In classic Nintendo fashion, a 40-minute Direct was announced yesterday, giving everyone a tiny window to speculate and get hyped. It looked like Mario and company would be ignoring the June festivities as we watched Xbox, PlayStation, Devolver, Meta Quest, Ubisoft and Summer Game Fest’s showcases come and go, but this cheeky Nintendo Direct appeared at the 11th hour. We knew ahead of time that Pikmin 4 would be present, but that was the only certainty, leaving the majority of the Direct a surprise. Did Nintendo come to the table with bangers, or was it a late-night snore? Let’s find out.
Here are all of the announcements from the June 2023 Nintendo Direct:
Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet: The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero
To kick things off, we got a new look at the upcoming DLC expansion for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero will be a two-part expansion, with Part I: The Teal Mask coming in the Spring of 2023 and Part II: The Indigo Disk dropping in the Summer of 2023. The two packs will introduce new story elements and new areas to explore, capture Pokémon and battle within.
Sonic Superstars
Revealed during Summer Game Fest, we got a new trailer for the back-to-basics title, Sonic Superstars. This new trailer showcases the four-player co-op, as well as the new features and powers that players will be able to use. Sonic Superstars is coming to Switch (as well as PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC) in the Spring of 2023.
Palia
A free-to-play online cozy life sim, Palia will allow players to meet up with their friends to gather resources, hunt animals, craft items and create a home while uncovering a mysterious plot. Palia is coming to Switch and PC in the Summer of 2023.
Persona 5 Tactica
Unveiled during the Xbox Showcase, Persona 5 Tactica is a spin-off of the hugely popular JRPG. Featuring new characters, a new story and new strategic gameplay, Tactica will be releasing on Switch (and PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC) on November 17.
MythForce
Mimicking the look and feel of a Saturday morning cartoon, MythForce is a first-person roguelike that focuses on melee combat. With several classes to choose from, players will slice and dice their way through dungeons, mowing down hordes of nasty monsters. This one is hitting Switch (and PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC) later in 2023.
Splatoon 3 – Splatfest
I won’t pretend to be a diehard Splatoon 3 fan, but I do know that Splatfest events have players choose a side and help answer important questions. The July Splatfest will see players determine whether vanilla, strawberry or mint chip is the greatest ice cream flavour. The event will run from July 14-15 on Switch.
Detective Pikachu Returns
The first sizable announcement of the Direct came in the form of Detective Pikachu Returns. A sequel to the 3DS original, Returns sees the titular Pokémon team up with Tim Goodman once more to gather clues and uncover a mystery. This one is coming to Switch on October 6.
Super Mario RPG
And the hits kept coming. Originally released on the SNES back in 1996 (this game is as old as I am), Super Mario RPG is getting a complete makeover in this remaster/remake. Updated visuals and cinematics bring the title to modern standards, with the turn-based combat staying true to the original. This one is hitting the Switch on November 17.
New Princess Peach Game
We only got a very short look at this one, but it was confirmed that a new Princess Peach game is in development. From the looks of the teaser, players are controlling the pink princess as she makes her way across a huge stage. We will have to wait for more updates on this one, but it looks interesting.
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon
All of the extended Mario characters are getting some love, it seems. A remaster of Luigi’s Mansion 2 was announced to be in the works. We didn’t get any release info, but bringing Dark Moon from the 3DS to the Switch is a great move.
Batman Arkham Trilogy
This is an…interesting one. Batman: Arkham Trilogy brings together Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight, this package will include all three excellent Batman games and all of the previously released DLC. I’m happy for those Switch players who finally get to play these awesome games, but I do wonder how they will run on the aging unit. This one is coming to Switch in the Spring of 2023.
Gloomhaven
One of the most popular board games in recent times is going digital. Gloomhaven is a turn-based adaptation that gives players the choice of 17 unique characters to delve into dungeons with, taking on all manner of enemies in card-based combat. Gloomhaven is available now on PC and will be making its way to Switch on September 18.
Just Dance 2024 Edition
I’m almost surprised that this isn’t coming to Wii U. Just Dance 2024 will feature 40 new songs and will allow players to pay for a subscription service called Just Dance+ in order to access hundreds more. Coming to Switch in October.
Silent Hope
Taking the trope of a silent protagonist and giving it a narrative purpose, Silent Hope is a dungeon-crawling RPG with town-building elements mixed in. As one of seven unique heroes, players will delve into the Abyss to find treasures that will help grow their own little town. Hitting the Switch (and PC) on October 3.
Fae Farm
Another one that was revealed during Summer Game Fest, Fae Farm is a relaxing farming sim that takes place on a magical island by the name of Azoria. All of the trimmings you would expect are here, such as exploring, building relationships and crafting, so fans of the genre will likely be satisfied. This one is coming to Switch (and PC) on September 8.
Manic Mechanics
If you’re a fan of Overcooked or Moving Out and thought, “Geez, I wish these games had more cars,” then you’re in luck. While that might be a bit reductive, Manic Mechanics is a couch co-op party game that sees a team of four players constructing cars in a variety of trap-filled environments. This one is coming to Switch on July 13.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope – DLC 2: The Last Spark Hunter
The second DLC expansion for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, The Last Spark Hunter, sees Mario and friends exploring a new location, the Melodic Gardens. New party members and new enemies will appear throughout this added adventure as the team attempts to take down a new threat in Kanya. This DLC is available now on the Switch.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
What if you combined the JRPG goodness of Dragon Quest with the capture/battle mechanics from Pokémon? You would end up with something similar to the Monsters sub-series, I reckon. This Dragon Quest spin-off allows you to fuse together monsters from around the in-game world in order to create companions and allies in battle. Dragon Quest Monsters releases on Switch on December 1.
Pikmin 4
As previously promised, we got an extended look at Pikmin 4 next. This four-minute breakdown gave us a look at some new features coming with this entry, such as the ability to adventure at night and the inclusion of the new Glow Pikmin to help you battle beasties in the dark. We were also introduced to a cute companion pup by the name of Oatchi, who can help out in several ways. Pikmin 4 is coming to the Switch on July 21.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1
Briefly mentioned during PlayStation Showcase, the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is a bundle that includes Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid (Including VR Missions/Special Missions, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (HD Collection version, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (HD Collection version, Metal Gear (NES/FC version) aaaaaaaand Snake’s Revenge. That’s a whole lot of Metal Gear, and it’s all coming to Switch (PS5 and Xbox Series X) on October 24.
Vampire Survivor
Those who know will be happy, and those who don’t know should be scared for their free time. The massive mobile/PC hit Vampire Survivor is coming to Switch on August 17.
Headbanger Rythmn Royale
A rhythm-based battle royale game, Headbangers Rythmn Royale gives off Fall Guys energy with its quick and easy-to-understand mini-games that will progressively thin the heard. 30 pigeons will enter each game, but only one sky rat will succeed. This is hitting Switch (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC) on October 31.
Penny’s Big Breakaway
Coming from the team behind Sonic Mania, Penny’s Big Breakaway is a 3D platformer that features a bright and vibrant art style and some classic-looking controls and mechanics. Using a trusty (and conscious) Yo-Yo, Penny is able to traverse the world and flee from an army of angry little penguins. This one is coming to Switch (PS5, Xbox Series X and PC) in 2024.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass Wave 5
The fifth DLC pack for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a stacked one. This time around, we are getting three returning characters in Kamek, Petey Piranha and Wiggler, alongside eight new courses, including the brand-new Squeaky Clean Sprint. This new DLC will drop on Switch in the Winter of 2023.
Star Ocean The Second Story R
The second game in the long-running Star Ocean series is getting a fresh coat of paint. The Second Story R features an updated 2.5D graphic style that combines 2D characters and a 3D world. This one is coming to Switch on November 2.
WarioWare: Move It!
Oh yeah, the whacky microgames are back. This all-new WarioWare game will feature over 200 games to play with up to four friends as you all waggle your Joy-Cons around to match the movements on-screen. WarioWare: Move It! is hitting the Switch on November 3.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Amiibos
I’m sure everyone reading this has been religiously playing Tears of the Kingdom, so the announcement that two new Amiibos are on the way will make plenty of people happy, I’m sure. In addition to the readily available Amiibo, Zelda and Ganondorf are both getting snazzy new mini statues that will be available later this year.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
This Direct really ended with a bang. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the newest 2D Mario platformer, and it’s going to make me jealous of everyone who owns a Switch. Sporting a dream-like art style, this new title has all of the bells and whistles you would expect from a Mario game like it while also introducing a talking flower, dimension-warping power-ups and the ability to turn into an elephant. It seems to me that all of these years of eating mushrooms that he finds in blocks are catching up with our dear plumber friend. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is coming to the Switch on October 20.
If you’d prefer to watch the full Nintendo Direct from start the finish, you can do so right here:
What was your highlight from this Nintendo Direct? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.
Adam's undying love for all things PlayStation can only be rivalled by his obsession with vacuuming. Whether it's a Dyson or a DualShock in hand you can guarantee he has a passion for it. PSN: TheVacuumVandal XBL: VacuumVandal Steam: TheVacuumVandal
