Nintendo at gamescom: Yo-kai Watch 2 Europe release, 2DS bundles, and more

Nintendo at a games conference? Life is good again

Pokémon Sun and Moon will be demoed and Yo-kai Watch 2 is coming to Europe — that’s just two of many announced plans that Nintendo has detailed for its gamescom brief.

Here’s a summary of what it has in store (note: most of this information is for Europe).

• Splatoon Showdown
  The final four teams in the ESL Splatoon tournament will face off to determine the champion on the Beta Stage in Hall 9 on August 17 at 17:00 CEST. You can watch live at Twitch.tv/ESL.
• Splatoon Testfire
  Free online demo will be available via the eshop in Europe from August 18 until September 1.
• Nintendo Selects
  Four new games announced as Nintendo Selects: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Pikmin 3, Super Mario 3D World, and Mario Party 10. Nintendo Selects are popular games discounted, similar to the Greatest Hits system employed by Sony. These four will release on September 30.
• Paper Mario: Color Splash
  The first episode of a new video series is now available. 
• Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon
  The latest entries in the long-running monster-catching series will be played live on stage by Game Freak’s Shigeki Morimoto. 
• New Nintendo 3DS XL colors
  Still don’t have a 3DS? Want to add to your collection? From November 11, Pearl White, Orange + Black, and Pink + White 3DS systems will be available for purchase.
• Nintendo 2DS bundles
  Two new bundles were announced for release on October 7. A blue Nintendo 2DS pre-installed with the original Yo-kai Watch as well as a pink 2DS pre-installed with Nintendo presents: New Style Boutique 2 – Fashion Forward (NA title: Style Savvy: Fashion Forward)
• Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls
  The next games in the massively popular (in Japan) franchise will be released in Europe in spring 2017 (will release in North America on September 30, 2016) 
• Mario Party: Star Rush
   New 3DS Mario Party will release in Europe on October 7, in Australia on October 8, and November 4 in North America. For the first time, the game that promises to have more strategy and features such as simultaneous turn-taking will be playable by fans.
• Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
   Speaking of games Japan goes nuts for, the remake of Dragon Quest VII will be shown, streamed, and playable. Dragon Quests fans should call in sick on September 16 in Europe and North America. September 17 for Australians.
• Indie titles
   A section of Nintendo’s booth will be dedicated to indie games such as Runbow Pocket. Axiom Verge and new DLC tracks for FAST Racing NEO will be present.