Nintendo Direct: Echoes of Excitement
On June 18, Nintendo livestreamed their “Nintendo Direct” broadcast. This online presentation showcases all of Nintendo’s big upcoming games, collaborations, and projects becoming available to the current console. Since the showcase only happens a few times a year at most, millions of people tuned in to see what they could look forward to.
Nintendo Directs always have fans speculating what will be Nintendo’s next big titles. This year is especially intriguing due to the Switch nearing the end of its lifespan. Creators/Influencers restream the events and share the excitement with their fans. Nintendo NYC also holds watch parties of the live stream, proving how pivotal these moments are for the gaming community. Gamers can come together to celebrate what they love with the excitement of new impending titles.
Before the presentation took place, Nintendo made clear announcements that no new console would be announced. Their statements clarified that the Nintendo Direct would only focus on new games. There would be no announcement of a Nintendo Switch successor.
The Long Awaited: Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4, first shown off in June of 2017, finally received its full reveal trailer, coined with the new name “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.” Fans of the Metroid series have waited 7 years between the reveal and the full trailer. After a few years of silence about the title, in January 2019, Nintendo announced that the development of Metroid Prime 4 would be scrapped and entirely restarted under the developer “Retro Studios.”
Fans screamed at the launch trailer as the years of waiting grabbed hold of their hearts. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is now one of the most anticipated games of this Nintendo Direct. The game is now slated for a 2025 release, with fans eager to know more.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Fans excitedly exploded at the reveal of the next Legend of Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. This game marks the first official game where players control Princess Zelda instead of the beloved main character, Link. Since the first game was released in 1986, Zelda has always been the goal of the game. Now, the roles are swapped and Zelda must save the kingdom of Hyrule and Link.
Players have always dreamed of a game where Zelda is the main character. After all, the series is named after the famous princess. Fans have speculated what a playable Zelda would look like. On September 26, players will finally be able to play as the strong princess of Hyrule and answer that question.
The release of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom also marks the release of the exclusive Legend of Zelda-themed Nintendo Switch Lite. The golden-colored device is decorated with the iconic Hylian Crest. It also comes with a 12-month Nintendo Online Expansion Pack membership.
The Year of Luigi: Part Two
This year, it seems, is also a big year for Luigi, Mario’s goofy brother. With a Luigi’s Mansion 2 relaunch and the brand-new Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Nintendo is putting Luigi in the spotlight. He is also included in the brand new Mario Party game, Super Mario Party Jamboree! These three games bring something a little old, a little new, and a whole lot of fun for Luigi fans!
Previously, fans had dubbed 2013 as “The Year of Luigi” because three Luigi-based titles were released. Now, many fans are comparing this to the second coming of “The Year of Luigi.” Hopefully, Luigi’s time in the limelight will be a bit more successful than last decade’s.
Classic Collections: Bundles of Fun
However, Nintendo does not stop there. Much smaller, yet still exciting, projects get fans hyped as well, such as the World Championships: NES Edition, new Gameboy Advance games for the Switch, and the Nintendo 64 Mature 17+ collection. These collections are always exciting to players because they give older games a second chance to be played.
The Nintendo World Championships: NES Editions allows players to complete speedruns to compete with one another. As the title insinuates, players will speedrun NES games and upload their times to claim top scores. Hundreds of challenges have been curated for players to take on in multiple different modes. This intense competition is available now on the eShop and physical copies.
An unexpected update to Nintendo Switch Sports brought basketball to the game. The free update allows players to compete in the Three-Point Challenge, Five-Streak Battle, or Three-Point contest. The update becomes available for everyone who owns the game this summer.
Donkey Kong: Barrelling Back
The next year will kick off with an HD release of Donkey Kong Country Returns. Barrelling in on January 16, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong take on the Tiki Tak Tribe to recover their bananas. With two built-in characters, this game is great for a couch co-op adventure. Find your player two and swing into action!
Non-Nintendo: Other Exciting News
Another huge reveal was the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection. This set of games puts beloved titles like X-MEN VS. STREET FIGHTER, MARVEL vs. CAPCOM 2, and more. This release also includes a title that has never been re-released in the US, The Punisher!
The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection switches up the game for fans who have played the previous games. In this collection, players will play as Miles Edgeworth instead of the loveable Phoenix Wright.
LEGO Horizon Adventures is coming to the Nintendo Switch, and other platforms, during the holidays! Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn explores a world completely built of legos. This single-player or co-op game allows for lots of goofy fun and interesting boss fights!
Whether they are new official Nintendo releases or older titles finally coming to the Nintendo Switch, fans are excited. Many other games were announced during this broadcast. All of them will be released within the next year or sooner.
The Nintendo Direct was a huge June event for gamers of all ages. The collection of games ranging from RPGs to speedruns and more, appeals to all players. There’s even a possibility that the next Nintendo Direct will reveal a Switch 2!
