A Nintendo Direct event on April 12 gave us information on an enormous number of games, including the Switch exclusives Arms and Splatoon. Here is a rundown of everything we saw.
Switch
Arms, an inventive multiplayer boxing game, will arrive to the Nintendo Switch on June 16. The game features a variety of weaponized “arms,” including heavy arms that do additional damage, and the chaotic multishot arms. Each type of arm has an additional special ability that can be activated for a strategic advantage. Each fighter can mix and match two different types of arms in order to customize their attack style. A new “neon yellow” Joy-Con controller and Joy-Con strap add-on that go along with the game will be made available on launch day. A Joy-Con battery pack, which extends the battery life for longer sessions, will also be available on June 16.
Splatoon 2 arrives to Nintendo Switch the following month, on July 21. The multiplayer shooter will include a new mode called “Salmon Run,” where Inklings gather “power eggs” as they fight off waves of smaller fish creatures, as well as the enormous “Steelhead” boss. Along with the normal eggs, the “freelancers” playing on each map must also gather special golden eggs and transport them to a central location. Three new Amiibo characters will also be released alongside the game, and they can save your favorite in-game outfits for quick swapping if you’re playing at a friend’s house. Original Splatoon Amiibo figures will also be compatible.
In addition to the Nintendo Switch news, Nintendo also revealed a plethora of information on upcoming 3DS games.
3DS
Nintendo’s presentation gave us another look at Hey! Pikmin, a 2D platformer that marks the return of Captain Olimar, who has crash-landed his ship on a mysterious planet, as the series’ protagonist. Available on Nintendo 3DS, the game uses the touchscreen to allow Olimar to easily toss his Pikmin allies at enemies and obstacles. The game will be available on July 28, along with an adorable Pikmin Amiibo figure that will be usable in the game. Nintendo promises more details on its functionality at a later date.
Speaking of Amiibo, have you been waiting on the figures for Cloud, Corrin, and Bayonetta to arrive for Super Smash Bros.? The wait is almost over. All three arrive on July 21, and each is available in two separate versions.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, a 3DS remake of Fire Emblem Gaiden, arrives on May 19, and will feature both paid and free downloadable content that will offer new maps and explorable dungeons . A season pass that grants buyers access as individual pieces are released will be available alongside the game.
Grezzo’s Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series, stopped by the presentation to talk about his latest 3DS RPG, Ever Oasis. The role-playing game, which features action-oriented combat, clever puzzles, and a story built around “kindness,” arrives to the handheld on June 23. More information on the game will be provided in the “near future.”
Monster Hunter Stories, which originally arrived to 3DS in Japan last year, will arrive in North America this autumn. The spinoff features a brighter, less-realistic art style than the main series of games, and features turn-based battles that bear a resemblance to another monster-focused series available on the 3DS. Also arriving in autumn is Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, which features new, exclusive quests, a new resort area, and an expanded “Yo-Kai Watch Blasters” mode.
Other 3DS games shown off during the Nintendo Direct event include Culdcept Revolt — a card/board game hybrid arriving August 29 — and RPG Maker Fes, which hits the system on June 27. Miitopia, a customizable role-playing game featuring your friends as characters, will also arrive to 3DS later in 2017.
For Kirby’s 25th anniversary, Nintendo has also produced a couple of games for the 3DS. Team Kirby Clash Deluxe is a Smash Bros.-like cooperative brawler available Wednesday, while Kirby’s Blowout Blast is a 3D action-adventure game that will be available through the eShop this summer. An unannounced Kirby multiplayer game will also hit the 3DS this holiday.
Bye-Bye BoxBoy! is the final chapter of the BoxBoy trilogy, and comes packed with 18 worlds and more than 100 puzzles. It’s out today, and owners of the previous games get special screen filters when they purchase it.
For a full rundown of announcements, including additional Nintendo Switch ports and accessories, check out the Nintendo Direct video at the top of the page.
