June 18th 2024.
The recent Nintendo Direct had quite a few surprises up its sleeve, with a lineup of new first-party titles announced for this year and beyond. It's safe to say that the Nintendo Switch is going out with a bang, much bigger than anyone expected.
Initially, many speculated that the Direct would only feature a handful of indie games and Wii U remasters, given its expected length of 20 minutes. After all, the new console was just released and there seemed to be a lack of scheduled releases for the second half of the year. However, Nintendo proved us wrong.
Fans were hoping for a glimpse of Metroid Prime 4, and they got it. However, it was the only first-party game that won't be released this year. Instead, we were treated to a new Zelda title, a new Mario Party, and a surprise entry in the Super Mario RPG adjacent series, Mario & Luigi.
What made this announcement even more unexpected was the fact that the original developer, AlphaDream, went bankrupt in 2019. This was partly due to the declining sales of the series over time. However, fans can rest assured that the new game, titled Mario & Luigi: Brothership, looks like a lot of fun based on the trailer. It features the series' signature turn-based combat with real-time gimmicks, as well as distinctive cel-shaded visuals. Let's hope it maintains the humor that made titles like Bowser's Inside Story so appealing.
Moving on to other games, the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition was confirmed for release on July 18. Fans of Final Fantasy can also look forward to Fantasian Neo Dimension, a console version of the game by its creator. And for those who enjoy sports games, Nintendo Switch Sports will be getting a new basketball mini-game as a free update this summer.
As for indie games, there weren't many showcased during the Direct. However, one that caught our eye was MIO, with its unique pencil art style. It's not due for release until next year, showing that Nintendo plans to continue supporting the Switch well into the future.
One game that we were surprised to see in the lineup was Looney Tunes: Wacky Worlds Of Sports. While it may be available on multiple platforms, it looks like a lot of effort has been put into it. The game offers four arcade-style sports, adding to the variety of games available on the Switch.
There were also some major updates announced during the Direct. Among Us will be getting several new imposter roles, and we can't wait to see how that shakes up the game. It was ironic that the announcement was short, as the update was initially leaked and revealed the date of the Nintendo Direct before it was officially announced.
Despite rumors of Zelda and Metroid remasters, the only one confirmed was Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a remaster of the 2010 Wii game that also includes new levels from the 3DS edition. It won't be released until January 16, so it looks like Metroid Prime 4 won't be the only game we have to wait for until next year.
Most of the games showcased during the Direct will be released this year, with a lot of focus on Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake. This will be a big deal in Japan when it's released on November 14. And for fans of classic games, the Nintendo Switch Online virtual console will be getting some notable additions, including Game Boy Advance games such as Zelda: A Link To The Past And Four Swords and Metroid: Zero Mission. Plus, there will be a "mature collection" for N64 games, including Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and Perfect Dark.
One game that caught our attention was Phantom Brave 2, a sequel to the original game by Nippon Ichi. It looks promising with its unique feature of possessing objects with pet phantoms to gain special abilities. It's set to release sometime next year.
And finally, the mic drop moment of the Direct was the announcement of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. But before that, there were a few more surprises in store, such as Tales Of The Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game, Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, and The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy from the creators of Danganronpa.
Overall, the Nintendo Direct was highly impressive and exceeded our expectations. While it may not have been enough to compete with the Xbox Games Showcase, it definitely made the rest of the year look a lot busier for Nintendo. We definitely had no objections to this Direct!
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