Nintendo at E3 2019: The 11 biggest announcements

This year’s Nintendo Direct had some surprises and one massively bummer delay announcement. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fans finally got the DLC character announcements they’ve been waiting for and we finally get to see Animal Crossing Switch in action. Here’s all the biggest news that came out of the E3 2019 Nintendo Direct.

The LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD SEQUEL

https://youtube.com/watch?v=3fr1Z07AV00%3Frel%3D0

Holy crap, a direct sequel of Breath of the Wild is coming. Woah! Not much in the way of details, but we see Link and Zelda exploring a cave and finding a spooky skeleton. Don’t hold your breath (ha!), as we’re sure it’s still a long ways out, but it still has us hyped.

ANIMAL CROSSING SWITCH DELAYED

After announcing the Nintendo Switch version of Animal Crossing last year, Nintendo went radio silent on the game. Until today. We now know that the next installment is called Animal Crossing: New Horizons and it is gosh dang adorable. It takes place on a tropical island, which players will reach via Tom Nook’s newest enterprise: air travel. We get a look at some basic crafting as well as the ability to jump over small rivers with a stick.

That’s the good news. Now the bad: Animal Crossing: New Horizons won’t be out until March 20, 2020. Brutal.

SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE DLC CHARACTERS REVEALED

So far we’ve just had two DLC characters released in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Today Nintendo rolled out the red carpet for the next two character additions.

The first is The Hero from Dragon Quest. This is really a compilation of heroes from across the Dragon Quest series, though they all have the same powers (mixing sword and magic attacks) and are effectively just costume swaps. Dragon Quest’s Hero is planned for release this summer.

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The second character addition is actually two-in-one. Banjo-Kazooie was introduced in a hilarious segment featuring the Donkey Kong gang. The bird and bear have a series of expected abilities, including an egg toss and a super jump, all mainstays from their platforming franchise. Banjo-Kazooie will be added to Smash Bros. Ultimate this fall.

THE WITCHER 3: WILD HUNT ON SWITCH

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Surely pushing the limits of what the Switch is capable of, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition is coming to Nintendo’s console later this year. It’s hard to know for sure whether the game will actually run well, but given that the Skyrim Switch port is serviceable, we’re keeping a positive outlook.

ZELDA: LINK’S AWAKENING RELEASE DATE

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The true Breath of the Wild sequel is probably still a few years off, but we’re still pumped about this year’s Zelda game. The remake of Link’s Awakening has its own, adorable graphical style and now has its own release date: Sept. 20, 2019. In a brand new feature, players will be able to create their own dungeons from pre-made sets.

That’s not the old Zelda game dropping this year, though. Cadence of Hyrule, the rhythm adventure from the developer of Crypt of the Necrodancer, drops this Thursday, June 13.

LUIGI’S MANSION 3 FEATURING GOOIGI

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Mario’s scaredy cat brother continues to have the worst side job ever. His ghost hunting continues in Luigi’s Mansion 3, coming to Nintendo Switch later this year. The game will be set in a massive, haunted hotel and will allow for co-op ghost hunting, with a second player taking control of Gooigi. Yes, that’s really his name. Sorry, Player 2.

TRIALS OF MANA ANNOUNCED

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The Mana series has been around since the early ‘90s, with the streak continuing on the Nintendo Switch. The Trials of Mana trailer shown during the Nintendo Direct was pretty vague, but the internet scuttlebutt says the game will be a remake of Seiken Densetsu 3, a Japan-only release. The original game featured multiple campaigns and playable characters, so we expect a similar experience here, but in 3D.

That’s not the only news for Mana fans, though. Collection of Mana drops on Switch later today with ports of the first three games in the series.

THE DARK CRYSTAL TACTICS GAME

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Netflix’s revival of Jim Henson’s puppet-ridden fantasy series isn’t the only Dark Crystal product coming this year. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics is on the way for Switch, as well. The game utilizes the classic isometric perspective of other strategy games, like Final Fantasy Tactics, but will of course be populated by the critters of the Dark Crystal universe. There’s no specific release date beyond 2019, but expect it to drop right around when the Netflix series does.

NO MORE HEROES 3 COMING

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Travis Touchdown had his own spin-off earlier this year with Travis Strikes Again, but it looks like a true sequel is on the way as well. There’s not a whole lot in the way of details for No More Heroes 3 yet, but we do know it’ll be made by Marvelous and Grasshopper Manufactre, the original developers. Unfortunately it’s still a ways out, with a 2020 release planned.

CONTRA ROGUE CORPS. REVEALED

The Contra boys are back, y’all. Contra Rogue Corps appears to be an isometric take of the co-op action series. Multiplayer’s still a big aspect, but in a surprise twist, you can also play as a panda. Why not! The game is scheduled for September 24 of this year for Switch.

If you’re looking to go a bit more retro, the Contra Anniversary Collection drops on Switch later today, which includes 10 classic games from the franchise’s history. Yes, Contra 3: Alien Wars is in there.

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