Ports, sequels, and Bogards, oh my.
I always love watching social media go nuts after a Nintendo presentation. It’s like watching fireworks; loud, destructive, and quickly replaced by people asking “is that it?” While Nintendo didn’t announce anything Earth-shattering at their presentation on Wednesday, there were a few stand-outs that got the wheels of the internet turning in strange new directions. Here are the highlights.
New Pokemon Sword and Shield Stuff
Sword and Shield may end up being a polarizing entry in the Pokemon series, but you have to admit, they’re giving us a lot of new junk to mess with. This time, the highlights are fully customizable trainer outfits (not just tops and bottoms), and a new feature called “Pokemon Camp” in which you can play with and grow closer to your Pokemon while out in the field. Also, you can make curry rice. Because people in the Galar region are really into curry rice for some reason.
Smash Surprises
Smash Ultimate players were hoping for a release date for the third DLC character, Banjo and Kazooie, and they got it: September 4th. Yep, right after the Direct ended, Banjo and Kazooie released, alongside an update featuring the return of the Home Run Contest and some new Mii costumes, one of which is Sans from Undertale, which has stirred folks into quite a tizzy. Additionally, a trailer was shown for the next DLC character. Rumors had circulated that this character would be an SNK rep, and they were proven true; our fourth fighter is Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury and King of Fighters fame. Terry will be out some time in November. Nintendo also announced that an additional pack of fighters are planned after the current five-pack has completely released, though they didn’t specify how many more.
SNES Games for Switch Online
While Nintendo has been regularly adding new entries into their free library of NES games for Switch Online subscribers, many people have been clamoring for something a little meatier. Nintendo has finally obliged with a new library of Super Nintendo games that will be regularly added to just like the NES library. As with the NES library, it is 100% free for all Switch Online subscribers, and is planned to launch later today with 20 games including Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, F-ZERO, and more.
Overwatch on Switch
At the very start of the presentation, it was announced that Blizzard’s team-based hero FPS, Overwatch, would finally be coming to Switch in October. Though, if you already have Overwatch on another platform (or stopped playing it a year ago like me), there’s no real incentives to double-dip aside from gyro controls on aiming and certain Ultimate moves. Blizzard also hasn’t clarified whether there’ll be cross-play yet.
Ports, Sequels, and Whatnot
Here’s all the other new things, in no particular order:
- A remastered port of Xenoblade Chronicles
- Some new footage for Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Deadly Premonition 2, a sequel to one of the best bad games ever made, plus a Switch port of the first game
- Free-to-start Super Kirby Clash
- Little Town Hero, formerly known as just “Town,” is coming October 16th
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 has a handful of multiplayer party games in addition to its campaign
- Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore, a port of the anime-tastic Wii U game with some extra features
- Random ports of DOOM 64 and Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
- Port of Return of the Obra Dinn, which is the most clever indie game I’ve ever needed a walkthrough to finish