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Fans have been clamouring for a full Nintendo Direct all summer. The last full direct was all the way back in February 2022 – but it has finally come at last. Overall it was a very mixed bag – with plenty for RPG fans but sadly no mention of the rumoured Metroid Prime remake nor the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker/Twilight Princess double pack. That said, there were plenty of highlights – not least news on the next Zelda game.
Biggest news from the September 2022 Nintendo Direct – the much anticipated and delayed Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel has been named and dated. Entitled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it will release May 12, 2023. It also got an extra trailer.
Fire Emblem: Engage (January 1, 2023) – a new mainline entry in the Fire Emblem tactical RPG franchise since 2019’s Three Houses. Trailer suggests your character is a divine dragon descendant and there are mysterious rings that allow you to summon the spirits of characters from across the franchise to assist you as allies in battle. There will be a special edition box set.
Pikmin 4 is definitely happening and will be coming in 2023, according to Shigeru Miyamoto. But no gameplay or any real trailer yet.
For Kirby’s 30th anniversary, Nintendo is rereleasing 2011 Wii title Kirby’s Return to Dreamland in a deluxe edition February 24, 2023. This 2D Kirby game will come with extra mini games and features.
Square Enix’s rhythm action series Theatrhythm is back with Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Final Fantasy series. Base game features 385 songs from across the series. There will be a single player game plus two multiplayer modes – pair style and online multibattle. Will have paid DLC exclusive songs drawing from other Square Enix IP that will balloon the number of songs to around 502 (SaGa, Nier, Octopath Traveller, Live A Live confirmed). The first entries were a lot of fun on Nintendo 3DS so here is hoping it continues to capture the magic on Switch.
Octopath Traveler II – set in a new era from 2018’s entry. Once more follow eight stories in this new world. (February 24, 2023)
A weird one but could be a heck of a lot of fun – Fitness Boxing’s Fist of the North Star (March 2023). Anime mashup of the Fitness Boxing series. Anime music and pummelling your enemies. What’s not to like?
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is coming to the West in early 2023. Exclusive to Japan on original 2008 Wii release, this is the only instalment in the franchise never to make it to the West…until now (or early next year, rather).
Nintendo Switch Online got a spot to let us know what new N64 games to expect in the near future. Next year looks great for NSO members – not least because Nintendo finally dared mention that the legendary Goldeneye was finally coming.
| 2022
Pilotwings |
2023
Mario Party 3 GOLDENEYE |
The rest of the September 2022 Nintendo Direct was a blistering list so we took the time to sort through it so you don’t have to.
Remakes, Remasters, Rereleases
- Front Mission Remakes
- 1st Mission (November)
- 2nd Mission – first time in West (2023)
- 3rd Mission remake confirmed
- Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life – 2003 GameCube and PS2 title is getting a fresh lick of paint and added features (Summer 2023)
- Rune Factory 3 Special (2023) – also a “new Rune Factory series” was alluded to.
- Tales of Symphonia Remastered (Early 2023)
- Romancing SaGa – Minstrel Song remaster (December 1)
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion remaster (December 13)
Updates
- Mario Kart 8 – Wave 3 course pass (Holiday 2022)
- Mario Strikers – free update 2 coming this month with two new characters (Pauline and Diddy Kong), new gear and a stadium. No new modes.
- Switch Sports – Golf is coming. 21 holes from the Wii Sports series with up to 8 player online. Update is delayed but will release Holiday 2022
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 pass wave 2 – a new hero added and challenge battle rules (October 13)
- Splatoon 3‘s first post-launch splatfest will take place 5pm September 23 to 5pm September 25
- Fall Guys season 2 (September 15)
Stealth drops (Out Today)
- Radiant Silvergun
- Various Daylife – Another new Square Enix RPG
Cloud Releases
- Resident Evil: Village (October 28) – free demo out now
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (Late 2022)
- Resident Evil 2 Remake (Late 2022)
- Resident Evil 3 Remake (Late 2022)
Other titles announced
- Tunic releasing on Switch (September 27)
- Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection (September 27)
- Factorio, management sim, is coming to Switch from PC. The 2020 PC release has over 100,000 Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam (October 28)
- It Takes Two is coming to Switch with wireless and local play (November 4)
- Sifu releases on Switch (November 8)
- Just Dance 2023 (November 22)
- Lega Bricktales (Fall 2022)
- Disney Speedstorm (2022)
- SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake (2023) – a new SpongeBob game from the developers behind Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated.
- Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (February 24, 2023)
- Oddballers – anarchic dodgeball party game (Early 2023)
- Fae Farm – if you like Stardew Valley and Rune Factory then you will enjoy this new addition to the farm-sim RPG genre (Spring 2023)
- Ib – a mysterious adventure game involving art (Spring 2023)
- Master Detective Archive: Rain Code – a new mystery game from Danganronpa developer Spike Chunsoft (Spring 2023)
- Endless Dungeon – a tactical roguelike set in the Endless universe (2023)