Nintendo Direct is one of the most important events in the company’s calendar, acting as a vital platform to announce new titles and update fans on future plans. While there is set to be another Nintendo Direct in early Apr. 2025, the recent Mar. 27 iteration of the showcase has provided plenty to analyze. Nintendo has settled on a trio of strategies to continue innovating and expanding its line. Firstly, the company is focused on brand-new gameplay experiences. Secondly, it continues to take ports of titles from other consoles and brings them to the Nintendo Switch. Thirdly, Nintendo is also going through a period of regeneration, as prior games from Nintendo’s past are remade for modern audiences.

Players should thus look out for those strategies in action in this prior Nintendo Direct and the upcoming event. The array of games announced came with early previews and gameplay footage, with some receiving confirmed release dates, while others are simply being teased at this stage of production. It is doubtless that future Nintendo Directs will revisit some of these announcements as the eventual launches move closer, so fans should look out for further details concerning many of these games. Nintendo Direct certainly did not disappoint, though, and every game mentioned during the event will be featured here with all the key details that fans want to know.

The Event Started Strong

Dragon Quest & Patapon Returns

Nintendo Direct kicked off with a major announcement that Dragon Quest 1 and 2 will both be getting remakes to launch on the Nintendo Switch in 2025. While this is not an exclusive, with PlayStation 5, PC and Xbox Series X|S also joining in on the action, the Square Enix title is sure to make an impact on the Nintendo Switch, with a full HD reimagining. Dragon Quest 3 recently experienced a remake of its own, and this latest offering was given an early preview, with gameplay footage showcasing the new look.

Next up was a spin-off of AI The Somnium Files from Spike Chunsoft. While the original title launched in 2019, No Sleep for Kaname Date will be hitting the Nintendo Switch on Jul. 25, 2025. The plot, where players will be saving Iris, an internet personality who has been entered into a dangerous escape game, was previewed in a teaser trailer that maintained the same tone as the original. Kazuya Yamada will be directing and writing.

• Dragon Quest 1 & 2 Remake
• No Sleep for Kaname Date
• Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army
• Shadow Labyrinth
• Patapon 1 & 2
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

The world of RAIDOU will also be opened up again, with Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army, heading to the Nintendo Switch and other platforms on Jun. 19 2025. Coming from Atlus, the game, which has now received an extended preview, takes its influence from the 2006 title where players embark on a detective adventure in an alternative 1930s Tokyo.

Pac-Man fans should also keep their eye on Shadow Labyrinth, a bizarre spin-off from Bandai NAMCO which is set to launch on Jul.18, 2025. This is again not exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, but the 2D action-adventure platformer feels right at home on the console. Nintendo Direct was an opportunity for Bandai NAMCO to confirm some key details concerning the game, with its gorgeous dark sci-fi visuals drawing the focus of the digital conversation.

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Classic PlayStation fans who tuned into Nintendo Direct may have also been shocked to see Patapon get a mention. The rhythm-based adventure title was an exclusive for Sony, but Patapon 1 & 2 will be relaunched on the Nintendo Switch. With updated visuals and new content to explore, this is an exciting return to a forgotten gem. The 2007 version originally came from Japan Studio and Pyramid, and it’s a shock that there was no leak concerning this new iteration.

These opening segments were capped off with a small nod towards Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, a cozy farm title set to debut on Aug. 27, 2025. Marvelous Inc. and XSEED Games have come together for a slightly different take on a familiar genre, which takes its cues from the titular Story of Seasons, which at this stage is considered to be a true classic of its time.

Nintendo Upped the Ante With Disney & Metroid

The Company Is Supporting Its Major Franchises

Nintendo used its next segments to start bringing out some of the heavy hitters, and there are arguably no more anticipated titles than Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. With Metroid certain to be a crucial franchise for the Nintendo Switch 2, the gameplay footage took this opportunity to highlight new psychic abilities and all of the subsequent implications. This is a massive step forward for the series, but the only release date info mentioned for the Retro Studios game is that it will be available in 2025.

From one major IP to the next, the Nintendo Switch has continued on with its classic cozy gaming by hosting Disney Villains Cursed Café. Having already launched on platforms like Steam and Nintendo Switch in March, the Bloom Digital Media game has been off to a great start. Serving all manner of drinks to the café’s sinister patrons, this is rich Disney storytelling at its finest, in a totally unexpected medium. The event showcased footage and revealed its immediate launch.

• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
• Disney Villains Cursed Cafe
• Witchbrook
• The Eternal Life of Goldman
• Gradius Origins
• Rift of the Necrodancer

Witchbrook from Chucklefish will be debuting during the Holidays of 2025, if Nintendo Direct is anything to go by. It feels like forever since the game first entered the news cycle, but Nintendo Direct provided players with a first-look trailer that gives a sense of the style, tone and mechanics. Players will be exploring this unique world and balancing their adventures with their magical school studies in a unique blend.

THQ Nordic’s and Weappy Studio’s The Eternal Life of Goldman, which still doesn’t have a concrete release date set, also received an extended gameplay trailer. The ominous yet colorful adventure game has based its narrative twists on classic fables and myths. This out-of-this-world platformer has already shown that its visuals are almost unparalleled but may be best experienced on the Nintendo Switch.

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Elsewhere, Gradius Origins got the nod this time around for a short time slot dedicated to the collection’s depth and nostalgia-fueled gameplay. The announcement trailer confirmed that 18 versions across six arcade titles will all be infused into the Aug. 7, 2025 release. Endlessly retro and instantly iconic, the Konami project will also feature the new Salamander III to impress long-term fans with.

Finally, the early mid-section of Nintendo Direct also showcased Rift of the Necrodancer, which launched on the very same day for Nintendo Switch. The rhythm title from Brace Yourself Games and Tic Toc Games originally made waves for its absurdist premise and whimsical comparisons to other musical greats. Players push back against the monsters they’re pitted against, with their musical talents becoming their most vital weapon.

The Switch Is Revisiting Some Real Gems

A Highlight Real Promised a Big Future

Then came the bulk of the presentation, where well-known names within the Japanese gaming community returned to form, and a long list of games were revealed to finally make their way to the Nintendo Switch. Take Tamagotchi Plaza, for example, inspired by the classic toy. The Jun. 27 release from Bandai NAMCO received a cute gameplay trailer and a promise that the next entry into the Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop series would be one to watch. Shopping, daily activities and crucial interactions will build up life in this bizarre world.

Another heavy-hitter for Nintendo, an additional promo was put together for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the latest experimental piece from Game Freak and a loose follow-up to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The new trailer still didn’t pin down a release date aside from late 2025, but it did place further focus on the unique gaming environment, the Z-A Royale, and the array of Pokémon on offer. It really does appear that battling just got better with all the recent changes.

• Tamagotchi Plaza
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A
• Rhythm Heaven Groove
• Virtual Game Card
• High on Life
• Star Overdrive
• The Wandering Village
• King of Meat
• Lou’s Lagoon
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

So much of what Nintendo featured here was for 2025, but Rhythm Heaven Groove was also given an early spotlight, despite eyeing a 2025 release date. This will be Rhythm Heaven’s debut on the console, but the simplistic, paired-back gameplay trailer gave players a strong impression of the abstract mini-game-focused saga. In a game all about timing, this particular highlight was a breath of fresh air in Nintendo Direct.

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The event then went in a completely different direction, with a segment based on the Virtual Game Card system that promises to make game organization far easier. In fact, Nintendo plans to update this concept in late April in a move that they believe will revolutionize the way players access their titles. Players will be able to navigate through a digital management screen that will be dedicated to only those downloaded games.

This should also make the process of playing a game across multiple Nintendo Switch consoles far more streamlined, with game sharing becoming viable. Next, Nintendo Direct produced a montage of new titles to dive through, with a speedy breakdown of each exciting release and how it will impact the console. High on Life from Squanch Games makes its debut, a Rick & Morty-esque comedy and sci-fi game that has built a cult following.

Star Overdrive by Caracal Games brings its open-world and high-speed racing to a wider audience, while The Wandering Village from Stray Fawn highlights its tactical, city-building mechanics and survival elements in a short trailer of its own. Glowmade’s chaotic survival game King of Meat, Megabit’s life sim and open-world adventure game Lou’s Lagoon, and Level-5’s FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time, completed this more abrupt segment that showed the sheer variety of Nintendo’s latest partnerships. The latter title is a Nintendo exclusive and gets a May 18th release date.

The Direct Had a Strong Conclusion

An Innovative App Took the Event In a Different Direction

Nintendo Direct was now racing to the finish line and began this final showcase with a promise that Saga Frontier 2 Remastered would be instantly available. Square Enix continues its firm collaboration with Nintendo by providing audiences with a familiar text-based adventure RPG that first came out on PlayStation in 1999. If the gameplay trailer is to be trusted, Saga Frontier 2 runs smoother than ever, with those combos hitting even harder.

Monument Valley and Monument Valley 2 got the call-up to the Nintendo Switch, with ports of both games coming on Apr. 15, 2025. They will be joined by ustwo Games’ Monument Valley 3 in the summer, ensuring this team-up continues for the foreseeable future. These puzzle games’ mechanics play to the Nintendo Switch’s strengths, and it’s fascinating to see how the threequel may make the most of this current generation of console.

• Saga Frontier 2 Remastered
• Monument Valley 1, 2 & 3
• Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots
• Marvel Cosmic Invasion
• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream
• Nintendo Today

Unfortunately, Nintendo Direct got a little vague with its release dates here on out, with Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots promised for some time in 2025. First released in 1997 from Camelot Software Planning, this new version of the golfing experience will focus on custom shots, careful spin and precise timing, as digital gamers head out onto the course. This competitive title is sure to boast robust online tournaments.

Comic book fans were thrilled to see Marvel going retro with Marvel Cosmic Invasion from Tribute Games Inc. The title will also debut in 2025 on a range of platforms and acts as a 2D side-scroller that feels like an authentic arcade experience. With characters like Captain America, Storm and Nova all given focus in the gameplay trailer, it seems that the playable line-up will boast a who’s who of Marvel greats.

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Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream served as the final game announcement for the event. With a 2026 release date and the likelihood that this will be an early title for the Nintendo Switch 2, the Nintendo exclusive represents the bread-and-butter development that the studio is known for. With the series absent since 2013, the tropical island gameplay broadcast all the strengths of a well-tuned social simulation title.

The grand finale of the nearly 30-minute Nintendo Direct gave the company a chance to also announce that the Nintendo Today app would be instantly dropped on Android and iOS. The concept provides players with a Nintendo interface which gives regular updates and acts as a calender and an event scheduler with mass customization options. This is a life organizer producer specifically designed for those who want their gaming to become a key part of their schedule! Nintendo Direct ultimately built hype for an array of apps, remakes, ports, and new ideas, which should go on to shape the console for the foreseeable future and its eventual follow-up.