Ori and the Blind Forest Coming to Nintendo Switch

Ever since its launch in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has become home to a multitude of glorious indie games. But you know what they say about more is merrier. During their Indie World Showcase at Gamescom 2019, Nintendo presented a slew of indie games coming to Switch. A couple of them could actually be found on the e-shop immediately. Nintendo ended the showcase with the announcement that the beloved Ori and the Blind Forest would be coming to Switch on September 27th.

The Metroid-like action-platformer was first released in 2015 for the Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. And the reason it didn’t come to anything else is that developer Moon Studios signed an exclusive deal with Microsoft. But Microsoft and Nintendo have been learning to play well together for some time now. Ori and the Blind Forest isn’t the first game to initially appear on Microsoft’s platforms before heading to Switch. Plus, with the Switch’s array of similar games like Steamworld Dig 2 and Hollow Knight, it seems like the perfect platform to house such a game.

Players control Ori, a white guardian spirit, and Sein, a small orb-like creature, as they try to restore the magical forest Nibel after a catastrophic storm. You can fight various enemies, solve puzzles, and gain new abilities to unlock new areas, all in traditional Metroid fashion. While these types of games are fairly common now, Ori and the Blind Forest achieved several awards. These include Best Art Direction at The Game Awards and Xbox Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.

Nintendo Switch will be receiving the Definitive Edition. This comes with new areas to explore, new skills to learn, new music, and new story elements. No word yet on price or if there will be a physical release. There’s also no word yet if the sequel will come to Switch, but we now know that’s not outside the realm of possibility.