 |
| Colin Burns |
There is plenty to look forward to!
01.14.17 - 8:27 AM
Nintendo has raised the veil on their next generation console, the Nintendo Switch. Along with detailing the retail price of $299.99, promising to end region-locking and confirming the worldwide release date of March 3rd, 2017, Nintendo gave us a sneak peek at the games being developed for their unique console. Luckily for us here at RPGFan, a number of the games revealed were RPGs! You already know about the big ones like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 but there were a bunch of announcements that flew under the radar or were made after the presentation proper. We are gonna switch things up (ha!) and start with the little guys and make our way up to the biggest RPGs coming to the Nintendo Switch.
Tokyo RPG Factory's love letter to SNES games will be a launch title on the Nintendo Switch. JRPGs of this nature are deeply rooted in Nintendo's history so Setsuna's inclusion is a nice touch. Also, the portable nature of the Switch lends itself well to long grinding sessions.
I Am Setsuna is available on PlayStation 4, Vita (Japan) and PC. It will launch with Nintendo Switch on March 3rd.
I Am Setsuna Screenshots
I Am Setsuna Review
No details were given about this during the recent presentation but the logo for Marvelous' farm simulation game Story of Seasons showed up on a page of games coming to the Switch on Nintendo's official website. It is only confirmed for Japan and it is unclear whether the Switch will get a port of the first game, or a new entry in the series. We will keep you updated and details become available!
Story of Seasons is currently available for the Nintendo 3DS.
Story of Seasons Screenshots
Story of Seasons Review
European developer, Microids, has announced that the next title in their adventure series, Syberia 3 is being developed for Nintendo Switch. It is nice to see Nintendo working with smaller developers and ensuring that Switch's library has something to offer for every kind of gamer.
Syberia 3 is being developed for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS and Android. It is scheduled for a Q1, 2017 launch.
Disgaea 5 Complete is an updated version of the original game that includes DLC like bonus scenarios, characters and classes. It will come to North America and Europe in physical and digital formats. It will be available in standard and limited edition.
The original Disgaea 5 is currently available on PlayStation 4 and Disgaea 5 Complete will come to Nintendo Switch this Spring.
Disgaea 5 Screenshots
Disgaea 5 Review
When Hyrule Warriors was announced in 2013, a switch (ha!) flicked in a ton of Nintendo fans' heads, "What if they did this with Fire Emblem?" Well, Nintendo and Koei Tecmo have answered the call and Fire Emblem Warriors is a real game that will come out for Nintendo Switch. It will be interesting to see how Koei Tecmo meshes the "weapons triangle" and other Fire Emblem features with the hack and slash gameplay of Warriors titles. Little is known about it right now but you can check out the teaser below.
Fire Emblem Warriors has no release date but a special Nintendo Direct is scheduled for January 18th and more will be revealed then.
Fire Emblem Warriors Screenshots
One of the biggest new announcements during the Switch presentation was the unveiling of a new RPG from Square Enix, Project Octopath Traveller (please that be a codename). The game has a very unique and distinct graphical style that sets 2D sprites onto a 3D background. 16-bit nostalgia is all the rage so it makes sense for Square to tap back into that kind of design that made them so successful in the first place. One of the most exciting parts of the trailer is the drawing of a large world map which promises a long journey full of interesting environments. The title, Project Octopath Traveller could also suggest branching storylines? The game is being developed by the team responsible for the Bravely series.
Project Octopath Traveller was not given a release date.
Project Octopath Traveller Screenshots
Surprising no one, Bethesda officially confirmed that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition will be on the Nintendo Switch. The appeal of playing such a massive game on the go is hard to deny but the game is sure to be a drain on battery life. Still, it is encouraging to see third party support from such an influential developer. Hopefully the partnership lasts and we continue to see Bethesda games show up on the Switch.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. It will come to Nintendo Switch this Fall.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Screenshots
The Shin Megami Tensei series will continue to call Nintendo consoles home. No details were provided about this new game and we don't know if this is the next numbered entry in the series or just another spin off. It was recently revealed that Persona 5i would not be coming to the Switch so it is nice to see that Atlus hasn't completely abandoned Nintendo.
No release date was given but we will keep you posted as we learn more about this latest SMT game.
Shin Megami Tensei Screenshots
Dragon Quest, for the most part, has been very faithful to Nintendo. The announcement that Dragon Quest Heroes II would be coming to Nintendo Switch was no surprise but the fact that it also comes with the original game and they will launch with the console is pretty cool. Dubbed Dragon Quest Heroes I·II, it combines both games along with previously available DLC. It will cost ¥8,800 ($77 USD).
Dragon Quest Heroes I·II will release in Japan only on March 3rd. No word has been given about worldwide release. Dragon Quest Heroes is currently available for PlayStation 4 and Dragon Quest Heroes II will be available for PlayStation 4 in the west, this April.
Dragon Quest Heroes II Screenshots
Dragon Quest Heroes Screenshots
Dragon Quest Heroes Review
This MMO take on Japan's most venerable RPG series was released back in 2012 but clearly, it has a large enough player base to compel Square Enix to keep supporting in on the Switch. During their presentation, Nintendo said you would have to pay in order to play games online but it's possible they make an exception for Dragon Quest X as it already has its own subscription fee. Remember, Switch is region-free so this may be your chance to check out Dragon Quest X but servers being located in Japan and the general nature of MMOs may not make importing a viable option.
Dragon Quest X is playable in Japan on Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PC, iOS and Android. It will come to Switch and PlayStation 4, sometime in the future and there is still no word on it being localized for the west.
Dragon Quest XI was one of the first games confirmed for the Switch, back when it was still elusively known as the "NX." Dragon Quest XI is unique for having two completely different versions being developed for the PlayStation 4 and 3DS. It will be interesting to see if there is some sort of uniqueness to the Switch version.
Dragon Quest XI is coming to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4 in 2017.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 may be one of the biggest RPGs coming to the Nintendo Switch. Monolith Soft is known for their gargantuan, western inspired RPGs that keep gamers occupied for hundreds of hours. Being a Xeno-game, it is safe to assume it'll be full of melodrama and giant robots.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will release exclusively for Nintendo Switch in Japan and Europe, sometime in 2017. Nothing is official about a North American release date but you can import!
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Screenshots
Last but certainly not least, Nintendo showed off even more of the insanely anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The new trailer they debuted features all different kinds of lush environments, a first glimpse at Zelda herself and more. If you were on the fence about this game, the new trailer is more than enough to put you over the edge. Breath of the Wild promises a level of freedom and control that has been absent from the series since its origin. The large landscapes are just begging to be explored and gamers will only have to wait a few more weeks to get their hands on the game!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be a launch title for the Nintendo Switch on March 3rd. It will also release for the Wii U.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Screenshots
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Preview
So there you have it: a bunch of RPGs announced for Nintendo Switch. It's shaping up to be quite the library and it will be awesome to see what kind of unique experiences will be developed for it once game creators have a bit more time to experiment with the hardware. Stay tuned to RPGFan as we learn more about the Switch and its RPGs.
