So the Direct just ended about 10 minutes 20 minutes ago and now I'm gonna briefly go over what was talked about and my thoughts on it all. Quick warning, I'm extremely hyped for two games in particular that are coming to the 3DS but you'll see soon enough which two they are.
So firstly, Pokemon news. While not a whole lot was shown, we were first introduced to a new Alola form: Alola Rattata. Ratttata now dons a slick black and white color scheme, reflecting its Dark/Normal typing, with the abilities Glutton and Hustle. It looks more fearsome, but I like how it looks to be honest. Next, we were told a brief explanation about Z-Moves, and were told that some Pokemon have specific Z-Crystals just for them. They then went on to say that you can receive a special Munchlax between when the games launch to January of 2017, much like the Torchic in X and Y, that has the special item called "Snorlium Z," which is the Z-Crystal specific for Snorlax. With it, Snorlax can use the Z-Move called Pulverizing Pancake. And watching Snorlax run at breakneck speed, only to hop and squish a Gumshoos, and one hit KO it, is pretty funny to be honest.
Next, the first announcement I got very excited for, super Mario Maker is coming to the 3DS! From the get-go, the game comes with 100 courses from Nintendo, and they come with Medal Challenges, such as collecting every coin in a level or defeating every enemy before completing the stage. Next, we're told that you can go online to play courses made with the Wii U version, however, you cannot search by Course ID. However, you can still do the 100-Mario Challenge, and recommended courses as well. Also, not every Wii U course will be compatible with the game. It comes with everything in the current version of Mario Maker except for the Mystery Mushroom and different costumes, as those are exclusive to Wii U. It goes on to mention that Mary O. and Yamamura return to give tutorials if you're ever stuck and need a refresher. The big difference is that your courses cannot be uploaded online like in the Wii U version, but they can be shared through Local Play and StreetPass. You can also share incomplete courses via Local Wireless, allowing you and someone else to collaborate and complete a course together. The game releases on December 2nd and I can't wait! I've always wanted to play Mario Maker but I don't have a Wii U. Even though this won't be the same as the Wii U, I still can't wait to have a lot of fun making courses and having fun playing other courses for hours of fun!
Next, another short look at Mario Party Star Rush, which we saw last at E3 a couple months back. It mentions the new mode, Toad Scramble, in which you play as Toad. You can play with up to 3 friends, or you can play Single Player. The goal is to reach the boss of the stage and defeat them in an action-packed minigame. The first one to reach the boss gets a head-start in battling it, but every other player can catch up and fight the boss as well. There are no turns and everyone moves together, so it's more strategic and a lot faster. You can run into other characters as well, like Yoshi or Mario, and they'll be added to your team. Any points they earn while playing in minigames will be added to your score and it kind of adds more strategic value to picking your path as you, well, scramble around the board, as having the extra help can really be a nice boost. Another mode is called Coinathalon, in which you collect coins to race around a track and play minigames. As said in the video, "it's pure skill, no dice." Another one, titled Mario Shuffle, has you moving 3 pieces to the other side of a thin board to win. There wasn't much info save for a 6 second clip, though. Briefly shown after were modes called "Boo's Block Party," and "Rhythm Recital." Gotta love those alliterations, huh? It goes on to mention that Mario-series Amiibo are compatible with this game, including the 7 new Amiibo to join in the Fall, which are Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, Boo, Wario, Rosalina, Daisy, and Waluigi. There are a few ways to play, such as Download Play and Local Wireless. There's an edition on the eShop titled "Party Guest," which allows you and 3 friends to play together with only 1 person needing a full version of the game, no limitations. The game and new Amiibo release on November 4th. Seeing as my last Mario Party games were Mario Party DS and Mario Party 8, I have some catching up to do. It looks fun and I'd love to try it out. I've always been a fan of Mario Party, especially when I was younger and I'd play together with my dad and my sister, but that's a story for another time, we have more games to talk about!
Next was a brief look at an update coming to Animal Crossing New Leaf, in which the update will allow for Amiibo functionality, allowing you to essentially bring new people into your town with the cards. And on December 2nd, over 50 new Amiibo cards will be releasing, and each one features villagers not seen yet in Animal Crossing New Leaf. It would be cool if they brought back villagers from older games that either were replaced or forgotten, besides probably bringing new villagers to the game to begin with. The villager appears in a mobile home, and the home has the interior design of their home in it. You can either update your version of the game, or get the newer version which is titled "Animal Crossing New Leaf: Welcome Amiibo," which comes with an Amiibo card from the pack of new ones coming out. The update launches this holiday. I don't play New Leaf that much anymore, and because I lack a New Nintendo 3DS, and I honestly am not a fan of Amiibo in general, I'll have to pass on this, but it's a fun and interesting idea to be able to essentially choose who moves into your town. And an Animal Crossing mini-Direct will come in the Fall to further explain Amiibo compatibility and all of the new features.
Next is an update to the StreetPass Mii Plaza. The first new feature is the Quick Plaza, in which everything moves quicker. reading messages from visitors is simplified, and you can select a game from the bottom screen more quickly and boot it up immediately. It then goes on to mention an update for StreetPass Mii Plaze Premium, where you could only encounter 10 players through StreetPass. Now, by sending people to the Plaza Gate, you can encounter up to 100 people at one time. There'll also be 5 new StreetPass games added to it, which are Slot Car Rivals, in which you race slot cars and compete for the best time against people you've met via StreetPass; Market Crashers, in which you predict stock prices with other Miis you've met; Feed Mii, in which you cook recipes for other heroes able to rescue the King (possibly a nod to Find Mii); Mii Trek, in which you explore the wild frontier using the step counter from Miis you've met via StreetPass; and Ninja Launcher, in which you blast yourself out of a cannon to defeat demons. You can download Slot Car Rivals, or Market Crashers, for free, while being able to buy the other 4 at a special discounted bundle. The update and new games are available after the Direct, which means they've been up and ready for a while now. I'm usually more into doing Puzzle Swap and Find Mii but I'm probably gonna grab Slot Car Racers as that one looks to be the most fun, besides Feed Mii.
The next game shown is a new game in development called Tank Troopers, in which you control a tank with specialized abilities. Every type of Trooper in your tank gives you access to different abilities. Some of the abilities shown were a Freeze Attack, Paintballs to block the field of view of rival tanks, and an Electric Shock to freeze enemy tanks where they sit. There's single player and 6-person multiplayer modes, as well as Download Play with 6 players. There are other game modes but as the game is still being worked on, we don't know what they are yet. This new game releases this Winter. It looks like it could be a lot of fun, but I don't know if I'm super into it just yet. Maybe after we get a little more info about it, but we'll see.
Next was Picross 3D: Round 2. It allows you to use more than one color for blocks to find the solutions to more intricate puzzles, and has Amiibo support for even more puzzles, using Link as the example during the clip. A demo is available "real soon" after the Direct, so chances are it's already out as I'm typing this now. The game is available today on the eShop. As a fan of Pokemon Picross and Legend of Zelda Picross, I can't say I'm into doing Picross in 3D as it can get challenging enough normally. I might pass, but people who enjoy picross can definitely get enjoyment out of this title. I'll at least try the demo and see how I like a 3D picross puzzle or two.
Indie games were mentioned next. Starting today, a 3DS or Wii U indie title will be released on the eShop for a reduced price, for a limited time (and by limited time I mean from today until next Thursday). The game released today is Axiom Verge, with the following weeks releasing Jotun, Noitu Love Devolution, Severed, and Azure Striker Gunvolt 2. They go on to mention that, on Twitter, they're holding a contest in which you have a chance to win all 5 games and curate your own content shelf on the eShop. They then mention their times and locations at PAX this week to let you try out 13 new and unreleased indie titles, such as Runbow Pocket for 3DS and Punch Club. They're also bringing free swag (yes really xD).
Up next, Reggie himself comes along to let us know that we can experience the beginning of the Zelda series with the first Legend of Zelda, on the NES Classic Edition, which releases in November (It sounded like November 11th but he was a little quiet so it was hard to make out properly). on December 2nd, 4 new Amiibo will be released: 8-Bit Link, Ocarina of Time Link, Toon Link, and Toon Zelda. These Amiibo will act as normal Link and Zelda Amiibo, and these 4 will have special functionality in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when it releases next year. Additionally, Dark Horse Comics plans to release 3 Zelda books as part of the 30th Anniversary. The first is called "The Legend of Zelda: Art and Artifacts," and is available to pre-order on Amazon now. It has over 2,000 illustrations from the Legend of Zelda series. Reggie goes on to mention the musical series, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, which continues to tour the country and the globe. Finally, he mentions that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, is now available on the Wii U Virtual Console. Finally, the New Nintendo 3DS gains a new, slick Galaxy style, as well as announcing that there's a new bundle for Super Mario 3D Land, with 2 new face plates for the New Nintendo 3DS. While not into the face plate idea, I do love me some Zelda. One day I'll wind up picking up the NES Classic Edition as I have never owned or played an NES before, my first Nintendo home console was the Super Nintendo, so I can't wait to give that a try.
Next is a brief look at the new DLC Pack coming to Hyrule Warriors Legends. Toon Link gains the Sand Rod and can attack by bringing the Spirit Train in through portals, and can even ride on it briefly. Meanwhile, Toon Zelda becomes a new playable character as she dons her Phantom suit from Spirit Tracks, dishing out destruction and light magic. It then goes on to mention there's a new adventure mode map. This new DLC releases today, so by now it's probably already out, as well as a Season Pass for all 4 DLC packs. I really want to get Hyrule Warriors, even if I get the Legends version on 3DS. It looks like a ton of fun and I know I'd get hours and hours of enjoyment out of it.
Then, a brief look at the new Phoenix Wright game. It mentions how these new seance trials decide the fate of all defendants. Meanwhile, Apollo Justice deals with his own problems at the Wright Anything Agency. As per usual wit the games, intricate puzzles and a colorful cast of characters await you in this game. Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice releases on September 8th. I've never played Phoenix Wright, like ever. It's in the same category as Professor Layton, in my opinion. I'd love to try them out, I just haven't ever done so yet. Maybe one day I'll pick up an Ace Attorney game, but for now, probably not. It's not bad, it's just not my cup of tea and I haven't tried it yet.
Launching in 2017 is Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King. But before the game comes out, coming sooner is Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. The game is built from the ground up and has new features, such as StreetPass, which allows you to gain travellers from other people to enter special dungeons and get special items. Online distributions allow you to encounter new dungeons, new monsters, and more rewards. The game is available for pre-purchase, and if you pre-purchase it, you get a Dragon Quest 7 theme for your 3DS menu. The game launches on September 16th. Producer Noriyoshi Fujimoto will be at PAX West for Developer Discussion on the game. Again, never played Dragon Quest but I've always wanted to because I know it's a lot of fun and I know I would have a lot of fun trying it out for myself.
Yo-Kai Watch 2 is the next game mentioned. There are two versions: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls. In it you discover the origin of the Yo-Kai Watch and take part in an age old Yo-Kai war, hence the two versions and two sides. You obtain the Yo-Kai Watch Model Zero, which gives you more tactics in battle. You can poke the enemy if they're loafing or weak-spirited, and tapping fast enough grants you battle bonuses like doing extra damage. Filling the soul gauge on your Yo-Kai and the ones adjacent to you allows you to unleash a powerful M move. Each version has unique Yo-Kai you can't capture in the other version. But the medals you obtain from the Yo-Kai can be traded between versions. Each retail version, while supplies last, contains a medal that unlocks a new Soultimate move for Jibanyan. The digital versions come with the ability to battle and befriend Robonyan F or Sailornyan, depending on the version you have. The demo arrives mid-September on the eShop, while the game officially launches on September 30th. I tried the demo of the first Yo-Kai watch but didn't really understand the battle mechanics. I'll probably redownload it and give it another try later after I finish this loooooooong post. It looks very interesting though, and I'd probably get Yo-Kai Watch and the sequel at some point.
Disney Magical World 2 is shown off next, available on October 14th. Pre-purchasing the game gets you 3 free outfits, all from Frozen. One for Elsa, one for Anna, and one for Olaf. That's pretty cool, I guess (Dear lord forgive me for using the worst pun in existence). It mentions to go to the official website to learn more about the unlockable costumes. Then a sneak peak at the game is shown. In it, the playable character is given a house by Mickey and is seen arranging furniture. They go into various buildings and are then shown dancing with Belle and Beast. After talking to Stitch, it shows what looks like some combat, before the character sleeps. She's then shown to dream about flying with Tinkerbell, riding a frozen slide with Anna, swimming with Ariel, and riding with Mickey. Then it shows a minigame where you partake in the ball from Cinderella, and time button presses to have Cinderella and the Prince dance together. And finally, a bunch of new Disney-related Nintendo 3DS themes will be available in the Theme Shop. I've barely heard about Magical World, and only knew one person who played it, but it did well enough to warrant a sequel, it seems. I think it definitely works better with younger audiences or just die-hard Disney fans. I don't know if I would ever play it but it does look very charming, I'll admit.
Next is a brief look at Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice. It showcases some clips of the game and mentions that in addition to single player there will also be 2-player competitions. The controls now make it easier to switch characters which, in the words of the video, "should give speedrunners some much-needed adrenaline." It tells is own story while working with the tone of the Sonic Boom animated show. Also they say that they feel that "Dr. Eggman is about to get wrekt, as well as the new villain, D-Fekt." Like, I just don't even know what to say here. But I think it's funny. The game drops on September 27th, and the North American launch edition comes with a 3-episode Sonic Boom DVD. I've played and beaten Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, and I had a lot of fun with it. It was a little short, for me, but I still had a lot of fun with the demo and the actual game. I'll definitely end up picking this up at some point, even if it's just the demo, if they put one out.
Next, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is now available for pre-order. The game can be enjoyed as a standalone experience, even if you've never played an SMT game before, like me. The launch edition comes with a Final Choice Metal Emblem Set. The game comes out on September 20th. Yes, I know, not a lot of info in this one, but there wasn't really that much info given when the game was discussed. I've never played SMT before, I think it looks fun but I feel that I would need to play the others in order because I'm really picky about games like that. If they should be played in order, well, that's what I have to do personally.
Coming to us from Bill of the Nintendo Treehouse are the last games mentioned. The first of which is the one I'm most excited about! It's called Poochy and Yoshi's Wooly World. Aka, it's the 3DS port of Wooly World! It has new features and every stage in the Wii U version. There are also new, exclusive stages where you play as Poochy, where you must time jumps to collect beads as you race to the goal. Also added are Poochy Pups, who jump on suspicious spots while you play. These spots are usually where secrets and collectibles are located, but they're not mandatory. You can play without them if you wish. They're also making animated stop-motion shorts involving Yoshi and Poochy, with the studio DWARF, the same studio behind Domo. The 3DS version has 30 of these adorable shorts. Also coming is a yarn Amiibo figure of Poochy. This game drops on February 3rd, 2017 alongside the Poochy Amiibo, and there will be a special bundle that contains both. I can't wait for this. I absolutely adored Kirby's Epic Yarn, and this spiritual successor looks just as adorable and wonderful. This game is a must-have for me, that's for sure!
Next is a look at Ever Oasis, which hasn't been seen since E3. The game is produced by Mr. Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series, as well as creator of the legendary Chocobo and Moogle, while character designs were done by famed illustrator Yoshinori Shizuma. As a chosen Seedling, you travel between a vast desert and the tiny Oasis in the heart of the desert that you call home. You collect gems from travellers to build new shops in Oasis and to pay your store clerks. Travellers with different wants and needs will visit your Oasis from time to time. Store owners will sell products made from materials you gather in the desert, and you can offer hospitality to weary travellers. On the other side of things, Chaos reigns in the desert, and you must locate the dungeons scattered throughout in order to save your people. Allies can join your team, each with unique weapons and skill sets. Particular skills and weapons are required for combat and solving the puzzles in these dungeons. You can collect items to give to travellers as well, or make products that travellers want and fulfill their wishes. They might even live in your Oasis as well! As your Oasis blooms, it will grow thanks to the Water Spirit living there. The game releases in 2017. It looks adorable and it looks like it's a ton of fun and I would love to try it out! I feel that they should put out a demo, too, maybe make it so that things you do in your demo Oasis can be transferred to the full game, I think that'd be pretty great.
Our second-to-last game is Mario Sports Super Stars. 5 sports games come with it: American Soccer, Baseball, Tennis, Golf, and Horse Racing. And when they say Soccer, they mean full-on 11 against 11 Soccer. There's a single-player Tournament Mode for all 5 sports. there's also Local and Online Multiplayer options as well. This game drops in Spring 2017. I kinda like how it feels like existing Mario games in one package. Like it combines Mario Strikers, Mario Super Sluggers, Mario Tennis, and Mario Golf with a new Horse Racing mode. Then again they did mention it was a compilation too. I'm not too huge on Mario Sports but I do like them. I would probably get this because it looks like it'd be a lot of fun to play, just like any of the other Mario Sports games.
Finally, a new 2D side-scrolling Pikmin game. You tap the touch screen and you throw Pikmin to that spot that you tapped. You use this to solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and collect treasure as you work your way towards the goal. As usual, red Pikmin can withstand fire, blue Pikmin can swim, and yellow Pikmin can withstand electricity and be thrown higher. The game is being made wth action in mind and shows that you have to have some quick thinking at times and a calm mind to get through the puzzles. This new Pikmin game will be available in 2017. I need a Wii U so I can play Pikmin 3, but I would totally get this game. I love Pikmin, I think it's cute and clever and charming. I can't wait to hear more about this game!
And that is finally it! I'm very sorry for how long and drawn out this seems, but I've been typing for 4 hours, constantly checking the Direct again to make sure I have details correct and such. If you read this far, I thank you and appreciate it very much. I really loved this Direct and I can't wait for more news on some of these games coming out soon. I'm going to go and download some demos from the eShop and maybe I'll make blogs about them in the coming days. Also the poll ends tonight at midnight so don't forget to vote! As always, thanks so much for reading this post, I appreciate it a lot. Until next time, see you later! :D
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