It felt like the first Nintendo Direct in ages, and it certainly delivered like one. The latest presentation from Nintendo rolled out earlier today and it was filled to the brim with news about previously announced titles as well as all-new games. It even confirmed one of the biggest fan requests since before Nintendo Switch was even officially announced. Read on for the three big highlights, as well as bullet points on all the details.
The biggest Nintendo Switch news
Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018! We've been asking and Nintendo finally answered. The debut trailer introduced both the Inkling Boy and Girl (likely as separate skins of the same character) while confirming the return of Mario and Link. It looks like this is Breath of the Wild Link instead of the Twilight Princess-ish Link from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. I'm hoping that means we're in for an all-new game, rather than an updated version of the 2014 version.
Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion will introduce a new single-player mode to the game starring an octoling called Agent 8. Fight your way through 80 "test facility" stages, escape from the subway, and unlock the ability to play as an octoling in multiplayer! The DLC expansion will be sold for $19.99 starting this summer, though you can pre-purchase before then to get the Octo Headgear and Octo Clothes for your inkling. Also, the big 3.0 update will add several new stages and more than a hundred new apparel items in April.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy will bust out of Sonyland with a Nintendo Switch version on July 10. This is the first time the original Naughty Dog trilogy of Crash games will be playable on a Nintendo console. Just imagine telling that to squabbling N64 and PlayStation fanboys back in 1998!
The rest of the Nintendo Direct Switch news
- We saw gameplay of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes for the first time, revealing top-down, co-op-optional action through seven unique game worlds.
- Dark Souls: Remastered will get a network test before its previously announced May 25 release date. It'll also receive an adorable Solaire amiibo, which unlocks his "Praise The Sun" emote in-game.
- Aside from a bunch of special swings, Mario Tennis Aces also got a confirmed Switch release date of June 22. You can play before then in a special pre-launch online tournament, date TBA.
- Octopath Traveler confirmed two new paths - the Merchant, who can purchase special items from townsfolk, and the Apothecary, who can get special tidbits of info from them - as well as a release date: July 13. And yes, it's sticking with that name.
- Kirby Star Allies will get a free update on March 28, adding more allies from across Kirby's history to fight alongside.
- Okami HD will incarnate on Switch on July 10.
- Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido brings raw fish and fast action puzzles to Switch on June 8, complete with online multiplayer.
- The adventures of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker begin anew on Switch on July 13, and it will even feature some new stages inspired by Super Mario Odyssey. A 3DS version is also in the works. Escaping Wii U may be Captain Toad's greatest adventure yet!
- Undertale is coming to Nintendo Switch! When? "Eventually."
- The creepy adventure of Little Nightmares Complete Edition comes to Switch on May 18. Tap the Pac-Man amiibo and you get a special Pac-Man themed outfit, because why not?
- South Park: The Fractured But Whole brings questionable double entendre to the wholesome halls of Nintendo Switch on April 24.
- Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition completes the Triforce of Nintendo Platforms when it comes to Switch on May 18.
- The Arms US & Canada Online open will challenge all stretchy limbed contenders (in US and Canada) with preliminary matches from March 8 to 18, and livestreamed finals on March 31. Also, there's gonna be another Testpunch on March 31, essentially a limited-time free demo.
All the Nintendo 3DS news
- Luigi's Mansion nervously hums its way to 3DS some time in 2018, complete with a brand new boss rush mode. Mario? MAAAARIOOOOOOO!
- I am so happy, because WarioWare Gold will bundle up more than 300 of my favorite bizarre microgames all in one place. It's coming to 3DS with a few new touches on August 3.
- Dillon's Dead Heat Breakers completes the Dillon trilogy of 3DS village defense games on May 24, with a demo coming on May 10. You can turn your Mii into a kinda creepy animal character and fight with it too.
- An old adventure and a new sidestory arrive with Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser's Jr's Journey, coming to 3DS in 2019.
- Detective Pikachu is still coming to 3DS on March 23, and it still has an extra-huge amiibo to go with it. No new info, unless you count Detective Pikachu being really bad at Quick Attack.
