Nintendo E3 2019 Recap: Best of Nintendo at E3 2019

The Nintendo E3 2019 show has ended, and as the last item on the E3 2019 schedule, it sloed things out with plenty of highs and a few lows. E3 2019 games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons have been pushed into 2020, but we're delighted to know that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is currently in development. Here's everything Nintendo announced during the E3 2019 Nintendo Direct; be sure to check back for our hands-on impressions when we get to play what Nintendo's brought to the E3 2019 show floor. 

Animal Crossing: New Horizons delayed to 2020, but it sure looks lovely 

You could almost hear hearts breaking the world over when it was announced that Animal Crossing: New Horizons won't be making its planned 2019 debut, and is instead being pushed to March 20, 2020. But the first gameplay shown was enchanting, with Tom Nook selling us on the Deserted Island Getaway Package. Instead of managing an entire town, you'll be making camp on a tropical island, decorating your tent and making a home for yourself. You'll also experience changing seasons, as it seems that snow can fall on this island - perfect for building snowmen. You can also craft new items using Tom Nook's workbench, and of course you'll be paying bells out the nose to Nook for the cost of airfare and accomodations for your island getaway. It looks like multiplayer may also be a factor, with other characters grouping up at the end of the trailer. Because it bears repeating, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons release date is March 20, 2020. 

A sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development 

Details were scarce, but Nintendo confirmed that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is currently being worked on. It looks like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will pick up right where the first game left off, as Link and Zelda explore some creepy subterranean ruins that seemed to be corrupted by the Malice brought about by Calamity Ganon. We can't wait to hear more. 

Banjo-Kazooie and Dragon Quest are coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 

Smash fans have long pined to play as the bear-bird duo of Banjo and Kazooie in Smash Bros., and now Nintendo is making their dreams come true. We got two new character announcements for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC: The Hero from multiple Dragon Quest games is coming this summer, and Banjo-Kazooie make their big debut this fall. Dragon Quest 11's Hero is the frontman, but alternate costumes let you reskin him to be the protagonist from Dragon Quest 3: The Seeds of Salvation, Dragon Quest 4: Chapters of the Chosen, or Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King. We got a look at the two new stages themed after Dragon Quest and Banjo-Kazooie, as well as Banjo-Kazooie's Final Smash that calls in a horde of angry Jinjos.  

Luigi's Mansion 3 gives you a bunch of new abilities and brings back Gooigi 

Luigi is in the thick of it when ghosts take over the hotel where he, Mario, and Peach have chosen to stay - but the Poltergust G-00 and its new abilities are here to help you bust ghosts in style. You can Slam ghosts to inflict quick damage, pull objects and remove shields using the Suction Shot plunger, and get some AOE knockback or a jump using Burst. Luigi's Mansion 3 brings back Gooigi, Luigi's gooey green clone who can pass through fences and spikes but will die if he touches water. You can also recruit Gooigi for some two-player co-op using a Joy-Con controller. There's also a new multiplayer mode called The ScareScraper, which supports 8-player in  local or online play as you rush to rescue Toads as a huge group of Luigis. We still don't have an exact release date, but we know Luigi's Mansion 3 is coming in 2019. 

Pokemon Sword and Shield showed some more gameplay 

We already knew the Pokemon Sword and Shield release date is set for November 15, 2019, but Nintendo showed off some new snippets of a battle against Water Gym Leader, Nessa. Nintendo did share that the PokeBall Plus accessory will be compatible with Pokemon Sword and Shield: thought you can't use it as a controller, you can take your favorite Pokemon out into the world with you inside the PokeBall, and "something good might happen" if you do. 

Nintendo Switch has a ton of games at E3 2019 

We got a big ol' sizzle reel featuring all the games Nintendo is showing off at E3, including a long list of third-party games set for Switch. They include: Spyro Reignited Trilogy (coming September 3), Hollow Knight Silksong (no release date), Ni no Kuni (September 20), Minecraft Dungeons (Spring 2020) The Elder Scrolls: Blades (Fall 2019, as announced at the Bethesda E3 2019 show), My Friend Pedro (June 20), Doom Eternal (no release date), The Sinking City (Fall 2019), Wolfenstein: Youngblood (July 26, 2019), Dead by Daylight (September 24), Alien Isolation (2019), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (winter 2019), Dragon Quest Builders 2 (July 12) Stranger Thigns 3 (July 4), Just Dance 2020 (November 5), Catan (June 20), New Super Lucky's Tale (Fall 2019), Dauntless (late 2019), and of course, Super Mario Maker 2 (June 28). 

More announcements: 

• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake on Switch showcased some new gameplay including plenty of boss fights, fishing, shopping, and that pesky racoon from the Mysterious Forest. We also got a look at a new dungeon-building mode made possible by a new character named Dampe, where you can brave new dungeons to earn rewards like additional Fairy Bottles. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening release date is set for September 20, 2019.
• The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics is exactly what it sounds like - a top-down, turn-based tactics game based on the classic Jim Henson movie, which is also getting a new series on Netflix. Jim Hensons' The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics - say that three times fast - is coming in 2019.
• Contra Rogue Corps is a new entry in Konami's shooter series, featuring four new heroes (including a cyborg panda and a friendly alien named The Gentleman), plenty of bullet-hell boss fights, and 4-player co-op in local wireless or online play. It's set to launch on September 24 2019, and Konami will also be bringing a Contra Anniversary Collection with 10 Contra games to Switch.
• Trials of Mana, an action RPG featuring generations of Mana heroes, is coming to Nintendo Switch in Early 2020. The original three Mana games are on the Switch eShop as of today as Collection of Mana, including the previously Japan-only Seiken Densetsu 3.
• No More Heroes 3 brings back otaku assassin Travis Touchdown and femme fatale Sylvia Christel, set to hit Switch sometime in 2020.
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition is coming to Switch, including all the DLCs, sometime in 2019.
• Fire Emblem: Three Houses gave us cutscenes galore ahead of its July 26, 2019 launch.
• Resident Evil is expanding its presence on Switch as Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 come to Nintendo Switch this fall.
• Daemon X Machina showed off some story beats and gameplay clips ahead of its September 13, 2019 release date.
• Panzer Dragoon is bringing its cult classic 'dragon rail shooter' formula to Nintendo Switch this winter.
• Astral Chain, the upcoming cyberpunk brawler from Platinum Games that's extremely anime, is coming August 30, 2019.
• Empire of Sin is John Romero's new strategy game, featuring tactical battles between gangsters like Al Capone. It's coming Spring 2020.
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 highlighted new characters ahead of its July 19 release date, including Magneto, Miles Morales, Ghost Rider, and Elektra. It'll also be getting season pass content themed around the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Marvel Knights, starting this fall.
• Cadence of Hyrule, the Crypt of the Necrodancers spin-off that lets you play as Link and Zelda, is coming this week on June 13, as previously announced.
• Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, featuring a mix of new and classic sporting events including surfing, skateboarding, karate, rock climbing, fencing, soccer, gymnastics, and many more, is launching in November 2019, complete with online multiplayer.
• Dragon Quest 11 Echoes of an Elusive Age S Definitive Edition is coming to Switch on September 27, as previously announced at the Square Enix E3 2019 press conference.