Here's the Rundown of Everything in Today's Nintendo Direct mini [26/03/2020]

Despite it only being a little over a week since the last Nintendo video presentation it has felt like months. Maybe that is because it has been quite some time since we last had a non-game-specific Direct, or perhaps its because we’re all couped up right now watching irresponsible governments and businesses try to wish away a global pandemic while medical professionals tell us how much trouble we’re in, only able to view the world through the slits of light coming through from daily walks, the news and social media and the only solace we can find is in the form of fictional media, memes and Animal Crossing.

But I dunno?

Anyway, Nintendo decided to mercifully make today feel a little shorter with a surprise 30 minute Direct Mini. Because no one knew about it, you might have missed it, so here’s a rundown of what was shown:

Xeonblade Chronicles Definitive Edition

If the word Xeonblade didn’t convince you this was anime just look at those haircuts.

No longer left struggling on the underpowered Wii, Wii U and 3DS Shulk, yes the dude with the hair and sword not from Fire Emblem in Smash, is coming to the Switch on the 29th of May this year. Looking to be a total graphical overhaul of the cult classic, Xeonblade Chronicles, the menus, HUDs and music have all been retooled and updated. A final epilogue chapter, Future Connected has been added and smoother gameplay is making this look like the best way to play this game. It also has a beefy collectors edition launching, because Nintendo knows how much fans of this game will buy anything to do with this game.

2K gets in on the Switch Porting Party
Bioshock 1, 2 and Infinite

Nine years after Ken Levine announced that Bioshock would be coming to a handheld device, it finally is. While this isn’t the long since abandoned Vita Bioshock game it is all three games in the franchise moving to the Switch. The franchise has been in stasis for the last few years, but it seems to be coming back soon at some point under a new developer. Until then the massively influential Bioshock, the slightly underwhelming sequel, Bioshock 2,  and the better-if-you-don’t-over-analyses-it, Bioshock Infinite are all arriving on Switch on the 29th of May.

Borderlands Legendary Collection

Time to go back to Pandora, again, again, again, again, again, again, again…. again.

After the separate release of Borderlands the Handsome Collection and Borderlands Remastered., its really feeling like 2K and Gearbox are milking the franchise to its last, especially now that the Switch is getting a collection which basically bundles those two games together.

On the 29th of May, Borderlands Legendary Collection takes the flag as the most complete Borderlands experience, for now at least. As someone that sunk hundreds of hours into the franchise and was left severely wanting by Borderlands 3, it is to my great shame I’ll probably by this on sale at some point. 

XCOM 2 Collection

On the same day,  what feels like the most overdue port imaginable finally will arrive. After literal years of fan pleading XCOM 2, four of its DLC and The War of The Chosen expansion finally make their way to Switch

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 gets its third expansion, Fantastic Four: Shadow of Doom. This update will add comic’s First Family and Victor Von Doom to the game’s playable roster along with a new campaign. It launched today as part of the Direct.

Shinsekai: Into the Depths

Originally part of Capcom’s show of faith in Apple Arcade, Shinsekai takes the leap from mobile to handheld-console hybrid. A deep-sea Metroidvania,  with survival elements, Shensekai didn’t light up Apple Arcade like some of its other launch games but hopes to find a larger audience on a more conventional platform. It launched along with the Direct with a new mode allowing you to remix the game’s chill beats as a bonus.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing has always been a great platform for seasonal events and with the advent of games as a service, it's exciting to see where Nintendo go with New Horizons. We now have some idea of their plans for supporting this game with the first seasonal event being announced to run from the 1st to the 12th of April. The event will see you and your townsfolk take part in Bunny Day festivitees. There’ll be eggs to find and items to craft and I’m sure it will all be very cute… UNTIL A TARANTULA COMES ALONG AND RUINS EVERYTHING! A second free update, coinciding with Earth Day was also announced for later in April.

Good Job 

This is a quirky job simulator where you can wreak havoc in a physics-based puzzle playground of offices and warehouses. The official page says you play “as the clumsy child of a CEO” and “you must climb the corporate ladder”... This indie game just suddenly became a biting indictment of nepotism and failing upwards in the corporate world.

Catherine: Full Body

A cult classic from Atlus and the Director of the Persona franchise is finally getting ported to Switch? Yes, after recently telling fans that if they wanted Persona on the Switch they should ask for it Sega announced Cathrine: Full Body is coming… While I and several others might be disappointed Catherine is still a good, if problematic, game that even despite a new version launching this generation was never really seen by enough people. You’ll be able to race against goats in your dreams and make mistakes in your love life on the go on July 7th.

Ring Fit: Adventure

To be fair I’d be grinning like an axe murder if I got my hands on a Ring Fit too, have you seen how much they’re going for online?

As Ring Fit sells out worldwide an update is coming at the perfect time for you to annoy your self-isolating neighbors below your apartment even more. This dancercise update adds new music based workouts and feature tunes for the latest in Mario, The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon. The update also includes several quality of life updates, like a female voice for your Ring Trainer. The update is available now.

King’s Bounty 2

One of the original turn-based strategy game franchises gets its first true sequel in 30 years. Launching first on the Amiga, C64 and even DOS in 1990,  King’s Bounty is most commonly remembered for its Sega Mega Drive version that came out a year later. Since then, despite having a huge impact on the genre, the series only saw life in the form of a fan followup and spiritual successor in 2008. The long-awaited sequel will be released at some point in 2020.

Super Smash Brothers: Ultimate

See these are all cool character designs. I know there not Dante or whatever but… please just leave Sakurai alone.

The first character of the second season of DLC in Smash is from ARMS and is coming in June. I’m sure all the Smash fans will go back to patiently waiting and not bothering Sakurai until then.

ARMS

Despite not having the continued support and community furvor of Splatoon, ARMS was a huge success for Nintendo at the start of the Switch’s life, selling an estimated 2.1 million units. Now it is getting a free to play (in full) trial from today until the 6th of April.

Bravely Default 2

The third game in the Bravely franchise, don’t question it, is coming exclusively to the Switch. This new story in is a follow up to Bravely Default but follows a new cast of characters, adopts a new art style and takes on a new job system. Square Enix seems keen to make clear that this game will keep the deep RPG systems and tactical gameplay of the first game though. No release date has been announced but a beta launched today and like the recently released Daemon X Machina it looks like it really is a beta and no just a glorified demo as the developers seem to be interested in getting feedback and making changes.

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics

A massive collection of 51 tabletop games and minigames would usually be worth rolling your eyes at. But honestly, this one is being published by Nintendo and looks more than competent. It coming exclusively to the Switch on June 4th

Ninjala

The creators of Capcom’s surprise card game TEPPEN has a new IP to show off. GungHo’s new game can only be described as looking like a cross between Splatoon and Sunset Overdrive with cute Ninjas added to the luminescent mix. This free to play, 4v4 Ninja-’em-up is coming in May exclusively to the Switch.

Highlights 

• Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy and the Panzer Dragoon: Remake both dropped onto the eShop today.

• Trials of Mana (24th of April) and FUSER (Autumn) were both confirmed to be coming to the Switch day and date with the rest of their launches.

• The Elder Scrolls: Blades is finally arriving to the Switch in Spring.

• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is coming over from the PC in May.

• Minecraft: Dungeons is coming to Switch (along with everything else with a screen) in Spring.

• Burnout Paradise Remastered (2020), Saints Row IV: Re-Elected (March 27th) and Legend of Heroes: Trial of Cold Steel III (June 30th)  are all getting Switch versions.

• Vigor, Bohemia Interactive’s upcoming free-to-play will also come to Switch this year.

… The final thing...

Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion

Part 1 of the Pokémon Sword and Shield Expassion pass, The Isle of Armour, was shown off with a release window of June. If you care about that you probably don’t want someone who knows nothing about the game filling you in or you’ll be mad no matter what I say.

Overall this felt like an exceedingly strong stopgap. There was no talk of tentpole releases or franchise announcements but Nintendo clearly wanted to show they have a lineup prepared this year.

With the word so up in the air at the moment this Direct felt like Nintendo wanting to put shareholders at ease that ‘video games are still happening’, but weren’t ready to talk about any of their major titles for fear of sudden change. The opening screen of this Direct mini even acknowledges that all these dates are subject to change. 

Despite all of this Direct was thirty minutes of normalcy in a messed up world and that was better than any Metroid announcement.

*ducks rotten vegetables being thrown*