In one of the most polarizing Nintendo Directs of all time, Nintendo went all-in on Smash Bros. for its E3 2018 presentation, dedicating the entire back half of the show to the announcement and in-depth details of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, coming to Switch this December. Depending on what kind of Nintendo fan you are, you're either overjoyed to see Ridley join the roster, or miffed that anticipated E3 2018 games like a new Animal Crossing on Switch and Metroid Prime 4 were total no-shows. In any case, here's everything Nintendo showed off during the stream.
Daemon X Machina shows off stylish mech combat
Nintendo kicked things off with a new game announcement, which you might've mistaken for a new Armored Core (though it is being worked on by Armored Core's Kenichiro Tsukuda). Daemon X Machina is a sleek, third-person mech fighter with a cel-shaded art style that makes those rocket salvos really pop. It'll be coming sometime in 2019.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 DLC is coming this September
The next bit of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 DLC, Torna the Golden Country, is coming this September. If you're familiar with the game, you're sure to be excited for this coming "battle between the Aegises" - and for everyone else, this was an anime-tacular trailer rife with cat people, solemn declarations, and cool, combo-centric RPG combat.
Pokemon Let's Go incentivizes players to grab a Pokeball Plus for a free Mew
In a move that feels almost loot-boxy, Nintendo is giving away a free Mew with every Poke Ball Plus controller purchase. Hopefully Mew won't be locked behind a pay wall for a novelty controller, or there will be hell to pay with completionist Pokemon Trainers.
Super Mario Party delivers more multiplayer minigames
A new Mario Party game, simply titled Super Mario Party, is headed to Switch with themed boards, dice rolls, and minigames aplenty. The focus is still on four-player antics, but this time around you can play some games across multiple Switch screens if you've got them handy. Super Mario Party drops on October 5, 2018.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses brings the series to Switch
The storied Fire Emblem series will be making its Switch debut with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, delivering more tactical, turn-based RPG battles and plenty of character-developing dialogue. The debut trailer showed off the new visual style for combat: planning your moves uses the familiar aerial-view grid, but once your units move in for the attack, the camera zooms in to show 3D battles with full infantry for a look resembling Fire Emblem Warriors. This sequel arrives Spring 2019.
Fortnite is on Switch as of right now
We knew it was coming, but Fortnite is bringing its battle royale and building action to Nintendo Switch, and it's available for free today. If you still haven't tried Fortnite, now's the time to jump in as thousands of Switch players see what all the fuss is about.
Overcooked 2 confirmed for more frantic kitchen action
It was leaked ahead of the E3 2018, but Overcooked 2 has been officially confirmed. It's sure to bring more fun, frenetic, slightly stressful multiplayer as you hurriedly serve up orders and scream out assignments in pursuit of high scores. A few spooky, haunted house levels were shown off, and Overcooked 2 will launch on August 7.
Killer Queen Black console port coming later this year
From the same leak as Overcooked 2, Killer Queen Black brings "the world's only 10-player arcade game" to consoles for the first time. This team-based multiplayer battle is simple to get into, with only one button to work with, but requires coordination if your hive is to claim victory. It's got revamped pixel art for Switch, and will be coming sometime in 2018.
Hollow Knight is now on Switch
Anyone who loves a good Metroidvania should play Hollow Knight ASAP - and fortunately, it's been ported to Nintendo Switch as of this very moment. All the existing DLC is included, as you fight your way through a decaying world full of memorable bugs both friend and foe.
Try Octopath Traveler with a free demo after launch
Octopath Traveler, Square Enix's decidedly retro RPG coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch, launches on July 13. For anyone still on the fence about an RPG with eight main characters to choose from, you can try out a demo starting July 14, which will carry over save data should you decide to purchase the full game.
A sizzle reel shows off a ton of coming Nintendo Switch games
In classic Nintendo Direct fashion, a jam-packed sizzle reel hyped up games coming to Switch in the near future (if they aren't out already). Those games include (deeeeep breath): Starlink, Arena of Valor, Minecraft, Sushi Striker, Pixark, Just Dance 2019, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion, Captain Toad, Crash N-Sane Trilogy, Ninjala, Carcassonne, FIFA 18, FIFA 19, Ark Survival Evolved, Wasteland 2, Paladins, Fallout Shelter, Dark Souls Remastered, SNK Heroines, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, The World Ends With You, Mega Man 11, and Mario Tennis Aces. Phew!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has every fighter from the entire series' history
Smash Bros. godfather Masahiro Sakurai gave us an extensive look at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the sequel coming to Switch, sending some viewers to Heaven while others felt like they were in Hell. The big news here is that every fighter to ever appear in a Smash title is back. That means you'll be able to play as - here we go - Mario, Samus, Kirby, Bowser, Link, Donkey Kong, Fox, Falco, Marth, Zelda, Sheik, Villager, Meta Knight, Mewtwo, Sonic, Peach, Pikachu, Ice Climbers, Inkling, Captain Falcon, Zero Suit Samus, Wii Fit Trainer, Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard, Ness, Lucas, Ryu, Ganondorf, Ike, Cloud, Solid Snake, Jigglypuff, Pichu, Roy, Olimar, Diddy Kong, Lucario, Lucina, Robin, Bayonetta, Mr. Game & Watch, Greninja, Dr. Mario, ROB, Duck Hunt, Pit, Dark Pit, Palutena, Corrin, Bowser Jr., Toon Link, Young Link, King Dedede, Rosalina and Luma, the three Mii Fighters, Wario, Little Mac, Pac-Man, Shulk, Wolf, Mega Man, Luigi, and Yoshi. Good god, that's a lot of characters. We can also expect some new roster additions, including the surprise reveal shown today: Ridley, the purple, pterodactyl-looking alien who's the main antagonist of the Metroid series.
For the next... many minutes, the Nintendo Direct went into exhaustive detail on some of the small tweaks and refinements we can expect in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But here are the quick, need-to-know bits: 'clone' fighters like Lucina and Dark Pit are now called "Echo Fighters" with slightly altered movesets, and Daisy (a variation on Peach) joins their ranks. Your amiibo and GameCube controllers will be compatible for Ultimate. 8-Player Battles will return. Final Smash balls are also back, though all 'transformation' supers have been tossed in favor of "fast and ferocious" animations that put you back in the fight quicker. There are new items (like Fake Smash Balls), more Pokemon, and new Assist Trophies like the Squid Sisters, Bomberman, and Sukapon from the super obscure NES fighter Joy Mecha Fight. Competitive players should know that damage is increased in 1-on-1 matches, and Perfect Shield has a tighter timing window. Phew, that's a lot to digest! Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will launch on December 7, 2018 - and that does it for the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct. Now, onto two days of Nintendo Treehouse streams!
For all the exciting titles at this year's show, check out the best E3 2018 games.
