Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime kicked off the company’s 2017 E3 presentation by discussing all of the ways players can use the Nintendo Switch.
JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was the first game shown off, set for a release in holiday 2017. Untitled Kirby and Yoshi games were also featured and slated to come out in 2018.
More gameplay was shown off for the recently announced Pokkén Tournament DX for Nintendo Switch, an enhanced version of the pocket monster fighting game on the Wii U.
Perhaps the most surprising news to come from Nintendo’s presentation is that a core Pokémon game is in development for the Switch. However, no gameplay or even a reveal trailer was shown off, with the announcement instead coming by way of the Pokemon Company’s Tsunekazu Ishihara. The game’s producer also said the title may not release for “more than a year.” It’s worth noting that many fans have longed asked for a main Pokémon game to come to a console, following numerous releases on handheld systems like the Nintendo DS and 3DS.
Another long-sought after title was soon revealed in the form of Metroid Prime 4 for the Switch. The game was revealed in a short trailer that featured a logo and Metroid music. However, no other information was confirmed outside of a “now in development for Nintendo Switch” message. Therefore, the game’s story, release timing and developer are currently unknown.
Fire Emblem Warriors, a Dynasty Warriors-esque action game, was also shown off, featuring an original story with new characters, with series favourites like Marth and Chrom also making appearances.
Producer Eiji Aonuma later took the spotlight to showcase some of the Legend of Zelda-related content coming to Nintendo Switch. He first reiterated that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will release with Zelda-themed content, including a Master Sword and Link’s Breath of the Wild tunic, following an announcement at publisher Bethesda’s conference on Sunday evening.
Additional footage was revealed for Breath of the Wild downloadable content, this time showing off the Master Trials pack (think “Horde Mode” from Gears of War), which releasees on June 30th, and The Champions’ Ballad, featuring story content for characters Daruk, Mipha, Revali, and Urbosa, set to come out during the holidays. Four amiibo based on these “champions” were also confirmed for release later this year.
Fils-Aime returned to detail tournaments for upcoming games Splatoon 2, Arms and Pokkén Tournament DX. Following that, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot made an appearance to discuss Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, the crossover game that was revealed on Monday. The game will release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on August 29th.
Hit multiplayer soccer car game Rocket League was also confirmed for launch on Switch. Launching this holiday season, the game will feature exclusive Mario and Luigi-themed cosmetic items and cars, as well as cross-network play with those on other platforms.
Of course, arguably the biggest title coming to the Nintendo Switch is Super Mario Odyssey, and it was with a trailer for that game that Nintendo ended its presentation. The footage showcased the titular hero using his red cap to take control of enemies, vehicles and even a Tyrannosaurus rex. A fancy jazzy music number even accompanied the gameplay. Most importantly, the game was confirmed for release on October 27th, meaning fans only have to wait a little over four months to play Mario’s latest adventure.
Overall, Nintendo managed to showcase a solid lineup of games, even though the presentation itself was only about 25 minutes long. What’s more, much of what was shown off is set for release by the end of 2017, with a few additional titles promised for 2018 and beyond.
In contrast, Sony’s PlayStation presser featured titles shown in previous E3 conferences, many of which still do not have firm release windows. As well, Microsoft – Nintendo’s other major publishing competitor — focused more on third-party games that have timed exclusivity on Xbox One systems during its Sunday night event.
