Nintendo recap — Pokémon Legends: Arceus looks promising with new features and E3 might not happen

Welcome, everyone, to this week’s Nintendo recap. 2022 has already started in an exciting way with new trailers for upcoming Pokémon and Kirby games, giving us a better look at both adventures. Plus, one of Assassin’s Creed’s most popular titles is coming to Switch, and the next Mario Kart is reportedly in development. Also, E3 2022 in person was canceled, but it looks like that probably would have been the case regardless of the Omicron variant. There’s a lot to say so let’s go!

New Pokémon Legends: Arceus trailer shows wild encounters, missions and more

There has been a lot of confusion and curiosity surrounding Pokémon Legends: Arceus since it was first announced, given that it deviates significantly from the normal Pokémon format. The Pokémon Company has tried to enlighten fans and get them interested in the game through various social media posts and trailers. As part of this, a 13-minute Pokémon Legends: Arceus trailer was released on Thursday. It explained several aspects of the game, including Noble Pokémon, how to interact with and capture wild Pokémon, character customization, and more. While there’s still a lot we don’t know, the latest trailer answers several questions and made us at iMore more excited for its release.

Many have said this before, but this lengthy trailer makes one thing certain; Pokémon Legends: Arceus was heavily influenced by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The open-world exploration, variety of terrain, and even minimalist piano music all feel like it’s inspired by Link’s latest adventure. We even see one player seamlessly transition from riding a Wyrdeer on land to leaping into the air and flying with the help of a Braviary. Additionally, the Pokemon catching mechanics seem to give the game more depth.

Players can sneak up on some Pokemon and attempt to catch them simply by throwing a Poké Ball, but others require more work like battling or using items to make them catchable. Not to mention that your game avatar can even be attacked in the wild, so players will have to dodge and use open space. It really looks like Arceus will offer a unique Pokemon experience and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it releases. January 28, just two weeks away.

Mario Kart 9 in development with a new “twist”

Tokyo-based industry analyst Dr. Serkan Toto said gamesindustry.biz that Mario Kart 9 is in development with a new “twist”. This has led many fans to speculate what the new gadget might be.

On Twitter, #NintendoKart became a trending topic as gamers dreamed of seeing additional video game characters land behind the wheel of Nintendo’s flagship racing game, much like how fighters from various games have made their way. in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It wouldn’t be out of the question. After all, it wasn’t until 8 and 8 Deluxe that other characters outside of the Mushroom Kingdom were added like Link, the Inklings, and Isabelle from Animal Crossing. Characters like Samus Aran, Princess Zelda or even some Pokémon would liven up the series a bit and encourage players to buy the new entry. Some players have already modified additional characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to make things more interesting. However, it remains to be seen if this is the route Nintendo has taken.

In the meantime, we’ve seen several other companies attempt to enter the silly racer space like Nickelodeon Kart Racers, Chocopo GP with Final Fantasy elements, and even Garfield Kart. It’s no surprise that many companies are developing their own multiverse racers given how well Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has continued to sell on Switch. Even though it’s technically a Wii U port, it’s by far the best-selling Switch game with over 38.74 million copies sold and it continues to sell well every month.

Sales show that Nintendo has absolutely no need to release Mario Kart 9 anytime soon.

However, with the money 8 Deluxe is making, there’s absolutely no need for the Japanese game company to release Mario Kart 9 anytime soon. It’s more likely that Mario Kart 9 is heading to Nintendo’s new console after the Switch. It would make a great launch title since any fan that’s aspiring to it right now would most definitely opt for the new console.

This means that right now the only Mario Kart title made for Switch is Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. Nintendo knew there was demand for a new Mario Kart on Switch, so it went with an experiment that tried something new without cannibalizing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sales.

More news regarding Mario Kart entries will no doubt come over the next few years and we’ll be here to report when it happens.

Uncertainty Surrounds E3 2022

E3 2022 will be an online-only event if it even happens at all. With the global pandemic reaching a record number of new cases in the United States, it was not too surprising that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced once again that it would not be hosting a physical E3 event this year.

However, as explained IGN’s Rebekah Valentine, it looks like the ESA gave up on hosting an in-person E3 event for 2022 as early as last fall, even before the Omicron variant was a factor. It usually takes place in June, but so far no official date has been announced and some sources said they haven’t heard any official plans for the show. It’s also not certain that we’ll get a digital E3 2022 event.

Nintendo fans shouldn’t worry, though. It doesn’t matter if there’s a big gaming event with multiple publishers, we’re sure Nintendo will still have some big announcements for us in the months to come. There are plenty of exciting Nintendo Switch games coming out this year, and the company most likely has several standalone storefronts in store. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if we had a big Nintendo Direct again in June (around the same time E3 usually takes place).

Assassin’s Creed: the Ezio collection coming to Switch isn’t all good news

For many Assassin’s Creed fans, the Ezio games – Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, and Assassin’s Creed Revelations – are the best in the series. Luckily for Switch owners, these once demanding PC games are heading to Nintendo Switch on February 17, so you can play it on the go.

However, an official press release reported by NintendoLife explains that even though the physical version of the game comes with a cartridge, only Assassin’s Creed II will be included. Brotherhood and Revelations will be digital downloads that require the cartridge to be in place to play them. According to Nintendo:

Assassin’s Creed II game available on cartridge. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Revelations, Embers, Lineage and an audio package for additional languages ​​are provided as digital content for download (max. 35 GB). Internet connection required. Content can be activated after inserting the cartridge. MicroSD card required to unlock the entire collection at once.

This is understandably frustrating for fans who like to buy physical cartridges. Rather, it simply justifies buying the collection digitally, as two of the three games will be digital anyway. Whichever way you buy it, these games have had an influence on Assassin’s Creed history and are worth playing if you haven’t checked them out before.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is coming in March with two-player co-op and new copy abilities

This week, Nintendo finally revealed the release date for Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which will be released on March 25, 2022. We also learned that this adventure can be played solo or with a buddy in two-player local co-op. Player 1 supports the titular Kirby while Player 2 controls Bandana Waddle Dee, wielding a spear. Together you explore an abandoned civilization, fight enemies and save the other Waddle Dees.

Due to a disclaimer that appeared during the new trailer, we know that there are additional optional features for Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscribers, including some kind of toy vending machine, and the ability to see which copy abilities are most popular among other players. There are probably additional features. As far as we know, the vending machine might have something to do with digitizing the Kirby amiibo.

Either way, with co-op and online features, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is really starting to look like a fun time. If nothing else, it appears to be inspired by the 3D platforming of Super Mario Odyssey, but will offer a deeper multiplayer campaign experience for fans to enjoy.

See you next week

That’s it for Nintendo news this week. I’m counting down the days until I can pick up my Pokémon Legends: Arceus pre-order on January 28th. Until then, I’ll just grab Legendaries in Brilliant Diamond.

I hope you can all play your favorite games this weekend and maybe even discover some new ones.

Until next time.

- Rebecca Lance