Nintendo surprised its fans today with the release of a new Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase presentation. Similarly to the July Nintendo Direct Mini, this showcase was primarily focused on third-party games coming to the Nintendo Switch, and what the Switch versions of those games will have to offer fans. The presentation included some surprise announcements, including some reveals by Square Enix.
For those that didn’t tune in to the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase for August 2020, here is a complete recap of all the big announcements.
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Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory got its most in-depth look yet to kick off the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase presentation. The presentation focused on the Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory game modes, including Memory Dive, boss battles against iconic KH villains, and more. Online multiplayer will also be included in Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, with the Switch version also having an exclusive eight-player Free for All mode for local multiplayer. While playing the game, players will unlock a music player as well as cut-scenes from past Kingdom Hearts games.
While Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is clearly focused on past Kingdom Hearts games, it will also have some new story content for fans to look forward to as well. The Nintendo Direct showed a clip of a new cut-scene featuring Kairi and Riku, which could potentially help set the stage for the next main series Kingdom Hearts game, whenever that may release. Fans will find out more when Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory launches on November 13.
The Nintendo Direct Mini went from one music/rhythm game to another, with Harmonix’s Fuser up next. Three new tracks were confirmed for the game in the form of “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I, and “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff” by deadmau5. These songs were used to show how players can take turns putting together a song mix in the collaborative multiplayer mode, which will be available in the game come launch this fall.
The music/rhythm representation certainly didn’t stop there. As announced during the Nintendo Direct Mini, Bandai Namco is bringing both the original Taiko no Tatsujin and its sequel to the Nintendo Switch in a single collection. The titles are RPGs that use a music/rhythm-inspired battle system with drums. Players are also able to collect monsters to help battle enemies, with over 250 monsters to collect throughout both games. Players can also play over 130 songs in the separate rhythm mode instead of playing through the story. Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack launches this winter for the Switch.
The recent Indie World Showcase that Nintendo hosted was notable for having a number of surprise-launches for the company’s handheld/home console hybrid. However, the same can’t be said for this Nintendo Direct Mini, which focused mostly on games that will be available at later dates. One exception was World of Tanks Blitz, which is available now for the Switch and like other versions of World of Tanks, it is completely free-to-play.
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The Rocky movie franchise has been represented in video games for decades, and now a new title based on the series is set to launch for the Nintendo Switch in 2021. Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions is a new boxing game that features a roster of some of the franchise’s most recognizable characters, as well as a story mode starring Adonis “Donnie” Creed. Local versus multiplayer is available in the game as well, and players will be able to check it out next spring.
The Final Fantasy Legend, Final Fantasy Legend 2, and Final Fantasy Legend 3 originally launched for the Game Boy, but now Square Enix is bringing the games to the Nintendo Switch as Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend. Retaining the original games’ visuals, Collection of SaGa will have some quality-of-life improvements so that it better-appeals to modern gamers, with an option to speed up the gameplay if one so desires. The collection will also feature a brand new song for fans of the SaGa franchise to listen to when the game launches on December 15.
As expected, the annual Just Dance franchise from Ubisoft is returning with Just Dance 2021, launching November 12. Just Dance 2021 will deliver the same kind of gameplay that fans have come to expect from the series, with a co-op mode and all of the latest hit songs.
Puyo Puyo Tetris is one of the Switch’s underrated hits, and so the announcement of Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 came as a nice surprise during the Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase presentation. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 features some new game modes to keep things fresh, as well as online multiplayer and Adventure Mode with a brand new storyline. Nintendo teased that there is still “a lot more to reveal” when it comes to Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, but fans will see everything that the game has to offer come its December 8 launch date.
Nintendo concluded its Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase by showing off a number of upcoming third-party Switch games in quick succession. This includes the Creeping Winter DLC for Minecraft Dungeons, Jump Force Deluxe Edition, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions, and Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition, with the latter three all launching on Friday, August 28.
Nintendo then promised that it has more Nintendo Direct Mini presentations in store for fans, but didn’t share any information about a traditional Nintendo Direct presentation. Fans have been hungry for a traditional Nintendo Direct, especially since it’s been nearly a year since the last one was held, but it looks like they will have to wait awhile longer.
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