The latest Nintendo Direct has landed, bringing with it news about upcoming games for players to look forward to. The June 2023 announcements included new announcements for Mario and Pikmin, a new look at the upcoming Pokemon DLC, and more – let’s take a look.
Pokemon DLC
New downloadable content for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has been available for pre-order for a while now, but this Nintendo Direct revealed a new look at the upcoming stories: “The Teal Mask” and “The Indigo Disk.”
In “The Teal Mask,” players will travel to Kitakami, where the Festival of Masks is underway. The storyline brings several Pokemon back into the game, while introducing a handful of new ones: Munkidori, Okidogi, and Fezandipiti, who were said to have “protected this land from the evil ogre.” Savvy viewers will recognize this as a parallel to the story of Momotaro, with the three Pokemon based on Momotaro’s companions. The video also gives us a closer look at said ogre, a new Pokemon called Ogerpon.
“The Indigo Disk” takes the players to Blueberry Academy, a Pokemon academy floating out at sea. Beneath the academy itself is a massive terrarium park, filled with different biomes and Pokemon previously unavailable in the game. It also reintroduces double battles to the game, and provides a closer look at the legendary Pokemon, Terapagos.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players can also receive a handful of items with the Mystery Gift code TREASUREHUNT, and a new Gimmighoul tera raid event has begun.
Detective Pikachu Returns
While the original Detective Pikachu game was a mostly forgotten side game, it returned to the forefront of popularity with the live action movie, starring Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu and Justice Smith as Tim Goodman. Now, Detective Pikachu is returning with a Nintendo Switch game: Detective Pikachu Returns.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Speaking of successful live action video game movies, Sonic the Hedgehog is also getting a new game: Sonic Superstars. This is a classic side-scroller featuring popular Sonic characters, including the blue blur himself, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose.
Sonic Superstars also introduces local co-op, allowing up to four players to work together as they dash through levels.
Super Mario
Of course, the franchise news doesn’t stop there. Mario fans got no shortage of news from the announcement, featuring the reveal of Super Mario Bros Wonder, a new 2D Mario game coming this October. This new game features classic Super Mario gameplay with upgraded graphics, as well as new enemies and power-ups, such as an elephant suit for Mario, and a new “Wonder Seed” and “Wonder Flowers” items. The game can be played with a variety of characters (not just Mario and Luigi), and features multiplayer capabilities.
Additionally, the classic Super Mario RPG is getting a remake for the Nintendo Switch. This classic role-playing game has been a favorite of many Mario fans, and will be returning with new graphics on November 17, 2023.
Mario’s brother, Luigi, wasn’t left out either. Luigi is also getting a remake with a remastered version of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, originally released on the 3DS. This game will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2024, along with a new game featuring Princess Peach.
And Mario’s longtime rival, Wario, is also getting a new WarioWare game. WarioWare: Move It! will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in November, featuring over 200 microgames that can be enjoyed by up to four players at once.
Last but not least, Mario Kart 8 continues to get new support, with the release of the Booster Course Pass Wave 5. This new DLC, available this summer, brings in a new course (Squeaky Clean Spring), and three new characters: Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek.
Pikmin 4
Nintendo also revealed new information about Pikmin 4, the latest addition to the Pikmin series. This game, due to be released July 21st, includes a Dandori Battle mini-game, as well as a new dog companion named Oatchi, and the ability to set off on night expeditions.
A demo of Pikmin 4 will be available on June 28th. Additionally, HD versions of PIkmin 1 and 2 will be available on the Nintendo Switch eShop today, and can be purchased individually or as a bundle. Physical versions of the games will also be released in September.
And More!
That’s just the start of the announcements from Nintendo Direct. Other news includes:
- Metal Gear Solid Collection Vol. 1 will be released for the Nintendo Switch in October, featuring six Metal Gear Solid games.
- New Amiibo will be released for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Zelda and Ganondorf.
- Vampire Survivors will be released on the Switch in August, including four-player co-op.
- Square Enix revealed Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, which will be released on December 1st.
- The Rocksteady Batman games (Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight) will be released on the Nintendo Switch this fall, including all DLC.
- Star Ocean: The Second Story is receiving a remake in November, and will be available on the Switch, as well as the PS4, PS5, and PC.
- A new trailer launched for Persona 5 Tactica, with the game itself coming in November.
- A first look at MythForce, a first-person melee roguelike game inspired by Saturday morning cartoons like “Thundercats” and “He-Man.”
- A new trailer for Just Dance 2024, coming to the Switch in October.
- The reveal of Palia, a free-to-play adventure sim, which promises a cozy and relaxing experience.
- The announcement of Penny’s Big Breakaway, a new 3D platformer.
- The first look at Fae Farm, a farm simulation RPG set in a magical world.
- The announcement of a new action RPG, Silent Hope, wherein seven warriors seek out a “reclusive king” in a world without words.
- A look at Headbangers Rhythm Royale, a bird-based battle featuring musical minigames.
- Gloomhaven, the incredibly popular board game, is coming to the Nintendo Switch on September, featuring over 17 characters to explore cursed dungeons with.
- The reveal of Manic Mechanics, a co-op game wherein players have to work together to repair vehicles as quickly as possible.
- On another vehicle-based note, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged will be released on the Nintendo Switch in October.
You can watch the full Nintendo Direct below:
What news has you most excited? Are you ready for more Mario, or exited to play Gloomhaven on the Switch? Let us know in the comments, and keep an eye out for more news on G33k-HQ.
