These last few months, Nintendo has decided to release surprise Nintendo Direct presentations instead of announcing them in advance. The result seems to be that fan expectations are kept in check, and unrealistic hype doesn't get out of control. The latest surprise Nintendo Direct presentation dropped on the morning of October 28, and it was in the form of yet another Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase event.
The latest Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase focused almost exclusively on third-party games, but some major Nintendo franchises as well. For example, fans got a new look at Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and the Kirby series is making a cameo in a small-scale Switch game that is available now on the eShop. Nintendo Switch owners also got release date announcements for some of the console's biggest upcoming games, ensuring that the first few months of 2021 should have no shortage of high quality Switch titles for owners of the home console/handheld hybrid to play.
Here is everything that was announced during the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase on October 28.
Bravely Default 2
Nintendo kicked off the latest Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase by giving fans their closest-look yet at Bravely Default 2. The highly-anticipated JRPG looks to offer a visual upgrade when compared to the original game, not to mention a variety of gameplay enhancements as well.
Following the new Bravely Default 2 trailer, the Nintendo Direct offered an in-depth look at the game's Job system. It also showcased some characters who fit into certain Jobs, showing how each Job can impact Bravely Default 2's combat system.
From there, Bravely Default 2 confirmed that feedback from the demo is being used to adjust the game's difficulty and controls. Fans will get the chance to see how these changes improve the experience when the game launches February 26, 2021.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
The Story of Seasons games have found a healthy audience on the Nintendo Switch, and now fans have yet another new game to look forward to. Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town will offer the same kind of gameplay that fans of the series have come to expect, and is currently aiming for a March 26, 2021 release date.
Surviving the Aftermath
Whereas Bravely Default and Story of Seasons are relatively well-known franchises, Surviving the Aftermath is a brand new IP that's in development for Switch and other platforms. Hitting the Switch in 2021, Surviving the Aftermath is a strategy game with a post-apocalyptic setting that looks to have a lot of potential.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a new IP from Ubisoft that looks to be taking more than a few cues from Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Fans got a closer look at Immortals' gameplay during the Nintendo Direct Mini, showing off some of the different weapons that players will have at their disposal, as well as some of the puzzles they will have to solve on their journey.
The new Immortals Fenyx Rising gameplay footage also highlighted some of the enemies that players will encounter in the game, along with the different ways they will be able to customize their appearance.
Immortals Fenyx Rising is coming to Switch on December 3, with pre-orders available now.
Quick Looks at Upcoming Nintendo Switch Games
Nintendo then offered fans quick looks at some upcoming third-party Switch games. This included Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia, which is coming on November 3rd, as well as a Switch version of Griftlands. Finally, Tropico 6 is getting a Switch port as well, with all three games going a long way in bolstering the home console/handheld hybrid's lineup of third-party games.
AAA Cloud Games
It's no secret that the Nintendo Switch is underpowered when compared to PS4 and Xbox One, but one way that Nintendo has been able to get around that is through cloud gaming. Nintendo has experimented with cloud gaming on Switch before with games like Resident Evil 7, but most of these tests have been exclusive to Japan.
Now Nintendo is branching out with its cloud gaming titles, confirming two major AAA games coming to the Switch through the cloud. The first confirmed was Hitman 3, which will allow Switch owners to play Agent 47's latest game when it launches in 2021. The other is Control: Ultimate Edition, which collects the critically-acclaimed third-person action-adventure game from Remedy with all of its DLC, along with some other improvements.
If Hitman 3 and Control do well, it could convince Nintendo to more aggressively pursue cloud gaming so that more technologically-advanced games can come to the platform. Fans will just have to stay tuned and see if this experiment pans out.
No More Heroes
No More Heroes 3 is one of the biggest Switch exclusives announced for 2021, and so many fans were excited to get a look at some new footage of it during the Nintendo Direct Mini. However, new No More Heroes 3 footage wasn't the only fans were treated to during the showcase.
It was also confirmed that the first two No More Heroes games, No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, have both been ported to the Nintendo Switch and are available now. This way, fans of the franchise can play through every game in the series from start to finish when No More Heroes 3 launches in 2021.
Part Time UFO
HAL Laboratory is known for its strong relationship with Nintendo, but it is actually partnering with Koei Tecmo for its next game. HAL Laboratory is releasing a quirky stacking game where players use a UFO to stack objects as high as possible. It offers local co-op modes, a variety of other game modes, and cameos from Kirby series characters. Better yet, Part Time UFO is available now, so anyone interested can play right away.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Nintendo's Direct Mini: Partner Showcase events usually don't have any Nintendo franchises on display, but Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an exception. After all, even though the game is a prequel to Breath of the Wild and technically part of the Zelda franchise, it is developed by Dynasty Warriors studio Omega Force, and is therefore eligible to be part of this kind of Nintendo Direct.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was given a big spotlight during the Nintendo Direct, with Nintendo revealing an action-packed new trailer that confirmed the Divine Beasts as playable. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity players will be able to utilize the Divine Beasts' abilities to their full potential to give themselves a significant edge over their enemies.
Following the Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity trailer, Nintendo surprised fans that a demo is available now. The Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity demo lets players play through the entirety of Chapter 1, and not only that, but it lets them carry over their save data to the final game when it becomes available on November 20.
Looking Ahead
Nintendo concluded its Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase by confirming that this will be the last one it shows for 2020. It's likely that these showcases will return in 2021, and it didn't rule out the possibility of other Direct presentations for later this year. But with it having been well over a year since the last time Nintendo hosted a traditional Nintendo Direct presentation, Switch fans shouldn't hold their breath.