Nintendo Direct September 2023 News Recap

This week’s latest Nintendo Direct was packed with tons of news and announcements regarding new and upcoming games. There’s a lot to look forward to for fans so let’s get into it.

The direct began with a new trailer for the Splatoon 3 expansion pass. The Side Order expansion will introduce a new single-player story set within the Spire of Order. As you ascend each floor players will face new challenges and continually improve their character. The planned release date as of now is Spring of 2024.

A remake of Mario V.S Donkey Kong is coming on February 16th, 2024. Fans can expect to relive classic levels from the original Gameboy Advance title with fresh graphics and additional content such as local co-op. Pre-orders are available now.

The focus then shifted towards third-party developers with the announcement that Prince of Persia: Lost Crown will be coming to Switch. Additionally, the racing title Horizons Chase 2 is available now.

Next, came the reveal of Super Crazy Rhythm Castle. As the name would suggest, this is a rhythm game from Konami which is planned to launch on November 14th. Bandai Namco is currently developing a new game based on the popular anime series Spy X Family.

Spy X Anya: Operation Memories places you in charge of creating a photo dairy for young Anya Forger by completing various minigames and building relationships between characters. The game is planned to launch on Nintendo Switch sometime next year.

Shifting back to the Mario franchise, Nintendo announced that pre-orders are now live for the upcoming remaster of Super Mario RPG. Along with a new gameplay trailer showcasing the innovative timing-based combat system, players can expect dozens of post-game bosses. Super Mario RPG will return on November 17th.

There was also a brand new trailer for Princess Peach: Showtime. This brand-new platformer sees Princess Peach contend with the Sour Bunch to save the play at the Sparkle Theater. This time Peach has a wardrobe of new costumes that can augment her abilities such as Swordfighter Peach, Detective Peach, Kung Fu Peach, and more. The new game is set to release on March 22, 2024.

A remastered collection of the Nintendo DS came Another Code: Trace Memories will also be available for the Switch. This mystery puzzle game series follows a girl named Ashley as she searches for clues regarding her father’s death on a mysterious island. This collection will also include the Japan-exclusive Wii sequel Another Code: Recollection. Another Code: Two Memories will be available on January 19, 2024.

In a similar vein came the announcement of a remaster for the first three Tomb Raider games. This collection comes with all the secret levels, previous expansions, and togglable graphic settings. This collection launches on February 14th, 2024.

A new RPG from Square Enix titled SaGa: Emerald Beyond is coming next year. Players will experience stories of six unique heroes through 17 interconnected worlds and master turn-based combat. Alongside this came the announcement of an exciting new tactics title from Atlus. Unicorn Overlord is a classic fantasy tactical game through and through with dozens of units and an expansive world. The game is planned to be released on March 8th, 2024.

The newest Detective Pikachu game received a new trailer ahead of its October 6th release date. This didn’t provide much new information but instead showcased some of the many Pokémon allies you will work with throughout the story.

Next came the announcement of various smaller titles that will soon be coming to the Switch. These titles include the multiplayer brawler Battle Crush in October, the strategy game Wartales, and the Trombone Champ rhythm game which are available now.

Wargroove 2, the retro-themed tactics game also received some attention. The sequel promises a new cast of commanders, three campaigns, a roguelike game mode, and a custom map editor. Wargroove 2 launches as a Switch exclusive on October 5th. The DLC for the farming simulator title, Eastward: Octopia is coming this holiday season.

Also revealed was the debut of Dave the Diver. The gameplay is a charming mix of restaurant management and undersea exploration as you strive to maintain a bustling sushi business. The hit online multiplayer game Among Us will be receiving a brand new map in October called Fungle.

In collaboration with Riot Games, Switch owners can expect to get their hands on the upcoming adventure game The Song of Nunu in November along with a new game called Bandle Tale which will be released in 2024. We also finally got a release date for the upcoming JRPG Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, which will be released for Switch on April 23, 2024.

In terms of gaming adjacent announcements, Nintendo announced that a new Museum dedicated to the history of the company will be opening in Japan. Development is near completion and the museum plans to open its doors in 2024.

Alongside these reveals came the return of the Contra and F-Zero series. Contra: Operation Galuga is planned for early 2024 launch. The game features new stages, weapons, and co-op play. On the other hand, F-Zero 99 is a remaster of the classic game as a multiplayer battle royale. This game will be exclusive for Nintendo Switch online members and will feature the Super NES classic controller functionality.

Now we get to the last Nintendo-related announcements. Wario Ware: Move It received a November 3rd release date. Meanwhile, the final wave of Mario Kart 8 DLC will add new tracks and four new playable characters Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, Pauline, and Peachette. Also, new amiibo featuring Zelda, Ganondorf from Tears of The Kingdom, Noah and Mio from Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Sora from Kingdom Hearts will be available November 3rd.

Finally, came the reveal of two big remakes. Luigi’s Mansion 2 which was previously exclusive to the 3DS will be coming to Switch with an HD version next summer. Also in 2024 will be a re-release of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. This is universally regarded as one of the best Mario games out there so it’s great to see it get a modern port.

Though we didn’t hear word on an updated Switch, this direct had a lot of things to look forward to over the next few months. It’s nice to see more niche titles receive some attention and a broad reach of genres represented.