mark cerqueira well-rounded nerd

Awesome Nintendo Direct

14 Sep 2018

Nintendo Directs are always exciting but this week Nintendo delivered an A+++ announcement.

I was already excited about the stuff we know about coming to the Switch. This week a massive DLC expansion (warranting even a physical release in addition to a digital release) is coming out for Xenoblade Chronicles 2. A week later comes Valkyria Chronicles 4: a one-of-a-kind SRPG that had an amazing series debut on the PS3. If you never played the original, no worries as it is also coming to the Switch!

And then today happened! Over the coming year we’ve got nine Final Fantasy titles coming to the Switch! I love Final Fantasy. Here’s where I stand on each of the announced games:

  • Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition - I played the non-pocket edition on the PS4 and while it had some flaws, I loved FFXV. That said, I will pass on this watered down version.
  • World of Final Fantasy Maxima - I played the original on the Vita when it came out in 2016. It’s different but I enjoyed it.
  • Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! - I never played the original Wii version and will wait and see what reviews are before diving into this entry.
  • Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - I got this game for the GameCube and played a bit but didn’t have others to play with. With the incoming Nintendo Switch Online service I’m hoping online play can help make this game awesome.
  • Final Fantasy VII - I have yet to replay FF7 but given the HD remake will likely not come out in my lifetime, I may invest in another trip to Midgar soon.
  • Final Fantasy IX - Another classic that I have not replayed yet but really want to. Given there is no HD remake in the works for this one I’m more inclined to revisit Gaia soon.
  • Final Fantasy X - FFX is my favorite Final Fantasy and I’ve played it three times on the PS2, PS3, PS4. Three times is also my personal record for the number of times I’ve replayed a game.
  • Final Fantasy X-2 - I admit, unashamedly, I’ve played this game twice and guess what? Contrary to a lot of the blind hate, it’s a good game!
  • Final Fantasy XII - The Zodiac Age - I recently replayed FFXII a.k.a. the best Star Wars ever made on the PS4 so I’m going to pass on this release.

Overall, I’m excited to see Nintendo finally becoming a serious platform for the Final Fantasy series after the heydays of the SNES entries. Seeing my first Final Fantasy game, the divisive Final Fantasy VIII, missing from this lineup is upsetting but not surprising given people say the original developers did a bad job of keeping the code and assets around.

Does all that Final Fantasy not satisfy you? How about some other juicy great games also getting ported like Katamari Damacy, Bastion, The World Ends With You, and Super Mario Bros. U? Oh, the Switch is a glorified port console you say? Let’s throw down some new entries from beloved IP like Animal Crossing, Luigi’s Mansion, and Yoshi’s World to quiet the naysayers.

Nintendo, consider me pumped.