Monthly Archives: June 2022

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Everything Announced During Today’s Nintendo Direct Mini, Including Persona 5 on Switch

A Nintendo Direct Mini focused on third-party developers premiered today and there was news for almost everyone.

Fans who've waited a long time for Persona 5 to come to the Switch finally got their wish, and then some, while developers like Square Enix, Capcom, Ubisoft, and even Valve showed off some new games coming to the Nintendo console.

Here's everything announced during the Nintendo Direct Mini:

Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable on Switch

The recent Persona games, including Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable are finally coming to the Nintendo Switch. Following the news the popular JRPGs are coming to Xbox and PC, Atlus announced that Persona 5 Royal will be coming to the Switch on October 21, and Persona 4 Golden and P3P are coming soon. All three games will be in full HD and include both English and Japanese voice acting. But note, all three games will be sold separately.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Announced

The popular Mega Man Battle Network series is coming to Nintendo Switch in a new bundle that combines all ten games. The Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection will also include a new art gallery and music library mode. The Collection will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023 and will be sold in two parts if purchased digitally.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Gets Release Date

The sequel to Mario + Rabbids got a new look today in a gameplay overview trailer, which included the introduction of Bowser as a playable character. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope will be released on Nintendo Switch on October 20, and there will be a deep-dive stream tomorrow with more information.

Portal: Companion Collection Comes to Switch Today

The critically-acclaimed Portal series are coming to the Nintendo Switch later today. Use the trusty Portal gun to solve inventive environmental puzzles trying to escaped the twisted Aperture Labs and its AI ruler GLaDOS. Portal 2 will still include local, split screen, and online multiplayer as well.

Nier: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition Coming to Switch

Nier: Automata is also making its way to the Nintendo Switch. This epic action-RPG has been lauded as one of the best RPGs in the past decade, set in the backdrop of an eternal war between androids and machines. The Nintendo Switch version will include all previously released DLC as well as Switch exclusive costumes when it's released on October 6.

Harvestella - New Game Announcement

Square Enix announced a new game that combines the developer's fantastical RPG worlds with the lifestyle-sim gameplay of Stardew Valley. Play as a villager and collect materials, grow a farm, and prevent the Quietus – the season of death – from destroying your idyllic life. Harvestella will be released on November 4.

Return to Monkey Island Coming to Consoles First on Switch

The new sequel to the Monkey Island series is coming to consoles first on the Nintendo Switch in 2022. As announced in the Nintendo Direct Mini, Ron Gilbert's newest Monkey Island puzzle game will see the return of fan-favorite characters and evolve the classic point-and-click gameplay.

Super Bomberman R 2 - New Game Announced

A new Bomberman game was announced for the Nintendo Switch. The new Castle Mode lets teams of up to 15 players blast their way to a treasure chest, while one player acts as a defense to try and stop them. You can also create and share custom battle stages. Super Bomberman R 2 is coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023.

LIVE A LIVE - Demo Announced

The cult-classic RPG is coming to the Nintendo Switch with a new HD-2D look. While the full game will be released on July 22, a demo that includes three chapters will be released later today on the Nintendo eShop. These chapters include Imperial China, Twilight of Edo Japan, and The Distant Future.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak - Roadmap Revealed

Capcom detailed its roadmap for the upcoming expansion Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. Alongside the massive new expansion, Capcom revealed that a free title update featuring the Seething Bazelgeuse will be released in August 2022, with more free title updates coming in the fall, winter, and 2023.

Sonic Frontiers - Gameplay Trailer

The free-roaming Sonic Frontiers is also coming to the Nintendo Switch and we got a new look at its combat in today's Nintendo Direct Mini.

Minecraft Legends - New Trailer

The action-strategy spinoff Minecraft Legends is coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023. Control a hero and team up with allies as you roam the Minecraft world which is under invasion by monsters.

Blanc

Play as a fawn and wolf cub who must work together to find their way home in the snow. Described as an emotional adventure, Blanc is completely text-free, so anyone can experience this story. Play with a friend in local or online co-op when Blanc is released in February 2023.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

A life-sim game set in a world filled with popular Disney and Pixar characters. Explore the world and build a life while farming, cooking, and interacting with famous characters. Disney Dreamlight Valley will be released on September 6 in Early Access.

Dragon Quest Treasures

The latest Dragon Quest spinoff will be released on the Nintendo Switch on December 9. Plays as Erik and Mia who can team up with monsters and use their treasure tracker to find buried loot.

Little Noah: Scion of Paradise

A new roguelite action game titled Little Noah: Scion of Paradise will be released later today on the Nintendo Switch. Play as Noah who along with her cat Zipper must explore ancient ruins, recruit allies, and fight enemies and bosses. But if you're defeated, you'll have to start over.

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright

Kenta is an aspiring game creator who is working on their first hand-drawn RPG, The Legend of Wright. Play through Kenta's notebook with over 200 pages with puzzles to solve, draw, and erase. RPG Time will be released on the Nintendo Switch on August 18.

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

A surreal puzzle mystery game evoking the golden era of detective mystery novels. The puzzle adventure game is coming to consoles first on Nintendo Switch in 2023.

Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom

The famous Japanese mascot Doraemon stars in a new game where players can harvest crops, tend to animals, and use Doraemon's secret gadgets. Hang out with your friends and build a ranch in the Doraemon life-sim coming to Switch in 2022.

Pac-Man World Re-PAC

A remake of Pac-Man World is coming to Nintendo Switch on August 26. This 3D Pac-man game features the iconic character, who must rescue his family after they're taken to Ghost Island.

RAILGRADE

A rail management game in which players will build railway systems that can best transport cargo and keep the economy chugging. Railgrade will be released on Nintendo Switch this fall.

Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions

Play as a young boy who recently moved to Japan with no friends. Damien chooses to live in his imagination as the superhero Captain Velvet Meteor who teams up with his favorite manga characters to help escape a mysterious world. Captain Velvet will be released on the Nintendo Switch on July 28.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Nier: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition Announced For Nintendo Switch With New Costumes

More than five years after its original release on PlayStation 4, Nier: Automata is headed to Nintendo Switch.

Square Enix confirmed the Switch release during today's Nintendo Partner Direct, which also included announcements for Persona 5 Royal and other hotly-requested RPGs.

Nier: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition will include all previously-released content as well as new costumes exclusive to the Nintendo Switch edition. It will join versions already released on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

Nier: Automata is the game that made director Yoko Taro a familiar name among RPG fans while raising the series into mainstream popularity. Lauded as one of the best games of 2017, it follows androids named 2B and 9S as they explore the remains of human society. It is an indirect follow-up to the original Nier, taking place thousands of years after one of that game's endings.

IGN's review of Nier: Automata lauded it as a "great action RPG filled with beautiful locations and zany, fun-filled combat." As of July 2021, it has sold more than 6 million units worldwide -- an impressive feat given the niche status of the original game.

It has since grown into a franchise, complete with an anime adaptation and an updated remaster for the original game. Meanwhile, Taro is apparently working on his next game, and yes, it will be weird.

For those who haven't experienced it yet, Nier: Automata is set for release on Nintendo Switch on October 6. You can check out the full recap of our Nintendo Direct Mini right here.

Persona 5 Royal Announced For Nintendo Switch Release In October, With Other Entries To Follow

After years of hopes, rumors, and speculation, Nintendo fans are finally get their wish. Atlus announced today that Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable are all coming to the Nintendo Switch, which has long been considered the natural home for the popular RPG series.

The announcement, which came during today's Nintendo Direct Mini, aligns with the earlier news that the series will be coming to Xbox and PC. It's a big move for the Persona games, which have traditionally been tied to PlayStation platforms outside of Persona 4 Golden's earlier release on PC.

First released in 2006, Persona 3 achieved cult popularity with its day-by-day approach to life in a Japanese high school, which it mixed with a dark, supernatural storyline. It was subsequently followed by Persona 4 and Persona 5, which expanded the formula in various ways.

When Persona 5 was released in 2017, many fans hoped the series would make its way to Nintendo Switch in relatively short order, not the least because Persona 4 Golden was so well received on the handheld PlayStation Vita. But while there were many teases and hints over the years, including Joker joining Smash Bros. Ultimate, the move never came to fruition until now.

With the Nintendo Switch release, Persona 3, 4, and 5 will be available on major major platforms. All three are technically enanced editions of their original releases, though Persona 3 Portable is in some ways more of a point-and-click visual novel due to the limitations of the original PSP release on which it's based. It is, however, the only entry with a story starring a female protagonist.

Persona 5 Royal launches October 21 on PC, Xbox, and Switch, with all downloadable content confirmed for the PC and Xbox versions. Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable will follow at a later date on the Switch.

In the meantime, check out the rest of our coverage of today's Nintendo Direct, which includes announcements for the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection and much more.

Square Enix Announces Stardew Valley-like RPG, Harvestella

Square Enix announced a new game today that combines the fantasy worlds the company is known for with life-sim gameplay.

Harvestella is a brand new life-sim RPG in which players can farm, craft items, and collect materials, all while building their character's life and settlement. While players can live through various seasons like Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, there is a fifth season, Quietus, or the season of Death.

During Quietus, players must do what they can to prevent the Death season from destroying the idyllic lifestyle of their hometown.

Harvestella looks very much like a Square Enix JRPG, with a fantastical world full of creatures, but while combat gameplay might look familiar, the game is also focused on Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon-like mechanics around farming, collecting materials, and building new tools and equipment.

Square Enix's foray into the popular life-sim genre is definitely head-turning, though the company is also experimenting with the genre by adding a Stardew Valley-like mode in Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker.

For more new announcements from today's Nintendo Direct Mini check out IGN's round-up here.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Announced for Nintendo Switch

Capcom is finally re-releasing all 10 Mega Man Battle Network games in 2023, with a new collection for the Nintendo Switch called Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection.

As revealed in today's Nintendo Direct Mini, a new collection featuring 10 Mega Man Battle Network games are coming to the Nintendo Switch next year.

The collection includes:

  • Mega Man Battle Network 1
  • Mega Man Battle Network 2
  • Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue
  • Mega Man Battle Network 3 White
  • Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun
  • Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon
  • Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team ProtoMan
  • Mega Man Battle Network 5 Team Colonel
  • Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Gregar
  • Mega Man Battle Network 6 Cybeast Falzar

Mega Man Battle Network was first released in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. The series combines strategy and card-builder elements, seeing players control Mega Man on a 3x6 grid and utilize Battle Chips with different abilities and attacks to defeat monsters and bosses.

As part of the Legacy Collection, a gallery with over a thousand illustrations as well as a music mode featuring a library of the game's songs will be added to the conclusion. The package will also be split digitally as Legacy Collection Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

The series is beloved by tactics fans and Capcom began releasing multiple versions with unique bosses and Battle Chips starting with Battle Network 3 in 2002. The games were re-released digitally for the Wii U, but remain largely absent from modern digital stores.

There hasn't been a Mega Man Battle Network game since 2006, though the series did generate several video game spinoffs and an anime series called MegaMan NT Warrior.

For everything else from today's Nintendo Direct Mini check out IGN's recap here.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Return to Monkey Island Is Coming to the Nintendo Switch First on Consoles

Return to Monkey Island, the new sequel in the famous point 'n click adventure series, will be released on the Nintendo Switch first when the game comes to consoles later this year.

As announced in today's Nintendo Direct Mini, Ron Gilbert's sequel to Monkey Island and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, will be coming to consoles starting with the Nintendo Switch. While no other platforms have been announced, we know at least that players who want to Return to Monkey Island on consoles can expect it on the Nintendo Switch first.

A direct sequel in the Monkey Island franchise, Return will take place after the events of LeChuck's Revenge. Hero Guybrush Threepwood, as well as Elaine and Murray, are all set to return.

Writer-director Ron Gilbert, along with co-writer Dave Grossman and composers Michael Land, Michael McConnell, and Clint Bajakian are all set to return for the sequel.

Along with the returning cast, there will be some modern updates including an Easy Mode and Hint System. The classic point 'n click format raised a generation of adventure game enthusiasts, but early game design was sometimes byzantine. The optional modes should help new players jump into the format with ease.

Be sure to check out our interview with Gilbert on how he returned to Monkey Island. And for more announcements from the Nintendo Direct Mini, check out IGN's round-up here.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Portal: Companion Collection Is Out Today on Nintendo Switch

The Portal: Companion Collection announced earlier this year officially has a release date, and that release date is... today. Valve's classic puzzle games are officially out on Nintendo Switch, giving fans a chance to reunite with GLaDOS on the go.

Developed in collaboration with NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios, the collection will feature both games' full single-player campaigns along with Portal 2's co-op mode, which is available in both split-screen and online multiplayer.

Portal was originally released in 2007 to widespread acclaim. It won praise for its originality and its writing, which popularized quips like, "The cake is a lie." It also gave the world the wonderful 'Still Alive' by Jonathan Coulton, which played to the original game's closing credits.

The sequel was still more elaborate, adding in multiplayer and a host of other features. Both are rated among the greatest games ever made.

Portal: Companion Collection's release was one of several announcements during a Nintendo Direct Mini that also included the reveal of a Mega Man Battle Network collection and more. You can read the full recap right here.

Persona 5 Royal Announced For Nintendo Switch Release In October, With Other Entries To Follow

After years of hopes, rumors, and speculation, Nintendo fans are finally get their wish. Atlus announced today that Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 3 Portable are all coming to the Nintendo Switch, which has long been considered the natural home for the popular RPG series.

The announcement, which came during today's Nintendo Direct Mini, aligns with the earlier news that the series will be coming to Xbox and PC. It's a big move for the Persona games, which have traditionally been tied to PlayStation platforms outside of Persona 4 Golden's earlier release on PC.

First released in 2006, Persona 3 achieved cult popularity with its day-by-day approach to life in a Japanese high school, which it mixed with a dark, supernatural storyline. It was subsequently followed by Persona 4 and Persona 5, which expanded the formula in various ways.

When Persona 5 was released in 2017, many fans hoped the series would make its way to Nintendo Switch in relatively short order, not the least because Persona 4 Golden was so well received on the handheld PlayStation Vita. But while there were many teases and hints over the years, including Joker joining Smash Bros. Ultimate, the move never came to fruition until now.

With the Nintendo Switch release, Persona 3, 4, and 5 will be available on major major platforms. All three are technically enanced editions of their original releases, though Persona 3 Portable is in some ways more of a point-and-click visual novel due to the limitations of the original PSP release on which it's based. It is, however, the only entry with a story starring a female protagonist.

Persona 5 Royal launches October 21 on PC, Xbox, and Switch, with all downloadable content confirmed for the PC and Xbox versions. Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable will follow at a later date on the Switch.

In the meantime, check out the rest of our coverage of today's Nintendo Direct, which includes announcements for the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection and much more.

Square Enix Announces Stardew Valley-like RPG, Harvestella

Square Enix announced a new game today that combines the fantasy worlds the company is known for with life-sim gameplay.

Harvestella is a brand new life-sim RPG in which players can farm, craft items, and collect materials, all while building their character's life and settlement. While players can live through various seasons like Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, there is a fifth season, Quietus, or the season of Death.

During Quietus, players must do what they can to prevent the Death season from destroying the idyllic lifestyle of their hometown.

Harvestella looks very much like a Square Enix JRPG, with a fantastical world full of creatures, but while combat gameplay might look familiar, the game is also focused on Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon-like mechanics around farming, collecting materials, and building new tools and equipment.

Square Enix's foray into the popular life-sim genre is definitely head-turning, though the company is also experimenting with the genre by adding a Stardew Valley-like mode in Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker.

For more new announcements from today's Nintendo Direct Mini check out IGN's round-up here.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Blasts Off This October

During today’s Nintendo Direct, we got several more details about Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, including a release date for the tactical sequel to Nintendo and Ubisoft’s unusual collaboration: October 20, 2022.

But we also learned a bit more today about Sparks of Hope, notably that it will include Bowser as one of the nine playable characters. There’s more to come on Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, too, as we’ve been promised a special presentation tomorrow, June 29 at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern /5pm UK with even more details about the upcoming game, so stay tuned.

Sparks of Hope promises a number of changes to Kingdom Battle’s tactics formula, most notably allowing free movement around the map instead of using a grid-based system, and introducing some strange new Rabbids – including Rabbid Rosalina. We know from the announcement that it will remain an entirely single-player game, and will feature new equipable partners called Sparks, which offer both active and passive bonuses in battle.

We first learned about Sparks of Hope over a year ago at Ubisoft E3 2021, and today’s presentation was the first significant chunk of info we’ve gotten since then. It’s a sequel to 2017’s Kingdom Battle, which we praised for its surprising XCOM-like complexity and variety of enemies, objectives, and abilities.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

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