Nintendo just held a surprise Direct last night, revealing a bunch of new games available on the Nintendo Switch very soon. If you haven’t caught one before, a Direct is essentially a live stream of back-to-back trailers for upcoming games and Nintendo products releasing soon.
This Nintendo Direct was streamed live on YouTube at 1 am AEDT, so if you missed it, no one would blame you.
This surprise drop came only four days before the official Switch 2 Direct. While Nintendo didn’t confirm these would be the launch titles for the Switch 2, we can safely say you’ll be able to play every game on both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2.
In terms of big reveals, some pretty hyped and unique games were announced at this one! While we didn’t get a look at a new Mario Odyssey sequel or Legend of Zelda game, Nintendo did give us a new look at the upcoming Metroid title. Plus, some old nostalgic titles received long-awaited sequels.
So, while it was a bit restrained, this definitely felt like a small appetiser of bigger things to come April 2. Anywho, without further ado, here’s everything revealed at the March Nintendo Direct.
All of the announcements at the March Nintendo Direct 2025
Tomadachi Life: Living the Dream
The Mii’s are back in this surreal game.
This is the first game in the Tomodachi Life series in over ten years, and it hasn’t lost its charm.
Here, you’ll get to create your own Mii characters once again and look into their lives. You’ll get to involve yourself in their relationships and experience the weird ways they interact. You’ll also get to drop into their dreams.
Available sometime in 2026.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
In my humble opinion, this is the game I’m most hype for.
We finally got an update for the latest Metroid Prime 4, and it looks so good. You’re back playing as Samus, but this time, you have neat psychic abilities that allow you to control the trajectory of Samus’ beams, operate mechanisms and open doors.
The new one looks familiar to any series veteran. You’ll explore a new planet, gain some power-ups, and meet freaky aliens. It’s everything I could want and more.
Coming sometime in 2025.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
We got another look at Pokemon Legends Z-A, and it’s shaping up to be a solid series refresh.
The game is coming with a fresh new combat system, moving away from the usual turn-based combat we’re all used to. The game will ask you to head out at night and participate in tournaments to rank up from Z-A.
If you’re looking for your yearly Pokemon fix, this should be a good hit.
The game will be available on the Nintendo Switch sometime late 2025.
PATAPON 1+2 Replay
This was the first of three rhythm games revealed at this Nintendo Direct.
Nintendo announced that they’ll be releasing remasters of both Patapon and Patapon 2 later this year. If you’re unfamiliar with the title, you control a small army with the rhythm of four drums. By playing these drums, you’ll get to direct your army against different enemies.
Imagine Pikmin but as a cool, violent drum circle.
You can pick up the game on the Nintendo Switch from July 11, 2025.
Rhythm Heaven Groove
Now for the second rhythm game revealed at the Nintendo Direct. In my opinion, this has to be one of the most interesting games revealed during the live stream.
Here, you’ll play through a variety of rhythm games featuring funny little guys (or ducks). The music sounds like a joy, and the art is expressive and charming. I can only hope for a Meshuggah level somewhere in the future.
Rhythm Heaven Groove will be available sometime in 2026.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Did you want a Marvel beat-em up??? Well, you’ve got it.
In this classic retro ’80s-inspired game, you’ll get to play as Wolverine, Spider-Man, Nova, Captain America and more. Here, you’ll travel through time and space while beating up the violent forces of Annihilus (a popular villain from the comics).
Available later this year.
Tamagotchi Plaza
A Tamagotchi game ft. cute little guys you won’t forget about feeding. Don’t worry, I’m sure yours is still alive 12 years later.
Set in the charming Tamahiko Town, players will manage a dozen different shops and engage with over 100 Tamagotchi as you take orders, help with lost items and enhance each shop’s reputation.
So, go on and live out your shop simulator dreams with this one.
Available June 27, 2025.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
Nintendo announced they’ll be releasing a brand new remastered version of the Dragonquest I & II for the Switch.
For JRPG fans wanting to relive the glory days, this is sure to be a treat.
You’ll be able to pick this one up sometime later this year.
No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES
The title of this game is my sleeper agent activation phase. Hoo boy what a mouthful.
In No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES (say that five times real quick), you play as Kaname Date, a special agent with an AI partner embedded in his left eye. In the game, you’ll be tracking down a missing Idol trapped in a mysterious game.
You can pick this one up July 25, 2025.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army
From the developers of Persona and my GOTY last year, Metaphor: ReFantazio comes a remaster of a classic from Team ATLUS.
This remaster of the classic game from the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner series features several enhancements over the original, including revamped visuals, voice acting, battle systems and more.
You can pick up the game from June 19, 2025.
Shadow Labyrinth
Remember that Secret Levels short that ended up being a weird PAC-MAN game? Well, we’ve got another look at the game coming out.
Instead of cherries and aliens, you’ll be consuming darkness its very self here. The game looks like it’s taking inspiration from recent titles like Hollow Knight. As the mysterious ‘Swordsman No. 8’, you’ll be exploring alien mazes, eating evil monsters and collecting power-ups.
Shadow Labyrinth will be available on the Nintendo Switch from July 18, 2025.
STORY OF SEASONS: Grand Bazaar
It isn’t a Nintendo Direct without another cozy farming game reveal.
This old Nintendo DS game is finally making its way to the Switch. Here, you’ll enter a strange town as a new resident and help give it a much-needed facelift. You’ll get to rebuild your farm and spend each day planting, watering and harvesting crops while tending to the animals.
The game is out 27 August, 2025.
Disney Villains Cursed Café
As the newest “potionista” at the café, you’ll be brewing potions for different Disney villains.
You’ll get to chat with Cruella de Vil, The Evil Queen, Gaston, Captain Hook, Jafar, Maleficent, Ursula, and more as you navigate the branching narrative storylines. Using ingredients provided by Yzma, you’ll brew various potions tailored to each villain, steering them towards their desires.
The game is out today and available on the Nintendo Switch and Steam.
Witchbrook
Have you ever wanted a Stardew Valley-inspired game where you’re a witch attending a magical school? Well, this might be the game for you.
Learn spells at Witchbrook College, craft goods to grow your witch business and customise your cottage and garden to suit your style. You’ll also get to make friends and find love with the townsfolk.
Witchbrook will be available later this year.
The Eternal Life of Goldman
Want a quirked-up 2-D adventure game? You got it. In The Eternal Life of Goldman, you’ll take on the role of unlikely hero Goldman, navigating a mysterious Archipelago where twisted fairy tales and corrupted folklore come to life.
Available sometime later this year.
Gradius ORIGINS
This remaster includes all three versions of the original Gradius series plus a new title Salamander III.
You can pick this one up August 7, 2025.
Rift of the NecroDancer
Our third and final rhythm game announced at this Nintendo Direct.
Dragged into a strange new world, you’ll face pulse-pounding Rhythm Rifts where every beat is a battle, all set to an original electric soundtrack by Danny Baranowsky and friends.
You can pick this one up today on the Nintendo eShop.
Virtual Game Card
Nintendo also revealed its plans to let you share your games online. In true Nintendo fashion, it’s a bit convoluted and not all that intuitive. But hey! It’s a start. I honestly never expected them to do something like this.
The virtual card is a new feature to help Switch users manage their purchased digital games. With this, you can move your digital games between two consoles and even let friends borrow titles from your digital library. This is obviously a precursor to the Switch 2’s backwards compatibility, so you don’t have to purchase your fave games again.
It gets a little convoluted from here. It’s essentially borrowing from the Steam Family idea. The virtual card will work for any account connected to your Nintendo Account family group or second console. Any game you lend can then be played on a Nintendo Account family group member’s console for two weeks. After this, the game will be automatically returned to you.
This will start rolling out sometime in late April through a hardware system update. Nintendo also confirmed this will be available for the Switch 2 at launch.
High on Life
Missed this Rick & Morty-inspired shooter? Well, now you can finally pick it up later this year on the Switch.
Launches on Nintendo Switch May 6, 2025.
Star Overdrive – Speed into the Unknown
Back to the Future if it was good.
Explore a massive world on your hoverboard and use your powers to overcome challenges, face a variety of enemies, solve puzzles and shape your destiny.
Available April 10 on the Nintendo Switch.
The Wandering Village
Experience a city-building strategy game set on the back of a giant, roaming creature. In the game, you’ll have to foster your relationship with the creature to survive harsh environments.
Available July 17, 2025.
FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time
For the cozy gamers out there looking for another farming and crafting game to spend their afternoons with.
Available May 21, 2025.
SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered
Another remaster of a classic RPG series. Step into the world of Sandail and follow the intertwined fates of Gustave, a royal heir caught in a power struggle, and Wil, an excavator confronting a hidden world-threatening danger.
Available from today.
Monument Valley
Want some meditative puzzles? You got it.
Explore isometric worlds filled with individually-crafted puzzles to unravel, stunning landscapes to manipulate, optical illusions to discover and mysterious secrets to uncover.
Available April 15 on the Nintendo Switch.
EVERYBODY’S GOLF: HOT SHOTS
Play anime waifu’s while golfing. It’s genius. How has no one thought of this before?
Win in-game tournaments in the single-player Challenge Mode to unlock characters and courses, or try out the new Wacky Golf mode, where all sorts of shenanigans can help or hinder your chances.
Avalable sometime later this year.
Nintendo Today!
Move aside Jeremy Renner, we’ve got a new daily updates app on the way.
Nintendo’s final announcement came from game director Shigeru Miyamoto. Here, he announced the new Nintendo Today! app, which is essentially just an app you can download to receive daily updates from Nintendo. In the video, he framed it as a daily calendar that will deliver a variety of content, including news, videos, and comics of your favourite Nintendo games and characters.
You can download it today if that’s your thing.
And that’s everything revealed at this Nintendo Switch Direct.
Nintendo will be hosting another direct on April 2, where they’ll reveal a ton of new information about the Nintendo Switch 2. No promises, but we’ll hopefully get to hear more about the console, when we can buy it, and some exciting new titles to buy when it launches. Be sure to check back then for our breakdown!
