Even when we think we know what Nintendo will generally announce at their E3 Nintendo Direct, they always manage to surprise us. This year was no different as they left us speechless with a surprise announcement that no one saw coming.
Nintendo held their annual Nintendo Direct conference on June 11 at E3 and while the 40 minute direct was filled with plenty of promising new games and remakes for the Switch, these were the biggest announcements made: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Link’s Awakening Remake, Luigi’s Manison 3 and Banjoo Kazooie as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The Surprise: More Zelda!
In a surprise announcement at the very end of the conference, Nintendo revealed that a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is in development. By far the biggest announcement of the entire presentation, Nintendo teased us with a trailer that seemed to have an unsettling atmosphere with a focus on Link and Zelda fighting together (will Zelda be a playable character!?). While pretty much no one was expecting this announcement, myself included, it was nonetheless one that rattled the internet! As a huge Legend of Zelda fan, I thoroughly loved Breath of the Wild and think that a sequel has a lot of potential. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has easily become one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time so it only makes sense why announcing a sequel shook everyone up.
Animal Crossing New Horizons: What Everyone Wanted
Fans saw more footage of the highly anticipated Animal Crossing game for the Nintendo Switch. The game looks fun and everything you would hope for in an Animal Crossing title, but many fans weren’t so happy that the release date was pushed to March 20, 2020 instead of sometime this year as originally projected. While I’m also extremely excited for this new Animals Crossing game, I don’t mind waiting a few extra months so that Nintendo can ensure it will be the best it can be on release, as they stated in the Direct.
Link’s Awakening: 90s Zeldas Fans Rejoice
When Link’s Awakening Remake was originally announced a few months back, my six year-old self screamed with joy. This was not only one of the first games I ever played, but it was the very first Legend of Zelda game I played on my atomic Gameboy Colour. It’s also the title that started my obsession with the series. From the footage shown during the Direct, the game seems to maintain a style that is close to the original 2D graphics while incorporating a fresh new 3D look. It looks very vibrant, cute and I’m also very content with the familiar soundtrack. While I was not expecting this game to be remade, I surely appreciate it and cannot wait for its release on September 20.
Luigi’s Mansion 3: New Mechanics, Gooluigi and Co-Op… Oh My!
Luigi’s Mansion was the first game I played on the Gamecube and I remember absolutely loving its concept. Since then, fans have gotten Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon and more recently, a remake of the original Luigi’s Mansion, both for the 3DS. Now, we can all expect a new game with a whole bunch of new features. Luigi’s Mansion 3 adds several new abilities and Gooigi, a green jelly version of Luigi that is able to do things Luigi can’t (ike slip through metal fences and walk on spikes. Gooigi is also playable, adding a co-op feature! The game also adds an online mode where there are many Luigi’s battling to capture as many ghosts as they possibly can. While there was no specific release date, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is set to release sometime this year on the Switch.
Banjo-Kazooie Joins The Battle!
Everyone’s favourite 90s Nintendo character is finally here to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Banjo-Kazooie! While Dragon Quest characters were also announced to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate line-up, this was definitely a big announcement for a lot of long-time Nintendo fans. In a 2018 poll, Banjo and Kazooie from the beloved 1998 Banjo-Kazooie on N64 ranked number one as most wanted fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Well, Nintendo gave what the fans asked for and the duo will be in the game as of this fall.
As per usual, Nintendo did not disappoint with their E3 conference. While a lot of these announcements were hinted previously, they still always manage to surprise and create great hype around what is to come to their systems. While I’m particularly eager to know when the sequel of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will come out, until then, Nintendo has a great year ahead and it’s got me excited!