Earlier this morning, a Nintendo Direct Mini blessed our day and provided us with another look at games hitting the Nintendo Switch soon. This particular Direct was focused on Nintendo partners, giving them a chance to shine and not be overshadowed by first-party titles. Let’s take a look at what’s to come and see what we have to look forward to over the next several months.
Monster Hunter Rise
Yes, another entry in the popular Monster Hunter franchise! The tone of this game seems startlingly serious in comparison to what followed it, but for fans of Monster Hunter games, this looks to have a lot of the monsters you’ve come to love… and hunt down mercilessly. I find these games to be particularly difficult, but I may just pick this one up and try my hand at the franchise again.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
But wait, there’s more! A follow-up to the successful Monster Hunter Stories from the 3DS looks like it will grace the Switch in the Summer of 2021. The first game eschewed the traditional Monster Hunter formula by adopting a more turn-based JRPG battle system, so it will be interesting to see how many dyed-in-the-wool fans will want to try this spin-off.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise
A follow-up to Fitness Boxing looks like it will capitalize on the exercise success of Ring Fit Adventures in December, which is a perfect month to stay indoors and get some much-needed exercise. The anime aesthetic is a little bit strange, to say the least, but hopefully, it will be a helpful game to burn those calories.
Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny
A new entry in the Disgaea franchise appears! Very similar aesthetic to the other games in the series, but with even MORE overblown levels and attack damage! You know what you get from Disgaea games, more or less, so if you’re a fan, get ready to grind to level 9999999999!
Empire of Sin
Empire of Sin looks to be a noir-like setting amidst 1930s-esque gangster movies. An interesting aesthetic, although the very name and some of the voiceover seem to tip this over into the Mature area.
Sniper Elite 4
One thing that Sniper Elite 4 helped sell was the beautiful visuals. I couldn’t help but be engaged as I was watching the trailer, although I know full well how deceptive trailers can be. Even still, I know this is a popular series with many fans, so it is a great addition to the Switch library.
Balan Wonderland
Balan Wonderworld was revealed a few Directs back and is seriously confusing to me. The Square-Enix background is promising, as well as the Nights into Dreams-style gameplay, but I’m not exactly sure what’s going on in the game. I’ll have to watch a few more trailers to understand what’s happening on-screen.
Rune Factory 5
I distinctly remember playing and loving the first few Rune Factory games and enjoying them. This entry looks like an amazing step up graphically, and I look forward to seeing the farming experience in beautiful 3D on my portable device.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The last big announcement was for Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and it was released today! No doubt you are enjoying this beautiful game that was previously exclusive to the Xbox. It looks gorgeous and makes me wish I enjoyed the genre more, so maybe this is my chance to see what all of the hype is about.
While there were other games announced during this Direct, those were the big ones that were highlighted throughout. What did you think? Did Nintendo deliver a good presentation or were you left in the dust? Let us know in the comments below!