The Saiga NAK editorial team went to cover Taipei Game Show 2024!
Last year, Taipei Game Show 2023 surpassed 300,000 attendees over its four-day run, outperforming Tokyo Game Show in sheer crowd size. A certain major company also took part in this massive gaming convention. Today, we bring you a look at the Nintendo booth straight from Taipei Game Show 2024!
The Nintendo Booth at TGS 2024!
The Nintendo booth featured a campaign where attendees could score items by trying out game demos or taking photos at designated photo spots. Although the booth was under the Nintendo banner, it also showcased a wide array of third-party titles available on the Nintendo Switch.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
First up is the Mario area. In addition to hands-on demos for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the first completely new entry in the series in 11 years, massive lines formed for a commemorative photo op with Mario and Luigi.
Sonic Superstars
Released by SEGA in October 2023, Sonic Superstars made a strong impression, thanks in large part to the giant eye-catching balloons of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy.
Kirby
Not to be outdone by the giant Sonic crew, a massive Kirby balloon also delivered quite an impact. Attendees could also try out a playable demo of Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
Square Enix brought out Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, the first mainline entry in the series in about 22 years. A wild giant Slime appeared, too!
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet
With its paid DLC out, players are still fully immersed in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Pikachu was also spotted keeping busy, greeting fans at the photo spot.
Playable Demos for Umamusume, Momotetsu, and More
Cygames brought a playable demo of Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash, which is slated for release in 2024. This was a rare treat, as there have been very few opportunities globally to play the game ahead of its launch.
Further back, we spotted UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes (also known as UNI2), which was just released on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
And to our surprise, Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban! made its very first public appearance with a Traditional Chinese demo at Taipei Game Show 2024. It would be wonderful if this game helps players develop a love for Japan.
While the game is set in Japan, the currency in this version is changed to Yuan.
As one of the most defining titles of 2023, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was on display. Unsurprisingly, it is globally beloved and features multilingual support, including Chinese, English, French, and German.
Nintendo also showcased Pikmin 4, which was released as the first mainline title for the series in 10 years. By the way, the Chinese characters for Pikmin are written as 皮克敏.
Celebrating the franchise's 35th anniversary is the latest entry, Ys X: Nordics. The president and producer of Nihon Falcom, Toshihiro Kondo, even made a special guest appearance on the Taipei Game Show 2024 main stage.
We also found The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak for Nintendo Switch from Falcom, scheduled for release on Thursday, February 15, 2024. Next to it was Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2, developed by YUKE'S and scheduled for release in 2024 by D3 Publisher.
There was also a station for the newly released Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, launched by UBISOFT on Thursday, January 18, 2024. The title features satisfying action and puzzles that utilize time-bending powers and unique abilities.
A Packed Merchandise Area
A section of the Nintendo booth was dedicated entirely to item sales. Along with physical retail games for the Nintendo Switch...
...they were selling Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers featuring special collaborations with franchises like Xenoblade, Splatoon, and The Legend of Zelda.
We also spotted the HORI Nintendo Switch Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe, an officially licensed Nintendo product.
Plus, there were MASCOT and 2-in-1 gift wrapping reusable shopping bags available.
They even had The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Collector's Edition up for grabs.
An All-Star Lineup at the Nintendo Booth!
For Japanese gamers who are used to Tokyo Game Show conventions, this Nintendo booth setup felt incredibly fresh. It was a true all-star lineup, bringing together industry icons like Sonic, Slime, and Kirby all under one roof. And with that, that wraps up our Nintendo booth report!