Nintendo Direct/Indie World/Treehouse/Showcase Discussion Thread - Directly 2 You

I saw the top comment underneath the YouTube video for this was someone complaining about the developers talking about their stories. Hard disagree on that; with an indie game that does something different, I'd much rather someone be given the space to talk about their ideas, rather than the wall-clawing bantz between the Nintendo reps over the top of the gameplay.
I seem to have come out with different opinions as usual! I liked A Little to the Left - it's my kind of puzzler. And actually, once the peeps behind Once Upon A Jester explained that they'd deliberately left in first takes of audio in a kind of improvised way, that felt charming as opposed to just badly-done (see A New Beginning).

Buska wrote:

Definitely playing Inscryption on Switch now that I know it's an option.

Same!

Only other things I liked the look of were Pepper grinder which is probably a long way off & Rogue legacy 2 which I'm not in a hurry to buy.    

Jimbob wrote:

I saw the top comment underneath the YouTube video for this was someone complaining about the developers talking about their stories. Hard disagree on that; with an indie game that does something different, I'd much rather someone be given the space to talk about their ideas, rather than the wall-clawing bantz between the Nintendo reps over the top of the gameplay.

I'm definitely fine with indie devs talking about their game too though it's probably that plus the Nintendo rep stuff that sends folk over the edge. I was half watching the whole thing if I'm honest.

Must admit that I'm not really here for the devs to waffle on about their offerings. If you can't get across your idea in a trailer, 9 times out of 10 it's not going to be a good idea, and the tenth time perhaps Indie Showcase isn't the right format for you. Having said that, I absolutely agree with Jas: if it wasn't for the dire presenters the dev chat segments wouldn't be so grating. It's really the presenters being the problem. Again.

masofdas wrote:

What Little to the Left

Yep. I get quite enough practice putting things back in order when The Lady doesn't put the tea back in the fecking tea cupboard again

I don't mind the little dev chats, but there are a lot of developers who maybe need a couple of rehearsals before being put in front of the camera with a shocked deer-in-the-headlights stare and stilted delivery.

Ah, I remember when I thought that was the best film ever. Poor naïve Balla. (We only/'only' have maybe six types of tea.)

Balladeer wrote:

Two games I liked the look of ruined by being revealed as roguelikes.  ...World of Horror...

Make that three games.

Wait what it is the best film ever

We've got ourselves a bona fide 40 minute Nintendo Direct tomorrow lads!
Oooh baby.

I'm expecting more TotK than I'd like to see, some bug fix stuff for Pokémon (getting that out the way so we can have more positive news on Pokémon day), maybe an Advance Wars date and . . . beyond that I genuinely have no idea. If a Switch 2 is coming, I don't think it'd be announced in a Direct.

EDIT: It's actually today for most of y'all. It'll be 7am on Thursday for me.

40mins is quite long and focus on 1st half of the year games, which before E3/SGF as lots of reports etc that Nintendo have nothing beyond TotK why not at those shows.

Though that's second half of the year again post TotK, whilst this Direct is first half, that I really don't know what to expect maybe DLC for MK8D, FEnage, Xeno 3 etc

40 mins is v long at 10pm

It's only ten Andy!  What time do you get up for work?

Anyway, I'm very much up for this.  Should be a good year, considering that every other Switch year has been for me!  Direct predictions (that Mas has mostly already seen):
- >5m TotK trailer
- More on Pikmin
- 1-2 reasonably significant Nintendo announcements but nothing mega
- Too long on Octopath 2
- 3-6m in the middle on a JRPG that really doesn't suit a 3-6m trailer
- 3-6m on DLC for existing games, with XC3 Pokémon and Splatoon 3 all getting a yawn-inducing length of time
- 3-6m on that bloody film and the theme park
...remind me why I'm excited again?

masofdas wrote:

40mins is quite long and focus on 1st half of the year games,

They literally never stick to this.

I wake up by 6 most days whether i want to or not, so 10 is late in that regard.

Good direct though innit. Seems we'll continue on this one game a month schtick for most of the year so that's aight.

If I wake up at 6 I go to bed early the night before - midnight.

That Direct was a belter! Don't think I've spent 35 quid on a game so fast before & I even played the Metroid Prime remaster for a bit last night & looks fucking amazing!  

Other personal highlights were:

New release date for Advance wars 1+2
Pikmin 4 out July 21st
GHOST TRICK!
Zelda TotK probably got it's BotW trailer moment.
NSO Game boy games.

Also even though they are not my thing the JRPG crowd should be pretty happy too.

The Big Mas recap of everything shown in the Feb 2023 Direct with Pass, Maybe, Buy

• Pikimin 4, 21st of July. This is a buy for me with that good boy
• Xenoblade Wave 3 and Wave 4 tease.  I already bought the expansion as Wave 4 story DLC be like Future or Torna, and I'll take another 15+ hrs of Xeno 3
• Samba de Amigo, Summer. This is actually a pass from me even being a SEGA game
• Fashion Designer, 2023. Not for me but with now New Style Boutique fills that void
• Dead Cells Castlevania DLC, 6th of March. This is a pass because rogue-lite
• Tron Identity, April. Not for me as the IP does nothing for me
• Ghost Trick, Summer. I've never really played this and nice to see it getting a second go & not stuck on the DS, though now announced for PS4 etc as well where I'd likely get
• Deca Police, 2023. Weird anime police game from Level-5 I'm in.
• Bayonetta Origins, March. More Bayo lore init
• Splatoon 3 Expansion Wave 1 & 2 tease. This is a maybe as I only really care about the Wave 2 bit and need to more about it.
• Disney Illusion Island, 28th of July. A maybe as liked the old ones on Mega Drive, but depends on what else and cost etc
• Fire Emblem Engage Expansions Wave 2 out and Wave 3 & 4 tease. Much like Splatoon 3 it's about the story content come Wave 4 if I want to but the DLC just for that or not
• Harmony: The Fall of Reverie, June. New Don't Nod game and timed Switch exclusive, which I'll certainly be playing.
• Octopath Traveler II, 24th of Feb. Demo is out now on eShop and PSN, if I get likely be PS4/5 version.
• We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie, 2nd of June. Pass from me, also the last one now playable as a Game Trial
• Sea of Stars, 29th of August. Demo is out now, this does look good but I think if I was to go for a retro style RPG it be more like Octopath.
• Omega Strikers. 27th of April. Free to Play Hero Air Hockey thing which might be good or dead in a month.
• Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection, 1st of June. Good to see leave the DS and more get to play, but I hear all three games are $80.
• Advance Wars, 21st of April. An easy buy.
• Kirby Wiimaster, 24th of Feb. Out soon, nice to see new content even though all new to me as missed on Wii and demo up if you want to try it.
• GB for NSO, out now. As of now only odd game I want to play but seeing the Oracle games coming and in Japan For the Frog the Bell Tolls gets it a maybe
• GBA for NSO+, out now. Much like GB it's about what coming which includes the Fire Emblem GBA games coming, Golden Sun, Kirby, Metroid etc gets a buy
• Metroid Prime Remaster, out now eShop / 3rd of March physical. As I said elsewhere I am keen to play this after loving Dread, it's just more do I get now from the eShop or wait till the physical.
• Master Detective Archives, 30th of June. From a bunch of Danganronpa peeps, though last game that was used to flog it turned out to not be great why this is a maybe.
• Baten Kaitos HD, Summer. Much like Tales, looks a tad rough though again could to see leave the Cube so people can play it and don't have spend hundreds to do so.
• Fantasy Life i, 2023. I just got the one on 3DS more so to get before it's spenny and did look something I might enjoy, now I'll wait to this new one.
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, ???. Never really played a Layton game, that think this is a maybe from me.
• Mario Kart 8D Wave 4, Spring. I'm still yet to play Wave 3, though would be a buy.
• Sizzle Minecraft Legends Game Pass if I play, Blanc looks like a neat indie but too many games in Feb, MegaMan Battle Network pass, Have a Nice Death pass rogue-lite, eBaseball apparently this is £1 for that I might buy it, Dreamlight Valley still yet to play plus Game Pass if I did, Tales of Symphonia HD maybe just seems expensive for what it is but would get if I saw for £20 in a few months
• Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, 12th of May. I've got a day's holiday for this and will get the overpriced special edition and amiibo, maybe even the guide if we get one for this.

Pass 10, Maybe 13, Buy 13

Think overall good show, is quite a few remasters which kinda feels like filling the year with content but take Ghost Trick I've not played and leaves the DS, so others can as well. With those, guess how much you want to play again or haven't.

Nice to see Level-5 back, and instead of Farming Sims it's Mystery Detective games this direct we got a lot of. And some of those along with more remasters in the Japanese Direct.

masofdas wrote:

• Samba de Amigo, Summer. This is actually a pass from me even being a SEGA game
• We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie, 2nd of June. Pass from me, also the last one now playable as a Game Trial.

Disgusting. Let’s hope this is the last Big Mas Recap of Everything Shown.

Only if it was Donkey Konga instead of Samba de Amigo.

Keep forgetting Ghost Trick was in there. Everyone needs to get that played!

Yes they do.

GHOST. TRICK. GET. IT. PLAYED.

Thirding the Ghost Trick Get it Played! Because I know it inside-out, I dunno if I'd get it again - so everyone better do instead

A lot of that probably wasn't for me, but I can see that it would be for other people. And I am excited for Pikmin 4 again - because of its sporadic apperances prior to today, I wasn't sure whether I'd made it up in my head. And big-o-Zelda is coming. But I think I am doing the "old man" thing of being more excited for GameBoy and GBA games becoming available.

Oh - that new Professor Layton Game - do you reckon it's a 1-on-1 fighter?

Fourthing the Get It Played.  I've just replayed it the other year and I'm getting it again!

Strange Direct that - strange but good I think.  New Nintendo titles were conspicuous by their absence weren't they?  Which gives a lot more credence to a new Switch coming along sooner rather than later.  Meanwhile Nintendo's padding the schedule out with DLC (for four games I think, ridiculous level of focus), more NSO consoles (about time frankly), and remasters - including that one.  Also Ghost Trick: Get It Played.  

The return of Level-5 though: did anybody see that coming?  Anybody at all?  Three all-new games, all looking like they'll come to the West!  Level-5 could have completely gone to seed now so I'm trying not to get too excited, but three all-new games!  Here's hoping this sees a resurgence for what was once Nintendo's greatest third-party helper.  (Really though Nintendo should just buy them.)

So... yes.  Funny one.  No big new Nintendo games, but lots of other good stuff, nothing about the film or the theme park, and two of my top five games ever getting remasters.

Yeah does feel Nintendo are padding, and nothing from Nintendo after Pikmin 4 though be Xeno 3 Story DLC be like October.

Can see these reports be right about post TotK (the swansong ala TLoU on PS3), and we're in the end year or so (Is 6 years old in March) and releases look like they did last years of Cube, Wii etc though unlike those got 3rd party (I'm including Level-5 exclusives in here) and indies to keep it going for those already in like us.

As always I feel need to say that Nintendo are the kings of the surprise.

They can be when they want to be, certainly... but no new new games at all announced? For that to not mean anything, it would have to be one heck of a surprise. They could pull it off for sure, but will they? And if so why?