Heading into the final day of E3 2021, there was a common sentiment going around social media: It was up to Nintendo to “save” this year’s show. That was no easy task. E3 has largely been underwhelming this year outside ofMicrosoft’s mega-showcase. Placing all of one’s hopes and dreams on a company that often delivers uneven digital showcases felt like a recipe for disappointment. No matter how much Nintendo tried to set expectations in advance, fans were already setting themselves up for failure the night before asMario Kart 9trended on Twitter.
Against all odds, Nintendo delivered. The company put on its best Direct showcase in years with tons of surprises.Breath of the Wild 2was the big reveal, but it was far from the most exciting announcement.Metroid Dreadwas a genuine shock, bringing a new original 2D Metroid to the Switch. We saw new a Wario Ware, Mario Party, Advance Wars, and way more. It was a mile-a-minute show, so here are all the biggest announcements.
Breath of the Wild 2 finally gets new footage
Nintendo finally showed offnew footage fromThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, and it looks stunning. The game is set two years after the events of the first game and appears to feature much more verticality. The game’s world has been expanded to include areas in the sky. We saw clips of Link skydiving through the air and standing on a structure well above Hyrule. The game is launching sometime in 2022.
That wasn’t all for Zelda news. Nintendo is making a special edition Zelda Game & Watch that includes the first two NES Zelda games andLink’s Awakening. it’ll launch on November 12.Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityis also getting its first wave of DLC on June 18. It adds a Battle Tested Guardian as a playable character.
Metroid Dread is Nintendo’s E3 shocker
Metroid Dreadis anew Metroid game coming October 8, making it the first original 2D Metroid game in 19 years. It’s very much in the style of Nintendo 3DS titleMetroid: Samus Returnsand features a high-tech setting that’s reminiscent of games likeMetroid Fusion. The game is getting a new pair of amiibo as well. One features Samus in her new suit and the other is one of the game’s new E.M.M.I enemies.
Wario Ware: Get it Together features two-player co-op
The Wario Ware series is finally returning withWario Ware: Get It Together!Like previous entries, the game features tons of microgames for players to try. It also features two-player co-op, which is a first for the series. The game comes to Switch on September 10.
Mario Party Superstars collects old games
Mario Party Superstarsis a new collection featuringboards and minigames from previous Mario Party games. The game will feature full online play, which was missing fromSuper Mario Partyat launch. It’ll land on Switch on October 29.
Smash Bros. Ultimate gets Kazuya from Tekken
We finally saw the next fighter coming toSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.Kazuya from the Tekken seriesjoins the roster, bringing brawling gameplay and dragon powers. Nintendo will go over additional details on the fighter at a later date.
Shin Megami Tensei V’s release date is official
After leaking on Atlus’ website earlier this month, we finally have anofficial release date forShin Megami Tensei V. The Switch game will launch on November 12. The game was one of the titles showcased at the Switch’s official reveal stream in 2017, making this a significant development for longtime Nintendo fans.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania remakes the first two games
The Super Monkey Ball series is returning withSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Mania. The game is a remake of the first two titles in the series. It’ll be available on Nintendo Switch, as well as PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Advance Wars 1 + 2 remasters the GBA classics
Nintendo isremastering the original Advance Wars gamesasAdvance Wars 1 +2: Re-Boot Camp. The game features totally new visuals and will hit Nintendo Switch on December 3.
Life is Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy come to Switch
Despite the Switch not getting mentioned during Square Enix’s show this week, it turns out two of the publisher’sbiggest 2021 releases are coming to the console.Life is Strange: True ColorsandMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxywill both launch on the system.Life is Strange: Remastered Collectionwill also come to Switch sometime next year.
Mario Golf Super Rush will get post-launch content
Nintendo confirmed that the upcomingMario Golf: Super Rushwill get post-launch content, as has been the case with other Mario sports games. A quick glimpse at the DLC confirmed some new courses, including one based onSuper Mario Odyssey‘s New Donk City.
