These last few months, Nintendo has decided to release surpriseNintendo Directpresentations 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 latestNintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcasefocused almost exclusively on third-party games, but some major Nintendo franchises as well. For example, fans got a new look atHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and theKirbyseries 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.
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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 atBravely 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 thenewBravely Default 2trailer, 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 impactBravely Default 2’s combat system.
From there,Bravely Default 2confirmed 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 July 11, 2025.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
TheStory of Seasonsgames 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 Townwill offer the same kind of gameplay that fans of the series have come to expect, and is currently aiming for a August 05, 2025 release date.
Surviving the Aftermath
WhereasBravely DefaultandStory of Seasonsare relatively well-known franchises,Surviving the Aftermathis a brand new IP that’s in development for Switch and other platforms. Hitting the Switch in 2021,Surviving the Aftermathis a strategy game with a post-apocalyptic settingthat looks to have a lot of potential.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Immortals Fenyx Risingis a new IP from Ubisoft that looks to be taking more than a few cues from Nintendo’sThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Fans got a closer look atImmortals' 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.
ThenewImmortals Fenyx Risinggameplay footagealso 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 Risingis 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 includedBakugan: Champions of Vestroia, which is coming on November 3rd, as well as a Switch version ofGriftlands. Finally,Tropico 6is 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.
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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 likeResident 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 wasHitman 3, which will allow Switch owners to play Agent 47’s latest game when it launches in 2021. The other isControl: Ultimate Edition, which collects the critically-acclaimed third-person action-adventure game from Remedy with all of its DLC, along with some other improvements.
IfHitman 3andControldo 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 3is 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,newNo More Heroes 3footagewasn’t the only fans were treated to during the showcase.
It was also confirmed that the first twoNo More Heroesgames,No More HeroesandNo 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 whenNo More Heroes 3launches 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 fromKirbyseries characters. Better yet,Part Time UFOis 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, butHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityis an exception. After all, even though the game is a prequel toBreath of the Wildand technically part of theZeldafranchise, it is developed byDynasty Warriorsstudio Omega Force, and is therefore eligible to be part of this kind of Nintendo Direct.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitywas given a big spotlight during the Nintendo Direct, with Nintendo revealing an action-packed new trailer that confirmed theDivine Beasts as playable.Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityplayers will be able to utilize the Divine Beasts' abilities to their full potential to give themselves a significant edge over their enemies.
Following theHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitytrailer, Nintendo surprised fans that a demo is available now. TheHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamitydemo 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 ofotherDirect 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.
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