Nintendo has announced that there will be a 25-minute-long Nintendo Direct Mini tomorrow that will focus on third-party titles coming to the Switch. While it’s not the first-party Direct that many fans have been clamoring for, there are a lot of partner titles to be excited about. Here are eight third-party announcements we’d love to see at tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope was announced during last year’s E3 as a follow-up title to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Back then, it got a release window of 2022, but we haven’t heard a single peep about the game since.
The crossover strategy game seems to have a darker tone than the original, bringing in new characters into the cast such as Rabbid Rosalina and Rabbid Luma. Not much has been shown except for the initial reveal trailer and some extra details shortly after.
Because this game is being developed by Ubisoft, there’s a strong likelihood that it may appear during tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini. We’d absolutely love to see a longer trailer showcasing more of the gameplay and story as well as a solid release date for this fall.
Anything Persona
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Fans have been requesting for Atlus to bring the mainline Persona franchise to the Switch for years. Could this Nintendo Direct Mini finally be the time that happens?
Earlier this month, several ports of Persona titles were announced for PC, Xbox, and Playstation, such as Persona 5 Royal, 4 Golden, and 3 Portable. And for the Nintendo Switch, only Persona game currently available is Persona 5 Strikers.
At this point, fans would love any sort of Persona game announcement during tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini, whether it’s Persona 5, any of the ports that were recently announced for other platforms, or any of the older games in the franchise.
Tunic
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Tunic was originally released earlier this year on PC and Xbox, and it was also recently announced to be coming to Playstation later this year in September. Despite this action-adventure game looking like it would feel right at home on a Nintendo console, there has been no Switch version announced at this time.
Tunic, which features an adorable anthropomorphic fox, shares a lot of similarities to the Zelda franchise in its gameplay and presentation. It seems like an announcement for the Switch is inevitable, and if the game is releasing later this year on Playstation, it would be great to hear a Switch release date as well during tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini.
Sports Story
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Remember Sports Story, the follow up game to the hit indie Golf Story? It was announced way back in 2019 for a 2020 release, and then in August 2020 was delayed. It’s now 2022, and despite not hearing too much news since then, the game is still in the works as of a tweet from Sidebar Games in December.
The developers have been pretty clear that some parts of Sports Story grew larger than they had originally planned, such as a full tennis career that spans multiple zones. It’s been quite a while since we saw any new gameplay, so a trailer during the Nintendo Direct Mini would be a delight.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is exactly what it sounds like: a remaster of the first six Final Fantasy games, staying true to their original 2D pixel styles but refreshed with new graphics and audio.
It’s a puzzle as to why they haven’t come to the Switch (or any consoles) yet; they released earlier this year solely for PC and mobile devices. Tons of Nintendo fans would be nostalgic for these remasters, so it seems like a no-brainer for this to be announced at tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct Mini.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Dragon Quest III HD-2D was announced just about a year ago, but we still know very little about when it will release or which consoles it will come to. This remake of Dragon Quest III uses the same HD-2D style as Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy.
Since no platforms have been announced at this time, and it’s been quite a while since we got any news about this remake, it would be wonderful to hear some more information about it during the Nintendo Direct Mini along with an official reveal for the Switch.
Tactics Ogre: Reborn
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Earlier this month, a placeholder listing for a game titled Tactics Ogre: Reborn appeared on the Playstation Store, essentially leaking that the game exists. It is also consistent with a trademark that had been filed by Square Enix. Now it just seems like a matter of time before the game is officially announced.
One of the possibilities is that this is a remake or remaster of Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, which was originally released in 1995 for the SNES. If this is true, then perhaps Square Enix wanted to announce the game in a Nintendo Direct. It would not be surprising if this is revealed tomorrow, and fans will be eager to know what’s in store for the game.
Bayonetta 3
Third-Party Announcements Nintendo Direct Mini
Like several of the other games on this list, Bayonetta 3 was previously announced and is still slated for 2022, but it has been some time since we’ve received any new information about it. The last news was in September last year. Does Platinum still plan to release it this year, or will it be delayed into 2023?
Seeing the Nintendo Direct Mini open or close with a breathtaking trailer for Bayonetta 3 with a solidified release date for this fall would be a dream come true for fans of the series. The game was originally revealed back in 2017, so its release has been a long time coming.
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