This is the first major oral of the year for Nintendo. Whereas Pokemon Legends Arceus got off to a flying start with its 6.5 million copies sold in one week, the Japanese publisher is back today with a new conference. A 40-minute presentation, which should focus on the titles of the first half of 2022. Follow the key announcements of this Nintendo Direct live with us from 11 p.m.
What games will be featured?
With each presentation of Nintendo, it is the same question. What could well be announced? Because the Japanese firm has this annoying habit of surprising, for better or for worse. Being able to make 30 minutes of video with great fanfare for 29 minutes of ports and 1 last minute of teasing, that is a talent.
However, there should be plenty to do tonight. Some games already have a release date set in the coming months, and they are bound to be there. We think in particular of Triangle Strategy Where Kirby and the Forgotten World, expected on March 4 and March 25, respectively. But also to Chocobo GP, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp and Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles. Obviously, this is not what interests most people. Audiences want landmark announcements and release dates.
So we could make a list of titles sellers, touts, and make you dream. But we are with Nintendo, so nothing is ever certain. However, the chances of seeing Splatoon 3 Where Bayonetta 3and Mario and the Rabbids: Spark of Hope are high, these games planned for 2022 but which do not yet have a release date set. For the rest, you have the right to dream.
Nintendo Direct announcements, live
• It’s almost 11 p.m. Make yourself comfortable, it’s about to begin.
• And we start directly with a surprise. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is revealed in a first trailer, released on June 24, 2022. It will therefore be a musô in the universe of Fire Emblem Three Houses
• Small point on Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, which still releases on April 8. With the campaigns of the two opuses, all the characters dubbed, and everything that makes the charm of the series.
• No Man’s Sky is coming to Switch this summer. A bold project, but why not.
• Stop everything. There is a Mario Football shown. Hope exists. There is good in this world. His name is Mario Strikers Battle League, offers football in 5v5 with always the same formula. It’s the fight, anything, and objects. But we note the introduction of equipment that boosts your stats. Playable up to 8 on the same console, and even a club mode to play online. Released June 10. It’s so far.
• As expected episode 2, with Splatoon 3. Well, we must admit that around here we have never really hung on to the license. But it’s happening this summer.
And now, a point on the ports
• It’s time for the tunnel of ports and remakes of all kinds. We will thus cite Chronocross, Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collectionand many others.
• Round like a balloon, and pink like a lemon if lemons were pink, he’s Kirby. Small video with a few minutes of gameplay for Kirby and the Forgotten World. big vibe mario odyssey, but with Kirby who can take control of a car or a can dispenser to throw them at his enemies. Still scheduled for March 25.
• Baseball segment, with MLB The Show 2022 coming to Switch. There’s crossplay on April 5. Voila.
• We already knew it, but here it is again. The trilogy of Kingdom Hearts comes to the cloud on the Switch. We will also mention PortalWhere Klonoa.
• It arrives for the first time outside Japan. It is Live to Livewith a 2D HD remake on July 22.
• Did you like Wii Sports? Here is… Nintendo Switch Sports. Yes, at Nintendo, we always have a lot of imagination for naming. Tennis, bowling and chabara are making a comeback, accompanied by football, volleyball and badminton. Most importantly, you can play it locally or online. Imagine for two seconds that Nintendo’s online becomes correct. Released April 29.
• So on the other hand, we’re not going to lie to each other, the presentation of soft volleyball as not allowed, it was not necessarily the best idea to sell the game. But that must be part of the charm of the presentation.
100% Nintendo
• Well, when we talk about online. A beta test is scheduled for February 18-20 for Nintendo Switch Sports.
• What would a Nintendo Direct be without its Japanese game announcements? So there you go Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival.
• On the other hand, swing for 20 seconds on Triangle Strategy to say that there is a playable demo until the third chapter, it is also very very Nintendo.
• A nice little update is coming for Metroid Dread, starting today. There is a no-hit mode, but also a rookie mode for beginners. While a second update in April will bring a rush boss.
• After the last tunnel of exits/portages, already comes the moment of the one more thing. The bets are open.
• You were expecting a new Mario Kart ? Bah no luck, for the moment you will have to settle for a DLC to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with races from old episodes. 6 waves of 8 races planned, and which will run until the end of 2023. Suffice to say that Mario Kart 9 is not to be expected before 2024. Everything will be sold for €25, with the first wave on March 18 .
• You have all lost. The latest teaser is for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Which will arrive very soon, in September 2022.
• So here we are at the end of these 40 minutes, and frankly, it was a good year for a Nintendo Direct. Some big announcements, gameplay, a little surprise. It just lacked hornets.