Nintendo at E3 2018: The 7 best announcements

Michael McWhertor is a journalist with more than 17 years of experience covering video games, technology, movies, TV, and entertainment.

Nintendo kicked off E3 2018 with a new Nintendo Direct that was chock full of great news, especially if you’re a Super Smash Bros. fan. While Super Smash Bros. Ultimate stole the show with a series of reveals, Nintendo brought more than just its Switch fighting game. There was also a first look at a new Fire Emblem game and a totally new project called Daemon X Machina. Oh, and Fortnite!

Here’s a roundup of the seven best announcements from Nintendo’s E3 2018 presentation.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate includes every Smash character ever

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch will include more than 60 characters, including Nintendo’s own Mario, Link, Pikachu, Yoshi and Zelda, as well as every single guest character who’s ever appeared in the series. Sonic the Hedgehog? Yep. Solid Snake? Affirmative. Pac-Man? Most definitely. Cloud? Yes. Every single Smash Bros. character.

But there’s some room for new characters as well. The long-demanded villain Ridley from the Metroid franchise is finally in. Splatoon’s Inklings are there, too, and Princess Daisy is getting her own spot on the roster.

Nintendo also announced a release date: Dec. 7, 2018.

Fortnite is now available for Switch

Fortnite running on a Nintendo Switch being held by a left hand

The hottest game on the planet is now on the similarly hot Nintendo Switch. Fortnite is now available to download for free from the Nintendo Switch eShop. There’s just one catch: If you played Fortnite on PlayStation 4, you can’t use your account on Switch.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses revealed

The long-awaited Fire Emblem for Switch was finally revealed. Fire Emblem: Three Houses will be a tactical, turn-based strategy role-playing game that lets players command more than just individual units. Now, characters will be supported by legions of troops on the battlefield. It’s a much bigger Fire Emblem.

There’s a new Mario Party for Switch

Heaven to some, hell to others, the Mario Party series of board-based party games is making the jump to Switch. Super Mario Party will let four players party across two Nintendo Switch screens in a new mode called Toad’s Rec Room. Super Mario Party will included 80 new minigames and will hit the Switch this October.

Daemon X Machina is a new original Switch game

If you’ve been hungering for fast-paced mech-based action in the style of, say, Armored Core games, Daemon X Machina may fit the bill. The action game puts players in control of a mech called an Arsenal that they can customize with weapons on the fly as they battle other giant machines. Daemon X Machina is coming to Switch in 2019.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is coming to Switch

Bandai Namco’s ultra-popular fighting game featuring Dragon Ball characters is coming to Switch later this year, for Goku on Goku action on the go. Cool.

Overcooked 2!!

Overcooked is back! The frantic, food-slinging cooperative action game is coming to Nintendo Switch (and other platforms) in August. Players will still have to team up and cook and serve dishes at a frenzied pace in Overcooked 2. The sequel will add new recipes, the ability to throw ingredients at each other and, best of all, online multiplayer.