Nintendo Direct February 2023: all the biggest announcements
Nintendo showed off a smorgasbord of games and gave fans a couple of surprises
Nintendo treated fans to 40 minutes of game announcements during February 2023’s Nintendo Direct, and we now have a crystal clear picture of what’s coming to Switch this year.
The show was jam-packed with exciting reveals and some lovely surprises. If you missed the Direct, I’ve rounded up all the biggest announcements you need to know below.
Pikmin 4 blooms in July
Nintendo kicked off the show in impressive fashion with a trailer for the long-awaited Pikmin 4. The game looks gorgeous, and thankfully we won’t have to wait long to play it: the plucky plant helpers are out on July 21, 2023.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 DLC drops soon
Hot on the heels of Pikmin 4 was a teaser trailer for Volume 3 of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass. Fans of the popular JRPG can look forward to meeting Masha, a new hero who can craft special accessories. Challenge battles with roguelike elements are also being added. It arrives on February 15, 2023.
Play that funky music, Samba de Amigo!
Shaking things up next was Samba de Amigo: Party Central, a brand-new game in the music rhythm game series. You’ll need to grab your Joy-Con controllers and shake them like maracas to match the targets during a song. The game also supports online play and there are 40 songs to groove to. Samba de Amigo is out Summer 2023.
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp deploys in April
After an indefinite delay, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp is finally coming to Switch. The remake of the beloved strategy Game Boy Advance game arrives on April 21. You can make your own maps, enjoy two-story campaigns and take the fight online.
GBA and Game Boy games are here
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers can look forward to playing Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games on Switch. It’s been rumored for a while that Nintendo’s classic handhelds were coming to the services, so it’s great to see them arrive at long last.
Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass looks ink-tresting
Wave 1 of Splatoon 3’s Expansion Pass will let players revisit the beloved stomping grounds of Inkopolis from Splatoon 2, while Wave 2 features a new mysterious single-player campaign called Side Order. It appears to feature Agent 8, and possibly some new gameplay mechanic as the world appears to be devoid of color. Wave 1 is out in Spring 2023 and side Order will launch sometime in the future.
Professor Layton makes a steamy return
The hatted professor is back in Professor Layton and The New World of Steam. A short teaser trailer was shown but we didn’t get any gameplay. Expect plenty of head-scratching puzzles to solve.
Metroid Prime Remastered is out now!
Relive Samus Aran’s iconic adventure in Metroid Prime Remastered, an impressive remake of the GameCube title. The game features modern twin-stick controls and is available to download right now from the Nintendo eShop. A physical version arrives on February 22.
Octopath Traveler 2 demo will get you in the mood
Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler 2 is almost here, releasing on February 24. A demo is now available on the Nintendo eShop that lets you play the game’s opening hours. If it’s anything like previous demos, you’ll be able to carry over your saved data into the full game.
Birdo makes her Mario Kart 8 Deluxe debut!
Wave 4 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC has left the starting grid and is approaching the finish line. Racers can look forward to playing a brand-new track called Yoshi’s Island. What’s more, Birdo is also being added to the game. Wave 4 arrives this Spring.
Kirby’s back in Return to Dream Land Deluxe
The pink puffball is back in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, which launches on February 24. The game features a new story mode featuring Magolor as well as four-player local co-op. A demo is available on the Nintendo eShop.
A different look for Bayonetta
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a spin-off of the popular hack-and-slash series, with a striking art style and reimagined gameplay mechanics. It’s out on March 17.
Feast your eyes on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Nintendo ended the show with a meaty two-minute trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. If you weren’t already excited about the sequel to Breath of the Wild, this trailer will leave you counting down the days until the game’s release on May 12, 2023. I’ll be shocked if this doesn’t make it into our best Nintendo Switch games list – it looks phenomenal.