Lately, Nintendo has been releasing surprise Nintendo Direct presentations with no prior announcement. On one hand, this leaves fans in the dark about when they expect more news on upcoming Nintendo Switch games. On the other hand, this seems to effectively keep fan expectations in check, as it doesn't allow any time for the rumor mill to get going. Nintendo has released another surprise Direct presentation, which consists of nearly 20 minutes of surprise Switch announcements.
The new Nintendo Direct is another Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, meaning it's focused on games developed by studios other than Nintendo. This includes Square Enix, whose Bravely Default 2 kicked off the Nintendo Direct with a lengthy trailer that also confirmed its February 26, 2021 release date.
The Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase also includes a surprising push for cloud gaming on the Switch, as Nintendo has confirmed that games that would otherwise struggle to run on the console will be soon be made available. This includes Control: Ultimate Edition, which is going to be available to Nintendo Switch fans later today, as well as the upcoming Hitman 3. Nintendo previously experimented with cloud gaming on Switch in Japan with titles like Resident Evil 7, so it's interesting to see it start making its way elsewhere.
Another big headline from the Nintendo Direct Mini is the announcement that No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle are launching for Nintendo Switch later today. Both No More Heroes and No More Heroes 2 are considered cult classic Wii games, and so fans of the franchise will no doubt be excited to give re-visit them on the Switch. If nothing else, the No More Heroes Switch ports will help tide fans over while they wait for more substantial information on No More Heroes 3, currently slated for a 2021 release.
Even though this Nintendo Direct Mini was focused on third-party developers, that didn't mean that Nintendo franchises were nowhere to be seen. In fact, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity capped off the presentation with a new trailer that confirmed the Divine Beasts to be playable in the new game. Not only that, but the trailer also confirmed a Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity demo will be available on the Switch eShop today, with progress carrying over to the full game come November 20.
While some fans may have preferred a traditional Nintendo Direct over a Partner Showcase, this presentation was still full of exciting announcements for Switch owners.
