Final Switch 2 Direct Predictions
Here are my final predictions for the Switch 2 Direct and everything I am expecting or hoping to be explained in this event.
Console Features
Specs
The overall specs are mostly known already. It will output 4K and probably have hardware AI upscaling, so that a 720p game can be scaled up to crystal clear 4K. I’m really interested in the performance and if we can get 4k 60fps for most Nintendo games. Can we replay Tears of the Kingdom in 4K 60fps? Is GTA 6 possible?
Another very important hardware spec will be SSD read speeds. The difference between PS4 and PS5 was huge. I would love to have a similar jump from Switch 1 to Switch 2. I hope they’ll show how fast games can load now.
“C-Button”
The C-Button is a much discussed, but still very mysterious new feature of the new console. Why is it so mysterious? Because it is a standalone button on a controller. It must be very important, or rather, always be available to the player. So it is either Game related, or related to a feature that will be launched during a game.
If it were a System feature, then Nintendo could simply add a button on the Homescreen. Simply pause the game and activate the feature, but Nintendo decided to add an extra button on the controller, which is massive in my opinion.
Some people say it is the ominous Cast feature, where the Switch 2 will turn into a WiiU, where the dock gets enabled and displays the game on the TV and the console itself turns into just a controller and offers a second screen. This sounds cool and I would love to have this possibility, however, this feature will only work under very specific circumstances. You must be playing Handheld and the TV must be available. This feature won’t work in the Bus on the way home or when playing in table top mode in the garden. Why would a extra button on the controller be necessary for a feature that only works when you’re home on the couch?
I think it is rather a Community button, something you can launch anytime, and enabled chat or social media functionalities.
Mouse Functionality
This is very interesting. The reveal Trailer even showed us the mouse functionality. I think it is a given, that this feature will be coming and I’m expecting it to be a very important feature. I’m really curious how it works exactly and what Nintendo thought about players playing on the couch or in bed, when there is no table. I trust Nintendo to figure it out.
System
Themes. Will we finally get Themes? I hope so. I must say, though, the current System UI is basically perfect. It is super simple and only shows the most important features.
Besides Themes, I might expect a Community feature, like Sony has. See what friends are playing, something like that.
I don’t expect many more new System features.
Virtual Game Cards
Nintendo already revealed Virtual Game Cards in the last Direct and explained how they will work. I believe Nintendo will have a short section about it again, but this time explaining how it will work seamlessly with Switch 2 consoles.
Games
Launch Lineup (until Christmas)
Mario Kart
This game is a given and we even saw it shortly in the reveal. I hope we get a full trailer with all new features and modes. I hope for an adventure mode, just like Diddy Kong Racing or Crash Team Racing had. This will be a Launch game on Day 1.
Metroid Prime 4
While Metroid Prime 4 is a Switch 1 game, I believe it will release at launch of the console or shortly after. The game will have better performance and better graphics on the Switch 2, but more on that topic later, when I’m discussing Backwards Compatibility and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
New IP to showcase Controller features
Similar to 1-2-Switch and Snipperclips, Nintendo will probably have a game to showcase the Mouse Functionality. In case the C-Button is not a Community button, but rather a new Controller or System feature, then that game might showcase that feature.
3D Mario
I expect a new 3D Mario game. Odyssey was phenomenal and it has been 8 years since the release of that game. Browsers Fury was great and might be showcasing what we could expect from this new 3D Mario game: an Open-World Mario game. This game will probably release in the Fall this year.
Mario Sports Game
Not sure which Sports game, because we already had all on Switch. Baseball is not very big outside of USA, so I don’t think it will be Baseball. Maybe Basketball like NBA JAM?
Zelda
It is very unlikely that we will see anything related to a new 3D Zelda or even 2D Zelda. However, it is possible that we see a Remake or Remaster. Maybe Wind Waker 4K or Twilight Princess 4K, or even a full Remake of Ocarina of Time? Another Zelda related game could be a new Hyrule Warriors game with the story of Tears of the Kingdom: Hyrule Warrios: The imprisoning War.
We could also see an upgrade to Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom.
Filler Games
Some smaller games to fill the empty months. Kirby or Yoshi.
Few rumors suggested a new Sakurai game, maybe Kid Icarus?
Star Fox was rumored as well.
Splatoon 4?
I wish, but do not expect a Splatoon 4 release this year. It is too early. Maybe a teaser and a release date of 2026.
Pikmin 5?
I never understood why Nintendo didn't release DLC for Pikmin 4. Only reason is that they already worked on Pikmin 5. I don’t see it releasing this year though. Probably next year or even 2027.
Animal Crossing?
Animal Crossing is probably also a 2026 or rather 2027 game. I can’t see them having a game ready this year.
Smash Brothers?
I don’t think we will see a new Smash game, however, it could be possible to have new DLCs, new fighters for Smash Ultimate. I think it’s unlikely though. Nintendo is probably working on a complete new Smash, unrelated to Ultimate. A hard reset basically.
Prediction of the full year for Switch 2 Nintendo Games
Launch: Mario Kart, Metroid Prime 4, New IP to showcase the new hardware features and first few Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades
July: Mario Sports Game
August: Filler game (Kirby, Yoshi, etc.)
September: Zelda Remaster or Remake or Hyrule Warriors
October: 3D Mario
November: Pokemon Legends: Z-A
December: Nothing.
Third Party Games
Basically, all big PS4 games will run fluently on the Switch 2 and many developers will launch their games at launch. Final Fantasy Remake, Elden Ring, Baldurs Gate, etc. It will be interesting to see which new generation third-party game could make it to the console and how it will look different to PS5.
Backwards Compatibility and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Since Backwards Compatibility has already been officially announced, the question remains, will there be upgrades to older games to make use of the better performance? We also saw official documents of something called “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” games, which hints at upgrades for older games. Now, will these updates be free, one time purchase, or included in NSO?
I expect “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” to be explained in the Direct and showcased via Breath of the Wild. It will enhance the game to 4K60 and will probably cost around $5-$10. It might also be possible that upgrades will be included for all NSO subscribers of the highest NSO Tier.
Release date and price
Finally, maybe the most important part, the release date and the price of the console.
I am expecting the console to launch in June the latest, however, I could imagine that they release it in late May.
The price will probably be about $399 USD and for us in Germany, it will probably be like 429€ including Taxes.
Why Video Game Cards?
There still remains the question of Why does Nintendo transition digital purchases to Video Game Cards? It seems to be a nice feature, with almost no downsides, right?
I think the answer is pretty simple:
Digital Only Switch consoles
With Video Game Cards, it is very easy to share digital purchases between consoles. It removes the big downside of digital purchases compared to physical game cards.
The only big other benefit of physical game cards is selling a game, which is currently not possible with digital games.
So now, that sharing is made easier between your own consoles and even with family members, it raises the question, why not go All-in with digital games.
And that’s where Nintendo will introduce a cheaper digital-only Switch or Switch 2. It could be a new Switch (2) Lite, much thinner or even a completely new form-factor without card slot.
Are we there, yet?
Microsoft and Sony already offer cheaper versions of their consoles that are digital only. However, the audience of Nintendo is a bit different, much younger. I am not sure if that audience is ready for a digital only Nintendo Switch. On the other side, we are now used to digital only games on our iPhones, so why not consoles?
The difference is that each new iPhone can run all games, that were running on your previous iPhone. And I think Nintendo wants to go that route with Nintendo Switch as well.
I am not sure if we already reached the point, where Nintendo could release a digital only console in 2025, but I could imagine them releasing one in the near future.
“Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” Game
Something very interesting came up.
Quote:
„Switch 2 exclusive games and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games can only be loaded on a Nintendo Switch 2 system.“
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games
As the Tweet or X post concludes, Upgrades for Switch 1 games seems to be confirmed.
Question now is at what cost?
Will there be free upgrades for owners of Switch 1 games?
Will there be a small upgrade price, just like Sony does with PS4 games for PS5?
Or will we have to buy the whole game again for Switch 2, so full price?
Another option could be a subscription model. Everyone, who is subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online gets the upgrade for free.
I’m leaning towards small upgrade prices or being subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online. Obviously, I’m hoping for free upgrades, which would be an absolute great reason to buy the Switch 2 console, but Nintendo probably know their audience and that the industry is successful with upgrade prices. So why not earn money with the additional effort?
Anyhow, this is great news. We heard rumors of Breath of the Wild in 4K and this news kind of proofs its possibility. Not saying it is coming, but it is now very likely that it is coming.
Nintendo Direct for Switch 1
Yesterday was the Nintendo Direct for Switch 1, one week before the big Nintendo Direct for Switch 2 on April 2nd.
This Direct was not for me. I was not interested in most games. However, there were some parts that were very very interesting.
Video Game Cards
Nintendo is preparing for multiple Switches in a household. We own multiple Switches and sharing digital games is really cumbersome at the moment. Obviously, Nintendo wants to sell as many games as possible, therefore, it is very surprising that they’ll introduce this new feature.
Digital game owner
If I understood this correctly, this allows someone with two Switches (one primary, one secondary) to play digital games on either console very easily. This is possible currently, however, for the secondary Switch an Internet connection is required. With Video Game Cards this will be obsolete. Simply select which game you would like to play on this Switch and you can play it whenever you want, even offline.
It is only required to connect both Switches one time. Afterwards, I hope, you can simply select a game from your library and load the license. I have most games installed on both consoles anyway.
Family Sharing
Sharing games with the Family is huge. I have kids and they play with my Switch constantly. Now, I could buy them their own Switch Lites and then lend them games I own. Obviously, if they play a game for a very long time or we play it together simultaneously on multiple Switches, I’d have to buy the game a second time, but if they want to just play a game for a short period of time, this is perfect.
I wonder though if we have to have a local connection every time I want to lend a game, or is a one time connection sufficient?
No release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
This was very interesting. The release date after the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond section still said Coming 2025. This could mean many things.
This game could release in Fall. But then, they could simply say Fall or Holiday 2025.
Or, in my opinion more likely, the game will be a launch title for Switch 2 as a cross gen game and therefore, we haven’t seen a release date.
I believe, we will see another trailer in the Switch 2 Direct on April 2nd and will finally know the release date of the console and the game.
Switch 2 Launch with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and maybe Mario Kart shortly after or even also on Launch is huge.
150 million
Nintendo shared new sales numbers and the Switch finally crossed the very difficult 150 million milestone. Congratulations to Nintendo for this massive success. The WiiU was a total disaster, with less than 10% of sales of the Switch.
It should be studied, how Nintendo managed to pull this off, but for me the answer is very clear.
Software sells hardware. Good Software sells more hardware.
Nintendo somehow managed to release more than 10 games per year consistently. Almost every month a new game was launched since the release of the console and some of these games are masterpieces. Not all games were new, there were also many remasters or ports, but these are equally important.
Especially Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an awesome game, which was only played by a few WiiU owners, has now over 60 million sold copies. A very simply port with minor tweaks.
Even Breath of the Wild is technically a port, since the game was meant to be released on the WiiU. The dual launch was genius.
Nintendo is dominating the video game industry and I love it.
In case you want to read the financial results, here is the link.
Switch 2 Reveal
Apparently, according to many rumors, the reveal is in two days, on Thursday January 16th.
This aligns perfectly with what I was expecting.
As soon as Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is released, the marketing for the game can stop and the marketing for the next big thing can start.
That’s why I expected the reveal shortly after and that’s also why I’m expecting the release of the Switch 2 after the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Xenoblade releases on March 20th and I could see a release of the Switch 2 a week later on March 27th or in early April.
I guess Nintendo wants to have a big marketing campaign and might need some time for that, however, I think the best marketing is the product itself in the hands of the people. So sooner the better.
But first let’s see if the reveal is actually happening on Thursday and if we get an announcement for the reveal itself, maybe tomorrow evening.
Nintendo: Rest of 2024
Now that, thanks to the MAR10 Day Direct, we know the release dates for the few announced games for 2024.
Princess Peach: Showtime, released a few days ago in March.
Endless Ocean: Luminous releases May 2nd
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door releases May 23rd
Luigis Mansion 2 HD releases June 27
So what happens afterwards, and why is April empty?
Nintendo Direct in April?
There are rumors for a Nintendo Direct in April. I believe that’s a given, because it would give them the chance to showcase, which games will release after June. Usually, there is a Nintendo Direct in June, however, there is no more E3 and also, I think it would be too late to showcase in June, what happens after June. April seems perfect to me.
Additionally, a Direct in April gives Nintendo the chance to remind everyone about the upcoming three games mentioned above. Paper Mario even has new gameplay features, which they can showcase here.
Another reason, could be a shadow drop that day of a Remaster or Port of an older game, like they did with Pikmin 1+2 or Metroid Prime. Maybe it is just wishful thinking from my side. April is currently empty, after all.
However, against that theory would be the release of Endless Ocean, which releases at the beginning of May. It could be considered a delayed April game. May already has Paper Mario after all.
2nd half of 2024
If the Switch successor releases in 2025, which I also predict now, then the second half of 2024 must be full of filler games, such as remasters and ports. By that, I mean no new AAA game, except for Metroid Prime 4, probably. Which is fine.
So out of 6 months, at least 4-6 games have to be released in order to keep the „around 1 game per month“ streak of Nintendo going. It is usually around 4-6 weeks for a new game release.
So what could Nintendo release in these months? Here are some ideas:
Mario Sports / Olympia game or Mario Party
We could get a Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 game. The Olympic Games are in July this year, so it might actually be the perfect time to release a fitting game.
If it’s not an Olympia game, it might be a Mario Sports game:
We had Tennis, Golf and Football (or Soccer depending on where you come from, though it is called Football, my friend. I guess, that’s why Nintendo calls it Strikers) on the Switch.
We are missing a Baseball or Basketball game, though Baseball is not so huge in the whole world, more of a US Sports, but I would like to play it. Same for American Football.
If it’s not a Mario Sports game, it could be a Party game.
The last Mario Party game released 3 years ago, and the previous Mario Party game was 3 years before that. So it might be possible that we’ll see another Mario Party game this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD and/or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
It is perceived as facts that these two games are basically ready and just waiting to be released for the Switch. This rumor has been out for years now and now might be the perfect time to release the games.
However, I’m not sure if Nintendo would like to release these fan-favorite games before the Switch successor comes out. It might make more sense to release these awesome games as filler games in the launch line-up of the next console. These are great Zelda games and would not be seen as just some small ports. Imagine having these two games next to a new Super Mario 3D game, new Mario Kart game, new Pokemon game, Smash Ultimate Deluxe and so on. It sounds too good to be true.
Additionally, another question would be if Nintendo releases both games together as a bundle or separately. Probably, $60 each. Many would pay that price. As I said, these are fan-favorites and many consider them to be their personal best Zelda games. Mine for instance is Ocarina of Time, and I would gladly pay $60 for a HD Remaster / Remake of that game.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages Remaster
This has been rumored as well, though, not so heavily as Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. It would be great to see the games remade, since the original games were released on Game Boy Color. I’ve never played them, so I would gladly get them both. Hopefully as a bundle and not $60 each. Please.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds HD
A Link Between Worlds was released over 10 years ago in November 2013. It is a great game and I would love to play it again in HD on my Switch.
New Yoshi game or Yoshi’s Woolly World Remaster
We haven’t had a Yoshi game since Yoshi's Crafted World in 2019. It would be great to see a new game, though, Yoshi’s Woolly World Remaster would be great, too. It was ported to 3DS at some point and since many 3DS games arrive on Switch, this might have a good chance actually.
New smaller Kirby game
There is always a Kirby game. Like literally every year Nintendo releases one or more Kirby games, and they’re all good.
Pikmin 4 DLC
This game was amazing. I will have a review about this game, because it was one of the best games I played in 2023. I would love to play it more, but unfortunately, there is nothing left to do in the game. Pikmin 4 needs DLC. Some additional content or even Online Play, so I can pick it up for an hour once or twice per week.
Luigis Mansion 1 HD
Now that we will have Luigis Mansion 2 and 3 on the Switch, it would make sense to get Luigis Mansion 1 HD, as well. I don’t think it will be a shadow drop at the next Nintendo Direct, because it would then release before Luigis Mansion 2 HD, which was announced months before release, for some reason… Actually, it would make perfect sense to shadow drop Luigis Mansion 1 HD right before 2, so we could play that first, but Nintendo doesn’t always do stuff that makes perfect sense.
Pokémon
We know that the next big Pokémon game is Pokémon Legends: Z-A and it will release in 2025. We don’t know when in 2025, it could be January or Holiday. However, it is a bit weird to not get any Pokémon game in 2024, that’s why I think it is even very likely that they’ll release a Remaster or a new Let’s Go game, or the very least, some very old Pokémon games on NSO. We are still missing the original Red, Blue and Yellow games on NSO, which are super fan-favorite games. These games could fill a whole month for Nintendo.
Metroid Prime 2: Remastered (if it’s not releasing in April as a shadow drop)
As mentioned above, Metroid Prime 2: Remastered could be released as a surprise game during the next Nintendo Direct, just like it happened with Metroid Prime 1: Remastered. There are some rumors regarding a heavy Metroid related marketing campaign, but we’ll see what that is about.
Metroid: Samus Returns HD
Another Metroid title that could be released as a filler game could be the 3DS game Metroid: Samus Returns. That game actually came out after the release of the Nintendo Switch. Back then, Nintendo didn’t know if the Switch will be successful and it made perfect sense to release great games on the 3DS.
As a HD remaster and the same graphics as Metroid: Dread, it would sell really well now. I can see that game releasing this year, unless of course…
Metroid Prime 4
This game has been in development for so many years, and we still don’t know anything about it. It is possible that Nintendo finally shows us a trailer and releases the game as their holiday title of 2024. Many believe it will be a cross-gen title, releasing both on the current Switch console and the successor, however, it would also make sense to end the Switch lifecycle with this huge game. It was promised for the current Switch after all.
My predictions
Obviously, it is very unlikely Nintendo releases 3-4 Zelda games or 2-3 Metroid games within the seconds half of 2024.
Therefore, here are my predictions:
July
August
September
October
November
December
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (or Mario Party or Sports game)
Kirby game
Zelda Remaster (A Link Between Worlds HD, or Wind Waker HD)
Yoshi game or Luigis Mansion 1 HD
Pokémon Remaster
Metroid Prime 4 or Metroid: Samus Returns HD (in case Prime 4 isn’t ready)
Since I predict the Switch successor releases early next year, maybe around February - April, Nintendo might want to show the new console in January 2025, like they did back in 2017 and release it between the end of February and the beginning of April. Actually, it would be a great discussion, if Nintendo should release the Switch before or after MAR10 Day 2025.
I don’t think it makes sense to release games during that period. Everyone will be just hyped to get the new console and I would wait and release all new games after the console launches as cross-gen games or new console exclusives.
LEGO Mario Kart
Lego announced new Mario sets in Mario day and this time it will focus on Mario Kart.
The teaser looks nice and it will be interesting to see what they came up with.
However, …
… the release date is 2025!
Why? Why announce now?
What is the reason for announcing Lego sets one year earlier?
Is it coming in January or February of 2025?
If not, why not announce it on MARIO day in 2025?
Switch 2 Compatibility?
Possible reason could be the Switch Successor.
Could there be a connection to the next Mario Kart game?
Is it possible that Lego was ready to release the sets this year, but Nintendo asked to delay the sets to ‘25, because the Switch 2 got delayed?
I can imagine the Lego Mario Kart sets work very similar to the 2020 released real live Mario Karts that can be controlled via Switch and allows players to drive a real toy kart in the living room.
This would be another big reason to get the system at launch, especially if it’s releasing with another Mario Kart game.
Switch Successor in 2025
Since it’s already mid march, it is highly unlikely, that the Switch Successor is releasing in April, as I predicted in my previous blog posts.
Obviously, it is disappointing that we won’t be able to play the next system soon, but I actually think it’s a good thing, if that means, we’re getting a better experience and better games later.
2025
Latest rumors suggest the system is releasing in early 2025, so basically one year later than I predicted.
Many suggested the system would release in Fall or even around the holidays of 2024. I truly believe that releasing close to Christmas is a terrible idea and releasing a few months later is much smarter. You can read all of my reasoning here.
Launch games
I went through all possible games we could receive for the launch of the new system and the delay to 2025 does not change much.
However, it could mean that 2025 will even be stronger than 2023.
We now know that GTA 6 is releasing in 2025, possibly around the end of that year.
Additionally, Sony announced that they won’t have big first party games in 2024. So we can assume that they will have big games coming in 2025. Wolverine comes to mind.
What about 2024?
This raises the question what Nintendo will do this year. Thanks to the Mario Day Direct, we now know that all upcoming games are actually releasing in the first half of 2024, such as Paper Mario in May and Luigis Mansion 2 in June.
What will Nintendo do for the second half of the year? It is possible that more remakes or remasters will be released, like the much rumored Zelda games Wind Waker HD or Twilight Princess HD. Additionally, it is also possible that Metroid Prime 4 will be the big holiday title. Add another Mario Sports game and this year is actually not that bad assuming all these games are releasing this year.
Mario Bros Wonder Release
The game is amazing. I’ve played for an hour and it was a lot of fun. Each level had something unique and different.
The second level made me laugh for like 5 minutes.
I also really like the badges. Didn’t think it would work, but it changes the game in a good way.
Moreover, the game is really difficult sometimes. I love it.
Direct full of Mario
The Nintendo Direct yesterday was nice. In my opinion, not the one of the best Directs in recent times, but still good. However, it really feels like we are nearing the end of the Nintendo Switch lifetime. This Direct was full of Remakes and rather small games.
Most of my predictions and the big rumors were true.
We saw the Princess Peach game, Luigis Mansion 2, Wario Ware, Mario Kart DLC Wave 6, Splatoon DLC - Side Order and the leaked games, Mario vs. Donkey Kong and F-Zero, which turned out to be an awesome F-Zero 99 NSO exclusive game, also shadow dropped and out now. I will definitely try it out.
The big surprise at the end of the Direct was Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (TTYD). I have not played it yet and I can’t wait to get it, since it is a very beloved game by many Paper Mario fans.
However, I find it very interesting that Nintendo decided to show that game now. The release date is 2024 and I can image it releasing in May or in the Summer, like August, but that is not the issue.
The issue I have is, we already have Super Mario RPG coming very soon. RPG fans are already excited and pleased with that game. It is a whole Remake with awesome graphics. Why show Paper Mario: TTYD now? It could have such a big effect at a later time.
Moreover, that game is not a game to close a Nintendo Direct in September. It is not Kirby: The forgotten Land or Metroid Prime 4. I don’t think most Nintendo Fans were pleased with the closing of this Direct. It is very likely, that Nintendo simply didn’t have anything else to show off for the current Switch. That’s why I truly believe we are nearing the end of the current Nintendo Switch.
Mario Fans must have been very happy, though.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Super Mario RPG
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Wave 6
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Luigis Mansion 2 HD
Wario Ware
As I predicted, no Zelda and no Metroid.
I still believe we will see the next Nintendo Switch early 2024 and have it released in the first half of 2024.
Nintendo Direct September ‘23 predictions
Nintendo announced a Nintendo Direct for tomorrow, September 14th, and it’s going to be around 40 minutes long. Here are some predictions and wishes.
Predictions
Princess Peach game and Luigis Mansion: Dark Moon
Both games were presented in the previous Direct, however, we don’t know much about that game. The princess peach game doesn’t even have a name. So name and release date would be nice. A release date for Luigis Mansion, as well. I believe, the peach game will be coming in the first quarter of 2024. Luigis Mansion might even be released tomorrow as a shadow drop.
Super Mario RPG
This game is coming out in November and they might want to show more about it.
Wario Ware
This game is coming out soon, so I expect at least a small trailer as a reminder for everyone. Never really played, but also never really cared.
Splatoon 3 DLC - Side Order
We haven’t heard anything about this DLC in a very long time and it was supposed to be released this year. Probably the last chance to announce it in a direct. Nintendo could still announce the DLC later in a separate Trailer on its own, especially, if they have to show a lot of things.
Mario Kart Booster Course Pass - Last Wave
Wave 6 should be coming out this year and we only have like three months left, so I believe a release in December. A good finale for this awesome gaming year.
Apparently, Mario vs. Donkey Kong and F-Zero
Many leakers are saying there is a new game of the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series is coming. Same for a F-Zero game. Many will be happy to see this series not dead, anymore.
Wishes
Metroid Prime 2 Remaster
I can imagine an announcement or even a shadow drop of this game tomorrow.
Kid Icarus Uprising HD
Sakurai said or rather hinted at a Remaster at some point.
Not Happening
Now, I would like to list a few things that, in my opinion, are definitely not coming:
Anything related to Switch 2. Nope, nothing. Nintendo will not kill its holiday sales of the current Switch.
Anything Zelda. This year is the year of Tears of the Kingdom. I don’t think, Nintendo will have another Zelda game coming out this year. Next year with the Switch 2 is a better idea.
Metroid Prime 4
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 3: Launch Games
Nintendo has many very successful franchises and is known for its high quality games. The Switch has one of the, maybe even the best games ever released on a console. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, just to name a few. All of these games even launched in the first year of the original Switch in 2017. Shortly after, more amazing games were released, such as Super Smash Bros.: Ultimate, Animal Crossing and many Mario Sport and Party games.
So what will the launch year of the next Switch look like? Which games will release in the launch window of year one.
Metroid Prime 4
Announced in 2017 and delayed unfortunately, it now seems that this game will be Cross-Gen and might even be the launch game of the new console.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t be a launch game, at least not the only one. Metroid is not a huge franchise to sell consoles. I like the games and they are high quality, but I don’t think many people will buy the new Switch just for that game. However, Nintendo might be fine with that, since they might not have too many produced consoles at the beginning any way.
The Legend of Zelda also wasn’t a huge franchise. I mean it is a huge franchise, but not sells wise. That has changed since Breath of the Wild, though. It was risky for Nintendo to release the Switch with a Zelda game, but they probably also knew that the game was a “game changer” and on another level, so more people will actually buy the console just for that game. However, I don’t see Metroid doing the same thing, unless Nintendo knows again that the game is a masterpiece reaching more players than the usual Metroid fanbase.
I would rather see this game as a holiday title in the first year.
3D Mario
Nintendo usually releases a new console with a Mario game. It is a perfect fit. Mario = Nintendo, so why not sell a new console with a new Mario game. That has worked in the past and can and will work again. This time, it could actually happen. The Original Switch did not come with a Mario game, it was a Zelda game, however, Mario Kart was released just shortly after and right before the holidays Super Mario Odyssey launched.
Since then, we haven’t really had a new 3D Mario game. Though, there was Bowsers Fury, but it was an Add-On for a Remake. So where is Super Mario Odyssey 2, or something completely new? The launch of the console would be a perfect timing to release a new 3D Mario game.
2D Mario
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is releasing this year, so we will definitely not getting a new 2D Mario for the launch of the Switch. Hopefully, we can play Wonder in better graphics and performance on the new console, but I believe, no new 2D Mario for a while then. Maybe two or three years later, also depending on the success of Wonder.
Zelda
Well, we just had The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a masterpiece of a game and it will most likely take another 5-6 years, until we can play a new Zelda game, and that’s ok, actually. I can see DLC being released for TotK and playable on the new Switch, but no new 3D Zelda game for launch.
2D Zelda is a different topic, however. Nintendo hasn’t released a complete new 2D Zelda game since Link between Worlds for 3DS. Links Awakening was an awesome Remake and I could see Nintendo releasing more remakes of older 2D Zelda games. Maybe the Oracle games, that were just released on NSO? A complete new 2D Zelda game or a remake happening shortly after launch of the console is plausible, so launch year game maybe.
You know what would be amazing? The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in 3D in Tears of the Kingdom engine… One can dream.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing sold over 42 million copies on the current Switch. This is bonkers. Obviously, there was a good reason why. The pandemic helped a lot. It was the perfect game to be released during that time. A feel good game for everyone. I am not sure, if Nintendo can pull that again. The fanbase should be much larger now. My wife never heard of Animal Crossing before and she got obsessed with the game in 2020. She and many others will most definitely get the new game, probably also a new console to play the game. I could see this a launch year game.
Mario Kart 10
This might be the game launching with the console. In my opinion, there is no other game to sell as many consoles as possible. Not even a 3D Mario. In fact, 2D Mario games usually sell better than 3D Mario games. However, Mario Kart always sells really well. Probably the main reason for the Switchs current success.
The only reason this might not be a launch game, is because of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Pass. It will end in 2023 and a new Mario Kart game shortly after might be too much Mario Kart in such a short time. However, not everyone will buy the next Switch at launch, so many will play this next iteration of Mario Kart much later.
Pokémon
Pokémon Games are literal system sellers and Nintendo knows that. Most Pokémon releases are combined with a Pokémon themed Switch (Lite) in order to sell even more consoles.
In my opinion, one of the reasons the WiiU failed, was because it did not feature a single good Pokémon game. They were all 3DS only at that time.
In case GameFreak isn’t ready yet for a new generation of Pokémon game, which it actually might be, since Scarlet & Violet are fairly new, Nintendo could release a Pokémon: Let’s Go game of Gen 2 and sell millions of consoles right at the start, just for that game. Otherwise, it is possible to have another remake of an older Pokémon generation ready for the months after launch. Maybe Black and White?
Actually, GameFreak might have a new generation Pokémon game ready for the holidays of 2024. Scarlet & Violet will be 2 years old by then. It would be very good to have a new generation Pokémon game ready for holidays, since it will sell consoles like crazy.
So Pokémon: launch year.
Splatoon
Splatoon 3 was released in August 2022 and Nintendo promised regular updates for 2 years. A new Splatoon game seems unlikely for the release. However, a new game in year 2 or 3 of the console seams very likely. Since Splatoon 3 will most likely run on the new console, players won’t need a new game, they are already playing a fairly new Splatoon game.
Kirby
There is always a Kirby game. Fans of Kirby must be the happiest fans on earth. Every year, there are multiple Kirby games, all of them great games including some gems like Kirby and the Forgotten Land. I can totally see a Kirby game in the launch year. Not so much as a console launch game.
Yoshi
We haven’t had a Yoshi game in a long time. Yoshi’s Crafted World was released in March 2019, which is almost 5 years ago. Perfect time to release a new Yoshi game, but I think it is rather a year-2 game, not a launch game.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze is even older. It was originally released on WiiU in 2014, but then an enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch in May 2018. The games are fun, though, also super hard. The difficulty is on another level. I am not sure if Nintendo will release a new Country game. There were many rumors about a 3D Donkey Kong game and I think that sounds really good. However, I don’t see anything related to Donkey Kong in the first few months of release of the console. It is rather a year-2 game to me.
Super Smash Bros
Highly unlikely to get a new Smash game in the first couple of years, however, Nintendo could release Smash Ultimate as a Deluxe version with all DLC characters included for the next console and be done with it. Same game, but maybe polished graphics and as mentioned all characters already included in the retail version. It would be great if the original version runs on that Switch with a performance patch for the new console.
Mario Party and Mario Sports
There is always a Mario Party or Sports game. Launch year game definitely.
Backwards Compatibility and Cross-Gen
The main question will be, if all these games will be Cross-Gen or not. Will these games be playable on the old Switch as well?
For Metroid Prime 4, I think, it would be smart to sell it as Cross-Gen, so that more people can buy the game at release. It was announced for the current Switch after all. Some other games though, could and probably should be console exclusive to force gamers into buying the new console, like Mario Kart 10. On the other hand, sales of that game would skyrocket and could potentially even outsell the ridiculously high sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
This is a tough question and luckily I don’t have to make that decision. If I would have to, here is what I would do:
Games that really need the new performance should be exclusive to the new console. Moreover, games that are system sellers should also be exclusive, so people are actually purchasing new hardware. Games like Mario Kart 10, Super Mario Odyssey 2, Pokemon or Animal Crossing should definitely be exclusive.
Games like Mario Party and Mario Sports games or even Kirby could be released for the Original Switch as well to reach a broader audience and these games are not power hungry.
My prediction
The Super Switch will release with a new 3D Mario game, followed by Mario Kart X just a few months later. Metroid Prime 4 will be released in October and a new generation Pokémon game will be released in November of that year. In between will be many “smaller” games or ports or remakes, such as Smash Ultimate Deluxe or a new Mario Party or a new Kirby game.
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 2: Name and release timeframe
When will Nintendo release new Hardware? What would be the right timeframe for a new console?
Let’s Analyse.
As discussed in my previous blog posts, we assume that the next hardware will be a Switch type console and feature backwards compatibility.
Release timeframe
Possibilities:
Release this year
I believe we can safely assume Nintendo won’t release the next console this year. It is possible, however a bit unlikely. First of all, they stated that there won’t be new hardware this financial year, which ends in March 2024. Furthermore, if Nintendo releases the console this year, then we already know which games it will be released with:
Mario Wonder and Super Mario RPG. Both games look great, though, to me, these are not console sellers. Wonder looks amazing and 2D Mario games are very successful, however, the game does not provide a reason to upgrade.
Besides, it would’ve made much more sense to wait a few more months and release Tears of the Kingdom alongside the new console. The additional few months could’ve been used to optimize for the new console and make it run more smooth or have higher resolution.
Release in 2024
This sounds more plausible. As I analyzed in my previous blog post, there are some DLC passes releasing and ending this year. The Mario Kart Booster Course Waves will end this year, if Nintendo sticks to their plans. Splatoon 3 DLC Pass also ends this year, same as for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC Pass. It seems like a fresh cut at the end of this year with no planned DLCs releasing into 2024. Obviously, it is possible that new DLCs and Passes are announced in a September Direct, which could release in 2024. For instance, Zelda Tears of the Kingdom DLC is highly expected and shouldn’t be announced too late. Everyone is playing the game now and would like to have more content later this year or at least early next year. However, they could announce the passes in September and release them alongside the next console, if the Switch is backwards compatible. Nintendo could, similarly to the original Switch, show the console in January or February and release it a few months later. They will most certainly not announce it before Christmas and kill all potential Original Switch sells. If the console releases in early 2024, it must have a solid game release plan for the following months.
So which games are possible. Only a few come to mind.
Metroid Prime 4
3D Mario Game, maybe Super Mario Odyssey 2
Mario Kart 10 (Mario Kart Tour is considered 9, apparently)
For the same reasons above, the new console could also be released in the summer or fall of 2024. Nintendo could have more time to work on huge system seller games. However, there are two arguments against a later release:
First, Nintendo wouldn’t have to produce too many consoles. The release will obviously require a large batch of consoles, but not as many as is needed for the holidays. Nintendo could have more time to produce enough consoles until Christmas, so that everyone can get one. Moreover, Nintendo can use the time to fix bugs and hardware issues and have a very stable console for Christmas.
Second, a late release requires Nintendo to also sell new games for the old Switch, until the release of the new console. They can’t just stop selling games for the old console.
On the other hand, it is very well known that Nintendo is sitting on finished games, just waiting for the perfect timing. It is more or less a fact that Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD are ready and these games could be released to fill the gap.
2025 or later
For the reasons described above it makes more sense to have the new console be released in 2024. Nintendo would have to release too many games to fill the gap of a whole year and it should at least have 2-3 major games. Games that could be released exclusively for the new console to sell the system.
Therefore, I believe (and I most definitely hope) the new console is releasing in the first half of 2024.
Name
Marketing is super important in the console business and naming is especially important in order to sell many consoles. There are many reasons the WiiU failed and many analysts are sure the name is one of them. People just weren’t sure what the WiiU is. Is it a new console or just an Add-On? What does WiiU even mean? Let’s look at other console names.
Nintendo
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
Nintendo 64
Gamecube
Wii
WiiU
Switch
Sony
PlayStation 1
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
Microsoft
Xbox
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Xbox Series X and Series S
Looking at the names, Sony has definitely the best naming convention of all. While it’s boring, it’s also super effective. Parents know their kids have a PlayStation 4, so they have to buy a PlayStation 5. That’s it. Just remember the number.
Compared to Xbox, where the naming is all over the place. Actually, I have no idea what is happening here. The 360 was released when the PS3 came out, so I was thinking they chose 360 to also have a 3 in the name. Xbox 2 vs. PS3 sounds bad for Microsoft. This is the only plausible reason I can come up with. Xbox One is a real mystery. This was supposed to combine TV and console into One, and that’s why it’s named One? And don’t get me started with their Pro consoles, Xbox One X. This can’t get more stupid, but Microsoft doesn’t disappoint and actually made it worse with the next gen consoles: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. These names are terrible. All of them.
Nintendo doesn’t really have a naming convention, either. They never number their consoles like Sony does. They rather name their consoles depending on the consoles physical appearance or feature like GameCube or Switch. Another possibility is the consoles performance feature like being 64 bit (N64) or Super NES, which hints at a more performant NES, basically. Or they use something completely random, but short and easy to remember with the Wii. No idea why this worked, and I don’t think it is a good name. Maybe, because it was meant for a broader demographic and the name hinted at Co-Op play (Us, Together -> We -> Wii, to make it trademarkable). They probably know by now that the name WiiU was a bad choice and Wii2 or Super Wii would’ve been much better. Maybe, these names could’ve saved the Wii successor from failing so badly. I hope Nintendo knows that a good name is very important, especially if you are trying to sell a very similar concept and a direct successor. I think Super is good.
With all this being said, I am convinced the Switch successor will release on Friday, April 5th 2024, and be called Nintendo Super Switch. You heard it here first. Mark my words!
So which launch Games?
We will analyze in a future blog post, which games could come to Super Switch at launch and shortly after. Will it have an awesome first year, just like the original Switch had? 2017 is difficult to beat (Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, Splatoon 2, Mario Odyssey, etc.)
Switch 2 Analysis – Part 1: Features
Nintendo didn’t confirm or announce anything yet, but we can assume the next Nintendo console is near and it will probably be a Switch successor. By that, I mean, it will not be something completely different, but rather a new console with a Switch form factor and feature set, namely being able to switch between handheld and TV console.
Backwards compatibility
The Nintendo Switch is the first console since GameCube without backwards compatibility. The Nintendo Wii was able to play GameCube games natively with controller support. WiiU was able to play Wii games natively. Actually, the Nintendo DS also wasn’t backwards compatible. All handhelds afterwards did though. So the DS was the last console to break this rule. Also was a massive success.
So the Switch broke that rule and still was a massive success. Now is the question, does it play any role in order to become a successful console? Does the next Switch have to have backwards compatibility and play older Switch games?
The Switch was released with Breath of the Wild, a game, which was also released for WiiU at the same time. Also, Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2 and ARMS. All games replacing a WiiU game. Besides, the WiiU sold so bad, all these games were super fresh for most new Switch owners. Backwards compatibility wasn’t necessary for the original Switch. Basically, every game was fresh for someone that didn’t own a WiiU.
That is absolutely not the case for the next console. The Switch is a massive success, I am certain, the successor must play Original Switch Games, as well. Actually, this will be a major selling point, if Nintendo can convince developers to release patches for older Switch games to be playable with better performance or better resolution on the new console. It might actually be sufficient, if Nintendo goes ahead and does it for first party games, leading the way. Fans would demand from third party developers to do the same and they probably will.
Besides, who would not want to play Tears of the Kingdom again in much better performance (although the performance is surprisingly good on the current Switch a.k.a. Nintendo Magic).
Controller
Nintendo finally has the chance to fix all Joy-Con issues, by releasing completely new set of controllers. I am convinced the next console will be incompatible with current Joy-Cons, since the console might be slightly different in size. I hope Nintendo will allow usage of older Joy-Cons and Pro Controllers, both as Bluetooth controllers, so we don’t have to buy new controllers for multiplayer again. This can obviously only work if the new console has a similar button layout, but I believe it will.
Performance
The new hardware must come with higher processing power and enable better graphics. There were rumors of a Nvidia Chip that enables 4K graphics just by using AI upscaling, resulting in higher resolutions without sacrificing much more power. This will lead to longer battery life and better graphics.
But when?
The big question is: When will the new hardware announced and released? I will go very deep in a blog post, very soon.
Nintendos Switch Line-Up for 2023 (and 2024)
This year is (mostly) all set, with 2 games confirmed for next year, being Peach game and Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon. Nintendo usually releases a game every month or around 4-6 weeks.
Games
We now know, which games will be released this year.
June - Everybody’s 1-2 Switch and apparently also Pikmin 1&2
July - Pikmin 4
August - nothing so far?
September - nothing, however Detective Pikachu could be considered as Nintendos September release, but releasing a bit late in early October
October - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
November - Super Mario RPG
December - nothing so far, but not unusual to be empty
DLCs
There are still a few DLCs arriving this year, such as Mario Kart and Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. Mario Kart Booster Course Wave 5 has been released a few days ago. The final Booster Course Wave 6 is very likely coming in Fall or around the Holidays. Pokémon DLC could arrive in November or December. Super Mario RPG is not for everyone so it might make sense to release something alongside it. Splatoon 3 DLC could also be released in September to fill the gap, but it seems like it will arrive later, since we haven’t seen anything new yet.
The Unknown
We can safely assume there will be a Nintendo Direct in September and just like they surprised us this time, they could easily shadow drop a new game or DLC that day. Maybe it is Metroid Prime 2. There are Zelda rumors, that are not Tears of the Kingdom related, so maybe Wind Waker or Twilight Princess for Switch?
Peach and Luigi’s Mansion
We learned about a game with Peach as the main character. That is super exciting, since Peach definitely deserves a game and my daughter will love it no matter what.
Moreover, Luigi’s Mansion Dark Moon, a remaster of the GameCube classic (also remastered for 3DS) was announced in the last Direct, without a release date. This makes me think it is planned for 2024. It could also be released in December this year, but why show the game now without a release date and then release it this year. Actually, it would’ve been nice to have this game as a shadow drop in an upcoming Direct or have it released a month later of it’s announcement.
For some reason, Nintendo wanted the world to know, that there are games for other Mario characters coming, just to fill 2 minutes of the Direct.
2024
So far, 2024 looks empty and that is fine. Nintendo doesn’t have to announce games so early.
However, it is probably the perfect time to release the next console. More on that in a future blog post.
Mario is unsafe again
Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks weird. Nintendo now allows Mario to be weird again. That’s something we haven’t seen in over a decade. Let me explain.
Here is a photo of Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World and Elephant Mario from Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World
Elephant Mario from Super Mario Bros. Wonder
See the difference?? Yeah, obviously.
Cat Mario is just a suit for Mario and Elephant Mario is a complete transformation. This is a very drastic change and an important one. The following Tweet explains it perfectly.
For years, Nintendo gave us “the purest distillation of the safe, bland, corporate mascot“. This Mario was perfect in every way, but for many also very boring, me included. Not the games, though. I mean just the character and its visualization.
The games were really good. I played all of them and loved them. However, they were all mostly the same. They had no magic feel to them. No stark difference.
That was all because of Nintendos strict “Mario is untouchable“ policy. That went so far, that other Mario games were crippled, because no one was allowed to change or adjust Mario characters, even a little bit.
The best examples would be the Paper Mario games, which were awesome like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door from 2004, but then slowly turned out very boring, because no new character was introduced or known characters were not allowed to have different characteristics. The most they were allowed to do, was giving Bob Omb the name “Bobby“.
Nintendo disallowed any changes to Mario. Proof below.
Here is an interview from 2020 that confirms the strict policy: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/features/interviews/paper-mario-origami-king/
Mr. Tanabe (Producer of Paper Mario) says:
Since Paper Mario: Sticker Star, it’s no longer possible to modify Mario characters or to create original characters that touch on the Mario universe. That means that if we aren’t using Mario characters for bosses, we need to create original characters with designs that don’t involve the Mario universe at all, like we’ve done with Olly and the stationery bosses.
Arlo made multiple great videos about that topic. The following video is about that interview I linked above. Jump to 16:00 for the discussion about that very important quote:
Wonderful Hope
Now, that all might change. Mario might not be “untouchable” anymore and is allowed to be different and weird, again.
The trailer for Super Mario Bros. Wonder surprised many.
First of all, many didn’t really expect a new 2D Mario game so late in the Nintendo Switch life cycle.
Second, the design and visualization of all Mario characters. The mimics and movements in every second of the trailer were different and awesome. It looks really cool and fun.
I hope, with this change, that Nintendo now also allows other studios, that work on other Mario games, like Paper Mario and the Mario Sport games to make Mario different and more fun again. It is possible, that only the mainline 2D and 3D Mario games are allowed to have weird Mario, but there is more hope than every before.
I beat Tears of the kingdom…
It took over 195 hours and I’ve unlocked 62,31% of the game. This game is massive.
When the game told me to beat Ganondorf, the final task, I basically ignored it and went doing anything else, because I didn’t want the game to end and there are so many wonderful side quests and side adventures that I wanted to explore. It was really great.
However, at one point I just wanted to finish the story. The game has so much content and it was really awesome to search and find all the mysteries. But I just wanted to see the end. I was satisfied.
So I did the final task and went for Ganondorf. The end was truly epic. Reaching him is not that easy and full of new story elements. The fight was also well done and all the cutscenes were of high quality. I didn’t expect some of the stuff that happened, so that was great, too.
Truly a great ending to a masterpiece of a game.
Nintendo Direct June 2023
There is no E3 anymore, but the big three gaming companies still put out a showcase showing what we can expect this year and maybe next year.
Nintendo switched to online-only presentations a long time ago and only used the E3 theme to show a direct in June. However, it is now clear that Nintendo simply likes to show each quarter or 3-5 months what they have in store for the next few months and sometimes give a glimpse for the next year. That’s why there is usually a general Nintendo Direct in January/February, then in June and one in September.
This June direct was packed with great games and a few surprises. Have a look if you missed it.
In my opinion, this direct was good. There wasn’t much for me except for a few games, but these games were super surprising and I can’t wait to play them.
The games I am interested in are:
Pikmin 4
Pikmin 1+2
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
All of these games are, unsurprisingly, Nintendo games. The other games were still interesting, like the Metal Gear Solid collection or the Batman games, however, I would rather or even have played these games on my PS4 or my PS5.
Pikmin
Pikmin 4, I already pre-ordered through the great “buy 2 games for 100€” Coupon that Nintendo offers. I preordered Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4 for 100€, which is a steal in my opinion.
Anyhow, Pikmin 4 looks great and what they showed in the direct made me more excited for the final game than I already was. Can’t wait to play it soon
Right after the Pikmin 4 presentation came a big surprise. Pikmin 1 and 2 are coming to Switch and not only that, they shadow dropped both games as a pack available the same day. Seriously, did not expect to see the games on Switch and then also have them available that day. I purchased both games immediately after and am planning on playing the games, right after when I’m done with Tears of the Kingdom
With the release of Pikmin 4, the whole collection of Pikmin games are available on a single platforms, one of the biggest gaming platform ever. A very smart move by Nintendo. Fans are happy and this gives Nintendo the chance to measure the popularity of Pikmin in general. If Pikmin doesn’t succeed on Switch, it’s game over basically, but I believe it has a high chance of selling well and getting even more Fans in the future.
Super Mario RPG
I only heard good things about this game and this Remake looks really great regarding graphics. I will probably get this game, but not on launch. The Fall and Winter is full of games I want to play and I only have a limited amount of time per week for games. Especially when a game called Super Mario Bros. Wonder is releasing a few weeks prior.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
This game was a shock moment for me. I did not expect a 2D Mario at the end of the life cycle of the original Nintendo Switch, but here we are. The game looks amazing and it finally a new art style then what we had previously with the “new” series before that.
I have so many thoughts about that game, which I will cover in a different blog post soon.
It’s basically just about this scene in the trailer:
Elephant Mario
This image means so many things at once. Mario is unsafe again and I will explain that soon. Makes me really happy.
Closing Thoughts
Now that Nintendo showed what they have in store for this year, it’s really interesting to think about what’s next. In the coming weeks I will post about the Switch 2, what it could offer and when it could release. Nintendo has to be careful, because coming from a super popular system was always a struggle for them and now they have the chance to break that.
Zelda: BotW was super easy
After playing Tears of the Kingdom for over 70 hours I just noticed how hard combats are compared to Breath of the Wild actually.
In Breath of the Wild you have:
Unlimited Remote Bombs (lol)
Grabbing Metal objects and hitting enemies from afar
Freezing enemies just like that and hitting them a million times
Even Cryonis was very helpful in combats
Enemy weapons were very strong right away
Additionally, the powers of the champions were overpowered as well
Revali’s gale obviously helps reaching heights instantly
Mipha’s Grace heals you just like that
Daruk’s Protection blocks attacks and protects you from damage
Urbosa's Fury just hits enemies around you in a massive radius with electrical damage
For instance, in Tears of the Kingdom, you have to collect Bombs and be more careful of how and where to use them. I very often run out of Arrows. Enemy weapons aren’t that strong, either. All of the enemy loots are now very important for fusing strong weapons.
Maybe I’ll change my mind later after finishing the game or replaying Breath of the Wild, but for now, TotK seems much harder.