by Ian Matties
Today saw the first Nintendo Direct of 2022, and what a show it was. Let’s take a look at the games they showed off!
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Were you expecting Mario Kart 9? Well instead of that Nintendo decided to bring more courses to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the form of paid DLC. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass brings remastered courses from across the Mario Kart series in the 6 waves of 8 courses each coming through 2023. That’s 48 new courses! Courses such as Coconut Mall, Choco Mountain and Tokyo Blur will be included in the first wave.
The first wave of new courses will speed onto Nintendo Switch on March 18, 2022! Pre-Orders begin today! If you have the Nintendo Switch Online +Expansion Pass you will have access to the DLC without having to purchase it.
I love Mario Kart 8, so you know I'll be picking this up!
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
If you played and enjoyed Fire Emblem: Three Houses or Fire Emblem Warriors you might be excited to see that Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is coming to Nintendo Switch. This new game in the Dynasty Warriors style will bring back characters like Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude from Fire Emblem: Three Houses in an all-new adventure.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is scheduled to arrive on Nintendo Switch on June 24th.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
In addition to the 2 campaigns there are additional modes to help you get even more enjoyment out of this turn-based strategy. The War Room will allow you to go for high scores, the Design Room will allow you to create and share custom maps and local & online multiplayer will allow you to battle friends and frenemies.
Advance Ware 1+2: Re-Boot Camp marches onto Nintendo Switch consoles on April 8th. Pre-orders are available now.
No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Sky first released on PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows back in August 2016. It had a rocky start, but now it is making its way to a new batch of players on the Nintendo Switch. This infinite, procedurally generated universe ensures that no journey will ever be the same.
No Man’s Sky soars onto Nintendo Switch this summer.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
Mario Strikers is back with Mario Strikers: Battle League! Gear will play a big part in this game as it not only changes your appearance, but also your stats will change depending on which pieces of gear you are using. This gear can be mix-and-matched to help you find your optimal stats! The Hyper Strike will allow you to charge a special move that will get you 2 goals instead of 1 if you score. Up to 8 players can play together on a single console. The Online Club mode will allow you to join or create a club where you can compete for rankings. Can your club become #1?
Mario Strikers: Battle League kicks its way onto Nintendo Switch on June 10th! Pre-orders are available now.
Splatoon 3
Salmon Run is returning to Splatoon in the co-op mode Salmon Run: Next Wave. New features and bosses are making their way to Salmon Run, so get your friends ready and prepare to take them on!
Splatoon 3 paints its way to Nintendo Switch this summer. Splatoon 2 launched in July, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see this also come out in July or August.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land Kirby will explore a mysterious world with an unusual mix of nature and civilization to rescure the captured Waddle Dees. In addition to the usual copy abilities Kirby will have a new ability called Mouthful Mode in which Kirby can inhale real-world objects to gain their abilities including a car to zoom around, a vending machine to attack enemies with juice cans or even a traffic cone to pierce obstacles. Many more abilities will also be available in Mouthful Mode! As you progress through the game you will also be able to evolve your copy abilities in increase the range of their attacks as well as change Kirby’s appearance. Some copy abilities even have stronger evolved forms.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land makes its way to Nintendo Switch on March 25th. Pre-orders are available now.
Front Mission 1st: Remake
A complete remake of the 1st Front Mission game is on its way to Nintendo Switch. This tactical RPG will allow you to pilot machines known as wanzers as you lead your battalion to victory. Aim for enemy parts to gain the upper hand in battles. You can customize your wanzer by mix-and-matching various parts and weapons.
Encounter this great story when Front Mission 1st: Remake storms its way onto Nintendo Switch this summer. Also Front Mission 2: Remake will also launch on Nintendo Switch in the future!
Disney Speedstorm
The makers of the Asphalt series are bringing Disney Speedstorm to Nintendo Switch. You will be able to control characters from classic Disney & Pixar franchises in rip-roaring high speed races. Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play game that will add more characters, circuits and karts through regularly added new seasons. Get ready to prove that Nintendo Switch can hang with the other consoles as cross-platform play is one of the features.
Disney Speedstorm races its way to Nintendo Switch this summer.
MLB The Show 22
I never thought I would see MLB The Show come to Nintendo Switch, but Sony is bringing the series over! In MLB The Show players can experience modes like the favourite RPG mode Road to the Show and online card-collecting mode Diamond Dynasty. With cross-platform play and cross progression you will be able to experience MLB The Show wherever you game!
MLB The Show 22 strikes onto Nintendo Switch on April 5th. Pre-orders are available now.
Classic Franchises coming to Nintendo Switch
Several classic franchises are seeing releases on Nintendo Switch. Check out some of these upcoming games:
- STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed launches onto Nintendo Switch on April 20th. Pre-orders begin today.
- Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection brings 3 classic Assassin’s Creed games to Nintendo Switch. This game arrives on Nintendo Switch on February 17th.
- SD Gundam Battle Alliance brings the Gundam series to Nintendo Switch. It will arrive on Nintendo Switch later this year.
- Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition brings the sequel to SNES legend Chrono Trigger to a Nintendo console for the first time. Also included is the text-based adventure Radical Dreamers which originally released on the Japan-only upgrade to the Super Famicom, the Satellaview. This game will slash its way onto Nintendo Switch on April 7th.
- The Kingdom Hearts games are coming to Nintendo Switch shortly in Cloud Versions that can be played while connected to the internet. These heart filled adventures arrive on Nintendo Switch tomorrow.
- KLONOA Phantasy Reverie Series is coming to Nintendo Switch bringing KLONOA 1 & 2 to the console. This collection launches on July 8th.
- Portal: Companion Collection brings Portal and Portal 2 to Nintendo Switch. This collection will arrive on Nintendo Switch later this year.
- Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival will have to strive to become a taiko master. This game will launch on Nintendo Switch later this year. For those who want more songs to play along to, a paid in-game subscription service will be available with over 500 songs at launch.
LIVE A LIVE
Previously released only in Japan, LIVE A LIVE is releasing on Nintendo Switch in the HD-2D style. LIVE A LIVE features 7 different stories with different protagonists, time periods and gameplay styles. Experience these stories in whichever order you want, it is your adventure to control.
LIVE A LIVE battles its way to Nintendo Switch on July 22nd. Pre-orders are available now.
Nintendo Switch Sports
A new iteration of the Wii Sports series is making its way to Nintendo Switch bringing 6 sports games with it. Returning games include Tennis, Bowling and Chambara. Chambara must be a name for the sword-fighting sport in Wii Sports Resort, I never owned that game so I’m not 100% sure. Three new games joining the party are Soccer, Badminton and Volleyball. The soccer game includes a Shoot-Out mode with intuitive kicking motions by the use of a leg strap that is included with the physical version of the game. This leg strap looks like the one included with Ring Fit Adventure, so I think that strap will work if you want to pick up the digital version.
A free update will be releasing in the summer that will allow you to play soccer matches using the joy-con and the leg strap accessory. A second free update will be releasing in the fall that will add Golf to the list of available games.
An Online Play Test is planned for February 18 – 20 which will allow random matchmaking in 3 sports: Bowling, Chambara and Tennis. A Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to take part in the test.
Nintendo Switch Sports launches on Nintendo Switch on April 29th.
Triangle Strategy
The latest tactical strategy from Square-Enix is almost here. A new demo playable to the end of Chapter 3 is available on the eShop today. Your save data from this demo will transfer to the full game.
Cuphead
New DLC is coming to Cuphead with the Delicious Last Course with new bosses to defeat and a new playable character in Ms. Chalice.
This new DLC is coming to Nintendo Switch on June 30th.
Metroid Dread
Did you think Metroid Dread was too easy? You are in luck, the new Dread Mode difficulty makes it so that even a single hit will result in a game over. Can you fight your way through Metroid Dread without taking any damage? I know that I can’t.
If you are new to the Metroid franchise you can take advantage of the new Rookie Mode difficulty that will provide increased recovery.
These new modes are available in a new update to the game available today.
A second free update is coming in April with a new Boss Rush mode in which you will face all the bosses one after the other.
Earthbound
I know many of us are excited at the prospect of Mother 3 releasing in the west, but that time has not yet come. We are however getting Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings as they make their way to Nintendo Switch Online so you will be able to enjoy these games on Nintendo Switch. These games are arriving on Nintendo Switch Online today!
More Arriving Games
Several more games were briefly shown off including:
- Zombie Army 4: Dead War, which launches on April 26th
- GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon, which launches today
- Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles, available June 10th
- LEGO Brawls, arriving in June
- Two Point Campus, launching May 17th
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
As the next game in the acclaimed RPG series Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will see you exploring a new world that will tie together the futures of the worlds from Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 swings onto Nintendo Switch in September 2022.
So many great announcements were made today, which one was your favourite? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you are most excited for!
Thanks for the summary, Ian! Man I’m HYPED!
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