E3 is finally over for another year, bringing to a close the biggest event yet. From surprise promotional crossovers on the Ubisoft conference to a certain game pretty much taking over Nintendo's big summer Direct, there's been plenty of topics to talk about now the dust is beginning to settle. So we've switched on the NL symbol, turned it towards the night's sky and from the darkness, Team Nintendo Life has appeared to discuss our biggest takeaways. As always, we want to hear what you made of Nintendo's presence at the big expo, so be sure to leave a comment below...
Glen Fox, guides editor
Honestly, I’m feeling a little deflated after Nintendo’s E3 showing because I was really hoping for at least one big new announcement for this year. It was pretty telling that most of the Direct focused on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, because that’s all Nintendo’s really got for year two. That’s great for fans of Smash Bros., but I’ve never really had more than a passing interest in it.
So what did that leave? Let’s Go Pokémon, which is pretty much designed to plug the gap between now and the core RPG next year. I think it will also serve as a nice stepping stone for all of the new fans that Pokémon GO clawed in. There’s also Super Mario Party, which I personally could not care less about.
But it was nice to see some footage of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which looks like it could be the best entry in the franchise yet. Also, Fortnite dropped, and that’s a MASSIVE boon for the Switch. Been hooked to it ever since. Ultimately, I feel like I was right to look to third-party developers for Switch joy as the year comes to a close. Starlink features Star Fox, Fallout 76 MIGHT come to Switch, and I’m still psyched for FIFA 19.
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, editor
E3 2018 was an odd one for Nintendo. Much like the other big platform holders, there were no earth-shattering announcements or brand new IP that made every stop, look and listen. The announcement of the Star Fox announcement for Starlink: Battle for Atlas was a great move, mainly because it a) satisfies those of us that really want a new adventure of Fox McCloud and the crew and b) gives a title attempting to reignite the cooling embers of the toys-to-life genre a much-needed burst of heat.
But there's no getting away from the fact the huge onus on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate left very little room for other titles to shine. It's Nintendo's big winter release, but the sheer glut of details felt like a poor use of 'prime time' broadcasting space that could have been used to showcase the next big indie hit or a Switch-exclusive title deserving of more attention.
Ryan Craddock, staff writer
For me, this year’s Nintendo highlights were all the big announcements. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate reveal – despite going into a bit too much detail for me – was always going to be the star of the show, and the complete roster, beautiful looking updates to the graphics and lighting, and the addition of Ridley are all fantastic.
I’m also excited about Fortnite – and really wish it hadn’t been leaked beforehand so that the intended shock factor would have been as intense as planned – and can’t wait to get stuck in this weekend. I’ve played it on PS4 before (so that means a new account for me – thanks Sony!) and I suck at it. Hopefully I’ll improve with practice!
Finally, Starlink: Battle for Atlas has really shocked me. Not just because of the Star Fox inclusion (which is awesome) but because the Treehouse: Live footage looked amazing. As long as the story content is well done, flying around those gorgeous worlds looks like it could be really good fun.
Liam Doolan, Australia correspondent
When the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Mashiro Sakurai appeared on my monitor during this week’s Nintendo Direct, I knew the big moment had finally arrived. The details about the new Smash title were ongoing from that point, with 25 minutes of comprehensive coverage.
One major highlight during this particular reveal was the news every character previously featured in the all-star series would be returning in the latest outing. When Young Link from Super Smash Bros. Melee then popped up, for me, it felt like an old friend had returned. I used to main the fast and agile hero of time until he was essentially replaced with the different but similar character, Toon Link. With both of these fighters now back in the series, I’m not sure which one I’ll gravitate towards. Regardless of who I opt with, I’m glad Nintendo is giving its fans this option.
Alex Olney, video producer
To be honest I think one of my favourite announcements was probably Fortnite. Now before any of you start dashing down to the comments to tell me what a sheep I am, it's mainly because now I feel I can finally breathe a bit. So many denied all the evidence, so many claimed it would be bad for it to come to Switch for some reason unbeknownst to anyone, but now it's finally here and there's no going back.
Also it's good fun with friends, and if people are having fun in a healthy way that doesn't negatively impact anyone else, can that really ever be a bad thing? Best thing was Smash though, let's not try and deny that. Oh, and Super Mario Party.
Jon Cousins, Japan correspondent
As with every Nintendo Direct, most of their E3 showing (well, the third party stuff) leaked ahead of time, but aside from the smash segment being really long and ’inside baseball’, I thought it was reasonable. It was great to see Hollow Knight release during the event, and Fortnite was the worst kept secret since Mario + Rabbids, so my highlights are definitely Daemon X Machina and Super Mario Party.
Although I’d hardly call myself a mech or anime fan, DXM had a real dynamism and vivid art style, and it's great to see a new IP from some veteran talent. I've never got into the Mario Party series, but I love me a mini-game or two with mates, and with the really interesting ways to use the system, SMP has the potential to be great.
Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer
Nintendo’s E3 presentation did not just start with a bang – it began with several dozens of them accompanied by loud heavy metal music and unbelievable mecha carnage. After recognizing several names among the staff, I am fairly certain that Daemon X Machina is the mech action game of my dreams, one already hinted by Xenoblade Chronicles X back in 2015. A very special birthday ahead for yours truly when n the 16th of October Starlink: Battle for Atlas lands with exclusive Star Fox ship, pilot and mission content. The perfect crossover and a continuation of Nintendo and Ubisoft’s discrete relationship of mutual respect.
There was nothing even slightly F-Zero related, I still don’t know who is making Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 3 remains illusive as ever but the sadness of those omissions is tiny when stacked up to the amount of joy from the amazing new games (and new content for old ones) heading our way in the next six months. The Switch is quickly becoming the most important games console I ever owned in my life and I look to the future with a big childish smile slapped across my face. Mission accomplished, Mr. Iwata. I thank you “Directly!” for so, so much.
Richard Atkinson, contributing writer
The unruly and unpredictable E3 storm has passed which means it’s time to shrug off the inevitable disappointment from getting WAY too hyped, focus on the slices of goodness that we got from Nintendo this year and turn our attention to what brought a smile to our faces. For me, the instant release of the Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion was one of the most welcome surprises - the thought of having to wait even longer was too much to bear and my prayers were answered.
But there was one title that got me even more excited than a Nintendo fan learning of ‘normal’ voice chat without the use of a silly app and that was Super Mario Party. The patent that Nintendo filed a few months back finally saw its commercial light and, boy, did it look great. The idea of tapping two Switch screens together to make a bigger playing field on a table in a pub, friend’s house or train coach excites me and I can’t wait to see what the title has to offer. Time for many friendships to be ruined all over again.
Alan Lopez, contributing writer
You’ll hear what I think about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but now is nowhere near its release date of 7th December. Heck, it’s not even June 22nd, henceforward 'Mario Aces Day'. So instead of sitting on my hands, I joined with 100 million people before me and downloaded Fallout Shelter, the free-to-play sensation that’s one more toe from hit-maker Bethesda’s toe-in-the-water approach on Nintendo platforms.
And admittedly, somewhat surprisingly, I didn’t know much about it beyond screenshots. After deciding this would be my first post-E3 experience, I booted it up, learned the ropes, and started colonising my little ant farm of people. Like an upside down Sim Tower, I nurtured my little citizens into good health and great fortune. Hours went by. I basked in the dull hum of fallout.
Sure, maybe it’s two years late, but E3 has a way of making everything exciting. My face was close to my Switch screen all weekend playing games and checking the e-shop, like a child pressed against a cooking microwave. I’m thinking, “Am I gonna get radiation from this?” But I just want a front row seat to all the changes…
Dave Frear, retro reviewer
Many games from 2018’s E3 caught my interest, but one unexpected surprise was Starlink: Battle for Atlas. I was unimpressed when it was shown off last time, but as the segment unfolded at this years Ubisoft conference I began to warm to it - and then we were hit with a burst of Cornerian radio chatter and learned Fox McCloud would be popping up in the Switch version. That raised my interest levels further and whilst it could turn out to be rubbish, it looks quite fun from what we’ve seen so far.
Less likely to be rubbish is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He kept us waiting, but Snake has made his return as have all previous fighters, plus playing as Ridley is going to be a thing. Awesome. Nintendo may have dedicated too much time to it in their presentation, but I can see it being hard to put down come December.
Morgan Sleeper, E3 2018 reporter
Thinking back on my time on the show floor over this year’s E3, one thing stands out: getting to go hands-on with the Poké Ball Plus. I also had a great time playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it will be a long time before anything else in gaming knocks me out as much as catching and then hearing Pokémon in the palm of my hand.
Still as much as I enjoyed Nintendo’s line-up, the real highlight was getting to check out so many exciting third-party games. I loved banging on the Joy Con and belting out beats in the full-bodied, freeform musical adventure of Gal Metal; I loved exploring the charming world of Little Dragons Café, foraging for ingredients and cooking up meals; I loved the stunningly stylish rhythm action of Musynx; I loved beating the stuffing (and cupcakes, and glitter) out of opponents in the pastel party fighter SNK Heroines; and I loved the Etrian Odyssey-meets-Disgaea dungeon crawling of Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk.
These were all especially exciting for me because they prove that even among the first-party frontrunners, high-profile ports, and indie hits, the Switch has plenty of room left for what quickly became my favourite section of the 3DS’ library: colourful, quirky imports. Long may that continue!
How did Nintendo fare at E3 2018? (311 votes)
- A huge success!
- An epic fail
- Somewhere in between
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So those are our thoughts, but what did YOU think of E3 2018? Drop a vote in our poll, and a comment below and let's get the conversation going...
Comments 111
The most exciting news is that you can use a normal mic on the Swiitch. That's not saying much.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Magikarp wasn't announced.
Seriously, I'm burning that they aren't doing it.
Whilst everyone else spoke about games we'll be seeing next year, Nintendo spent 10 minutes reading out a patch log that included a hard focus on the importance of whether or not it was okay to change Wii Fit Trainer's face in this "brand new" game.
Nailed it.
Nintendo can and will do much better in the future
I'm still waiting for another games that will be announced soon on Nintendo Switch such as Re:Legend, My Time at Portia while waiting for Animal Crossing Nintendo Switch announced.
And.... i was interested with Hyper Sports R due to muscular dudes on Beach Volley ball, Swimming and other Athletic sports.
So i will wait the 2nd trailer of Hyper Sports R for more gameplay details and release date.
I didn't feel excited by anything by any of the Big Three, but I'd name the lack of Metroid Prime 4...anything...as a very low point.
This year’s E3 is not going to sell many Switches. It has definitely saved me some money for the rest of this year as I will be plowing through some of last year’s games I have yet to begin.
It's obvious ninty had a lack of mid tier first party games to reveal this year- Yoshi, Pikmin, StarFox, Bayonetta 3, and Metroid are obviously not developed enough to tease us, and Fire Emblem being delayed is another nail in the heart. But I agree if it isn't ready, you don't show it.
What I do think was silly was relying on Smash when 3rd party like the World Ends With You, MH, Mega Man and Sonic Racers could have filled out the presentation along with the 3DS- we saw nothing of the 3DS!
This is not a 'no games like the Wii U' scenario. With all the indies, ports, Japanese 3rd party, DLC, and two tentpole titles I have enough to keep me busy.
The high was the almighty Daemon X Machina. That is going to be something very special.
The low was the 25 minutes of a 45 minute show spent on one game. It was all going well up until about the 35 minute mark. The first 25 moved along at a very nice pace, trailer after trailer, a little bit talking and then a sizzle reel. Then Smash came along and for the first 10 minutes what they showed was fine and expected but then the last 10 minutes they started to go too in depth and it felt like it dragged on and on then they just ended it abruptly. If the last 10 minutes were spent showing off a couple more games it would have been a very good show but instead the Smash info killed momentum and left viewers feeling like it was a poor show.
Low: Really disappointed that we didn’t get a look at Retro Studios new game. Maybe it is a new Star Fox racer they are working on but it was held back so as not to steal any of the thunder caused by the announcement of Starfox in Ubisoft’s new Starlink game.
High: All characters returning for Smash. Ridley announced as character in Smash. Dragon ball FighterZ confirmed. Starfox in Starlink. Got a look at Fire Emblem.
Bar FE and previsously announced MHGU it was a jazzier disappointment.
High: Tetris Effect PS4 (Rez Infinite Area X / Tetris cross over in VR)
Low: Nintendo
@BigKing Man I can't wait for Tetris Effect. So many naysayers but that was the highlight of E3 for me.
Was hoping to see more of MHGU to help hype it up, as well as other quirky new games. Instead we got way too much Smash and little else. Definitely not a good E3 showing from Nintendo.
That said, their year won't be bad at all. We have a ton of new and cool games.
Just didn't get to see enough of them at E3.
@Enigk I also think that the presentation was a little underwhelming, but there were definitely some system sellers. The two obvious ones are Smash and Pokémon, but I think even Super Mario Party and Fortnite will sell Switches for many people. At this point they have so many great titles and when they start advertising these along with the new ones, I truly belive they won't have problem with selling the Switches.
Nintendo and Ubisoft partnering up for the Switch version of Starlink to add Fox McCloud is definitely a highlight, but even without that the game offers some great action and exploration. Super Mario Party is returning to its classic formula while building new experiences from it. I've definitely got my eye on it.
But while I'm certainly excited for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the showing we got here was overkill. All it needed was the three minutes Mario Odyssey had last year to give us the Everyone Is Here trailer, then jump straight into the deeper dive with the Treehouse. Even the Smash Bros. Invitational was a way to deep dive into it.
That's not to say it overall was terrible. Both the World Championship and Invitational were full of action, and the Treehouse team did a good job of showing how these games look and provided some fun.
I sort of agree with Glen. I am not a Smash Bros player, or Pokemon. And without Yoshi E8 was very tame. Fire Emblem was never going to be released this year. Nintendo have a habit of building up the publicity for a game and then use delay tactics. As for third party games, these are very slow in coming to Switch. I though third party meant new games released at the same time as PS & XBox, not their old game's ported. Where was the new 3ds games?
@pandaman
Am a bit surprised to see you saying that Bethesda have a "toe in the water" approach... Doom, Skyrim, two Wolfenstein's... that feels pretty "all-in" to me... certainly the biggest commitment so far to the Switch from any third-party?
Most disappointing Nintendo E3 in many years. After not really touching PS4 in a year and a half, I came away from E3 with a list of 6 exciting PS4 games and 0 Switch games.
the highlight was the announcement that they changed Wii fit trainers face
"What we're the biggest highs and lows of E3 2018 for Nintendo?"
Smash Bros and too much Smash Bros
I went into E3 hoping for Animal Crossing but I knew I probably wouldn’t get it and I consoled myself that they’d at least have a good showing regardless.
Boy was I wrong. 2018 looks okay but I had hoped for so much more. I did not think they’d have a bad showing
I'm surprised so many people felt this was a lukewarm E3. I definitely agree on the sentiment that Nintendo used their "Screentime" inefficiently, putting way too much focus on Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and not enough on other notable titles coming, but... It was bloody magical still, content-wise. I'm slightly odd here because I don't only count E3-announcements as part of the "E3 hype", but also announcements a bit before and after.
And boy did E3 solidify the year for me.
Anyway, staying true to only E3 announcements:
Seeing how SSBU looks and plays, I might finally invest in a SSB title for the first time ever (helps that I get to play as Zelda, female Robin, female Corrin and long-haired Bayonetta. Some of my favorite characters of gaming.)
Dragon Ball FigherZ. I am over the moon. I was one of the many who vocally pestered every single person and their mother about how this should be on the Switch, and while it probably isn't because I was pestering devs and publishers... It felt so bloody rewarding.
HOLLOW KNIGHT RELEASING AFTER THE E3 DIRECT(-ish) WHAT! I've been waiting for this game for ages just to play it on Switch. Downloaded it right away and it is MAGICAL.
A new demo for Octopath Traveler was a nice touch, definitely something I appreciate.
Fortnite on the Switch wasn't a surprise coz leaks, and I don't like the game, but it's such a boost for the Switch due to its popularity. All of my yes to that.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 DLC WITH LORA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA - ok I'll stop. Good tho.
Finally... FINALLY. Fire Emblem: Three Houses. This was worth everything. We saw barely anything, but what was seen was AMAZING. Fire Emblem is my all-time favorite franchise and I have been waiting for footage from it since it was announced in 2017. I had to rewatch it later because I was bloody crying when it came on, after such a long wait.
To me, this was magical.
As a 3DS owner I expected at least 1 last game but nope and looking the switch announcements makes me happy because I feel like I can still wait for a price drop on switch or a switch mini without feeling like I'm missing a lot since I have a PS4 and there are a tons of games coming
Worst Nintendo E3 for years and really worrying to have that be in the second year of a new console.
The Switch looks like it'll be incredible 2017, awful 2018 and then incredible 2019. Seems like some really bad management.
Epic fail for me.
I have no interest in Smash so There wasn't a lot left for me.
My highs:
DK Rabbids dlc introduced with the live music.
My lows:
Nintendo's entire conference.
Really poor showing really.
Focusing so much on one game just shows how little they had really.
I hope they have some huge directs in store for us in the future with some surprise announcements otherwise it looks like the Indies will be saving them again.
No 3ds coverage so fail for me.
Nothing of interest on Switch this year. Will definitely be different next year. Amazing looking games if you have other consoles.
Buying a samurai outfit to play Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Metro Exodus and Rage 2 also look incredible.
High: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Low: No Animal Crossing
I'd have honestly liked a closer look at Ninjala. But getting so much information on Smash was very welcome - so I can't complain. I did expect loads more games to be shown off - unfortunately thanks to leaks, a lot of the surprises were ruined. But if I remember correctly, we saw way more games last year, listed off in a non-stop firing format. And that was amazing. Im a bit surprised they didn't do that this time too throughout, since it worked so well. Probably should have spent more time in the Treehouse showing off other games rather than just Smash. Don't get me wrong, I love Smash completely. It's one of my top game series with Pokemon, Splatoon and Bayonetta. But we know what it is already. Should have put way more focus on the games we know next to nothing about since that's what E3 is all about.
Still an okay showing though, I feel.
Highs:
Starfox in Starlink-inner child preordered that starter set pretty quick.
Super Mario Party-I bought a Wii for Mario Party 8, so glad to have a game to relax with the wife.
Damon X Machina-the wait has begun.
Super Smash-Every Character Ever-shrieks for joy.
Pokemon Lets go now with pokeball!-preordered.
Lows:
Waaaay too much time on Smash-That includes the treehouse segments.
3 secs for each game sizzle reel-just matter of factly drop Fortnite, Paladins, Fallout Shelter, and Hollow Knight...perhaps they deserved their own segments? You gave Donkey Kong and Sky I never heard of this obscure arcade game like 15 minutes during treehouse.
It's not like E3 was charging Nintendo on their youtube video length. Next year, take a lesson of love to heart: take it slow or you might finish too quickly, then spend the next half hour talking about every subtle difference in each smash bros game while her eyes glaze over. Thanks Nintendo!
As a Smash bros fan I loved how much they showed of it in the direct, although I understand why many people didn't. I could have watched even more of it. I also really enjoyed the treehouse. It was what showed me awesome gameplay of Daemon X Machina and Starlink of which both I am quite excited to play now.
Smash was satisfying, but the lack of update on Yoshi or much of anything else was disappointing. Fox in Star Link was a nice surprise - hadn’t given the game a single thought before. Couldn’t care less about Fortnite or Mario Party.
Lack of Prime was the low point for me but apart from that it was ok. Happy that Dragon Ball is coming to switch, looking forward to Mario Tennis coming soon. Smash looks good and I was impressed with the look of Star Link and the mech game shown at the start.
Daemon X Machina was my highlight of the Nintendo Direct if not E3 as a whole. Look forward to more info.
Low point, well Smash to be honest. I'm not a fan of the series really and whilst nothing against its showing, the fact ut dragged on for so long (actually I skipped through more than 50% of it) just used up what I considered valuable time (if they had anything else to show).
TBH I came out of E3 feeling a little jaded. One of the big reasons though is these days I find E3 too Western oriented (well apart of Nintendo ironically) and thus they rarely reveal or show games I'm interested in.
Guess TGS is more my thing.
Nintendo E3: patch notes edition
Smash Ultimate looks like a great game. I'm just not a huge Smash fan, so it didn't carry the Direct for me, and I was left pretty disappointed afterwards. I think I would have been a lot more excited if Pokemon was revealed during the Direct instead of beforehand, because the reveals you expect from E3 just weren't there. Hollow Knight and Octo Expansion releasing during E3 were great surprises though. (Also, I was surprised by how little Nintendo focused on their upcoming third-party line-up. There are actually some neat games coming to Switch later this year.)
Had Nintendo given a bit more time to other games (even the 3DS) instead of just Smash Bros then ended on something new (even if it was just a tease) then it would have been much better received.
Alternatively if they hadn't already announced Smash then that could have been a bombshell.
I'm usually bummed out when Treehouse finishes on the third day, but I honestly didn't care this year. The way it ended felt rushed and the staff seemed happy to be done with it, whereas in previous years they've seemed bummed out themselves. Too much Smash and segments covering games that are already out.
Personally I don't care for Smash or Pokémon, so I guess it was never gonna be my year in that regard.
After E3, I started looking at the price of a PS4. Nintendo either need to deliver properly at an E3, or if they’ve got nothing, then skip it. Mediocre is unforgivable
Their were some good ,and some bad things. The lack of first party surprises and the focus on smash . Will what got me excited for most of the year are 3rd party games. Still this will be a year when I buy more games from 3rd party then first
Like with the pre-E3 post, I'm still with Glen. Didn't care for Smash before, won't start caring now. Besides Fire Emblem, it was 3rd parties I was counting on and, while they didn't exactly come through (with big games), it was something.
There was a lot of focus on Smash Bros for Switch and I'm getting kind of bored with Smash Bros. I wanted to be more excited because it's Nintendo but the presentation didn't do much for me I'm afraid. Maybe next year.
"most of their E3 showing (well, the third party stuff) leaked ahead of time"
Even Smash Bros Ultimate was leaked,but everybody naturally tought it was fake before seeing the Direct.Not only the stuff shown at E3,but even a newcomer that hasn't been officially revealed yet.
They were somewhere in between, which, when you consider the winning streak that nintendo is on (with possible exception of labo), is a win.
The "Everyone is here!" announcement and Ridley was amazing, but there wasn't much else for me. I really think Nintendo should have waited till this E3 to reveal Metroid Prime 4. They could have just done only Samus Returns at last E3.
This E3 just reconfirmed my decision to give back the Switch I was given.
The Direct itself was clunky and lopsided. Some context with the short videos and Daemon X Machina would have helped.
Once again, the Treehouse presentations did the most for me. Not because they were stellar, it's tough to have all that translating going on and they didn't always seem very prepared. No, it was just the game play and getting a feel for what the strengths of games were.
For instance, we've seen a ton of Mario Party games and some of them have been major disappointments. So, seeing them play for a large block of time really helped me come around to giving this one a chance.
Same result with Starlink. It is such an unknown that getting all that time with it, gives a good feeling for what it is going to be like to play, and certain features like enemies and heroes battling it out, establishing bases, and potentially taking over planets whether you are there or not got my attention.
Even Let's Go P treehouse footage gave a much better impression of what playing will be like. The living world it creates with all the Pokemon visible is quite a change that even core players can appreciate.
For the Smash fans, I don't think it is possible to give too much information and it was probably good for the wider non-Switch owning Smash fans to see other games between the hours of Smash footage, but it sure felt uneven and long if you aren't a big fan of Smash.
I'm a little surprised that none of the contributors mentioned the Championships though! (I didn't read them all in detail so apologies if I missed it). I didn't stay glued to them the whole time, but the semi-finals and final matches for Splatoon 2 were very entertaining and exciting matches, in particular. Those were put on very well in my opinion and kept me entertained and interested even though I don't normally watch much competitive gaming.
Was hoping to see a lot but i didnt expect too much to be honest. Its not any different then last years E3 also Mario Odysee mostly though with last overkill then this years Smash.
Announcements will come through the year and people ready to sell their Switch are A: people who never owned one and are just liars or B: people who just buy games for the sake of having them without really finishing the ones they have, and if you did you must be a freak and its unhealthy to game that much. .
PS: love the Switch banner on this site highlighting the 3rd party games on de left en 1st party on the right.
I think maybe we were all expecting too much, possibly because the first half of the year was so drab it was assumed that they must have tons for the second half of the year. I think the year as a whole has been meh. The second half of the year on its own is pretty good considering there is a new Pokémon and a smash bros(both of which aren’t titles I play but I acknowledge are huge). The only disappointment for me in the second half is the slipping of Yoshi and Fire emblem which I was more excited about than the Pokémon and smash. 2019 ok paper though looks cracking.
Oh, and I like the local multiplayer, so Overcooked 2, Super Mario Party, and Killer Queen Black rolling out this year is promising and exciting.
@Mr_Pepperami Yoshi slipping to 2019 both disappointing and very surprising to me. I wonder what the story is behind that. Did they move the team to Super Mario Party or Kirby during crunch time or something? Technical problems? Seemed like that had a full vertical slice there and that development was ready for smooth sailing.
Didn't really see any highs to speak of, especially for those of us who aren't really into SSMB.
There's a decent chance Nintendo is holding back for another sneak release before the end of 2018. Something we will all wonder why it wasn't included in E3 and then promptly buy. The announce/release on the same day thing can work quite well on smaller titles.
@Giygas_95 Metroid Prime 4 saved until now might have been good, but the promise of that probably sold some extra switches already, and more importantly it was the reveal of a simple fact that could easily have leaked and lost all impact if they had waited a year. But, you're right, if we hadn't known about it until this E3 and they had that exact same reveal it would have boosted this E3 for Nintendo for sure.
@aaronsullivan certainly possible, especially given the speed that they have seemingly knocked that super mario party up. Dunno about you though but I’d much rather have had the Yoshi game over the mario party one though. I personally think they may have changed up the direction of it possibly as they have shown nothing of it since.
@Freek "indies will be saving them again" Nintendo doesn't need saving. You and I might not be big fans of Smash but it has a wide, wide appeal, and by all accounts it is going to deliver. I'm guessing that Smash alone will do what it needs to to maintain momentum and there are plenty of other releases that aren't just indie to fill the gaps. Nothing against indies, of course. Loving Hollow Knight right now.
Some context:
@Mr_Pepperami Yeah, it's hard to tell. We'll eventually play through it, but Kirby has not grabbed my family this time around. It's all game play ideas that aren't put to much interesting use. I'd hate to see that happen to Yoshi. In the end, an extra year of polish for Yoshi sounds good to me. I just don't want to wait. And I think I might be more into Mario Party this time.
The biggest high was Hollow Knight being available right then and there. The other games didn't interest me that much. Smash hogged up the rest of the presentation and that was the biggest low. I consider this E3 Direct a huge fail. A waste of opportunity. E3 is THE time of year to shine! Use it, own it! Next time Nintendo....diversify! Smash should have had it's separate Direct somewhere in September.
Would say about a 7/10 overall. I’m a big fan of Smash Bros and am relieved it isn’t going to be a Wii U port. But they didn’t reveal much in terms of new content. Two new characters, two new stages, some quality of life tweaking, and a few more neckbeard modes (battlefield forms, removable stage hazards) aren’t enough to persuade me that the game (and, by extension, the console) is a must-have, given that I already own the other five games (+DLC). I’m pretty optimistic that they’ll be able to change my mind as they gradually reveal more and more of the game. But I’m not there yet.
They also didn’t really say anything about their other upcoming E-ticket games (Metroid Prime, Pokémon gen 8). This was a big missed opportunity. And that seems to be the general consensus, seeing as the share price tanked the day after the direct.
@aaronsullivan yeah I was surprised they went that way with Kirby to be honest. They have been very very strong games of late and extremely creative so was looking forward to it. It was ok but wasn’t anywhere near as good as planet robobot and triple deluxe.
Also - why nothing about the classic edition consoles? Could that not have made it in?
I have so many games that I still need to finish anyways.
@aaronsullivan True. I think they had plenty else at last E3 though that they would have been fine without revealing MP4. Nintendo is also generally better at keeping secrets than the other big companies too I would say.
I’m so excited for Smash that I keep forgetting that Nintendo otherwise blew it with their showing this year. We walked away learning only about one new first party game for this year, and it’s Mario Party. If this was a standard Direct, I wouldn’t consider it such a bomb, but this was E3. This is supposed to be the largest and most important game show of the year. Revealing one new game for the remainder of 2018 is beyond pathetic. And if someone isn’t a fan of Smash, I can imagine that Direct left them very, very empty. Nintendo clearly put all of its eggs into one basket this year. For Smash fans it worked, but for everyone else they had a dismal showing.
FE news was all I really wanted so everything else was gravy. After going back to took at the e3 sizzle reel I was surprised at how many games are coming down the pipe that I'm interested in. Guess I won't be getting that xbone x anytime soon.
I'm starting to like the e3 deepdives in retrospect, as each one has made me more interested in a game that I may have passed on. I certainty wouldn't have bought xenoblade 2 on day one without the deep dive. In today's world, where patience and thoroughness are all but forgotten it is nice to have Nintendo slow things a bit to focus their on the fence games the way they do.
looking forward to
FE: Three Houses
splatoon 2 dlc,
xenoblad chronicles 2 dlc
daemon x machina
starlink
dragonball fighterz
mario + rabbids dlc
hollow knight
and of course pokemon lets go eevee and smash ultimate.
That on top of other releases on the way in a few months
(octopath and taiko to name a few) ensures my switch will be busy for quite some time.
Not the most exciting e3 by any stretch but I went in with low expectations. I’ve enough switch games to play and catch up on so I’m almost thankful of a breathing space for a while.
For Nintendo, the highest point is easily Smash
The lowest point is the realization that Nintendo had nothing else to show (unless you're a hardcore Mario Party fan)
Compared to other E3 presentations of Nintendo in the past or of any other company really, I'd say it is above average.
To me personally it was great, I wanted to see Fire Emblem and it looks great and the Xenoblade DLC looks amazing. Apart from that, it was mostly the Smash presentation
that was announced.
The amount of negativity doesn't surprise me anyway, because it happens every year on pretty much every presentation. People always expect a huge show with all kinds of big new AAA titles even though this rarely happens.
High - Mario party
Low - the rest of the conference
I found Nintendo's E3 to be rather meh. The presentation started off with a bang with Daemon X Machina, and the first 25-30 minutes had some great pacing. However, things started to really drag on with Smash Bros. Ultimate, and I found myself wondering when they would move on to the inevitable surprise game reveal at the end. Needless to say, the only surprise at the end (while not bad) was Ridley. I love the space dragon, he's up there with my favorite villains, but I still found myself thinking "That's it?"
I personally think that, while I enjoy Smash Bros., the Direct went into WAY too much detail...more than necessary. I get it, Nintendo. This Smash is new and awesome. You sold me minutes ago. Now can we please move on? I feel that some games deserved more time in the spotlight than the brief flashes that they had in the presentation; some got this later on during the Treehouse segments, but not all.
I didn't go into Nintendo's E3 with lofty expectations, but I was still underwhelmed. I didn't expect a whole showcase on Prime 4, but I had hoped for a mention or brief status update. I didn't expect a new Mario or Zelda so soon. I had hoped for a release date for TWEWY, but we still only have a rough window. I was expecting info on Smash, but as a casual fan I felt oversaturated with unnecessary details that I'd rather discover on my own. Some reveals that others enjoyed...I admittedly couldn't care less about. Finally, while the Switch is Nintendo's cash cow at present, I was expecting at least a tiny segment somewhere about the few titles still coming to the 3DS. At the very least, I would have liked a release date on Luigi's Mansion.
That's not to say that there weren't any aspects of Nintendo's E3 that I enjoyed. I'm now more sold than I was on Pokemon Let's Go. Octopath Traveler is as beautiful and intriguing as ever. Fire Emblem: Three Houses looks very intriguing. The XC2 DLC looks interesting, though I need to play the actual game first. I'll be keeping an eye on DXM. And, despite the information overload, I'll still end up getting Smash.
For those who got what they wanted out of E3, great! As for me, I actually welcome the opportunity to dig through more of my backlog in lieu of not many new things to pick up.
Epic fail for me. I understand that Smash Bros is a big deal, but it would have been nice for the other games to get some more time.
The presentation wasn't spectacular, but Nintendo has Directs throughout the year, so that hardly concerns me.
Daemon x Machina seemed pretty cool, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, from the bit we saw of it, looked spectacular. Hopefully they don't ruin it by making it three different games or something.
Smash U... could be good. I need to see what the single-player offerings are like. They were so bad in the Wii U version of Smash 4 that I hardly played it.
Pokemon Let's Go! looks kind of basic and watered down. We'll definitely be getting it, if only for the multiplayer potential, though.
I don't care at all about Mario Party or Tennis.
Biggest High of E3 2018:
Lots of info on Smash
Biggest Low of E3 2018:
Lots of info on Smash
I have to say Smash is definitely not the kind of game you want to spend nearly all your e3 on. Out of the 45 minutes of the direct 25 was Smash and most of that was talking about minuscule changes here and there. It's nice to have a game celebrating the franchise but Smash has more or less been the same basic game and seeing the same footage more or less over and over for 3 days got old quickly.
Pokemon Let's Go looks like an ok game but for 60 bucks I wish the graphics were better. For a system stronger than the Wii U the Switch is barely sweating it here. It looks like a cell phone game that Nintendo moved to Switch to charge 60 bucks for. Honestly I've never thought the pokemon franchise on handheld had great graphics (I still find the 3ds ones a little on the ugly side) but this just seems like minimal effort.
Mario Party looks decent but there hasn't been a good one in a decade so it's hard to get my up.
It's really hard to hype up third party stuff when a lot of it has been available on other consoles and I think this is where Nintendo needs to improve the most. Stuff like Hollow Knight, Wolfenstein and Dragon Ball Z fighters is great but how about getting it at the same time as everyone else. Most people own another console since Nintendo no longer can be the only console someone owns and most people will have already played these titles leading to the "droughts" everyone is bringing up.
Honestly Nintendo hasn't had a good e3 in a long time and I can't tell what their strategy is anymore. Seems like they aren't making games nearly as fast and haven't been actively courting third parties as we were once led to believe.
Also if Fortnite can use the headphone jack for voice chat why the actual fudge does splatoon need that dumb app? Nintendo online service launches soon and even at 20 bucks it seems too high because yeah it's cheap but it's also crap.
@JpGamerGuy90 Well, Hollow Knight was a PC exclusive before it came to Switch, so it's definitely not another PS4 port.
@Ooyah First a port, then a staggered release, then another port...Bethesda may be a strong supporter, but testing the waters one small release at a time is still a valid description, I think. It's also exactly what I would be doing if I were them too.
Other than the Smash character reveals, it was pretty so-so for Nintendo. Needed a couple of big announcements really. Needed something new on the Treehouse feed because they kept showing the same titles from the Direct over and over again, it got pretty boring.
No impressed at all with Switch year two. Smash, Tennis, Mario Party or Pokemon don’t hold any interest for me sadly.
Luckily for me I never had a Wii U and I still need to pick up Bayonetta and Donkey Kong. So it’ll be those two, Golf Story and maybe Octopath if that’s as good as the demo promises for 2018. But it’s disappointing there's no new 1st party release that interests me. Now PS4 on the other hand...
Not saying it was a great E3 but... why are people so surprised we got no 3DS news? The 3DS is so old, I wouldn’t be surprised if the last couple announced games are the last. They don’t wanna take attention away from the Switch, it’s a hybrid console for a reason. If anything, it’s surprising they’ve kept it going well over a year into the Switch’s life. Hate to say it, think it’s finally being put out to pasture... though as long as it’s still selling they’ll probably keep producing new units, just they’re not gonna invest many more resources in development - all the commercials for it now are more of “best of” games, haven’t seen any for the upcoming two games or anything released in the last year.
This was a very bad E3. 2018 in general has been an awful year for the Switch. Very little on the first party front that wasn't a Wii U port.
The mech game looks nice and we finally saw the new Fire emblem. Ridley coming to Smash is cool too, and loooong overdue.
However only one big game (Smash) and its not even entirely new but just a updated Smash 4 (no matter what they say) means Epic fail!!
Poor presentation.
Not as much third-party support as hoped.
Still a very strong line up for the rest of the year.
All 3 systems continue to be worth having if you're into games (as long as you love Forza Horizon anyway, otherwise the other two will do you).
If i Didn't Care much for Smash, Xenoblade, Super Mario Party and Splatoon 2, this would been an awful E3 Direct for Me.
Likes: Smash, Daemon x Machina, Super Mario Party, DLC launching during E3, Xenoblade 2 DLC Story
Mix: i have not try a Fire Emblem game yet. so Three House is something that i can't say for sure i want.
Dislike: Smash was focus way to much.
this Nintendo Direct E3 Just "Screams" to keep my expectations very low for Directs in Summer 2018 and likely Fall 2018.
Nintendo should have just done this a week before and avoided E3.
The most exciting parts of E3 on the Nintendo front were the stuff releasing during E3, the Torna DLC and Smash having every past fighter return. I think between that and the Sony backlash about Fortnite Switch, Nintendo was the highlight of E3 despite Microsoft having their best E3 in a long time.
I personally really enjoyed it. Super Mario Party + Switch is a match made in heaven, and the game looks like the return to form I've been DYING to see for years now. And Smash absolutely...well, SMASHED every expectation I had for it. Can't wait.
I have Crash, MMX Legacy, and Octopath to look forward to over the next couple of months, and a couple of really exciting titles this fall and winter. So, like I said, I personally really enjoyed Nintendo's E3. But it baffles me why they didn't show off what Retro's working on, or have another big reveal to excite those who aren't in love with Smash.
Nintendo`s presentation was awesomely mishandled. They spent almost half of their "Direct", which was the main announcement, showing in depth details of Smash, and then just showed Smash non stop in the treehouse for 3 days.
Just to be clear, I really like Smash and I'll buy it, but they way they handled E3 was abhorrent.
The High of this year's E3 was Nintendo's Life Chat for sure lol
For me the lack of Prime 4 was disappointing. Yoshi too and that makes even less sense than Prime...
If I was into Smash and Pokemon I'd be quite happy but unfortunately I'm not so there was very little to interest me.
MS did well and luckily most of those games are coming to PS4 (which I have). Sony had some killer titles on show and am looking forward to those but there seemed to be a real lack of 'wow' moments this year.
Captain Toad will possibly be my only Switch retail purchase this year it seems...
I thought Nintendo's presentation was alright. Not great but also far from bad. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate looks fantastic and I'm hopeful there will be a substantial amount of singleplayer content. Fire Emblem Three Houses also looked awesome. The characters and story looked really interesting and I'm excited to explore the overworld and see actual wars during combat. And Super Mario Party was a real nice surprise. It's great to see the series go back to its roots.
But aside from those three titles, there really wasn't anything else noteworthy. Most of the third-party content was already known and we didn't get any new first-party reveals outside of Super Mario Party. Worst of all, we got NO information about Metroid, Bayonetta 3, or even Yoshi.
2018 seems to be a rather conservative year for Nintendo. Aside from Wii U ports, most of the titles coming out this year are smaller titles or spin-offs. The only big, new title seems to be Smash Bros. Ultimate. Don't get me wrong, games like Kirby, Mario Party, and the Pokemon Let's Go games are surely fun, but they're not all games I'm hyped for. At least 2019 is looking to be excellent!
I think a highlight for me is that there seemed to be a fair few heroines in sight to go along with the traditional male heroes.
The low point, I suppose, is seeing Nintendo return to its trademark disjointed and confusing marketing strategy. An E3 sale that they don't mention at E3? Games releasing that they don't mention at all? Yoshi shown last year that this year will be shown when ready? I'm sure Nintendo has their reasons, but I'm not at all sure they realise that those reasons don't always make sense from the outside.
Well.. I really liked the following things:
-Tales of Vesperia (!)
-StarFox in StarLink (pre-ordered it immediately)
-Fire Emblem looked pretty good
-Super Smash Bros. is looking good too
-Xenoblade is one of my faves and the dlc is a no brainer
But I was hoping for some surprises and was a bit disappointed to be honest (no Yoshi, no Retro). I still hope they have something up their sleeve for us this year..
i think people need to stop getting to dam hype i mean come one nintendo did state before e3 they were only going to focus on 2018 games and smash but they did announce couple of 2019 ones.Lets not forget that nintendo will have directs in coming months revealing more games for switch and maybe a big title in the works
As a Smash Bros. fan I'm very pleased with how Ultimate was presented and what it's going to be. They seem determined to make the most complete and most polished game in the series.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses looks like the series got an extra paint of detail and looks great.
Disappointments: No word on Animal Crossing for Switch.
No news on about 20 announced highlights.
@SKTTR daemon x mechina looked awesome and i expect nintendo is going to revea more games in coming directs in the next few months.
I expected Smash and Fire Emblem, and I got Smash and Fire Emblem.
Solid Direct for me personally, but I wish there was an actual release date for TWEWY Final Remix instead of just a more specific release window.
The E3 high was Nintendo showed up. The low? Very little interested me....very little.
@DaveFrear really enjoyed your write-up
Excellent writing!
My takeaway: more time to work on the backlog. Not a great takeaway from Nintendo's point of view I'm sure.
Spending more than five minutes on Smash during the direct was a huge mistake. It started to feel like a parody video, with Olimar’s helmet cracking and Wii Fit Trainer’s face. If they had cut that down, and shown a couple new games instead, then my impression of E3 would be far different.
For me, there’s plenty of old stuff that I still need to buy, and plenty to look forward to, but that presentation was embarrassing and amateurish. They should know better by now.
@Stargazer come on dude nintendo alrdy stated they were going to be focusing on smash and other 2018 games and their going to show more games in coming directs be patient.
There are already two dudes that I know who sold their Switch after E3. This is incredible because I remember them talking so positive about the Switch during the first year.
Nintendo has ruined the hype around the Switch for a lot of people.
E3 is made for sparkles, dreams, short and long term plans to convince gamers that they are at " the right place " with the Nintendo Switch.
To my perspective, Nintendo did exactly the opposite and I have to admit that I start to think more and more to sell my switch too...
I can't afford two systems in terms of cost. So, great 3rd party games like Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 2, Beyond good and evil 2, Cyberpunk etc... + all the great exclusives such as Detroit, God of War, Horizon, Uncharted etc... + the next exclusives (Last of us 2, Spiderman, Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding etc....) arfffff I'm weak :/
Basically, with their flat E3 Nintendo sold me to Sony .
Ow and since Xenoblade 2, I had nothing that interested me on the system... Even my Wii U was (and still is) better to my point of view.
I love you Nintendo but sorry to put it like that :
I felt almost insulted by your E3 direct and this is not acceptable.
As a Wii U owner I have not been too impressed by the Switch releases this year. Hope the really good stuff comes in 2019.
The amount of games they showed was pretty disappointing. I was expecting a teaser for Metroid Prime 4, or that Star Fox Grand Prix game, as well as a release window for Yoshi.
That being said, the games they did show were amazing! (aside from Fortnite) I am so hyped for Fire Emblem Three Houses, as well as Dragon Ball FighterZ on the Switch! Super Mario Party looks like a return to form for the series, and the way they slowly revealed the roster in the Smash Bros. Ultimate trailer, felt like my entire childhood summoning before me!
Nintendo is going to sell so many Switches this holiday.
I think they shouldn’t have spent so much time on the Smash Bros but other than that there was plenty of Switch games I will be getting, like dragon ball Fighter z, Smash, Mario Party, Pokémon Let’s Go, Ark, MHGU, Starlink, Fire Emblem, Shining Refrain and Octopath Traveler. For the PS4 I only have Spyro, Spider-Man, Shadow of Tomb Raider and Kingdom Hearts 3.
I thought that Nintendo had a successful E3. They announced their first party games, they reviewed other games that are coming this year and later. Then they have smb ultimate. Which looks like for a fantastic game. people are whining and complaining about not a good year two. first of all year two doesn't end until march 2019. second it has only been three months since year two started. third there are a lot of games that are coming out, and more that are not announced yet. If people want to trade their switches because Nintendo haven't announce their games, too bad for them. Nintendo e3 direct was to me a direct. maybe sony and ms need e3 to make big announcements, but Nintendo do it in their directs, and it is more than one direct they make announcements. Reggie said they have more secrets up their sleeve, and that is what Nintendo have. So I will not call it a bad year two when it is not over, there are plenty of games coming, and there are no droughts like the WII U had.
High... new games from Bethesda, From Software and Ghost of Tsushima. Time to buy a 4K TV 😅 and Story DLC for Xenoblade 2
Low... No Metroid, Garbage 3rd party for Switch.
If you have more than one console - it was a good E3. Basically already have big games with release dates in the 1st quarter of 2019.
@ekwcll some people think their entitled to everything and they need to grow up and nintendo shown quite abit games at e3 plus theres alot of switch games coming out each month reason why nintendo doesnt want to over crowed the rest of the year but at least they shown couple of 2019 titles but i expect the coming directs in a few months they ll show more games.
@Cobalt nintendo didnt ruin the hype for the switch its the gamers themselves that shouldnt be hyping themselves in the first place and besides there plenty of games coming for switch from now to the end of this year.
@Camilla, my thoughts exactly
@Camilla "i think people need to stop getting to dam hype i mean come one nintendo did state before e3 they were only going to focus on 2018 games and smash but they did announce couple of 2019 ones.Lets not forget that nintendo will have directs in coming months revealing more games for switch and maybe a big title in the works"
You're trying to use logic. That doesn't work around here, it's all about kneejerk overreactions.
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