The latest Nintendo Direct was full of surprises. There were many announcements that nobody expected, making it a very interesting Direct. While there were some pacing issues in the latter half of the Direct, it was still a fun watch with a load of surprises. I want to review some of the Direct’s more significant announcements and share my thoughts.
If you missed the Direct, you can watch it here!
Mario and Luigi Brothership
The announcement of Mario and Luigi Brothership opened the Direct, and it was a very welcome surprise. The series has been dormant since the original developers, AlphaDream, filed for bankruptcy in 2019. I am not a big fan of the Mario and Luigi series, but even still, it’s nice to see the series finally come to Switch with a new 3D environment. The graphics look good and are a noticeable step up from the previous titles in the series.
With the announcement of Mario and Luigi Brothership, Nintendo has finally brought all of the Mario RPG series to Switch. This has made 2023-2024 one of the best years for Mario fans. From Mario Wonder to Princess Peach Showtime, Mario fans have had plenty of content to dive into. All that’s left is for Nintendo to release a new 3D Mario, finally.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
This was probably one of the least surprising announcements from the Direct. Even so, Super Mario Party Jamboree looks like it’s going to be a blast. So far, the game looks like it’s going to combine elements from both Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars, namely by bringing a few old maps back alongside brand-new boards. I think this is the best format for the series going forward, as it will give the boards more variety.
This was the only prediction that we got right in our prediction article, but it’s a welcome addition. It’s great to be getting some good Mario Party games again finally, and hopefully, Nintendo will be able to keep up the momentum with the series.
Related: Our Nintendo Direct Predictions (June 2024)
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
While there were speculations of a Zelda game at the Direct, I don’t think anyone expected this. For years, fans have asked for a game with the titular character front and center. Now is finally her time to shine. I think this is an exciting idea, and I’m glad Nintendo is finally giving characters other than Link the spotlight.
The game is being made in the same style as the Link’s Awakening remake, and I think it’s fitting. The gameplay shown so far has also been intriguing. Zelda’s ability to use the Tri Rod and utilize her surroundings to defeat enemies, not to mention using said enemies to defeat other enemies, is a neat concept, and I hope it will give the game a diverse range of gameplay.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
This is the announcement I’m the most excited for. We got the Apollo Justice collection earlier this year, but it seems Capcom wants to finish the job finally. With the release of the Investigations Collection, every Ace Attorney game (besides Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright) has been brought to modern consoles. This collection also marks the first time that Investigations 2 has been officially released in the West.
The game looks very polished and clean, a massive step up from the pixel art of the original games. You can also change back to the pixel style, which is excellent. The gallery mode is also a wonderful edition for fans of the Ace Attorney series. My only real complaint lies with Investigations 2. The names they’ve given the characters aren’t great, especially compared to those from the fan translation. Other than that, though, this is shaping to be a great collection to complete the Ace Attorney saga on modern consoles.
Metroid Prime 4
I was wrong about this one. Our predictions article said that Prime 4 wouldn’t be seen at the upcoming Direct. I was wrong, very wrong. Prime 4 was the closing announcement of the Direct, and I think it was a pretty good game to close with. It caught many viewers off guard. With a vague 2025 release date, however, it is still likely that Prime 4 will be a launch title for the Switch 2 and a cross-gen title.
The graphics look great, and the gameplay seems good so far. We’ll have to see more gameplay before anything can be said, but so far, Prime 4 seems like it will be a phenomenal game. After seven long years, it’s finally Prime 4’s time to shine.
Other Announcements From the Nintendo Direct:
Dragon Quest I, II, and III Remake:
The announcement of Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake wasn’t a big surprise. The announcement of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake was. It’s nice to have these games coming to Switch in the beautiful HD-2D style. The games look great in this style, and I’m happy they’ve finally given them the remake treatment.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD:
I wasn’t expecting to see a Donkey Kong game at this Direct, but it’s nice to see them bring Country Returns to Switch. While the game looks good, I fear it will just be another overpriced port like Tropical Freeze and Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. I’d rather not see another $60 3DS/Wii U port, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection:
Capcom went all out on collections, giving us the Investigations Collection and the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection. I thoroughly enjoyed the Capcom Fighting Collection, and I do not doubt this game will be as good. They’ve finally brought Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on modern consoles along with several other titles, some of which now feature characters previously unplayable. I’m excited to try out these games for the first time, and I hope that Capcom releases more of these collections.
Switch Sports Basketball:
This might be the announcement I’m most surprised about. I keep jokingly guessing that Switch Sports will finally get basketball or dodgeball, and I have finally received my wish. I thought Nintendo had quietly dropped support for Switch Sports after they released golf, but to my surprise, they’ve finally revealed another sport. Basketball looks like it will be fun; my only complaint is that the pickup games are 2v2, not 3v3. Besides that, I’m excited about basketball’s release and hope we’ll get another sport soon.
Overall, I think the latest Nintendo Direct was good. There were definitely pacing issues in the second half, but overall, I think the announcements we saw were fantastic. While it may not have been the most interesting Direct, there were plenty of surprises we can look forward to for the rest of the year.
The Guide Hall is excited to see what Nintendo has in store this year! Check out the Top 10 Soulsborne Bosses With the Most Aura!