Nintendo Direct April 2017

First off for Nintendo 3DS, Hey! Pikmin, the 2D Platformer in the in Pikmin series was given a release date of July 28th along with a new Amiibo that has all the various types of Pikmin in varying positions around a rock.

Ever Oasis, which was announced at E3 last Year got a release date of June 23rd. There will be no Amiibo for this title, but we did get some information regarding the relationship of the main character and a Water Goddess who will help you run and expand your Oasis, which is apparently the last one left in the world.

After many concerns about whether or not it would be brought to the West, Monster Hunter Stories will be coming to the West sometime this fall. The game was fairly popular in Japan, and also got it's own anime which was well for itself as well. No exact date has been given yet, but with E3 not too far off, it's safe to assume we may have one soon. There are Amiibo for the game in Japan, but oddly they were not mentioned today.

A brand new IP called Miitopia was announced and is quite a unique concept. Using your friends Mii's, as well as your own, you play as them and work on their relationships. Weaker relationships may cause in-fighting during the otherwise standard turn-based RPG combat, but stronger ones will yield positive results. The game is mostly meant to be comical but it still includes a job system of sorts so that along with the combat suggests there will be some parts you can take seriously. No release have been given as of yet, but plans are to have it release this year.

Yo-kai Watch, really did get the Pokemon treatment thing down with the second game in the series, and while many thought the definitive version of Yo-kai Watch 2 (which is much like Pokemon Platinum, Emerald etc.) would never make it to the West. It is coming however and will include new missions, more story elements, the ability to befriend wicked Yo-kai which are different than standard Yo-kai and will give you a new area to explore as well as additions to the multiplayer co-op mode! The game releases as Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters this fall.

If you are a fan of Box Boy, his final game is out today! If you're unsure about getting into the series just as it's ending, don't worry, demos for all three titles are also out today, so you can give it a go before jumping in. The Kirby

Amiibo from the last Kirby title to hit 3DS, will give Box Boy new costumes, and if you have save data from the previous two titles, you can change the appearance of the game to make it look like it's being played on an original Gameboy.

Taking a break from 3DS titles, we now get to some Amiibo. The long awaited Smash Bros Amiibo for Cloud, Korrin and Bayonetta got a release date of July 21st, but each will have a different version meaning there will be six new Amiibo for Smash Bros in total. Cloud will have Amiibo from both his original FF7 look to his look from Advent Children, Korrin will have both a male and female version, and Bayonetta will have versions from both games in the series. Certain Amiibo will only be available at stores though, so it might be difficult to track down all six if that's your plan. Not so Surprisingly if you were paying attention to Nintendo leaks, Zelda is also getting three new Amiibo, and all three of them are different versions of Link from previous titles. These Link Amiibo will be available June 23rd, and don't seem to be retail specific.

Hal Labs has three new titles for Kirby coming to the 3DS. Team Kirby Deluxe is a free to start Kirby game based on working with three friends to battle monsters from the series and it out today. The Game is also an expansion of Team Kirby Clash, not a sequel if anyone was unsure. The remaining two games are slightly different, one is called Kirby Blowout Blast and is all about trying to suck in and launch foes in such a way that you take out as many enemies as possible in one attack. You can suck in multiple enemies at once for bigger attacks along 25 stages. This will be digital only title coming this summer. The final Kirby game is a Multiplayer action game that was given no title but is due for a 3DS launch this Holiday. This game will be physical and digital.

Now for Switch news. Mario Kart 8 had a small update for us by letting us know that if you are able, there will be a racing and a battle tournament to be held for the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Ultimate Street Fighter 2 actually got an Update as well, as two players will be able to Co-op against one AI sharing a health bar. There will also be a "handheld mode" for the game where special attacks will be on all corners of Switches screen and simply pressing them will activate the attacks. One has to assume this will only work when the system is out of the dock because it's still something new all the same. The game will launch May 26th

Minecraft is making it's way to Nintendo Switch. There will 8 player online modes, and 4 player couch co-op modes for the game, that support Joy-con's and pro controllers. This version will also include a Super Mario mash-up pack that will allow for locations and from previous games to have their own Minecraft versions, and will allow for the parts to exist to create any size statues of Mario characters. The characters themselves will also be able to wear costumes from the Mario universe. This version with the Mario Bros mash-up pack, will launch on May 11th for the Eshop, and at retailers at a later, unconfirmed date.

Several Neo-Geo titles are coming to the Switch as well. Most people probably already are aware of this news, but it's interesting all the same and one of these titles, Samurai Showdown IV: Amakusa's Revenge will be on the Switch tomorrow.

This was it's own story before the Direct, but Sonic Forces, which is a game where 99 percent of the Planet is already in Eggman's hand was mentioned today along with some new Gameplay and CGI scenes. We also learned that Eggman summoned Old-School Sonic for unknown reasons, and that another ally yet to be announced is coming as well. The game will be out on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch during the Holidays this year. Sonic Mania which had been delayed a while back is set for release on the Switch this summer, so presumably, because it's not a timed exclusive, PS4 and Xbox One will be getting it around the same time. No exact release date has been confirmed as of yet though, so let's hope there will be no delays.

A new IP for the Switch is coming called Project Mekuru is coming as well and is a 4 player competitive game where you need to claim as many tiles as possible on a board and knock your opponents out. Smashing places will also give you items to help you along. This will be an exclusive Eshop title coming sometime this summer.

Fate/Extella is headed to Nintendo Switch as well. It's an action game like many as of late that play like Dynasty Warriors and will have several characters playable from the Fate series of games. The game will launch on July 25th.

Disgaea 5 Complete is coming May 23rd but a demo will be launching sometime between now and then. Puyo Puyo Tetris now also has a Demo so if you want to play it before it launches in the next two weeks, you can give it ago.

Monopoly is coming to Nintendo Switch. This version will have new rules, and also allow players to set their own rules. Up to six people will be able to play, and you will be able to unlock new boards to play on. It also seems like some DLC for the game might be on the way to add even more variety but that not only wasn't said directly, but it's unclear if that does happen, whether or not it will be paid or not. Only time will tell, as this game is set for Launch in the Fall.

Rayman Legends will have a few exclusive features such as the ability to link up consoles for Co-op mode and to set up tournaments in the soccer minigame. No release date was given here either, but it is expected to launch this year.

THQ Nordic has two titles coming to the Switch. One is a bullethell sort of game called Sine Mora EX and will include co-op and versus modes. The game is set for release in Summer of this year. Next up is Battle Chasers: Nightwar, a game based off of the comicbook Battle Chasers. It's a traditional looking Turn-based RPG and is a timed Exclusive for Switch launching late this Summer.

Payday 2 is coming to the Switch. Much of the content already in the game will come with launch Edition of the game later this year.

Namco Museum will be coming this Summer to Nintendo Switch and will include a host of old-school single and multiplayer titles.

A limited number of Switch docks on their own will be coming to retailers and Nintendo's own website May 19th, allowing you to play the system on a different TV without having to unplug the system's cords from whatever TV you use the most often.

Arms showed off a new character named Minmin as well as several new combo's of Arms that can be equipped to all fighters to allow for many different styles. There was also a two versus two mode confirmed for the game, and it releases June 16th of this year.

Splatoon 2 will have a new mode called Salmon Run where up to 4 players fight together on a small boat like area fighting against various Salmon type enemies. These new foes will have special enemies that drop golden eggs which can be used to get special items in the game. Three new Amiibo of Inkling Girl Inkling Boy and Inkling Squid are also releasing and befriending the characters that come with them will help you get special clothing items. The game and the Amiibo will launch July 21st of this year.

And that's pretty much everything. What are you most excited for? For me, I'm just super happy to see those Amiibo and that Monster Hunter Stories is coming and Ever Oasis has a release date. So much good coming.

Wonderful summary, thank you. I've always been the sort that prefers to get information via reading rather than watching videos, so I definitely appreciate the write-up. Sadly, from the sound of things, there isn't much going on in this Direct that is of immediate interest to me, but if nothing else it does sound like Nintendo is doing decently for itself.

For me, it was really only some of the Amiibo and some of the 3DS titles that caught my attention. The Switch stuff is okay, but I don't really like most fighting games or online multiplayer competition like Splatoon 2. It was an overall good direct, but I have to admit that I'm hoping E3 will be better.