Latest Nintendo Direct Has Few Surprises
*Also keeps a lid on the NX.
This morning’s Nintendo Direct wasn’t particularly mind blowing in any way, with a number of predictable releases finally revealed. It isn’t surprising that the Japanese company is staying tight-lipped about the NX given there are still Wii U titles that need promotion. Here are the announcements broken down by platform.
New 3DS / 3DS
Pokemon Sun and Moon – OK, so this was technically announced last week, but what the hey, it’s close enough to include. Pokemon Sun and Moon will follow up X & Y as the latest generation of Pokemon games after the success of the Sapphire and Ruby remakes. With no in-game footage shown, it’s hard to tell if Gamefreak will be pushing the visuals of this release further, taking advantage of the New 3DS hardware in any way, or resting comfortably on their current engine. Currently dated for late 2016.
Disney Art Academy – Following on from Pokemon Art Academy, Disney Art Academy will allow players to practice tracing in a variety of ways. On a serious note, this could be of interest for younger players wanting to develop their character design and digital art skills. Disney Art Academy releases on the 16th of July.
Fire Emblem: Fates – After launching in the US last month, FE: Fates will be hitting Australian shores shortly. The special edition which features all three titles on a single cartridge looks quite cool, but unless Nintendo announce more stock you won’t be picking one up without a preorder already. While the Birthright and Conquest scenarios will be available from the 21st of May, Revelations will not be purchaseable until the 9th of June exclusively the Nintendo eShop.
Monster Hunter Generations – If anything can make me feel guilty about not puting enough time into Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, it’s the announcement of another Monster Hunter Game. Featuring characters from Fire Emblem and bonuses for players with a MH4U save file, Monster Hunter Generations should appeal to both newcomers and veterans alike. Currently dated for Winter 2016.
Rhythm Paradise Megamix – Acting as a ‘Greatest Hits’ album for the Rhythm Paradise series, RPM includes 70 minigames from previous titles with 30 new entries to spice things up. I’ve never found much longevity in these titles, but they can be fun to pass around with friends. Currently dated for 2016.
Kirby: Planet Robobot – Coninciding with a new set of Kirby Amiibos, Planet Robobot is another 2D platforming adventure in the long-running series. Along with new costumes and abilities unlocking when certain Amiibo are scanned, four-player mode Team Kirby Clash is also included. Kirby: Planet Robobot releases on June 11th, 2016.
Metorid Prime: Federation Force – A co-op handheld shooter, Federation Force has copped a lot of flak from Metroid fans since it’s reveal. With Nintendo assuring fans that they have acquised to their demands for a single player campaign and Samus Aran, hopefully this will be enough to tide devotees over until a decent main series entry appears. Currently dated for Winter 2016.
SNES Virtual Console titles – Exclusive to New 3DS models only, Nintendo are finally allowing SNES Virtual Console titles on to the handheld. With both Super Mario World and Earthbound available today, Nintendo have announced a release schedule for the next month, with two titles moving across to the handheld per week. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Super Metroid will release on the 11th of March, F-Zero and Super Mario Kart will follow on the 18th and both Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2 on the 25th. There is currently no word on whether owners of these titles on Wii U will be able to access them on N3DS for free.
Wii U
StarFox Guard & Zero – This pair of titles will come combined at retail but can be purchased separately on the eShop. Star Fox Guard resembles a tower defence title, while Zero is a traditional Star Fox title in the vein of Lylat Wars (or Star Fox 64 for those outside of Europe and Australia). Both will be available from the 23rd of April 2016.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games – I still can’t figure out who these titles are aimed at, but they seem to do well enough to keep making them. For those itching to make these mascots go head to head in Olympic activities, you’ll be able to pick this up on the 25th of June.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE – A cross-over between the Shin Megami Tensei series and Fire Emblem, this JRPG will feature it’s original Japanese language track along with an English dub, sure to please purists who generally can’t understand Japanese anyway. Go figure. Given the recent censorship controversy Nintendo has had with titles like Xenoblade Chronicles X and Bravely Second, it will be interesting to see if TMS#FE comes through the localisation process unscathed. Currently dated for the 25th of June.
Paper Mario: Color Splash – Yes, I’m sure Nintendo know that’s not how we spell Colour in this country. No, I don’t think they care. The latest entry in the Paper Mario series finally moves it back to a home console after almost a decade on handhelds, with the art style and graphical power of the Wii U looking quite impressive. Currently dated for 2016.
Check out the full Direct presentation below
Stephen del Prado
