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The 14 biggest announcements from Nintendo’s E3 2019 presentation

The 14 biggest announcements from Nintendo’s E3 2019 presentation

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A sequel to Breath of the Wild is in development

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Illustrations by Alex Castro / The Verge

The last of the major E3 keynotes took place today, and it was a doozy. Nintendo’s presentation was filled with rapid-fire announcements — though not all of them were good. The long-awaited Animal Crossing on the Switch is delayed, but there are plenty of other things to look forward to, including new fighters for Smash Bros., a Link’s Awakening release date, and a whole bunch of ports. Check out all of the news you may have missed right here.

Breath of the Wild is getting a sequel

The most shocking announcement was saved for last: Nintendo teased that a “full” sequel is in the works for the venerable Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. We don’t know anything else about the game, but it appears to have a much darker tone based on the brief snippet on display.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate gets a pair of new fighters

The latest combatants to join Smash Ultimate are the hero from Dragon Quest and fan-favorites Banjo-Kazooie, which help form an increasingly oddball cast. DQ’s hero is coming this summer and has the ability to shift forms, while Banjo will be out in the fall.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 looks great

Luigi’s Mansion may not be the biggest Nintendo franchise, but the latest entry looks like it could help catapult the series to new heights. It’s a charming blend of horror and comedy, with more physical gameplay that lets you smash ghosts. Plus, there’s co-op play, with one person taking on the role of the unsettling Gooigi. Luigi’s Mansion 3 will launch on the Switch later this year.

Dark Crystal meets Final Fantasy Tactics

If you always wished Final Fantasy Tactics had more of a Jim Henson vibe, this might be the game for you. The Switch is getting a new turn-based strategy game based on Netflix’s prequel called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and it looks like a surprisingly good fit.

Link’s Awakening has a release date

The remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening looks as charming as ever, and now we know when it’ll be available to play: the Switch game will launch on September 20th. In addition to adorable visuals, the game also adds a new mode where you can design challenging dungeons to play through.

Geralt goes portable

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of the best role-playing games of the past decade, and soon, you’ll be able to play on the go. The definitive edition of the game is coming to the Switch, though it doesn’t have a release date just yet. Expect to play it later in 2019.

More Resident Evil on the Switch

You can already play plenty of Resident Evil games on the Switch, and soon, two of the less-appreciated games in the survival horror series will be available as well. Both Resident Evil 5 and 6 will be launching this fall.

No More Heroes 3 announced

After a somewhat disappointing spinoff, Goichi Suda is back with a proper sequel to No More Heroes 2. The game looks as ridiculous as you’d imagine, and this time, it features flying mechs. You’ll be able to play as Travis Touchdown again in 2020.

Daemon X Machina has a release date, and it still looks wild

We first caught a glimpse the mech fighter Daemon X Machina last year at E3, and it looked absolutely thrilling. Luckily, based on the new trailer, it appears that this hasn’t changed. And now it has a release date: September 13th.

Panzer Dragoon swoops onto the Switch

The classic Sega Saturn shooter Panzer Dragoon is being remade, and it’s coming to the Switch. The new version features enhanced graphics but otherwise appears identical to the original. It’s launching this winter.

Pokémon Sword and Shield will have (limited) Pokéball Plus support

If you have a Pokéball Plus laying around, there’s some good news: you can use it with the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield on the Switch. The pokéball won’t serve as a controller like in Let’s Go, but you can use it to take critters out of the game and into the real world, which, in turn, will earn you various bonuses.

Cadence of Hyrule is launching soon

One of the biggest surprises of GDC in March was Cadence of Hyrule, an indie-developed, musical spinoff of the Zelda series. It’s launching very soon, hitting the Switch on June 13th.

Animal Crossing is delayed, but it looks great

First, the bad news: after originally being slated for a 2019 release, Animal Crossing on the Switch has been pushed back to March 20th, 2020. The good news? The game, dubbed New Horizons, looks great, with a new setup that tasks players with building up a community on a deserted island.

Alien: Isolation

Alien: Isolation and Dauntless are getting Switch ports

A couple of very different titles are being ported to Switch. First, there’s the terrifying Alien: Isolation, which has players escaping a surprisingly smart Xenomorph. It’ll be joined by free-to-play monster-hunting game Dauntless, which recently made the jump from PC to console. Both games will be out later this year.

Correction: Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be released on March 20th, 2020, not March 2nd.