Author: Trafficblast

Square Enix’s new Nintendo Switch RPG, Octopath Traveler, will launch on July 13, Nintendo announced during its Direct briefing today. In addition to the release date, Nintendo revealed a special edition of the game. It’ll come with a real cloth map, pop-up book, soundtrack CD, and a replica coin based on the game’s in-game currency. This special edition, called the Wayfarer edition, will launch on the same day as the regular edition.

During the Direct, producer Masahi Takahashi shared some new details on the game and revealed two more characters: Tressa and Alfyn. Takahashi also announced a new feature in the form of the ability to have multiple jobs per character when in battle.

Octopath Traveler, which was formerly known as Project Octopath Traveler, is in development by the same team responsible for Bravely Default. The gorgeous-looking RPG features eight different playable characters, each with a distinct playstyle.

The game uses what the developers call “HD-2D” graphics. A free demo for the game was released in 2017, giving you the opportunity to get a feel for it yourself. For more on today’s Nintendo Direct, check out GameSpot’s roundup of all the Nintendo Direct news.

This week’s surprise Nintendo Direct presentation is starting very soon. The broadcast is set to air tonight, March 8, and will lay out what Nintendo has in store for both Switch and 3DS owners in 2018. [Update: The event is now over, and it was a positively jam-packed 30 minutes, capped off with news about a Super Smash Bros. game for Switch. For a full rundown, check out our recap of all the Nintendo Direct news.]

The broadcast begins at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET. As usual, Nintendo has been tight-lipped about what it plans on showcasing during the Direct; all we know is it’ll run for approximately 30 minutes and focus on Switch and 3DS games launching this year, including Mario Tennis Aces, the first Switch entry in the long-running sports series.

If you’d like to watch the presentation as it’s happening, you can stream the Nintendo Direct via the YouTube embed below. Alternatively, you can also watch the broadcast on Nintendo’s Twitch channel or official website.

Today’s presentation marks the second Nintendo Direct of the year; the previous broadcast aired in January and revealed a number of new Switch titles, including Dark Souls Remastered for Switch, a re-release of The World Ends with You, an updated edition of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and a definitive edition of Hyrule Warriors. You can find more announcements from that presentation in our roundup of all the new Switch games shown during the January 2018 Nintendo Direct.

Nintendo has a number of big games lined up for 2018. Along with the aforementioned Switch versions Donkey Kong and Hyrule Warriors, the company will release a Yoshi game for Switch this year. A new mainline installment of Fire Emblem is also scheduled to launch for Switch sometime in 2018. Beyond those, Nintendo has also announced Metroid Prime 4 and a Pokemon RPG for Switch, though those may not arrive this year.

By Seth G. Macy

Today’s Nintendo Direct gave us the release date for Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition, coming to Nintendo Switch May 18.

The Definitive Edition includes every map and mission, as well as every character from both the Wii U and 3DS version, adding up to 29 characters in all.

The Switch edition also includes new outfits for Zelda and Link from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The Direct also gave us a release date for Project Octopath Traveler, coming July 13 with a special edition releasing on the same day.

When it originally came to Wii U, we gave it a 7 in our Hyrule Warriors review, calling it a fun sidestory for the Zelda universe. The 3DS version was also fun, but suffered problems from straining the 3DS limited power.

Seth Macy is shooting down at walls of heartache (bang bang). He is the warrior. Follow him on Twitter @sethmacy.

There are numerous Wii U games that it would be nice to see on Nintendo Switch, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is one that’s frequently requested. Nintendo finally is making those dreams come true, announcing Switch and 3DS versions of the game during the latest Nintendo Direct event.

There is some newly added content for this edition specifically themed around last year’s Super Mario Odyssey. During our brief look at the game, Nintendo showed off a New Donk City-themed level. At this point, however, we don’t know just how many new levels are being added; a press release shared after the broadcast says there are “new miniature courses based on various Kingdoms.” This version also features two-player local multiplayer where each player can use a single Joy-Con. One controls Toad while the other provides support, doing things like firing turnips at enemies to keep them out of the way.

For the most part, Captain Toad is the same game you already know–it’s a charming platformer where the titular character can’t jump. As such, you rely on rotating the map to help find ways to navigate the world. In addition to this new Switch version, Nintendo also plans to bring the game to 3DS with 3D support and touchscreen controls.

Both the Switch and 3DS version of Captain Toad launch on July 10. A price was not shared, but Treasure Tracker for Wii U launched at a discounted price of $40 when it was originally released. For more announcements, check out our roundup of the jam-packed March 2018 Nintendo Direct.

As teased earlier this week, Nintendo shared more information on Mario Tennis Aces during today’s Nintendo Direct presentation. We learned a ton of new details about the upcoming Switch sports game, including when it’ll release around: June 22.

On top of basic actions like topspin, slices, and lobs, Mario Tennis Aces introduces new Zone Shots. These allow you to pinpoint any spot you want to aim at on the court using motion controls. They’re also really powerful and can damage an opponent’s racket if they’re hit with one. Get hit by three Zone Shots and your racket will break completely, resulting in an automatic forfeit. Zone Shots are not all-powerful, however, as they can be stopped by a block.

In addition to Zone Shots, Mario Tennis Aces features a new mechanic called Zone Speed. This slows down the action around you, allowing you to move around the court in seemingly high-speed. Zone Shots and Zone Speed are fueled by a new energy gauge, which fills up the longer you keep a rally going. You can also perform Trick Shots to quickly jump to a ball that got away from you or unleash a powerful Special Shot, which can potentially break an opponent’s racket in one hit.

If you prefer a more traditional tennis experience, Mario Tennis Aces also allows you to play using simple rules. The game supports online multiplayer for up to four players, and you can win special outfits and additional characters for playing online. Prior to its release, Nintendo will hold a pre-launch online tournament that allows players to play 1v1 matches online. Date and timing details for that will be revealed later.

Aces is the first new installment in the series since 2015’s Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash for Wii U. It also marks the first Mario Tennis game since the Game Boy Advance entry, Mario Tennis: Power Tour, to feature a single-player story mode.

Mario Tennis Aces was first revealed during the surprise Nintendo Direct Mini presentation that aired back in January. The game is developed by Camelot, the studio behind the Golden Sun series and numerous other Mario Sports titles.

Nintendo revealed a ton of new Switch and 3DS titles during today’s Direct presentation, including a Splatoon 2 expansion and a Luigi’s Mansion remake. You can see all of the biggest announcements from the broadcast in our Nintendo Direct news roundup.