Nintendo fans are all eagerly awaiting the day theSwitch successoris officially revealed and the release date finally shared, but Nintendo isn’t quite ready to spill the beans on that just yet. Instead, the June Nintendo Direct will only focus on games that will be released in thesecond half of 2024(and a few in 2025). Even though it isn’t a new console, we still need plenty of games to keep us occupied until we can get our hands on that new hardware. Thankfully, Nintendo isn’t leaving us out to dry in this awkward period.
The June Nintendo Direct was only 40 minutes but jam-packed with games. We got plenty of ports and re-releases, as well as updates on games we knew about, but there were still some fresh surprises in there that Nintendo fans will be quite excited about. Sure, we didn’t see a new mainline Mario or Pokemon game, but I have more than enough titles to look forward to while wewait on the Switch 2.
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1Mario & Luigi Brothership
The brothers are back on November 7
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Right at the top of the show, a brand new Mario & Luigi game burst onto the scene. Thanks to the remakes of Legend of the Seven Stars and Thousand Year Door, this was the perfect time to give fans a brand-new Mario RPG adventure. This series has always focused on the two brothers teaming up to go on adventures using classic turn-based combat combined with timed button presses. The trailer shows a ton of platforming and exploring this new world the brothers find themselves in, apparently trying to find their way home. These games have never been “hardcore” RPGs but more lighthearted and approachable entries into the genre.
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2Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
The wait is over in 2025
Metroid Prime 4
I was sure this game wouldn’t appear at this Direct but morning, but I was more than happy to be wrong. There’s no need to go over the tumultuous tale of Metroid Prime 4’s development, but knowing it is on the horizon is a massive relief. Not only that, but we saw the game in action. The shooting, scanning, and navigation all look like a perfect evolution of the original Prime trilogy. Aside from a mysterious rival character flanked by a pair of Metroids, we don’t know what else to expect in Beyond. Each game always adds in some new weapons and abilities so there’s still a lot to learn about this title.
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3Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
The legend of Erdrick begins on November 14
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake
I won’t go on too long about Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D since we knew it was coming for a while now. Seeing it in action - in all its HD-2D glory - I can’t help but get excited all over again. Dragon Quest has lived in Final Fantasy’s shadow in the West, but is arguably the more popular franchise in Japan. They are very traditional turn-based RPGs with classic stories of heroes, villains, and charming monsters you kind of feel bad slaying. If you find yourself enjoying 3, we also learned that 1 and 2 are also getting the HD-2D treatment and will continue the story (3 is a prequel to 1 and 2 so it is a great place to start) sometime in 2025.
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4The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Call me crazy, but I like 2D Zelda games more than the 3D ones most of the time. Something about them, especially the Grezzo titles, are just so cozy and fun to me. At first, Echoes of Wisdom looked like another 2D remake, which I would’ve been totally cool with, but it is actually a new entry in the franchise. Not only that, but it is the first time we’ve gotten a full game where Zelda is the protagonist (no, I don’t recognize Wand of Gamelon). Link has vanished within a mysterious rift. Zelda isn’t armed with a sword, but a magical staff that she can use to copy almost any object or enemy to solve puzzles and fight on her behalf. Creativity is clearly the focus here in allowing players to experiment with tons of objects to accomplish whatever tasks they need.
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5Super Mario Party Jamboree
Ruin your friendships on October 17
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Who doesn’t love a good round of Mario Party to really put your relationships to the test? Jamboree will technically be the third Mario Party game on the Switch, which I don’t think anyone saw coming. Claiming to have the most mini-games of any entry, this title will include several new boards including the mall-themed Rainbow Galleria, the racetrack Roll ‘em Raceway, and the sandy Goomba Lagoon. All told, Jamboree will feature five brand new maps alongside one from the original Mario Party and one from Mario Party 2 from the N64.
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6New Switch Online games
Revisit some classics today
Nintendo Switch Online
What I would consider a little cherry on top of the Direct was the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass game reveals. These include some all-time greats like Four Sword Adventures and Metroid: Zero Mission. However, the N64 is where the real gems are. The original Turok title, a personal favorite, has finally made its way to the service, but even I admit that Perfect Dark is the real standout. Not only is it a great game on its own, and the hype is building for the reboot on Xbox, but Nintendo is even bringing online multiplayer to the game for the first time ever.
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