Nintendo presents new "Zelda", "Metroid Prime 4" and other surprises

The successor to the Nintendo Switch will soon be presented. Firstly, the Japanese company reveals which games are still to be released for the current Switch console in a "Nintendo Direct". The line-up has it all. There are also some surprises such as a new "Zelda" game and the long-awaited "Metroid Prime 4".

I have summarised all the highlights and featured games below.

"The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom": Zelda as a playable character

"The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom" is a completely new 2D "Zelda". Graphically, it is reminiscent of the Switch remake of "Link's Awakening". For the first time in the history of the game series, Zelda takes on the leading role. Link has disappeared through an interdimensional rift and it is up to the princess to save the hero and Hyrule from destruction.

Zelda is not equipped with a sword, bow and shield, but with a magic staff. She can use it to copy items and create so-called "echoes". These echoes can be used to solve puzzles and in battle. For example, the princess can clone tables, boxes, trees and even water and place them in the game world as required.

Even enemies can be copied and restored - they then fight on the princess's side. According to producer Eiji Aonuma, the approach to puzzles and battles should be open - similar to that of "Breath of the Wild" and "Tears of the Kingdom".

In addition, a new, gold-coloured Switch Lite edition has also been announced, which will be released at the game's launch.

Date: 26 September
Released for: Switch

"Metroid Prime 4: Beyond": The game you thought was lost lives and looks damn good

It's finally here. A trailer for "Metroid Prime 4". The game was originally announced at E3 2017. Nintendo then announced that development on the game had been completely restarted and handed over to Retro Games, the development studio behind the first three "Prime" games. Many fans were no longer expecting the game.

The anxious wait for an update was worth it. The short gameplay trailer promises the finest "Metroid Prime" action. That means: shooting, scanning, rolling around as a morph ball. And it looks pretty good for a Switch game. However, fans of the intergalactic bounty hunter will have to be patient until the release. "Metroid Prime 4: Beyond" is not due to be released until next year. It will probably be the last big game for the Switch - and possibly also a cross-gen game for the Switch 2.

Date: 2025
Released for: Switch

"Mario & Luigi: Brothership": new RPG with the Mario brothers

After the remake of "Super Mario RPG" and "The Legend of the Aeon Gate", the next role-playing game with the moustachioed brothers will follow this year. "Mario & Luigi: Brothership" is not a remake of an old game, but a completely new game.

Fans of the "Mario & Luigi" role-playing game series had to wait a long time for a sequel. The last game was released in 2015 for the 3DS. But the wait seems to have been worth it here too. The trailer promises the usual quirky humour that the games are known for. The turn-based battles, which the two brothers fight with co-operative attacks and well-timed button presses, can also be seen. The puzzles and mini-games presented should also appeal to fans of the old games.

Date: 7 November
Released for: Switch

"Super Mario Party: Jamboree": the biggest "Mario Party" of all time

And another surprise! According to Nintendo, "Super Mario Party: Jamboree" is set to be the biggest "Mario Party" to date with over 110 mini-games and various new game modes. Mario's new party will take place on a large island with lots of new boards and activities. The mini-games are played with motion controls as well as buttons and sticks. A major new feature is the online "Coopathlon" mode for up to 20 people.

Date: 17 October
Released for: Switch

"Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake" & "Dragon: Quest + & II HD-2D Remake": three classics in a new guise

The classic JRPG "Dragon Quest III" returns as a 2D HD remake. This means beautiful 2D sprites in beautifully illuminated 3D miniature environments with a tilt-shift effect. Not much is said to have changed in terms of gameplay.

After the gameplay trailer, it was also announced that a remake pack with the first two "Dragon Quest" games will be released next year. Also in 2D HD look. According to creator Yuji Horii, the order of the releases makes sense because the third instalment takes place chronologically before the first two games.

Date: 14 November (Part III), 2025 (Part I & II)
Released for: Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

"Donkey Kong Country Returns HD": the Wii game in HD

The 2D "Donkey Kong" originally appeared on the Wii in 2010. Fourteen years later, it is getting an HD remaster for the Switch. This includes all the new levels that were added in the 3DS version released in 2013. However, there will be no other new content.

Date: 16 January 2025
Released for: Switch

"Mio: Memories in Orbit": a beautiful Metroidvania in space

In "Mio: Memories in Orbit" you play a small robot that has to survive on a huge spaceship. The trailer impresses with a unique, hand-drawn graphic style and a melancholy atmosphere.

Date: 2025
Released for: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PC

"Fantasian Neo Dimension": the RPG frees itself from Apple exclusivity

The formerly iOS-exclusive RPG from "Final Fantasy" creator Hironobu Sakaguchi will soon also be released for consoles and PC. There are some new features such as new voice acting and a new difficulty level.

Date: Winter 2024
Released for: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

"Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven": and another remake of an RPG

A remake of the 1993 RPG, which has been particularly successful in Japan to date. In the new edition of the turn-based role-playing game, you can expect not only completely new 3D graphics, but also revised gameplay mechanics, newly arranged music tracks and voice output in English and Japanese.

Date: 24 October
Released for: Switch, PS5, PS4, PC

"The Hundred Line: Last Defence Academy": a strategy RPG from the creators of "Danganronpa"

In this strategic role-playing game, you have to protect a Japanese school from grotesque alien (?) enemies for 100 days. As the high school setting and graphic style suggest, the game was created by the "Danganronpa" creators

Date: Early 2025
Released for: Switch, PC

"Ace Attorney Investigations Collection": Detective games in HD

This remake pack contains two spin-offs of the adventure crime game series "Ace Attorney". These are "Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth" and "Ace Attorney Investigations 2". The latter game has never been released outside of Japan until now. The graphics have been completely reworked. You can switch back and forth between the original, pixelated sprites and the new, hand-drawn character models at any time.

Date: 6 September
Released for: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC

"Fairy Tail 2": The adaptation of the hit anime gets a sequel

In this action RPG, you replay the events of the final chapter of the popular manga and anime. Also included is a chapter that reveals what happened after the final battle

Date: Winter 2024
Released for: Switch, PS5, PS4, PC

"Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero": sugar-sweet strategy role-playing game

In the latest game in the Japanese strategy RPG series "Phantom Brave", you can expect cute graphics in the Chibi style. The special thing about the combat system is that you recruit ghosts that you can combine with various objects on the playing field. For example, you can attack your enemies with a running and jumping ghost cannon.

Date: 2025
Released for: Switch

"Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports": Sport is murder

In the new "Looney Tunes" game, four sports await you: basketball, football, golf and tennis. You play these with well-known characters such as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and the Roadrunner. The action is often pretty brutal with various special abilities.

Date: Autumn 2024
Released for: Switch

"Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics": Fighting game collection

There's plenty to do in this new beat'em'up collection from Capcom. It includes "X-Men: Children of the Atom", "Marvel Super Heroes", "X-Men vs Street Fighter", "Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter", "Marvel vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes". "Marvel vs. Capcom 2" and "The Punisher". As befits a retro collection, there are also numerous gimmicks, such as display filters, a museum with all kinds of artwork and a music player with the soundtracks of the classic fighting games.

Date: 2024
Released for: Switch, PS4, PC

"Metal Slug Attack Reloaded": Tower defence for beginners

A remaster of the mobile game released in 2016. Unlike normal "Metal Slug" games, you don't shoot your way through hordes of pixel enemies. Instead, you take on various baddies in strategic tower defence battles. The game is also designed to be accessible for complete beginners.

Date: as of now
Released for: Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

New classics for "Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack"

Four new games are now available for Nintendo's online subscription. The multiplayer game "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Four Swords" (GBA), Samus' first adventure "Metroid: Zero Mission" (GBA), the dinosaur shooter "Turok: Dinosaur Hunter" and Rare's FPS milestone "Perfect Dark" (N64).

Date: as of now
Released for: Switch

These games were also presented

In addition to the big highlights and announcements, trailers for previously presented games, updates or ports of previously released titles were also shown. You can find all other trailers here in the alphabetical overview:

• "Among Us" - Update with new roles (available now / Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
• "Darkest Dungeon 2" (15 July / Switch, PS5, PS4 - already available for PC)
• "Disney Illusion Island" - "Mystery in Monoth" update (available now / Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
• "Farmagia" (1 November / Switch, PS5, PS4, PC)
• "Funko Fusion" (13 September / Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
• "Hello Kitty Island Adventure" (2025 / Switch)
• "Just Dance 2025" (October / Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
• "Lego Horizon Adventure" (Winter 2024 / Switch, PS5, PC)
• "Luigi's Mansion 2 HD" (27 June / Switch)
• "Nintendo Switch Sports" - Basketball update (summer 2024 / Switch)
• "Nintendo World Championships" (18 July / Switch)
• "Stray" (Winter 2024 / Switch - already available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
• "Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game" (Winter 2024 / Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)
• "The New Denpa Men" (22 July / Switch)

Nintendo Direct June 2024

Which games are you looking forward to the most?

• Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
  1%
• Among Us (update with new roles)
  1%
• Darkest Dungeon 2
  1%
• Disney Illusion Island ("Mystery in Monoth" update)
  0%
• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
  6%
• Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
  4%
• Dragon: Quest + & II HD-2D Remake
  4%
• Fantasian Neo Dimension
  1%
• Fairy Tail 2
  0%
• Farmagia
  0%
• Funko Fusion
  0%
• Just Dance 2025
  0%
• Lego Horizon Adventure
  2%
• Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports
  2%
• Luigi's Mansion 2 HD
  6%
• Mario & Luigi: Brothership
  11%
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
  1%
• Metal Slug Attack Reloaded
  2%
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
  12%
• Mio: Memories in Orbit
  2%
• Nintendo Switch Sports (Basketball Update)
  2%
• Nintendo World Championships
  1%
• Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero
  0%
• Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
  0%
• Stray
  2%
• Super Mario Party: Jamboree
  12%
• Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game
  1%
• The Hundred Line: Last Defence Academy
  0%
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
  25%
• The New Denpa Men
  0%

The competition has ended.