Mario Odyssey Update : February
Players will have more reasons to return to the world of Super Mario Odyssey. Nintendo will be releasing new content, for free in February. After completing the game, a new game mode called “Balloon World” is available at Donk City by talking to Luigi. In this world, players can hide balloons within the stages and it’s up to players to find them. You’ll have to race and compete with other players all over the world to find them. Your performance will be ranked online.
New outfits will be included in this update:
- Super Mario Sunshine-themed shirt and glasses
- Musician costume
- Full set of knight armor
New snapshot filters for the photo mode will also be included in the update, this will let you create your own gold-tinted Mario coin.
SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy : Summer 2018
NIS America is bringing over a new title to the Nintendo Switch (and PlayStation 4). A new fan service brawler, focus entirely on the female fighters from the SNK series will arrive this summer. SNK fans should be pleased to see a new title come. The tag-team battle will have tons of costumes and accessories to choose from while you battle online for glory.
Also announced during the morning’s direct, Neo Geo game Art of Fighting 2 is available today for the Switch. You can now purchase the “diamond dream edition” now on NIS America’s store.
Mario + Rabbids DLC : Spring 2018
Fans of the tactical battle will have a new character to play this spring. Donkey Kong makes his appearance in battle. No details on the character cost but is included in the season pass.
Payday 2 : February 27
A firm date has been set for Payday 2. A timed-exclusive, new character Joy (Japanese computer whiz) for the Switch has been confirmed. (Video will start at game announcement)
Fe : February 16
Indie game Fe has a release date for February 16 on not only the Nintendo Switch, but also the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The Switch version will utilize the Joy-Cons HD Rumble to feel the unique song each creature has and use motion controls to match it and sing with them. (Video will start at game announcement)
Celeste : January 25
Another big indie game will be hitting the Switch on January 25. The game will also be launched on the PlayStation 4 and Steam same day, Xbox One on the 26th, announced by Matt Makes Games. In Celeste, you help a young woman named Madeline to climb the Celeste Mountains. There are 600 levels spread across eight chapters and a reverse side (side-B) for higher difficulty. The game will also have an assist mode to help ease into the game’s difficulty. (Video will start at game announcement)
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze : Mary 4
The side-scrolling Wii U game will be ported over to the Nintendo Switch. The port will have Funky Kong as a new playable character. Difficulty of the game will remain.
Dark Souls Remastered : May 25
A remastered version of Dark Souls is heading to the Nintendo Switch on May 25, along with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game will have improved resolution and other visual upgrades. The port will include DLC Artorias of the Abyss and an increase to six maximum players for multiplayer.
Nintendo Switch version will run the game at 1080p and 30ps when docked. 720p and 30fps for handheld mode. PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X will have the game upscaled to 4K resolution and 60fps. The other PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles will run at 1080p and 60fps. PC users will have the 4K resolution with textures at 2K unconverted and 60fps.
Where’s the Service?
While this morning’s direct was a “mini”, Nintendo did not bring up any details on a “Virtual Console” for classic games we’ve all been dying to play on the Switch nor online services. Nintendo has been very quiet on these details as some games out now are waiting for the online service to start (Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Overdrive for an example).