It has been a hard couple of weeks for everyone, but Nintendo seems to have been keeping people happy and occupied with the recent release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and with the surprise Direct that happened early yesterday. I love Directs, I always look forward to seeing every one of them, just to see if any strike my fancy. With the state the world has been in, I have to say I am now over the moon to be a Switch owner who is also a massive fan of RPGs.

The Direct opened up with a trailer of a re-release of one of my favorite games of all time, Xenoblade Chronicles. A remake of the classic Wii game that features a new epilogue called “Future Connected,” updated visuals, re-recorded music, easier to read text (a godsend after the 3DS port), and menu tweaks just to make sure everything is as smooth as possible for the May 29th release date.

Next up is a collection of 2K games that have been missing from the Nintendo Switch’s library of ports which will likely find a new life for those that haven’t played them. These games include the Bioshock Collection; which includes BioShock, BioShock 2, BioShock Infinite, and all released DLC. Borderlands is also coming to the switch but will see the release of Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and the criminally underplayed Borderlands: The Pre-sequel, with all relevant DLC. Finally, XCOM 2 and all expansions will all land on May 29th, 2020 as well.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is getting another DLC expansion. This time around, it brings Marvel’s first family to the game, as The Fantastic Four add a new story and four new characters with this DLC, available right now.

Shinsekai: Into the Depths is a deep-sea side-scrolling adventure that will see players explore a vast undersea world in a Metroidvania. Previously an Apple Arcade exclusive, Nintendo Switch owners can now dive headfirst into this undersea mystery.

Earlier I mentioned that Animal Crossing has been keeping the quarantined happy and productive. Starting on the 1st of April that happiness will continue, as Nintendo releases the first-holiday update that will see players participating in egg hunts, and crafting Bunny-day decorations. This event will last until the 12th of April, where players will have to wait another year to get these exclusive items again.

Good Job looks to be a silly “working simulator,” such as Job Simulator before it. As the new employee, it is up to you to use your puzzle-solving skills to complete the task at hand or just launch a projector through the office walls; that works as well. Good Job is out now.

The cult classic, Catherine: Full Body, is making its way to the Switch with all its oddity intact. Here you will experience relationship turmoil, guilt, and trepidation as you learn what it’s like to have an affair. Developed by the same team as Persona 5, Catherine delivers just as much charm with a story that will leave you wanting for more. Catherine: Full Body will be released on July 7, 2020.

Ring Fit Adventure will keep you fit as the new update brings a rhythm mode that will allow you to dance along to songs from Super Mario Odyssey, Legend of Zelda, and Splatoon 2; there is also a female voice option for the in-game ring-con.

King’s Bounty 2 is the follow-up to the 1990s King’s Bounty. A tactical RPG that will see players lead massive armies, with a story that will change depending on what decisions you make throughout. King’s Bounty 2 will be released later this year.

Surprisingly we received Super Smash Brothers Ultimate news, and that was a half baked reveal of the new DLC fighter. We didn’t get any confirmation of who the fighter will be, but we do know that they will feature Nintendo’s own fighting game ARMS and will be released in June. ARMS is getting a full game free trial for Nintendo Online Subscribers from March 26th – April 6th.

A deep dive into the much-anticipated sequel Bravely Default II made me smile with joy, as I loved the original Bravely Default on 3DS. It looks like many of the same features that made the first game great are all returning on the Nintendo Switch. Unfortunately, no release date was given other than a vague 2020 window. A demo version is available now.

Hey, we all love video games, right? Well, a lot of us also really love tabletop games; that’s where Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics comes into play. If you enjoy Chess, Blackjack, Mahjong, checkers, or any other classic board or card games, it’s all here. With a free demo on the EShop right now, as the final game won’t be released till June 5th.

Ninjala is another battle royale game, but this time around you fight as groups of Ninjas batting to take down another team. With Splatoon inspired Visuals and gum-powered abilities, fans of battle royale games should take noticed of this one coming May 27th; it will be free-to-play.

One of the best Star Wars games is making its way over to Switch, with Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. This classic game sees players building up the Jedi order after Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and is available now. With this announcement, came the promise that Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer is coming soon.

Panzer Dragoon: Remake is flying towards the Switch, releasing yesterday. The ground-up remake of Sega Saturn’s classic features new visuals, updated controls, and a fun story. I mean, who doesn’t want to fight on top of a flying dragon?

The Trials of Mana remake is also getting a Nintendo Switch port on the 24th of April. The sequel to Secret of Mana, this old-school JRPG will make its way to the hearts of old-school RPG fans and newer ones alike.

Before we move on to the final announcement of the show we had a nice little snippet of what else is in store in the coming months:

• Fuser, Autumn 2020
• The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Spring 2020
• Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus, May 2020
• Vigor – Closed Beta, April 9
• Burnout Paradise Remastered, 2020
• Saints Row IV: Re-elected, March 27
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3, June 30
• Mr. Driller DrillLand, June 25
• Minecraft Dungeons, Spring 2020

Lastly, we got a good look at the Pokémon Sword and Shield expansion pass. In June, fans will be treated to a new location, Isle of Armor; where fans will get more stories and partner with new fighting type legendary Kubfu to take down one of the “towers of two fists.” This expansion will get new and old Pokémon and new cosmetic items. There is also a second expansion, The Crown Tundra, coming this fall.

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