Nintendo has debuted a new Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, which was a video presentation that focused on upcoming Nintendo Switch games from Nintendo’s third party development and publishing partners. The video is the first in a series of upcoming Partner Showcase presentations that will be released this year.
Highlights of the debut showcase include details about two new games in the popular and acclaimed Shin Megami Tensei RPG series – a high-definition remake of Shin Megami Tensei III, a beloved classic in the series, coming Spring 2021, and a new game in the main numbered series, Shin Megami Tensei V, which will have a simultaneous global launch on Nintendo Switch in 2021.
The Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase also revealed three new paid DLC packs for Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda, adding new characters, modes and maps. Additionally, the video showed off action-packed gameplay for two upcoming Nintendo Switch games, Rogue Company and WWE 2K Battlegrounds.
“With this new Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, we are delighted to be shining a spotlight on great games from our development and publishing partners,” said Steve Singer, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Publisher and Developer Relations. “With multiple showcases this year, we can continue highlighting the breadth of games and the variety of experiences all types of players can get on Nintendo Switch.”
You can check out the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase video in its entirety, here:
Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:
Shin Megami Tensei V: The next numbered entry in ATLUS’ beloved Shin Megami Tensei series is coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch. In this epic role-playing game, order itself has crumbled and chaos reigns over all. Shin Megami Tensei V will have a simultaneous global launch on Nintendo Switch in 2021.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster: It’s been 17 years since the original release of Shin Megami Tensei III, known in the U.S. as Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. Now, the apocalyptic legend returns in a full high-definition remake of the classic game, coming to Nintendo Switch in spring 2021.
3. Rogue Company: A stylish new shooter lands on Nintendo Switch! Lay waste to opponents with an arsenal of weapons and abilities in this online multiplayer third-person shooter from First Watch Games. Clash with other players in competitive and casual game modes, or rise to the challenge against AI opponents that surely bring the heat. If players fall in battle, their teammates can revive them, letting them immediately jump back into the fray. Cross-platform play and cross-save are also supported from day one, along with support for motion-controlled aiming. More information about Rogue Company will be revealed later today!
4. WWE 2K Battlegrounds: The world of WWE is your battleground with all-new, over-the-top, in-your-face arcade action, as your favorite WWE Superstars and Legends battle it out in outlandish interactive environments. Both casual gamers and long-time wrestling fans will love the easy, pick-up-and-play multiplayer experience when WWE 2K Battlegrounds launches for Nintendo Switch on Sept. 18.
5. Cadence of Hyrule Season Pass: Three paid DLC packs are coming to the Cadence of Hyrule – Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda game, with the first pack launching later today!
Pack 1: Character Pack – In the first pack, five additional characters join the game’s ensemble, including Impa, who excels in ranged attacks with the Naginata weapon, and Aria, perfect for players who like a challenge. It’s game over if you take one hit or miss a beat with her.
Pack 2: Melody Pack – After purchasing this pack, 39 songs will be added to the game, including remixed versions of the game’s background music. Players can change the background music at any time so they can listen to their favorite songs while journeying through Hyrule.
Pack 3: Additional Story Content – Symphony of the Mask – Play as the mysterious Skull Kid and venture through a new map in the third DLC pack, complete with new songs and a new story. Skull Kid also possesses the power to change abilities based on the masks he dons.
DLC Pack 1 will be available to purchase later today for $5.99. The second DLC pack will be released before the end of October for $5.99. The third DLC pack will also be released before the end of October, and will be available for $9.99. A Season Pass containing all three DLC packs as they release will be available to purchase starting today for $14.99. People who purchase the Season Pass will also receive bonus costumes for Link and Zelda. A physical version of the game that contains the main game and all three DLC packs will launch on Oct. 23 for $39.99.
Details about the next Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase will be revealed in the future.
Here’s a fun fact, did you know that the last Nintendo Direct that we had was almost 316 DAYS ago? For those that don’t know this now holds the record as the longest period of time in between directs. That brings now to our hopeful solution, and that we may finally get our break as of tomorrow! Our last Nintendo direct was back in March 26th of this year!
Many Nintendo insiders has been hinting at the possibility of us getting a direct ever since this month has began really. King Zell (aka C. Tsubasa) from Reesetera has been pretty adamant that a Nintendo direct is coming this month and about the scheduled date being July 20th.
The specific date thats been rumored and speculated has been July 20th ( so by this time tomorrow,) we would know something maybe its the announcement of a direct, or we get a shadow drop direct mini like the last time.
Now that the date has been out of the way what do I think could possibly be revealed in this direct? What would be taking over this direct, are we finally going to see game play of Breath of the Wild 2 or is Mario going to take the stage as it is the 35th anniversary for the franchise? Here is where I get into all of the rumors, leaks and predictions for what could possibly be shown for this direct.
SUPER MARIO 3D COLLECTION
A possible Mario collection has been rumored for quite some time now, as I’ve stated earlier this year does mark Super Mario’s 35th Anniversary, so an anniversary collection isn’t something too crazy to think would be happening.
From what would be out of the collection, it’s going to be Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Most have been saying that they will be complete remasters of the originals games than they are straight up ports. Honestly, some of these could use the touch up, especially Super Mario 64 and Sunshine mostly.
Now this particular collection has been leaked to be a thing by every video game site under the sun, so it’s not too completely crazy to think that some kind of anniversary collection could be coming. This has also been predicted to be somewhat of a holiday release, which again would make sense. After Paper Mario: The Origami King was just released a couple of days ago and was the BIG summer release for Nintendo this year, so a Mario collection for the holidays does seem pretty likely. Now of course this would all be apart of the celebration of the Mario franchise and Nintendo takes celebrating Mario’s birthday very seriously and rightfully so. Just five years ago, we did get a new game, celebrating the franchise as a whole with Super Mario Maker, so of course they would want to do something special for the 35th anniversary.
SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD PORT FOR SWITCH
Now, continuing on this celebration of Mario, there’s also been some rumors about a possible port of another Wii U Mario game would be coming over to the Nintendo Switch, that game being Super Mario 3D World. Honestly, I’m really hoping for this one to be true, I LOVED 3D World, from the chaotic levels, the clear pipelines, the crazy and creative new power-ups, just loved everything about that game. It was one of my favorite Wii U games so if it gets ported over to the Switch, I would be SO HAPPY!
Now according to some insiders, if this port is really happening, they are saying that we might be getting some new levels along with maybe some new playable characters and maybe some kind of new feature (that we don’t know) but that’s pretty exciting. So, I have bought a few games over again, from the Wii U to the Switch, like Captain Toad:Treasure Tracker and Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, so I’m definitely going to be re-buying Super Mario 3D World again for the Switch.
PIKMIN 3 SWITCH PORT AND A POSSIBLE PIKMIN 4 TEASE?
Okay, so a Pikmin 3 port for the Switch is something that’s also been rumored for the longest time, but we all at this point had assumed that would happen as soon as we end up getting Pikmin 4. Now, Pikmin 3 was another game I loved from the Wii U, and it could be a great filler game to be a fall release, we don’t really have anything for the fall anyway, so yeah I wouldn’t mind seeing Pikmin being thrown into the later half of the year.
Now, if we get a teaser of Pikmin 4 then yeah, (kinda somewhat doubt that we will get anything Pikmin 4 related), but, I definitely would not be surprised to see an eventual port of Pikmin 3 to eventually come to the Switch.
SMASH CHARACTER CHALLENGER PACK #7
Here we go, though big boy of them all that’s not Mario! Then again how can you be talking about the possibility of a Nintendo Direct, and not even mention Smash when DLC is still alive and well.
While we did get our ARMS character, being Min Min, and being released not too long ago. I’m not quite sure about the possibility of us seeing another character for Smash so soon, since we did just get Min Min and a Smash update as well. So for those that don’t know, there is something going on with the Smash official website that’s making a lot of Smash fans think that we could be gearing up for a possible new character release pretty soon here.
The new tab has mysteriously been removed from the smash website. Keep in mind I believe Byleth’s was their up until Min Min was revealed. Fighter number 7 being revealed soon hmmm 🤔 pic.twitter.com/G33q9gSip3
So, the “NEW” Tab in the Smash website is just gone and the character’s Byleth’s “NEW” Tab is gone as well, and MinMin was just announced soon after Byleth. With the “NEW” tab gone it’s just making many people think that we could be leading to a possible new character reveal and that we could possibly be getting something soon for Smash. While this “NEW” Tab theory does hold something it is also possible that it could just be a glitch with the site.
Of course though, when it comes to Smash it’s expect anything and everything to be suspicious. If you follow me on Twitter, I’m going to do an actual thread of who I think might be the next character for Challenger Pack 7, I don’t know who and I’m glad that we haven’t really gotten any leaks to be taken seriously, I don’t know that there’s an Altelier Ryzer (but it came from 4chan) so once again no REAL leaks to be taken seriously as far as characters goes for Smash, which is good for once.
METROID PRIME TRILOGY & Metroid Prime 4
Do we know what’s going on with Metroid anymore? I could see possibility of seeing Metroid Prime getting the whole trilogy for the Switch. This has to happen at some point, it was rumored to be a thing ever since last year. The Metroid Prime games is some of the most well beloved games from both fans and critics alike, and its a shame that this has yet to really happen.
The Metroid series could definitely use the attention, after Metroid Prime 4 had to basically start development all over again, it would give Metroid some momentum to lead up into Metroid Prime 4, and it would give newer fans to possibly catch up on the series before we even get to Prime 4. Speaking of Metroid Prime 4, I don’t think we will be seeing it at all here, if anything maybe we will get a slight update on it, if we do get the Prime trilogy but other than a slight news update, I do not see any kinds of hints of showing Metroid Prime 4 at all here.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD 2
By far and away the BIGGEST Nintendo Switch release, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2. At this point in time, I think it’s safe to say that everybody wants to finally see this game in action and get some kind of news other than it’s in development. I’ve pretty much have given up on the fact that it was coming this year, I was never really that confident that it was coming this year anyway.
If I had to take a guess as to when this game will come I would say maybe around Spring of 2021. I do think that if we do get something Breath of the Wild 2 related, maybe we will get a trailer and some slight details about what to expect for this game. I’m not expecting a blow out of everything just give us something of a teaser, and even then I think most people would be sufficed.
Besides if this comes around say March of next year, then we would just be practically seven months away from a possible release of the game, and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to think a new game play trailer could come out of this possible direct here. Because again seven months is not that long and far away and they have a lot to start showing off like a possible new playable Zelda, story elements, locations time not on their side for this game, we need to know something.
MISCELLANEOUS STUFF
Now some things that don’t have dates attached to them or even know much about, Bayonetta 3 doubt we’ll see that here and if we I’ll be surprised or maybe we get it, after the success of Astral Chain from Platinum Games, they’ve been mostly quiet so who knows, but I doubt we’ll here anything about it. That game seems like it needs a bigger stage and if we’re getting a mini direct then I definitely doubt it’ll show up.
Another big game that was just revealed was New Pokemon Snap. Now, this was just revealed a few weeks ago, but as we all know Pokemon Company usually likes to do their own thing so maybe they’ll blow it on in their own Pokemon direct, but if we do get anything maybe we’ll get a release date window for it more than likely. We don’t have a mainline Pokemon game to be looking forward to for the first time since 2015, so maybe New Pokemon Snap could be that title fill for Pokemon this year. Though there is also the Pokemon Sword and Shield DLC with the Crown Tundra, and that’s already not being hyped enough by fans so maybe Nintendo will remind us about it. They need to try and excited us again for this DLC for Pokemon with maybe showing new locations, maybe new Pokemon Galor forms, just something, because they for Crown Tundra has definitely been drained.
We might get a little highlight on maybe everyone’s favorite Nintendo Switch game from this year, being Animal Crossing: New Horizons. There is an update coming for August, so that’s more than likely going to get slightly touched on showing more of the new swimming abilities, and fireworks.
Now, maybe this should’ve been in the Mario section but I’m bringing it up here because I’m not completely sure if they’re going to pull this off, especially if it’s going to be a mini direct, but if it’s a long direct then maybe they’ll might put this out. It has been six years since the last Mario Kart being Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, and while we did get the Deluxe version for the Switch (which has been three years since that released), but, still its been six years since we’ve gotten a fully new Mario Kart, and I believe it’s about that time for us to get one. Its probably the only game I can think of that can possibly their big selling holiday game for now.
To FINALLY wrap this up my last prediction, for this possible direct, I think we may see something Splatoon related. I think that there’s going to be a Splatoon spinoff, and I’m not the only one thinking of this as a possibility. Splatoon has become one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises and after the success of both Splatoon and Splatoon 2, I think it’s time to see where they could take this series next and give it it’s own spinoff title. You could definetly do a lot with a world like Splatoon, like give it a skateboarding game, or an Sims-Animal Crossing like game with your Inkling or Octoling. Splatoon is becoming so beloved and it needs some kind of content, it’s too soon for a Splatoon 3. Some kind of spin off with Splatoon I think will be much appreciated by fans and it would definetly sell well, because that community is becoming so big that you can’t really ignore it, it’s almost right up there with Kirby, Animal Crossing, and yeah I would even say its there with Zelda and Smash. So you can’t just ignore that.
I think that’s basically everything that I got as far as predictions goes. So, tell me what you think about this direct. Do you think that a direct could be coming tomorrow and where is your hype level for it. I would personally think it’s at a five I’m not expecting much things, I’m trying to have expectations for this whole thing and especially if it’s another direct mini. I’m going in here, extremely modest, cause like, Monday could come around and nothing happens and it’ll be like welp okay! I wouldn’t be disappointed about it or anything.
The Paper Mario series has been a pretty interesting topic, especially as of today. Paper Mario will be seeing a new installment for the series called, “Paper Mario: The Origami King” which will be released as of tomorrow, as the time this will be up, the game will more than likely would be released. It’s not too surprising to see a game be somewhat on the Hot Seat especially on the day before it’s actual release, but it’s not in this kind of way.
As of today, Paper Mario series team, (mainly Kensuke Tanabe) from Nintendo and Intelligent Systems who develops the Paper Mario series has been on somewhat of a press tour about the release of the Origami King. The game so far as early reviews seems to be getting mostly positive reviews. While you can question the quality of the game on your own once it gets released tomorrow, the frustration by fans of the series comes from the mindset of the team and what they’ve been doing with the Paper Mario series in general and possibly going forward into the future.
The series, has gotten a bit downplayed by fans especially the ones who love the original Paper Mario games, Paper Mario 64 and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door specifically. An interesting quote that’s been floating around on Twitter comes from Kensuke Tanabe who is the producer of the “Paper Mario: The Origami King.”
The reason why this quote is getting so much attention and backlash is because the series in general, seems to have started to lack in originality when it comes to making new characters for the Paper Mario games. This lack of originality about modifying characters seems to start from the game, Paper Mario: Sticker Star.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star barely had many characters that had any kind of personality or even some kind of modification from the usual Goomba or Koopa Troopa from both from someone that you can recruit into your party or from a minor back ground character. The reception was almost repeated again, though in a better next installment after Sticker Star being, “Paper Mario: Color Splash,” from the Wii U. Color Splash received this same kind of treatment pre-release and even when it was first shown off back in 2016 for the Wii U.
Another quote that’s also been getting a lot of attention from this interview has been that the story of Paper Mario hasn’t been interesting, more specifically with Super Paper Mario. I would argue that for that game in particular in regarding to the fans that was one of the best elements of Super Paper Mario. I personally liked Super Paper Mario for it’s story.
Just looking these quotes, this just seems like the Paper Mario team is just completely disconnected and out of touch from what the fans of the Paper Mario series really want. Personally, I don’t think I like where the series has been heading within it’s last couple of years. While I did like Color Splash, but didn’t like Sticker Star, it just worries me about where the series is going in terms of originality. This was one of my first RPG series that I’ve started playing when I was younger and it’s just upsetting into looking inside on what the developers even think about the series. It’s like they can’t allow to have original characters or even having much of a story even matters, then what’s the point of having Mario being an RPG series if you don’t have an interesting story plot or characters for your party (if there’s even one)?! Those are some of the BIGGEST elements for making an RPG!
If your going to ask me now, if I’m still going to get The Origami King? Yes, I am still going to get it, but this interview has not heightened my hope for the future of the Paper Mario series. It seems like this series along with another particular Mario RPG series, being Mario & Luigi, is just meant to be bare bones. This just once again shows how out of touch the Paper Mario creators and developers are of their fanbase if they really do think having a story or even interesting characters with personality basically don’t matter or won’t be well received.