We knew that Nintendo was going to be giving us a weird crop of titles for E3 2017, based purely on the reveal of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle — the Mario/Rabbids/XCOM (?) crossover from Ubisoft. It’s nice to see that the first-party games for the Switch and 3DS are not letting the side down at all.
Nintendo’s slate is crammed full of the colour, magic, and wonder that the company (and Disney, sometimes) is known for but it’s got its fair share of odd included. Here are the highlights from the company’s E3 presentation. Sadly two of the most charming are only set for release next year. Still, we’ll have Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Super Mario Odyssey to tide us over, yes?
Super Mario Odyssey
Platform: Nintendo Switch
If you thought the original Super Mario Odyssey reveal was weird, just wait until you see the latest trailer for Nintendo’s big year-end Switch anchor.
Mario’s hat has gone magical, and Cappy (as it’s called) can give Mario control over other things – whether it’s a full-sized human being, an enormous T-Rex, a Goomba, a rocket ship, a car, or a ball of energy. It’s madness, and it completely transforms the play experience.
Better yet, the worlds are hugely diverse, there’s a wedding between Bowser and Koopa that Mario has to break up, and the theme song is an absolute delight. We can’t get enough of it, honestly. Super Mario Odyssey releases on 27 October and given his track record with 3D games, you’d surely be silly to pass this one up if you have a Switch.
Due: 27 October
Kirby
Platform: Nintendo Switch
The pink puff is back in Nintendo’s Kirby (working title), which won’t hit the convertible console until sometime next year.
From the trailer, it looks largely traditional in approach: it’s a side-scrolling platformer, and Kirby still has the ability to suck up enemies and absorb their abilities. However, now Kirby has a strong four-player hook, which ought to work well on the Switch and unlock some new kinds of challenges. Should be a reliable pick for Switch fans.
Due: 2018
Yoshi
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Not only does Kirby get a fresh starring role in 2018, but so too does Mario’s dino-pal in the eponymous Yoshi (working title).
The trailer shows a very LittleBigPlanet-like experience, not only in terms of look – with a papier-mâché inspired, handcrafted-looking environment – but also in the co-op platforming and puzzle-solving challenges. You’ll be able to flip the world around to see challenges from a different angle, too, and despite the LBP influence, Yoshi looks far too adorable to ignore.
Due: 2018
Metroid: Samus Returns
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
What’s this? A Nintendo 3DS game?! And a 2D Metroid, at that?
Miracles do happen in 2017, apparently, as Nintendo announced Metroid: Samus Returns for the 3DS. It’s a remake of the old Metroid II from Game Boy done up in modern visuals and apparently with some new mechanics in play. Much as we’d rather play this on Switch, fans of the sci-fi favourite surely won’t pass up the first 2D entry in more than a decade – even if it is a remake.
Due: 15 September
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Platform: Nintendo Switch
So you’ve finished The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – wondering where your next Switch time sink is coming from? How about Xenoblade Chronicles 2?
This Japanese role-player follows up the previous Wii and Wii U entries, letting you battle across the open world setting and hopefully jump into an awesome mech in combat. Nintendo’s E3 trailer is very heavy on dramatics, as you’ll see above. We enjoyed the last entry, Xenoblade Chronicles X on Wii U, and hopefully the sequel will be engaging for newcomers.
Due: End 2017