Nintendo Switch Sports

February Nintendo Direct Reveals Nintendo Switch Sports and More

After months of speculation, questions and theories, Nintendo fans finally had a Nintendo Direct to separate reality from the rumours on February 9, 2022.

What Was Announced?

There were big announcements during this Direct including the return of old games like Earthbound, remakes of Wii games on Switch like Nintendo Switch Sports and the highly anticipated Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Once again, not everyone has time to sit through a 40-minute long livestream, so here is a summary of the announcements.

The Announcements

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Nintendo Switch FEW Three Hopes screenshot
Image Credit – Nintendo

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is the latest instalment of Fire Emblem and features a different story set in the same universe as Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

The game is due for a Nintendo Switch release on June 24, 2022.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

Nintendo Switch Advance Wars1 and 2 Re-BootCamp screenshot
Image Credit – Nintendo

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp remakes a classic franchise. Players can enjoy fighting turn-based battles in a full campaign with fully voiced commanders shouting out orders. In the additional remake of Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, play more campaigns and enjoy new features.

The game receives a summer release on June 8, 2022.

No Man’s Sky

No Man's Sky Nintendo Switch Key Art
Image Credit – Hello Games

No Man’s Sky is a 2016 space exploration and survival game that offers an infinity of procedurally generated planets to live on. To survive, you must craft your own tools and build a safe place to live.

The critically acclaimed survival game comes to Nintendo Switch this summer.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

Mario Strikers: Battle League Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Mario Strikers: Battle League: Did you ever play Mario Hoops 3-on-3? If you did, this 5v5 football-like game may bring back some memories from those days. Like a football match, the objective is to win games by scoring more goals than the other team. To help you do so, use items, power-ups and your brain to dominate the field.

The game is set for release on June 10, but you can preorder it today on the Nintendo eShop.

Splatoon 3

Nintendo Switch Splatoon 3 screenshot
Image Credit – Nintendo

Splatoon 3 is the next game in the Splatoon series. Fight against fish mobs and fishy bosses in this third-person shooter game. You can play with your friends in the co-op mode and fight against a giant Salmonid while enjoying the return of the survival mode from the previous game. The game is set to be released this summer.

Front Mission 1st: Remake/ Front Mission 2: Remake

Front Mission Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Front Mission 1st: Remake/ Front Mission 2: Remake is a tactical RPG featuring Mecha called Wanzers. Mix and match weapons to customise your own mechas, and aim for enemy parts to destroy hostile Wanzers. The first remake launches on Nintendo Switch this summer with the second coming at a later date.

Disney Speedstorm

Nintendo Switch Disney SpNintendo Switch Disney SpeedStorm Screenshot
Image Credit – Disney

Disney Speedstorm is a Disney/Pixar racing game reminiscent of Mario Kart. Test your racing skills against other players around the world with the online multiplayer mode.

The game is set for release this summer and will be completely free.

Star Wars: Force Unleashed

Star Wars Force Unleashed Key Art
Image Credit – Aspyr

Hunt down Jedi masters as Darth Vader’s secret apprentice and duel against your friends locally. Star Wars: Force Unleashed takes place in between the third and fourth films.

The game launches on Nintendo Switch on April 20, but you can preorder it today on the Nintendo eShop.

Assassin’s Creed The Ezio collection

Assassin's Creed Ezio Collection
Image Credit – Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed The Ezio collection follows the story of the legendary assassin, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. The collection includes the three Assassin’s Creed games featuring Ezio and two bonus short films.

The collection launches on Nintendo Switch on February 17.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance

SD Gundam Battle Alliance Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Pilot your mechas in this iconic universe and investigate the strange breaks that could put all of the world in peril. Save the Gundam Universe with the help of your three Mobile Suits and restore the timeline. You can also battle with your friends in online CO-OP multiplayer mode.

The game launches on Nintendo Switch in 2022.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition

Nintendo Switch Chrono Cross Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a remaster of the classic Chrono Cross RPG. As the main character tries to resolve the mystery of a parallel world, meet over 40 characters who can join your party and reach different endings. The remaster brings some improvements to the original such as turning off enemy encounters and an enhanced soundtrack.

The game launches on April 7, 2022, on Nintendo Switch, but you can pre-order it today on the Nintendo eShop.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a 3D platforming adventure and the latest entry in the Kirby franchise. Rescue kidnapped waddle dees in a world in between civilization and nature. Experience Kirby’s Mouthful Mode by inhaling new objects like cars and refrigerators. Rescue waddle dees to grow the waddle dee town and become more powerful by buying improvements from the town’s shop. Fight against the new enemies to restore peace to this new world.

The game launches on March 25, 2022, on Nintendo Switch, but you can preorder it now on the Nintendo eShop.

MLB the Show 22

MLB The Show 22 Nintendo Switch
Image Credit – Sony Interactive Entertainment

MLB The Show 22 is the classic baseball video game franchise. Hit a home run against your friends online across consoles and try the online card-collecting mode.

The game receives its Nintendo Switch launch on April 5, 2022.

Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece for Cloud

Nintendo Switch KINGDOMHEARTS 2.8 Screenshot
Image Credit – Square Enix/Disney

Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece for Cloud comprises three collections including the first Kingdom Hearts game to Kingdom Hearts III and the Re Mind DLC.

All three collections will be available on Nintendo Switch starting February 10, and each collection will also be individually purchasable on the Nintendo eShop. 

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series: Klonoa: Door to Phantomile / Klonoa 2: Lunat

Nintendo Switch Klonoa
Image Credit – Bandai Namco

Fly and shoot bullets at your enemies in this side scroller. The series including both games launches on Nintendo Switch on July 8, 2022.

Portal: Companion collection

Nintendo Switch Portal Collection
Image Credit – Nintendo

Survive imprisonment in a mysterious lab with fun portal guns. Furthermore, this sequel adds local, online and multiplayer modes. The game launches sometime this year.

Live A Live

Nintendo Switch Liv A Live screenshot
Image Credit – Nintendo

Live A Live is a previously unreleased RPG outside of Japan. The story follows different characters throughout history from antiquity to the distant future. The Switch version will support HD-2D graphics.

The game launches on Nintendo Switch on July 22, but you preorder today.

Current Game Updates

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Pass
Image Credit – Nintendo

Several current Nintendo games are due for updates and the Direct announced two of them.

  • Cuphead: Delicious Last Course welcomes a new playable character, Ms. Chalice, on June 30.
  • Metroid Dread adds a new Dread mode difficulty for veterans and a new Rookie mode difficulty for beginners. This free update launches today.
  • Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass is remastering several courses that will be sold as DLCs. This pass includes some popular courses from past Mario Kart games such as Coconut Mall and Choco Mountain. A total of 48 courses will be released in six waves with eight courses per wave. The pass can be preordered today for US$24.99 and will be released on March 18, 2022. Players who become members of the Expansion pack will receive the pass for free.

More Announcements

Nintendo Switch Sports

Nintendo Switch Sports
Image Credit – Nintendo

Any Nintendo fan who owned a Wii in the past certainly has some memory of playing Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resorts with friends and family. The legendary game returns with tennis, bowling, chambara (sword fighting), soccer, badminton and volleyball. The game supports local play and online play, where winners will face increasingly stronger players. An update in the Fall adds golf as a playable sport. An online playtest before launch will take place from February 18-20, but will only be available for active Switch players with online membership.

The game receives its full release on Nintendo Switch on April 29, 2022, and pre-orders begin today on the eShop.

Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

Become a drumming master in this notoriously difficult rhythm game. Prove your skills on 76 songs, including the original Legend of Zelda OST orchestra version.

The game launches on Nintendo Switch later this year.

Triangle Strategy

triangle-strategy Nintendo Switch
Image Credit – Square Enix

Triangle Strategy is a brand new RPG. In this new universe, you may navigate a conflict among three nations. The prologue demo includes Chapters 1 to 3 and will be available today. Saved progress on the demo can be transferred to the full game upon launch. You can check out our review of the demo here.

The full game launches for Nintendo Switch on March 4, 2022.

Earthbound / Earthbound New Beginning

Nintendo Switch Earthbound
Image Credit – Nintendo

Fulfil the prophecy with the help of Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo in this classic retro Nintendo RPG. Both games will be added to Nintendo Switch Online today.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 In-game Screenshot
Image Credit – Nintendo

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was, arguably, the last announcement of the Direct. The highly anticipated sequel to the Xenoblade Chronicles saga finally received its day in the spotlight.

The open-world action RPG follows the story of its two predecessors and is set to be released in September 2022.

Quick-Fire Round

As usual, the Direct also included a montage that showed a glimpse of several games Nintendo wishes to promote.

  • GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon
  • Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles
  • Lego Brawls
  • Two Point Campus
  • Zombie Army 4
Demon Slayer Key Art
Image Credit – Nintendo

What Do You Think?

This Nintendo Direct undoubtedly contained a lot of major announcements. However, not every announcement would make every Nintendo fan happy, which is impossible to do anyways. There will always be anticipated games unannounced and game teasers that no one asked for. How did this Direct make you feel? Let us know in the comments below. You can check out the full event here.