Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase Announcements 08/27/2024

Onto the Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase. This Direct featured a surprising number of remasters as well as some exciting new announcements. Let's strap on in and see what was covered yesterday!

First up is Tetris Forever. This is a collection of a bunch of old school Tetris titles, including some that have never been released in North America before. I've never been much of a Tetris person myself, but some of the different ways to play it look quite fun. Also featured is a mode where the game swaps between the different old school games play styles as players compete with each other. Pretty cool stuff! This is due to drop in Winter 2024.

Star Overdrive was next up to bat. This appears to be a 3D action adventure title with a empahsis on exploration. Players travel the planet via a hoverboard, and partake in the typical tasks such as fighting monsters and solving puzzles. While I couldn’t see anything unique about it, it does appear solid, and I quite liked the monster designs featured. It’ll be out sometime in 2025.

I'm not sure how to describe Goat Simulator 3. Chaos distilled into video game form? Yeah, let's go with that. It's out now for those of us who really want to ruin some person's day with the power of goat.

For another chaos simulator, we have SpongeBob Squarepants: The Patrick Star Game. This time, you can ruin someone's day in Bikini Bottom — though you'll have to wait until October 4, 2024.

As someone who's trying to get more active, Fitness Boxing 3 looks like it might be up my alley. I’m not that big on dancing, but punching things, now that I can get into. Plus, with seated exercises and quick start, all the features I could want in a fitness game are there. Join me in getting fit on December 5, 2024.

Next up is the Capcom Fighting Collection 2. I didn’t even know there was a first one! There's a lot in this collection, but the inclusion of Power Stone and Power Stone 2 took the internet by storm. This will be out in 2025.

And now for the return of one of the all-time greats! MARVEL vs CAPCOM Fighting Collection brings back the MARVEL VS CAPCOM series. Hey Capcom, I know it's a pipe dream with the popularity of the Marvel Universe BUT think we could get a new one of those Marvel vs Capcom fighting games while you're at it? This is out September 12th, 2024 in digital form and November 22nd, 2024 in physical form.

Finally, a proper Atelier announcement and not whatever that free to pay thing was. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories and the Envisioned Land is on the way, and the trailer has me hyped. Coming early 2025. I look forward to seeing more of evil angry wolf boy.

Theoretically the Suikoden I & II remasters are officially on the way and coming out March 06, 2025, but after so many delays, I'll believe it when I see it.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D looks so good it's not even fair. Coming out November 14, 2024, so if I disappear for a month around that time, you know why.

Castlevania's DS games are being rereleased in the Castlevania Dominus Collection, which is out already. I remember them quite fondly, and am excited to see them return. These aren't just straight ports either, but have been dolled up with quality of life features and adjustments for the lack of touch screen. And yes, I too am shocked and delighted that Konami can still make something besides pachinko machines.

The next chapter of Sid Meier's Civilization is out with the seventh entry in the series. I haven't played since the third one and am not looking to change that, so I don’t have much to say. For those interested, it'll be out February 11, 2024.

Tales of Graces f remastered is on the way. I am pretty excited, please rerelease all the JRPGS of that era. Though at this point, I'm pretty sure most of them have been rereleased, but Tales of Graces f knocks one more off the list. Game’s out January 17th 2024.

The MySims DS games are coming to the Nintendo Switch as well. I always regarded them as The Sims for a younger audience, and have never played one! However, I know a lot of people remember them fondly, and are looking forward to revisiting them. I might just have to see what they were like for myself. These are out November 19, 2024.

Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2 & Security Breach is coming too. You'll know if you want to play this already or not. I am not a FNaF fan, so I don't really have much to say. If you're excited, though, I'm glad, good for you.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a new game for the Rune Factory series. I know a lot of people didn't like Rune Factory 5 much. While it wasn't my favorite entry, and had a lot of technical jank that never got fixed, I really enjoyed my time with it. I’m already looking forward to this game as well. Coming Spring 2025.

Yazuka Kiwami is coming to the Nintendo Switch for the series first outing on the system. While most of the games probably aren't viable for the current system, I'm hopeful that this means we'll see them on the Nintendo Switch 2.

This next section was a snapshot of games being released this fall and winter. Most of them I'm pretty lukewarm on, but I am looking forward to Lego Horizons!

After that another bit called August 2024 Nintendo Switch updates...and wait did they just casually drop that the Trails in the Sky Remake is coming without a proper announcement? Why yes, yes they did.

And that's a wrap! I’m excited about a lot of games across both directs, but I’ll probably be grabbing them on PC rather than the Nintendo Switch. See, I got an Asus Rog Ally, and I am finding it the superior handheld experience. That’s another discussion for another time, though. Did you see anything you liked? Let us know on social media!