The Nintendo Direct is a series of live-streamed, prerecorded videos featuring trailers showing off the latest and up-and-coming releases, updates to current titles as well as surprise announcements from Nintendo for their latest console the Nintendo Switch.
The last Direct was back in August 2022 and was solely dedicated to Splatoon 3, Nintendo's multiplayer splatfest. However, today's video was focused on Nintendo Switch games launching this winter.
Fans are eagerly waiting for more information on The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2, Nintendo's most anticipated game which producer, Eiji Aonuma announced would be delayed from 2022 to Spring 2023 in a previous Direct.
Zelda series fans have also been dying for Switch ports of beloved classics Wind Waker and Twilight Princess to come to the handheld system.
Other hugely anticipated games include Metroid Prime 4, especially off the back of the success of Metroid Dread last year.
Pikmin 4 appears to be lost in development, famed Mario Creator, Shigeru Miyamoto announced its development back in 2015.
With each new Direct Mother/Eatherbound fans have their hopes dashed with no new entry in the whacky, RPG series or even a port of the Japan-only, Game Boy Advance Mother 3 never materializing.
And with every Direct there are hopes of an upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch making an appearance, which is pretty unlikely but Nintendo is known for surprising us.
Kicking off the Direct was an exciting trailer for Fire Emblem Engage, a brand new Fire Emblem game that appears to call back the classic gameplay of the Fire Emblem Series and even features the return of classic Fire Emblem characters.
You play as a Divine Dragon in the continent of Elyos, instead of the Three Houses/Three Hopes characters and its school setting. You can summon valiant heroes like Marth & Celica of past Fire Emblem games.
The game is to be released on January 20, 2023, meaning fans won't have to wait long to try it with a collector edition called the Divine Edition available including a Steel book and art cards, and an Art book.
Yoshiaki Koizumi, Executive Officer at Nintendo then continued to host the Direct following-up with EA's co-op, platforming adventure game, It Takes Two which is coming out November 4 with Pre-orders available from today.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse was then shown, it's a Japanese survival horror series that involves battling malevolent spirits using an old-fashioned camera Obscura while exploring a haunted hospital.
Fatal Frame will be coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC in early 2023.
A new mechanical hero, INO was shown off for Xenoblade 3 with the Expansion Pass Volume 2 which also includes Challenge Battles and is available October 13. Volume 3 also teased a new character yet to be announced.
Based on the much-loved Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a 3d platforming game that has you play as the titular sponge and features all his friends, voiced by the original cast, and comes to Switch 2023.
Front Mission 1st is a turn-based, tactical, robot-smashing title and an utter classic from the Super Famicom. From SquareEnix this forgotten gem has been revised, remade, and rebooted replacing its 16-bit graphics with an all-new 3d look.
You lead a team of huge mechs called Wanzers while customising their companions, weapons, and armor while leveling up your pilots to become unstoppable mercenaries, in this story of intrigue and revenge.
Front Mision is coming to Switch this November.
Nintendo also announced that the never-before-released Front Mission 2 will allow players to continue the journey, as well as the third entry in the series, will also be coming to Switch with 2 coming in 2023 and the third to follow sometime after.
In a shocking announcement a follow-up to SquareEnix's HD2D retro RPG, Octopath traveler was shown. Octopath Traveler 2 follows another completely new set of 8 adventurers and how their stories and lives become intertwined.
Set in the land of Celistia, in a new age, the characters in this sequel include; “The Warrior” Hikari, “The Dancer” Agnea, “The Merchant” Partitio, “The Scholar” Osyald, “The Thief”, “The Cleric” Temenos, “The Hunter” Ochette, and “The Apothecary” Castti.
Each of the characters has their own motivations and unique skills and abilities just like the original Ocotopath and characters have different path options between day and night.
Octopath Traveler 2 comes to Switch on February 24, 2023.
Mario and his Rabbid buddies return in the tactical squad-based shooter, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. This sequel to 2017's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was a turn-based tactical role-playing game.
The game has you and your team of strange, mixed-up Mario-themed Rabbids trying to rescue the adorable Sparks throughout the galaxy while meeting old friends and enemies along the way and will be released October 20.
There were also some updates to the Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack with classics Pilotwings 64, Mario Party, Mario Party 2 and 3 as well as Pokemon Stadium and Pokemon Stadium 2, 1080 Snowboarding, and Excitebike 64 all coming in the future.
However, in an unexpected and welcome surprise, Nintendo announced that the classic 1997, Rare James Bond First Person shooter Goldeneye is coming to the service with Online multiplayer.
Mario creator and Nintendo Legend Shigiro Miyamoto appeared to talk about The Super Mario Movie, slated to release next Spring, and the opening of Super Nintendo World Universal Studios in Holywood, California.
But the gaming legend wasn't done there. He went on to talk about another series he's known for creating, Pikmin. Firstly he talked about a mobile game called Pikmin Bloom which is very reminiscent of Pokemon GO.
We then saw a trailer for the long-awaited Pikmin 4, coming in 2023 and although no gameplay was shown, fans will be delighted to see this game's development still going on.
To close out the Direct there was a new trailer for Breath of the Wild 2, which has been given the title The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Once again this trailer was quite limited and showed more of the Link traversal in the sky and him above Hyrule but a release date of 12 May 2023 was given.
Nintendo Direct Summary
The full list of announcements are:
Fire Emblem Engage
It Takes Two
Fatal Frame Mask of the Lunar eclipse
Xenoblade 3: 2nd Wave
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star
Oddballers
Tunic
Front Mission 1,2,3
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
Splatoon 3 Splatfest + Free updates
Octopath Traveler 2
Faefarm
Theatrhythem: Final Bar Line
Mario Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Rune Factory 3 Special
Nintendo 64 games
Pilotwings 64
Mario Party
Mario Party 2
Mario Party 3 Pokemon Stadium
Pokemon Stadium 2
1080 Snowboarding
Excitebike 64
Goldeneye
Various Daylife
Factorio
Ib
Mario Strikers: Battle League (update)
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
Mariokart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass wave 3
Nintendo Switch Sports Golf
Pikmin Bloom
Pikmin 4
Just Dance 2023 Edition
Harvestella
Bayonetta 3
Master Detective archiaves: Raincode
Resident Evil Village (Cloud Version)
Sifu
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII - Reunion
Radiant Silvergun
Endless Dungeon
Tales of Symphonia Remastered
Life is Strange
Romancing Saga
Lego Brick Tales
Disney Speedstorm
Fall Guys Season 2
Kirby Return to Dreamland Deluxe
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
It was a huge Direct with over 40 games announced and remains to be seen if Nintendo fans are happy with the announcements today but there are plenty of new titles to get excited about.
