Nintendo held a Direct Mini livestream on September 17, and it featured a number of games from third-party Nintendo publishers for the Nintendo Switch system.
The biggest news focuses on a pair of games set in the Monster Hunter universe. Nintendo announced both Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin.
Another highly anticipated game, the indie title Hades, was also showcased.
Here’s a roundup of everything that was announced.
Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2
Monster Hunter Rise is a fast-paced, sword-slashing open-world game set against a backdrop of locales like leafy mountains and vast plains. The trailer for the game featured new monsters and tactics, including a battle where two monsters were fighting each other, and the player had to figure out how to navigate the fracas.
Each fighter also gets to use a “buddy,” an animal that helps in battles. The trailer also showcased a hook shot mechanic that allowed for grappling onto faraway surfaces.
A few monsters were featured in the trailer as well, including a large bird-like creature with a pointy beak named Aknosom, a ferocious crocodile-like monster named Tetranadon, and a giant, wolf-like, glowing-eyed menace named Great Izuchi.
It comes out March 26, 2021.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, is releasing in summer 2021. It’s a narrative game based in the Monster Hunter universe. The story centers around a girl who’s given a monster egg just as its species is mysteriously disappearing.
Hades
Supergiant Games’ latest is breaking free of Early Access. Hades is a dungeon crawler set in the Greek underworld, which you try to hack, slash, and fight your way out of. A big part of the fun are the mythical Olympus characters and weapons that help you escape. The flashy rogue-like game releases today.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise is a dancing and boxing game releasing December 4.
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny centers around a zombie creature named Zed who becomes stronger every time he dies. The game is vibrant, colorful, and has a fun art style. The game’s battle system looks like it leans heavily on statistics, and seems geared toward fans of turn-based combat. It’s coming out in summer 2021.
Nintendo Switch online members will also be able to play Disgaea 5 Complete during a limited trial period starting on September 23.
Empire of Sin
Empire of Sin is a criminal underworld noir game about a woman who runs fortune tellers. It’s set in the underworld of the 1930s, and Al Capone even makes an appearance!
Sniper Elite 4
Sniper Elite 4, a war game about tracking down a general in Sicily during World War II, comes out this holiday season. The game follows a solitary sniper as he tries to accomplish his mission. The trailer shows him setting off land mines and running from tank explosions while avoiding enemy soldiers, all surrounded by lush landscapes and heavily fortified enemy bases.
The Long Dark
The Long Dark, also released today, is a first-person exploration survival game set in a frozen wilderness. The main character has to slog through the aftermath of a geomagnetic disaster. The trailer shows a rudimentary bow and arrow used to stop a charging bear, and it also features a permadeath mode.
PGA Tour 2K21
PGA Tour 2K21 makes its way to the Nintendo Switch on September 25. Players can golf on real-life courses, and play locally or online.
Balan Wonderworld
A platforming game with special characters and colorful costumes, Balan Wonderworld lets you fly through the air and smash blocks. It has 12 stages in windy and underwater locales, and the game’s main characters get to wear costumes to receive special abilities. For example, a sheep costume lets the player float on wind, and a pumpkin costume is good for punching. The game releases March 26, 2021.
Rune Factory 5
Rune Factory 5 is a crop-harvesting game lets you also fight monsters. The anime-style artwork of the game has a certain rustic charm, and follows a man or woman (player’s choice) as they try to keep peace in a rural town while trying to regain lost memories.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
This sequel to the acclaimed Ori and the Blind Forest releases today on Switch. The game’s art style is beautiful, dark, and chaotic, and reminiscent of other popular indie side scrollers like Hollow Knight.
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