Nintendo Direct – February 8, 2023

The first Nintendo Direct of 2023 aired earlier today, with a bevy of new Nintendo Switch game trailers for players to salivate over. You can watch the entire presentation here, but here’s a rundown if you want to sift through it:

Pikmin 4

Today’s Nintendo Direct kicked things off with a trailer for Pilkmin 4. The latest installment in the lemming-like puzzle series will be released on July 21, 2023.

Following the trailer, Shinya Takahashi, the General Manager of the Entertainment Planning and Development Division and Supervisor of the Business Development Division and Development Administration and Support Division for Nintendo, introduced himself and told us there’s a dog in Pikmin 4, which is… swell, I guess. He then introduced a few announcements:

-Volume 3 of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 expansion pass DLC launches on February 15, 2023, and will feature a new character named Masha, a lapidarist who can craft accessories, as well as new challenge battles. Volume 4 launches later this year.

–Samba de Amigo: Party Central, a maraca-based dance game, is coming to the Switch in the summer of 2023.

–Fashion Dreamer, a game where you can design your own outfits, compliment other people’s clothes, or suggest changes in their outfits, will come exclusively to the Switch sometime this year.

-A Dead Cells DLC called “Return to Castlevania” will feature Richter Belmont, Alucard, Death, and, of course, Dracula. It will also feature weapons and songs from the Castlevania series and will be available on March 6, 2023, but you can pre-order it now.

–TRON: Identity, a “narrative puzzle adventure set within the TRON universe,” will launch for Nintendo Switch in April.

-The murder mystery game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is getting an HD update for the Switch this summer.

Deca Police

Then came a trailer for Deca Police, an RPG action-puzzle game set in a sci-fi world that will come to the Switch sometime this year.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

A prequel to the Bayonetta series of action-adventure games, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, will be released on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2023, but you can pre-order it now.

Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass

The Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass DLC got a trailer teasing new weapons, shopkeepers, and performances. Wave 1, which is called “Inkopolis.”  will launch in the spring of 2023, while Wave 2, “Side Order,” will launch “in the future,” but you can buy it today on Nintendo eShop.

Disney Illusion Island

The next trailer was for Disney Illusion Island, a platform adventure game featuring the Disney big three – Mickey, Donald, and Goofy – and Minnie. Disney Illusion Island will launch on July 28, 2023, but you can pre-order it today.

Fire Emblem Engage Expansion Pass

A trailer for the Fire Emblem Engage Expansion Pass was next, promising new emblems and a new story in Wave 4 called “Fell Xenologue.” Wave 2 launches today.

Harmony: The Fall of Reverie

Following that was a trailer for Harmony: The Fall of Reverie, a “narrative adventure” involving gods, megacorps, and clairvoyance that will launch in June 2023.

A few more quick announcements were next.

–Octopath Traveler II will launch on February 24, 2023, but a demo will be available today on Nintendo eShop.

–We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie, a remaster of We Love Katamari, will arrive on June 2, 2023, but active Nintendo Switch Online members can play a free trial of Katamari Damacy REROLL.

–Sea of Stars, an RPG, arrives on the Switch on August 29, 2023, but a free demo will be available today on Nintendo eShop.

–Omega Strikers, a sports strategy game, will come to the Switch on April 27, 2023, but you can pre-order it today.

Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection

A trailer for a remaster of the first three Etrian Odyssey games was next. This will launch on June 1, 2023, but you can pre-order it now; each game can also be purchased separately through Nintendo eShop.

Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp

A trailer for the remake of the first two Advance War games followed. This will be available on April 21, 2023, but pre-orders begin today.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

A trailer for the remake of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land was next. A demo is available now, with the game launching on February 24, 2023.

Gameboy and Gameboy Advance on Nintendo Switch Online

Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games are being added to Nintendo Switch Online, with a rundown of the games available at launch in this trailer. Regular Gameboy games can be played with Nintendo Switch Online, but you’ll need the expansion pack for Gameboy Advance games.

Metroid Prime Remastered

A remaster of Metroid Prime is coming to the Switch, with a digital version launching today, while the physical version will be available on February 22, 2023.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code

The next trailer was for a supernatural crime game called Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, which will be available on June 30, 2023.

Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster

A remaster of the Baten Kaitos games – originally for the GameCube – is coming to the Switch in the summer of 2023.

A couple more quickies:

-A fantasy RPG called Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time will be coming to the Switch sometime in 2023.

–Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, a steampunk mystery game, is coming too, but no timeframe was given.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 4

More courses and characters are coming to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the spring of 2023. If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member, you can get the DLC for free.

Next came a bunch of quick announcements – so quick they didn’t get a voiceover.

–Minecraft Legends, available April 18, 2023

–Blanc: February 14, 2023

–Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, available April 14, 2023, with pre-orders available now

–Have a Nice Death, available March 22, 2023

–WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros, available today

–Disney Dreamlight Valley new realm update April 2023

–Tales of Symphonia Remastered, available February 17, 2023

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The big finish was a trailer for the new Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which will be available on May 12, 2023, with pre-orders beginning today. There will also be a collector’s edition with lots of extra items available at launch, plus an amiibo figure of Link as he’s depicted in the game.

And that’s all for this Nintendo Direct. Did you like what you saw?