It's been an exciting week, starting off with a Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase that revealed a large number of games coming to Nintendo Switch this fall. Some of the titles we get to look forward to are ports like NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition and No Man's Sky.
In other news, there's a rumor that the first Metroid Prime game is getting a remastered version for Switch this holiday season and will be followed by the second and third games. Plus, a shareholder asked Nintendo leaders about plans for older IPs, like F-Zero, that haven't been touched in a while. The answer was both limited and encouraging. There's even more to discuss so let's dive in!
Nintendo Direct Mini shows several games are coming to Switch this fall
On Tuesday, we had the Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase which lasted for about 25 minutes and gave us a look at upcoming Switch games. While this isn't the big Not-E3 Nintendo Direct that many fans were hoping for, there was still some exciting news. You might want to make sure you have room on your best microSD card, cause it turns out that a lot of ports and new games are coming to Switch in October.
The big finale was the reveal that three Persona games are coming to Switch starting with Persona 5 Royal on October 21, 2022. Considering that Atlus has already revealed these games for every other major platform this wasn't too surprising. Though, I'm sure Persona fans are happy not to fall victim to any more Twitter fakeouts regarding the games coming to Switch.
In other news, NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, No Man's Sky, and A Plague Tale: Requiem - Cloud Version are all coming to Switch in October. This fall will be a busy one for Nintendo seeing as how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is already slated for a November 18 release as well.
It's worth noting that No Man's Sky, an open-world space adventure, will be getting a physical release but there's also no mention of multiplayer on the official Switch announcement. At least for now, No Man's Sky on Switch will be a single-player-only game at launch.
Mario + Rabbids trips up again, but we're looking forward to it
The Nintendo Direct Mini also showed off gameplay for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, which we now know is releasing on October 20, 2022. This launch date was followed up the next day with a specific Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Showcase which lasted about 15 minutes and provided a closer look at the new action gameplay, which does away with turn-based battles in exchange for real-time combat action that still maintains the same tactical focus.
For anyone who's been paying attention to Mario + Rabbids, it's somewhat of a tradition (whether intentional or accidental) that information for the sequel leaks out in advance of a big reveal. This was the case when Nintendo made the official page go live just before the E3 2021 Nintendo Direct announced the game for the first time. This week, the release date was revealed on Ubisoft's website the day before the Direct Mini showcase but was then pulled down until after the presentation ended.
Rumor: Metroid Prime port could come to Switch this holiday season
Noted game journalist Jeff Grubb stated on the Game Mess Mornings show that Metroid Prime Remastered will be coming to Switch this holiday season to line up with the series' 20th anniversary (thanks, Nintendo Everything) and that it will only be the first game rather than a trilogy collection that has been rumored. Supposedly Metroid Prime 2 and 3 are also basically done, but Nintendo tends to hold onto its finished projects and releases them based on what makes sense with its release calendar.
God dammit! I forgot to talk about Metroid!
I think that Nintendo will rerelease Metroid Prime 1 on Switch instead of Trilogy. It has been working on this for years, and when I first heard, everyone (including me) assumed it was the Trilogy.God dammit! I forgot to talk about Metroid!
I think that Nintendo will rerelease Metroid Prime 1 on Switch instead of Trilogy. It has been working on this for years, and when I first heard, everyone (including me) assumed it was the Trilogy.— Jeff Grubb, No. 3 games journalist (@JeffGrubb) September 30, 2021September 30, 2021
If true, this is a great move that can help tide over Samus fans who have been waiting for Metroid Prime 4 for what feels like an eternity. The game was announced in 2017, but then Nintendo stated in 2019 that it wasn't happy with the development of the game thus far. This led Nintendo to scrap the work it had done and give the project back to the original Metroid Prime trilogy developer, Retro Studios. Due to pandemic delays and starting over, we likely won't get the fourth installment for another year or two.
Shareholder buys stock to ask Nintendo about F-Zero and other older game IPs
Following the Nintendo Direct Mini, Nintendo held a Q&A with its shareholders and one of the questions asked related to whether or not the company had plans for new titles or remakes for older games. Reportedly, they specifically asked about F-Zero, Baten Kaitos, and Wario Land among others (Thanks, VGC). Nintendo's president explained that the company cannot create sequels "to every series fans request." However, he also indicated that at least one remake is in the pipeline that he couldn't talk about before moving the meeting onward.
Regarding remakes of older titles, we are thinking about a wide range of interesting ways to try new and old things. We received a similar question before. At that time, we happened to have a remake planned, so we discussed it, but there are things I cannot say right now."
Since then, @momiji_manjyuu on Twitter came forward and explained that they are the shareholder who asked this question during the meeting and prefers to keep their real identity anonymous. They had reportedly bought 5.6 million yen in stocks back in February, which is equivalent to about $40,000 USD, in order to ask Nintendo about F-Zero, according to Kotaku. Twitter users were quick to thank them for asking this question to which @momiji_manjyuu responded, "We delivered everyone's thoughts and feelings!"
第82期 任天堂株主総会質疑応答の議事録が出ました！Q3が私の質問です。私が列挙したバテンカイトス、ワリオランド、カエルの為に鐘は鳴る、カードヒーロー、超操縦メカMGといったタイトルは割愛されましたが、そこには確かに「F-ZERO」の文字が刻まれています！https://t.co/y4nKOAqWfi第82期 任天堂株主総会質疑応答の議事録が出ました！Q3が私の質問です。私が列挙したバテンカイトス、ワリオランド、カエルの為に鐘は鳴る、カードヒーロー、超操縦メカMGといったタイトルは割愛されましたが、そこには確かに「F-ZERO」の文字が刻まれています！https://t.co/y4nKOAqWfi— もみじ(Momiji) (@momiji_manjyuu) June 30, 2022June 30, 2022
Despite being a relatively well-known racing series, F-Zero hasn't had a new game in 18 years. At this point, many gamers only know of Captain Falcon through Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The N64 game, F-Zero X, did come to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack within the last few months, but while it's fun to relive the past, having a new game would be immeasurably more exciting. The Switch has had revitalizing power for many of Nintendo's IPs, so who knows. Maybe we will see an F-Zero remake sometime soon.
What to play this weekend
Right now Nintendo is hosting a Big Ol' Super Sale where popular games can be found for as much as 50% off until July 7. Some of the best deals include Super Mario Odyssey for 40% off, Astral Chain for 30% off, and Death's Door for 35% off, plus much more. It's definitely worth taking a look here if you haven't already.
As for new games for the week, Portal Companion Collection released on Tuesday, bringing these two classic Valve games to Switch. These games defined a generation and are still fun today. Portal 2 even supports two-player on one system. If you're looking for something a bit more silly, Fall Guys has finally come to Switch and it's free to play. Dive into exciting minigames and compete against other players online to see who is the best.
Until next time.
- Rebecca Spear
