Nintendo Direct February 2019: Super Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem and more

Nintendo’s first major keynote of the year was beamed across the web yesterday, giving fans a glimpse of its latest games.

The Japanese company confirmed that a much-requested Mario game would be making its way on to the all-in-one Switch console in the summer, along with a brand new title from Bayonetta developer Platinum Games.

However, Nintendo is still not revealing whether more games would join the line-up of existing Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles currently available through its online service.

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So without further ado, here are the highlights from last night’s games showcase:

Bayonetta 3 still in the works

It’s no secret that a third instalment of the critically acclaimed Bayonetta series is in the works. Fans had been hoping to get a first glimpse of the game, which was announced back in 2017, during yesterday’s keynote. Their wait, however, isn’t over just yet.

Yoshiaki Koizumi, Nintendo’s deputy general manager, revealed during the presentation that Bayonetta 3’s creator, Platinum Games, is still “hard at work” developing the new title, reports gaming site Nintendo Life.

Koizumi did not reveal when Bayonetta 3 would be launching, but more news could arrive at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the world’s biggest games conference, which runs from 11 to 13 June.

However, fans were given a glimpse of a new game currently under development at Platinum Games. Called Astral Chain, the action game appears to be set in a futuristic city and may feature elements of multiplayer co-operative play, similar to the likes of Destiny and Anthem.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses arrives in July

The headline title of Nintendo’s presentation was arguably the upcoming Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

The game puts players in the shoes of a “mercenary” in a fictional world where three kingdoms are at war with each other, says Polygon. Players can pick only one of these houses to support in battle, meaning they’ll have a “big choice to make” at some point during the game’s story.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses launches on 26 July for Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening gets a remaster

Nintendo has confirmed that one of the Game Boy’s hit titles - The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening - is getting remastered for the Switch.

While details are scarce, The Verge says the game will make the jump from the original’s 2D graphics to “a bright, colourful, and absolutely adorable-looking 3D style”.

It’s expected to arrive “later in 2019”, some 26 years after the original’s launch, the tech site says.

Super Mario Maker 2 heads to Switch

Most of the major titles that launched on the Wii U - Nintendo’s underwhelming previous console - have found their way over to the vastly more popular Switch over the past two years. Super Mario Maker, a game that lets players build their own Mario levels, has been a notable omission - but that will change this summer.

Nintendo confirmed during yesterday’s Direct keynote that Super Mario Maker 2 is heading to the all-in-one console in June, bringing with it a bunch of “new items” and levels for gamers to tinker with, says Den of Geek.

The game is also expected to include all the content from the first game and may introduce the ability to play through levels with another person, the website says.