Nintendo Direct Round-Up

Nintendo have kicked September off with their Nintendo Direct live presentation, which aired last night. But was it worth staying up for?

This Direct focused purely on 3DS games;  while most were updates on titles we already know about, there were some new announcements:

Pokémon Sun and Moon

In this portion, a recap is given of all the info already received in regard to the latest instalments in the Pokémon series. The starters, legendary Pokémon and Aloha region variants have previously been announced in trailers. The only new bit of information is an update on Z-Moves and a special bonus Munchlax. The Z-Moves will allow trainers to execute powerful moves with their Pokémon, depending on which Z- Crystal they use, and the Munchlax will come with a “Snorlium Z” crystal to unlock the special Z-Move called ‘Pulverizing Pancake’, once it evolves into Snorlax. The seventh generation pokemon games will arrive November 18.

Super Mario Maker 3DS

This portable version is focused on creating local connections rather than online sharing, with StreetPass being used to exchange courses with nearby friends. It will include playable access to some WiiU courses, but not every level from the previous version will be compatible. Players can also use local wireless to work together to create levels. Mario Maker is making the jump from Wii U to 3DS on December 2.

Mario Party Star Rush

The third instalment of the series on handheld brings a new feature where everyone plays as Toad. Turns are being removed in this mode in favour of a frenzied free-for-all. AI characters are scattered all throughout this map, and will play along side you in mini-games. A slew of new mini-games will also be available for this version. If you own a New 3DS or an NFC reader, the game is Amiibo compatible and each one “works differently in each mode“. What is a cool new feature is the ability to play the game for free. If one person owns the game, you can play with them via local wireless connections, similar to Mario Kart DS. The game, as well as the new line of Amiibo launches on November 4.

Street Pass – Mii Plaza

It’s time for another update! Mii Plaza is getting a new update that boasts a variety of new features. From speeding up the visitor system, to adding more games, it will certainly change up how you play Mii Plaza (If you do at all). You can download this new update and free game download now, as it launched shortly after the direct.

The Legend of Zelda

Unfortunately no news on Breath of the Wild just yet. However, Nintendo are celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. So what are they doing to celebrate? Well, just about everything;

• New Amiibo including 8-bit Link,  Ocarina of Time Link and a Wind Waker Zelda and Link pack .
• Hyrule Warriors – Legends DLC pack including content from The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks
• Three art books being published by Dark Horse comics featuring over 2000 illustrations.
• Symphonic performances of The Legend of Zelda music.
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword being re-released on Wii U eShop today.
• The Classic NES system with the original game included- Launching November 11th

What a time to be a Zelda fan, hey?

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

Court is back in session. The latest instalment in the Ace Attorney series will be arriving shortly on September 8, seeing the return of defence attorneys Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes. It seems as though two separate stories will play throughout this game, with a new séance feature allowing players to see a victims final moment.

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past

After being teased with a brief glimpse of the Dragon Quest VIII remake, we are given something to bide time until 2017 (Why must you do this to me Nintendo?). Dragon Quest VII, originally released on the Playstation 1, the remake has been built from the ground up.  Hours of new content has been added to make the game even better than before, and you can even fight new monster via the street pass function. If you are a hardcore JRPG fan, like myself, you don’t have long to wait until the games release on September 16.

Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls

Is your Pokémon experience not quirky enough for you? Do you want your Pokémon game to be more like Shin Megami Tensei without the steep difficulty curve? Then Yo-Kai Watch is the game for you. Witness the origin of the Yo-kai Watch as you travel back in time to put an end to an age-old war between two Yo-kai factions.  Players can use new tactics that will make for more strategic battles. Each version also has many unique Yo-kai, much like Pokémon. The free demo version arrives on the 3DS eShop mid-September and the full games both launch on September  30.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

Speaking of Shin Megami Tensei, a sequel the the 2014  post-apocalyptic role-playing game is on its way.The story of Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse focuses on a Hunter cadet who gets killed by one of the demons treating post-apocalyptic Tokyo as their personal playground. Limited retail releases come with a  metal emblem set as a free bonus, launching September 20.

New Galaxy Style New Nintendo 3DS XL

The New Nintendo 3DS system is getting a make over. The new system sports a galactic theme with bright purple and white highlights on the front. No details for an Australian release, but keep an eye out.

Picross 3D Round 2

In this new version of the puzzle genre favourite, blocks can be painted with two colours of paint to reveal more elaborate shapes. Using the numbers as hints, players can search for the hidden object in more than 300 puzzles.  A free demo was made available shortly after the Nintendo Direct in Nintendo eShop, along with the full game.

Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice:

The sequel to the infamous sonic game includes modes for both single-player and two-player. With an apparent return to speed, the game focuses on the tone of the Sonic Boom animated series , whilst bringing an original story The game launches exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on September 7.

Ever Oasis:

Ever Oasis is another new IP for the Nintendo 3DS, and takes place in a sprawling desert with the oasis at its heart. Travellers with different wants, needs and wishes will visit  oasis, and you must explore to cater to them. Allies with specific weapons and unique skill sets will join and strengthen the your exploration team, and players must head into the desert and locate dungeons.  A montage of the dungeon-crawling, town-visiting and other gameplay features is featured in the Nintendo Direct. The game is scheduled to launch in 2017.

Mario Sports Superstars

This game is  compilation of various Mario sporting titles. The game includes full versions of baseball, tennis, golf, horse racing soccer. The game includes single-player tournaments for each sport, plus local and online multiplayer modes. It is expected to launch early next year.

Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World

The gorgeous WiiU title is making its way to Nintendo 3DS. This version contains some new features, plus every stage available in the original. Exclusive new stages focus on Poochy: Players must time Poochy’s jump to collect beads, and Poochy Pups as they head for the goal. Poochy Pups are curious little helpers who jump on suspicious spots to indicate where players should look for secrets and collectables. Nintendo and Japanese stop-motion animation studio Dwarf are collaborating on 30 animated shorts featuring Yoshi and Poochy that will be included in the Nintendo 3DS version of the game. The game will launch  February 7th 2017, along with a yarn amiibo figure of Poochy.

Summary

All in all, this presentation  has some ups and downs. Whilst it seems as though Nintendo are porting their popular WiiU games to make way for the NX, some great titles are coming further down the track. Plenty of options for many different tastes (With a lot of games releasing in September strangely enough).