Nintendo Direct E3 2019 live report
A first look at Animal Crossing, Banjo comes to Smash - oh yeah, and a Breath of the Wild sequel too.
Updated on
They really did save the best until last. Nintendo rounded off the conference part of this year's E3 by showing off Animal Crossing - which gets a slight delay - Luigi's Mansion 3 and so much else besides. Oh yeah, we got our first look at the Breath of the Wild sequel too...
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Why hello.
And isn't this a more civil time to get together and digest some video game news than two in the morning.
Around 25 minutes to go until Nintendo's Direct kicks off and yes, I am excited.
As in I should have been fired for it? That's a fair shout, really.
Kami: I'm honestly surprised most of us are still here after the amount of crap we've given this E3.
At least I'm getting paid for it. I don't know what everyone else's excuse is.
Also I love E3 and would be watching everything regardless. It's dumb, often pointless and sometimes plain horrible, but there's something still charming about the crazy pageantry of it all.
That and it's a lot of fun hanging out here with all of you.
So what to expect? Well Animal Crossing news first and foremost.
A release date would be lovely.
Beyond that, the big games for Nintendo this year are Luigi's Mansion 3, Link's Awakening and Pokémon Sword and Shield, so expect info on all those.
Everything else is a *mystery*, which is how I like it.
Gazz: Not sure anyone will top Mr Reeves for years to come.
They should bring him out for an Animal Crossing crossover. Reeves and Tortimer.
Kami: Someone could host that Beiber vs. Tom Cruise fight next year.
Bieber and Cruise confirmed for Smash it is.
I'm personally excited for Daemon X Machina and Astral Chain, so would gobble up any new info/details on those.
And I'm always up for a surprise eshop release too.
Under a minute to go.
Pounding my fists on my desk, shouting 'BIRDO, BIRDO, BIRDO'.
Let's do this.
And away we go.
First up is... Smash!
I'm guessing this'll be a character reveal - and indeed it is.
Dragon Quest's hero coming to Smash.
Plus, of course, lots of other Dragon Quest-related goodies.
This is good stuff.
An assortment of heroes too, it looks like, from various Dragon Quest titles - so not just the hero from 11.
Oh, it looks like *all* the heroes. It's not as if Smash does things by halves.
That's coming later this summer.
And hey, let's have a look at Dragon Quest 11 S while we're at it too.
Even though I wasn't entirely sold on 11, I'm looking forward to being able to take it anywhere with me.
A proper release date for Dragon Quest 11 S too - it's coming on September 27th.
Yoshiaki Koizumi is presenting, so we're in good hands.
And we're also getting a proper intro to Doug Bowser - the new Reggie.
And of course we can't have an intro without bringing up that surname.
I dig Doug.
Enough of all that, though, here's Luigi's Mansion 3.
It's set in a haunted Travelodge or something.
Game is spent trying to get room service to not come in when you're lying hungover in bed.
And trying to sneak a tiny can of Heineken out of the mini-bar without triggering whatever device it is that lets you know you've taken a drink.
Also you hoover up ghosts and shit.
Gooigi is a new companion for Luigi.
He's Luigi.
But made out of goo.
You see?
It allows for local co-op, too.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - available this year. So we're not getting a definitive release date just yet.
Kami: Martin, we all know it'll be a Halloween release.
That almost makes too much sense.
An all-new game now - tied into the new Netflix Dark Crystal series.
It looks like a strategy RPG.
It's also a hell of a WTF announcement.
The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics, that'll be then.
And quite the unexpected reveal.
Next! Link's Awakening.
Which looks splendid - the aesthetic oddly reminds me of 3D Dot Game Heroes.
An all-new feature - the ability to craft your own dungeons.
Zelda Maker? Not quite - it doesn't look like it runs as deep as that.
And we have a release date - September 20th.
That's soon!
Here's something new - and from Square Enix.
It's Seiken Densetsu!
Or Trials of Mana, as it's now called.
And it's coming early next year.
Before that though - why don't you play the Mana collection.
Which is finally being localised. And is hitting the eshop today.
I'll have some of that please.
And now! The Witcher 3.
I have no idea how it'll work either.
The artstyle does seem to have amped up the cartoony elements to help it work. Interested to see how it'll pan out.
Fire Emblem - the thinking man's Witcher - is next.
Who am I kidding Fire Emblem is for weebs.
And I'm a weeb and proud so bring it.
I look forward to skipping these cutscenes in the final game when it comes out next month.
Straight into a horror-themed section. First up it's Resident Evil.
The original Resident Evil was indeed released not that long ago on Switch.
The news here, though, is that Resident Evil 5 and 6 are coming to Switch.
And this is...
No More Heroes 3 - which, if you played this year's spin-off, won't be a surprise.
Also if you played that all the way through like I did, I'm sorry.
AND NOW.
An all-new Contra.
Why not, hey?
A shame it looks pretty weak though - with a focus on co-op play.
But anyway, everyone welcome back Konami.
Contra Rogue Corps - coming September 19th.
Or was that 24th sorry I'm confused.
Daemon X Machina now oh lord there are so many games.
And that's out on September 13th.
Why are all the games coming out in September?
Oh hey here's that Panzer Dragoon remake that I thought would never actually happen.
It's looking fantastic.
And it's coming this winter.
This is quite the show so far.
A brief reminder that Pokémon is coming this year.
Astral Chain now please. The first Platinum game since... Nier Automata?
I might be wrong, but given the typical cadence of that studio it certainly feels too long since we've played a new one of its games.
And Astral Chain is out on August 30th (though I think we knew that already).
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
We didn't know about whatever this is - the new game from John Romero's studio, in partnership with Paradox.
It's an isometric action 30s-me-do that looks fascinating.
Empire of Sin - coming next spring.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 now, showing Square Enix how to to Marvel.
Out on July 19th - again, as we knew.
Crypt of the Necrodancer - the Zelda rhythm action game - is up next. And it's out sooooooooooon.
June 13th - that'll be Thursday.
NEXT GAME NOW THEN.
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics.
Which is out in November.
Phew, there's a lot going on here.
Here's Animal Crossing, though.
Oooooooh I'm so excited about this.
It looks like crafting is in.
As is a desert island backdrop.
OH MAN YOU CAN USE YOUR FISHING ROD TO POLEVAULT RIVERS.
And hang out with mates.
It's called New Horizon, it's out next March.
And I cannot wait.
Tom Nook is still a bellend though.
That release date marks a slight delay - originally this was planned to be a 2019 release.
MORE GAMES NOW.
Spyro!
Hollow Knight DLC!
Ni No Kuni!
Minecraft Dungeons!
The Elder Scrolls Blades!
My Friend Pedro!
Doom Eternal!
The Sinking City!
Wolfenstein Youngblood!
Dead by Daylight!
Alien Isolation!
Hang on, what?
Dragon Quest Builders 2! Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles!
Just Dance 2020!
No but really wind back a bit.
Alien Isolation?
Really!
Also hey Dauntless.
Super Mario Maker 2 and... Lord, I missed some didn't I?
Alien Isolation though!
Here's Banjo and Kazooie for Smash, because that's what you asked for you perverts.
Well, there it is.
That's coming this autumn.
And that was a lot of video game.
One final thing before we leave.
I have no idea what it will be.
It's... A new Zelda.
Cripes.
It's a darker spin, it looks like - almost like Majora's Mask to Breath of the Wild's Ocarina of Time.
And that's all we're getting.
And clap I did.
Still, no Birdo. Nintendo fails.
That was good, wasn't it?
What a way to end the conference part of the week.
So many games. So many awesome looking games.
I'm off to download the Mana Collection. We'll have plenty more on the site from the showfloor over the next few days!
And thank you so much for joining me. It's been fun!