In case you missed it the big N is holding their next, coveted, Nintendo Direct this Wednesday, the 13th September at 11 pm (that’s UK time). We’re looking at midnight for Europe and 3 pm Pacific time.
As with every Direct, before it’s shown, the excitement tends to build to ridiculously high levels online. Enthusiasm and passion are brilliant things. No arguments. But they can also lead to disappointment, sometimes culminating in folks on the internet ‘stating’ that there was nothing to see. Or our ‘favourite’ comment we see thrown at all of the big three from time to time: “No gamez”.
Some Directs are better than others, that’s for certain. But it also helps to go in with realistic expectations. So, what do we know, and think, will actually be shown over the course of the 45-minutes-long presentation?
Nintendo Direct: What We Know
Super Mario Odyssey has been confirmed for starters, and we expect a good amount of time to be spent on it too. It’s released at the end of next month and is Nintendo’s next flagship 3D Mario title. It’ll be an essential game to ensure Switch consoles are under the Christmas tree.
We also know that both 3DS and Switch games, to be released “in the coming months”, will get some time in the spotlight. Nintendo confirmed this on Twitter, which is good news for those that aren’t too keen on the individual 3DS and Switch Directs that we’ve seen in the past. But that’s all we know for sure.
Nintendo Direct: What We Think
In terms of those 3DS games, we’d expect to see a final showing for Metroid: Samus Returns, released this Friday and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions, the remake of the classic first game in the series out October 6th. That Kirby 3DS game that we know nothing about other than it’s a “multiplayer action game” should show up as well. It is Kirby’s 25th anniversary after all. Finally, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will definitely be in there.
As for Switch, other than Super Mario Odyssey, details about the new Arms update, featuring Lola Pop, should be coming. A release date for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 may well be in there. (We hope). Fire Emblem Warriors (New 3DS and Switch) will probably get a new trailer showing off some unannounced characters before its release on October 20th. The enhanced port of Pokkén Tournament DX, the Tekken Pokémon game for Wii U, to be released on the 22nd September, will most likely feature too.
What about new games?
They’re the most exciting thing of all. Well, we don’t expect to see many here in all honesty. A Bayonetta Switch announcement could be on the cards, in some form. A third game if we’re very lucky. Bethesda has also been teasing an unannounced game, but whether it’s for Nintendo consoles or not, that remains to be seen. Bottom line: we wouldn’t expect any new AAA Nintendo games we don’t already know about. Unless they’re Wii U ports, (for example Smash Bros.).
A bonus something might be in there and perhaps we’ll get more on that Animal Crossing mobile app. For now, though, take a deep breath, relax, and keep expectations real. It really does make surprises, if any, that much better.
Until Wednesday.