Oh blimey, it's the end of the year already! Yep, 2021 has zipped by like a... like a zip. Ahh, go easy on us — it's been one of those super-long/super-short years!
Yes, as 2022 hones into view, we've taken the liberty of rounding up the upcoming Switch game highlights dropping in December and January. If you're into expanding your brain, or sullying it with delicious Danganronpa-themed filth, or heading back in time to catch past Pokémon, there's plenty to dig into over the next couple of months.
Beneath the physical launches below you'll also find a selection of other games releasing from December — usually physical versions of previously digital-only Switch eShop games — plus a selection of Switch accessories and related peripherals available in the coming months as we start looking to the New Year and beyond.
Enjoy!
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Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain - 3rd December
Announced on a quiet Thursday in early September, the Big Brain Academy series — the slightly more relaxed sibling of Brain Age / Brain Training from back in the Nintendo DS era — is back with Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain on Switch.
Featuring 4-player brain-based bouts, you'll also be able to battle brainiacs from around the world via a new online where you challenge other people's ghost data in a brain vs. brain sorta scenario. It's out on 3rd December — yesterday! — and we enjoyed our time with it. Check out our review to see exactly how much.
Danganronpa Decadence - 3rd December
Four helpings of Danganronpa dropped on the same day, so there's plenty to get stuck into over the holidays if you're a fan of this darkly hilarious visual novel series. All the games are available separately on Switch eShop, including the 10th anniversary editions of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Anniversary Edition, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony Anniversary Edition, and the new Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp.
That's a whole lot of Spike Chunsoft's visual novel-ing for a single day, but dagnabit if we're not down for Danganronpa! Check out our individual reviews or the Danganronpa Decadence roundup review for our verdict(s) on this deliciously devious series.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus - 28th January
Confirmed for a 28th January 2022 launch, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set long long ago in the Sinoh region (Gen 4 for the non-Poké Fanatics) and sees you on an adventure to compile the region's very first Pokédex. We've recently revisited that region in the Switch remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but we'll get to go back in time in this spin-off that looks like it may shake up the tried-and-tested-and-a-little-bit-stale formula of the mainline games.
It promises a different flavour of Pokémon adventure and we're excited to see how this spin-off can take the Pokéverse in new directions in 2022.
More Awesome Nintendo Switch Games
Aside from the highlighted games above, there are lots more Switch retail games which might take your fancy in December and beyond.
Awesome Accessories For Your Switch
And finally here are a selection of the finest Switch accessories coming up in December and beyond, for your consideration.
So that's it for December and January — did we miss anything? Let us know with a comment and also tell us if you've pre-ordered any of these goodies!
Comments 26
Out of these, definitely Danganronpa Decadence and Atelier Sophie 2. Maybe Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Gonna pick Big Brain Academy and maybe The Smurfs for Christmas
Also really interested in Pokémon Legends Arceus
YOUTUBERS LIFE 2 !!! 😃😃😃
Cautiously optimistic with Legends: Arceus. Meanwhile having a blast with Brilliant Diamond
Pokémon Legends Arceus for me So nothing this year.
A lot of interesting games.
The Wild at Heart looks really nice.
Carrion (already have the SRG version) is a great game.
Ever Forward has me intrigued.
World War Z, though I'm quite sure I've been playing that for weeks now... Is the US release later? Or is it just a time window that hasn't been updated with its release?
Tormented Souls, pre-ordered, but the delay and no Switch images has me slightly worried.
Life is Strange, still have to play the second game first, and want to replay the first.
Dragon Quest, maybe at some point, but I need to see reviews.
The Cruel King and the Great Hero looks stunningly beautiful, much like The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince, but too expensive for what seems to be a bit of a boring actual game...
Nice to see many releases below the 'AAA' price as well. Despite all these high priced limited prints of indie games, there are still many more decently priced, just simply available games in many price ranges. Some clearly passion projects, that hopefully are handled with the right tools and skills. Something I've always appreciated more and could often get cheaper without all the ridiculous and criminal custom fees and import taxes, and more understandable but often very high shipping costs that ordering at the limited printing companies comes with...
Luckily I've unlearned to want to have all the rare, interesting games, in a physical release. When available at a price I'm willing to pay, I'm glad with the experience most of the time (but artbooks in the cases with gorgeous art are part of that experience...)
Maybe Pokemon, maybe Danganronpa. But nothing really exciting for me, which is ok, I have plenty of awesome games yet to play.
Nothing really for me. Pokémon maybe but I'm still on fence. They already pushed me to the wrong side of the fence with the gen 4 remakes, let's see if they can pull me to the right side with Arceus. Not yet so far.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus though I don't like how close it is releasing to the Gen 4 remakes. I'd like Dragon Quest X Offline in English, but I doubt that happens.
Oh, didn't know tormented souls was gonna come to switch. Played it on PC and as long as they don't screw up something with the port i can highly recommend this for fans of old school Resident Evil
Valis Collection?
I suppose the later games were better but that first game I hear certainly a game of the '80s "despise the player" design mentality.
One of the few games where the fan translator of the Famicom port had to make an additional "make the game suck less" patch.
I’m going to Walmart today or tomorrow and plan on picking up Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Big Brain Academy, and WarioWare. I also plan to get Danganronpa but I’ll wait a bit for that one.
January I’ll just be going through my backlog until Legends Arceus comes out. Should be a fun couple of months!
Just Deedlit for me! One of my favorite childhood shows meets Symphony of the Night? YES PLEASE!
I already bought Big Brain. Somewhat interested in Arceus but I'm still having fun working through Pokemon Brilliant Diamond, so Arceus will sit on wishlist for now.
Romancing Saga tempting but I have similar games on my backlog I should play first.
Inevitably when NintendoLife reviews start coming out something new will catch my eye.
So world war z and that'll be it!
It really doesn’t feel like legends Arceus is only a month away… and it really really doesn’t feel like Elden ring is about two months away. Good gaming days ahead!
If Gear Club 2 has the full game on the cart I’ll buy it. If not, no buy.
So they list Kiss Trilogy which doesn't even have an English option yet I can't get them to list Food Girls which I own and has English subtitles? 😆
Not much there for me.
Pokémon Legends Arceus, World Quiz, and Atelier Sophie 2 (though I've barely played ANY Atelier game so far ), and I'll consider importing the US edition of Monopoly Madness (which includes the previous Monopoly release as well as the Madness instalment on a single cart).
My daughter was interested in Monopoly Madness but sadly it looks as though it is not coming to the US right away. I also noticed that Lego Star Wars was missing from the list again this month. They might as well scrap the whole game at this point it is nearly 3 years over due and most people have moved on from wanting to play it.
Ehh looking for the horipad but damn it’s price went up.
Removed - unconstructive
@nevillebamshew Hey Neville! How's the wife?
That last week in February is going to hurt
I cannot wait to see how legends of Arceus does!. Pokemon has needed a reLife for years. As much as I Loved diamond, I'm not playing it since it's in the same region, I don't want to spoil and Pokemon seen in the Arceus game since I haven't played Pokemon really in years. I want that awwww fock yeah nastolgia ooooooooo discovery exp as an explorerer. Lol. Honestly as far as the other anime inspired games go on this article I've found for me at least that the games always look cooler than they play. So as much as I want to get some off the list, I know the gameplay probly isn't my speed. That medroid dread case n controller lookin fire tho!! X)
Deathsmiles! If it comes out in UK
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