Nintendo’s newest Nintendo Direct comes at a strange time — less than a week before the company is set to lift the veil on Switch 2 and the next generation of Nintendo software. Thursday’s Nintendo Direct was all about games coming to the original Switch, which may feel ancient in 2025, but with more than 150 million Switch consoles on the market, the console still has a massive audience that needs new games.
As Nintendo is set to move on to Switch 2, this seems like the last big Nintendo Direct for the original Switch, making the showcase something of a sendoff for the popular console. But at least two of the games Nintendo announced Thursday aren’t coming until 2026, indicating plenty of life still left in the current-gen console.
In case you missed it in real time, here’s everything announced during the March Nintendo Direct.
Nintendo offered Switch owners a new look at the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4, revealing what’s next for intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran, who will get mysterious new psychic powers and a sleek new red-and-black suit in the next entry in the Metroid Prime series. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming to Switch in 2025. Sorry, still no firm release date.
Nintendo offered a new look at this year’s big Pokémon game, Pokémon Legends Z-A, and its day and nighttime battles. This new look detailed the Z-A Royale, a tournament where trainers will rank up via unique new Pokémon battles that happen in real time and can feature Mega Evolutions. Pokémon Legends Z-A is due in late 2025.
Nintendo’s fantastic rhythm game series Rhythm Heaven is back with an all-new entry, Rhythm Heaven Groove. The newest entry features music from Japanese musician Tsunku and is coming to Switch in 2026 (!).
Eight years into the Switch’s lifecycle, Nintendo is finally letting Switch owners “share” digital games more easily with Virtual Game Cards. Virtual Game Cards can be lent to others and shared across Switch and Switch 2. The new feature will be added in a system software update in April.
Miis are back in a big way in the first new Tomodachi Life game in 10 years. In true Tomodachi Life fashion, the new island adventure involving Mii shenanigans looks appropriately wacky. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is coming in 2026.
Nintendo is releasing a new app that aims to make Nintendo news even more direct. Called Nintendo Today!, the new smart-device app promises daily updates on all things Nintendo — the “latest news, videos, and comics of your favorite Nintendo games and characters from select franchises,” Nintendo says. Nintendo Today! is available to download from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store starting March 27, and requires a Nintendo Account.
Dotemu and Tribute Games — the folks behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge — are bringing the heroes of Marvel to a new beat-’em-up game in the vein of Konami’s X-Men and Data East’s Captain America and the Avengers arcade games. Nova, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Phyla-Vell, Captain America, Storm, and others will team up to take down Annihilus this holiday season.
Square Enix’s HD-2D overhaul of classic role-playing games Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest 2 got some new footage at today’s Direct. Still no release date for Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D, though. It’s still just a 2025 game. More time for another playthrough of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D, I suppose!
Available now on Nintendo Switch, role-playing games SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered sends players to a remastered Sandail with “HD watercolor” visuals, new events, and updated gameplay.
The latest entry in the AI: The Somnium Files series is coming to Nintendo Switch on July 25.
Atlus is bringing action-RPG Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army to Switch. Originally released in 2006 on PlayStation 2, the Shin Megami Tensei game was the first Devil Summoner entry to have a real-time battle system. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is coming to Switch on July 19.
PlayStation Portable rhythm games Patapon and Patapon 2 are coming to Switch in a bundle: Patapon 1+2 Replay is out July 11.
Get to know Disney villains (like Ursula and Gaston) and serve them drinks in Disney Games’ new Switch title, Disney Villains Cursed Café, which is out today.
The latest entry in the cozy farming RPG series is out on Switch Aug. 27. Grand Bazaar is a new version of the Nintendo DS game, which was known as Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar promises updated visuals, new characters, an expanded story, and voiced event scenes.
Bandai Namco’s dark action-adventure game (loosely) based on the Pac-Man franchise is coming to Nintendo Switch on July 18. You may want to catch up on the Secret Level episode about it beforehand.
Chucklefish’s Witchbrook will send players to the seaside community of Mossport, where they’ll “master spells at Witchbrook College, craft goods to grow your witch business, participate in seasonal events, and customize your charming cottage and garden to suit your style.” Witchbrook is coming to Switch this winter/holiday season.
Explore an archipelago with your trusty cane in this gorgeously animated Metroid-like, The Eternal Life of Goldman. It’s out on Switch this holiday season.
Konami’s latest retro games collection includes classic shoot-’em-ups Gradius, Salamander, Life Force, Gradius 2, Gradius 3, and Salamander 2 — including multiple international versions of each. There’s also an all-new Gradius series game: Salamander 3. Gradius Origins arrives Aug. 7.
Multi-genre rhythm game Rift of the Necrodancer is out on Switch… today!
The next entry in the Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop shop simulator series boasts more than 100 Tamagotchi to play with. Tamagotchi Plaza is out on Switch on June 27.
Chill puzzle games Monument Valley and its sequel are coming to Switch on April 15. What’s more, Monument Valley 3 is coming to Switch this summer.
An all-new entry in the Everybody’s Golf series — which you may associate more with PlayStation — is coming to Switch in 2025. Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots promises a unique variety of characters and courses — and even a little weirdness.
- Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time comes to Nintendo Switch on May 21.
- King of Meat will be released on Nintendo Switch this year.
- High On Life will be released on Nintendo Switch May 6.
- Lou’s Lagoon will be released as a system exclusive on Nintendo Switch this summer.
- Star Overdrive launches as a timed system exclusive on Nintendo Switch April 10.
- The Wandering Village arrives on Nintendo Switch July 17.
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