It's time for another Nintendo Direct, though not a fully Nintendo-focused one. Today, th?e Switch manufacturer presented two back-to-back showcases, spotlighting indies and third-party partners bringing games to the Nintendo console through this year and into the next.

Though it didn't have any Nintendo or Switch 2 news, that??'s not to say we didn't get a few stunners. Fans of old classics should especially enjoy this one; remasters, remakes, and classic collections were all over the place in today's dual showcase broadcast. Let's look at everything announced.

Everything shown during the Indie World Showcase - August 2024

• Balatro is getting so, so many crossovers. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dave the Diver, Vampire Survivors and more. Those crossover "Friends" arrive as cosmetic skins in a free update later today.
• Gris dev Nomada Studio will deliver Neva on October 15, 2024. It looks gorgeous and emotional, so it should definitely be of interest to Gris fans.
• Moth Kubit looks like a quirky adventure through corporate hell. Look forward to a creepy, relatable journey in spring 2025.
• The Coffee Talk franchise is carrying on with many folks who worked on it, with Coffee Talk Tokyo now "brewing" for a 2025 pour.
• Sabotage's hit RPG Sea of Stars is getting some DLC in spring 2025. Throes of the Watchmaker looks pretty rad, and I love all the clockwork imagery here.
• Some-BODY Shrek Powerwash Sim
• CRT scanlines and a pretty... distinct art style certainly ensured that Morsels left an impression on me. Furcula's indie project is set to make an impact in February 2025.
• Date Everything is what it says. Date everything. Every. Thing. The lamp. Doug. Even the game itself. Date it all on October 24, 2024.
• Peglin is a pachinko-style RPG that, somehow, was not made by Konami. It arrives on Switch later today!
• Live a Wobbly Life in December 2024 with this co-op physics-based simulator.
• Pico Park 2 is a co-op game bound to break some friendships, even if the rope doesn't go. It's out later today.
• Sizzle reel time! Some dates for upcoming Switch games:

  • Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX - 2025
  • Europa - October 11, 2024 with a demo today
  • Cuisineer - January 28, 2024
  • On Your Tail - November 21, 2024
  • Metal Slug Tactics - Fall 2024
  • The Plucky Squire - September 17, 2024

• One last thing for the indies: smash indie hit Pizza Tower is heading to the Switch, and it's arriving later today! Now, onto the Partner Showcase.

Everything shown in the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase - August 2024

• Digital Eclipse is giving Tetris the retro collection treatment. Tetris Forever looks like a bundle made for block-dropping enthusiasts, with tons of classic games and some documentary footage to boot, set for 2024.
• Star Overdrive asks, "do you love hoverboards?" Because this sure does have hoverboards. It arrives sometime in 2025.
• The remaster might have just been announced, but Goat Simulator 3 is still causing chaos. It's out on digital for Switch later today, with a physical version lined up for November 2024.
• A The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 1st remake just got casually announced in a sizzle reel for 2025?!?!?!
• Other reel entries include:

  • Star Wars: Hunters Season 3 - September 24, 2024
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy - November 2024
  • Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition - September 26, 2024
  • Disney Dreamlight Valley new in-game event - September 4, 2024

• This is Patrick? SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game is all about the sponge's starfish pal, but will still feature plenty of cameos from the cast on October 4, 2024.
• Fitness Boxing 3 will try to help you punch your way to fitness on December 5, 2024.
• We've been taken for a ride, now it's time for true love. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 has officially been announced, with a stellar lineup of Capcom classics including two Capcom Vs. SNK games, two Power Stone titles, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, and Project Justice. That's set for 2025.
• Also, the first Capcom Fighting Collection arrives on September 12 for digital, with a physical version arriving on November 22, 2024.
• A new alchemist is mixing things up. Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land adds a new series protagonist in early 2025.
• Remember the Suikoden remasters? Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a mouthful that's arriving on March 6, 2025.
• The HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III still looks fantastic, and is still set for November 14, 2024.
• More vampire-slaying goodness is on the way. Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia, and Dawn of Sorrow arrive on the Switch via the Castlevania Dominus Collection later today.
• Civilization 7 will be coming to the Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025, so you can play for just one more turn on-the-go.
• An interesting page of Tales past is getting a visual upgrade. Tales of Graces f Remastered is set for January 17, 2025.
• The MySims Cozy Bundle gathers up both MySims and MySims Kingdom into one package on November 19, 2024.
• Looking for animatronic horror? FNAF Help Wanted 2 and some DLC for Security Breach both arrive this holiday.
• Sizzle reel time again! Here are some more dates:

  • Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed - September 24, 2024
  • Tales of the Shire: A LOTR Game - Holiday 2024
  • Just Dance 2025 Edition - October 15, 2024
  • Funko Fusion - Holiday 2024
  • EA Sports FC 25 - September 27, 2024
  • Lego Horizon Adventures - Holiday 2024

• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma could be a welcome up-turn for the Rune Factory series. It's got a great look, some neat-looking combat, and of course, some locals to romance. It's set for Spring 2025.
• One last thing: Yakuza Kiwami is coming to Nintendo Switch! If you haven't started this series yet, you'll get your chance on October 24, 2024.

That'?s all for today's double-header Nintendo Direct. It was an interesting, maybe even a bit strange showcase, but there are definitely a few reveals that took me by surprise??. Got a favorite? Let us know down below.

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Konami announced during the 2024 Nintendo Partner Showcase that the first two Suikoden games, combined into the lengthy-titled Suikoden I&II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars,?? are arriving on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms on March 6, 2025. Originally announced back in 2023 and delayed indefinitely, we now have a co??nfirmed date for next year.

The original Suikoden and Suikoden II games launched in 1995 and 1998, respectively, with a compilation of the two arriving years later in 2006. Nearly 20 years later, the remaster is set to launch as one bundle in 2025. While initially announced as a Switch release, Konami's follow-up announcement revealed every launch platform, including PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.???? Its physical version is available for pre-order starting on August 28, with September 6 marking the day for Nintendo Switch pre-orders.

The Suikoden I&II HD Remaster will follow the originals' turn-based formula, with over 100 characters to befriend and fight alongside. The remaster primarily enhances its graphics and makes it compatible with modern systems. Beyond this, it'll also include new auto-battling and ??double-speed battling features to spice up your battles.

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars arrives on Nintendo Switch, P??S4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on March 6, 2025.

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Nintendo revealed during today's Nintendo Direct that fighting game fans will be able to relive the nostalgic late 90s of beating up their friends across 8 classic fighting games including Capcom vs. SNK Millenium Fight 2000 Pro, Capcom vs. SNK 2 Mark of the Millenium 2001, Project Justice, Capcom Fighting Evolution, Street Fighter Alpha, Plasma Sword, Power Stone, and Power Stone 2. Capcom Fight Collection 2 is set to release in 2025.

Ok so Capcom vs SNK 2 is huge, and Capcom Fighting Evolution and Street Fighter Alpha as well. But man I remember dumping tons of hours into Power Stone on the Dreamcast, and now I couldn't be more excited. I never got to play Plasma Sword, but it looks sick as well.

All 8 titles will be available in Capcom Fight Collection 2 when it slams on Nintendo Switch in 2025. Nintendo also revealed that Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics will be available on ??the Nintendo Switch digi?tally on September 12, 2024 and physically on November 22, 2024.

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Don't worry Switch fans, you can finally explore the Pizza Tower as chef extraordinaire Peppino Spaghetti later today. During today's Nintendo Direct, developer Tour De Pizza announced that its popular 2D Platform Pizza Tower will be relea??sed on the Nintendo Switch later today.

In Pizza Tower, players play as Peppino Spaghetti as they climb the intense floors of the Pizza Tower collecting toppings and thrashing hordes of monsters. It's a highly stylized pixel art 2D Platformer inspired by cartoons from the 90s, and anyone who enjoys classic platformers will have a blast with Pizza Tower.

As of the time of this posting, it doesn't appear as though Pizza Tower is yet available on the Nintendo Store, but we will update her??e once it is!

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A new Nintendo stream is upon us, and it's airing on pretty short notice. Tomorrow, August 27, Nintendo will host a two-part stream featuring an In?die World Showc?ase followed by a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase.

The stream goes live at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET on Nintendo's YouTube and other channels. The Indie World Showcase will air first, followed b?y the Partner Showcase, for a total of roughly? 40 minutes, after all is said and done.

In case the names didn't tip you off, don't expect any news about the successor to the Nintendo Switch here. Not only do these streams normally not focus on Nintendo news (Partners and Indies are both third-party showcases), but Nintendo is outright saying that there will be no men??tion of the Switch successor.

What can we expect then? Well, the Silksong faithful are already donning their clown masks. And I mean, we have to hear something about that game again at some point, right? Oh no. It's happening to me too??.

I expect the Indie World side of things to be full of surprises and, fingers crossed, a "later today" drop or two. Those are always exciting to see, and ??my Switch could use a?? new indie game or two to pick away at.

As for the Partner Showcase, that will be all third-party offerings. My best speculation is to expect some frequent collaborators; Square Enix, for example, or Marvelous. I'd love to get some more details on whatever Level-5 has been up to as well. After the delay of Fantasy Life i into 2025, I'm curious about where that's left their other games, like Decapolice.

We'll find out what's in? store for the Switch as we head into the Nintendo Direct double-header tomorrow at 7 a.m. PT.

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The Summer Game Fest may be over, but Nintendo is hosting its big summer showcase today. The publisher is broadcas??ting a new Nintendo Direct, airing roughly 40 minutes of news about upcoming Switch games, though th?ere won't be any mention of the console's successor here.

Instead, what we're likely to see is the twilight roll-out of the Switch's library. A few new games, a few old ones, and maybe the return of a long-lost?? giant, hiding away for years in Nintendo R&D. Here's everything we saw today.

Everything shown in the June 2024 Nintendo Direct

• A surprise reveal of Mario & Luigi: Brothership opens the show. It's the first Mario & Luigi game in years, and though former series studio Alphadream rode off into the sunset, it looks like the series is returning under Nintendo. The look is certainly there, and this might be a fun Nintendo revival on November 7, 2024.
• Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is still slated for July 18, and looks like a bundle of classic retro fun. I really dig the physical deluxe version, too.
• Love anime? Well, Fairy Tail 2 arrives this winter to recount portions of its story in an action-RPG style. I really don't know much about Fairy Tail, other than how my college roommate kept trying to get our friend group to watch it. It did not work.
• Yes, Fantasian is escaping the clutches of Apple Arcade with Fantasian: Neo Dimension this holiday season. The Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu team-up will be playable on Switch consoles, so you can finally experience what your friend with Apple Arcade has been yelling about for ages.
• A new sport for Nintendo Switch Sports is on the way, in basketball. This free update coming summer 2024 will add hoops to the mix, and include the motion controls you'd hope for in a new Switch Sports title. Don't shatter your TV by dunking.
• Mio: Memories in Orbit is a curious new title with a gorgeous art style. It seems like you'll progress through a space station of some kind, exploring how the technical space has fallen to ruin and doing some light combat and platforming. Look for more of this as we approach a launch year of 2025.
• Disney Illusion Island gets a free update today, adding the Mystery in Monoth. Help Dash Dolphin solve some mysteries in the same ol' couch co-op platformer realm. Seems like a good addition for families who want a detective mystery to solve together.
• Need to get away? Hello Kitty Island Adventure is lined up as a timed console exclusive for next year, adding to the roster of Apple Arcade escapees. You can explore, chat with pals, and build an island paradise. Expect this one to be surprisingly big when it hits Switch consoles.
• For some more sports action, we head to Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports, a new competitive sports game starring your cartoon favorites arriving this fall. It's no Mario vs. Sonic at the Olympics, but it does have Bugs Bunny.
• New roles are coming to Among Us in a free update later today. The Noisemaker can alert players when they're eliminated, the Tracker can plant tracking devices, and the Phantom adds an Impostor that turns invisible. Creepy!
• Marvelous heard that farming games are all the rage, and they're not missing out. Farmagia looks like one part Harvest Moon or Rune Factory, and another part Monster Rancher, with maybe a touch of Pikmin? Whatever it is, it's certainly got a look and style, and we'll learn more as we approach a release date of November 1, 2024.

• It's time to return, once again, to Donkey Kong's country. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a remastered version of the older Nintendo title arriving on January 16, 2025. With 80 levels and local two-player co-op, it seems like a good way to lose a weekend or two.
• The Dragon Quest fanfare is playing, which can only mean one thing. Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D is showing off gameplay, and it has a release date too: November 14, 2024. But for those who love the classics, it doesn't end there. Square Enix confirms that Dragon Quest 1 and 2 are also getting the HD treatment, sometime in 2025.

• If you're a Funko collector and wish you could see them come to life, first seek consultation, and then seek out Funko Fusion. This game arrives on September 13, 2024 to make Funko figures come to life and do various action-adventure, third-person shooter things.
• Here's a short reminder that Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is set for June 27, and it's looking like a good time for fans of the green plumber getting the life scared out of him. Poor guy.
• I'm still not sure what The New Denpa Men is, other than a surreal free-to-play RPG arriving on July 22. If you find out, please let me know.
• For something new today, Metal Slug Attack Reloaded is an auto-battling tower defense take on Metal Slug. Opinions in the internal Destructoid chat were divided, but maybe you'll find something to love in this approach to Metal Slug. If not, there are always some tactics to be had, too.
• Grab the reins of your nearest carriage, as Darkest Dungeon 2 roars onto the Switch on July 15. Feels like a perfect fit for the handheld console.
• The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack lineup gets four new titles today. Game Boy Advance sees The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past / Four Swords Adventure and Metroid Zero Mission join its repertoire, while Nintendo 64 gets an M-rated update with Turok: Dinosaur Hunter and Perfect Dark. All four arrive today.
• Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero revives the NIS series for a 2025 entry, letting you take over environmental objects to cause mass havoc.

• Marvel fans, our time has finally come. The Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics brings several classics to the Switch, as well as PS4 and PC via Steam, in 2024. Yes, this includes Marvel vs. Capcom 2, a few other fighting titles, and even some beat 'em ups, complete with online and everything.
• Keep the party going with Super Mario Party Jamboree on October 17. The latest entry in the Mario Party series adds new boards, a few old locales, and a 20-player online battle mode to boot. Are you ready to ruin friendships? Because I sure am.
• Link has disappeared, and so Zelda is taking up the lead in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. This new take on the top-down Zelda style lets the princess wield magic, creating copies of various objects found in the world to fight enemies and solve puzzles. It looks fantastic, and is arriving fairly soon: September 26, 2024. A special Nintendo Switch Lite, adorned in gold and Zelda theming, is also on the way.

• It's a new year, and a new Just Dance is on its way. Just Dance 2025 Edition arrives in October 2024.
• Here's a reminder that Lego Horizon Adventures, the brick-based adaptation of Aloy's adventures, is also coming to Switch. It's set for holiday 2024.
• Queue up two more for the holidays: the cat adventure game Stray and hobbit life sim Tales of the Shire are both heading for Switch to ring in the festive season.
• HOLD IT! We've seen most of the Ace Attorney games make their way to Nintendo Switch, so it's only fitting that we get some Miles in there too. The Ace Attorney Investigations Collection brings both of Miles Edgeworth's games to the Nintendo Switch on September 6, 2024. No objections here.
• Craving some more Danganronpa? Well, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is a new game from the series' creators, and it certainly has the same style. Defend a school against invaders for 100 days, while also diving into the truth of this building, the 15 companions living inside it, and what is up with this post-apocalyptic nightmare they're all in. Hundred Line is aiming for 2025.
• The RPG remastering will continue with Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. This revival is a full-on remake with English voiceover, rearranged compositions, and of course, new graphics. SaGa fans are eating well this year, and they won't have to wait long for this meal either. Romancing SaGa 2 arrives on October 24 2024.

• For our one last thing, we close on one of Nintendo's lingering Switch games that's been around for years. Metroid Prime 4, now subtitled Beyond, shows off some new gameplay and general vibes ahead of a 2025 window.

That's all for the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. An all-together solid showing, considering we're in the final hours of the Nintendo console's life-cycle. With some inventive new surprises and revivals o??f classics, it's hard to really find fault in this showcase.

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Nearing the end of the 2024 Nintendo Direct, Spike Chunsoft, the creators of the Danganronpa series, announced their latest game, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy. The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- is arrivi?ng as a Nintendo Switch exclusive in early 2025.

Boasting Danganronpa's signature art style and narrative parallels, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- takes place in an apocalyptic world where mysterious, hostile creatures are invading. Playing as the protagonist, Takumi Sumino, your goal is to survive 100 days as you and your fellow class??mates defend your school against these creatures.

Right from the get-go, we see its resemblance to previous Spike Chunsoft games like those from the Danganronpa series. Some of the most notable similarities are the existence?? of a small animal mascot, the f??orced enrolment of 16 students in a questionable school, and the collapse of society as monsters destroy everything in their path. The premise is the same outside of the absence of murder mystery and case-solving, but its gameplay is vastly different.

Rather than being a primarily visual novel-based game, The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- features a combat grid where you'l??l arrange your characters and defeat waves of enemies, with things getting increasingly challenging as you progress through the 100 days. While little is known about the specific?s of gameplay and combat, we at least know there's some variety here.

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- will launch on?? Nintendo Switch in early 2025. N?o exact release date is currently known.

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The 2024 Nintendo Direct revealed the latest installment to the Mario Party series, Super Mario Party Jamboree. Fortunately, you won't have to wait too long to jump into the friendship-making (and destroying) actions with your friends, a?s it's?? releasing this year on October 17, 2024.

Super Mario Party Jamboree is the biggest game to launch in the series yet, with?? over 110 minigames, seven game boards, and up to 20-player support in an exclusive Koopathlon mode. You'll jump onto an island resort and, much like previous games in the series, travel around the board to sabotage your friends and claim the most stars to win the match. It also features mostly new game boards, with two from the first two Mario Party games, Mario's Rainbow Castle and Western Land, making a grand return.

Super Mario Party Jamboree will ??be released as a Nintendo Switch exclusive on October 17, 2024.

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During the 2024 Nintendo Direct, Douze Dixiemes and Focus Entertainment revealed a first look at their latest upcoming game, MIO: Memories in Orbit. MIO: Memories in Orbit is a 2D Metroidvania that is pla??nning to b?e released in 2025 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive.

In the beautiful, vast landscapes of space, Mio: Memories in Orbit has your character, the android MIO, set out to explore the galaxy and its wonders. As MIO breaks out of its wire-covered vessel and steps foot into the world, you'll battle enemies, use your grappling hook-like abilities to climb around the terrain, and avoid various deadly obstacles to discover new areas in the universe and save your spaceship from a growing hostile fo??rce.

Diving into its gameplay more, the world premiere reveals mu??ltiple terrain traversal methods you'll use, from a light beam acting as a grappling hook to pull you through the air to gliding, multi-jumps, and basic c?ombat attacks. You'll use these various mechanics to defend and evade against enemies as well as avoiding challenging traps that require careful navigation.

Mio: Memories in Orbit will be available on the Nintendo Switch in 2024. No exact releas?e date or time is currently known.

This story is currently developing.

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As part of the Nintendo Direct, Sunblink announced that their hit Apple Arcade game Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is ??leaving behind its mobile exclusivity and coming to Switch and PC (followed later by PS4/PS5 a bit later) in 2025.

If you’re unfamiliar with Hello Kitty Island Adventure, it’s a life simulator starring Sanrio’s ubiquitous cast of cute characters. It’s maybe in the same wheelhouse as Animal Crossing, but not entirely. My Melody (that’s a character) is opening a store in a theme park on a tropical island, and you have been brought along to help. But th??e park is abandoned, and the trip can only be saved with the power of friendship.

There’s a character creator. You can decorate your friendship cabin. There’s baking. The press blurb says it’s over 100 hours, and I believe them. More importantly: there are no microtransactions. It’s been getting updated with new conten?t since it was first released on iOS.

Hello Kitty: Island Adventure was really well received on Apple Arcade. It was nominated at The Game Awards 2023 for Best Mobile Game, if you remember. It lost to Honkai Star Rail because there’s no justice in? our world, but it did win the Webby People’s Choice award as well as the Apple Arcade Game of the Year Award. Kitty’s got papers.

Hello Kitty: Island Adventure is coming to Switch and PC ??sometime? in 2025. It will also arrive on PS4 and PS5 sometime later.

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We all knew a Nintendo Direct was coming this month; the company said as much in May. The real question is what will actually be shown. Nintendo's release schedule for the rest of 2024 and beyond is barren (with the exception of Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition), and the company itself has offered no hints as to what can be expected, leaving all of us free rein to? predict what could be announced.

Below, we've collated every potential announcement we think could be made during the June Nintendo Direct, including some of the more popular rumors that have been making the rounds. Although we can most definitely rule out anything to do with the Nintendo Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo's next? console is) being shared since Nintendo's announcement for the Direct emphatically ruled it out, there are still plenty of games that could make an appearance.

Every rumored or theorized game that could appear in Nintendo's June 2024 Direct

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime 4 still remains an enigma among Nintendo's line-up of upcoming titles. Zero information on the game has been shared since that 2017 reveal, barring confirmation that development had started from scratch at Re?tro Studios. And that was five years ago. It w??ouldn't be surprising if Nintendo's opted to hold it back for the Switch 2 but, if not, maybe Nintendo will finally have something to share at this Direct.

Even if Metroid Prime 4 is MIA again, there have been claims in the past of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 seeing remasters, especially in the wake of the first game's remaster from February 2023. Although Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb has claimed the Prime 2 and 3 remasters won't be as much as an overhaul compared to the first one (via Metro). Still, it'd make a lot of sense for Nintendo to at least make the whole Prime trilogy available in the run-up to Metroid Prime 4.

Legend of Zelda

After the Switch release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, it was widely claimed/assumed that Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker (both of which saw Wii U ports) would follow suit. Those rumors were especially popular towards the end of 2022, but nothing ever came of them. Still, these rumors haven't completely gone away, with some speculating that Nintendo is simply waiting for a good time to release them. With how empty the rest of its 2024 is, this year may see at least one of them come out. At the very least, you shouldn't expect any Tears of the Kingdom DLC since producer Eiji Aonuma ruled it out last year (via IGN).

Fire Emblem

Another longstanding and popular rumor has been for a remake of Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War, the fourth mainline entry in the series. To date, it was only ever released in Japan, but considering how much more popular the series has become since then, it'd make a lot of sense for Nintendo to at least re-release it. Especially since it's considered one of the best Fire Emblem games ever made and introduced a lot of longstanding elements to the series. Plus, the first three Fire Emblem games have all seen remakes (though only the first two ever came to the West), so it only seems natural for Genealogy of the Holy War to follow suit.

Donkey Kong

Between Donkey Kong's presence in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Nintendo's theme park getting a whole Donkey Kong themed area, it does feel like Nintendo's looking to push its gorilla mascot in a big way. The Mario vs. Donkey Kong remake was a quaint throwback, but DK serves as the antagonist, meaning we're overdue a new adventure where he's the star. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Donkey Kong Country series and while Nintendo ??skipped out on celebrating the character's 40th birthday in 2021, a new game reveal for this year would mak?e for a great anniversary present.

Xenosaga

This one might be the most esoteric pick on the list, but I and plenty others genuinely feel like developer Monolith Soft, the studio behind Xenoblade Chronicles, could bring its Xenosaga games to the Switch. The reasoning for this would take a separate article to fully explain, but the short version is that Xenoblade Chronicles 3's story DLC, Future Redeemed, contained direct references to the plot of the Xenosaga series, with its ending basically confirming ties between Xenoblade and Xenosaga.

Admittedly, Xenosaga is a Bandai Namco IP, so it's not like Monolith Soft took it when it was acquired by Nintendo. However, Nintendo and Bandai Namco have a strong working relationship, with the latter aiding development on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and making a couple of Pokémon spin-offs. Plus, all three worked together on the Baten Kaitos remasters from 2023, and Monolith likely couldn't have had direct Xenosaga references in Future Redeemed without Bandai Namco's involvement. Not to mention Xenosaga protagonist KOS-MOS already made a cameo in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It really feels like the stars are aligning for Xenosaga to make a return, though whether it's at this Direct or a future one is another question entirely. Otherwise, Wii U fans are holding out hope that Xenoblade Chronicles X might finally make a leap to Switch.

Lego Horizon Adventures

Lego Horizon Adventures may be a spin-off, but Sony putting Horizon, one of its main IPs, on Nintendo hardware is still a big deal and was one of the standout surprises from Summer Game Fest. Given this unexpected partnership, we could see more of the game at the June Direct, if not at least a reminder that it's happening. Then again, considering Sony withheld Lego Horizon Adventures from its own ?Stat??e of Play showcase, Nintendo may omit as well just so it can avoid promoting a rival company's IP.

Another Wii U port

There are still a handful of Wii U games that remain locked to Nintendo's abandoned hardware that fans would love to see find new life on Switch. As mentioned before, some want Xenoblade Chronicles X to get a Switch port, but a trademark from earlier this year points to another possibility. As spotted by Vooks back in May, Nintendo filed a new trademark for Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush, or Kirby and the Rainbow Curse as it's called in the U.S., sparking assumptions that it will see a Switch release very soon. There was also a new trademark for 3DS puzzle game Fullblox, also known as Stretchmo in the U.S??., which would be a random but not unwelcome IP for Ninte??ndo to revisit after so many years.

Sonic X Shadow Generations

Moving onto third-party announcements, a trailer for the next Sonic the Hedgehog game feels like a safe bet, especially with it launching in October. Despite it coming to Switch, there's been little to no focus on that version of Sonic X Shadow Generations, so it'd be nice to see how it runs on Nintendo's hardware. Ideally, we'd even get to see details not shown in Sega's Summer Game Fest pr??eview, like its new open world area or maybe another new level for the Shadow portion.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D

The HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest 3 fell off the map after its 2021 reveal, but Square Enix finally acknowledged it was still in the works with this Twitter post this past May. It didn't really confirm anything aside from it being multiplatform, but the accompanying message, "The legend of Erdrick draws near," got people thinking the reason it's taken so long is because it's now a remake of the first three Dragon Quest games, which are regarded as the Erdrick Saga Trilogy. Considering Square Enix's previous HD-2D games, like Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy, debuted on Nintendo hardware, it's not unreasonable to believe the Dragon Quest 3 remake could make?? its return in a Nintendo Direct.

Beyond Good & Evil

While nobody expects Beyond Good & Evil 2 to come out any time soon (if at all), a remaster of the first game made to celebrate its 20th anniversary should be on its way, especially since the anniversary was last year. Ubisoft had promised it would share details on it in early 2024 and yet it's said nothing since the 2023 reveal, with the remaster also bizarrely absent at Ubisoft's latest showcase. Recently, however, trophies for the PlayStation 5 version popped up on tracking site Exophase, suggesting a release is imminent. With the Nintendo Direct the only major summer showcase left, Beyond Good & Evil will hopefully make an appearance there.

Ace Attorney

Capcom spent Summer Game Fest hyping up Monster Hunter Wilds and Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, but a very recent rumour points to something Ace Attorney related being shown at the Nintendo Direct. The series started out on Nintendo platforms so it'd be fitting for a new game to be announced during the Direct, although a comment by Twitter user Pyoro (a common and reliable source of Nintendo leaks) has some fans thinking it'll be a collection of the two Ace Attorney Investigations spin-offs. While I'd personally prefer an Ace Attorney 7, an Investigations collection would be a big deal. Not only are both games no??t available on modern hardware like the rest of the series, but the second game never launched outside of Japan.

Darkest Dungeon 2

Since the original Darkest Dungeon eventually made its way to consoles after its PC launch, it was always safe to assume its sequel would follow suit. PlayStation versions of Darkest Dungeon 2 were eventually announced in April but, just a month earlier, Gematsu reported that Darkest Dungeon 2 had been rated in Brazi??l for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. So, a Switch port could get a brief acknowledg??ement in the Nintendo Direct in-between the bigger reveals.

Silksong

Honestly, this is here out of obligation. Silksong fans can't help but hope this long-awaited sequel to 2017's Hollow Knight will make an appearance with every gaming related showcase, and are forced to put on clown make-up when it doesn't show. Developer Team Cherry did previously aim for a 2023 launch, but wound up delaying it, and the last 'real' update was when a listing for it appeared on the Xbox store this past April. This could be a sign of Team Cherry gearing up for a release, but there's otherwise nothing to suggest Silksong will appear at this Nintendo Direct. By that same metric, there's nothing to suggest it won't appear, but we'll be keep??ing the clown wig and ??face-paint on stand-by regardless.

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We al?l knew a Nin??tendo Direct was coming this month. It was just a matter of which day it would take place. Now, with all the hype from Summer Game Fest simmering down, Nintendo's made its move and confirmed an exact date and time for its own summer showcase.

Said Nintendo Direct will air tomorrow on Tuesday, June 18 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST, and is scheduled to run for 40 minutes. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo hasn't said exactly what sort of games you can expect from the Direct, but it has reaffirmed that there will be no mention of its next console. It already stressed this last month, but sometimes a reminder is necessary.

This Direct is expected to cover Nintendo's plans for the second half of 2024, which are otherwise non-existent. Aside from Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for the summer, Nintendo has no big titles confi?rmed for the rest of the year. Even without any details about the Switch 2 (or whatever it's called), Nintendo could also tease its plans for early 2025.

There have also been rumours of third-party related announcements for the next Nintendo Direct. A popular one is that we'll finally see more of the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake, and it's also speculated that the first two games are seeing remakes based on this teaser tweet from Square Enix. Earlier today, another rumor spread of something Ace Attorney related making an appearance, with some theorizing it will be for a collection of the Ace Attorney Investigations duology.

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Ah, it's a new day, full of Nintendo news. We got our first Nintendo Direct of the year today with a Partner Showcase, spotligh?ting games arriving in the first half of 2024 for the Switch.

It was chock-full of news, both in terms of reveals and updates on known quantities. There were definitely some pleasant surprises, and even a few out-now (or very close to now) announcements. Sure, I imagine some folks want news of a new Switch. But today's line-up, while not quite a jaw-droppe??r, is a fun and surprisingly diverse array of games.

Want to play a resurrection of a classic, a new take on a familiar genre, or even a former Xbox console exclusive? All that and mo?re is heading to Switch, per today's s??howcase. Here are all the headlines.

February 2024 Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, recapped

• We open with Grounded, the first of four Xbox games heading to new horizons (platforms). The miniature backyard survival game heads to Nintendo's hybrid handheld on April 16, 2024. And it's not the only one on the way to Switch, either.
• Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the mist looks like a moody exploration for Switch, arriving sometime this year. Folks liked that Ender Lilies, so maybe this also surprises?
• Arranger looks like a mix of puzzle solving and dungeon crawling, arriving this summer. I dig the style, but am curious about how it holds up over time.
• Unicorn Overlord is getting a demo today, with save progress carrying over into the full game when it arrives on March 8. Heck yeah.

• Monster Hunter Stories gets an HD remaster for Switch, as well as PlayStation 4 and PC, this summer. Honestly, this side-series seems overlooked, so I'm glad it's getting some love.
• Epic Mickey gets a remake in Rebrushed, arriving sometime this year. Wow, can't say I'm not surprised, but that's a nice treat for anyone who digs old Wii platformers.
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance gets officially announced, arriving on most platforms on June 21. It looks to add more ot the story of the Nahobino and the apocalypse, as well as even more demons.
• The Star Wars Battlefront Classic Collection packs together the original two Battlefront games, with all the modes and options you'd want. Lord, I'm excited to play some Galactic Conquest again on March 14.
• South Park: Snow Day looks... not great. It hits Switch on March 26, if it does interest you, I guess.
• Somehow, more Sword Art Online is on the way, as Fractured Daydream puts you back in the shoes of Kirito and pals this year.
• Like Gunpla? Wish you could smack them against each other, then show them off in a diorama, with no consequences? Gundam Breaker 4 will arrive sometime this year to give you just that.
• More Monkey Ball is on the way with Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, with classic modes, co-op, and a frantic-looking online multiplayer mode. It hits Nintendo Switch exclusively on June 25.

• Yes, the World of Goo is back with World of Goo 2. There is a world. There is goo. Please do not ask me more questions about this puzzle-solving game, because I have no clue. It's a console exclusive for Switch on May 23.
• My prediction about some Level-5 news panned out! Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time locks in a launch date for later this year, on October 10, and it looks like there's plenty of chill crafting and adventuring in store.
• Another Crab's Treasure is a mix of action-y, Souls-y ideas and... uh... crabs? And it looks fantastic, honestly. I'm very intrigued to see how this one pans out on April 25.
• Former Sonic Mania devs are releasing a new game today, and it looks fantastic. Penny's Big Breakaway is a new yo-yo-centric platformer, with tons of cool movement mechanics and ideas. It's out on Switch and Steam today.
• Did you also lose way too much time to Suika Game last year? Are you prepared to lose more? Because Suika Game is getting multiplayer mode paid DLC today. Normally I'd be against putting this behind a paywall, but Suika was Vampire Survivors levels of cost-to-enjoyment factor, so I'm happy to see this team continue to support the fruit-stacking game.
• Pepper Grinder drills in some sick platforming action on March 28, with a demo on the eShop today. It looks like a pretty original take on 2D platforming, and a demo is nice.

• The classic Pocket Card Jockey gets its Ride On version ported to Nintendo Switch today! A classic of the 3DS era, in my humble opinion, is now easy to play on the new Nintendo handheld.
• It's montage time! Here's the short news:

  • Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley arrives on March 7, 2024
  • Tales of Kenzera: Zau on April 23, 2024
  • Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - Sweep the Board! on April 26, 2024
  • Kingdom Come Deliverance - Royal Edition on March 15, 2024
  • Contra: Operation Galuga on March 12, 2024
  • Pentiment on February 22, 2024

• And now we close it out with two pieces of news. First, some Rare classics are headed to Nintendo Switch Online: Snake Rattle and Roll, R.C. Pro-Am, Battletoads in Battlemanics, Killer Instinct, and Blast Corps. They're out today!
• And one last surprise for the Wii fans: Endless Ocean: Luminous brings serene ocean exploration to the Switch. An all-new entry in the Endless Ocean series, here you can find new things on every dive, and team with up to 30 players online to dive and share in the underwater fun. This looks like a fantastic way to chill out underwater, or possibly conquer thalassophobia

That's all for today's Nintendo Direct: Partner showcase. If you crave more news, you can always check out the Japanese Direct. We heard they got the Mother of all announcements there.

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Heads up! As part of today’s Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On, the previously Apple Arcade exclusive remake of the 20?14 3DS title, is releasing on Nintendo Switch today.

I played the hell out of Pocket Card Jockey when it released on 3DS all those years ago. I can remember being pretty mesmerized as I trained up the best horse possible. I never did beat it, however. I remember hitting some resist?ance that I couldn’t overcome.

Everything else about that game is a blur to me. That’s basically it. I can?? rem?ember cards, horses, and the fact that I couldn’t complete the game.

The game is like if you crossbred the Japan-only Derby Stallions series with Solitaire. You breed horses, then race them while doing card stuff to win. Really, I don’t remember what kind of car??d stuff, but if you watch the trailer in the Nintendo Direct, maybe you can grok it better than ??I can.

If my praise of the original version isn’t enough, our old pal CJ Andriesson said that Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On was “already a contender for [his] personal Game of the Year�when it released on Apple Arcade last year.

Anyway, I know what I’m doing today. Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On ??????????????????????????releases today on Switch. Now, excuse me while I keep refreshing the eShop page.

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Several new games were revealed in today's Nintendo Direct including Endless Ocean Luminous. This marks the first Endless Ocean game in over a decade with Endless Ocean 2 dating back to 2010 in the west. Up to 30 players will be able to explore the Veiled Sea in an unexplored region of t??he South Pacific Ocean on May 2, 2024.

In Endless Ocean Luminous, players will encounter and learn about over 500 species of marine life inc?luding some which are presumed extinct or even mythical creatures. Players can embark on shared expeditions with up to 30 players all in the same expedition at once, communicating via gestures.

Nintendo Switch Online will be required for shared expeditions, and Endless Ocean Luminous will include a free 7-day trial for new members.

Endless Ocean Luminous plunges onto the Nintendo Switch on May 2, 2024.

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As part of today’s Nintendo Direct, the company announced that five titles from former partner Rare’s ba??ck catalog are releasin??g on their Nintendo Switch Online service.

The first couple are for NES: 1990’s Snake, Rattle & Roll, and 1988’s R.C. Pro-Am. For the SNES, we have 1993’s Battletoads in Battlemaniacs and 1995’s Killer Instinct. And on N64 is 1997’s Blast Corps, which requires the Nintendo Switch O???nline Expansion Pack to access.

It’s no Rare Replay, but it’s�no Rare Replay.

Of the bunch, I’m excited to see Blast Corps on here. It’s a creative title that just smells like early N64. It’s all about demolishing buildings with a plethora of weird vehicles. A truck carrying nuclear devices has lost control and is very slowly moving through populated areas. The only solution, obviously, is to knock down everything in its path. And for bonus points, knock down everything that isn’t in its path, as well.

Snake, Rattle & Roll is fine. R.C. Pro-Am is a bit of an NES staple. Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is not the best nor worst game in the series. Killer Instinct is a? pretty big departure from the much flas?hier 1994 arcade release.

Still, it’s a great bunch of games for the service. But it would have been cooler to see Rare Replay go multi-platform.

This buffet of ?Rare titles will hit the NSO channels today.

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For some of us, it's a good day to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online as Mother 3 heads to the service for users in Japan.

As announced today in Japan's Nintendo Direct Partnership Showcase, Mother 3 is now available to th??e online service as part of Nintendo's Gameboy Advance collection. Of course, you can always buy the ??RPG outside of the region. That is if you don't mind playing in Japanese and adding an additional NSO app to your Nintendo Switch.

Unfortunately, it's not the best news for those of us itching to see the classic series completely localized. Mother 3 launched almost two decades ago, ?back in 2006, but never saw an official translation outside of Japan.

Those that came before, Mother and Mother 2, did, however, see international releases in one way or another. The second game, you may know as EarthBound, launched in North America in 1995, a year after its initial release in Japan. Eventually, the series debut game, just plain ole' Mother, hit the North American Wii U Virtual Console s?ervice i??n 2015.

This is a lot to say, you're still out of luck, for now, if you're hoping for Mother 3 available outside of its original Japanese language script. However, you can still play EarthBound Beginnings (Mother) and EarthBound (Mother 2) via the Nintendo Switch Online service. That's not confusing at all. I'm off to kic??k rocks.

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Over 15 years ago, the original World of Goo was launched on PC and the Wii consol?e, with today's Nintendo Direct revealing its sequel's release date for May 23, 2024, as a console exclusive on Nintendo Switch.

The Nintendo Direct featured gameplay footage of World of Goo 2. Like its predecessor, you use small goo balls to create bridges and platforms to solve puzzles, navigate the world, and reach the factory pipes endpoint. It also has new mechanics, such as goo turrets and terraforming, to make puzzle-solving more challenging. Unlike the first World of Goo, World of Goo 2 will also feature local co-op compa??tibility, supporting up to four players in one save.

World of Goo 2 will be ??available as a console exclusive?? on Nintendo Switch starting May 23, 2024.

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After making a brief appearance on the Korean rating board a couple of days ago, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has officially been revealed in today's Nintendo Direct. Featuring all-new story content, the popular JRPG is set to hit PS4, PS5, Xbo?x One, Xbox S?eries X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC in just four months on June 21, 2024.

According to Atlus, players will venture back into a post-apocalyptic Tokyo with an all-new storyline featuring new locations, demons, and choices in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will be? avai??lable in both physical and digital formats on June 21, 2024.

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As part of the Nintendo Partner Direct today, THQ Nordic announced that 2010’s Epic Mickey is getting remade in Disney’s Epic Mickey Rebrushed.

Alongside the announcement is a trailer that shows off the upgrades. The game was orig?inal released on?? the Wii. To be fair, it was a pretty good looking Wii title, but the extra layer of shininess is noticeable. Starkly, the trailer opens by showing glimpses of the game’s opening (the one in the Nintendo Direct actually shows gameplay). If you’re familiar with the original, it’s very easy to see how things have improved.

Epic Mickey was reasonably well received at l?aunch. It involves Mickey goin??g into a dark, painted world to face off against Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character he upstaged back in the golden age of animation.

Can we workshop the title, though? N??o one says “Rebrushed.â€?It doesn’t work as ??a play on words.

Switch is the only platform announced for Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, but it’s set to release sometime in 2024. 

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Suika Game gets doubly ?adorable soon, as th??e latest Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase just revealed the fruity matching game will add a multiplayer mode as paid DLC today.

For now, the Suika Game Multi-Player Mode Expansion Pack seems like it's l??ocal versus o?nly with three modes available: Original, Time Limit, and Attack. The mysterious and omnipotent Nintendo Direct announcer voice noted its online multiplayer mode will be available sometime in the future.

(Story Developing)

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The Nintendo Museum’s sign and official logo were recently revealed by Nintendo Japan on their official Instagram account. Although the ??sign isn’t super flashy or extravagant, it still looks crisp and welcoming for future fans to admire while paying a visit to the historical site.

During a Direct in September, the gaming giant teased fans with the museum. In the Instagram post that Nintendo Japan posted on October 26, the sign and logo can be seen from a number of different perspecti??ves, showing off the sign from different times of the day.

Current??ly, the museum is under construction in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, near Kyoto, Japan. The renovations and construction work are set to be completed in March 2024. The sole purpose of the long-?awaited project is to provide fans with a glimpse of the company’s legacy, history, and highlights through a well-laid-out collection of its past.

History of the Nintendo Museum Site

Back in 2021, Nintendo announced the renovation of one of their old facilities, its Uji Ogura Plant. First built in 1969, the plant’s original purpose was to produce playing cards and Hanafuda cards. Later on, ??the plant became a customer service hub, for the company’s products to be repaired. 

The renovations announced include both the plant and the land surrounding it. Originally, this project was planned to be called the Nintendo Gallery with a similar concept and approach to its current? museum idea.

We'll hopefully see more? than just a sign in the months to come, leading up to the Nintendo Museum's opening.

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Nintendo has announced a Sora amiibo, featuring the Kingdom Hearts protagonist as he appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The company also dated The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom figures and the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 duo.

Finally, the time has come, and no, you aren't seeing things. Nintendo's Sora amiibo is the real deal, as revealed in today's direct, and will launch in 2024. For his Switch figure, Sora sports his original Kingdom Hearts look, just as he does in Smash. He'll look perfectly out of place next to your Sephiroth and Cloud amiibo on the sh??elf.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom also got an update on its figures. Both Zelda and Ganondorf make their debut on November ??3, 2023.

Finally, Nintendo announced new Xenoblade Chronicles 3 amiibo launch on January 19, 2024. The next duo features another pair to collect, this time with Noah and Mio. They're another 2-pack, just like Pyra and Mythra from back in July.

Even if you aren't really itching to get your hands on a Sora amiibo, the latest Nintendo Direct showed off quite a few surprises. Games like Trace Memory saw an enhanced port announcement, and Super Mario RPG showed off new footage. Quite a ?big day for older games making a return to strut their stuff on the Switch.

For a full list of characters, including the Sora amiibo, we gave full lineup readily available.

Update - The next wave of amiibo are up for pre-order - except Sora

The second round of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom amiibo, as well as the Noah and M?io amiibo, have gone up for pre-order at multiple retailers in the US. That includes Best ??Buy and GameStop.

The Sora amiibo is not available for pre-order at the time of this update. Typically retailers provide online pre-orders for figures that have a release date??, and with Sora's "TBA 2024" window, we'll need to wait a while until that comes into focus.

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On the other side of the pond, Japan's version of the Nintendo Direct gave us some details on the game that Onion Games has been teasing for a while now. Titled Stray Children, it looks like a return to Yoshiro Kimura's roots at Love-de-Lic, as the style is extremely evocative of Moon: Remix RPG Adventure.

Onion Games has been teasing a new "RPG-style" title for a while now but has been extreme??ly coy about showing anything off. To date, I think the most we've seen is some concept art. Getting to see the game in motion; it's exactly what I was hoping for. Better yet, the opening seems to show the protagonist as a lover of video games that gets sucked? into another world through the TV screen. That's speaking my language.

While the trailer shows off an RPG-like battle set-up, one of the menu items allows you to talk to your enemy. Knowing the sort of joy-maker games that Yoshiro Kimura favors, it's likely that you're supposed to befriend enemies. It has a lot of the same sights and sounds of a typical Love-de-Lic affair, and the trailer mentions that staff from Moon: Remix RPG Adventure are working on this one. I'm unsure if that refers specifi??cally to Kimura, b??ut that would qualify.

The best news of all is that the trailer gives us a Japanese release window for Stray Children, and it's soon: this Winter. While the trailer is entirely in Japa??nese, Onion Games has stated that it will be coming to the West. The bad news, however, is that its release over here is still "TBD."

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Has Nintendo finally remembered Mario RPGs were, and still are, widely beloved titles? It appears like this may be the case, as Nintendo closed out today's Nintendo Direct by announcing the return of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

No firm details were announced to go along with this. Still, we can at least get a feel for how the game will look in an HD environment. It seems like the plot details will remain intact, and the trailer music indicates we'll get some tasty rearrangements of the original's music. While I wish I had more to report here, I'm psyched to see this older style of Paper Mario earn ?a second chance. I've got my hopes up for this one!

I'm not quite sure whether this will veer closer to a remake or a remaster. Within minutes of this announcement, fans began combing over the trailer to spot anything that wasn't in the original game. For context, The Super Mario RPG remake announcement earlier this year didn't explic?itly state new details ?either. We can't confirm much now, but we can at least hope.

Either way, we'll surely find out more as we approach the release of The Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door in 2024.

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Nintendo has announced that they're returning to the 99-player experience using the SNES version of F-Zero. F-Zero 99 is releasing today on Switch.

I know we're all hoping for either a remaster of F-Zero GX or a new title entirely, but this is what we get. The flat, mode-7 landscapes are given new life by placing 99 players on them to fight for the lead. The boost meter from later games returns. Rather than being allotted a certain number of turbo boosts, like in the SNES game, it follows the system started in F-Zero X where you can sacrifice some of your shield to g?et a bit of extra speed.

A new feature has been added through "super sparks." They litter the track, and if you collect enough of them to fill your meter, you ??get sent up to the "Skyway." The skyway is a special track above the normal track that gives you the ability to try and get away from the human-clutter track and get ahead.

It might not be what we're hoping for, but I'm looking forward to t??rying it. It's nice to see Nintendo actually do something with the franchise beyond just telling us repeatedly that we can't have a new one.

F-Zero 99 is available starting today on Switch. It's "free" for anyone with a Swi??tch Online subscription.

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During their September 2023 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed the next title in the SaGa franchise as SaGA Emerald Beyond. The ti??tle will serve as a standalone entry in the franchise. We also got a reveal trailer showing off the cool character design and gameplay.

The last time we saw the popular Square Enix RPG on a console was when Romancing SaGa 3 and SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions ??each got ports.

In SaGa Emerald Beyond, players will venture across 17 mysterious worlds with their own branc??hing stories.? The RPG will have multiple endings and replayability as choices tell a unique tale with each playthrough.

SaGa: Emerald Beyond will launch on Nintendo Switch in 2024. You can wishlist it today on the Nintendo Store.

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During the latest Direct presentation, Nintendo announced Another Code �known as Trace Memory in North America �will launch as a new Nintendo Switch bundle as Another Code: Recollection next year.

According to Nintendo, the Another Code: Recollection package includes both the original DS game and its sequel and will be released on January 19, 2024. Both games are "fully enhanced" for the new experience, and t??he presentation included a len??gthy trailer.

The unreleased Wii sequel, Another Code: R - A Journey into Lost Memories, makes its debut in North America in this bundle, too. Originally, A Journey Into Lost Memories only launched in Europe and Japan.

For those unfamiliar, Trace Memory follows teenage protagonist Ashley as she searches for her father. As Ashley, you'll travel to Blood Edward island and search for pops, ??solving puzzles through her visions of the past and piecing together clues.

Another Code: Recollection is already up for pre-order, and the full $59.99 price tag n??ets both games.

Today's Nintendo Direct featured plenty of surprises for the Switch. Kingdom Hearts fans finally get their long-desired Sora amiibo, while the company also announced Luigi's Mansion 2 HD launches next summer, in 2024.

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After a really vague teaser in the last Nintendo Direct, Nintendo has revealed more details on the previously unnamed Princess Peach: Showtime.

Princess Peach: Showtime has the eponymous heroine going up against Grape and the Sour Bunch, which I absolutely love. It's set up as a series of stage plays, taking on different themes and providing Peach with a different transformation.?? A number of the transformations were shown off, including swashbuckler, patisserie, and detective, among others. Afterward, it was teased that there are more transformations beyond just what was shown.

While this isn't the first game Peach has headlined, she d?oes look a little bit more capable this time around. I usually can't stand her vacuous damsel personality, so having her put on pants and swing a sword does something for me.

It's lo?oking pretty good so far, but I don't think I fully grok what's going on. It sometimes looks like a platformer, and other times, it seems to have mini-games. Fun looking mini-gam?es, at least. I'm down for cake decoration. By the looks of things, it's a situation-rush style of game, which I can totally get behind.

Princess Peach: Showtime is coming to Nintendo Switch March 22, 2024.

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Today during their September 2023 Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo reminded us that yes, Splatoon 3 was getting a proper story DLC, and not just another nearly 1:1 hub to wander ar??ound in?.

Through a fairly detailed gameplay video, we got a look at the incredibly arcadey Side Order DLC (complete with damage numbers!), se?t at the "Spire of Order," which is basically an old-school challenge tower. It's meant to be played "over and o?ver again," and will be a strictly single player affair.

Splatoon 3's Side Order DLC will be out in the Spring (!) of 2024.

Here's a gallery o??f everything shown off during the Direct.

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