While Nintendo initially made it seem as if the company would only be showing off the new Legend of Zelda at this year's E3, that hasn't exactly been the case. In addition to showing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Pokemon Sun and Moon, the Big N unveiled a brand new IP for Nintendo 3DS: Ever Oasis.
The game comes from development studio Grezzo, which has previously worked on a number of handheld Legend of Zelda titles. Grezzo leader Koichi Ishii is heavily involved in the title's development, with Ishii perhaps best-known for directing Secret of Mana and the first three Final Fantasy games. According to the E3 Nintendo Treehouse reveal of Ever Oasis, Ishii is also largely responsible for Final Fantasy's job system and the design of the franchise's iconic Moogle characters.
That's quite a developer pedigree, and all of those games listed above definitely appear to be influences in Ever Oasis. The game looks to combine the town building and social aspects of Nintendo's popular Animal Crossing franchise with that of the combat and puzzle-solving of The Legend of Zelda. Playing as either a female or male character named Tethu, players will build a vibrant oasis in the middle of a punishing desert by attracting various travelers to the town. Players can form a party with NPC characters and venture forth into the desert sands to find new items by conquering dungeons and slaying monsters, using those items to improve their oasis. Players can switch between party members in combat, and each character features different weapons and abilities.
The game will feature a day and night cycle that will have large effects on gameplay, and players will need to gather resources in order to grow their oasis by constructing shops and buildings.
Nintendo didn't give a release date or even a release window for the title, so it's unclear when gamers can expect to get their hands on Nintendo's newest IP. That being said, it certainly looks like it could be popular among Nintendo's fanbase. Ever Oasis borrows plenty of elements from other iconic Nintendo franchises but combines them with colorful character designs and a vibrant setting that could make for a potent combination.
For more Nintendo E3 news, be sure to check out a full hour of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild gameplay here.
