For two years, the Nintendo Directs for E3 have been riding high on the overwhelming success of the Switch, with each presentation bringing about one anticipated title after another, along with some very significant support from third parties, something rarely seen during the WiiU era. There wasn't any doubt that Nintendo could be successful for the third year in a row, and for a little over 40 minutes, these titles showed why fans are excited for the company's prospects.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
This was the announcement of two DLC fighters, and it was split up to almost bookend the show. The first revealed character was the hero from Dragon Quest XI, whose move set was similar enough to just about every sword wielder in the game. The alternate skins were throwbacks to other heroes from the Dragon Quest series. The real highlight for people was near the end of the presentation when Banjo-Kazooie showed up, no doubt pleasing longtime Nintendo fans who hoped that Nintendo and Microsoft-owned Rare would team up again. The Hero is expected for summer, while Banjo hits in the fall.
Luigi's Mansion 3
Lots of info dropped for this one. Luigi now has a slam move to go along with his vacuum, and he has a tether to help break other objects. The game now takes place in a haunted motel, where you need to rescue Mario, Princess Peach and the various Toads. The most significant new feature comes from Gooigi, a goo version of Luigi that's impervious to spikes and can pass through walls but gets thwarted by water. When playing solo, you can swap between the two, but his presence allows for multiplayer. There's even a special co-op mode for up to eight players online, with everyone being a Luigi clone in different colored overalls. This one has a vague 2019 date.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics
Netflix's upcoming prequel movie is coming along with a game for the Switch. Interestingly, this is a strategy game instead of a typical licensed platformer, so expect grid-based movement and turn-based fighting.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Aside from showing off more of the cute-as-a-button graphics, the big news to come from this is the dungeon creator mode via Dampe, which lets you craft dungeons for others to check out. There are rupee rewards given for beating these dungeons, but there's also a timer to give you a tangible goal if you're the high score type of person. We have a date of Sept. 20 for this one.
Trials of Mana
It was enough to hear that the Japanese action-RPG was coming to Switch in a remade form, but Square Enix sweetened the pot by announcing Collection of Mana, which bundles Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, Secret of Mana, and the original 16-bit Trials of Mana. The remake hits in 2020 but the collection of original titles is out now.
The Witcher III
It has been rumored for a while, but the modern classic is now on the Switch. As they were with Doom, Skyrim and Wolfenstein II, gamers will be curious about how this performs on the platform and how well it can run. Expect the complete edition to hit this year.
Resident Evil 5 and 6
Nintendo showed off a live action commercial to promote the remake of Resident Evil on the system. This made way for a quick announcement that RE5 and RE6 are coming to the platform. Both titles are expected for this fall.
No More Heroes III
No real gameplay was shown off here, but the gonzo cel-shaded vibe is out in full force. After all, the game showed off a middle-aged man suddenly donning a mech suit and flying to an angular spaceship before ditching the suit to become Travis Touchdown. Expect this in 2020.
Contra: Rogue Corps
Konami's series is back, and while the shooting is still there, things have certainly taken a turn for the odd. You may have a grizzled soldier, but now he's accompanied by a panda bear, a woman merged with alien organs, and a giant alien bug. The shooting takes place from multiple perspectives except for classic side-scrolling, and the game is expected to hit Sept. 24. In a surprise move, Konami also released the Contra Anniversary Collection today.
Panzer Dragoon
In another surprise, it was announced that the first Panzer Dragoon was going to be completely remade. There's no date for this one, but the major surprises are that Sega isn't publishing this one, and this is a Switch exclusive for now.
Empire of Sin
Coming out next spring, this one is fascinating, as it looks to be a combination of business sim and shooter. The game looks quite nice, and we're getting some Omerta: City of Gangsters vibes from this, albeit with a more active (rather than tactical) battle system.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3
We're seeing a ton more villains being revealed here, including MODOK, the Brotherhood of Mutants, and the Heralds of Thanos. The game is releasing next month, but the real news is that starting in the fall, the title will support DLC with characters coming from the Fantastic Four, the Marvel Knights series of books, and the X-Men.
Mario and Sonic at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020
The crossover sports series is back, and the mix of sports this time is wildly different from before. You may have mainstays like track, but now you have boxing, gymnastics, soccer, surfing, taekwondo — and even skateboarding, making this much more exciting. Look for this in November.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
For many, this was the big announcement of the Direct. The game now takes place on a deserted island, but all of the standbys, like Tom Nook and his family and various animal residents, invite you to their homes. Crafting is a new thing, along with a more robust weather system, and the game now allows for up to eight players. The only disappointment is that this now hits in March of 2020 instead of this year, as originally expected.
Game Montage
The montage threw out a bunch of known games, like Catan, Dead by Daylight, Doom Eternal, Dragon Quest Builders 2, My Friend Pedro, Stranger Things Season 3, Super Mario Maker 2 and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. It also premiered some real surprises, like the following: Alien Isolation, Dauntless, The Elder Scrolls Blades, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Hollow Knight Silksong, Just Dance 2020, Minecraft Dungeons, New Super Lucky's Tale, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, The Sinking City and Spyro Reignited Trilogy.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
The presentation ended with one more surprise, and it is that the sequel to Breath of the Wild is in development. It carries the same look as the original, and that's all we know at the moment.