September 2022 Nintendo Direct Recap

It has, once again, reached that time where Nintendo feels the need to spoil us with information and announcements regarding the future of their platform and the games releasing on it. This month was focused on games that would be releasing in the coming summer, with rumours ahead of it pointing to switch ports of The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD, and some Metroid Prime. The announcements are as follows:

• Fire Emblem Engage
  • a new Fire Emblem game, with many returning characters for the series fans
  • Divine Edition will have various collectible items
• It Takes Two is coming to the Nintendo Switch – available on November 4
• Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse – available early 2023
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass wave 2
  • a new character to be recruited to your team
  • new challenge mode
  • available from October 13
• SpongeBob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake
• Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star
• OddBallers
  • a party game developed by Ubisoft
  • supports both local and online play
  • early 2023 release window
• Tunic
  • available on September 27
• FRONT MISSION remakes
  • FRONT MISSION 1st releases on November
  • FRONT MISSION 2 will release next year
  • FRONT MISSION 3 remake slated to release “in the future”
• Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
  • a new Story of Seasons game releasing on the Switch oin Winter 2023
• Splatoon 3
  • the first Splatfest for Splatoon 3 is coming
  • the theme is “what would you bring to a deserted island? Gear, grub, or fun?”
  • it will run from September 23 to September 25
• Octopath Traveller 2
  • another Octopath Traveller game is being released for the Nintendo Switch on February 24, 2023
  • varied character paths between day and night
  • eight new heroes to control
• Fae Farm
  • a farm sim RPG developed by Phoenix Labs, the developer of Dauntless
  • Nintendo Switch exclusive
• Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
  • a Final Fantasy-based rhythm game to celebrate that 35-year anniversary
  • DLC to cover the saga games, NieR, Octopath Traveller, Live A Live, as well as others
• Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
  • new gameplay system briefly shown
  • new Sparks adding more depth to team building
  • launches October 20
• Rune Factory 3 Special
  • launches early 2023
  • a new Rune Factory game will launch in the future
• Nintendo 64 games for Nintendo Switch Online
  • Pilot Wings 64 (2022)
  • Mario Party (2022)
  • Mario Party 2 (2022)
  • Mario Party 3 (2023)
  • Pokemon Stadium (2023)
  • Pokemon Stadium 2 (2023)
  • 1080 Snowboarding (2023)
  • Excitebike 64 (2023)
  • Goldeneye (2023)
• Various Daylife
  • an immersive RPG developed by Square Enix
• Factorio releasing October 28 for the Switch
  
• Ib releasing Autumn 2023 for the Switch
  • a 2D exploration adventure
• Mario Battle Strikers is getting a free update that adds characters and stadiums
• Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & Secret Key
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 3
  • Merry Mountain from Mario Kart Tour
  • Peach Gardens from Mario Kart DS
• Nintendo Switch Sports adding Golf in the next free update, launching this holiday season
• Super Mario Bros. animated movie will be released next year
• Pikmin Bloom, the Niantic-developed mobile game
• Pikmin 4 is releasing in 2023, not much else is known
• Just Dance 2023 Edition is releasing November 22
• Harvestella releasing November 4
  • demo available now
• Bayonetta 3
  • Bayonetta fights to save the world from man-made bioweapons called “Homunculi”
  • New characters, including a new umbra witch, are shown off
  • Available October 23
  • New trailer to follow
• Master Detective Archives: Raincode
  • a unique, quirky detective game releasing for the Nintendo Switch
• Resident Evil Village hitting the Nintendo Switch via the cloud on October 28, Winters’ Expansion will launch on December 2
• Resident Evil biohazard, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3 also releasing via cloud version for the Switch this year
• Sifu releasing on the Switch on November 8
• Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion releasing on the Nintendo Switch on December 13
• Radiant Silvergun releasing on the Switch
• Endless Dungeon releasing on the Switch next year
• Tales of Symphonia Remastered releasing in early 2023
• Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection releasing September 27, 2022
• Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered releasing December 1, 2022
• Lego Bricktales releasing Spring 2022
• Disney Speedstorm releasing some time this year
• Fall Guys Season 2
• Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe releasing February 24, 2023
  • A remake of Kirby’s Return to Dreamland
  • Support local co-op with up to 4 players
  • Subgames (or minigames) are available to play as well
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  • the sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild
  • releasing May 12, 2023

So it looks like the leaks were wrong about this Nintendo Direct being dominated by ports of older Zelda games and a Metroid Prime remaster, but the Direct was still full of exciting news! There are lots of games releasing for the Switch in the coming months, and the new Zelda game is just the icing on the cake.

What did you think of the Nintendo Direct? What games are you excited for? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.