Feature: Here's What Was Announced During The January 2018 Nintendo Direct Mini

It was a good direct.

I think it was a good Direct, but enjoyed the hype that preceded it even more.

Still no VC! I can't believe it...

Dark Souls........ I can't wait

@Switchcraft no news of paid online either! sigh

"Dark Souls on Switch has the potential to be absolutely huge, offering fans the chance to take the adventure with them on the road for the first time in the history of the franchise."

I swear I will never come around to understanding this line of thinking. Not saying it's wrong or incorrect, just something I cannot fathom is that much of a game changer.

Essentially, 'old 3rd party port on Switch has the potential to be absolutely huge, offering fans the chance to take it with them on the road for the first time in the history of the franchise'.

Is this working? Is this model successful? Are that many people double dipping into these old games a second or third time literally due to portability?

Does anyone have any sales numbers on any of the old ports that have been released for Switch up to this point?

It was a decent direct overall. From a personal perspective there wasn't much to interest me, just the release date for Fe.

But I think most Switch owners will be happy with that.

I wanted VCs, Although update 5.0 was a fake I wanted them to talk about future features, Netflix, Apps, and web browser and the paid service. Other than that the game content was alright.

@gatorboi352 it’s not a simple port tho. This is the same remastered retooled rebalanced version the Xbox one and PS4 is also getting this year

It was great. Perhaps a little on the safe side but that’s not an issue. The lead up to the Switch’s 1st birthday was always about keeping momentum going and I fully expect some more surprises as we approach March and then E3 this year could really blow everyone away.
Yes it was a sensible Direct but plenty to get saving for!

@Switchcraft Really, you can’t believe it? They won’t do that until mini consoles stop selling so well. I’m eager to play VC games as well as I won’t be buying mini consoles, but it won’t happen until then.

I did not hype beforehand and now I’m pleased. See how that works?

I found it very disappointing. It was kind of like a sandwich, the bread was the 2 remasters at the start and end. And the filling was largely ports and bits of DLC. The whole way it just appeared out of nowhere with no warning and was a Mini Direct. Nintendo only announced 1 new game, Mario Tennis: Aces and given how bad Ultra Smash was, this has a lot of proving to do.

Like if you think about it, there was no talk of VC, no improved online, no paid online, no improved firmware, no apps, no web browser, no new 3rd party games, no Animal Crossing, no Smash Bros., no Metroid Prime 4 footage, no Bayonetta 3, no main game Pokemon footage, no folders. Nintendo didn't help by adding to the crazy hype yesterday. Having said all that, I am interested in Dark Souls Remastered.

I kinda want Ys 8 on my Vita to go with the rest of my collection, but I am tempted to go with the Switch version to continue showing support for third-parties.

I think the TWEWY news is honestly enough for me but a proper RPG Mario Tennis and Dark Souls are massive bonuses.

Donkey Kony Country is an interesting new direction for the series.

@gatorboi352 - I cannot speak for everyone. But it being portable means you have almost immediate access to it regardless the situation. My wife loves watching movies, I play games. Being able to say "I want to play Mario Odyssey" and immediately do just that is huge in of itself. The other major bit for me is never having to "wait" to save or continue or so on. Literally finish it in the car and put it away. Done deal.

I can also take the system and just bring it. No cords or rehookups. Take it to the bedroom and play there.

@gatorboi352 Its working for me. I prefer to play on a portable and struggle to find time for playing on the TV. I just find playing on a portable more comfortable. I have DKCTF on wiiU but only played the first world, I'll happily rebuy it on Switch where its portability means I'll finally be able to give it the time it deserves. Currently enjoying Skyrim, which is a game I'd never have found time for as a TV only game but thanks to Switch I'm squeezing it into any break I get. Portable versions of games is a big thing for me at least. I'm hoping for lots more portable ports, the more the merrier!

@faint all of that is besides my point though. Old games that have existed on other systems, now being on Switch. Are they all actually selling well because of the portability factor?

Keeping in mind that it was a direct MINI...it was pretty good. I think it was hyped way too much for what was shown...WAY too much

So, we have Kirby and one other new game from Nintendo to look forward to until E3. Brilliant. Feels like the Wii U’s release schedule...

It was good I think. It makes sense to port Wii U games given the limited audience they had the first time around.

@Paraka I am in the exact same scenario and love the Switch for the same reasons!

@Paraka @TommyRabbit yeah, I guess so.

I was in possession of a Switch for a little over a month and not once was I ever like "I must buy one of these" but more to the point, I also undocked it exactly once (although, my 4 year old tried to a few times). I just don't see how people have the time and ability to sink hours into big AAA titles on the go, aside from a long commute or something. Hey, to each their own.

Give me a 50" screen and surround sound any day of the week.

It was okay, although I was somewhat disappointed, especially with the lack of Animal Crossing, which needs to come to the system soon. The only things that intrigued me were Tropical Freeze, The World Ends With You, and Dark Souls, although I'll be getting Dark Souls on PS4 if I decide to buy it, since I don't really like playing the system in portable mode, and especially not with hard games like Dark Souls. I'll take no portability and 60 FPS over portability and 30 FPS any day, especially with games like that.

Tropical Freeze is a game that I probably won't buy, since the only 2D platformers that I really enjoyed were Super Mario World (as a little kid) and Little Big Planet 1 and 2, but I'll keep an eye on it since it was so critically acclaimed and I didn't own a Wii U to play it on.

The World Ends With You looks pretty interesting, and I definitely like RPGs, but I know nothing about it, so I'll have to look into it a little.

The first part of the year definitely looks sparse from a Nintendo standpoint, though. Kirby, Mario Tennis, and a bunch of Wii U ports isn't a very inspiring lineup, and I'm baffled that people here are so happy about it, especially since most of them have already played those games on the Wii U. To what extent do Nintendo fans just gobble up games that Nintendo resells them over and over?

Overall, it was okay for a mini Direct. I was just expecting a lot more with how much everyone was hyping it up. Nintendo posting those things on Twitter to rile everyone up didn't exactly help temper expectations, either.

@gatorboi352 "He was a gatorboi, she said seeyalaterboy..." I can't speak for everyone, but as a Nintendo fan, I just haven't had access to Skyrim and Dark Souls. So not only are they games I have never played, but as I understand it, they are games with huge time sinks and so, the nature of the Switch means I can put time in to them. Is it working on the whole? If you are going to poll addicts that own every system under the sun, then no probably not. If you poll people who play handhelds or (and this is the people Ninty go after) those lucky enough to be discovering games for the first time, then yes, in spades. (I would also like to say, I am no analyst, so I might be talking rubbish!)

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Was it disappointing or was it like a sandwich, the greatest food that there is? You need to make up your mind.

Ok so this was a pretty decent Direct. Obviously wasn't as amazing as say they had announced a Metroid Prime Trilogy Remaster, Virtual Console, or even Resident Evil 7/ Final Fantasy 15 ports,
but Hyrule warriors (which I missed out on and will buy day one!), Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, and Dark Souls are pretty good announcements, plus we get a Mario Tennis (yay!) and finally a release date for Kirby.

World ends with you final mix was the most unexpected (and appreciated) port ever lol.

@gatorboi352 personally I’m very busy and am rarely home due to work. Portable is a huge bonus for me.

Donkey Kong the Hidden Gem Returns, so I'm happy. The other announcements are cool but expected for a Direct Mini. Hype is a bad thing, its hard to get it out of your head but trust me its so much more relaxing.

I sure did enjoy all they goodness they announced. As a Nintendo Direct it was great. But like others have said, we know nothing about the paid online or VC. I'm gonna need them to address those issues soon....

@GrailUK "but as a Nintendo fan, I just haven't had access to Skyrim and Dark Souls."

Dude, I'm telling you right now. Come into possession of a PlayStation or an Xbox one day and you'll ask yourself why you hadn't done it a long time ago. You'll be yawning at all these old ports while playing all of the latest and greatest titles in the industry, on day one.

@gatorboi352 I work from home and often play in the room with the TV in it but still always opt for portable mode. Just my preference. That I can play any game wherever I am is a big bonus, the sleep mode letting me stop and start at any part even more so. It's a big enough deal for me that rebuying a game where the only real addition is portability + sleep mode is a major selling point. The last game i played on WiiU was Paper Mario, and I loved it but I struggled to find enough time to sit in front of tV and play to the next save point. On switch I find finding time to game so effortless.

Very much enjoyed it. It's great to see Kirby being so close. I am also optimistic for Mario Tennis. The last one was good at its core majorly let down by the main gimmick and a lack of content. We will see but this time it seems that both of these are rectified.

I will be rebuying Donkey Kong and Hyrule Warriors. The portability of the Switch has been a game changer and I am always up for buying quality Wii U ports.

@gatorboi352 - I have a 75 with a PS4 Pro. Originally thinking I am getting a Switch for the same reasons I got a Wii U. Nintendo.

Gets since then I have grown more fond of the little system and my PS4 has not been turned on for a game since June. Namely cause I cannot just sit and "enjoy" that atmosphere any more cause it requires time literally set aside.

Dark Souls and Ys VIII are intriguing, as I've never gotten into either series. Otherwise, it was a meh-ni Direct for me. Dark Souls was the big announcement out of this, and that was leaked beforehand.

For those who don't like all the remakes or re-releases of Wii U games on the Switch because "I already own all of them on my Wii U" you have to look at it from Nintendo's perspective. The Wii U was a dud, sales-wise. However it had an awesome library of 1st and 2nd party exclusives...which, other than Mario Kart 8, hardly anyone bought. So they invested multi-millions into the development of those games to have them rot on shelves because no one had a Wii U. Fast forward to today, A LOT of Switch buyers are NEW to Nintendo or at least haven't owned a Nintendo console in a long time. To MOST of these people, games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokken Tournament, Hyrule Warriors and DKC Tropical Freeze are BRAND NEW to them. This is good for Nintendo in 2 ways. Firstly, they can finally recoup the development costs of these games and make some serious profits off them and secondly it helps them maintain a steady flow of AAA 1st and 2nd party titles year-round so there's no stagnation from a software drought on the Switch like there was with the Wii U.

@faint see and this further confuses me. If one is so busy throughout the day and never home..... how do you find the time to play these games on the go?!

Like I said, outside of extended commutes, or blocks of time where one is literally doing nothing else, how does the availability factor change?

@gatorboi352 I would love a Playstation but know I wouldn't ever find time to play on it. Not loads of games I want but I'd love to play The Last Guardian at some point.

@gatorboi352 long commute here. 3 hours a day.

Also my kids are older and they've claimed the TV.

It was good for a mini direct, but we should have gotten a big direct, and thats whats disappointing.

Not impressed by this mini direct. Nothing in here I really care for except for maybe Fe.

EDIT* and Kirby of course.

How about some news on NOL and cloud saves for the love of God NINTENDO!!

It was not their best direct, but it was good for what it was: Something to keep the wheels turning for the next 3-4 months. I’m sure Nintendo is saving their big guns to E3.

I wasn't expecting HUGE announcements because E3 will be for the fall, this I'd like the games coming in spring, for the most part.
I love TWEWY and the Hyrule Warriors remaster is exciting. Kirby is in March! Odyssey update with Luigi looks fun. Looking into Fe, and maybe dark souls..... Never played those games but may try them.
The DK port is awesome, for those who haven't played it, which is amazing! I feel that there will be a sequal or something soon.
I'm hoping the Mario tennis isn't a huge waste of time, ultra smash was bad, so bare bones basic. This one kinda seems like that, just with a story mode..... Let's hope I'm way wrong. I want to be wrong

Nothing good announced.

@SleeplessKnight Looking at the current sales Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will outsell Maria Kart 8 and Pokken DX will outsell Pokken. I suspect Hyrule Warriors and DKC will see a similar result.

Tropical Freeze is the greatest game of all time. I’ll probably buy a physical and digital copy because I love it so much.

@SleeplessKnight Exactly right...too good an opportunity not to. Personally, I'm glad to see the games brought back with more content, to boot.

Not a bad one, for a Mini anyway.

A bit disappointed, I was expecting news on Animal Crossing, or even a potential new Pokémon game. Also the Mario Odyssey DLC isn’t exactly the type of DLC I was expecting. Would’ve liked if they added more kingdoms instead. That aside, I understand why Nintendo is porting over Wii U games but it’s sort of a slap in the face to loyal players who have owned the original games when they came out on Wii U.

I feel like if they hadn't of announced that Kirby game last fall, people would have s!!t their pants today at this Direct. THAT'S A NEW 1st PARTY GAME EVERYONE and the first sidescrolling Nintendo platformer on the system. The direct did not exceed my hopes but did it make me squeal with delight. Super pumped.

1. Darksouls (never played)
2. The World Ends with You (!!!!!!!!!!)
3. Yss 8 (!!!!)
4 Kirby Star Allies (look so much prettier than I expected)
5 Mario Tennis (the adventure mode got me)/Tropical Freeze (a little grumpy that Returns isn't included but still grateful I can finally play this)

So is that it?
Is this what we were all waiting for?
With this "mini" direct does that mean we'll see a full blown direct in the not to distant future?
Enjoyable non the less...

Mario tennis was the highlight for me. Looks like they have learnt from the mistakes of Ultra smash and it will actually be a decent fleshed out title.

Dark Souls was all I needed, everything else was just extra. I'm so pumped to play this on the Switch.

@dethmart I would be really surprised if we don't get a bunch of AAA title announcements in March during the Switch launch anniversary.

Can I vote twice?

I feel like I got lucky to catch it just as it started, and I thought presentation wise it was a really good Direct. No filler. No distracting spoiler placeholder cards. No bad translations. Just non-stop boom, boom, boom games. If you asked anybody beforehand how many games they would show in a 20 minute "MINI" ND nobody would have said 12, or however many they showed, it was more than a few.

So from a technical standpoint it's a 10 out of 10, no hiccups or mistakes.

Of course it's probably easy to have it not turn into a slideshow like most ND's do when you publish it unannounced so very few people are live streaming it. And I am mad we didn't have a live stream chat, for years now that's been 1 of the best parts of the ND, talking to imaginary online friends. So none of that.

And as a Wii U owner, well we have HW, and Pokken but we aren't getting the DLC, and we've played DKTF. And a few of the ports I can play on my PS4. That pretty much left Kirby and a reminder that I still need to pick up Mario + Rabbids. Ys 8 did catch my attention, right up my alley, but it's already out on PS4 I found it, meaning by the time it releases on Switch it will be on sale for half price on PS4.

So for us personally, not a lot of content to get excited about. For new Switch non-Wii U owners I recommend HW, and DKTF if you like more of a challenge than button mashing. And Switch is getting some nice ports in DS and PD2, which is better than nto getting 3rd party support. And EA w/ Fe. The more EA the better, like it or not, they publish a lot of games.

So presentation was a 10, no advance warning is -3, for us personally it's a 5 for Kirby, Fe, Ys 8 and M+R DLC. Overall I'd give it a 7, mostly b/c it had a lot of content for an out of nowhere Mini. Had this been a hyped up 48 hour notice full ND I'd give it a 6, but it wasn't.

Nintendo can't be held completely responsible for the hype frenzy, though they are complacent for being so secretive for so long. Kirby could have had that March 16th release date listed in November and have been showing it off since early Dec after XC2 released, instead of doing nothing for 40 days. That's a lot of nothing silence.

I really enjoyed it a different variety of games there for everyone. Personally for me i want kirby and mario tennis. Mario tennis on the wii u was hugely disappointing and boring i hope the story added is good on the switch version.

I was expecting mostly ports, so that was fine, but I was really hoping for info on a major system update... UI update, and I'm still holding out hope for an achievement system...

@Hikingguy
I just feel like it was a bit of a stop gap before a proper direct where they announce what they are doing with whole online subscription amongst others things

Ys 8 and Dark Souls are instant gets!

I thought it was just ok tbh. While some of the announcements were good I was hoping for more new games coming to the system.

I didn't expect Nintendo to bring all these Wiiu games to the Switch in one year. Guess they need something to fill in the gaps for the new titles that are still in development.

YS VIII!!!!???? What the FLYING SWITCHEROO!? I'm the biggest Ys fan there is ...and my brain just exploded bigger than a supernova. Holy ...You NEED to play it. I got the LE on PS4 (of course) and it is fantastic.

As someone who owned the Wii U I really don't want to double dip on tropical freeze. Mario Tennis looks interesting.

Third party support I'll admit I'm disappointed by. Old ports aren't exactly exciting especially given I don't take my switch on the go. Would be nice to see more current generation titles I haven't had the opportunity to play before on the switch.

Kirby looks amazing, but Kirby always delivers.

Hope for another direct in a month or two so we can see the big first party titles for the switch this year. Would like to see if Metroid or Pokemon can make 2018 ( I doubt it) and I'd love to see more of Yoshi.

As a Wii U owner, Kirby will be my third Switch game, there is nothing else to look forward to if I don't want to double dip on games I already played.

i have got mixed feelings since i hoped for first glimpses of Metroid Prime 4, TWEWY 2, new Fire Emblem and Golden Sun 4

I didn't spend the last few weeks hyping this up like it was E3 so I was pleased with what was announced. Besides Bayonetta I'm not really interested in the Wii U ports but there is definitely an audience for those so I won't criticize them just because they're not what I specifically wanted. I've skipped pretty much all the Mario sports games in recent years because I feel they've dropped in quality, but this new Mario Tennis game already looks to be a big improvement over the last couple of games in the series, so I'll likely be getting that. Overall there aren't a ton of Switch games I'm interested in for the first half of 2018 but I'm still playing a lot of the games from 2017 so I'm satisfied with what's coming.

Merely an appetizer for the main course. The chefs at Nintendo are working on the entree, but I couldn't even begin to speculate the arrival of the next full Direct.

There is much more to come, I think starting small is the way to start off the year. Also, it gives my wallet a break too.

Apart from dark Souls it was disappointing

DARK SOULS and YS VIII ports just blew my mind. I cannot possibly get any more hyped than I am now. Day one buy for both, even though I already have them. Oh my god ...

Good for what it was, a Mini Direct. Some good games and I still need to get through Zelda, Mario Kart, Xenoblade, Nine Parchments and the new prison break (Can't think of name, brain fart) game.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I actually agree with this to some extent, TWEWY and dark souls were the main attractions, I'm holding out some hope for the tennis game but ultra smash was barebones so I'm a little cautious.

The rest of the games were either games I've already got on the Wii U or games that don't interest me, but that's fine because with the games already announced I'll have plenty to play in the first half of the year.

I'm less fussed about no online news though because I'm hoping it means Nintendo are taking the time to get it right, because with their track record with online features, is something they desparately need to do.

I was relatively pleased with the direct though, there was some stuff for me and some stuff for switch owners who never bought a Wii U and missed out on Tropical Freeze (A great game.) I'm sure a more meatier direct will appear in the coming weeks or months too.

just switch cwitch switchty switch and no 3ds sigh.

when do you think the normal Nintendo Direct could happen?

These announcements were totally unexpected! I’m pleased with what they announced but it seems strange that Hyrule Warriors has been rereleased twice now. With that and other ports, Nintendo is really trying to throw Wii U owners under the bus. And I’m worried because nearly everything in this Direct was either a port or extra content to existing games.

@Chibi I don't think Ultra Smash was the result of mistakes in development. I think Ultra Smash, Amiibo Festival, and some other games were essentially sacrificed and sent out as a skeleton of what they would have been so that Nintendo could provide some content on Wii U while internally they focused on the Switch and gave their upcoming system most of their resources. As bad as the Wii U release schedule got it would have been a disaster if they abandoned it entirely, but they couldn't afford to give the Wii U much, both because there was no money to be made, and because they needed the Switch to be successful. I suspect that a lot of Aces was originally intended for Ultra Smash but just wasn't feasible at the time.

@gatorboi352 well I take trains regularly, have long plain flights semi regularly, have lunch breaks and lay overs Ect Ect Ect. We may have different lifestyles ya know.

Don't forget that Celeste's release date was announced! Day one purchase for me, it's going to be fantastic!

Other than that, the DK DLC for Mario + Rabbids is going to be the push I needed to buy the game, and of course I'll be re-buying Tropical Freeze once that comes out.

But, as I'm sure we can all agree, the best news was the Sunshine outfit coming to Odyssey!

@May_Nyan Sounds like Nintendo knows de wae

@SleeplessKnight I just thought how this works in reverse for third party titles. People who never owned a Wii u will be able to play these games for the first time and people who only go Nintendo will get dark souls, skyrim, etc for their first time

I didnt have any hype and still came up disappointed. Mostly ports and I never double dip.

The World Ends With You Final Remix. My peeps buy this so there can be a sequel! You will not regret it...says other people since I haven't got to far in the game.

Pokken Battle Pack. It lives again!

Kirby Star Allies. Multiplayer madness This early?

Mario Tennis Aces. Just Don't let this bee Ultra Smash plz.

Hyrule Warriors and DK Freeze. Two more reasons to not touch the WiiU version.

Mario + Rabbids. I Need to play the game.

Mario Odyssey Balloons. I REALLY need to play the game.

SNK Heroines. KOF Waifu Edition!

Ys. Good for you people don't care too much about it.

Payday 2. Huh, how is payday 2 and the price?

Fe. Don't EA it up PLZ. They'll EA it up. Celeste. Interesting.

Dark Souls. Prepare To die Nintendo Fans.

So... yeah obviously an appetizer since posted out-of nowhere (sort-of) and is a mini but I liked it.

Wonder if they'll announce a surprise update like 5.0 in the future..

@gatorboi352 As a parent with young children I rarely get a lot of time in the house to play games these days. My MAIN game time is either commuting to work or lying in bed before I fall asleep.

As such I have been playing games I would not be able to play due to them not bveing available in this way. I know a lot of my peers who are like this.

Im not saying this is everyone but I think there is a significant market for people not wanting to be tied to HAVE to be in front of a TV.

I have a decent PC, PS4 and an Xbox and these are all now largely untouched because the Switch form factor perfectly fits my life situation.

and yes I intend to play Dark Souls much like I just finished Stardew Valley, LA Noire and Doom.

I thought it was a pretty good, albeit port-heavy, mini-Direct. I (sadly) haven't bought Donkey Kong Country TF before, so I'll pick up the Switch version for sure.

I didn't have crazy expectations going into the Direct (aka I didn't expect to see Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon, Bayonetta 3, Super Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, etc) even before the Direct was confirmed to be a mini-Direct. I'm sure those who expected a big E3-esque announcement blowout (ala the January 2017 Switch Presentation) will be disappointed.

With all these ports, I'm wondering how many of these WiiU games will still be exclusive in a year: https://youtu.be/6SUglODVdXw
We've already had so many ported!

I mostly enjoyed the direct. I can always want more, but I was happy to get a date for Kirby, to get announcements for DKC Tropical Freeze-never bought it as I expected a port to their next system, and Hyrule Warriors DE-only had the WiiU HW so I'm justifying the double dip. I'm guessing Smash and online/VC will be saved for E3. Was really hoping for a date for the online service but oh well. In other news, looking forward to Bayonetta 1+2 cause I've never played them, Double Dragon Arcade and Punchout Arcade.

@dethmart
Is this what we were all waiting for?

Can't speak for anyone else, but yes, it's what I was waiting for. It's 2018, and I wanted some games announced to pad out the first half of the year til e3. Nintendo has now done exactly that.

We already had some quality games lined up with Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2, Kirby Star Allies, Wolfenstein 2, Yoshi, Payday 2, Octopath Traveller, etc, but now we've got a much, much more full lineup to look forward to. DKC Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors, Mario Tennis Aces, The World Ends With You, Y's VIII, Dark Souls Remastered...

Ya. It's looking like a very nice spread for spring/summer 2018. And of course we still have Fire Emblem, Dragon Quest XI, SMTV, Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon, No More Heroes, and haven't even gotten to e3 yet. Heck we haven't even gotten to the spring Direct. This is just the beginning. We have FAR more games in the pipeline right now for 2018 than we did last year in January for 2017. And look how good that year turned out to be. This year is gonna really fill out the library. And come e3, I expect even more- Animal Crossing, Pikmin 4, Smash Bros, Mario Maker 2, Retro's new game, etc.

Hang on, hang on, hang on...

We all assumed there would be a Nintendo Direct, and not a Nintendo Direct mini.

Isn't it at all possible that the content of this announcement was meant to be in the larger Nintendo Direct but, to please the internet (who frankly, were dying of hype), they took out a few announcements from the larger ND and showcased it in this NDM?

@JaxonH I was waiting for Dark Souls ALL last bloody year hahahaha!

@moltakfire Stop it. Just...just stop right there.

Haven’t watched yet, will do abit later, but I am disappointed that there was no VC news,

I was disappointed by no release date for Wolfenstein 2. But on the other hand, I had been wanting a Tropical Freeze port on Switch! Also I'm glad Luigi is in Mario Odyssey now, but I wish he were playable.

@RobotReptile Life's full of funny moments.

Once I heard "mini Direct" earlier this morning in the Dark Souls rumor, it all started coming together. I think there is a bigger Direct on the horizon. It may address all of the rumors we've heard this week.

Although, I am reminded of the rumor around a "Namco Bandi Direct" mentioned before the end of the year. So, we may be waiting until next month for the one to address all these rumors.

I was really happy with this mini Direct. Almost all ports, yes, but ports I wanted to see.

Ys VIII, HW: Definitive Edition, Dark Souls Remastered, and The World Ends With You are definite purchases. Will probably also nab DKC: Tropical Freeze, even though I already own it, as I played very little of it on the Wii U.

I am disappointed, mostly ports and remakes of old games. No virtual console, Bayonetta 3 or Metroid prime 4. Nice to see that Dark souls and Ys VIII are coming though!

I was really hoping the rumored Xenosaga Trilogy Collection might turn up, but still some exciting stuff announced. Hyrule Warriors might be the one I'm most excited for--I really wanted to enjoy it on the 3DS, but as I own a non-New 3DS, it was just too slow and choppy. Gonna sell my 3DS copy and pick it up for the Switch.

Very dissapoint...all ports of old game from.like 5 years ago, donkey Kong again :/ ... Mario tennis??? ... Why do we never get what we want lol ...VC! Metroid teaser! F-Zero! Starfox! ... Cmon Ninty don't mess up 2018

@thesilverbrick The Wii U had NO new games for 10 month after launch. Then we got Pikmin, a great game but no system seller, and then NOTHING AGAIN until Christmas.

I would have been in heaven if I had gotten two AA Nintendo games in 6 month in 2013.

Meh, didn’t care about most of these announcements. Even taking into account that it was a Direct Mini and they mostly showed ports it was still disappointing. Barely anything I want to play in this lineup.

It met my expectations. I didn't let the hype get to me.

Great time frame for kirby to come out.
Mario tennis with a story mode is very welcome! I hope it leads to mario golf with a story mode.
Dark Souls coming to switch is big to me since I've always been a nintendo gamer, so I've missed out on it.

That is about all there is for me, which is okay. I'm stilling playing splatoon, botw, and xenoverse. I still want to play doom, skyrim, and disgaea 5. This excludes all the current and future indie games.

@countzero LEGO City: Undercover and Game & Wario were both published by Nintendo and were released during that 10 month drought you speak of. Granted, that’s still not great, but saying that Nintendo published nothing in ten months isn’t true. Also, just because we’re in a better place than we were with the Wii U doesn’t automatically make this acceptable.

My wallet is ready!

@G0dlike @Switchcraft Those are both not Direct Mini announcements if you want any other news or game announcements.

Both these topics would be a separate Direct Mini for each, a part of a Direct, or a separate E3 presentation.

@gatorboi352 Most of these games have never been available on a Nintendo platform, so this is the first opportunity to play them for a lot of people, myself included. I'm sure there are also many other people who would be buying these ports as they are common place on PS4 and Xbox, having the option to play on the go is a huge motivating factor for a lot of people debating on which of these new versions they are looking to purchase. Obviously all dependant on lifestyle and preference.

@JimmySpades Sandwiches are delicious, depending on the ingredients. And freshly made sandwiches taste better. I'm hungry now.

@gatorboi352 Exhibit A: Japan. Exhibit B: Anyone in the west who either never played console games because they weren't really home enough, didn't want to be home enough, or did play console games but haven't for a while because it's not convenient enough. And some portion of console gamers that play at home but wish they didn't have to and now they don't. Plenty of reasons to want to take games on the go and buy them again to do so. Depends on the person, situation, and game. I for one never played DS, and don't intend to buy it on PS or PC....I wouldn't really sit down and play it like that....the genre doesn't suit my interest in sitting down for prolonged times. But portable? Sure I'll pick it up and whittle at i bits here and there, absolutely! Mario Odyssey on the other hand, I want to sit on the couch and make it a big focus and get absorbed. It really depends on the situation.

I am 100% for Nintendo re-releasing pretty much the entire Wii U library for the Switch. It was tough for them to transition tu HD games at the beginning of the U era, and the payoff wasn't great for most of those great games. So if they can find an audience now on the Switch, well, I say go for it.

I spent a lot of money on some of those games for the Wii U, and I get the resentment.

I was disappointed that it was only a ”mini” Direct. I wanted a full-blown Direct with info on the new online infrastructure alongside game announcements.

With that said, for a miniDirect it was pretty good. Probably the best miniDirect I have seen.

@NEStalgia
Hard to believe the "Why would people play console-quality games on the go?" argument is still going on...

The content was good, albeit older game port heavy. Can't complain.
But it's good that they put the "mini" in the title so people could temper their expectations. There's likely at least one Direct coming before the end of May, most likely much sooner. They've got to show off the online infrastructure at some point!

Don't really consider it a direct ,but it got the jpb done. Excited for the year ahead and suspect we get an big direct between march and may. Then again we may get some franchise focused directs In the meantime

Big question. How much will the switch version cost. It's a great game and I have the original on Wii u but it is a Nintendo select title both no graphical upgrade

@Janus1986 call me crazy but does anyone feel like there may be more to come very soon? Maybe a full Nintendo Direct with online services and virtual console?

Great way to punish loyal Wii U owners from back in the day with more ports on Switch, even if they will have better sales. Next time a Nintendo console is selling as badly as Wii U, they can forget a purchase from me, even if they release really good games for it.

@TommyRabbit I agree. For me, playing on the TV is more time consuming, and I only really do it at night time. With the Switch, I literally can play console quality games any time I want to.

without the hype it was still disappointing. Still no VC, still no FE and still no online service details.

@westman98 Yeah, fortunately sales show it's just a minority that thinks people never want to leave their mancave.

The great thing about the form factor is like tablets did for computing, it's not just about being "on the road"...the added convenience of play options even to play at home is fantastic. Some people do things around the house other than sit in front of the TV at all times.

It was good. I enjoyed a lot of what they had to show. I'm so happy Hyrule Warriors is getting ported over. The Ys game is also interesting.
WiiU ports being considered a "punishment" is ridiculous BTW.

@gatorboi352 absolutely they are selling because of the portability and console factor! Also believe it or not there are countless people like me who have never played it. iOS and Android spawned a whole new generation of casual gamers who now after a few years are inevitably developing into gamers, so there are tons of people who are excited for this. The ports so far have far exceeded most devs expectations, Idk the numbers for skyrim but I bet they are fantastic considering it’s a 6 year old game

@GrailUK
When it was a rumor, everyone said "we don't know Dark Souls is coming, nothing is confirmed, there's no guarantee...

But now that its confirmed the first response I read was "But we KNEW this was coming already"...

It's "we don't know" before hand and "But we already knew" after. Go figure.

@1UP_MARIO
Probably $50.

If you want it cheap on Wii U, that option is always there. But for anyone else, or people like me who want it on a tribrid portable device, it's likely gonna be $50. Of course, like I said, you're more than free to buy it cheaper, if saving $30 is worth sacrificing the benefits of having on Switch.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty good direct. Not great, as I think virtual console or some equivalent is long overdue. But I did enjoy it and I'm looking forward to some of the games.

Dark Souls on the go is an awesome announcement. I'm also really hyped to replay Tropical Freeze on the go. It's easily one of my all-time favorite 2D platformers. Mario Tennis Aces, surprisingly, looks really good. I was personally hoping for Golf, but another Tennis is welcome since it has a story mode and is, at least it seems, making the chance-shots optional. The chance-shots ruined Open for me and the lack of modes made me not get Ultra Smash.

I was sad there was no mention of the new online infrastructure or the replacement to the virtual console. I was also hoping for just a couple more big third-party reveals. All of the hype with GTA and Red Dead got to me, I guess. But hey, Dark Souls is nice to have confirmed! Regardless, the Direct was still good and I'm excited for some of the releases!

@YamAsereht
I feel the same way.
been a fanboy since NES
love that the switch is dong so well but wonder why the wiiu gets worse the better the switch gets. must be really easy for the big N to rerelease wiiu games as switch. I'm sure by the end we will have every game that was good from wiiu on are switch.

Also I know everyone is excited for all they other features but seriously if Nintendo listened to the gaming fans all the time they would not have anything else to announce all year!
Personally I love that they are playing it smart and drip feeding it in small potent drops of hype...as in the end all that matters is that the switch succeeds.

@JaxonH I hope they price it like Lego city undercover or rayman legends

I thought it was a great, game packed mini direct! Literally every game on there looked like great and showcased a wide variety of genres. Fighting, sports, platformer, jrpg, action, adventure, and some really outstanding 3rd party support. It also seemed like Nintendo heard what people wanted in a new Mario Tennis game (story mode). As a WiiU owner, 2 of the games already sit on my shelf, but I'm glad a new audience will get to try them out. As for the rest of the games, they all look like day 1 purchases for me. So excited!!!

almost all of Q1 and Q2 is ports of games...

I dont know if I will like TWEWY this way. It worked so well wieh two screens...

Missed opportunity (again) by not including online multiplayer coop for DKC TF. When will Nintendo learn, these games would be way better and sell more if they offered online coop platforming.

@Sm0k Yup, wouldn't be too fussed if those games were cheap or if there was some sort of Ambassador programe.

Underwhelming. Most of the games were either ports of games I've already bought or games that I don't care about. Not enough new games to get me excited.

The only announcement of anew game was tennis.
That game is going the wreck my fragile joycon sticks , just like the orignal did to the64 pads

Rather Dissapointing. It's been 5 years sice New Leaf and we still haven't had an announcement of a new proper animal crossing game. Also where is the new Yoshi game? We didn't here a thing about it but heard a lot about Kirby.

@gatorboi352 several of these games I’m willing to try simply because of the convenience of the Switch form factor. Skyrim is a perfect example. I enjoyed it very much given that I didn’t have to be glued to the tv in one room for hours. The Wii U games will be played by many for the first time as long as the Switch continues to sell. Seeing as it has already surpassed Wii U sales, there will be many that didn’t have the chance last gen. I’d have been a lot happier if they would mention a virtual console. I’m beginning to doubt it will ever come to the Switch.

@Bentheblaze2390 crazy that it’s been that long! My son and I enjoyed playing Animal Crossing and he was only 5 then. Time flies. We are ready for a new, Switch version.

@gatorboi352 there are a lot of people who never played these older games in the first place, and yeah, portability is a big deal to many

Dark Souls!!!! Donkey Kong!!!!!! Ahhhhhgggg!!!!!!

More old ports and rehash. No idea why I would pay $60 for Kirby on the same month as Ninokuni2 and Yakuza 6... but to each their own

I guess Y's is cool - been waiting for the localization fix on VITA. Better just to wait a bit longer for the Switch port.

So what happened with those Amazon place holders? Apparently there were 18 or so, and I only count eight new games announced in this Direct. That's not to say more are coming, but maybe it's the type of news we should ignore going forward.

@electrolite77 - add to that, if you are mobile within a house and have multiple Tv's and one console becomes the most functionable asset to both.

Anyone who hyped this up based on rumors was a fool. This was more or less what I expected.

@gatorboi352 answers for your questions: yes, yes and yes. I have in my library on Steam L.A. Noire and Skyrim for many years. Never played more than 20 minutes of each, because I had no time. Now I am with 60 hours plus on the first one and the second one I plan to start next week, simply because I can play on the go. So... yes, yes and yes.

Hoping a Nindies direct isn't too far behind now.

Despite not liking Bloodborne, I minght give Dark Souls a go. I’ll keep my eye on Mario Tennis and maybe I’ll go for Kirby? I dunno. TWEWY and Ys VIII have got my interest though, I’ll probably end up grabbing those two.

@gatorboi352

And I'll never understand why so many people like you undermine the sheer awesomeness of how great it is to have something like Skyrim, Doom or Dark Souls on a handheld, that you can take anywhere.

I know people who are married, commute a lot, have families, away from their home much of the time, etc... so the Switch is great for them. It just makes sense.

Or visit Japan and ride around on the trains in the evening. You'll see what I mean.

People were expecting waaaaaaay too much, that's all I can say. I'll pick up the World Ends With You and Dark Souls though and maybe Hyrule Warriors (again).

People looking down on all the Wii U ports. Really? That little machine has an amazing library and it sold so poorly, few people got to experience it. This is the way to do it. They'll sell millions of copies of those ports.

Awesome. Love this console!!

@gatorboi352 I, and many others I know, are buying ports of games we’ve already played simply due to the new portability.

It’s also why I have been choosing Switch versions over PC and PS4 versions of games, and will continue to in the future. (Though PS4 games sometimes come with free Vita versions...those situations make it a tougher choice)

I enjoyed it significantly more than I enjoyed last year’s Directs (April, September), and this was a MINI!

The speaker for this Direct makes it sound like Nintendo is spreading its announcements out this year instead of delivering the major ones in big chunks (like last year), so I’m OK with the current level of info.

This Direct ruled. I’m stoked for almost everything they showed. I still don’t care for Musou games though...or Pokken.

The World Ends With You (one of my favorites on DS!), Donkey Kong, Kirby, Dark Souls, Fe, Mario Tennis, Ys, and Celeste all have my interest.

That was a lot of cool stuff for a “Mini” Direct.

@Gamecubed Wii U will become like DreamCast and GameCube in 10 years or so; hated to death in its day, revered as gospel years later. It had an amazing library.

For a spur of the moment, mini Direct this was pretty great IMO. Darks Souls, Ys(highlight of the show for me), TWEWY, and SNK tag team are some welcome 3rd party entries. The Wii U ports are pretty nice, glad to see these get a second chance. And finally, the DLC is pretty decent too.

Kinda underwhelmed.

Dark Souls YS VIII and Tropical freeze is great but without a save transfer from 3DS no way am I grinding through everything again in Hyrule Warriors. No fire Emblem info is also sad :/

Complete lack of 3DS is sad. At the very least give us Yokai Watch 3 and Monster Hunter XX...

@electrolite77 - 4 docks, 3 Switches (mine, hers, and guests which is preloaded). And the versatility of literally reading something and then getting stoked to play something is appreciated when you can do exactly that.

Too many ports and not very interesting new details/DLC about known games.

The only thing that i liked a lot is the remake of TWEWY.
Not going to play,I haven't played the original either.
But I know its a good game,that totally deserves a remake ten years after the original version.

I'd like to be excited for Dark Souls Remastered but DS3 actually crushed my soul

@JamesR I suspect you're right.

@Hikingguy And likewise I'm in total agreement with you as well!

@BlueKnight07 Agreed!

@felony211662 You're right, good point there!

COME ON MOTHER 3 GIVE US REGGIE!

@gatorboi352 I have a busy schedule working in IT and having a small child. I did own a Wii U but rarely had a chance to sit in front of the TV, load everything up, finally get back in the groove to play for a while before having to find a save spot and shut it down.

With the Nintendo Switch, i am able to bring it to work, play during my breaks/lunch, (even though i shouldn't) play during the down times we have, at home, play while my wife is putting my child to sleep and in bed before going to sleep, even if its for a couple of minutes, it helps me get some gaming in. The sleep mode and mobility has helped be play some games and finally beat some games i wouldn't have been able to do with any other console (besides 3DS). It is a game changer for me as i only have one console and having only Nintendo Switch as my primary (as i rather spend money on games than other consoles) having these great games ported over gives me a chance to play these games now as i didn't have PS4/XBOX when they first released as i was unable to afford it and/or didn't have time to juggle multiple consoles. Though having a busy schedule, I have already beat big games like Mario, Doom, Play Splatoon, Xenoblade 2.

@gatorboi352 because in my eyes the XBO/PS4 are underpowered pc's. This is why I mainly only go with handheld system granted your view is probably different but the factor for me is that PS4/XBO only have a handful of exclusives and that's not enough to make me buy one, the switch however has portability as other have pointed out.

@YamAsereht I consider myself a loyal WiiU supporter (I still play on the ill fated console) and I do not care that Nintendo are releasing the best games again on Switch. As the only person I know that owned a WiiU, I was regularly telling people all the great games available to always fall on deaf ears. Now that the Switch is a success, these new Switch owners can play these fantastic games for the first time.

Just Mario Tennis and Dark Souls for me, and we really need info on the online service and virtual console, so that was disappointing to still have no time frame on that.

Not surprised to see this level of whinging tonight. I suppose we’re all marketing experts, now?

With so many expectations built up before the Direct was even aired, is it any wonder that there are disappointmented folk here? You only have yourselves to blame if you begin to convince yourself that assumptions are grounded in truth.

I.e; because Nintendo confirmed that Pokémon and Metroid Prime 4 are simply in development, that more information HAD to be given today.

This was a Direct Mini; an opportunity for Nintendo to address titles that aren’t in the AAA spotlight. There is no sense piling in every project and release under their belt into one video just to appease impatient fans. That is how information gets lost or poorly communicated.

They are pacing themselves and that is a very good thing - it proves that they’ve learned something from the Wii U era. A full-length Direct in the near future will no doubt address new system features some other anticipated projects they’re working on, but even then they will hold information back for E3.

So please, let’s be a bit more realistic and remind ourselves that it is mid-January. Why I’m earth would Nintendo out of the blue start showing off footage from the likes of Pokémon or MP4?

I feel like a bit of a chump because I own both Hyrule Warriors and Tropical Freeze and have barely gotten around to playing either. It's my own fault I suppose. I'm actually kinda excited about getting Hyrule Warriors again, since it includes all the 3DS stuff (which I never owned). Bringing together the console and portable versions of a game is a great way to sell the Switch's versatility, and I hope to see them do it with Super Mario Maker, Smash Bros. and NES Remix as well. As for Tropical Freeze, I'm tempted, but I think I'll just play the version I already have. The original Donkey Kong Country Returns on the other hand...

I loved the format of the direct! They packed a LOT of info in to the fifteen minutes! Sadlythe actually content was less interesting for me. I'd be more excited for Hyrule Warriors and Tropical Freeze if I hadn't already played them to death on the Wii U. I get that Nintendo want to ensure that these games reach the audiences they deserved, but I was really hoping for an all new DKC game. Mario Tennis looks interesting. Especially the Story Mode. I'm almost certainly setting myself up for disappointment by imagining a Mario version of Golf Story...but with tennis!

The Mario Odyssey DLC was a nice surprise, although I thought at the start it was gonna be a Luigi story mode! As it is, looks like a fun diversion and nice to have a reason to pop back into the world after getting 999 moons.

@BoilerBroJoe I think there were even less than 8, haha. The Amazon leak must have just been wrong.

@Mqblank - I always debate back and forth about how the ports lessen the cherishing moments of the Wii U. But I also know if they had to re-release DKC:TF again (one I predicted would) to turn enough profit to funnel into Retro's work, I am far more likely willing to have it.

Ys: Yesss!
Hyrule Warriors: Holy chickens!
Donkey Kong: Holy bananas!
Dark Souls: Hell Yeah!

Now Nintendo, bring more 3rd party support to the system like From Soft. Bring it on!!!

It was OK. Some updates and more filling games. Wii U's problem was that it has lots of dead spaces between games so doing this Switch won't have that issue. Good.

People complaining for no VC, well, that be neat but how many times I'm gonna pay for the same games!?
And the ones complaining for no info about the online paid system... I wish that never happens.

I was probably expecting one more blockbuster announcement, however I'm quite happy with what was announced. I doubt I will double dip one hyrule warriors or Tropical Freeze unless there are significant performance/content upgrades. However I think I will get the rest, particularly TWEWY and Dark Souls. Mario Tennis could be a surprise hit if it has more content than the Wii U instalment

Curious to note that the Japanese version of the Direct didn’t feature Fe or Payday 2... I guess those games won’t come to Japan, at least not at the same time as the West.

Donkey Kong was the star of the show for me. Not bad for a direct mini.

@gatorboi352 Many of us aren’t double dipping. For us is the first time we’ve got to play those games, so I say: keep them coming!
I’m having a blast with Skyrim and Doom and I’ll buy Dark Souls day one.
Though ports shouldn’t be focus, just the icing on the cake. The Switch needs exclusives more than anything.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE couldn’t agree more. It looks like it was put together hastily just because the people were screaming for a Direct.
Just one new game. That was all. Either the first half of 2018 is going to be not too good, or this Direct mini was just an appetizer for the real stuff coming that we don’t know yet.

@maruse Most of the games announced came from japanese developers but I can sense an strong 3rd western party support coming to Switch. Or are they deaf to what Switch means by now? Just look at the sales numbers on that machine! And how we, the gamers enjoy videogames currently. Portable is the way to go! Jump on in! One last note: Even with all the great games announced on this direct I'm gonna save some coins to get that Wolfenstein on the go! So I expect more games in that fashion (and I don't mean FPS but western like ones). Anyway, good times, people. Rejoice!

Short and sweet just as it should be. I was hoping to hear about a Smash Bros port

@gatorboi352
I've only played handheld since the Dreamcast, mostly. So any game that was only published on home consoles since then is a new experience for me (Doom and LA Noire have delighted me so far).

But I get your point and I agree : I too am sick and tired of hearing that "for the very first time the game will be enjoyable ANYWHERE you want". Are they going to sell us the concept of the Switch with every new game ? I think we all got it by now.

@gatorboi352 Mario Kart Deluxe, Skyrim, and Rocket League are making pretty compelling arguments that yes, portability DOES make a big difference and will incentivize people to double and even triple-dip.

Mario Tennis, Donkey Kong, and Kirby are all pretty much guaranteed purchases. Maybe Hyrule Warriors but I was already considering Fire Emblem Warriors, so I'll need to think about that.

I am very pleased by the selection of games. But let down by lack of any mention of the online service or potential virtual console support.

I know some will complain about the prevelance of ports and DLC, but I personally was excited by everything announced in the direct. Really making saving up for a Switch difficult, but it'll be oh so worth it when I finally get one! And now it'll be a bit easier since I can sell a few Wii U versions I have (I need to do that anyways to make space), and I can hold off on a few purchases that I know I'd like to have on a portable system, anyways, like Ys VIII.

Considering it was a out of the blue info dump I was blown away.
I wouldn't have expected TWEWY to be brought back to life but I enjoyed that game and will have a blast replaying it. I don't usually rebuy games but as a WiiU only HW player I'm excited about the (for me) brand new content. I'm excited for DK but not sure if I will double dip. Frothing at the mouth for the Mario (both games) and Pokken content. I've already bought Ys...but I miiiiiiight double dip and off load my ps4 copy.
but Dark souls....I really, really hope that sells well. Somebody tell capcom to port Dragon's Dogma too!

I would have liked one more DLC for MK8 Deluxe, not having any means they have either moved on to MK9 3DS or a new one for Switch in 2019.

Strong Direct, especially the consistent flow of Wii U ports heading to Switch. I'm hoping at least 4 more come by the end of the year (preferably Smash, Super Mario Maker, XCX and TMS#FE).

@Damo @EVERYONEONNINTENDOLIFE - You do all realise that this Direct is a Feint - a diversion - It wasn't called 'Mini'; for nothing - there is another direct incoming. . . . .

@westman98 I never really had any major reason to play Donkey Kong TF, I always looked at it as "ah it's a platformer..." Bad move. I borrowed my friend's copy, and wow. It is so damn good. The precision gameplay, the aesthetics, the way the music works so well with the levels...it's top tier.

@thesilverbrick agreed, a little underwhelming. I'll pick up Kirby and possibly tropical freeze

great to see hyrule warriors coming and other wiiU games.

since that console never existed it's great they're bringing the good stuff over.

kirby looks cool too. so far i'm happy with the games. they still need to fix the rest of the system/ease of use/UI/etc. i won't hold my breath for that though.

@gatorboi352

It's only good for people like me who never owned a nintendo system before other than switch.

@uximal Good News! You don't have to wait. You can get it on the Xbox 360 (probably works on Xbox One too), PS3 and PC.

@SleeplessKnight think you are right and wrong. Yes the Wii u flopped and these games will get to be seen by a larger audience but where Nintendo went wrong is by not having enough new stuff for the people who did support them and buy the Wii u. What about them? We are expected to buy titles we have already owned for twice the price. Not really a reward. Should have had stuff for everyone

@Lugia mmmm. I wonder if they will add more kingdoms as paid DLC for next Xmas? I’d slap $20 down as I’d probably like to revisit around that time....

I don't have a Switch (yet), but this Direct really didn't make me more hyped to buy one.

Only thing that disappointed me was that it was filled with ports. That being said I haven’t played most of those games. Mario Tennis Aces was the highlight for me!

When your current system sells in a year what your previous system sells in its lifetime, I think its okay to make ports of your old games.

That said, I'm still playing on my WiiU and the struggle is everyday harder.

Dark souls, Payday 2 and world ends with you are games to buy.
I will wait and see Kirby . Doubtful on Donkey kong tropical freeze, tho i loved it i comprehensively completed it first time & hyrule warriors isnt needed twice.

People who voted need to remember that this was just a "Mini". It's in the name. Which means they're either saving more games for a Direct later on in the year OR they're going in guns blazing on E3 this year.

Too few games aside, this Mini Nintendo Direct made me feel like it was aimed at japanese gamers only. And at those craving to play 7 year old games (what is this new trend anyway ? Mid-retro gaming ?).
Please bring on the Maxi Direct soon.

Am I the only one that walked away wanting to learn more about that Ys game?
After reading a few reviews I"m SOLD!!!

I understand why there's people complaining about this, it was built up too much, people expected AAA games instead of ports and more functionality related news instead of a line-up that pretty much consisted of ports. But as others have clearly stated before-hand, nothing was really 'promised'. No one should have expectations on what to expect and it was only a mini. They'll be saving the larger news for a later date.

Personally I enjoyed the Direct. I never owned a Wii U. I'll definitely be picking up Donkey Kong, Hyrule Warriors, The World Ends with You and I'll also probably triple dip into Dark Souls too.

Kirby looked quite enticing, but it came off as more of a multiplayer game to me, which I'm not particularly fond of.

Aside from that, I downloaded Dragon Quest Builders Demo today, which took me by surprise and I'll probably end up purchasing that too now.

I thought it was good, I enjoyed it. Definitely enough to give me reason to keep going onto my Switch, not that I didn't have enough reason to do so already and a list of games waiting for my wallet to fill up after Xmas.

Funky Kong Wii U DLC?

Nothing in this direct for me.

@moltakfire Holy you might be onto something: https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/7pq1st/take_it_with_a_grain_of_salt_each_direct_mini_has/

A fantastic direct! So excited to play remastered Dark Souls on my Switch! The first one is the only I never finished. Also def going to double-dip on Tropical Freeze, grab The World Ends With You (never owned it on DS), and Ys VIII.

I guess we'll have to wait until E3 for any big announcements.

DLC should have no place in a Nintendo Direct unless its something really interesting like a mini expansion for Odyssey or something like that. Other than that its just fillers that prove that you don't have much to say. Only a new Mario tennis and a DK country port, really?

INCOMING: AWESOME GAMES!!!

The whole thing was filled with re-released games! A kick in the face for any Wii U owner. Most of the new Switch games are just lazy re-releases, Mario Kart 8, Bayonetta 2, Pokken Tournament, Lego City and now its Hyrule Warriors and DKC Tropical Freeze! Pathetic! We can also add the other non-nintendo releases. Zelda BotW could also be included in this list, since it came out on the Wii U. Really disappointing Nintendo!

@chiefeagle02 I'm the same with you. Why should we buy a Switch when we can already get the new Zelda game, Pokken Tournament, Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta 2, Lego City, Mario Kart 8, DKC Tropical Freeze etc. DLC should be nothing to hope about either. Really pathetic presentation from Nintendo.

@JJ_64
A kick in the face to all 8 Wii u owners indeed .

@Crono1973 True, I can actually get on PC but with my current Job and also family responsibilities there is no time to sit in front of a TV esp considering the number of hrs for a lengthy game..so will hold out for the Switch version.

@gatorboi352 unfortunately the switch is the indie system that gets ports from games that can range from 2 years old all the way to 15 year old games and tbh it's ridiculous

This year don't be surprised if they release a Zelda definitive version that'll come with all the dlcs and maybe throw in so.ething else to everyone all over again lol it's the way of life now. Next thing u know we will get zombies ate my neighbors remake then charged 60 bucks for it like they did skrym

@JJ_64 You do actually make a point however depending on the kind of games you like Switch does offer a vast library think about it... you have Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Rocket League, Splatoon 2, Mario + Rabbids, Skyrim, Doom, FIFA 18 and an endless list of great indie titles plus more coming soon- Metroid Prime 4, Bayonetta 3, Ys8, Shin Megami Tensei, Fire Emblem, Dragon Quest etc.. and that's just if portability is not enough to convince you to get the Switch..

I'm pleasantly surprised with the announcements.

Really, there is new stuff announced for Switch almost every day, and this is just Nintendo's way of signaling that an official voice still exists.

It's not any kind of indication that this is all there will be. More announcements will come, but from developers themselves and from Nintendo.

Everyone is going crazy for Dark Souls which Is great news that it's even coming. However my gut feeling is this won't sell aswell as it should in comparison. We keep saying we want big 3rd party titles but we never really buy it to them on Nintendo platforms. I'd like to be proven wrong though.

@MsgBoardGamer

https://twitter.com/DirectFeedGames/status/942951836365049857

That's your 'industry-insider' saying a Dark Souls remaster would never happen. If you believe everything an 'industry-insider' says, you limit both your hype and your imagination. They aren't right all the time.

@Brett_is_dead You mean over 10 million people. I get it. The Wii U was disappointing - but no Wii U owner (which would be made of a lot of Nintendo fans) should waste their money on the Switch - as it only offers rereleased games you can get on other consoles.

@gatorboi352,

I also have my doubts. Though I admit I don't care much about "gaming on the go", I always play at home. It also gets very annoying, all that talk about: "now you can play it on the go" from this site. We get it now Nintendolife!! They also say it about download-titles also found on Steam. Guess what, you can also play them on the go on a i-pad. Nothing exceptional here!

@JJ_64,

You can't play Mario Odyssey on a Wii u, or Mario+Rabbids, or Xenoblade chronicles 2. Yeah third-party titles are mostly downloads, that you can also get elsewhere. And Nintendo should stop with the Wii u ports. But there will definitely be more great Nintendo-games down the line. In a couple of years it will be money worth spend, like was the case with Wii u (in my opinion anyway). Of course there will also be some duds, the times where every Nintendo title was great is over.

Nothing much for 2018. I should wait for the direct. The direct was disappointing. Oh, it was only a mini direct. The proper direct will come in March. Oh, no? Silly me, the games will be announced at E3. Ah, disappointing E3. Why can't I remember that Nintendo announces their games in directs....and the cycle continues.

Edit: Forgot evolved version of mini-direct

@SleeplessKnight

Fully agree with your logic, and while I had a wiiu myself I never had the time and more importantly the money back then to buy pokken or dk

@gatorboi352 Hey man, just want to explain why Switch is so good for families.

My household owns a PS4, Switch and a high end gaming PC and I have a good selection of AAA games for all and my time is spread between all of the with PC taking up most of my time.

Having said that. I would say my favourite of them all is the Switch, and it was the Wii U before that. Why? Well, like I suggest earlier, because Nintendo is such a good gaming company for families.

For one thing, I have some PS4 games that I have to play when my kids are asleep or I remote play on a laptop with headphones on away from them because I don’t want them to see brutality or horror.

Nintendo’s games are always child friendly. But they are also fantastic, suitable for both children as adults. And despite owning child friendly games on PS4, the kids naturally gravitate to the Switch.

The portability makes it great for them to play around the house or when someone else wants to use the TV. They have even played four player ARMS and MK8 in table top mode (somehow they can see well enough on it).

It also works out great when my son is stuck on a game or wants to show me something he really likes and I’m working, cooking or whatever. Instead of me leaving what I am doing and going to him, he just brings the Switch to me, I help him out or watch what he wants to show me and then he goes back and docks it to continue playing on the TV.

I have always been a multi platform gamer, and have owned everyone home console from Nintendo, Sega, Sony and Microsoft (bar the XBox One, because I didn’t feel the need this generation as most of the games are either on the other consoles or PC).

My personal view is that you can get an amazing gaming experience from any console or PC. And even if you own a PS4, you still might have a bad experience because of the games you buy.

Personal preference plays a big part also. Nintendo games suit a certain type of person. They wouldn’t suit a COD, FIFA person. But that is no bad thing. You could easily argue that many PS4 only gamers, especially younger gamers, are missing out on the magic Nintendo offers.

I also think it is worth noting that cultures are different and in some countries, like Japan, portable gaming is important to a certain portion of the market. And there is a myriad of different lifestyles around the world. Not everyone has a big house with lots of TVs or everyone shares one TV like in my house, for example.

It is a shame you don’t see the value of the Switch in the market. I’m not saying you should enjoy the Switch more, but instead be open minded to accept that the Switch is the perfect gaming console for many people. It just wasn’t right for you.

@Steven_the_2nd Thanks! I guess you're right. The Virtual Console will come with a big bang and lots of drum noise. Probably at the one year anniversary.

Maybe they will bundle it with hardware? SNES/N64/GCN-styled Joy-Cons with matching button layout?

@gatorboi352 Skyrim which is on every platform ever it feels like actually sold really well on switch. So I wouldn't be surprised to see Dark Souls do just as well. Me personally, I'm willing to double dip.

@NintyNate You're expecting too much out of a direct "mini". This was perfectly good for a quick little direct to show off games early 2018.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Most of those things you're saying should have been mentioned are too major for a mini direct. Every mini direct so far has been followed by a major direct in 20 days or less. The whole point of this was to get ports and smaller titles out the way so they can talk about the things you mentioned in your post (when they're ready). January 12th is a little early to be complaining about what has and hasn't been announced for 2018.

Tropical freeze everywhere I go ❤️

@gatorboi352 I don’t know about people double dipping much, but for me, it’s simply the only chance of me giving these games a go at all. I think many people probably buy the switch for it’s portability who do not have other consoles, or don’t use them. Those people now have a chance to buy these and play on the go.

Nothing really of note. I was probably expecting too much from a simple Mini Direct, especially after their winner year of 2017.

I already knew that a new Kirby game was coming.

I find those DKC games too hard for normal or inexperienced players, some of the levels are excruciating. After that DKC game on the 3DS I vowed never to play another one. Too hard for people like me.

Tennis might be ok I guess. I much prefer it to their Mario Golf (I hated the 3DS version, those controls and physics [for me personally] were way too hard to try and master or get control of).

Not that much into battle or RPG games either, so that may rule out some of those games such as “Hyrule Warriors”. I do love Zelda games but that is mainly because of the exploration / puzzle solving involved.

As for the DLC for Odyssey? Just does not sound that appealing. Although free costumes (actually anything FREE) is always welcome!

A bit disappointing that a release date for Wolfenstein II didn't drop in the Direct mini

@Lthoise yeah but we didn't know it was a "mini" until.it was thrust upon us haha

@JJ_64
Lol. , Just poking fun at ya, actually bought my Wii u after I got my switch , still double dipping on bayo and DK tropical , hyrule never got so I'm pumped for that . The actual switch console is hands down infinatly better than the wii u , I'd rather play on my switch than the wii u, so I love ports ports and more ports , bring em on. And if you don't own a switch may I suggest to you , get a switch!

@MsgBoardGamer I love how you sent a slightly rude message first, and then you edited it to make it even more vile. Such toxicity.

His exact comment was 'It was blindly believed & suddenly a hype cycle begins where announcements like Dark Souls Remaster, SCVI Switch, and Xenosaga HD are expected to make appearances. The issue being: none of these were ever going to happen.'

If he said they weren't going to be announced, fine. But one did happen in the Nintendo Direct Mini.

Just to provide a basis as to why you shouldn't blindly follow the words of an internet critic - Emily Rogers has been right about many things Nintendo-related and NateDrake backed up everything she said regarding Zelda. However, she also said you could change Link's gender, which didn't happen. Takeaway from that? Don't trust everything you read on the internet.

Like it or not, people are going to predict when events happen. You can't change that. These comment sections are made for discussion, not belittling comments like yours. If you want to act like a second-rate bully, do it elsewhere.

EDIT: Might I take the chance to also remind you that in the community rules, it says to 'not disrespect other opinions; Remember that everyone is entitled to their opinion on a subject. Just because you don't agree, doesn't mean you need to flame them or harass them. Please always remain constructive in your response.'

Just a friendly tip!

Bit disappointed. Not a lot of new games. Just ports.

@MsgBoardGamer Sigh.

Looking at your comments on other message boards, you seem to get off by using condescending language and belittling words. Make a point, but make it without looking like a bully. You seem to lack this understanding. The moment your tone became one of 'your opinion is invalid, I know best', I shut down.

Regardless, there's now a new NintendoLife article speculating the very thing I did, only they've backed it up. If you want to keep responding to me, do so. I'll give you the same opinion that you're trying to deny me. That isn't going to stop NL staff from reading these comments, however.

For me it's the lackluster Direct, boring ports & remakes from a previous gen which aren't even too old yet. Will wait for reviews on Mario Tennis & Kirby before buying, maybe will consider Ys VIII & that's all. Hope there'll be another Direct soon revealing a lot more of brand new games which my wallet is waiting for.

@MsgBoardGamer I’m not changing the subject. I simply raised an opinion that I don’t believe this is the direct people have been waiting for. Not that I need proof for an opinion of course, but read the latest NL article if you wish.

If I stated with absolute certainty that they are definitely doing another direct, and that everyone was wrong and I’m 100% right then maybe you could contest that. But as far as opinion goes, you can’t really do anything about it.

How did I see the Direct mini? It was a presentation of the side dishes/filler they're offering up between now and summer. It wasn't about appeasing the vocal minority who were tearing their hair out because somebody on the internet reckoned there will be a Direct on the 11th, they don't work like that. I'm sure there's people out there who'll be "is that all they've got this year? Poor show Nintendo!" I reckon there's more stuff that they're not talking about just yet.

@MsgBoardGamer The very fact that I wrote 'isn't it possible' shows it's a personal opinion. I asked others if there's a possibility that it was true.

All in all, you've just come across as a super vile human being. Respect/Ignore my comments, I couldn't give a hoot. But don't try and start an argument on the internet simply because you have nothing better to do. It's shameful. Given your comments on other articles, it seems you enjoy acting like a bully.

Because that's what you're doing. You're being an antagonist on a website which is meant to promote healthy, non-judgemental conversation. Calling a portion of Nintendo's fanbase 'gullible and impatient' because they have different viewpoints to you is rude, and something that shouldn't be on this website. If you have anything else to say to try and belittle people, don't. Keep that in mind.

@MsgBoardGamer @MsgBoardGamer Unless you hear it from Nintendo, the answer is not 'no'. You're basing your 'no' off the words of someone online, who doesn't work at the company. If you believe the moon is made out of cheese, that's your truth. I won't try and put you down given your opinion, as you're trying to do, because my parents raised me better.

@Mr_Pepperami Well you're correct in a "shoulda, woulda, coulda", revisionist history-type way, however the reality is that Nintendo - no mater who's at actual fault - just didn't make enough return on investment from the Wii U so now they're milking the cash cow of the Switch for all it's worth. Can't really blame them, but it does kinda suck for those of us who've already bought most of the 1st party Wii U exclusives to have to pay full price for them again on the Switch.

@SleeplessKnight I totally understand that and I actually have no problem with Nintendo bringing these games across, in fact I think it’s a good idea. I just think it had to be alongside original content. Kirby(which is made by Hal not Nintendo) and Mario tennis(which really looks like what ultra smash should have been and made on its engine) isn’t enough in my opinion. All I want is for Nintendo to do well and push on with the early success that the switch has had. I’m just worried that just announcing ports isn’t gonna push the console on and we could end up in the same situation as we were with the Wii u. Not much big third party support and staved in between Nintendo releases.