Nintendo’s 2021 E3 Direct Highlights

Not a year goes by where Nintendo’s E3 presentation isn’t preceded by some juicy rumor or speculation regarding the latest popular game or perhaps even new hardware itself. The latter of the two loomed large heading into the 2021 edition of Nintendo’s E3 Direct. Numerous outlets reported on the new hardware rumors, so expectations were quite high that Nintendo would unveil the follow-up to the Switch, the “Switch Pro” as it were. While Nintendo decided to hold back (for now) on revealing new hardware, fans were shown a slate of great upcoming games which we’ll highlight for you right here.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Save the best for last, right? To close out the show Legend of Zelda series producer, Eiji Aonuma, came on screen to introduce the latest look at Breath of the Wild 2. At roughly a minute and a half long only gives us a brief glimpse into the first gameplay for BotW2, but boy did it deliver! We see Link descend high above the clouds onto floating islands, beautiful vistas showcasing how far the game has come graphically, as well as new enemy camps, abilities, and much more. Unfortunately, the game needs a little bit more time in the oven. A 2022 release window was shown at the end of the trailer, so we’ll just have to be patient while Nintendo puts the finishing touches on this highly anticipated sequel.

Metroid Dread

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the show (and certainly so for our fearless leader, Logan Sharp), Metroid Dread came out of nowhere and is giving 2D Metroid fans some love. Metroid Dread is a direct sequel to the 2002 Game Boy Advance game Metroid Fusion. Samus is chased by an ominous white robot in 3D space. The game seems to jump between these 3D cutscenes and actual 2D gameplay during the trailer. If you’re wondering where Metroid Prime 4 is, well, Nintendo did mention it, saying that development is continuing, but no other word was given on the follow-up to the Metroid Prime trilogy.

Shin Megami Tensei V

A brand new trailer was shown for Shin Megami Tensei V, which will launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch on November 12th. The footage detailed some of the combat mechanics and further fleshed out the scenarios players will find themselves in. With over 8 years gone by since the initial release of SMT IV, fans should have plenty to look forward to come November.

WarioWare: Get It Together

Another long-running franchise getting a fresh new release, WarioWare: Get It Together promises over 200 microgames to play solo or with a friend. “From assembling a robot to pulling out a statue’s armpit hair” players will quickly jump from microgame to microgame. The comedy that ensues in WarioWare games always makes for a good time. Look for it when it lands on Switch on September 10th, 2021.

Mario Party Superstars

Billed as a “Mario Party: Greatest Hits” so to speak, Mario Party Superstars is a collection of boards and minigames from the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube eras. The game will feature 5 classic boards from the Nintendo 64 Mario Party games, while the minigames will be comprised of both the N64 era as well as the Gamecube era. Additionally, online features that now grace Super Mario Party, such as online play, will be present here in Superstars. For a full trailer, check it out right here.

Kazuya (Tekken) coming to Super Smash Bros Ultimate

In typical Super Smash Bros Ultimate fashion, fans were treated to a beautiful cinematic trailer for the latest character reveal. Not much teasing was conducted this time around; Kazuya from the Tekken series of fighting games is the lucky winner of a fresh SSB roster spot. Kazuya is the 5th DLC character added to the 2nd Fighter Pass.

There were plenty of other announcements at the 2021 Nintendo E3 Direct, but these was just a few of the highlights. What did we miss that has you excited about the future of Nintendo? Let us know in the comments.

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