Do not directly touch fuzzy
Today was a new Nintendo Direct, with a whole host of news for Switch owners on what’s coming for the rest of the year on Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.
It was, honestly, a pretty up-and-down Direct. I don’t think there was a lack of big reveals; we got a new 2D Mario, an absolutely gorgeous remake of a classic Mario RPG, and the first two Pikmin games are hitting the Switch later today.
Still, for those with high hopes—especially given that this Direct is happening within the Not-E3 window—or those who don’t care too much about Mario, I could see this falling a bit flat for them. Me? I’m personally into a lot of the third-party reveals we saw, like XSEED’s new action-RPG dungeon-crawler and more Persona 5 Tactica footage.
But enough preamble. Let’s run down the highlights. Here’s everything we saw during Nintendo’s show today.
Everything shown at the June 2023 Nintendo Direct
- We open with a preview of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s upcoming DLC, which arrives in two parts. We get a look at both Part 1, The Teal Mask, which seems like it might finally offer a different outfit from the usual school uniforms. And Part 2 heads to oceanic Blueberry Academy for The Indigo Disk, which gives me anime tournament arc vibes. Rad. No date on either one yet. aside from the known fall and winter windows.
- Sonic Superstars makes an appearance! I got some hands-on time with this at Summer Game Fest 2023, and thought it was rad. That arrives fall 2023.
- Build houses, grow crops, and adventure with pals in Palia in holiday this year.
- Persona 5 Tactica is back with more footage and looks fantastic. I’m pretty excited for that to hit on November 17.
- Saturday morning cartoon brawler MythForce certainly has a unique style to it. The first-person partying can begin sometime this year.
- A new Splatoon 3 Splatfest is on the way, and it’s ice cream flavors. Vanilla, strawberry, and mint chip duke it out in the next Splatfest. No love for chocolate ice cream?
- Tim Goodman and his trusty pal Pikachu are back to solve some mysteries in Detective Pikachu Returns on October 6.
- Bah gawd, that’s Super Mario RPG‘s music! Yes, the Super Mario RPG Remake is real, it’s happening, and it looks fantastic. Geno may not be in Smash, but he’s still getting the HD treatment when the remake arrives on November 17.
- Also, Princess Peach has a game on the way. I dig the stage play look of this! More details at a later date.
- Plus, Luigi is getting a spotlight too, Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon is getting a digitally enhanced version for Switch. Both that and the Peach game hit in 2024.
- The Arkham trilogy comes to Nintendo Switch in one big bundle this fall.
- Board game hit Gloomhaven heads to Nintendo Switch with its cards and hexagonal tiles on September 18, 2023.
- Here’s Just Dance 2024. I’m happy for all the dance-heads out there. And a pirate dancing to “Sail” by Awolnation is very funny. That’s on October 24.
- Silent Hope is a new roguelite-ish action-RPG from XSEED and Marvelous, where heroes dive into an abyss for resources and goods, bringing them back to the surface to build a home base. I dig it! Silent Hope arrives on October 3.
- Fae Farm has more farming and co-op in store for November 8.
- Rev up those wheels, as Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 hits on October 19.
- Manic Mechanics looks like Overcooked for car repair, and doesn’t seem OSHA compliant. It arrives on Switch on July 13.
- Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope gets its second DLC pack, The Last Spark Hunter, later today.
- Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is here, and looks fantastic. Wrangling the monsters of Dragon Quest looks to be a good time when it arrives on December 1.
One of the known stars of this June 2023 Nintendo Direct, Pikmin 4, is here. It looks like this fourth entry is really coming together, and with a July 21 release date, it’s not that far off either.
And if you’re not caught up on Pikmin, the first two games are hitting Nintendo Switch later today! Plus, a Pikmin 4 demo is hitting on June 28.
- The first volume of the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection is coming to Nintendo Switch with a bevy of Metal Gear content on October 24.
- If you haven’t been bitten by the Vampire Survivors bug just yet, here’s your chance: Vampire Survivors is coming to Nintendo Switch on August 17, with four-player couch co-op.
- Headbangers Rhythm Royale is a pigeon-based musical battle royale. Don’t really know what more to say about that. It arrives on October 31.
- The team behind Sonic Mania is back with Penny’s Big Breakaway, which looks like a wonderful new platformer arriving in early 2024.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is getting Wave 5 of its DLC roll-out, which includes a new track and returning racers Petey Pirahna, Wiggler, and Kamek. That hits this summer.
- The Star Ocean 2nd Story remake is real, and it looks really good. RPG fans are really feasting on this Direct! That arrives on November 2.
- It’s WarioWare time! WarioWare involves your whole body with the power of Joy-cons in WarioWare Move It! on November 3.
- Here’s a reminder that Nintendo Live is heading to Seattle this year, coinciding with PAX West 2023.
- New Zelda amiibo are on the way, featuring Princess Zelda and Ganondorf, set for holiday 2023.
- And lastly, here’s that 2D Mario y’all were waiting for. Super Mario Bros. Wonder makes it look like all the mushrooms are finally getting to Mario. This shapeshifting platformer seems trippy, but maybe in a good way? It arrives on October 20, 2023.
And that’s all for the June 2023 Nintendo Direct? Any highlights or favorites? Let us know down below.
