Another E3 season has come and gone, with the usual bevy of new announcements and additional information pertaining to all the biggest upcoming games. With this excitement always comes the flip side of the coin, as numerous titles were completely absent from the show. The reasons for this are plenty (time, development, and more), withNintendobeing no exception, having completed its ownE3 showcasea few days ago.
While there were many thrilling reveals including a new trailer forBreath of the Wild’ssequel, there were also a handful of highly anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusives that were nowhere to be seen.Nintendocertainly had a varied E3 presentation, but some fan hopes skipped this year.
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Nintendo’s Missing Games - Bayonetta 3
First revealed at the Game Awards in December of 2017, quite a bit of time has passed without an concrete details onBayonetta3. Outside of the brief teaser video at the aforementioned Awards show, there isn’t a snippet of gameplay or even another conceptual trailer to wet the appetites of loyal series fans. The first twoBayonettagames are critically acclaimed and viewed as among the best action games available on the Nintendo Switch. A third installment would be a welcome addition to the Switch library of exclusive games, and game directorHideki Kamiya’s latest status update onBayonetta 3says it’s going well and will be shown when it is ready.
Nintendo’s Missing Games - Splatoon 3
From one gaming threequel to another,Splatoon 3was confirmed in a Nintendo Directa few months ago, immediately generating hype within its community of fans. Alongside the multiplayer frenzy forSuper Smash Bros Ultimate,Splatoon 2easily ranked among the Switch’s most popular online titles, with a proper sequel surely being on Nintendo’s roadmap at some point. To be fair, the game was previously confirmed for a release date sometime in 2022, so it may still be a long time before the title is officially in player’s hands.
Nintendo’s Missing Games - Pokemon Franchise
Nintendo has been showingthePokemonfranchisea lot of love within the Nintendo Switch’s lifetime, fromNew Pokemon SnaptoPokemon Sword and Shield.Based on recent announcements, it seems like there is no intention of slowing down the never-ending pursuit to catch ‘em all, as a healthy lineup of new games are on the horizon. Although these titles didn’t necessarily need to be present at Nintendo’s E3 2021 Direct, this time of year is the biggest event for gaming as a whole.Pokemon Legends: Arceusis slated for 2022, so that’s that, butBrilliant DiamondandShining Pearl’s absence was notable.
Nintendo’s Missing Games - Project Triangle Strategy
When the Nintendo Switch was first revealed to the public, among its most promising early lineup of games wasOctopath Traveler. After a series of demos, tantalizing trailers, and intriguing interviews, the game was released to great reviews and became a must-play for Switch owners interested in RPGs and strategy games.Project Triangle Strategybears a striking resemblance to the art style ofOctopath Traveler, and it also being a Square Enix project makes it appear to be a follow-up of a some kinds. Perhaps it wasn’t present at Nintendo’s Direct to not step on the toes of another upcomingSwitch RPG:Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hopebut even so, it feels like a missed opportunity.
Nintendo’s Missing Games - Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4has unfortunately become something of an elephant in the room for Nintendo these past few years since its announcement back in 2017. After restarting development onMetroid Prime 4early in 2019, the game’s troubled production has had fans worried, especially with no proper updates to base judgement on.
With each passing year and Nintendo Direct, the game is shaping up to almost be an unattainable fantasy for eager players, dying for just a glimpse of what the finished product will be. Even though Nintendo was clear that it was still in the works and made up for it with thereveal ofMetroid Dread, the extended silence on this title cannot be ignored.
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