The first Nintendo Direct of 2023 has come and gone this week and it brought with it some exciting new reveals as well as more information on some hotly anticipated titles. With a 44 minute runtime, there was plenty to see and be excited about for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, even if the future of the console is uncertain beyond that. If you want to see it all for yourself, you can head over to Nintendo’s YouTube channel or just click here.
Nintendo opened up the show with a big name, giving everyone a closer look at the next Pikmin. Pikmin 4 has been known and expected for some time and Nintendo was smart to open up 2023 with a look at the new game as well as finally giving a firm release date. The game looks beautiful and familiar with nothing that looks really different besides a new variety of Pikmin and a dog that you can ride (I don’t want to discount how cool that is). Pikmin 4 will be available on the Nintendo Switch on July 21 of this year.
A prequel to the Bayonetta series may not have been an expectation, but it seems obvious now. Bayonetta is an IP with a rabid fanbase that’s grown beyond cult following and burst into mainstream success. It only makes sense to dive into what events lead up to the trilogy. In Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, players will take control of the young witch Cereza before she becomes Bayonetta. The game is a unique take on the series with new, unique mechanics that will appeal to fans as well as gamers who have never picked up the series at all. The game launches March 17 so you don’t have to wait long.
Time for a little bias: my favorite reveal was a firm release for the Advance Wars remaster Advanced Wars 1 +2 Re-Boot Camp after its delay last year. The remake takes the original two Advanced Wars games and brings them to Nintendo Switch with updated graphics, some added features, and a chance to experience these awesome games on a new platform. It may not be an earth shattering franchise like a couple more to come in this Direct, but it is still exciting. The game finally releases on April 21.
Speaking of rereleasing games, Nintendo fans are notorious for buying the same games over and over again each time they are available on a new platform. In the spirit of that, fans have been asking for the chance to buy Game Boy games to play on the Switch. Nintendo seems to have listened to that feedback and taken it a step further with the announcement that Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games are available for Nintendo Switch Online and Expansion Pass subscribers. The service is launching with a certain set of games with more already being teased as future editions. Everyone’s favorite handheld games are once again playable and portable.
The most anticipated game announcement for this Nintendo Direct was obviously the Breath of the Wild sequel. Fans have been clamoring for information as Nintendo has slowly released nuggets to tide them over. And the news and extended look did not disappoint. First and foremost, the release date of May 12 was reemphasized so get pumped for that. The extended look at gameplay showed what players can expect mechanically (driving vehicles and grinding rails) but the story is still shrouded in mystery. This game also marks the first Nintendo Switch release that’s starting at that new $70 price point. There’s also a sweet collector’s edition with a steel case and art book and of course, there will be a new Link Amiibo.
2023 may just be the year of the shadow drop. Just weeks ago, Xbox took the gaming world by storm with the shadow drop of Hi-Fi Rush to massive acclaim and popularity. Nintendo wanted in on the action in its own way with a shadow drop of a massive property, Metroid Prime Remastered! Arguably the biggest game on the GameCube, Metroid Prime reimagined the Metroid series as a first person shooter to great success. Fans are still eagerly awaiting a new adventure in the Metroid Prime universe, but no one is going to be sad to get a chance to play the original in HD with new controls optimized for the Nintendo Switch. The digital version is available already and the physical version is not far behind, coming on February 22.
There were plenty of smaller announcements throughout the show as well, with DLC for popular games such as Splatoon 3, Fire Emblem Engage, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Make sure you check them all out by watching the direct for yourself. Nintendo laid out an amazing lineup of games and DLC that are coming this year. There is speculation that a new Nintendo Switch console could be coming in 2024 with new games that are meant for that platform, but until we hear anything for sure there is plenty to come to be excited about.
Image from: Nintendo
