It was only a couple of days ago we heard about a June Nintendo Direct. The timing was right though to try and get people hyped for what would be coming up for the rest of the year. “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” already came out to massive success and acclaim, so what does that leave Switch owners with to look forward to in upcoming months? Well, as it turns out, Nintendo has some interesting things tucked up their sleeves, especially if you’re a Mario fan. Let’s take a look at some of the bigger announcements!
The Direct started off with some more information and gameplay footage of the upcoming DLC for “Pokémon Scarlet” and “Pokémon Violet.” The content looks to be coming in two waves, with the first “The Teal Mask” coming this fall, and “The Indigo Disk” arriving this winter. As far as Pokémon DLC goes, it looks pretty much like you’d expect; different areas and more Pokémon added to the game.
Next up was a round of various third party titles such as the previously announced “Persona 5” tactical spin-off, the “Sonic Superstars” title which includes multi-player elements into traditional side-scrolling Sonic levels. These titles were previously shown off on other console previews and there was little doubt that Sonic wouldn’t make an appearance on the Switch, but official confirmation is nice.
We then get some back-to-back Nintendo properties with a “Splatoon 3” Splatfest announcement and more importantly, a sequel to “Detective Pikachu.” “Detective Pikachu Returns” will be arriving this October.
In perhaps the biggest news though, the surprise announcement came that the beloved SNES classic, “Super Mario RPG” is getting a complete remaster. Mario has been in a number of RPG’s over the years, but it all started with this game back in 1996. It was heavily lauded for its characters, engaging battles, and incredible soundtrack. To see that all getting a new coat of paint is a nostalgic joy. We’ll have to see what other refinements come along as more details emerge in the lead up to its November 17th release date.
Other Mario news followed with a brief tease of an upcoming game starring Princess Peach. It was literally only about ten seconds long, an acknowledged by the presenters as basically a tease of what’s to come later. We then got the announcement that the previously 3DS exclusive title, “Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon,” will be getting a remake on the Switch.
Next up was a round of more third party titles like a new “Just Dance” game, a collection of the three main “Batman: Arkham” titles, a game based on the tabletop adventure, “Gloomhaven,” and a new “Dragon Quest: Monsters” title. The latter of these would mark the first return to that franchise for American audiences since 2011. Fortunately the overall popularity of “Dragon Quest” has grown in the states in the last decade, so it’s good to see this spin-off of the franchise returning to American shores.
One of the bigger chunks of time was then taken up by news of the upcoming “Pikmin 4.” More details about game play were shown off including the revelation that you and your Pikmin companions will be able to go out on night excursions. Previously the game was structured to where you would explore the land during the day and have to return to your ship by nightfall. Not anymore! Though it seems like these nocturnal adventures will be far more dangerous for you and your Pikmin helpers. The game arrives on July 21st but you can now purchase “Pikmin” and “Pikmin 2” digitally on the Switch as of right now.
Another batch of third party titles were announced, including a collection of “Metal Gear Solid” titles, a remake of the second “Star Ocean” video game, and a port of the surprisingly popular “Vampire Survivors.” The latter of these is available on PC, mobile devices and Xbox consoles, but the Switch version will have four player local co-op. The pick up and play nature of the title is perfectly suited to the Switch to boot, making it a great fit for those who haven’t yet experienced the title’s hordes of monsters.
Wrapping up the direct was a double whammy of Nintendo IP’s with the first one being a new “Warioware” title. Entitled “Warioware: Move It!” The game seems to be a throw back to the Wii release, “Warioware: Smooth Moves.” Each one of the games has its own gimmick. The DS version used the touch screen, the Wii edition relied on the Wiimote, and this newest release will follow suit but will rely on using both Joycons at once to do various tasks. The game releases on November 3rd.
Then, saving the big announcement for last, there’s a new 2D Mario game on the way. “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” is exactly what you’d expect in a side-scrolling Mario platformer. It takes after the “New Super Mario Bros.” aesthetic and allowing for simultaneous multi-player as you explore levels and make it to the flagpole at the end. The element that makes this game distinct is the introduction of the Wonder Flower. Picking up this item changes the game world in weird ways. The preview shows Mario’s body contorting to weird heights, green pipes moving on their own, flagpoles being knocked down as a level continues on, and oh; Mario has an elephant transformation now. And Daisy is finally playable! “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” debuts on October 20th of this year.
So it looks like “Tears of the Kingdom” isn’t the only big thing for Nintendo this year. It may still be the biggest, but it’s hard to look at “Super Mario RPG” and not get a bit hyped for revisiting such a wonderful gem of a game. It’s a pretty good time to be a Nintendo fan in 2023.
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