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Everything announced at the February 2022 Nintendo Direct

Tomas Franzese
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Nintendo Directs are some of the most exciting events for video game announcements each year, sparking wild speculation, rumors, and predictions. With games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Splatoon 3, Bayonetta 3, and the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the horizon, 2022 is poised to be a busy year for Nintendo. 

Nintendo Direct - 2.9.2022

When announcing the Direct for February 9, 2022, Nintendo said it would highlight “roughly 40 minutes of information mainly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2022.” When it arrived, we got a mix of new reveals, remasters, and revivals of classic Nintendo concepts. 

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From Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes to Xenoblade Chronicles 3, this is every significant Nintendo Switch announcement made during the first Nintendo Direct of 2022.  

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes announced

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes arrives June 24th (Nintendo Switch)

The first reveal during today’s Nintendo Direct was Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. This intense action game is not only a follow-up to 2017’s Fire Emblem Warriors, but 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses as well. It will be released on June 24. 

Mario Strikers: Battle League revives the classic sports spinoff

Mario Strikers: Battle League – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch

Mario Strikers: Battle League is a 5v5 soccer game with flashy Mario-inspired mechanics. It’s a successor to a sports spinoff series that has been dormant since the Wii era. Battle League supports online play, and players can form clubs with up to 20 players. It will be released on June 10, and it can be pre-ordered now. 

Splatoon 3 debuts Salmon Run: Next Wave

Splatoon 3 – Salmon Run Next Wave Trailer – Nintendo Switch

Splatoon 3 made another appearance at today’s Nintendo Direct. It showcased a reworked version Splatoon 2‘s Salmon Run called Salmon Run: Next Wave. Players can now toss eggs to each other and will have to fight giant kaiju. Splatoon 3 will launch this summer, but is still without a release date.

Kirby is a car now

Kirby can become a car in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A new trailer for Kirby and the Forgotten Land debuted during the Nintendo Direct. In it, Nintendo debuted that oddly-named “Mouthful Mode.” By using this, Kirby can swallow large objects and gain new powers. Forms seen include Car Mouth, Vending Mouth, Cone Mouth, Scissor-Lift Mouth, Ring Mouth, Light-Bulb Mouth, Arch Mouth, Water-Ballon Mouth. It launches on March 25. 

Portal: Companion Collection to puzzle Switch players soon

Ahead of the Steam Deck’s launch, Valve announced that Portal and Portal 2 are coming to Nintendo Switch. Portal: Companion Collection does not have a specific release window outside of “later this year,” but should still offer a nice alternative for those that can’t get their hands on a Steam Deck. 

Nintendo returns to casual sports gaming with Nintendo Switch Sports

A bowler takes the top spot in Nintendo Switch Sports bowling.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo is releasing a successor to the wildly popular Wii Sports with the motion-control-focused Nintendo Switch Sports. It features sports like tennis, bowling, chambara, soccer, volleyball, and badminton. Nintendo Switch Sports includes online play and will be released on April 29. Golf will be added to Nintendo Switch Sports this fall, and an online playtest will be held from February 18-20 for Nintendo Switch Online members.

Mario Kart 8 finally gets paid DLC

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC is on the way! (Nintendo Switch)

After almost five years of no post-launch support, the Booster Course Pass will add over 48 new courses to Mario Kart 8. It will cost $25, with the first courses available on March 18. It will be included in the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is finally confirmed 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Direct concluded with a new Xenoblade Chronicles game that will connect Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. It stars new characters named Noah and Mio as they deal with a war between the nations of Keves and Agnus. Developer MonolithSoft says the game’s main theme is “life.” It’s titled Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and will be released on September 22. 

Everything Else:

  • Advance Wars 1+2: Reboot Camp launches April 8, 2022 and is available for pre-order.
  • No Man’s Sky is coming to Nintendo Switch and will be released this summer.
  • Front Mission 1st is getting remade for Nintendo Switch and will be released this summer. 
  • Front Mission 2 is also getting remade for Nintendo Switch.
  • Disney Speedstorm is a new free-to-play racing game from Gameloft launching for Nintendo Switch.
  • Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is getting remastered for Nintendo Switch and launches April 20.
  • Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection launches on February 17.
  • SD Gundam Battle Alliance is coming to Nintendo Switch.
  • Chrono Cross is getting remaster that launches on April 7. 
  • Sony debuted gameplay for MLB The Show 22 for Nintendo Switch and reiterated that crossplay and cross-progression are supported. It will be released on April 5.
  • Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series remasters the first two classic Klonoa games on July 8. 
  • Live A Live, the game that inspired Octopath Traveler, is finally getting localized with an HD-2D remake on July 22. 
  • Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival includes Megalovania and will be released later this year. It will have an in-game subscription service as well. 
  • Triangle Strategy got a new demo that lets you play through the third chapter of the game and carry over progress to the final release
  • Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course was confirmed for Switch and launches this June. 
  • Metroid Dread got a new one-hit Dread mode and a more accessible Rookie Mode today. An April update will add Boss Rush. 
  • Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings are coming to Nintendo Switch Online today. Still no Mother 3.
  • Zombie Army 4: Dead War comes to Nintendo Switch on April 26. 
  • GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon will be available later today. 
  • Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles launches on June 10. 
  • LEGO Brawls launches on June 22, 2022. 
  • Two Points Campus launches on May 17.

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Tomas Franzese
Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Everything announced at the September 2022 Nintendo Direct
Link overlooks Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom key art.

While digital video game showcases are more frequent than ever, no one does it quite as well as Nintendo. As such, this September 2022 Nintendo Direct really excited Nintendo Switch fans. So far, 2022 has been a great year for Nintendo thanks tp games like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Splatoon 3. During this show, we received a clear idea of how Nintendo plans to close this year out and kick off 2023.
We hoped to see a mix of announced games, DLC, remasters, and Nintendo's early 2023 lineup. While not every leak was true, we were pleasantly surprised by the likes of Fire Emblem Engage and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (yes, Breath of the Wild's sequel finally has a name). If you weren't able to watch it live or just want a recap of what was shown, this is everything Nintendo announced during the September 2022 Nintendo Direct.
Nintendo Direct 9.13.2022
Breath of the Wild 2 is officially titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Coming May 12th, 2023 – Nintendo Switch
After more than three years of secrecy, Nintendo confirmed that the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This trailer also served as our first good look at gameplay for the game, as we see Link skydive off a sky island, launch himself into the air, climb, and even fly around.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be released on May 12, 2023.
Fire Emblem Engage lets you fight with classic Fire Emblem characters
Fire Emblem Engage – Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch
To kick off the show, Nintendo announced a brand new traditional Fire Emblem game called Fire Emblem Engage. We saw both cinematics and tactics gameplay, and while it plays like the strategy game fans would expect, players can also equip rings to get help from classic Fire Emblem characters.
Fire Emblem Engage will be released on January 20, 2023. It will also get a Divine Edition with collectible items.
Pikmin 4 is finally launching in 2023
Pikmin 4 – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch
Shigeru Miyamoto showed up for the Nintendo Direct. After giving updates on the Mario movie, Nintendo's theme park at Universal, and Pikmin Bloom, he announced Pikmin 4 with a trailer showing off its gorgeous-looking environments. It scheduled to launch sometime in 2023.
We didn't see gameplay, but he confirmed that you can view the game from the Pikmin's perspective on the ground. Pikmin 4 is a long time coming, considering that Miyamoto first teased the game in 2015. 
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe announced
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – Nintendo Direct 9.13.22 – Nintendo Switch
To continue the Kirby 30th anniversary celebration this year, Nintendo announced that the Wii game Kirby's Return to Dream Land is coming to Nintendo Switch. Titled Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, it adds a Mecha copy ability, a new subgame, and the ability for everyone to play as Kirby.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe launches on February 24, 2023.
Octopath Traveler II is coming to Nintendo Switch
OCTOPATH TRAVELER II - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch
Although it leaked just beforehand, this Nintendo Direct couldn't go without an HD-2D game as Square Enix announced Octopath Traveler II. Like the original, this is a turn-based RPG stylized like the SNES classics where players follow the journey of eight different characters in a fantasy world.
Octopath Traveller II will be released on February 24, 2023. It's also coming to PC, PS4, and PS5.
Everything else

It Takes Two is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 4.
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse gets a remaster in early 2023.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 expansion pass adds a new character called Ino, Challenge Battles on October 13.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake gameplay was shown off.
Fitness Boxing First of the North Star comes to Nintendo Switch in March 2023.
Ubisoft announced Oddballers, launching in early 2023.
Tunic is coming to Nintendo Switch on September 27.
Front Missions 1st: Remake launches in November, Front Mission 2: Remake launches in 2023, and Front Mission 3 is getting a remake. 
Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life is getting a remake in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life in summer 2023.
Splatoon 3's first Splatfest is "What would you bring to a deserted island?" The choices are Gear, Grub, and Fun.
Fae Farm was announced by the developers of Dauntless. 
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line launches on February 16, 2023, and it will get DLC based on other Square Enix franchises.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope gameplay highlighted progression and Sparks.
Rune Factory 3 Special was announced with a 2023 release window, while a new game in the series was confirmed to be in development.
Pilotwings 64, Mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario Party 3, Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Stadium 2, 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike 64, and Goldeneye 007 are all coming to Nintendo Switch Online. 
Apple Arcade game Various Daylife is coming to Nintendo Switch today. 
Factorio is coming to Nintendo Switch.
Indie game Ib was announced for Nintendo Switch. 
Mario Strikers: Battle League's second update adds Pauline and Diddy Kong alongside more gear and a new stadium later this month. 
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & The Secret Key launches on February 24, 2023. 
Merry Mountain from Mario Kart Tour and DS Peach Gardens from Mario Kart DS are coming to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass Wave 3 this holiday
Nintendo Switch Sports is getting a golf mode with 21 courses and eight-player online support this holiday. 
Just Dance 2023 Edition got a new trailer. 
Harvestella is getting a demo today ahead of its November 4 launch.
Bayonetta 3's eclectic cast was highlighted during the Direct, with a new trailer being released on Nintendo's YouTube channel afterward. 
The creators of Danganronpa announced Master Detective Archive: Rain Code. 
Capcom is bringing Resident Evil Village, Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3 to Nintendo Switch, but they will be cloud versions of the games. 
Sifu comes to Nintendo Switch on November 8.
Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion launches on December 13.
Radiant Silvergun launches for Nintendo Switch today.
Endless Dungeon is coming to Nintendo Switch.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered was announced for Nintendo Switch and launches in early 2023. 
Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered, Lego Bricktales, Disney Speedstorm, and Fall Guys were featured in a sizzle reel.

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Our 5 biggest predictions for the September Nintendo Direct: Metroid, Zelda, and more
Samus gives a thumbs up in Metroid Prime.

Following months of Nintendo-related leaks and a third-party showcase in June, the second full-fledged Nintendo Direct of 2022 is finally happening. February's show had neat reveals of games like Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Mario Strikers: Battle League, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Nintendo Switch Sports. Now, Nintendo Switch players hope the September 2022 Nintendo Direct will give a clear idea of what to expect throughout the rest of this year and into the first months of 2023.
Ahead of the showcase's announcements, rumors about a couple of key Nintendo classic remasters heavily circulated. There are also delayed Nintendo Switch titles that we hope finally get release dates. Although there's a chance that none of the following predictions will come to fruition tomorrow, it's still fun to guess what might pop up. As such, here are five announcements we hope to see at the September 2022 Nintendo Direct.
Metroid Prime returns

 
Metroid fans ate well last year with the release of Metroid Dread, but they've still waited since 2017 for the long-delayed Metroid Prime 4. Although there's nothing to suggest that Metroid Prime 4 will pop up here just yet, a remaster or remake of Metroid Prime seems much more likely. A Nintendo Switch version of the GameCube classic was subject to rumors for years, but rumblings of the game's existence really ramped up in 2022. 
From Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb to prolific Nintendo leaker Emily Rogers, the more reliable parts of the gaming rumor mill say that some sort of Metroid Prime rerelease project is in the works at Nintendo. Grubb even claims that it's coming this year, so Nintendo would need to reveal it very soon if that's true. If it is real, the biggest question surrounding Metroid Prime on Nintendo Switch is just how much of a reimagining it is. Will it be an HD port, a more substantive remaster, or a from-the-ground-up remake? Hopefully, we won't have to wait much longer to find out. 
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess get rereleased 

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Everything announced at the June 2022 Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase
Mario, Rabbid Peach, and more characters pose in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope key art.

Lagging behind a strong State of Play from Sony and an excellent Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase from Microsoft, Nintendo has now held a presentation of its own. It's not a full-blown Nintendo Direct, though. Instead, this June 28 presentation is a Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase, the first of its kind since 2020. As the showcase's name suggests, this is shorter than a typical Nintendo Direct and mainly focused on what third-party developers and publishers are bringing to Nintendo Switch in the coming months. 
As Nintendo has said that this presentation would contain "roughly 25 minutes of info on upcoming third-party #NintendoSwitch games" on Twitter, don't expect the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 or Metroid Prime 4 to show up here. Still, there are plenty of cool games like Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope that make an appearance here, and we have a clearer idea of what the biggest third-party Nintendo Switch games of 2022 are. We kept track of everything announced during the Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase, so you can look below and see everything Nintendo and its partners revealed throughout the event.
Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase | 6.28.2022
Nier Automata is coming to Nintendo Switch

In one of the most notable announcements of this Partner Showcase, we learned that the critically acclaimed Nier Automata is finally coming to Nintendo Switch. It's one of PlatinumGames' best titles and has an amazing story, so be sure to check this out on Switch if you haven't already. It's also a native port, and not a cloud version either. Nier Automata: The End of YoRHa Edition launches on October 6.
First look at Return to Monkey Island gameplay
Return to Monkey Island | Gameplay Reveal Trailer
After it was confirmed earlier this year, we finally got a deeper look at Return to Monkey Island's story and gameplay. It's got a distinct and pretty new art style and looks faithful to how the old Monkey Island games play, so hopefully, it lives up to series fans' lofty expectations. It will be released in 2022.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope release date confirmed

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