By Nijel Matthew Aquino and John Raphael Mendoza
New video games, updates and even a film were revealed in the latest Nintendo Direct held virtually recently.
September's Nintendo Direct featured numerous game titles to be released this year and next, mostly for the Switch platform—which is getting a new OLED model next month. The event also coincided with the Japanese video game company’s 123rd founding anniversary.
Among the games highlighted in the Direct was Bayonetta 3. An action-adventure game developed by Platinum Games, the trailer played in the event put an end to a lack of updates since its initial reveal in 2017. This is the third instalment in the Bayonetta series, which stars its eponymous protagonist, and is set to be released for Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Other games that received updates about their release were Metroid Dread, which will be released on Oct. 8, following the story after the events of Metroid Fusion in 2002 – the first Metroid title for Nintendo. Third-person shooter Splatoon 3 also revealed its release date in the trailer featured in Direct, while Square Enix’s Triangle Strategy also set its release to the Switch platform after opening its demo earlier this year. Both games are slated for 2022.
Nintendo also announced its new online membership tier available for subscription. The subscription service features games from the classic Nintendo 64 (N64) and Sega Genesis which will be ported to the Switch online store and will also set for sale wireless controllers for each respective platforms. Among the N64 and Sega games to be ported are Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Ecco the Dolphin.
They also revealed in their showcase about the games that will be released this year.
Mario Party Superstars features boards from the Nintendo 64 era, where the two have been revealed. Nintendo revealed that there will be three more areas that will appear in the game, Woody Woods, Yoshi’s Tropical Island and Horror Land. Its release date will be on October 29, 2021.
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars which is a Yoko-Tarot card game that was made by Square Enix will be coming out on October 28, 2021. It's a whole new type of strategy game which is played with cards and on cards giving choices to the player about what to do next. The game combines parts of Reigns, Gwent, Final Fantasy and Hand of Fate.
The second half of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity expansion will be released on October 29, 2021. Its second half titled, Guardian of Remembrance, will continue the story of the base game. In addition, two new characters will be added in the game, Purah and Robbie from the Breath of the Wild.
Other games that will be released this year are Disney Magical World 2 Enchanted Edition, Animal Crossing New Horizon in October, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic on November 11, Dying Light 2 Stay Human Platinum Edition on October 19, Castlevania Advanced Collection, Actraiser Renaissance, Delta Rune, Hot Wheels Unleashed on September 30, and Surviving the Aftermath.
In 2022, they will also release the following games — Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak, Disco Elysium The Final Cut Physical Version, Square Enix’s Chocobo GP, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, S.A. Dying Light 2 Stay Human Cloud Version on February 4, 2022, Triangle Strategy on March 4, 2022, Shadow Run Trilogy, Wreckfest and Rune Factory 5 on March 2022.
The event also announced an upcoming Mario animated movie, starring the voices of celebrities Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.
