Nintendo Spotlight Roundup
Posted 15 Jun 2017 at 18:07 by Sam C Gittins
It has already been quite the year for E3 2017 in general, of course like a lot of gamers I've been following all of the events which have been ongoing but when Nintendo announced that they would be hosting a new Nintendo Spotlight - similar to a Direct but seemingly snappier - followed by the usual Nintendo Treehouse coverage; I knew where the majority of my time would be going this week.
So after watching everything intently thus far aside from the invitationals - kudos to Nintendo for holding them, they just aren't really for me - then sifting through all of the information, I have taken the time to collate what we at N-Europe think are the most notable parts to make it easy for anyone to catch up with recent E3 events; minus most of the fluff of course, therefore you can think of this intro as the "Reggie" part of the article - though he means well and tries, it's the games we're interested in - so now that's over with it's nothing but hard information from this point forward plus a few fancy images.
Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Master Trials DLC Pack 1 June 30th 2017
The Champions' Ballad DLC Pack 2 Holiday 2017
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle August 29th 2017
Super Mario Odyssey October 27th 2017
Fire Emblem Heroes Fall 2017
Rocket League Holiday 2017
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Holiday 2017
While we were told that this Nintendo Spotlight would be mainly focused on games which are definitely coming out in 2017, we did get a whole host of newly announced titles which would either be coming in 2018 or beyond, these included the following titles.
Metroid Prime 4 (In development!)
New Pokémon title for Switch (TBA)
Kirby (working title) 2018
Yoshi (working title) 2018
Little is known about the former two titles, just the fact that they have been announced is quite something in itself though, personally I was more than a little bit happy to even learn about the existence of Metroid Prime 4 as a huge fan of the series; it isn't being developed by Retro Studios apparently but being that the third entry in the series was a decade ago on the Wii this possibly isn't so much of a bad thing and I look forward to hearing which capable set of developer hands Nintendo have entrusted this new entry in a much-loved franchise to... NST perhaps? Platinum games? Team Ninja? ... Time will tell.
That logo though...
Kirby seemed to take a lot of its cues from the latest 3DS titles but then being that it's an ever-evolving series which takes the best ideas from past games while building on them, this doesn't really surprise me, neither does the fact that you can recruit enemies onto your team - possibly for Co-Op? - or that the potentially broken - in hilarious ways - power-up combination system from the N64 title seems to be making a comeback as well. All of this lovingly presented with a glorious art style in HD while retaining the best home console and portable title elements points towards this being a potentially amazing title to celebrate Kirby's 25th Anniversary with.
Kirby demonstrating his faithful Link impression, it goes down a treat at parties.
Yoshi features everyone's favourite Green coloured - by default - long-tongued dinosaur in a slow-paced platforming adventure which has a wool and cardboard aesthetic full of charm, a co-op mode is available which seems to feature a Flip mechanic; essentially it seems to take the best elements from Nintendo's latest platform titles in general but with an emphasis on being a title which anyone can play. Oh also it's being developed using Unreal Engine 4, so this could signal some interesting changes in how Nintendo IP's are created on the Switch.
The smallest picture of Yoshi we could find, just because...best check the trailer for this one.
Join Mario on a massive, globe-trotting 3D adventure and use his incredible new abilities to collect Moons so you can power up your airship, the Odyssey, and rescue Princess Peach from Bowser’s wedding plans!
This sandbox-style 3D Mario adventure – the first since 1997’s beloved Super Mario 64 and 2002’s Nintendo GameCube classic Super Mario Sunshine – is packed with secrets and surprises, and with Mario’s new moves like cap throw, cap jump, and capture, you’ll have fun and exciting gameplay experiences unlike anything you’ve enjoyed in a Mario game before. Get ready to be whisked away to strange and amazing places far from the Mushroom Kingdom!
Mario and Cappy in a rather fetching Jungle Explorer outfit... haven't we seen that somewhere before?
Features:
Explore huge 3D kingdoms filled with secrets and surprises, including costumes for Mario and lots of ways to interact with the diverse environments – such as cruising around them in vehicles that incorporate the HD rumble feature of the Joy-Con controller or exploring sections as Pixel Mario.
Thanks to his new friend, Cappy, Mario has brand new moves for you to master, like cap throw, cap jump and capture. With capture, Mario can take control of all sorts of things, including objects and enemies!
Visit astonishing new locales, like skyscraper-packed New Donk City, and run into familiar friends and foes as you try to save Princess Peach from Bowser’s clutches and foil his dastardly wedding plans.
A set of three new amiibo figures (sold separately) – Mario, Princess Peach and Bowser in their wedding outfits – will be released at launch. Some previously released amiibo will also be compatible with this title. You can tap supported amiibo to receive gameplay assistance – some amiibo will also unlock costumes for Mario when scanned!
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions 6th October 2017
The game that launched the Mario & Luigi series returns looking better than ever before. In this renewed classic, Mario and Luigi journey to the Beanbean Kingdom with Bowser to restore Princess Peach’s voice. Control Mario and Luigi simultaneously, making use of their unique Bros. Moves to solve puzzles and emerge victorious in action-packed battles. Pay heed to the enemy’s patterns and time your reactions right to land satisfying counterblows. Included in this remake is the Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser mode, which tells the story of the game from the perspective of Bowser’s minions. Recruit characters to grow your own Minion army as you fight to locate your missing leader!
I remember playing this on the GBA! *feels old(er)*
Features:
Time your button presses to skillfully dodge enemy blows, land devastating counters, and inflict increased damage in battle. Utilize Bros. Attacks that dish out massive damage!
The Minion Quest storyline takes place during Mario & Luigi’s classic adventure. Find out what really transpired behind-the-scenes!
Compatible with amiibo™ figures* from the Super Mario series, including Mario and Luigi amiibo figures. Also coming soon are brand new Goomba and Koopa Troopa amiibo. The Goomba, Koopa Troopa and Boo amiibo figures will each have read/write compatibility.
The Ultimate Food Fight!
In the fast-paced world of conveyor-belt sushi fighting, match colored plates and types of sushi to hurl tall stacks of plates at your opponent. The more matches you make, the taller the plate stack and the stronger your attacks will be. Defend your homeland from invading enemies in this puzzling action game so more people can enjoy delicious sushi in peace. May the best sushi samurai reign supreme!
So much orange! It brings out the best in the sushi though, sort of.
Features:
Use the touchscreen to match plates of sushi and rack up tall stacks.
Connecting same-coloured plates and building combos results in more and more plates stacking up, which results in stronger attacks.
Match plate patterns for a higher bonus. The fancier the sushi on the plate, the stronger the plates.
Toss plate stacks at your opponent to deal crushing blows.
The Last sushi samurai standing wins!
Amiibo
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Four Champions
Fire Emblem Warriors - Chrom and Tiki
Super Mario Odyssey - Mario, Peach and Bowser
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions - Koopa Troopa and Goomba
Samus Aran and Metroid amiibo... Wait, what?!?
Oh and one more thing...
A classic Metroid adventure returns, rebuilt from the ground up!
Brave the hostile terrain of an alien planet teeming with vicious life forms as legendary bounty hunter Samus Aran. Her mission? Terminate the Metroid menace in this masterful reimagining of her 1991 Game Boy™ adventure. Samus Aran’s arsenal has been enhanced with new moves and abilities that are sure to help her face the deadly surprises that await. This intense, side-scrolling action platformer is a great entry point into the Metroid franchise and perfect for returning fans as well, and it’s available only on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
It might not be sprite-based but as a Metroid fan, I'll take it!
Classic Metroid II: Return of Samus gameplay is joined by a wealth of new content, including a set of brand new abilities that utilizes a mysterious energy resource called “Aeion,” a powerful melee counterattack, and 360-degree Free Aim Mode.
There are plenty of secrets to find—and if you uncover enough of them, you may even start to unravel the mystery of Planet SR388’s past.
Two new amiibo™ figures*—Samus Aran and Metroid—will be released as a set alongside the game. This game is also compatible with the Zero Suit Samus and Samus amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series. Functionality details will be revealed at a later date.
While supplies last, fans will be able to purchase a special edition of the game, which includes a physical copy of the game, a sound-selection CD featuring 25 tracks from across the Metroid franchise, and a reversible title-sheet insert for the game case.
Available 15th September 2017... Boom!
That's it for this summary on Nintendo related events over the course of E3 2017 which will certainly be one to remember, mostly for the right reasons. Let us know what you thought of the showing in our comments section below or on our forums.
