Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase (21st February 2024 @ 14:00 GMT)

[Julius]

And there we have it!

A Partner Showcase coming in at 25 minutes long and focusing on the first half of the year. 

Notably: this is not a Direct Mini, making it the first Partner Showcase to date to get the "full" (as in, well, not "Mini") Direct treatment. 

Also: on-demand and not livestreamed.

Edited February 19 by Julius

[Dcubed]

Ahh, just as the ancient scrolls predicted…

Looking forward to Sea of Thieves, HiFi Rush, Penny’s Big Breakaway, The Plucky Squire and Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
No Silksong though… sorry guys.

[Jonnas]

I'm not going to try and predict anything, not going to fall for excessive expectations. I know it's not going to have Mole Mania anywhere in it, so what's the point of even tuning in?

...

Ok, fine, I predict that Freedom Planet 2 will be in the highlight reel. There, you happy?

...

OK! And a Banjo-Tooie announcement for NSO.

...

andalsosoulcalibur2andskiesofarcadiarereleaseskthnksbye

[bob]

I reckon some sort of Minions game will be announced.

[Hero-of-Time]

9 hours ago, Dcubed said:

Ahh, just as the ancient scrolls predicted…

Looking forward to Sea of Thieves, HiFi Rush, Penny’s Big Breakaway, The Plucky Squire and Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
No Silksong though… sorry guys.

You forgot to add the other rumoured game.

Spoiler

Endless Ocean

 

[Dcubed]

Yes please! Have been begging for a re-release for donkey’s years!

The single most valuable and expensive GBA game on the second hand market being made available for a reasonable price? Don't mind if I do!

[darksnowman]

Woud like to see: Metal Slug Tactics. Shiren on the reel! Suikoden slotted in. Eiyuuden too. SaGa Emerald Beyond shown to the masses. Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! comes west, feels good. Jack Black singing a Bowser cartoon into existence.

Spoiler

Wario game because there was a story highlighting Wario games recently on the Switch news page

Spoiler

You're up to speed with Mario RPG, now: Mushroom Kingdom Hearts
Free update for Theatrhythm Final Bar Line includes characters, more classic track remixes and Supreme difficulty for the Defiers of Fate FMV
FF XIII Trilogy
MLaaK? MLaaDL? Crystal Defenders? Crystal Bearers? Type-0? Dissidia?
MORPHEUS: The World Ends With You
Dragon Quest Swords (Dec 2024)
Dragon Quest 3, red carpet rolled out for Chrono Trigger
2D HD Mystic Quest, FF IV The After Years
Farming & Woodwork with Geno
FF Pixel Remasters, Chrono Cross, Kingdom Hearts on carts in EU

Spoiler

Fire Emblems Assemble! The yearly Fire Emblem game is a fighter. Also features characters from the Tales of series. "they're all here"
Star Fox Armada
Tales of Graces
Tales of Phantasia on NSO
You'll take your Donkey Konga and like it

Spoiler

Sonic Generations
More than one SMT?
Etrian Mystery Dungeon is back!
Skies of Arcadia beckons. Since Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos are already here, it's time to complete the trifecta
F-Zero, and Maximum Velocity on NSO this Friday
Mario & Luigi & Sonic & Knuckles The Light & Dark Brotherhood with lock-on tech
Etrian Odyssey I-III EU physical release

Spoiler

Paper Mario Musou
Persona 3 Musou has a thumping soundtrack
Opoona!

Spoiler

Splinter Cell, Rabbids Go Home!, new Rabbids, Rabbids amiibo (would consider buying)

Spoiler

Just throw me a bone with Ducktales: Remastered

Spoiler

Openworld Steamboat Willy by Warren Spector
GTA Cloud Edition, Bully Scholarship Edition Wii port, Body Harvest on NSO
Elden Ring Cloud Edition
3D Dot Game Heroes
Mass Effect Trilogy
Dewey
Castlevania 64 on NSO, barebones Symphony of the Night full price port, eShop only. Konami Krazy Racers. 
Duke Nukem NSO blowout
Switch Chess
100 more classic books
Silver Moon
Muramasa the Demon Blade
Update on Level-5 games includes DQ IX
Zelda board game (on Switch)
Phantom Hourglass can only be played undocked on the touchscreen as can Mario 64 DS minigame collection. Get your commemorative styli! 
Populous
nintendolphins

Spoiler

If you're going to bring over the whole Rare kit and caboodle, just do the right thing and put them on carts. The boxes can be green for a laugh if you want. And could you chuck in Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Eternal Sonata and Too Human when you're at it? Thank you.

2D HD Perfect Dark GBC announced? With Metroid Prime 4 time frame.
GoldenEye Remaster on Switch and Xbox?
Star Field x Star Fox + Reggie, Iwata, Miyamoto puppet amiibo and Dylan Cuthbert to follow. Phil Spencer amiibo up for pre-order right now!

These are not my demands because I couldn't give much of a fig what's shown—I'm already well stocked for games so I'm just content the release calendar will be ticking over. And since third parties have brought the goods on Switch where possible, a Partner Direct is as welcome as anything. Whatever is in it, I'm expecting a good showing (by my assessment, anyway) and anything I want to get from it will be an annoying bonus. Personally, the scheduling isn't ideal, but when is it ever for these? Will go dark and enjoy it after the fact.

11 hours ago, bob said:

I reckon some sort of Minions game will be announced.

This would be such a snub to the rabbids.  I could see it happening with Nintendo's new movie making partners.

[Hero-of-Time]

Spoiler

Monkey Ball?

 

 

[darksnowman]

For a closing megaton: now partnering with Epic for Nintendo Lego in Lego Fortnite. If the Internet is down I will know this has come to pass.

I wouldn't mind an update on Mina the Hollower but that's probably Nindie and I'm getting by all right with it not having a release date. Nor would I put it past Capcom to do a remake of Streetfighter 2010 (NES) that looks like a flash game and is graciously Nintendo exclusive because it is low-effort dross.

[Ashley]

Me all week

 

[Hero-of-Time]

@Ashley Pyoro is the only reliable leaker at this point. Many have speculated the person has some kind of access to the YouTube videos due to how spot on the predictions/leaks are. 

[Julius]

AOH MY GOD BATTLEFRONT COLLECTION WHATTTTTTTTT

[Dcubed]

Epic Mickey HD and Monster Hunter Stories HD are some nice surprises

[Dcubed]

Rare comes to NSO!

We’re finally getting their pre-N64 games too!

Edited February 21 by Dcubed

[Hero-of-Time]

Pyoro was spot on again.

Battlefront, Endless Ocean and Rare's stuff were my favourite announcements.

[BowserBasher]

A few games interest me there, Epic Micky, South Park Snowday, Monkey Ball I'll be keeping an eye on hoping they are good. But damn, new Endless Ocean is possibly the must have for me there. I loved the original on the Wii and it seems like this could be just as lovely as that one. Plus a huge number of people can play together online, imagine huge NE underwater get together. 

Oh and Blast Corps! I may be off to play that now. They said they were available now.

[Cube]

So, a couple of games to possibly get on Xbox, but nothing for the Switch. Shame Endless Ocean isn't a proper game, just randomly generated levels. 

[EEVILMURRAY]

If they say it's for the first half of 2024, then if your game doesn't have a release date you sit down and shut the fuck up until you've got something. Then they piss all over the format with Fantasy Life Aai.

 

Snake Rattle N Roll was the saving grace there. Fucking love that game.

 

[EEVILMURRAY]

22 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Rare comes to NSO!

We’re finally getting their pre-N64 games too!

I know right? finally! maybe we'll get the Donkey Kong Country games and Goldeneye next time...

 

¬_¬

[killthenet]

It was more of a "Oh, cool" sort of Direct than anything earth shattering. Glad to see more Rare stuff coming to the online service, especially Blast Corps as I've always intended to play that. Might check out Monster Hunter Stories, but I think I'll definitely get Penny's Big Breakaway sooner rather than later. 

I'm a bit confused on Endless Ocean though, is it online only? The trailer leaned heavily on the multiplayer aspect, made me worry it was more of a live service style game than the single player exploration the series is known for. Oh and the rogue like procedural generation is disappointing too.

Edited February 21 by killthenet

[Dcubed]

Just now, killthenet said:

It was more of a "Oh, cool" sort of Direct than anything earth shattering. Glad to see more Rare stuff coming to the online service, especially Blast Corps as I've always intended to play that. Might check out Monster Hunter Stories, but I think I'll definitely get Penny's Big Breakaway sooner rather than later. 

I'm a bit confused on Endless Ocean though, is it online only? The trailer leaned heavily on the multiplayer aspect, made me worry it was more of a live service style game than the single player exploration the series is known for.

I get the feeling that's exactly what it is... Looks like the environments are randomly generated and you're supposed to explore as an online party.

Disappointing if true, but hey! At least Endless Ocean is back in some form I suppose!

[Julius]

That was a surprisingly solid Partner Showcase. I'd need to go back and check the others they've done but with those all being Minis, this definitely felt like a step up in terms of lineup and just general pacing. 

Anyways, as for what tickled my fancy: 

• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. I'll get to it...eventually, but sure, it's the Year of the JRPG, why not add another to the list and make it multiplatform while we're at it? Some day. 

• Battlefront Classic Collection. The only thing I paused the Direct for. My jaw dropped. This is one of my favourite games of all-time. This is going to be very bad for my backlog. Day 1. 

• Pepper Grinder. Not sure if I'll pick this up on Switch or Steam Deck, but I've been keeping an eye on this game for a little while now. I expect a lot of noise around it at release, I mean, assuming that it's any good. I won't be playing the demo (like we have the time for demos in the year of gaming that is 2024?!), but appreciate that there is one. If I'm not busy, Day 1. 

• Pentiment. Heard way too many good things about this to just let it slide. Another one where I'm not sure if I want it on Switch or Steam Deck, but I've seen little else besides the art style and a few seconds of gameplay out of context, so it is purely curiosity and the hype around it which has me interested. I am busy, so not Day 1, but, some day soonish I hope. 

• Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! Man, I've been meaning to get to this forever. I have it on 3DS. But I just haven't got around to it. Some day. 

I do agree with @EEVILMURRAY that calling out H1 2024 as the focus then having games with dates in the latter part of the year and just general "some time this year" is a bit weird, but hey, at least they didn't start talking about 2025! 

With all of that in mind, I'm going to give it a Totally Official Event Score (or TOES, because...these money-guzzling, coin-licking, cheque-hungry companies are all little piggies?) of 7.5/10.

Got that little Battlefront bump, baby 

[Ike]

A new Denpaman game was shown in the Japanese direct.

 

[Dcubed]

Just now, Ike said:

A new Denpaman game was shown in the Japanese direct.

 

New Denpa Men...

... Free...

... no thanks.

[Dcubed]

Another JPN Nintendo Direct exclusive... a new action RPG published by FuRyu (The guys who published the Cattle Call developed Legend of Legacy and The Alliance Alive).

Coming to Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC on July 25th in Japan.

Looks neat

Edited February 21 by Dcubed