Seven months after the first look at Pikmin for the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo officially confirmed that its very first side-scrolling adventure title will be called Hey! Pikmin and will release on July 28, 2017. The company broke the news during tonight's Nintendo Direct event, which also featured a handful of other exciting Nintendo-centric announcements.

Gaming fans got an initial glimpse at Hey! Pikmin in September 2016, when the last Nintendo Direct was held. While the adventure game didn't yet have a title, it was touted by executives as an action-packed title sure to please. Bill Trinen, Senior Product Marketing Manager of Nintendo of America, even described Hey! Pikmin as a game that was built with action and thrills in mind.

So, what can players expect from the quirky side-scroller? Utilizing the Nintendo 3DS touchscreen, users control their small, sprout-like Pikmin, moving them across the gameplay stage into battle or to shift various objects in their way. Fans can also use the 3DS style to explore, escape, and trek through the game's many worlds. As a two-dimensional title, and the first of that style in the franchise, Hey! Pikmin allows for an interesting perspective on the happenings of the slightly bizarre, definitely eclectic world unique to the series.

Of course, the familiar Captain Olimar, "the half-pint hero on a mission to save himself," joins his Pikmin pals in the upcoming title. This time around, however, he's crashed onto an "unknown planet inhabited by Pikmin." According to the Nintendo website, Hey! Pikmin is the "will give you a new perspective on [Olimar's] adorably fierce partners." Players can "touch the screen to throw Pikmin into action: swim with Blue Pikmin, fly with Winged Pikmin, and more to survive hostile wildlife, solve ecological puzzles, and escape!"

Additionally, Nintendo announced that a new Pikmin amiibo will be released in tandem with Hey! Pikmin. What exactly the amiibo does and details on its functionality haven't yet been discussed, but further information will likely be released as the game's debut date inches closer.

It's been quite a while since fans have gotten their hands on Pikmin game, as the most recent franchise entry was Pikmin 3 for Wii U in 2013. Understandably, news of a July release has many fans buzzing and eager for more. However, Pikmin enthusiasts will remember that the franchise tends to follow the same pattern of news breaks, which means that additional glimpses at Hey! Pikmin will be coming soon. Though only a small bit of Hey! Pikmin was shown during tonight's Nintendo Direct, plenty more will be unveiled during this summer's E3.

Hey! Pikmin releases on July 28, 2017 for Nintendo 3DS.