Nintendo 3DS Direct 9.1.2016
Every so often Nintendo does a “Nintendo Direct” which is a live streamed video showing off their new products, or their new products which have received some major updates. They showed off one of these such directs this morning, which today took the form of a “Nintendo 3DS Direct.” This showed off quite a few new 3DS games, some updates for some existing 3DS games, and some new hardware. We have broken down what was shown in the direct in the order in which it was showed in their stream so if you do not have time to watch the entire 40 minute video you can easily get all the news here!
Pokemon Sun & Pokemon Moon
The first games that were shown for this 3DS centered Nintendo Direct were Pokemon Sun & Pokemon Moon. While these games have received quite a few press releases in recent months, this particular direct was not very enlightening.
First this segment went over a lot of what we already knew, there are new forms of previously released Pokemon such as Vulpix and Exeggutor. There are also Z-moves which can be used by equipping different special items.
While most of this information regarding the new Pokemon games was not really new there were a few pieces of information that were. First of all there is a new aloan form of Rattata. This new Rattata is a darker version, which should see some new typing. Second there is a pre-order bonus for the game which will take the form of a Munchlax which is holding an exclusive Z-item which will unlock the move “pulverizing pancake” for its evolved form, Snorlax.
While there was not a plethora of new information about these games, there was enough to keep this writer interested for the release, which will be November 18, 2016.
Super Mario Maker 3DS
The next game that was shown in this Nintendo 3DS Direct was a new version of Super Mario Maker for the system. This particular release has us very excited because of how much we enjoyed the original on the Nintendo Wii U.
This version will have 100 built in courses and new medal challenges, which should provide some game content for those who are not into building their own courses. Besides this there are some downsides compared to the Wii U version of the game. First of all you will not be able to search for courses based on ID like you could in the Wii U version. Also not every Wii U course will be compatible with the 3DS version. Finally the costumes that were unlocked with amiibo will also not be compatible in this version.
That being said this game is trying to do course sharing in a different way. This version will be more focused on local play and courses created on the 3DS will be shareable via local play and streetpass. Creators can also collaborate on courses by sharing them with each other to complete them.
While this does seem like a dumbed down version of Mario Maker Wii U, we are still very excited to be able to play this game on the go. The release date for this game is December 2nd, 2016.
Mario Party Star Rush
The next game that was shown off in this Nintendo 3DS Direct was Mario Party Star Rush. In recent years the Mario Party franchise has had some horrible games that seem to have sucked all of the fun out of Mario Party as a whole. The major complaint for these recent games is that they took away all of the skill and replaced it with luck. This new 3DS game seems to show that the developers are at least trying to listen and address these problems. In Mario Party Star Rush all of the players move at the same time, and there are no turns like in the previous games. The direct also specifically stated that this game will be “pure skill no dice,” so it looks like the problem could be fixed. This game will also be adding download play and local multiplayer.
So do you think this version of Mario Party will save the franchise? Or will this be another dud that makes it even worse? Either way this game is sure to at least mix things up. The release date for this game is November 4th, 2016.
Animal Crossing New Leaf
The next game that was shown in the Nintendo 3DS Direct was Animal Crossing New Leaf. While this game was released a few years ago and is not really new, it is receiving a new update. This update is focused on amiibo functionality, amiibo cards, and some new villagers.
While we are not fans of amiibo and their use in games, Animal Crossing seems to be Nintendo’s main focus for the amiibo idea. This update will get more details in a special Animal Crossing direct which is coming later this fall.
Streetpass Mii Plaza
The next game that was shown off during the Nintendo 3DS Direct was not a real game per-say, but instead more of an updated feature to the 3DS itself. This is going to take the form of an updated Streetpass Mii Plaza. This update will streamline the Mii Plaza experience, and offer five new games which will be playable starting today.
The five games include slot cars, market crashers, feed mii, mii trek, and ninja launcher. While these games seem very primitive, they do seem at the very least enjoyable. It is also worth noting that as of today either slot card, OR market crashers will be free on the Nintendo eshop, while the others will be pay to download.
Tank Troopers
The next game that was shown in this direct was a brand new game that will be focused on Tank battles. That new game is going to be called Tank Troopers and will be available later this winter.
This game looks like a more arcade version of something like War Thunder or World of Tanks, but a Nintendo spin. There will be a large number of playable crew members that. These crew members will give you tank new abilities such as paintballs, freezing abilities, electric shocks, and many more. This game will have single player, local multiplayer, and download play. They also hinted that there will be other game modes, but these were not mentioned in the direct.
Picross 3D Round 2
The next game that was shown in the 3DS Direct was a game that has just been released on the Nintendo eshop. That game is Picross 3D Round 2. This will be an updated version of Picross 3D which will add multiple colors to boxes and will also add amiibo functionality. There is also a free demo which was also added to the eshop today.
Nindies Summer Jam
The next segment of the Nintendo 3DS Direct mentioned the “Nindies Summer Jam” which will be adding many new indie titles to the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eshop. We did a full article on this previously, so be sure to check it out here if you are interested.
Zelda
The next segment of the direct focused on a franchise rather than a game. That franchise was Zelda, and the topic covered multiple games and products.
The first product that was mentioned was the NES Classic console. If you are not familiar with this topic already it is a mini NES console that will come loaded with quite a few classic Nintendo games. One of the games included on this console is The Legend of Zelda, a classic and the winner of our “most revolutionary RPGs of all time” list.
The next product that was mentioned included new amiibo from the Zelda franchise. These amiibo include a classic NES Zelda amiibo, and some from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Again we are not too fond of amiibo and their roles in games, but for fans who are this is welcomed news. These amiibo will also have function in The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, but this functionality was not directly specified.
After this the direct talked about new Zelda books that will be released soon. One of such books include Zelda: Art and Artifacts. This books will be a collection of art and other items from the games.
Finally the Direct mentioned that The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword will be available for download in the Nintendo Wii U eshop.
Nintendo Selects
The next section of the direct showed off some new titles that are currently available. These new titles are all $20 brand new at retail locations. If you are interested in these titles then be sure to check out our full article on the topic, here.
New Nintendo 3DS XL
The next section of the Nintendo 3DS Direct focused on hardware, specifically the New Nintendo 3DS. While this section was brief it showed off the recently released New Nintendo 3DS Galaxy color, and a new bundle that will have the New Nintendo 3DS, Super Mario 3D Land, and 2 cover plates related to the game.
Hyrule Warriors Legends
The next segment that was shown in the Nintendo 3DS Direct was focused on Hyrule Warriors Legends. While this was also not a new game, it was an update. This update will be adding a new DLC pack which will be adding new weapons and characters to the game. This DLC this time around will be focused on The Legend of Zelda DS games, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. The first item that is going to be added is the sand wand which will be usable for Toon Link. Toon Zelda is also being added as a playable character to the game, and her abilities will take the form of the phantom armor which this ghost version of Zelda will be able to possess and fight in.
They are also adding a new adventure mode map, which is sure to add some more longevity to the game.
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Spirit of Justice
Next Nintendo showed off Phoenix Wright Ace Attornet: Spirit of Justice. This will be an eshop only game that will only be available on the Nintendo 3DS.
Dragon Quest VIII: The Cursed King
The next segment shown in the Nintendo 3DS Direct was the one I was looking most forward to, yet I cant help but feel very disappointed with this part of the stream. The game that was shown was Dragon Quest VIII: The Cursed King. While it was great that this game was mentioned, the direct spent less than a minute overall on this game and showed us virtually nothing new, and instead the focus was put on the next game, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past.
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
That brings us to the next game that was shown in the Nintendo 3DS Direct, and the second Dragon Quest game, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. This is an upgraded version of the previously released game that not many people played on the Playstation 1. This version will have hours of new content and streetpass functionality.
Nintendo also mentioned that this game will have a pre-purchase bonus on the Nintendo eshop which will take the form of a Dragon Quest VII menu theme. It is scheduled for release on September 16, 2016.
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony & Fleshy Souls
The next games that were shown off during the Nintendo 3DS Direct were Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony & Fleshy Souls. These games, which have been gaining in popularity over recent months, are taking the Pokemon approach to releases and including two playable versions of the game. These two versions will have different playable characters, story lines, and different Yo-Kai available to use. These new games will also include “M skills” which will function in a similar way to “overdrive” moves in other RPGs. It is also worth noting that the digital versions of this game will also give you bonus Yo-Kai which are only obtainable by getting that version. Yo-Kai Watch is a very promising new series, and we are anxious to see these new games come out on September 30th, 2016.
Disney Magical World 2
The next game that was shown during the 3DS Direct was Disney Magical World 2. To be honest I tuned out during this part of the direct since I am not a 10 year old girl. What I did notice is that pre-purchasing the game gives you access to bonus outfits, and that the gameplay seems to take the form of a beat-em-up action RPG.
Sonic Boom Fire and Ice
The next part of the direct was another part where I had trouble paying attention. This was the section where they talked about the new Sonic Boom Fire and Ice which is going to be released on September 27th, 2016. While this game does look much much better than the Wii U Sonic Boom game that came out recently, I still have little faith in new Sonic games.
Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Shin Megami Tensei is a legendary JRPG series that recently had an installment on the Nintendo 3DS. The next game that was shown in the 3DS direct was Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, which will be a sequel to the last 3DS Shin Megami Tensei game that was released. This version promises to add more content, and the first run versions of the game will include “medal sets” which are nice pieces of shwag. We are pretty excited about these games because of the success of the last game on the console. This game is scheduled for release on September 20th, 2016, and is sure to be a great addition to the console.
Yoshi’s Woolly World 3DS
The next game that was shown in the direct was Yoshi’s Woolly World 3DS. Yoshi’s Woolly World was a game that came out on the Nintendo Wii U, and while not a huge success, it was a fun game that was enjoyable to play. This new game will include new features, plus every stage that was on the Wii U version.
These new features will include “Poochy stages” which will let the player use the character Poochy. Another feature will include Poochy pups as usable “eggs” that will let Yoshi discover hidden secrets and hidden areas.
The game’s release will also coincide with a Poochy yarn amiibo, which will have some functionality in the game.
Something else worth noting is that when this game comes out there will also be multiple stop motion shorts in the same style of the game, which are sure to be very visually appealing. The game is scheduled for launch on February 3rd, 2017.
Ever Oasis
The next game that was shown in the Nintendo 3DS Direct was a new game, and a new promising one at that, Ever Oasis. This game looks like an action adventure RPG that will have a heavy focus on city building.
The city building part of the game will involve managing an oasis, where the player will be able to acquire updates to their town where NPCs will come to visit and purchase items. This oasis will also upgrade as you complete different story sections allowing you to build new shops.
The player then will go out into the desert where they will collect new items and become stronger, which in turn will help to upgrade your town. Out in the desert there will be dungeons and other challenges where the player will solve puzzles and fight bosses.
Overall this game looks very promising and is sure to be a great addition to the 3DS line up of RPGs. The release date for this game was not specified besides the fact that it will be coming out in 2017.
Mario Sports Superstars
The next game that was shown off in the 3DS Direct was a new sports title called Mario Sports Superstars. This game will include multiple Mario sports games in one game. These games include soccer, baseball, tennis, golf, and horse racing. While this may sound kind of lack luster, Nintendo has promised that all of these sports games will be full versions, which could have all been stand alone titles. This game will also include local and online multiplayer which at this point is a must for this genre of game.
I for one am actually pretty excited about this title considering that the last installment of Mario Tennis on the Wii U was very lack luster. Hopefully this game will be able to take over the reigns and be a fun addition to the Mario sports series of games. This game is scheduled for release in spring of 2017.
Pikmin
The final game that was announced in this Nintendo 3DS Direct was a new Pikmin game for the 3DS! This game will be a little different compared to previous Pikmin games because this will be side scrolling instead of full 3D like the previous Pikmin games.
This game will be very touch screen reliant, and will have the player solve numerous different puzzles which will make the player think outside of the box in order to utilize their Pikmin. This game will also include water levels and many others which is sure to mix up the Pikmin formula.
Hopefully this will not be a “Chibi Robo Zip Lash” and instead will be a great title and an awesome addition for the Nintendo 3DS. The release date was not specified except that it is coming out in 2017.
So what do you think of this Nintendo 3DS Direct? If you don’t already have a 3DS has this convinced you to get one? Were you disappointed in any of these games? Let us know in the comment section below.