Super Smash Bros.
Nintendo at E3 2018
The last few years at E3, Nintendo has put their primary focus on one game, while touching on a whole host of others. In 2016 it was Breath of the Wild, 2017 was Super Mario Odyssey, and 2018 will be all about Super Smash Bros. For the most part, Nintendo’s E3 presence is shrouded in mystery, but we do know that Smash is going to be a huge focus for them.
Nintendo has detailed just a part of their plans, and they’ve even said that Smash will receive the most screen time during their Nintendo Direct presentation. At the same time, the company is holding a tournament during E3 known as the Super Smash Bros. Invitational. They’ve even said that anyone attending the show, who wants to play, will need to register ahead of time for a slot, instead of just waiting in line.
Considering the only thing we’ve seen of Smash on Switch is a short announcement trailer, you can bet Nintendo has a lot to show us at this year’s event, including plenty of gameplay. We’ve seen various “leaks” and rumors of characters that might appear in the new game, like Solid Snake, Ridley, and Simon Belmont. Considering this is Nintendo, however, we could really see anyone added to the roster, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion
Nintendo at E3 2018
In addition to the Super Smash Bros. Invitational, Nintendo is also holding the Splatoon 2 World Championship. Players from around the world will be competing for the title, ensuring that Splatoon 2 still has a big presence for Nintendo at E3. To go along with this, since Splatoon 2 is confirmed for E3, you can bet we’ll get some fresh details on the upcoming Octo Expansion, perhaps even a release date, along with a look at the Inklings in action in Smash.
The single-player expansion looks quite different from what we’ve seen before, casting players as an Octoling in a dark, and strangely hip-hop inspired, underground. From what we’ve seen so far, there’s a big emphasis on puzzles, even introducing some new physics-based objectives. Despite releasing last year, Splatoon 2 remains one of the biggest titles on the Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo seems set on continuing to support it.
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee
Nintendo at E3 2018
Following their announcement last week, Nintendo recently confirmed that fans will be able to get some hands-on time with Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee at E3 2018. The games mark a bit of a change for console Pokemon, featuring Pokemon Go integration and removing features like random Pokemon battles.
In the spirit of Pokemon Yellow, the Let’s Go games will have your main Pokemon as Pikachu and Eevee respectively, and you can even dress them up in outfits of your choosing. The two new games will only feature the original 151 Pokemon from Kanto, although it will include their Alolan counterparts as well. We already found out quite a bit of info on the Let’s Go games in a Q&A from the announcement, but we’re bound to find out even more at E3, especially as more and more people get their hands on it. Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee release on November 16 for Nintendo Switch, so they’ll definitely be a big focus for Nintendo moving forward.
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Nintendo at E3 2018
Monster Hunter has had one heck of a year so far, with Monster Hunter World quickly becoming Capcom’s best-selling game of all time. This Summer, the series is making its way to Nintendo Switch with Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Capcom announced the game last month, also announcing at the same time that it will be playable at E3 2018.
Monter Hunter Generations Ultimate is an upgraded and uprezzed version of Generations on the 3DS, featuring new monsters, equipment, styles, and more. With the series’ recent success, Generations Ultimate is one of the biggest third-party games coming to the Switch. Considering its release date is just around the corner, on August 28, we’ll definitely be getting a good look at the game.
Everything Else – Rumors and Speculation
Nintendo at E3 2018
Nintendo has confirmed very little for their actual direct or Treehouse segments during E3, and there’s a good chance that we could see quite a few surprises. In terms of what we already know of, we’ll probably see a little bit on Mario Tennis Aces, some kind of news on the upcoming expansion for Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and we still have yet to get a release date for Yoshi. Although it was technically announced, we still haven’t heard any details on Fire Emblem for Switch. Of course, there’s also the upcoming title Octopath Traveler from Square Enix, which Nintendo has already given the spotlight to multiple times during other directs. Some of these games, or all of them, could appear during this year’s E3. Although they’re probably still a ways off, we could also see a new trailer for Metroid Prime 4 or Bayonetta 3.
There have also been a few rumors as to what we might see announced from Nintendo this year. One of the strangest we’ve heard is rumblings of a Star Fox racing game, called Star Fox Grand Prix. A report from Eurogamer suggests the game would be like a mix of Diddy Kong Racing and F-Zero, but everything is still entirely unsubstantiated so take it with a grain of salt. Another recent rumor suggested that a whole host of third-party titles are coming to Switch, including Fortnite, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and Overcooked 2. Past that, a recent trademark suggests we could even see the announcement of an N64 Classic, following the recent NES and SNES Classic.
Nintendo always plays things close to the chest, and considering that we could really see any number of things announced at E3. Third-party support has been flocking to the Switch recently, and we’re bound to see that happen even more this year. Additionally, Nintendo has three days of Treehouse Live segments that’ll give inside looks at upcoming titles, as well as announcements. It’s already shaping up to be a big year for Nintendo, so we’ll just have to wait and see what they have in store.
Published: Jun 5, 2018 03:07 pm