Coming into 2021 Nintendo had a pretty worrisome line up for the new year, the biggest games that we had any concrete information about were No More Heroes 3 which had no release date and Bravely Default 2 which releases February, 26. So when a Nintendo Direct got announced that would focus on games being released in the first half of 2021, I was excited to see what was coming. Well the presentation has come and gone, and even though im excited about a few of the showings most of the games showcased were ones that we already know existed or games that did little to excite me for Nintendo’s 2021.
The event started off by showcasing a new character for Super Smash Bros Ultimate. Pyra/Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 join the game as DLC fighter number 9. The pair will fight as one character in which you can swap them out mid fight, similarly to Sheik/Zelda in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Pyra/Mythra have no concrete release date but have a release window of March 2021.
The next game showcased was Mario Golf: Super Rush, a new entry to the Mario Golf line of games. This new iteration features a new mode called “Speed Golf” in which 4 players can compete simultaneously, running to be the first one to get their ball in the hole; this mode also features classic Mario power-ups that will give the mode a more arcade feel compared to a regular game of golf. Mario Golf: Super Rush has a release date of June 25, 2021.
Another game that was announced during the direct was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. The original version was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2011 and it was the only modern mainline Zelda game missing an HD port. The announcement confirmed that the motion controls are a returning feature, but it also confirmed that the game would be playable with buttons. The direct also announced that a special pair of Joy-Cons would be released featuring emblematic Zelda symbols. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has a release date of July 16, 2021.
The final game that was shown was a surprise announcement of Splatoon 3. The first game in Splatoon franchise was released in 2015 on the Wii U, while Splatoon 2 was released in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch. The Splatoon 3 trailer showcased a post apocalyptic setting with an upside down Eiffel Tower; the trailer also gives us a glimpse at the classic multiplayer in which two teams are competing to cover the most ground with their teams colored paint. Splatoon 3 was not given a release date, but we were given a release year of 2022.
This Nintendo Direct was highly anticipated, mostly due to us not knowing what Nintendo had in store for 2021, but sadly even though it showcased a few games that are exciting, most of the ones seemed like filler to pad out the year. The presentation failed to cover games that have been in development for several years such as Bayonetta 3 or Metroid Prime 4, and the ones that were shown left the viewers with more questions than anything else like the new Square Enix game Project Triangle Strategy. This direct missed the mark at keeping us excited for the first half of 2021, since the bigger announcements seem to be scheduled for the second half of the year or later. for more information you can visit Nintendo’s post about the direct on their site.
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