Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

Any older game as backup? I'm a little worried the upcoming Switch 1 games won't be under the voucher program either if they are phasing out vouchers. I was planning to get Pokemon Z-A with the second half of my Jamboree voucher from last year.

@FishyS Looking at the list of eligible games, I have pretty much all the games I'd want. Maybe Super Mario RPG, Animal Crossing New Horizons, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Princess Peach Showtime would be my biggest considerations if we don't get anything before it expires (I've played all of those besides Princess Peach Showtime). I'd especially consider New Horizons if we knew we'd get a Switch 2 patch to significantly speed up load times.

@PikminMarioKirby Try the demo of Peach if you haven't.

@PikminMarioKirby I think something Fire Emblem related is likely, but I wouldn’t expect the next mainline installment to be revealed until maybe a few more years. Maybe when it’s 4 years since Engage possibly? I think a remaster or remake of an old game could be possible.

I still feel like Wind Waker and Twilight Princess could be ports instead of having an NSO release if GameCube and Wii are added. I feel like Nintendo would want to focus more on the older retro game libraries before moving onto the more modern ones, and I do agree, I kind of see Wii and 3DS getting more Switch ports now that they’ve gotten a lot of the heavily requested Wii U games on NSO (everyone’s been saying after the reveal of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition that there’s no point in having a Wii U), and some other popular Wii U games (like the first Splatoon and Mario Maker) wouldn’t make sense to port to Switch. But, I and surprised they still haven’t announced any ports for Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, because I heard those are the few major Zelda games that don’t have Switch ports and they seemed like obvious choices for what older games to port to Switch.

@PikminMarioKirby Some of what you have suggested is already available to purchase on the Switch. Metroid Prime received a remaster and Pikmin 1 & 2 received a bare bones HD upgrade bundle. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door also saw a remake just last year. Maybe sports games and Mario Party. Definitely not sure Nintendo ever wants anyone to remember Star Fox Adventures or even bother getting Rare/Microsoft to sign off on it.

Looking back, the 2024 Pokemon Presents was announced on February 20th (a week in advance) so TPC may announce this year's event tomorrow. If they were to repeat that, it does reduce the chance of Direct this week unless Nintendo were to show off a Legends Z-A trailer in the Direct and go "more news in Pokemon Presents on February 27th".

@FishyS Yeah I haven't tried the demo yet. I think it'd be hard to get a feel for this game without playing the whole thing since all the different transformations are kind of different experiences, but it might be good to get a feel for a few of the transformations!

@Pastellioli A Fire Emblem remake makes sense since it won't be #1 priority for Switch 2 (and it's only been 2 years since engage), so might as well have something Fire Emblem related while we wait.

N64 and Sega Genesis were added to NSO in 2021, and GameBoy/GBA were added in 2023, so 2025 lines up for a new console. If they're going chronologically, GameCube and/or DS would make the most sense.

Wii U still has a few games not on Switch, but many of them rely on the Wii U gamepad gimmick so it's not very possible on Switch. Yoshi's Woolly World and Kirby's Rainbow Curse definitely make a lot of sense for Switch ports, but that's about it. Paper Mario: Color Splash is also stuck on Wii U, but with TTYD remake just happening and CS' backlash, they might just keep it on Wii U.

@FragRed Link's Awakening got a remake on Switch and now is on NSO, I expect a similar situation here. Mario 64 was also ported on Switch through 3D All-Stars about 1 year before it's NSO release. It's been 2 years since Metroid Prime Remastered, which was supposedly done for a long time (also might be a marketing thing for MP4). Pikmin 1+2 was also 2 years ago and was ported for marketing Pikmin 4. Pikmin 2 in it's original form will likely never return for copyright reasons, I don't think that's going on NSO. TTYD was likely in development after 2020's Origami King, and that game might not necessarily be able to be added to NSO with some of it's content. Nintendo has put many Rare games on NSO and even has the 3 DKC SNES soundtracks on Nintendo music, so I don't think it'd be much of a problem to put Star Fox on there.

@Grumblevolcano Nintendo has announced presentations at Directs before, so they could just announce a Pokemon Presents randomly during the Direct.

@Grumblevolcano yeah, it could! In 2023 they announced it 6 days ahead and 2022 they announced it 3 days ahead, so! It could even be announced today if they decides to move Presents time again to February 27th mid-night of Japan's time (2016 & 2021) and not February 27th 11 PM Japan's time like previous 3 years was (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024)!

@FragRed GameCube did have far more high quality 3rd party support (and better support) than the N64. They might not always have been the strongest versions of those games but I think there's plenty there. Whether it's worth licensing given the amount of IP trash and the collapse of so many publishing houses leaving properties all over the place is a different question.

I also want to say that I feel like it had a stronger and more diverse selection of 1st party games (but that is more subjective and the big "firsts" on N64 are more important to the development of the medium). Even down to obscure games like Wario World, Doshin, Cubivore, Kirby's Air Ride etc.

The bigger problem I'd have with GameCube on NSO is that the games on the console tend to be far more involved and long than I'm willing to spend time on when I know it's a game that could be presented in a better format. Take WW for instance. I love the original but WWHD really sands down the edges and cuts tons of time wasting. "It's free" is enough when a game is only an investment of a few hours - if it's a 20 hr+ game that's worth me spending 20 hr+ on then I'm willing to pay for a better experience.

Of course there's plenty of cult games that have no realistic prospect of a remaster (Cubivore, Chibi Robo, Doshin, Wave Race Blue Storm etc.) so sure give us an NSO app for them... for the ones that the mass market will actually pay for though (WW, Mario Sunshine, Pikmin, Metroid Prime etc.), a remaster - even a low effort one - is going to be preferable.

If I recall, the demo has a swordfighter level and one of the dreaded cooking levels. If you like both I can't imagine you disliking the whole game. Generally speaking the full game is strictly better than the demo.

3pm UK time has passed so it looks no Direct this week and Pokemon Presents seemingly rules out next week.

@Grumblevolcano Yeah I don’t think it’s looking good this month. I heard it said, “get your wallets ready this week” (samushunter maybe?) regarding announcements of some kind, but I might be picking that out of another context.

I would be happy to have a drop of some kind this month from a remaster, likelihood most favouring the Kirby Robobot port that Nate has mentioned. I’m not a fan of Kirby games, so if I heard about FE or Zelda instead, that’s enough to forgo a show for me personally until the summer.

Yeah to me it was quite obvious that their tweet at the beginning of the month announcing the timing of the Switch 2 Direct was their way of saying "we're not doing one until April, stay tuned until then and please purchase DKC Returns HD in the meantime"

In terms of first party, they may skip February and perhaps Pokemon will get a release day announced next week, but there will definitely be more Switch 1 games this year. April 2 will surely focus only on Switch 2 but also presumably won't be a games-only direct. Do people think e.g. June will have a 'normal' direct with both Switch 1 and Switch 2 games?

I think there is still a decent chance of a partner showcase before April just because Nintendo has agreements with partners to showcase games in various ways.

I still hold upon the belief that Pokemon Day is going to have both Z-A and Gen 10. Unless the Switch 2 is releasing in November, there's no reason for Gamefreak to leave that slot open otherwise.

@FishyS Yes, I think there will be a major Direct in June with both Switch and Switch 2 games.

I think this is where we get a proper trailer of Metroid Prime 4 to kick off the presentation - by this, I mean we see focused aspects of gameplay along with enhanced visuals which were kept out of the trailer last year, along with an official statement of it being cross-gen. First game could also go to Mario Kart, which would be a massive opening to a show, but I suspect no given that it would be difficult to maintain that momentum afterwards.

The final game of the Direct I anticipate being a Switch 2 exclusive, which could be Mario Kart as mentioned. But... it could also be what I'm most anticipating personally from Nintendo, and that's their next 3D Mario title. I think that's the perfect closer to a June Direct, assuming it releases after the Switch 2 console launches. I don't actually expect too much gameplay in the April Direct for the new console, and suspect this will be reserved for a summer marketing blowout to excite fans about their next generation along with smaller (but also exciting) releases for og Switch owners.

I think the June Direct is actually going to be their biggest Direct in a way, as opposed to April. Hardware is great, but as gamers know, it's software that accentuates a consumer's interest above all else, hence my thoughts on this summer's Direct being the show that gamers, not just Nintendo fans, should tune into so they can see how Nintendo is going to treat the future of hybrid console gaming with their awaited IP cooking.

I guess Nintendo knows that there's enough leverage on their end to keep fans eyed on the Switch 2 Direct, with Donkey Kong Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X to satiate the early year timeline, with a likely drop of something akin to the Kirby Robobot port very soon. Nothing to show for February is easy to pass up for the big N since they know that the trajectory of their future begins in April, and that keen fans will understand why once we're within days reach of the next console.

In fewer words...

April - Switch 2 Hardware Direct
June - Switch 2 Software focused Direct

@Enriesto There’s going to be a lot of games announced at the April Direct. It’s not going to be entirely hardware focused. For starters, Nintendo couldn’t drag their fan base to June without any knowledge of the Switch 2 games after twice telling everyone about the April Direct well in advance.

But secondly they are having invitation events so their fans can actually get to use and play the Switch 2 in April. They have to have announced games in order to do that invitation event.

@FragRed Looking back at Switch 1 preview events, there was:

• BotW
• 1-2-Switch
• Snipperclips
• MK8 Deluxe
• ARMS
• Splatoon 2
• Some 3rd party games (only ones I can find being mentioned are Sonic Mania, Street Fighter 2 and Super Bomberman R)

Considering Nintendo's massive emphasis on backwards compatibility and presumably initial 3rd party support will be stronger than it was on Switch 1, I could see a situation where Switch 2 Experience is less focused on Switch 2 1st party games. For example 2 Switch 2 1st party games (Mario Kart and something which uses the mouse mode), 4 Switch 1 1st party games via backwards compatibility and a wide range of 3rd party Switch 2 games.

As for Direct timing, I still don't think Nintendo will stay silent until April. Maybe a Switch 1 Direct has to be timed such that Legends Z-A isn't present in the Direct itself but also its release date isn't leaked ahead of next week's Pokemon Presents?

If we look back to the June Direct, Nintendo had:

• June - LM2 HD
• July - Nintendo World Championships NES Edition
• September - Echoes of Wisdom
• October - Super Mario Party Jamboree
• November - Mario & Luigi Brothership
• January - DKC Returns HD

When Emio was teased after the Direct, you could tell it was an August release because that month was fast approaching and had no 1st party games.

Not expecting any Direct from Nintendo until April. I do think they'll announce something on Twitter in early March, however. Planet Robobot Deluxe probably, mid-April release.

As for what comes after the April Direct, I think the next major Direct will be the usual September Direct. I think the April Direct will reveal the Switch 2 1st party lineup for the year, and then there will surely be 3rd party announcements over the summer events (SGF, Xbox Showcase, etc). So nothing needed for Switch 2 from Nintendo's end outside of standard marketing until September.

I DO however see them doing a Partner Showcase for Switch 1 in late June.