The latest Nintendo Direct has concluded and we now have a better picture of what to expect from the Switch in 2018. While the future is loaded with ports as expected, there’s also some solid exclusive content coming for Nintendo fans as well. Here’s the breakdown of the announcements from today’s conference:
- Super Smash Brothers: The Super Smash Bros. series arrives on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The teaser trailer featured recognizable faces like Mario, Link and the Inklings from the Splatoon series of games.
- Mario Tennis Aces: Mario Tennis Aces launches on June 22nd and features all of the characters and charm you’ve come to expect from the series.
- Splatoon 2 Update and Single Player Expansion: In April, Splatoon 2 is getting a free update to version 3.0 which contains over 100 new pieces of gear, more stages, and a new rank. Rank X is an even higher rank than S+. The new stages will roll out over the course of the Spring.
- Single-Player Expansion: The first paid expansion is coming to Splatoon 2 this Summer. The “Octo Expansion” adds a new single-player mode that lets players play as new character (Agent 8) with lost memories. The campaign features 80 missions as well as new stories involving existing characters. Players that complete the Octo Expansion will unlock the ability to play as Octolings in multiplayer battles.
- Octopath Traveler: Octopath Traveler launches on July 13th. A special edition of the game titled Octopath Traveler: Wayfarer’s Edition will also be available and includes a pop-up book, cloth map, sound selections CD, and a replica coin based on the in-game currency.
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: A port from the Wii U, Treasure Tracking is coming to Nintendo Switch on July 13th.
- Ports, ports, and more ports: A wealth of ports are arriving on the Switch as should be expected given the sales of third-party titles on the platform. These include Crash Bandicoot, Okami HD, South Park The Fractured But Whole, Little Nightmares, Inside, and Undertale.
- Dark Souls Remastered: Along with the title launching in May, a Solaire Amiibo was annouced and will allow players to use the “Praise the Sun” emote as often as they see fit.
- ARMS US & Canada Online Tournament: The tournament takes place in the game’s Ranked Match mode now through March 18th. The finals will be streamed live from Nintendo of America HQ at https://arms.nintendo.com/videos/.
Our Take
We didn’t truly know what to expect from Nintendo’s Direct today but we are pleasantly surprised. While there are no huge surprises, we did see a wealth of content. We now have confirmation of Smash Brothers in 2018, a date for Octopath Traveler (one of Porshapwr’s 10 Games to Watch in 2018), and confirmation that third party support is going to continue to grow for the Switch. Overall we are highly anticipating Octopath Traveler and are excited to see more about Smash later in the year.
What are you most excited about from today’s announcements? Let us know!
