Nintendo defied expectations at this time with an E3-timed Direct exhibiting off not the hoped-for new Switch {hardware} however a dozen or so new video games — in addition to a basic launch window for the much-anticipated subsequent Zelda sport. And to have fun the unique’s thirty fifth anniversary, it should promote a brand new Game & Watch that includes the primary three video games within the collection.

Among different issues, Nintendo confirmed off remasters or remakes of titles from the “Monkey Ball,” “Mario Party,” “Advance Wars, “Wario Ware” and different collection, and introduced new entries within the “Mario + Rabbids” and “Shin Megami Tensei” worlds. Other newly introduced or teased video games will probably be making it to Switch as effectively, like the brand new “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Perhaps most stunning was the inclusion of a brand new side-scrolling Metroid sport, the primary in almost 20 years — and in reality, it has been out and in of growth for half that point. “Metroid Dread,” the fifth within the mainline collection that started on the NES, will launch October 8, and we’ll see if Nintendo has managed to maintain tempo in a style it pioneered however others have refined.

Image Credits: Nintendo

Everyone hoped for Zelda information, nonetheless, and Nintendo… solely barely dissatisfied us. As the announcers famous, it’s the thirty fifth anniversary of the NES unique, and the proper time to announce one thing actually particular, however they’ve “no campaigns or other Nintendo Switch games planned.”

Instead, they provided an admittedly tempting Game & Watch within the model of the one we noticed launched final 12 months for the Mario collection. I had plenty of good issues to say about that gadget, and the brand new one will little doubt be simply as enjoyable. The skill to pause the sport and choose it up later (however not rewind or save states) ought to make for a enjoyable, genuine playthrough of the primary three video games within the Zelda collection: “The Legend of Zelda” and “Zelda II: The Adventure of Link” for NES, and “Link’s Awakening” for Game Boy (just lately remade).

Image Credits: Nintendo

The final merchandise on the checklist was a brand new have a look at the follow-up to Breath of the Wild, which years after its debut nonetheless shines as one of many, if not the, greatest sport on the Switch. Its sequel has rather a lot to dwell as much as!

While the primary trailer was all cinematic, this one confirmed gameplay and the overworld, together with a brand new degree of verticality that brings flying fortresses and castles within the air into play. It actually seems to be spectacular, however one wonders how a lot additional the corporate can push its Switch {hardware}. After all, “Breath of the Wild” pushed the system to its limits at its debut, and even then it was not as highly effective as its rivals from Microsoft and Sony — each now changed by a brand new technology.

One hopes that Nintendo is just being bizarre and has a trick up its sleeve, because it has many instances earlier than. The Switch was introduced out of nowhere, and former {hardware} updates have additionally dropped with little or no warning and seemingly arbitrary timing. What’s anticipated is an up to date Switch that’s bodily the identical dimensions however significantly up to date inside and utilizing a bigger, higher show. Perfect backwards compatibility, like with the 3DS collection of handhelds, additionally appears solely logical. But Nintendo has at all times accomplished its personal factor and its followers wouldn’t have it every other approach.