Nintendo’s latest Direct just aired on June 18th, 2024. So let’s take a look at what Nintendo had in store for us!
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the first brand-new Mario & Luigi game in nearly nine years and it’s fully 3D. The trailer features several new characters such as: Connie, Snoutlet, and the Extension Corps. The combat shows more stylish takes on the Bros. Attacks of old, such as Mario kicking a Red Shell into the air Super Mario Strikers style. The overworld exploration involves all sorts of unique puzzles, as well as tools to solve them. For example, Luigi can help Mario by using the Hammer on his own separate screen. The game is slated to release on November 7th, 2024.
Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition boasts over 150 speedrunning challenges across 13 NES games. Players can try difficult “LEGEND” challenges, like using Warp Pipes to complete Super Mario Bros. in one go. There are tips and tricks for each “LEGEND” challenge to improve a player’s skill. Survival Mode pits players against each other, with half being eliminated each round. The game also comes with a Deluxe Set. This contains a physical copy and other bonuses, now available for pre-ordering. The game is slated to release on July 18th, 2024.
But that's not the only set of old Nintendo game making a return. Originally released on Wii in 2010, then ported to Nintendo 3DS in 2013, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD barrels its way onto the Switch! This latest port contains 80 levels, including those originally only found in the 3DS version of the game. The game is slated to release on January 16th, 2025.
After a long time of radio silence, the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III: Seeds of Salvation finally makes its grand return! That’s not all, though; an HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest I & II was also announced. Series creator Yuji Horii intentionally developed III before I & II due to their chronological placement in the Erdrick trilogy. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is coming November 14th, 2024, while Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is set to release in 2025.
Four games have been added for Expansion Pack users. Two of them are GameBoy Advance titles, Metroid: Zero Mission and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Four Swords. The other two are both Mature 17+ Nintendo 64 games, Turok and Perfect Dark. These classic titles are available to play right now.
Here comes a new challenger: the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics! The seven games in the collection are The Punisher, X-Men: Children of the Atom, Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. This collection is especially notable in the case of Marvel vs. Capcom 2, due to the #FreeMvC2 movement from 2021. The game is slated to release later in 2024.
Taking place on an enormous island resort, Super Mario Party: Jamboree is described as “the biggest Mario Party in series history.” The game has five new boards (Rainbow Galleria, Roll ‘em Raceway, Goomba Lagoon, Mega Wiggler’s Tree Party and King Bowser’s Keep) and two old ones (Mario’s Rainbow Castle and Western Land) to play one. There are over 110 minigames, some of which utilize Joy-Con motion controls. There’s also an exclusive online mode called the “Koopathlon”, in which 20 players go head-to-head. Super Mario Party: Jamboree is slated to launch on October 17th, 2024.
The trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom starts with Link coming to Zelda’s rescue from Ganon…only for their roles to reverse?! This time, it’s Zelda’s turn to return the favor. Teaming up with the fairy Tri, the Princess of Hyrule receives a staff known as the Tri-Rod. With this power, Zelda can create imitations of objects she can use at any time, and these imitations are called Echoes. She can also create Echoes of enemies on the field, many of which have different abilities. The game will launch on September 26th, 2024 alongside a specially-themed Nintendo Switch Lite.
After being MIA following the announcement of restarted development, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond makes its formal unveiling. The trailer takes place during a raid on a Galactic Federation Research Facility, in what seems to be the tutorial. The trailer ends with Sylux appearing alongside Space Pirates and Metroids. Sylux was a major character in the Nintendo DS game Metroid Prime: Hunters as one of four bounty hunter rivals. Shrouded in mystery, all that’s clear about Sylux is an apparent hatred of Samus and the Galactic Federation. Sylux also appeared in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Metroid Prime: Federation Force during their respective cliffhangers. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is set to release sometime in 2025.
Those were just some of the biggest announcements in the Direct. Other games announced include:
- Fairy Tail 2
- Fantasian: Neo Dimension
- Nintendo Switch Sports Basketball Update
- Mio: Memories in Orbit
- Disney Illusion Island Dash Dolphin Update
- Hello Kitty: Island Adventure
- Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports
- Among Us Role Update
- Farmagia
- Funko Fusion
- Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD
- Denpa Men
- Metal Slug Attack Reloaded
- Darkest Dungeon II
- Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
- Just Dance 2025 Edition
- LEGO Horizon Adventures
- Stray
- Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game
- Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
- The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy
- Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
Author’s Note: In my opinion, this was absolutely an S-tier Direct! I’m already eyeing a lot of these games for my birthday and Christmas wishlists. What games piqued your interest? What did you think of the Direct overall? As always, let us know in the comments below!
Credits:
Writing:
Perkilator
Editing and Thumbnail Graphic: @Zerp
