What to Expect from Thursday's Nintendo Direct

We try to figure out what games Nintendo will showcase during this week's presentation.

By Jose Otero

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a Nintendo Direct coming up this week on September 1 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST (Sept. 2 at midnight for Australia). Nintendo’s online video presentations typically give us a glimpse into the near-future, so it got us wondering what to expect since the company has been fairly silent after going all-in on Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a few other games at E3 2016.

Nintendo said this presentation would focus on upcoming 3DS games, so we’re going to keep our thoughts honed in on the company's portable platform. Whether or not you’ll get a passing mention of Paper Mario Color Splash, another confirmation that Pikmin 4 is done, or a closer look at features from the adorable NES Classic Edition remains to be seen.

OK folks, let’s put on our thinking caps and get started! But first, we need to get one really important thing out of the way...

Will Nintendo Talk About Codename NX?

Nope. Although Nintendo still plans to sell its next dedicated gaming console codename NX in March 2017, the company hasn’t said much about it. Of course, that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from dishing out potential secrets. Want to read the latest NX gossip? Check out IGN’s NX wiki.

Wait, When Was the Last Nintendo Direct?

Unless our records are incorrect, the last Nintendo Direct for North America was on March 3, so it’s been a while (Pokemon has frequently hosted its own Direct presentations, but we didn't count those). At the time, Nintendo heavily promoted Star Fox Zero and revealed the tie-in game, Star Fox Guard. The company also announced SNES games for the New 3DS Virtual Console, Paper Mario Color Splash, Rhythm Heaven Megamix, Kirby: Planet Robobot, and some cool eShop games.

So What Games Will Nintendo Likely Talk About This Week?

Well, it depends. You never know when Nintendo will pull out a surprise game announcement but, going into the Fall season, the company could needs to promote its upcoming games. Recently, Nintendo announced a Nindies Summer Jam, a collection of games coming from independent developers to Wii U and 3DS. And yesterday we all said hello to the Galaxy-themed New Nintendo 3DS XL.

But, to more directly answer your question, here’s what’s coming up on the Nintendo 2016 release calendar for 3DS (in North America):

• Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Spirit of Justice -- September 8
• Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past -- September 16
• Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse -- September 20
• Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice -- September 27
• Yokai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls -- September 30
• Mario Party Star Rush -- November 4

Super Mario amiibo series two (front row): Diddy Kong, Donkey Kong, Rosalina, Daisy, Waluigi, Wario, and (glow-in-the-dark) Boo.

• Super Mario amiibo series two: Wario, Waluigi, Daisy, Rosalina, Boo, Donkey Kong, and Diddy Kong -- November 4
• Pokemon Sun and Moon -- Novemeber 18
• Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King -- TBD
• Ever Oasis (Developer Grezzo’s new RPG) -- TBD

But Wait, Is There More?

Yes! Don’t forget that Nintendo said Animal Crossing: New Leaf would get an update that adds amiibo support. Once you’ve updated, all of the Animal Crossing amiibo figures and cards will be compatible with New Leaf.

The Animal Crossing New Leaf Update adds support for amiibo cards and figures.

Here’s what we know about the update so far: Tapping the villager amiibo cards will invite them to come visit your town’s campsite. The update also works with select amiibo from other series to unlock new furniture themed to those characters. Nintendo’s Japanese website hints that the Splatoon series will work as part of the update, but the company has not said anything outright.

Will Nintendo Say Anything About Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem for Smartphones?

Not likely. Nintendo hasn’t used its Nintendo Direct presentations to talk about any of its offerings on smartphones. I mean, sure, it could happen -- especially if the Animal Crossing: New Leaf update is somehow tied to the smartphone game -- but it would be without precedent.

Are There Any 3DS Games That Haven’t Been Announced for the West Yet?

Sure! Here’s three games we hope are coming to our side of the world.

Detective Pikachu

The Pokemon mascot has his own episodic adventure game (called Meitantei Pikachu: Shin Konbi Tanjou, which roughly translates to Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Team), and it was released in Japan last February. Last month, Legendary Pictures announced it acquired the film rights to Pokemon and would begin production on a Detective Pikachu film in 2017, so this game must be coming to the West.

Picross 3D 2 A sequel to the awesome DS puzzle game, Picross 3D. It was released in Japan on October 1, 2015 and it has support for 10 puzzles unlocked through amiibo. A USK rating board listing back in February mentioned Picross 3D: Round 2 for Europe, but the puzzle game has not surfaced in the West.

Culdcept Revolt

Culdcept is a turn-based strategy series that’s best described as a cross between card game Magic: The Gathering and board games like Monopoly. North America didn’t get its first Culdcept game until the PlayStation 2. The first game of the series was eventually ported to DS in 2008. We also got Culdcept Saga for Xbox 360. A Japan-only 3DS game was released on July 7.

What About Cloud, Corrin, and Bayonetta amiibo for Smash?

Who knows. But Nintendo could be saving that announcement for the rumored Smash NX port.

What do you think? What announcements do you hope to see during this week's Nintendo Direct? Let us know in the comments. We'll be here on September 1 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST (Sept. 2 at midnight for Australia) covering all the news from the presentation as it happens.

Jose Otero is an Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat. You can follow him on Twitter.

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