Hey, another chance to take a stab at Dark Souls! I got about 7 worlds in and my PS3 died.

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo debuted a new Nintendo Direct Mini video presentation today spotlighting a selection of first- and third-party titles coming in early 2018. Following a strong holiday season, Nintendo Switch owners will see a variety of new games and content arriving in the next few months, including DARK SOULS: REMASTERED, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Tennis Aces and Kirby Star Allies games, and a certain green-clad brother bringing a new mode to the Super Mario Odyssey game.
The first title in the genre-defining action role-playing franchise is coming to Nintendo Switch. DARK SOULS: REMASTERED includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC, as well as improved framerate and resolution from the original DARK SOULS game for an exhilarating return to Lordran. (Graphic: Business Wire)

“Nintendo Switch is the fastest-selling home console in history, and Nintendo is not taking our foot off the gas in 2018,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “For the millions of people who just received Nintendo systems as gifts, or consumers getting ready to join the growing community of Nintendo Switch owners, Nintendo and our third-party partners have fun new games and content in store at retail or for digital purchase.”

The full Nintendo Direct Mini presentation can be viewed at https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/01-11-2018/. A sampling of some of the announcements includes:

DARK SOULS™: REMASTERED: The first title in the genre-defining action role-playing franchise is coming to Nintendo Switch. DARK SOULS: REMASTERED includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC, as well as improved framerate and resolution from the original DARK SOULS game for an exhilarating return to Lordran. This marks the franchise’s debut on a Nintendo platform, and now for the first time ever, this revered (and challenging) game can be played on the go. DARK SOULS: REMASTERED launches on May 25.

Mario Tennis Aces: A new Mario Tennis game is bringing a new level of skill and competition to Nintendo Switch. Mario steps onto the court in classy tennis garb for intense rallies against a variety of characters in full-blown tennis battles. New wrinkles in tennis gameplay will challenge your ability to read an opponent’s position and stroke to determine which shot will give you the advantage. And this time the game adds the first story mode since the Mario Tennis game on Game Boy Advance, offering a new flavor of tennis gameplay, with a variety of missions and boss battles. The game launches for Nintendo Switch this spring.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong return for the franchise’s debut on Nintendo Switch. This title includes all the fun and challenge of the original game, plus a new beginner-friendly mode that lets players enjoy this critically acclaimed adventure as groovy surfing simian Funky Kong. Funky Kong can double jump, hover, perform infinite rolls and even perform infinite underwater corkscrews. Thanks to his sturdy surfboard, even spikes can’t slow him down. The game launches for Nintendo Switch on May 4.

Kirby Star Allies: Kirby’s debut on Nintendo Switch is a grand new adventure packed with content. The new Artist ability lets Kirby unleash his creativity, while the new Spider ability lets him ensnare enemies in webs. Kirby also can hurl new friend hearts at enemies to win them over with love and add them to his party. Plus, up to four friends* can team up and combine Kirby’s unique abilities with ally abilities for powerful new Friend Abilities. The game launches for Nintendo Switch on March 16.

The World Ends with You: Final Remix: This 2008 Nintendo DS game has been updated for Nintendo Switch with HD visuals and a new epilogue that sheds new light on the game’s story. Players can join rhythmic battles using either Joy-Con controllers or the Nintendo Switch touch screen. The game is scheduled to launch this year.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition: A new, ultimate version of the exhilarating action game set in the Zelda universe will include every map and mission, plus all 29 playable characters from both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game, along with all of the previous paid downloadable content. Play as Link, Zelda, Midna, Skull Kid and dozens more in action-packed battles at home or on the go. Additionally, the game includes new outfits for Link and Zelda based on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game. This new version launches for Nintendo Switch in spring.

SNK HEROINES ~Tag Team Frenzy~: Play as iconic heroines from SNK’s history in a new, two-on-two tag-team fighting game. Players can activate a variety of Special Moves with the press of a button, and make use of special items to turn the tide of battle. One of the competitors will be Yuri Sakazaki from ACA NEOGEO Art of Fighting 2, which launches today in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch. SNK HEROINES ~Tag Team Frenzy~ launches on Nintendo Switch this summer.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana: When the passenger liner he was aboard sank, the adventurer Adol drifted to a deserted island inhabited by vicious creatures that have evolved in many different ways. To survive, Adol must gather fellow shipwreck survivors and build a base. High-speed battles require players to change between three types of characters at a moment’s notice. The epic RPG launches for Nintendo Switch this summer.

PAYDAY 2: As players join with friends* locally or online to execute elaborate heists, full touch-screen support makes menu navigation easier than ever, while the HD Rumble feature lets them feel everything from explosions to weapon recoil right in their hands. Debuting in the Nintendo Switch version of the game, a new playable character named Joy will be introduced. Joy is a Japanese computer whiz who wears a custom LED light mask that changes her appearance as she sees fit. PAYDAY 2 launches for Nintendo Switch on Feb. 27.

Fe: In this new type of platforming adventure, players run, climb and glide their way through a dark Nordic forest to explore its living, breathing world. Use the motion controls of the Joy-Con controllers to sing in tune with creatures and plants to unlock new abilities. Each song has a distinct sound and feel thanks to HD Rumble. The game launches digitally for Nintendo Switch on Feb. 16.

Celeste: This modern take on the pure action platformer lets Madeline climb any surface on Celeste Mountain if she has the stamina. Playing in Assist Mode lets players tweak the difficulty, from a slower pace to full-on invincibility. Unlockable B-side chapters offer even more challenging adventures. The game launches digitally for Nintendo Switch on Jan. 25.

Game Updates & DLC

Super Mario Odyssey: A new mini-game called Balloon World is coming to one of the highest-rated games of all time. Once players download the free update and complete the main story, Balloon World will become available. In “Hide It” mode, players have a certain amount of time to hide a balloon. In “Find It” mode, players have the same amount of time to locate balloons hidden by other players from around the world. Players can move up the rankings** by finding hidden balloons and becoming expert hiders. The free update will be released in February with new Snapshot Mode filters and new outfits.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle: A new hero swings into action! Donkey Kong is headed to the game as a playable character, complete with an exclusive new storyline and world to explore. The DLC pack will release in spring and will be available for purchase individually, or as part of the Season Pass or Gold Edition of the game.

Pokkén Tournament DX Battle Pack: The Battle Pack is now available for purchase in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch and includes two Waves of Battle Pokémon and Avatar items. Wave 1 of the Battle Pack contains Battle Pokémon Aegislash and a new Support Pokémon Set featuring Mega Rayquaza and Mimikyu. Aegislash can change between two formes, and players can wield them both. Wave 2 includes the new Battle Pokémon Blastoise and a new Support Pokémon Set featuring Mew and Celebi. Wave 1 will be available Jan. 31, and Wave 2 is scheduled for Mar. 23.

Demos

Kirby: Battle Royale: The free demo is available in Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

Dragon Quest Builders: The free demo is available today in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch.

Remember that Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch/ and http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

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Dark Souls!!!! Yes!

60 fps on Switch please, I'm sure it will be 60 on the PS4 since Scholar of the First Sin was. It's really hard to go back to a choppy sub-30 framerate after experiencing these games in 60.

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 01/12/18, 16:41

@deathly_hallows
Namco Bandai have already said it's 1080p / 30fps for the Switch version. Personally I'm fine with that, but a lower res option at a higher framerate could have been a nice addition for some, I suppose.

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 01/12/18, 17:01

I thought it was kinda cool that the new character in Payday 2 has a mask that lights up in the Blue/Red colors of the Joycons. Also...her name is Joy. Coincidence?

J.K. Riki said:

Is this one Camelot? Because the previous few Mario Tennis games haven't been, yeah?

It is indeed Camelot! As have all of the Mario Tennis games, including the 3DS and Wii U versions.

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 01/12/18, 17:15

@r_hjort
Well it can't be worse than the original PC port of the game. 30fps is a godsend compared to that.

Posted by

Pokefreak911

on: 01/12/18, 17:17

Star Fox while a boss is blowing up was smoother than Dark Souls on the PC

Posted by

mrbiggsly

on: 01/12/18, 17:19

Ys 8 has a limited edition for you super consumers out there



I like the fancy little baby sword

Posted by

nate38

on: 01/12/18, 18:05

Edited:

01/12/18, 18:05

@GameDadGrant

Really? Huh. Feels like the quality dropped off there in the middle. Maybe I'm thinking of Golf, where Camelot was always the dev but then some else took over at some point?

Or maybe it's just they ripped the RPG element out, so I thought "Surely this must be a different developer, because why would you do that."

Posted by

J.K. Riki

on: 01/12/18, 19:10

I'm fairly certain Camelot did every Mario Golf game.

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/12/18, 20:31

Yeah, from what I know, Camelot's done every Mario Tennis and Mario Golf game. Next Level Games did Strikers, while Bandai-Namco did Mario Superstar Baseball, Sluggers, and Mario Sports Superstars. Square-Enix did Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix (and Super Mario RPG!).

What I don't understand is why Camelot keeps going "Hey guys, we actually have a Story Mode in this game!" And then completely missing the appeal of the Game Boy Golf/Tennis games' story mode. It's very simple, guys! Make them RPGs! Heck, Golf Story just did exactly that and was lauded for it.

Regardless, I did enjoy the 3DS Mario Golf for the most part. Even more because I got it as a free parting gift from Club Nintendo!

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 01/12/18, 20:46

If we want to split hairs, Camelot didn't make the golf game on NES with Mario, though it also wasn't called Mario Golf. And Camelot also didn't make Mario's Tennis for Virtual Boy.

For Mario Sports Superstars, Namco-Bandai worked on the baseball portion of it, but not the rest. Camelot handled the tennis and golf parts, though they are pretty much just copied some of the content from the 3DS games. I have no idea who handled the soccer and horse racing portions.

Posted by

Mop it up

on: 01/12/18, 21:29

@GameDadGrant
What I find weird is that she's supposedly a timed exclusive. How is that gonna work?

Somewhat interested in the game but I've heard a ton of horror stories about performance I think along with general developer greed.

@nate38
I'm not really into the special editions thing anymore but this is tempting. Ys back on Nintendo is a treat. Cause for celebration!

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 01/12/18, 21:34

@Mop it up
That's true--Camelot didn't start doing Mario sports games until Mario Golf on the N64. I always forget about the oldest ones.

Posted by

TriforceBun

on: 01/12/18, 21:34

TriforceBun said:

What I don't understand is why Camelot keeps going "Hey guys, we actually have a Story Mode in this game!" And then completely missing the appeal of the Game Boy Golf/Tennis games' story mode. It's very simple, guys! Make them RPGs! Heck, Golf Story just did exactly that and was lauded for it.

Agreed. It's like "Hey, we struck freaking gold over here! Better bury it back in the ground, dumdy dum dum!"

I will play Mario Golf on GBC even now, that mode is so good.

Posted by

J.K. Riki

on: 01/13/18, 01:11

They seemed to give a half hearted attempt at it with the 3DS game. The mechanics seemed there...walking around the club, finding new missions, etc, but it was all very superficial from what I remember.

Posted by

PogueSquadron

on: 01/13/18, 06:02

With that said the challenge mode in the 3DS game was awesome. Sooooo many challenges. And they got TOUGH. I put something like 70 hours into that game and never finished them all.

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/13/18, 06:23

r_hjort said:

@deathly_hallows
Namco Bandai have already said it's 1080p / 30fps for the Switch version. Personally I'm fine with that, but a lower res option at a higher framerate could have been a nice addition for some, I suppose.

It might be okay if it's a solid 30, I guess it depends on who does the port. The problem with Darks Souls on the 360/PS3 was that it ran between like 15 and 30 and was constantly changing. That kind of thing makes me vomit!

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 01/13/18, 23:52

@deathly_hallows
Someone one ERA said the Switch version is being handled in-house, whereas the other versions are outsourced, but I didn't click the link to see where the info came from, so take that with a grain of salt.

Posted by

r_hjort

on: 01/14/18, 00:08

@r_hjort
Well it's going to be 60 on the PS4.... so.... ugh. Hate to be forced to make this choice!

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 01/14/18, 00:31

I've never been a fan of the RPG modes in the Mario sports games since I don't like the way stats work or having to grind. If they were just a story mode they would have been better. I enjoyed the way Mario Super Sluggers handled a "story" mode and I always wanted to see more ideas like that for the Mario side games, so I hope Aces takes a similar approach.

Posted by

Mop it up

on: 01/14/18, 18:45

@Mop it up
Then I think you'll be happier then everyone else, since what they've shown looks nothing like an RPG mode. It really is strange how positive the reception of Aces has been, solely due to the words "Story Mode". Ah, the vagaries of the internet...

I'm a lot more concerned about the core gameplay, personally. Chance shots suck, and so do charge shots. Tennis is all about spacing, momentum, and timing.

Posted by

Anand

on: 01/14/18, 18:57

Edited:

01/14/18, 18:57