More than a month since the Nintendo Switch went on sale, the firm has revealed its next wave of games, and confirmed when previously announced titles will be getting a release.
The highlights from last night's Nintendo Direct event (watch the full announcement here) included Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Minecraft, new Amiibos and Arms – a first-person fighting game that takes advantage of the Nintendo Switch's JoyCons. Here is a recap of everything announced at the event.
- Read more: The best Nintendo Switch games
Nintendo announced in January – two months before the Switch went on sale – that its flagship console would be getting Splatoon 2 and now we have a release date – July 21.
The game will come with a "horde mode" in which you'll team up with friends to defeat enemies and collect eggs. There will also be three new Splatoon 2-related Amiibos called Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, and Squid.
Mario will be coming to the Nintendo Switch on April 28 as a re-release of 2014's Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. Nintendo said Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will feature more tracks, characters and carts available from launch than any previous Mario Kart version.
Like Splatoon 2, Arms was teased in January during the Nintendo Switch reveal event. It's a 3D fighting game that lets characters swap arms to gain new abilities. In addition to Arms gameplay, including a new character for the game called MinMin, Nintendo announced it will launch on June 16.
Given its ubiquity, it was only a matter of time before Minecraft joined the Nintendo Switch ranks. The crafting game will launch on the console on May 11 and is similar to the Wii U version, complete with exclusive Super Mario Bros-themed content.
Amiibo versions of Cloud, Corrin, and Bayonetta are still coming, on July 21, but Zelda fans will be able to get their own range of characters from June 23.
The Zelda-themed Amiibo include Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. Although not confirmed, it is expected these Amiibo will unlock Zelda-themed costumes in Breath of the Wild.
In addition to games, Nintendo used last night's Nintendo Direct to announce new peripherals including a battery grip accessory for its Joy-Con controllers, to boost power on the go, and Neon Yellow Joy-Cons. Both go on sale from June 16.
Nintendo will also start selling the Switch dock as a standalone accessory in “limited quantities” from May 19. The Switch dock is the only official way to connect the console to a TV so buying extra docks will allow you to move more easily between TVs across a house, for example.
Below is the full list of announcements at Nintendo Direct, and the respective release dates:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (April 28)
- Minecraft (May 11)
- Arms (June 16)
- Ultra Street Fighter II (May 26)
- Puyo Puyo Tetris (demo available now)
- Fate/Extella (July 25)
- Disgaea 5 Complete (May 23)
- Sonic Forces (holiday season 2017)
- Sonic Mania (Summer 2017)
- Project Mekkura (Summer 2017 from the Nintendo eshop)
- Monopoly (Autumn 2017)
- Sine Mora Ex (Summer 2017)
- Battle Chasers Nightwar (late Summer 2016)
- Payday 2 (TBC)
- Namco Museum (Summer 2017)
- Neon Yellow Joy-Cons (June 16)
- Zelda Amiibo (June 23)
- Standalone Switch Dock (May 19)
- Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (TBC)
Nintendo also used its Nintendo Direct event to reveal a host of new 3DS games.
The first portable Pikmin game sees Captain Olimar embarking on an adventure with Pikmin by his side. Players are tasked with throwing different Pikmin using the touchscreen to solve puzzles, challenges and defeat enemies. Hey! PIKMIN launches on July 28. A new Pikmin amiibo figure will also launch separately on the same day.
Grow and expand the world’s last oasis in Ever Oasis, an action-adventure RPG from Koichi Ishii being released on June 23.
This DLC will include a mix of free and paid-for additions, including new maps, dungeons and challenges. More information is expected soon.
The third in the series, called Can you stay focused?, trains brains with a series of concentration-based exercises. The game will be released on July 28.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
