To say that it’s been a while since the last standard Nintendo Direct would be an understatement. The previous one dropping on September 4th, 2019, Nintendo’s tweet announcing the latest Direct was nothing short of a beacon of light. Airing on the 17th of February, the latest Direct featured 50 minutes of a good mix of first-party and third-party announcements.
The Direct starts out strong with the reveal of the new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC fighter(s), Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Their addition makes it the second rep from the Xenoblade series after Shulk, and is an unexpected choice as most Xenoblade fans were anticipating the sequel’s protagonist Rex to join the fray. Similar to the fighter Pokemon Trainer, players can switch between Pyra and Mythra at will to wield their abilities. More details on the fighter as well as the new stage are expected to follow soon, and the DLC will be available sometime in March.
The hit massively-multiplayer party game, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is set to release for the Nintendo Switch this summer. After its huge success on PS4 and PC, the game is currently on its third season and became popular for its more laid-back approach to the battle royale genre.
Critically acclaimed Outer Wilds by Mobius Digital is getting a Switch port this summer as well. You play as a space cadet venturing through a constantly evolving solar system, and are stuck in an endless time loop. As Game of the Year pick for many, a release on the hybrid console will be met with much fanfare.
Making its way to the west are two remakes of classic games from the NES/Famicom Disk System era, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind. With Mages Inc. in charge of the games’ crispy new visuals with 3D models and an anime artstyle, the game is an adventure-mystery with a text-based command style of gameplay. The two will be launched on May 14th, with pre-orders available today.
The fifth installment of the Samurai Warriors series is releasing on the Nintendo Switch as (you guessed it) Samurai Warriors 5. The sister series to the Dynasty Warriors series, Samurai Warriors 5 features historical figures from the Sengoku period of Japan. The combat follows the 1-vs-1000 format in this hack-and-slash title. Samurai Warriors 5 will be released in the summer of this year.
A remastered HD version of the 1999 JRPG from Square Enix, Legend of Mana, is coming to the Switch. Based in a high fantasy setting, you must restore the land of Fa’Diel and the Tree of Mana. With a number of additions such as rearranged soundtracks and the ability to turn off encounters, this adorable classic will be available on June 24th.
A new trailer showcasing the upcoming Monster Hunter: Rise from Capcom presented a look at the new monsters such as Volvidon and Almudron, and a glimpse at the game’s story. A taste of the game is currently available in the form of the game’s demo, and while online play is no longer enabled, a couple of quests are free to try out for a limited number of times. Monster Hunter: Rise will release on March 26th.
Everyone’s favourite sport, golf, is getting the Mario treatment once again. Mario Golf: Super Rush is the latest installment in the Mario Golf series. Featuring a new story mode, motion controls, a number of terrains to golf on, and recurring Mario characters, the game is the ultimate golf experience. Mario Golf: Super Rush swings in on June 25th, and is now available for pre-order.
A collection of classic Capcom classics titled Capcom Arcade Stadium launches today for Switch. Separated between three different packs, each one contains games from different eras of Capcom. 1943 – The Battle of Midway is currently available as a freebie on the eShop.
No More Heroes 3 from Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. has you playing as the series’ signature katana-wielding protagonist, Travis Touchdown. You fight against enemies and aliens to save the Earth, along with some side-hustles in the form of mining and lawn mowing. The action-adventure game makes a touchdown to Nintendo Switch on August 27th.
Assassinating demons in heaven doesn’t sound like something that should be possible, but in Annapurna Interactive’s Neon White, it is. This first-person shooter comes from the developer of Donut County, Ben Esposito. Inspired by Y2K-era anime and cult-classic character action games, Neon White will be available in winter 2021.
The Nintendo 3DS Mii based RPG, Miitopia is now coming to the Switch. The game was popular for the ability to add any custom character in the form of Miis, which called for all sorts of wacky customizations. With additional features such as new hairstyles, new makeup, and a horse, Miitopia is launching on May 21st with pre-orders currently available.
The latest Animal Crossing: New Horizons update features new Super Mario-themed items, courtesy of the series’ 35th anniversary. On top of signature clothing from the game, items straight from the game’s levels have been added such as coins, blocks, and even warp pipes that allow you to fast travel to different places on your island. The update will launch on the 25th of February.
After the success of Octopath Traveler, Square Enix has announced their latest entry in their ‘HD-2D’- series, under the tentative name of Project Triangle Strategy. A tactical RPG that is dependent on the games’ decision-based system, the story is based on the fictional land of Norzelia and the waging war between its nations. Project Triangle Strategy’s demo is now available on the eShop, from which feedback will be collected for the final product, and the game is set to release in 2022.
A new side-scroller action, World’s End Club, comes from the creators of the Danganronpa and Zero Escape series. Trapped in an amusement park, twelve of you must fight for your lives and journey Japan. Previously released on Apple Arcade, World’s End Club launches on the Switch on May 28th.
The hit roguelike that swept gamers off of their feet, Hades, is getting a physical release. Bundled with the cartridge is a download code for the game’s soundtrack on PC, as well as a character compendium featuring portraits of the game’s characters. The physical version of Hades will be available on March 19th.
Ryu Hayabusa makes his way to the Nintendo Switch in the form of Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection, which includes Ninja Gaiden: Sigma, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. With your arsenal of weapons and ninjutsu, journey your way through the trilogy, launching June 10th.
An expansion pass has been announced for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, which releases in two waves. Wave 1, available in June 2021, includes an expanded roster, new weapons and challenges, and new enemies. Wave 2 will be available in November 2021, and includes new character vignettes, new stages, a further expanded roster, and new battle skills for existing characters. As a purchase bonus, players will get a new weapon and costume for Link.
The soon-to-be-launched, Square Enix’s Bravely Default II, is set for release on February 26th. The second installment to the former handheld series gets an updated demo as well. The Brave and Default mechanic returns to the RPG, as well as a new job class system added to set up your party. With an all-new story, the game is welcoming to both familiar fans as well as first-timers.
Sadly, the Hylian-ticipated Breath of the Wild sequel doesn’t make an appearance in the Direct, producer for The Legend of Zelda series confirmed that further news will be shared later on in the year.
Instead, an old fan-favourite shows up, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Initially released for the Wii, the decade-old title is getting an HD remaster for the Switch, as well as an updated control scheme. The game was heavily criticized for its frustrating motion controls, but they’ve been mapped to buttons in lieu of the Nintendo Switch Lite. In addition, a new set of joy cons modeled after the Master Sword and Hylian Shield have been teased. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD and joy cons will release on July 16th.
The final announcement for the day is one that fans have been waiting on for a while. Splatoon 3 has finally been confirmed with a trailer, and this time it looks like it’s set in a dusty dystopia, presumably based on Splatoon 2’s final SplatFest, Chaos vs. Order. While the supposedly final SplatFest occurred in July of 2019, the third installment was yet to be confirmed. The trailer showcased what seems to be the initial customization screen which segways to the game’s main city, Splatsville. Alongside your Squid-sona this time, however, is a small Salmonid friend that accompanies you on your journey. A thread on Nintendo’s Twitter account gives some exposition on this new world-setting. Splatoon 3 is geared for a release in 2022.
Other upcoming announced titles:
- Ghosts n’ Goblins Resurrection – February 25th
- Apex Legends – March 9th
- Stubbs the Zombie: In Rebel Without a Pulse – March 16th
- Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville – March 19th
- Tales from the Borderlands – March 24th
- SaGa Frontier Remastered – April 15th
- Knockout City – May 21st
- DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power – June 4th
- Star Wars Hunter – This year
Which games are you looking forward to releasing? Let us know in the comments!
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