Nintendo E3 2019 Recap: Surprises, Sequels, and Remakes

Nintendo got in on the name pub fun introducing new NOA president Doug Bowser after a slight mixup where the other Bowser tried to take the stage first. Poor big guy.

Order was restored, and things really kicked off from there. The company’s E3 2019 Direct wasn’t as long as some others, but there was a lot of information to be had. 

Smash Ultimate Fighter Pass DLC Characters

The E3 2019 Nintendo Direct opened with a look at the next Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC fighter: the Luminary, aka Hero, from Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age. Not quite Erdrick, but not too far off. The Hero will use a sword for melee attacks, but they also have access to magic spells like Zoom for recover and Zap for ranged attacks.

But they’re not alone. The heroes from Dragon Quest IV and Dragon Quest VIII, plus Erdrick himself, are making their way to Smash Bros Ultimate as well. Each has access to a similar skill set, including Zap, Kamikaze, and Zoom. While we didn’t get a firm release date, fans can expect them in the game this summer sometime.

Speaking of Dragon Quest XI, the Definitive Edition coming to Switch got a new trailer, showing off a special speed-up feature, previous worlds from the Dragon Quest universe, and that lovely 2D sprite-work as well. Look for it on September 27.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Luigi’s Mansion 3 was up next, with a brand-new trailer showcasing some of the game’s overarching story. Luigi, Mario, Toad, and Peach are invited to a luxurious hotel, but things soon go awry when Luigi finds himself alone, at night, in a storm.

Luigi’s new Poltergust G-00 sports lots of new features, like the Slam. While Luigi attacks a ghost, he can use Slam to inflict extra damage, including on other ghosts.

The Suction Shot lets Luigi destroy furniture, take on specific ghost types, and deal extra damage.

When Luigi faces a swarm of ghosts, he can use Burst, a powerful, well, burst of air that evens the field a bit.

Then there’s Prof. E Gadd’s new Gooigi. Gooigi can slip through metal fences, walk on spikes, and overcome many other obstacles regular Luigi can’t handle. He can also be controlled by another character in co-op mode.

The ScareScraper makes its return as well, challenging players to defeat as many ghosts as possible in a set time in local and online multiplayer.

No firm release date for this one either, but it is set for a 2019 release still, with plenty of gameplay coming up during Treehouse Live.

Dark Crystal Tactics

The next game shown off was The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, a tactical RPG featuring medieval style combat and lots of Jim Henson style. It’s based on the Netflix show of the same name, only the game will delve further into the world’s lore and the Gelfling clans. Players can choose from 15 different job classes, each with customizable equipment and abilities that lend themselves to high replay value.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Switch

Link’s Awakening‘s remake got a lot of love in a new trailer showing off the game’s gorgeous visual upgrades and an excellent soundtrack to boot. From the looks of it, there are going to be new areas players can explore on Koholint Island and some new puzzles to tackle as well.

Players can earn special chambers over the course of the game and arrange them to create their own Chamber Dungeons for near-endless exploration — and lots of rewards. All this and more is coming September 20.

Collection of Mana and Trials of Mana

Square Enix’s recent trademark filing for the Mana Collection is paying off in form of Trials of Mana and the release of the Collection of Mana. The first game is getting a global release on Nintendo Switch and is a remake of Seiken Densetsu 3. It’ll be shown off more this week, but it’s expected to launch in early 2020.

The Collection, featuring the Game Boy Adventure of Mana, Secret of Mana, and Secret of Mana 2 will be available in the Nintendo eShop starting…now. And yes, this is the original Trails of Mana, aka Seiken Densetsu 2, which means we’re getting it twice now. When it rains and all…

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Switch

Rumors of The Witcher III making its way to the Switch turned out to be true as well, with Wild Hunt: Complete Edition coming sometime later this year. It will bring all of the game’s currently-released content. It’s worth noting all of this content is on one game card too, and the visuals don’t seem to be taking much of a direct hit from the required compression.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses got a meaty new trailer giving players a glimpse at the game’s story. It’s one of truly epic proportions and emphasizes the three main heroes’ missions to bring order and justice to their lands. And voice acting — lots of voice acting.

Byleth’s role in all this still isn’t completely clear, but it seems like it’s going to be a tragic one. The possibility of time travel is there too, with the three heroes looking back on their school days before engaging in a new battle. Expect more soon, and don’t forget the game launches July 26.

Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6

Those who forgot Resident Evil, Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 4 are on the Switch now got a friendly, creepy reminder in a new trailer that really served as a way to lead into this announcement: Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 are coming this fall to Nintendo Switch.

No More Heroes III

Next up was an irreverent pop-culture based game with plenty of mech action, a smooth anime style, and lots of self-referential humor. Yep, it’s Travis Touchdown, in No More Heroes III. The latest entry in the franchise is set for a 2020 release date.

Contra: Rogue Corps

The storied Contra franchise is getting a new release too: Contra: Rogue Corps, coming September 29. It’s a hectic, mad mix of third-person action, destruction, aliens, bugs, and more destruction.

The Contra Collection is available today in the eShop for those who can’t wait for more alien-shooting action.

Daemon X Machina

After a long silence, we got to see more of Daemon X Machina today. A short cinematic trailer showed off some of the game’s characters and vast environments, along with on-foot combat, huge enemy ships, and lots of cel-shaded explosions. Expect it on the Switch September 13.

Panzer Dragoon

Missing Panzer Dragoon? Nintendo was, too. That’s why it’s getting a reboot on the Switch this winter, plus this new trailer.

Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield

As promised, Pokemon Sword and Shield got a short update as well, following on from the big June 5 Pokemon Direct.

There wasn’t really anything new except showing off the water Gym and leader Nessa, as well as the announcement that the Pokemon Plus accessory is compatible with Sword and Shield. It’s like the Pokewalker and lets players take their favorite ‘mon out for a walk. It doesn’t work as a controller, though.

Astral Chain

Astral Chain, first revealed during the February Direct, got a story trailer, too.

Evil creatures called Chimeras are trying to pull humanity into another dimension, and a team of researchers banded together to create an anti-Chimera weapon merging humans with The Legions. Those Legions are the player character, but the special power has some negative drawbacks that cause some kind of havoc in the host body.

Look forward to more when the game launches August 20.

Empire of Sin

If you like guns, gangsters, and death, then Empire of Sin, a new game also set for a 2020 launch, might be one to check out. For now, make do with the trailer below.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance III: The Black Order

The Switch’s exclusive Marvel game got some love during the Direct with an intense new story trailer showing off villains and heroes and announcing some new DLC content players can get now. The game itself will be available July 19.

Cadence of Hyrule Gets a Release Date

After a month of speculation and several of waiting, Cadence of Hyrule got another new trailer showcasing enemies players will take on as Link or Zelda — and a release date: July 13. Check out the trailer below.

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020

It wouldn’t be the year before an Olympics year without a new Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, and this year is no exception. The game will feature the usual mashup of Mario and Sonic characters doing Olympic sports like fencing, tennis, and the long-jump.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

It’s here! The first Animal Crossing Switch news, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, was shown off in an adorable new trailer. The game centers on populating a deserted island and crafting tools after flying there as part of the Nook Inc Getaway Package. Nook apparently wields great influence here, as not only will the player purchase homes from him, but furniture and other items will be crafted using the special Nook Crafting Bench.

There will be plenty of new ways to interact with the environment and neighbors, including pole jumping and, of course, paying Tom Nook for everything, even your tent. It is his island getaway package after all.

The bad news? It’s delayed to March 20, 2020, to help ensure the game is the best it can be. On the bright side, it’s gorgeous, with a bright, yet muted color palette that reeks of coziness, a chilled out soundtrack with tones of New Leaf, and a sense of unity that only comes from trying to survive together in a lonely island.

Upcoming Games Highlight Reel

It’s tough to follow an act like that, but Nintendo managed to with a sizzle reel highlighting the year’s upcoming releases, including Spyro: Reignited Trilogy, Ni No Kuni, Minecraft Dungeons,  Dauntless, The Sinking City, and  a lot more.

Banjo-Kazooie Coming to Smash Ultimate

One final Smash Bros. announcement was the long-awaited and much-hoped-for addition of Banjo-Kazooie to Smash Bros Ultimate, with plenty of character footage and what looked like a glimpse at the duo’s special stage, Gruntilda included.

These are the next, next Fighter Pass DLC characters and will be added to the game in Fall this year.

Breath of the Wild Sequel

The Direct ended with the usual surprise announcement, and this one was a pretty big surprise. It’s a Breath of the Wild sequel set in what looks like a post-Calamity world.

Link and Zelda approach the skeleton of Ganondorf who gets revived by the creeping purple darkness associated with the Calamity. It’s only in development as of now.

That’s it. Looking for more E3 2019 coverage? Be sure to head over to the other recaps below: 

• Square Enix Showcase Recap
• Microsoft Showcase Recap
• Ubisoft Conference Recap
• PC Gaming Show Recap
• Bethesda Conference Recap