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Nintendo just launched its latest direct showcasing games coming to the Nintendo Switch in the latter half of 2023, moving into 2024. There were some massive games announced, including rumored new titles and some exciting ports/remakes. Nintendo has been taking up a lot of the conversation in the games industry lately between the upcoming 2D Mario game Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the first DLC drop for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and the swirling rumors around the upcoming Switch successor console. The latest Nintendo Direct just dropped with some fun games announced that fans did not see coming.
1. Mario vs. Donkey Kong Remake
The announcement that kicked off the September 14th Nintendo Direct was for a remake of the hit 2004 Game Boy Advance title Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s a puzzle platformer where the player controls Mario as he attempts to rescue little toy versions of himself from a greedy Donkey Kong.
The release date for Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the Switch is currently set at February 16th, 2024. If the remake is successful enough, maybe the franchise can finally get its first new entry since Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars for the Wii U and 3DS in 2015.
2. Luigi’s Mansion 2 Switch Port
Fans of the ghost-filled Luigi’s Mansion series will be happy to know that the third game will no longer be the only one with a home on the Nintendo Switch. An HD port of Luigi’s Mansion 2, originally titled Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon on the Nintendo 3DS is coming to Switch in 2024. The long-awaited sequel to the original 2001 title was lauded upon its 3DS release in 2013 and currently holds an 86 out of 100 on Metacritic, so it will be great to see it come to TV screens for the first time.
The release window for Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is set for summer 2024. Nintendo appears to be allergic to the idea of bringing Gamecube games to the Switch, so asking for the original Luigi’s Mansion might be a lost cause at this point.
3. F-Zero 99
The F-Zero fanbase has been begging Nintendo for a new entry to the fast-paced racing franchise for years now. Technically, F-Zero 99 is a modified version of the original title for the Super Nintendo, which makes it difficult to say whether or not this is truly a new game in the franchise, but it’s more F-Zero, which is far better than nothing.
F-Zero 99 is a “battle-royale” version of the original Super Nintendo classic. It contains all of the original stages from the game, modified somewhat to accommodate 99 racers competing against each other for first place in a race unlike anything the series has seen thus far. The game went live shortly after the end of the Nintendo Direct and it is currently available for free on the Switch E-Shop for anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. If nothing else, it is an acknowledgment from Nintendo that this franchise still exists, and it could spell bigger things coming in the future.
4. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Switch Port
The final announcement of the latest Nintendo Direct was for a Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake. The Thousand-Year Door is considered by many to be the greatest entry to the Paper Mario franchise, and the Switch has had some trouble with its other entries to the popular JRPG series like the original Paper Mario 64 and 2020’s The Origami King, which was generally well-received but a bit divisive among some fans. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door originally released on Gamecube back in 2004 and is considered one of the best games from the console to this day.
The game is currently set to release on Switch sometime in 2024, although a more specific release window was not given.
5. Princess Peach: Showtime!
Possibly the biggest announcement at the September 14th Nintendo Direct was for Princess Peach: Showtime!. It’s not often that the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom gets a solo game, and this looks like it’s going to be a formidable one. The YouTube description of the game has this to say about the story: “The wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch have taken over the Sparkle Theater, and now it’s up to Peach and the theater’s guardian Stella to save the play and the day!”
It looks as though the game will be a platformer with unique sword-fighting combat and other mechanics to differentiate the title from the many Mario platformers that Peach’s partner is known for. The game is set to release on March 22nd, 2024.
