The great thing about Nintendo Directs is that in a way, they kind of feel like a birthday party. Much like a small child on their birthday, you anxiously wait an eternity for the event to begin, but instead of getting presents from family and friends, some strangers in Japan are showing you all the latest games, and that’s kind of like getting gifts. Oh, and you have to buy the games you want yourself. Ok, so maybe the birthday analogy is a poor one, but regardless, the latest Nintendo Direct had a lot of good things to offer us, and I thought it was the perfect way to wet our appetites before we head into the madness that is E3 in just a couple of months.

Although the main focus of the event was the Switch, the 3DS still has plenty of content coming its way. Titles like Hey! Pikmin look intriguing, and I’m very interested to see how it will feel to play a Pikmin game in a 2D setting. Ever Oasis also looks to be a pretty deep experience that will appeal to those who like their dungeon crawler RPGs. Perhaps the 3DS title that excited me most, however, was RPG Maker FES. The idea of being able to craft your own role playing games with a portable game editor sounds fantastic, and I think it was a great move on the developer’s part to make the app that allows you to play other people’s creations free for anyone to download on their 3DS regardless of whether or not you own the game. If enough people are interested, I could see this title having a nice community built around it via Miiverse.

Of course, with the main focus of the event being the Switch, we got plenty of news about games ready to hit the shelves this summer. Minecraft is sure to please a lot of people, and It was a good choice to port it to the Switch. Disgaea 5 will please the hardcore RPG crowd, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will ensure you have a fun party game to play with friends. Splatoon 2 and Arms had the most spotlight, and although I’m still not completely sold on Arms, the more I see the game in action, the more curious I am to try it. As for Splatoon 2, the new egg gathering mode looks to add a new twist to the game.

As far as Nintendo Directs go, I left the presentation feeling pretty satisfied. There are plenty of big titles coming out in the summer months, and it definitely feels like a good time to be a Nintendo fan, especially if you’re into RPGs. With E3 creeping ever closer, I’m anticipating the next Direct will be filled to the brim with new software titles for the Switch and 3DS, and that’s something to get excited about.

___________________________________________________________________________

With E3 just 2 months away, my expectations for the most recent Nintendo Direct were on the modest side. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of games that were touched on, for both the 3DS and Switch. It was a brisk presentation (Splatoon 2 and Arms still dominated), but an effective one.

For 3DS, a number of games caught my attention. Pikmin finally has a release date now, and a goofy name as well. Hey! Pikmin might not roll off the tongue, but hopefully it flies off the shelves. This is a series that really deserves some more love. The new Pikmin amiibo should help.

My personal favorite upcoming release might be Monster Hunter Stories; especially after seeing the gorgeous concept art we featured in PNM Issue #30, localization was my hope. The game should drive more 3DS sales, as is the norm for Monster Hunter games on the handheld.

On the Switch end, I was primarily interested in the games we hadn’t seen yet. Admittedly, titles like Monopoly and yet another variation of Namco Museum aren’t much to write home about. However, by getting these small titles out of the way now, Nintendo must have a huge E3 planned. Right? I could be wrong (it wouldn’t be my first Switch prediction to be off the mark) but I’m trying to stay optimistic.

I do wonder how the Switch will fair during the month of May. The wait between big titles is sadly nothing new with Nintendo of late. Will Mario Kart’s battle mode tide gamers over until Arms launches in mid-June? Will the eShop light up when Minecraft gets ported yet again? Lots of questions.

Overall, I thought the Direct was more good than not, especially for one so close to E3. It delivered what it promised, with a few surprises. Whether you’re a 3DS owner, a Switch early adopter, an amiibo enthusiast, or whatever, the presentation had you covered.

 

Please feel free to leave a Direct related post in the comments below.