Nintendo revealed a massive list of new games for holiday 2018 and 2019. The highlights were a host of previously unannounced Nintendo first-party games and some previous console excludes from its competitor, Sony.
The presentation was bookended by sequels to two beloved Nintendo first-party franchises. Luigi will be back to explore haunted mansions in his primary series, “Luigi’s Mansion 3.” This announcement was in addition to the confirmation of an October 12 release date for the #DS remake of the Nintendo 64 classic, “Luigi’s Mansion”.
Wrapping up the presentation with Nintendo’s signature “And one more thing…” closing line was the announcement of a brand-new “Animal Crossing” game coming to the Switch in 2019. “Animal Crossing” has made an appearance on every Nintendo console since the GameCube in 2001 but skipped the Wii U, leading to massive demand from fans for a new game on Switch.
Old school PlayStation fans will be very happy to learn that “Katamari Damacy” and five “Final Fantasy” games from PS1 and PS2 are making their way over to a Nintendo system for the first time ever. There is no doubt that the portability of the Nintendo Switch will breathe new life into these games and allow them to reach a brand-new audience.
2018: Cities Skylines, Civilization 6, FIFA 19, Katamari Damacy Reroll, LEGO DC Super-Villains, Mega Man 11, NBA 2K19, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Team Sonic Racing
2019: Animal Crossing, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X and X-2, Final Fantasy XII: Zodiac Age, Luigi’s Mansion 3, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Yoshi’s Crafted World
This was one of the better Nintendo Direct presentations in recent memory and gives a big boost in confidence that the Nintendo Switch is going to have a long life past the amazing launch window of titles featuring new games in the Zelda and Mario universe, along with the excellent “Mario Kart 8”. Closing out 2018 with a new “Super Smash Bros.” title and rolling into 2019 with a little something for everyone should leave all current and future Switch owners with many new titles to look forward to.