The Direct, which took place on September 13th , showcased a wide array of games in Nintendo’s winter lineup in a 40-minute livestream which can be watched here. From (many) RPG/JRPG’s, to the official title announcement for the Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild sequel – this is everything that was announced in the September 2022 Direct.
Fire Emblem: Engage
The newest instalment in the Fire Emblem franchise, Fire Emblem Engage is set to be released on 20 January 2023. Nintendo insider Emily Rogers claimed that the game was originally intended to be released in 2020 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise, but was pushed back for unknown reasons.
The game follows protagonist Alear, known as a “divine dragon” and member of the royal family, who awakens from a thousand year slumber to combat the threat of forces attempting to free the Fell Dragon – which besieged the land of Elyos one thousand years prior.
Nintendo is also releasing Fire Emblem Engage: Divine Edition, which will include:
- A Physical Copy of Fire Emblem Engage
- SteelBook
- Poster
- Art Cards
- Art Book
It Takes Two
Initially released in March last year for Microsoft Windows; PlayStation 4; PlayStation 5; Xbox One; and Xbox Series X/S, this purely co-op game is finally coming to Switch on November 4 this year It is available to play via local wireless, or online using Friends Pass.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Originally released in Japan for the Nintendo Wii in 2008, the forth game in the survival-horror Fatal Frame series is receiving a western port – a first for any game in the franchise. It is set for an early 2023 release.
The game follows protagonist Ruka Minazuki search for her lost memories on the fictional Rougetsu Island, while investigating the dark past of the island inhabited by malevolent spirits that she and other characters must fight back against.
With this port comes a graphics improvement, new costumes and enhanced photo mode which enables you to pose characters and ghosts to capture unique images.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – Expansion Pass
Wave 2 of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 expansion pass introduces a new hero, Ino, who can join your party when you complete her quest. Challenge Battles have also been added in this wave. It will be released on 13 October 2022.
Spongebob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake
First announced on September 17 last year, the newest release in the Spongebob Squarepants game franchise is set to be released on Switch and other platforms in 2023 but no specific date has been given.
In this 3D-Platformer, you follow Spongebob and Patrick on their adventure through 7 ‘Wishworlds’ after a wish they make undoes the fabric of the universe causing several portals to these worlds to open. On your adventure you’ll encounter many TV series favourite characters, that are voiced by their original voice actors!
Fitness Boxing: Fist of the North Star
Set to be released in March 2023, Fitness Boxing brings familiar faces from Fist of the North Star to lead you through boxing drills in training mode, or to test your skills against in battle and boss mode.
OddBallers
Set for release early 2023, OddBallers is a new take on dodgeball in the form of a ‘free-for-all’ party multiplayer – where the whole purpose is not to play fair.
Tunic
Tunic is a puzzle adventure game, in which you utilise the games Instruction Manual to reveal maps, tips, special techniques and other secrets to help you navigate the ruined land. It is set to be released next week on September 27
Front Mission 1st, 2 and 3 Remakes
It was confirmed that all three Front Mission games would be receiving a remake to be released on Switch. Front Mission 1st is set to be released in November this year ; Front Mission 2 – which was previously never released outside of Japan – will be released in 2023; and, while no official date has been given, Nintendo confirmed Front Mission 3 would be coming in the future.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
From the outstanding 2003 Gamecube game Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life comes Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, a remaster with a name change to align with the modern name of the series. The seemingly faithful remaster sports updated graphics, an aging feature which sees characters appearances change as time goes on, and an added feature of your child career choices being based on how you raise them.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is set to be released in Summer 2023.
Splatoon 3
The first post-launch Splatfest has been confirmed, spanning from September 23 at 1.00am – September 25 at 1.00am. For the theme, players are asked to choose between Gear, Grub or Fun for their Tricolour Turf Wars teams.
Octopath Traveller 2
This brand new entry to the Octopath Traveller series is set to be released on February 24 2023. This instalment comes with a substantial improvement to the series’ HD-2D graphics, which are a fusion of retro pixel art and 3DCG.
Fae Farm
Live the fairytale life of your dreams in the island of Azoria, as you grow tour homestead through crafting and cultivation. The discovery of fae magic will assist you in restoring the realm as the seasons change. Fae Farm is set to be released in Spring 2023.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
To celebrate the 35th anniversary, the latest Theatrhythm instalment gave allows you to perform your way through the entire Final Fantasy series, with over 385 tracks to choose from! Two additional versions of the game are also available: The Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes 442 songs; 27 special additional songs and the DLC Season One Pass and The Premium Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes 502 songs; 27 special additional songs and all DLC Season Passes.
All three versions of the game are set to release on February 16 2023, with pre-order available now.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
The sequel to Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is set to be released on October 20 2022. The game follows Mario and co. across the galaxy as they attempt to restore peace which was destroyed by Cursa and their Darkmess, as it seeks out the power of the Sparks.
Rune Factory 3 Special
This remaster of Rune Factory 3, which was originally release in 2011 for the DS, sports fully updated, HD graphics and new 3D character models. It is set to release in 2023, and a new Rune Factory series is currently in development.
Nintendo Switch Online: Nintendo 64 Games
A range of games will be added to the Nintendo 64 online roster throughout the end of 2022 and 2023; including, but not limited to, Mario Party 1-3 and Pokemon Stadium 1 and 2. The iconic Goldeneye will also be added in the future.
Various Daylife
The game, which first launched on Apple Arcade on September 20 2019, is available now.
You play as a member of a burgeoning civilisation of Antoecia, a newly discovered continent with strange lands to explore. Each day you’ll carry out chores; take on different tasks ; and set out on expeditions to discover the secrets of the land, in order to help the settlement flourish and expand.
Factorio
In Factorio, your aim is to build and manage various automated factories to produce products of increasing complexity while protecting them from creatures who will try to destroy it.
The construction and management simulator is set to release on October 28 2022.
Ib
Ib is a psychological horror originally released for Microsoft in 2012 which follows the story of a young girl, Ib, who becomes trapped in fictitious artist Guertena Weiss’ art museum following a power outage. She must overcome obstacles such as blocked paths; enemies and traps in order to escape.
Ib is set to release in Spring 2023.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
In the second free update for the game, Diddy Kong and Pauline will be joining the roster. More gear and a new stadium are also included in this update, which launches this month.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass
Wave 3 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass is set to release this Christmas. In the sneak peak, it was revealed that Merry Mountains from Mario Kart Tour and Peach Gardens from Mario Kart DS are two of the eight new tracks coming with this wave of the DLC.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
The third and final game in the Atelier Ryza series is set to release in 2023. It follows Ryza on her final summer adventure as she explores the Kark Isles – a mysterious group of islands which suddenly appeared in nearby waters which end up having a negative effect on their homeland. Joined by her friends, their investigation leads them to an enormous gate found deep within ruins – as a voice in Ryza’s head seeks to lead her to the ‘code of the universe’.
A pre-order Premium box is available exclusively from the Koei Tecmo Europe and NIS America online stores, and includes:
- A Physical Copy of Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
- Artbook
- Mini acrylic character charm
- Special clear file (Set of 2)
- Early access serial code for Ryza’s “Marine Look of Kurken Shore” costume
- Original illustration B2 cloth poster
Nintendo Switch Sports
Previously revealed in the March 2022 direct as future update content, Golf has now been confirmed to be added to the game as part of a free update this Christmas. It includes 21 holes from the Wii Sports series, and a new Survival Golf mode where you can play with up to eight players at a time via local and online play.
Pikmin 4
Following delays that began way back in 2015, Pikmin 4 was finally announced with a projected release of 2023 – a whole decade since the release of Pikmin 3 for the Wii U. This was an entirely unexpected reveal for fans of the series, as in 2016 series creator Shigeru Miyamoto stated the game had fallen in the list of priorities and in 2017 it was ‘still in progress’ so fans had assumed the game had quietly been scrapped.
Just Dance 2023 Edition
The iconic Just Dance is back and set to be released on November 22 2022. Some of the songs available on the 2023 Edition include:
- Dynamite – BTS
- Telephone – Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce
- Physical – Dua Lipa
- Stay – The Kid LAROI ft. Justin Bieber
- I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift
Currently, there has not been a lot of songs announced for the games track list, but more are expected to be announced as the weeks progress. It is suspected that it will include more current hits from this year as well as classic hits which shook the last century of music, ensuring the variation that we know and love from a Just Dance game.
Harvestella
In Harvestella, your story begins as you wake up in the middle of Quietus – the season of death which causes all crops to wither and a dust of death prevents the townsfolk from going outside. This calamity occurs at the turn of each season (which span 30 days), meaning you have to plan your crop planting accordingly. In season, you can spend your days fishing; tending to livestock; chatting to the townsfolk; or stepping into dungeons to face monsters.
It is set to be released on November 4 2022.
Bayonetta 3
In the third game of the series, Umbra witch Bayonetta fights to save the world alongside her best friend rival Jeanne and reporter Luka from previous instalments of the series and a new ally Viola – whom she may have conflict with based on scenes revealed in the short trailer.
Bayonetta 3 is set to release on October 28 2022.
Master Detective Archives: Raincode
From the creators of Danganronpa, comes another fantasy mystery set in the city of Perpetual Rain where many case remain unsolved and Master Detectives come from worldwide to solve them. The game follows amnesiac detective Yuma, and the spirit Shinigami who is haunting him as he works as a detective at the training agency.
Master Detective Archives: Raincode is set to release in Spring 2023.
Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil VII, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 Cloud
The cloud version of Resident Evil Village is coming to Switch on October 28 2022, with a free demo and pre-order available now. Following this the Winters’ Expansion DLC, which features a new third person mode and additional story content, will be available 2 December.
Alongside this, cloud versions of Resident Evil VII, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 will be available this year – with release dates yet to be confirmed.
Sifu
Sifu follows the child of a Chinese martial arts sifu on his quest for revenge against those responsible for the death of his father. A unique feature that sets it apart from similar ‘rogue beat ’em up games’ is that each time the protagonist dies he is resurrected by a magical talisman which ages him up, giving the player access to more powerful attacks but with a decreased health bar. Let him get to old, however, and he will die permanently leaving players having to restart from the initial age of the first attempt.
Previously released on Microsoft; Playstation 4 and Playstation 5 on February 8 2022, Sifu is set to be released on Switch on November 8 this year
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion
Initially released on PSP in 2007, Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion is set to release on December 13 2022. The remake sports new 3D models throughout with modernised lighting and effects, with both the models and the environments being far more detailed than they were in the 2007 original game. Combat has also been modernised, as the former fixed camera view has been replaced with a follow camera which adds more of a sense of immediacy to battles.
The story, which is a prequel to Final Fantasy VII, follows paramilitary group ‘SOLDIER’ member Zach Fair who has been assigned to look for missing SOLDIER Genesis Rhapsodos. During his search he discovers Genesis’ origins from Project G, and its relation to two other high-ranking SOLDIER’s, Sephiroth and Angeal Hewley.
Radiant Silvergun
Sporting new 3D graphics; an online scoreboard; and sounds by critically acclaimed Hitoshi Sakimoto, the remaster of 1998 arcade game Radiant Silvergun is out now!
Set in 2521, following the destruction of the human race on 14 July 2520, 4 TETRA crew members and a robonoid are forced to re-enter the stratosphere to fight for human survival following the depletion of all their supplies.
Endless Dungeon
In Endless Dungeon you play as a squad of 3 characters exploring an abandoned space station, with the objective of protecting the “Crystal Bot” as it makes it’s way towards the bulkhead door of each level.
It is set to release in 2023.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered
The remaster has already caused some upset among fans prior to release, after it was revealed that is has been downgraded from largely 60 fps (with a 30fps world map) in the original GameCube version – to a 720p 30 fps across all gameplay. Fans believe this may be because it is in fact not a remaster of the GameCube version, but rather of the PS2 port which was also locked to 30 fps.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered is set to release in early 2023.
Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection
Previewed as part of the Upcoming Games montage, Life is Strange: Arcadia Bay Collection is set to release next week on September 27
Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song Remastered
Previewed as part of the Upcoming Games montage, Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song Remastered is set to release on December 1 2022 with pre-order available now.
Lego Bricktales
Previewed as part of the Upcoming Games montage, Lego Bricktales is set to release in Autumn 2022.
Disney Speedstorm
Previewed as part of the Upcoming Games montage, Disney Speedstorm is set to release in 2022.
Fall Guys
Season 2 of Fall Guys was available from September 15, and comes with new maps; challenges; a fresh season pass; and a limited time event. The season pass comes with 100 unlockable in-game items and even comes with new costumes: Spock from Star Trek, Xenomorph from Aliens, and Hatsune Miku.
New courses have also been introduced such as Tiptoe Finale, which sees each team race for the crown but if they step on the wrong tile they will fall to the ground and have to restart. This course can host up to 4 squads.
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe
The remake of Kirby’s Return to DreamLand, which was released in 2011 for the Wii, comes with new features such as the new Mecha Copy Ability, which enables you to become a robot and fly through the sky while shooting foes with your cannon from a distance, or fighting up close with powerful punches; Super Abilities, which are ultra-strong versions of copy abilities obtained by inhaling glowing enemies; and an all new subgame Magolor’s Tome Trackers.
The game follows Kirby on his adventure across planet Popstar to help Magolor return to his home planet, after his ship crash lands. Up to 4 players can play on one console as Kirby, Bandana Waddle Dee, King DeDeDe and Meta Knight – or everyone can play as Kirby!
Kirby’s Return to DreamLand Deluxe is set to release on February 24 2023.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
For the grand finale, Nintendo announced that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The trailer itself is short and does not give much away regarding gameplay, however this does not come as surprise for fans of the series. The sequel was originally announced during the 2019 E3 conference, with an eerie and cryptic trailer which set the tone for the overall story of the game. Nothing more was said of the sequel until E3 2021, where we were shown a trailer that was polar opposite in tone and revealed Link’s adventures would take place in the skies above Hyrule as well as on the ground – with 2022 given as its projected year of release.
Sadly, this wasn’t the case, as Nintendo announced during their direct in March that release was to be delayed until Spring 2023 to allow for more development time. This announcement was accompanied by a short teaser, which showed basically the same gameplay shown in the E3 2021 trailer.
Although this direct was also scarce with regards to new gameplay clips, it has been confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be released on May 12 2023.
Featured Image via Nintendo
You must log in to post a comment.