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EarthBound fans think its creator is teasing Nintendo Direct news

Earthbound/Mother fans gathered on Twitter today for a monumental occasion that may see their most dear wish granted. In response to a Japanese Nintendo tweet regarding today’s Nintendo Direct event, series creator, Shigesato Itoi roughly stated (according to translations) “7 a.m. is amazing. It may be snowing.”

朝7時って、すごいな。雪が降ってるかもしれない。 https://t.co/TQk985WDqp

— 糸井 重里 (@itoi_shigesato) February 9, 2022

These few words left fans of the series more hopeful than ever that something new is coming very soon and will possibly be shown off at today’s Direct. Fans have spent years begging Nintendo for an English translation of Mother 3 and Shigesato’s statement has fans hopeful that’s finally happening. Of course, EarthBound fans are used to disappointment and many are still preparing for the worst despite this possible good sign.

The EarthBound series is one that many see as one of Nintendo’s most neglected due to a lack of series usage outside of the Super Smash Bros. Nintendo’s reasoning behind abandoning the series isn’t clear and many attribute it to the series’ past of walking on a thin copyright infringinement line. That still doesn’t answer why the series hasn’t made a comeback as Nintendo’s main traditional RPG series that fans recognize it as.

(Earthbound 64 Spaceworld 1997) Nintendo Company Report 1998 Footage

Renewed interest in a new installment popped back up recently when footage of a scrapped Nintendo 64 installment of the series, EarthBound 64/Mother 64, hit the internet. That led fans to joke about how an unreleased game in the series hit the internet before any word of an official Mother 3 release.

While it’s still unknown if Shigesato is truly hinting at a new entry in the EarthBound franchise or something completely new, it’s a good idea to remain cautiously optimistic, but keep expectations in check. Though, it would be a good idea for Nintendo to finally tap into one of its star series and see what potential it has for a new generation.

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DeAngelo Epps
De'Angelo Epps is a gaming writer passionate about the culture, communities, and industry surrounding gaming. His work ranges…
5 cool Nintendo Direct announcements you may have missed
Klonoa and Huepow jump together in the key art for Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.

Nintendo Directs are always exciting because they contain some of the year's most notable game reveals. While the Nintendo-published headliners of the show are what everyone typically talks about, there are plenty of other third-party announcements that round out these shows. Though some of these games might seem like filler during the presentation, they are sometimes the most meaningful parts of the showcase when one looks back after the fact.
The February 9 Nintendo Direct was no different in that regard. It contained significant first-party reveals like Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Nintendo Switch Sports, and Xenoblade Chronicles 3. However, five other announcements from the show felt just as significant, even if they were much more niche. From games that are getting a second shot at life to ones that are much more experimental, these are five atypical games from the Nintendo Direct that players should pay attention to. 
Live A Live
LIVE A LIVE - Nintendo Switch
Not only did this game lay the groundwork for RPGs like Octopath Traveller and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, but it's a win for the fan translation community as well. Live A Live is the next game to use the HD-2D style Square Enix created for Octopath Traveler, but it's actually a remake of a Super Famicom JRPG that never came out in North America. 
It follows seven different protagonists across different time periods, from prehistory to the Wild West to the distant future, before they all come together to fight the King of Demons. Its segmented story structure was a bold narrative choice in the 1990s and influenced the structure of many modern JRPGs. I recommend watching Did You Know Gaming's Region Locked video to get a complete sense of what this game is about and why it never came to the West.
Previously, the only way to play this was a fan translation from the group Aeon Genesis, and their efforts have kept this cult classic relevant since its release. This release is a huge win for fans who've worked hard to preserve these lost JRPGs and gives new players a chance to experience an innovative JRPG story.
Live A Live will launch for Nintendo Switch on July 22.
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
KLONOA Phantasy Reverie Series - Nintendo Switch
Klonoa is an obscure platformer franchise from Bandai Namco Entertainment. While Klonoa games have been well-received thanks to satisfying platforming mechanics and surprisingly engaging stories, games in this series haven't sold very well. As such, Klonoa was largely ignored as the North American versions of its games skyrocketed in price. As a result, it became more difficult for new players to find out what makes Klonoa so great.
During this Nintendo Direct, Bandai Namco Entertainment confirmed the Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, a remaster of console platformers Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, is coming to Nintendo Switch soon. This package will introduce Klonoa to a whole new generation and possibly revive the series if it sells well enough.
Platformer fans should keep an eye on Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series when it releases for Nintendo Switch on July 8, 2022.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story | Announce Trailer
Missed this one? Don't worry, it was only in the Japanese Nintendo Direct. While North American viewers missed out on this live-action video game's reveal during the Direct, it's still releasing in the  West and looks wild. The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story follows two characters named Haruka Kagami and Eiji Shijima as they try to solve four Shijima-related murders that have taken place over the last 100 years.
It's like Last Night in Soho meets Sherlock, and a unique take on the choose your own adventure game split into three phases. In the incident phase, players watch the murder unfold and look for clues to help them solve the mystery. In the reasoning phase, players come up with a hypothesis for who committed the crime using all of the information they have before seeing how their choices play out in the solution phase.
This game's experimental narrative structure and development team consisting of people who've worked on Metal Gear Solid V, Nier: Automata, and The Naked Director make it one of the boldest games to come out of any of the Nintendo Directs on February 9.
The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story will hit Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and PS5 on May 12, 2022.
Front Mission remakes
FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch
Remakes of the first two games in the Front Mission series were confirmed during the Nintendo Direct. Front Mission is a classic strategy game series from Square Enix, though Forever Entertainment is handling these remakes. Players command squads of mechs called Wanzers in a future conflict between the fictional Oceania Cooperative Union and Unified Continental States. These remakes are more shocking than they might initially seem when one considers that the last game in the series was Left Alive.
Front Mission never garnered worldwide appeal, so the series was dormant for some time. In 2019, Square Enix released Left Alive, a stealth action game set in the Front Mission universe. Critics panned Left Alive because of its bad story, lots of glitches, and clunky and frustratingly hard gameplay. Most franchises could never recover from something as terrible as Left Alive, but Forever Entertainment is trying to make Front Mission relevant again with these remakes. A new generation of players will finally learn what made this series unique and, hopefully, Front Mission's reputation will be restored.
Front Mission 1st will launch sometime this summer, while the sequel's remake is still in development. 
Disney Speedstorm
Disney Speedstorm - Nintendo Direct 2.9.22 - Nintendo Switch
While many of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it reveals during the Direct were from Japanese studios, Disney Speedstorm is a more mainstream title to keep an eye on. The reveal of a Disney and Pixar racing game might seem negligible, especially in lieu of the Mario Kart 8 DLC news, but it might be a surprisingly successful title on the platform. It's no secret that Mario Kart 8 has been extremely lucrative on Switch, and it's a full-price title. Disney Speedstorm will be free-to-play and features lots of Disney and Pixar characters that might be even more recognizable to children than Mario and his friends.
For parents that don't want to spend money on Mario Kart or kids looking for free games to try on their Switch, Disney Speedstorm will be a very appealing option. It seems like a solid racer regardless of its price point. While Disney Speedstorm is the kind of game hardcore gamers roll their eyes at this, don't be surprised if a free-to-play Disney racer with local and online multiplayer becomes one of the most popular games on Nintendo Switch when it launches this summer. 

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Everything announced at the February 2022 Nintendo Direct
Callie cheers and the player and Marie look off into the distance.

Nintendo Directs are some of the most exciting events for video game announcements each year, sparking wild speculation, rumors, and predictions. With games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, and the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the horizon, 2022 is poised to be a busy year for Nintendo. 
Nintendo Direct - 2.9.2022
When announcing the Direct for February 9, 2022, Nintendo said it would highlight "roughly 40 minutes of information mainly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2022." When it arrived, we got a mix of new reveals, remasters, and revivals of classic Nintendo concepts. 
From Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes to Xenoblade Chronicles 3, this is every significant Nintendo Switch announcement made during the first Nintendo Direct of 2022.  
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes announced
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes arrives June 24th (Nintendo Switch)
The first reveal during today's Nintendo Direct was Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. This intense action game is not only a follow-up to 2017's Fire Emblem Warriors, but 2019's Fire Emblem: Three Houses as well. It will be released on June 24. 
Mario Strikers: Battle League revives the classic sports spinoff
Mario Strikers: Battle League – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a 5v5 soccer game with flashy Mario-inspired mechanics. It's a successor to a sports spinoff series that has been dormant since the Wii era. Battle League supports online play, and players can form clubs with up to 20 players. It will be released on June 10, and it can be pre-ordered now. 
Splatoon 3 debuts Salmon Run: Next Wave
Splatoon 3 – Salmon Run Next Wave Trailer – Nintendo Switch
Splatoon 3 made another appearance at today's Nintendo Direct. It showcased a reworked version Splatoon 2's Salmon Run called Salmon Run: Next Wave. Players can now toss eggs to each other and will have to fight giant kaiju. Splatoon 3 will launch this summer, but is still without a release date.
Kirby is a car now

A new trailer for Kirby and the Forgotten Land debuted during the Nintendo Direct. In it, Nintendo debuted that oddly-named "Mouthful Mode." By using this, Kirby can swallow large objects and gain new powers. Forms seen include Car Mouth, Vending Mouth, Cone Mouth, Scissor-Lift Mouth, Ring Mouth, Light-Bulb Mouth, Arch Mouth, Water-Ballon Mouth. It launches on March 25. 
Portal: Companion Collection to puzzle Switch players soon

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Nintendo Direct February 2022: How to watch, what to expect
Kirby fishes with a waddle dee in Kirby and the Forgotten Lands.

Nintendo has another Direct set to air today (Wednesday, February 9), about four months after its last showcase. Although the Direct was revealed out of the blue by the gaming giant, as they always are, it was somewhat predictable. Nintendo has typically had at least one Direct showcase in February since 2018.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1491049195343650817

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