Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase Gets Surprise Release: Watch It Here

Following speculation that a Nintendo Direct would debut before the end of August, Nintendo surprise-released a new Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase video on August 26. It shows off upcoming Nintendo Switch games from its third-party developers and publishers, rather than any of Nintendo's first-party games. It was a surprise, though we have heard rumors of a separate Nintendo Direct happening this week. The video is available below and includes news on some major franchises.

Among the biggest games shown during this unexpected Nintendo Direct was Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory, a musical take on the long-running series that will combine rhythm gameplay with spell-casting. The game features a boss battle mode against some of the most famous Disney villains, and there are also Memory Dives that take you back into classic scenes from the series' past.

Puyo Puyo Tetris is getting a sequel on Nintendo Switch, appropriately titled Puyo Puyo Tetris 2. It includes many of the modes from the first game as well as the new Skill Battle mode that includes character skills and items. There is also an Adventure mode featuring a new story, and with the game available on December 8, it looks to be a great gift for the puzzle-lovers in your house.

Rock Band creator Harmonix is back with a new musical game on Switch. Fuser is a "non-stop digital music festival" that lets you create your own mixes and partner with others to make the best songs. You can each take a turn trying to create the best remix, and there are songs like Clocks by Coldplay, Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, and Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen to try out when it launches this fall.

The SaGa series and Final Fantasy were both heavily represented in the showcase. Game Boy games The Final Fantasy Legend, Final Fantasy Legend II, and Final Fantasy Legend III are all coming to the Switch as the Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend on December 15. And in just one day, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition launches on Switch.

With any luck, we'll see a full-scale Nintendo Direct fairly soon. Nintendo hasn't given much information on its upcoming first-party Switch games, and there are even rumors of a 4K-enabled new model floating around. Watch the full video above for even more news on World of Tanks Blitz, Just Dance 2021, Taiko No Tatsujin, Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions, and more.