A busy year for Nintendo continues with its latest Direct livestream. And it was a big one spanning more than an hour of announcements and trailers, with quite a few surprises.
That includes a title for the next Super Mario Bros. movie, release dates for Metroid Prime 4 and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, a Pokémon game with hints of Minecraft, Virtual Boy games coming to Switch Online subscribers, an expansion for Donkey Kong Bananza, and new Yoshi and Mario Tennis titles.
If you weren’t able to tune in live, here are all the biggest reveals.
Fight for glory in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave coming to the Switch 2 next year
There was a lot in September’s Nintendo Direct. We got a new trailer for the Super Mario Bros Movie sequel, a new Yoshi game, a new Mario Tennis game, this weird thing, a Hades II release date, a new Pokémon game, and Metroid Prime 4’s release date. But if that weren’t enough, and apparently it wasn’t according to Nintendo, the company has also revealed a first look at the latest Fire Emblem game titled Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave.
The reveal trailer gave us a glimpse of the world of Fortune’s Weave. The game features what looks to be the same kind of factional rivalries that made Fates, Awakening, and Three Houses so special. Fortune’s Weave also features totally new characters in a brand new setting that, so far, looks much more interesting than what Fire Emblem Engage had to offer.
Read Article >Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s first DLC will take you to the Mega Dimension
We still don’t know all that much about Pokémon Legends Z-A’s main storyline, but Nintendo is already hyping up a big expansion for the new game.
During today’s hourlong Direct showcase of upcoming games, Nintendo revealed that Pokémon Legends Z-A is getting a paid DLC update titled Mega Dimension that will introduce more story content and two new mega evolved forms of Raichu. Promotional art for the expansion seems to suggest that the Hoopa, a mythical pokémon known for creating portals to other dimensions, will be featured in Mega Dimension’s story. Nintendo did not announce exactly when the DLC will drop, but you can pre-order it today through the eShop.
Read Article >- Go even more bananas.
If you’ve already maxed out everything to do in Donkey Kong Bananza, the game is getting a paid update that launches later today.
- The Switch 2 gets a little evil.
The latest Resident Evil, Requiem, is making its way to Nintendo’s console on February 27th. Additionally, the previous two entries in the series are also being ported on the same day.
The next Pokémon looks a bit like Minecraft
A new Pokémon spinoff is on the way, and it looks very different than any other entry in the long-running franchise. In fact, it looks a little bit like Minecraft — and it’s called Pokémon Pokopia.
The game has players controlling a Ditto that has taken on the form of a human, which means that it’s a little cute and also a little creepy. The goal of the game is to shape an empty landscape into a suitable home for some pokémon. That means taming the wilderness, growing crops, and also using a bunch of classic pokémon moves to make it all happen. The visuals look like a mix of the structured form of a Minecraft game with the cutesy characters and tone of Pokémon. Given those are two of the biggest franchises in gaming, it sounds — on paper at least — like a winning mix.
Read Article >Bring death to Chronos in Hades 2 this September
Everybody say thank you Nintendo! During its Direct livestream Hades II, the follow-up to Supergiant Game’s phenomenal roguelike Hades, finally has a release date. Prepare to bring death to Chronos on Switch and PC September 25th.
During the Direct, Hades II revealed a splashy new animated trailer, reminiscent of the first Hades trailer. It features Melinoë, Hades II’s protagonist and sister to Zagreus, the prince of hell who spent the first game trying to escape it. This time, Melinoë isn’t trying to leave hell, but break in to deal death to her grandfather, the god of time Chronos. As in Hades, Melinoë is aided in her quest by the gods, heroes of mythology, and the death-dealing power of her own two hands.
Read Article >Metroid Prime 4 goes beyond, launching this December
You won’t have to wait too long now for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Nintendo surprised us so soon after the Kirby Air Riders direct with another direct showcase today. Clocking in at a luxurious 60 minutes, the direct covered a bunch of games (and movies) coming in the latter quarter of the year and beyond. But one of the bigger pieces of news was Metroid Prime 4: Beyond which Nintendo has announced will launch on December 4th.
Read Article >Virtual Boy games are coming to Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo’s oft-maligned VR headset the Virtual Boy is getting a new life on modern hardware. Nintendo announced that the platform will be coming to its collection of retro games available to Switch Online subscribers, and will be available on both the Switch and Switch 2.
The twist is that in order to play these games you’ll need a dedicated headset accessory, which looks just like the original hardware, but lets you slot in the Switch (or Switch 2) tablet for viewing the games. A cardboard model will also be available, which sounds similar to the Labo VR headset. The main headset accessory will cost $99.99 according to Nintendo, while the cardboard version will be $24.99.
Read Article >- Head back to Hyrule later this year.
If you’re jonesing for a little more Zelda, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment will be out pretty soon, launching on the Switch 2 on November 6th. Here’s a taste of what to expect.
- Spring is shaping up to be pretty busy (and weird).
Nintendo keeps announcing games due out next spring, and the latest is Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, which continues to look delightfully bizarre.
- A Cloud appears.
The first entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy is finally coming to Nintendo platforms with a launch on the Switch 2 on January 22nd.
- What even is this thing?
During the Nintendo Direct Showcase, Big Red showed off the latest weird-ass thing to come out of it’s design lab — a talking flower. Specifically, the talking flower that shows up all over Super Mario Wonder (and is voiced by the new Mario himself, Kevin Afghani.) We know it talks, but is not an interactive toy which begs the question...why? A question that, knowing Nintendo, will never truly be answered.
- Wonder some more.
The excellent side-scroller Super Mario Bros. Wonder is getting a Switch 2 edition, which will include some new co-op gameplay. It’s out next spring.
- So can Yoshi read?
A new Yoshi platformer is incoming, called Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. As the name suggests, it has a storybook theme and aesthetic, and it looks like a cozy little adventure. It’s out on the Switch 2 next spring.
- Things are heating up.
Mario Tennis is back with the impressive looking new sports title Fever. Among the changes for the new game are specialized rackets that do things like shrink your opponents of freeze them with ice. Plus, there are 38 characters to play as. It sounds like it’ll be a hefty title when it launches on February 12th.
Mario’s going to space in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer
Nintendo wouldn’t be Nintendo if it didn’t offer surprises every now and again. During its direct showcase, the company revealed more information on the sequel to The Super Mario Bros Movie — The Super Mario Galaxy Movie including a brand new trailer.
The teaser trailer was just that, a taste of what’s to come. It features Mario resting under a tree in the Mushroom Kingdom while a butterfly zooms up to space as the theme to Super Mario Galaxy begins to play.
Read Article >- A whole new galaxy.
Well, not new exactly. But Nintendo announced that the classic 3D platforming games will both be making their way to the Switch (and Switch 2) with a bundled release launching on October 2nd. Perfect to get prepped for the upcoming Galaxy movie.
Image: Nintendo - Switch, too.
Nintendo has decided to give us all a welcome break from doomscrolling with its latest Direct livestream, which is happening very soon at 9AM ET. It’ll last around an hour, and you can watch it either via the YouTube embed below, or through Nintendo’s news app.
