Nintendo announces Splatoon 3, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate characters

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Nintendo Direct 2021
(Image credit: Nintendo)

Yesterday, Nintendo had its first official Direct showcase in over a year. Although the presentation wasn't packed with as many surprises as some fans were hoping, it still gave the community a few new things to be excited about.

Most notably, we got our first look at Splatoon 3, the next entry in Nintendo's highly successful multiplayer third-person shooter. Nothing particularly notable was shown, as it simply starts with a player creating their character, taking a train into the city and then jumping into the beginning of a match. However, this could be because it's expected to launch in 2022, meaning they might not have too much polished footage to show in the first place. 

Nintendo also showed off The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, which wasn't a surprise for those who were expecting its reveal after the slew of rumors. Even then, this is a big deal for Zelda fans who have been waiting for the day when the game's biggest issue was finally amended: motion controls. There are certainly some who believe the motion controls make the game special, but many others were not willing to constantly swing their arms around just to get through a Zelda game.

However, if you're one of those people who loves the way it played originally, don't worry! Nintendo will allow you to freely switch between button inputs and motion controls. This makes it quite the perfect remaster, although its $60 price tag is giving a number of fans some pause. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD launches on Nintendo Switch on July 16

We also got a first look at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's next DLC fighter, and unfortunately, this announcement made the fanbase collectively sigh. Smash Bros. often gets criticized for constantly featuring humanoid sword-based fighters depicted in a style resembling Japanese animation. This trend is now continuing, with characters Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 being confirmed for the game, both of which are releasing in March.

And the final entry on the big list of announcements is Mario Golf: Super Rush, which is a third-person golfing game that features a full single-player campaign, RPG mechanics, and a number of multiplayer modes to enjoy with friends. Mario Golf: Super Rush launches on Nintendo Switch on June 25.

The Nintendo Direct had a number of smaller announcements worth checking out, so be sure to watch the full presentation to see everything you can look forward to playing on your Nintendo Switch.

Momo Tabari
Contributing Writer

Self-described art critic and unabashedly pretentious, Momo finds joy in impassioned ramblings about her closeness to video games. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Media Studies from Brooklyn College and five years of experience in entertainment journalism. Momo is a stalwart defender of the importance found in subjectivity and spends most days overwhelmed with excitement for the past, present and future of gaming. When she isn't writing or playing Dark Souls, she can be found eating chicken fettuccine alfredo and watching anime.