Nintendo Switch is at the end of its life cycle, but it still seems to have a lot to say. Too much, considering that his heir is about to arrive. Anyone expecting a good Nintendo Direct will surely have been disappointed, because it was explosive, with unexpected news, excellent returns and many, many games arriving on the hybrid console in the coming months. But let’s go in order, starting from the bottom.
The first parties
The most relevant game of the entire Direct was certainly Metrodi Prime 4 Beyond, which marked the return of the game after seven years of silence. If you remember, it was announced during the first years of the Switch’s life, then it changed developers and was started again from scratch, vanishing into thin air. Now is back complete with gameplay video and release year: 2025. From what we have seen it will probably be one of the launch games for Super Nintendo Switch, or whatever the new console will be called.
The other bombshell announcement of the event was positioned at the other end, i.e. at the beginning: Mario & Luigi: Charging Brotherhood, new chapter of the mini series of Japanese role-playing games starring the mushroom-eating plumber brothers. Not only does it look gorgeous, but it already has a release date: November 7, 2024.
Nintendo actually had many other new features to be presented during the Direct, as a free Nintendo Switch Sports update that adds a new sport with two modes; the new Super Mario Party Jamboree, released on October 17, which will include over 110 minigames, seven boards and will be playable by 20 players online in Koopathlon mode; Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, remastered edition of the excellent platformer for Wii which will make its grand return to our screens and, finally, the new games for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers + Additional pack: two from the Nintendo 64 catalogue, namely Perfect Dark and Turok: Dinosaur Hunterand two from the Game Boy Advance, namely The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Four Swords and Metroid: Zero Mission.
Are we forgetting something? Yes, the third bomb: The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, a completely new Zelda. So new that for the first time it will have Zelda as the protagonist. The setting is more classic than that of the latest chapters for Nintendo Switch, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but it seems like a really well done variation on the theme, which will not fail to interest fans.
Third parties
What does this first party lineup look like for a console at the end of its life cycle? Excellent, right? In any case, they also enriched it greatly third-party ads. We start with Fantasian: Neo Dimension, a Japanese role-playing game that has none other than Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of the Final Fantasy series, behind it. Until now it had only been playable by Apple Arcade subscribers, but it will now arrive on other platforms too. At least on Nintendo Switch.
Big announcements also related to Dragon Questwith the arrival of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake in 2025, i.e. a collection that includes the first two revised and corrected episodes of the series that canonized the Japanese role-playing game genre, and with that of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, which will launch on November 14, 2024. Both will also be released on other platforms (like many of the games presented).
Another valuable title is Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, a collection scheduled for September 6th which includes the first chapters of the series, presented with a new graphic design, but also playable with the original one. The titles included are: Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambitthe latter making its debut in the West.
There was also a bit of PlayStation at the Nintendo Direct, featuring LEGO Horizon Adventures. The game had already been presented by Sony itself at the Summer Game Fest, but it’s nice to have seen it at a Nintendo event. For those who don’t know it, it will propose Aloy’s adventures in a LEGO version.
The shopping list is getting longer and will do so further after mentioning The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy, from the author of the cult series Danganronpa. This is a role-playing game with strategic battles that will be available early next year and for which a trailer was shown.
If you’re a soft-hearted person, leave some room for Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game, a Lord of the Rings-themed sandbox simulation with fields to farm, friends to make, and so much more. Not quite a Nazgul game, but it could be interesting, as the trailer showed.
If you’re not satisfied yet, here’s a roundup of other new features that you can’t miss: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, for which a new trailer was shown to reveal the release date, October 24, 2024; the Japanese role-playing game with integrated farm simulation Farmagia, which boasts the collaboration of Hiro Mashima, the author of FAIRY TAIL; Metal Slug Attack Reloaded, apparently a revised and corrected version of Metal Slug Defense, launched by surprise during the Direct; Stray, conversion of the famous third-person action game starring a cat which will be launched at the end of 2024; FAIRY TAIL 2, action RPG obviously based on the famous animated series, sequel to a successful game; Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports, a sports title starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and all their friends; finally Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, a collection of seven fighting and scrolling fighting games. In short, there will certainly be something that interests you. Get busy marking everything!
