Nintendo just wrapped up its Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, and to no one's surprise, the Switch 2 was not mentioned. Instead, the actual surprise is that the event was more compelling than anticipated. It can be hit or miss when these shows exclusively revolve around smaller titles from third-party developers, but this was absolutely a hit.
With plenty of great games shown off, particularly surprises like a remake of a cult classic and sequel to a slightly unknown but beloved metroidvania, there's so much to look forward to. And before we begin, a quick honorable mention for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble is in order, as it's something I didn't expect and will make its fans lose their minds.
5. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
It's hard not to look at a game like Epic Mickey and audibly go "huh?" It's among the most bizarre combination of game ideas and developer ever. Warren Spector, famed director of Deus Ex, made a Mickey Mouse game in 2010. While I haven't played it, I've heard it's weird, dark, and surprisingly good.
THQ Nordic's remakes and sequels of beloved franchises have been mixed in the past, so I'm not particularly expecting this Epic Mickey remake to be golden, but it's fascinating to see such a niche project back in the public space again. Disney seems strict with its properties as of late, so I'm interested to see what's going on when Epic Mickey: Rebrushed launches in 2024.
4. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist
While Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights isn't the most well-known metroidvania, it is deeply beloved by those who play it. With its stunning background illustrations and unique gameplay style where the player is in the shoes of a "helpless" little girl controlling monsters to fight for her, it has received intense praise.
While I haven't played it myself, it is among my girlfriend's favorite games ever, and the notion of a sequel will have her squealing up and down in excitement whenever she awakes from slumber. Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist puts the player in the shoes of Lilac to utilize a homunculus' power and defeat a series of bizarre and disturbing monsters. And when a homunculi is defeated, the player can command them to fight with them.
3. Penny's Big Breakaway
It's unfair to call Penny's Big Breakaway one of my most anticipated titles from this Nintendo Direct, as it was shadow-dropped during the presentation. Yes, it's available to play now. But since I haven't got a chance to try it quite yet, it's still among my most anticipated titles from the show.
Penny's Big Breakaway harkens back to classic 3D platformers with its low-poly world and bold color palette, featuring an adorable playable character doing mid-air tricks with a yo-yo to traverse numerous areas of the world. It's available on Nintendo Switch and Steam right now, and I cannot wait to try it out.
2. Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord isn't a new reveal by any means, but it is the latest Vanillaware game that will surely be regarded as a masterpiece in the tactical RPG genre. The latest trailer didn't show much, but it came alongside the shadow-drop of a demo available today.
We already knew the game was launching March 8, but the reveal of a demo is huge for anyone who was on the fence about it. If you're a fan of games like 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, you'll likely come away from this game with a smile, especially thanks to its gorgeous illustrations.
1. Pepper Grinder
I love nothing more than hectic side-scrolling indie games where the player needs to be precise and swift as they navigate obstacles and battle enemies. Pepper Grinder puts the player in the shoes of a girl with a gigantic drill in hand, letting her dig through land and pulverize foes in her way to quickly get through a level.
It very much seems like a "make your way" sort of game, with much of the terrain and even huge monsters being susceptible to the giant drill as the player quickly digs from one side to another. If you want to collect coins, drill monsters, and zoom through the ground, Pepper Grinder launches on March 28 for Steam and Nintendo Switch
