Nintendo Direct Mini (3.26) Recap: Small Additions, Big Fun

Shinsekai: Into the Depths

Shinsekai: Into the Depths started as an Apple Arcade exclusive, but has now surfaced in the Nintendo Switch eShop.  This game can best be described as a deep sea  metroidvania.  Like most metroidvania games, there is a significant amount of backtracking after gaining new skills and equipment to advance the story and explorable areas.  However, there is also a focus on survival as the character’s oxygen must be carefully monitored as well as dealing with the extreme pressure present in the depths of the ocean.  The main character travels through the underwater depths in a submersible vehicle and can exit the vehicle to explore, reminiscent to Blaster Master Zero.  However, the depths of the ocean are not peaceful as many sea creatures want to make a meal of the underwater traveler thus creating suspense during the exploration.

One of the things that stands out with this game is the beauty of the underwater environments.  The screens are full of bright colors from coral and other sea life.  This could be a game where players become fully absorbed by the visuals.  Along with the graphics, the game has an impressive soundtrack.  The developers decided to showcase the soundtrack by adding a jukebox mode allowing players the ability to remix the songs. This is a nice feature for players that might want to listen to the music outside of the game.

Shinsekai: Into the Depths is available now in the eShop. Look for a review of this game in the future.

Ring Fit Adventure DLC

Nintendo’s massive surprise seller, Ring Fit Adventure, just got a free expansion.  Available as of March 26, the biggest piece of the expansion is a rhythm game that has players using the ring-con to press, pull, twist and squat to the beat of songs from within Ring Fit Adventure.  Although Nintendo could have restricted the tracks for the rhythm game to those found in the various levels of Ring Fit Adventure, Nintendo went above and beyond by adding tracks from Nintendo Switch hits like Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2 and Breath of the Wild.  I hope this is the first of many Nintendo tracks we have access to in this game.

Nintendo also added a jogging feature allowing players to run through stages of the story mode without any combat.  This is a welcome feature allowing players to truly experience the art which can be breathtaking at times.  The outdoor areas are full of life with familiar animals joining you on your journey.  Jogging through the scenic environments gives players more time to become immersed in the world.  From personal experience, my biggest wish is for longer jogging segments so players can experience these alien worlds for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

Continue to part 3 featuring  Bravely Default II and King’s Bounty II