Why Nintendo Announced So Much

The latest Nintendo Direct has just ended, and I’ve seen a number of people asking why Nintendo has announced so many new titles with the Switch 2 potentially less than 12 months away. A lot of amazing things were announced, so let’s highlight a few of the newer titles and then discuss why so much is happening in 2024.

Mario + Luigi – this is a fantastic series, although it has been left on a handheld system until now. I’ve always enjoyed playing as Mario and Luigi in these charming RPGs. They generally have great writing, and really lean into the partner combat, which takes that traditional turn-based combat and gives it a little extra flair. I’m not sure this series gets the love it deserves, but it really is VERY good. If you have access to the older titles, go and play them – I don’t think I’ve played one yet. That was disappointing!

Mario Party – Mario Party is a franchise that my family has always loved. We play a ton of this franchise, and if there is one game I know will get played a ton, it would be a brand new Mario Party. I am really excited about what we saw in the Nintendo Direct, but I’m most excited for the Wild West board from Mario Party 2 making a comeback. I’ve always felt that was one of the best boards, so to get it again is amazing!

The Legend of Zelda – This Zelda announcement actually surprised me. When I first started watching the trailer, I thought perhaps we were getting a Link Between World-esque experience, but it looks like this new game starring Princess Zelda is more like a puzzle game than an adventure game. I like that they are experimenting with something new with this game, and I wonder how it will land with longtime frans of the franchise.

So why does all this work on the Switch? It’s pretty obvious, if you ask me. It’s no secret that Nintendo is working on a new console, and that this console will likely be coming sometime in 2025. But the holiday season is still ahead of us, and from a financial standpoint, Nintendo needs to bleed every last dollar out of the Nintendo Switch life cycle. As a longtime Nintendo player and fan, I know that if any of these games were going to be blockbusters – like Metroid for example – that it would launch on both systems. These are great titles, for sure, but not ones that are worth relaunching on a new system as well (think Breath of the Wild).

I am excited about what is coming in 2024 to the Nintendo Switch – good job Nintendo. Except you forgot one thing – Donkey Kong 64 remake!