This is our first full Nintendo Direct in over a year. Last year we had Nintendo Direct Mini but this year is a full-fledged hour-long presentation of Nintendo goodness! We got game updates from the old favourites Super Smash Bros., Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon etc. But we also had a flood of brand new games for us to get excited about!
Officially there are 32 new announcements with everything from the announcement of Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on the Switch to a brand new RPG Project Triangle Strategy. There was a lot to take in, in the 50-minute presentation but have no fear because Unpause is here to round everything up! Straight of the bat before you ask there’s no word on Breath of the Wild 2 this time around.
Here are the biggest announcements from today’s Nintendo Direct 17.02.21. Arranged by release date so you know when to get hyped.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Celebrates Mario’s 35th Anniversary
Release Date: March 1st 2021
Not for the first time has the Mario Bros. franchise visited the world of Animal Crossing but for this 35th Anniversary it’s bigger and than ever. Look out for Mario, Luigi and Peach’s outfits, signature items to make your island a platforming wonderland. As well as other dungeon-themed items and my personal favourite – a warp pipe.
This update will be available for free on the 25th of February but you’ll be able to start buying items on the 1st of March. For more Animal Crossing: New Horizons furuniture and event guides be sure to check out our list here.
Monster Hunter Rise
Release Date: March 26th 2021
The latest instalment to the long-running Monster Hunter series, Rise seems to have the hallmarks of the core gameplay that we know and love. Defeat giant monsters, grind materials and build powerful weapons and armour. This is the sixth Monster Hunter game and while there’s nothing that new you’re likely going to get more of the same good time. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
Get ready for your biggest challenge yet with cutscenes detailing an attack on Kamura village fifty years prior to the events in the game. Warnings of the upcoming Rampage. And probably the hallmark of this announcement radical tie-in accessories. There’s a Monster Hunter Switch and Pro controller as well as 3 amiibos to spend all your hard-earned monies on.
Pyra & Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Join Super Smash Bros.
Release Date: TBA March 2021
Pyra and Mythra have entered the arena of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! They’re the fourth DLC character and will be played as one unit. You’ll be able to swap between Pyra and Mythra while playing. And if you’re wondering why Rex, Xenoblade‘s main protagonist wasn’t chosen and instead it’s his two companions. Well, we’re wondering why too.
Check out our beginner’s guide to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate if you’re a newb.
SaGa Frontier Remastered
Release Date: April 15th 2021
Classic JRPGs reign supreme on the Nintendo Switch and it’s for a damn good reason. One of my favourite games growing up was SaGa Frontier and so far no other game has been able to reach the level of this PlayStation 1 classic. Coming to the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, iOS and Android this year.
The main draw of this game is of course the wonderful world filled with technology, magic and all sorts of character races. But also the ability to play seven protagonists, each with their own storyline, motivations and personality.
This new version of SaGa Frontier won’t just be a remaster of the original’s content. Alongside the team of seven from the original SaGa Frontier, a new protagonist named Fuse has been added as a playable character. There will also be new events and features in the remaster, alongside the visual remaster.
Famicon Detective Club
Release Date: May 14th 2021
Two old-school murder-mystery game remakes are coming to Nintendo Switch. Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind.
These two detective games were originally released for the Famicom Disk System in the late ‘80s and let players explore mysteries with text-based commands. You could explore various locations, examine items, or interrogate the game’s characters. Both games have been fully updated with modern graphics, gameplay, and voice acting, but retain the same mysteries from their original versions.
In The Missing Heir, players will solve a murder mystery in a haunted village involving a wealthy family, all while dealing with their own amnesia. Meanwhile in The Girl Who Stands Behind, players will head to a Japanese school to investigate a supernatural rumor that surrounds the mysterious death of a student.