Games

Published on February 10th, 2022 | by Adrian Gunning

NINTENDO SWITCH SPORTS, MAJOR MARIO KART 8 DELUXE PAID DLC AND XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3 COMING TO NINTENDO SWITCH IN 2022

The future for Nintendo Switch players in 2022 and beyond holds so many possibilities! In the latest Nintendo Direct video presentation, Nintendo announced a diverse lineup of new games and content arriving for Nintendo Switch throughout this year. Nintendo also shared new details about previously announced games, including when players will be able to get their hands on them.

The Nintendo Direct featured footage and info about the next games in franchises like Xenoblade Chronicles 3; Nintendo Switch Sports, a new iteration of the Wii Sports series with online play*; Mario Strikers: Battle League Football, and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.

There was also news about the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, featuring the addition of 48 remastered courses to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from throughout the Mario Kart series, accessed as paid DLC** or at no additional cost with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. Plus, details were shown about the next wave of co-op mode Salmon Run in Splatoon 3, along with the announcement of its winter launch window. The RPGs EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings were also announced as coming to Nintendo Switch Online shortly after the presentation.

In addition, the presentation highlighted many games from Nintendo’s global publishing and development partners, including MLB The Show 22 on Nintendo Switch, a pair of reality-warping puzzle-platform games in the Portal: Companion Collection, and the high-octane free-to-play Disney and Pixar combat racer Disney Speedstorm. The presentation also featured a number of remakes and remasters of classic games from SQUARE ENIX, like CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION, FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake and FRONT MISSION 2: Remake, and, releasing for the first time outside of Japan, LIVE A LIVE!

To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit Nintendo Australia’s Nintendo Direct website.

Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

• Nintendo Switch Sports: Swing, kick and spike your way to victory with a collection of sports that puts you right into the action! Play together in person*** or online* with family and friends, or challenge friendly competitors near and far in the new iteration of the classic Wii Sports series. Competing in six sports using Joy-Con controllers, including Football (Soccer), Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton and Chambara (Swordplay), players will turn their real-world actions into in-game movements****. Players can even use a Joy-Con with the Leg Strap accessory included with the physical version to kick the ball in a Football Shoot-Out. Plus, a seventh sport is planned to be added via a free update this spring – get ready to Golf! Get active and get into the game when Nintendo Switch Sports launches on 29^th April. Pre-orders begin shortly after the presentation in Nintendo eShop. An online play test will also be available for Nintendo Switch Online members on 19^th and 20^th February. Visit the Nintendo Switch Sports website for more details.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass: A total of 48 remastered courses from across the Mario Kart series will be coming to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as paid downloadable content. Eight courses will be released at a time over six waves by the end of 2023, which can all be played locally** or online*. You can enjoy the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass by purchasing it on its own for AU$37.50 / NZ$41.25 or gain access at no additional cost with a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. Courses such as Wii Coconut Mall, N64 Choco Mountain, Tour Tokyo Blur and more will be included in the first wave.***** The first wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass will launch on 18^th March. Pre-orders for the DLC begin shortly after the presentation. Players who don’t yet own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and are interested in joining the racing fun can purchase the game on sale for 33% off on Nintendo eShop in Australia and New Zealand until 20^th February 2022, 11:59pm AEDT.
• Xenoblade Chronicles 3: A vast world awaits in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the next game in the acclaimed RPG series from developer MONOLITHSOFT. Players will step into the roles of protagonists Noah and Mio amid turmoil between the hostile nations of Keves and Agnus. Six characters hailing from those nations will take part in a grand tale with “life” as its central theme. Explore a new world that will connect the futures of both Xenoblade Chronicles and Xenoblade Chronicles 2, launching for Nintendo Switch in September 2022.
• Mario Strikers: Battle League Football: Prepare for Strike, a five-on-five football (soccer)-like sport with no rules – do whatever it takes to win! Up to eight players – four on each team – can compete against each other on one Nintendo Switch console.*** In addition to individual matches, online* play will let 20 players join up and compete to become the world’s top club. Mario Strikers: Battle League Football launches for Nintendo Switch on 10^th June. Pre-orders in Nintendo eShop begin shortly after the presentation.
• MLB The Show 22: For the first time ever, the MLB The Show series is coming to Nintendo Switch. In MLB The Show 22, players can experience modes like the fan-favourite RPG mode Road to the Show and online card-collecting mode Diamond Dynasty at home or on the go. Face your friends with cross-platform play*, and with cross progression, continue your progress and earn and use content on other console platforms where MLB The Show 22 is available. MLB The Show 22 launches for Nintendo Switch on 5^th April. Pre-orders in Nintendo eShop begin shortly after the presentation.
• CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION: A remaster of the acclaimed RPG CHRONO CROSS is coming to Nintendo Switch. A number of enhancements have been made to this RPG classic, like the ability to turn off enemy encounters and a newly refined soundtrack. Plus, RADICAL DREAMERS is included. Experience the origins of CHRONO CROSS in this text-based adventure. Two worlds cross when CHRONO CROSS: THE RADICAL DREAMERS EDITION dashes and slashes its way onto Nintendo Switch on 7^th April. Pre-orders in Nintendo eShop begin shortly after the presentation.
• Portal: Companion Collection: In the award-winning games Portal and Portal 2 from Valve Software, the Portal Gun is your key to surviving imprisonment in a mysterious lab. Create portals and warp to other areas and possibly find… cake? You can pass through portals – and so can cubes, lasers and robots with unnerving levels of personality. Portal 2 adds in local***, online* and split-screen multiplayer*** modes. You’re in for a puzzling treat when Portal: Companion Collection warps onto Nintendo Switch in 2022.
• Splatoon 3: A new trailer showed off the next wave of the Salmon Run co-op mode in Splatoon 3, which will include fresh new features. A giant Salmonid, one that’s never been seen before, can also be spotted at the end of the trailer. Will the Inklings and Octolings ink or swim? Find out when Splatoon 3 launches on Nintendo Switch this winter.
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land: A new trailer for Kirby’s latest 3D platforming adventure introduced Mouthful Mode. With Mouthful Mode, Kirby can inhale objects and transform into them. To name just a few examples, he can turn into a car and zoom around, become a vending machine and attack with juice cans… or he can even take on the form of a piercing cone. If Kirby evolves his copy abilities at Waddle Dee’s Weapons Shop, which is located in Waddle Dee Town, his appearance will change and he’ll become even more powerful. Can Kirby rescue the Waddle Dees and restore peace to this mysterious world? Find out when Kirby and the Forgotten Land launches for Nintendo Switch on 25^th March.
• Disney Speedstorm: From the creators of the Asphalt series comes rip-roaring racing action with a legendary roster of characters and high-speed Disney and Pixar-inspired racetracks. Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play game with new seasons added regularly, bringing more exciting Disney and Pixar characters, circuits and karts. Plus, enjoy cross-platform play, as well as split screen*** and online* multiplayer modes. Disney Speedstorm races onto Nintendo Switch this winter.
• No Man’s Sky: Explore an infinite universe where every star is the light of a distant sun, each orbited by planets filled with life, and you can go to any of them you choose. Build anything from small outposts to complex multi-planet colonies. Scavenge for resources, recruit allies and fight to survive. This infinite, procedurally generated universe has unique places, creatures and more for you to discover. No Man’s Sky lands on Nintendo Switch this winter.
• EarthBound / EarthBound Beginnings: Join Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo in their quest to fulfill an age-old prophecy to stop the wicked Giygas (and maybe catch a Runaway Five concert along the way) in the Super NES game EarthBound. In addition, travel back to 198X for EarthBound Beginnings, a localised version of the original Famicom Mother game. Both EarthBound and EarthBound Beginnings are coming to Nintendo Switch Online shortly after the presentation.
• Metroid Dread Update: A free update launches shortly after the presentation for Metroid Dread. Getting hit even once causes a game over in the brutal Dread Mode difficulty. And if you’re new to the Metroid series, take advantage of increased recovery with the newly added Rookie Mode difficulty. A second free update in April will add a Boss Rush mode, in which you’ll battle bosses continuously, one at a time.
• Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp: New intel has arrived from the frontlines! Advise a memorable cast of Commanding Officers, now voiced, through two wild and charming Campaigns. You’ll encounter unique characters and diverse terrain, requiring you to develop strategies to succeed in battle. Beyond the campaigns of Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising, go for high scores in the War Room, create and share custom maps in the Design Room, and battle friends and frenemies in Local and Online Multiplayer*. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp marches onto Nintendo Switch on 8^th April.
• STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed: Unleash the power of the Force in this classic Star Wars action-adventure. As Darth Vader’s Secret Apprentice, you’ll use devastating Force powers and lightsaber combos as you hunt down Jedi Masters on familiar planets. Use button controls, or opt for motion controls****, enhanced from the original Wii version. You can also duel locally with a friend to determine who is the galaxy’s most powerful Jedi. STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed launches on Nintendo Switch on 20^th April. Pre-orders begin today in Nintendo eShop.
• Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection: The complete saga of legendary assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze awaits in three acclaimed Assassin’s Creed games. Explore Renaissance Italy and 16^th-century Constantinople, interact with historical figures and discover secrets of the Creed across three games, two bonus short films and DLC. Plus, take advantage of enhanced features for the Nintendo Switch version on the go, including touch-screen controls, HD rumble and optimised on-screen display. Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection launches on Nintendo Switch on 17^th February. Pre-orders in Nintendo eShop begin shortly after the presentation.
• Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course: Another helping of Cuphead action awaits in the paid DLC Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course! This time around, Cuphead and Mugman are joined by Ms. Chalice for a rollicking adventure, where you’ll explore the new Inkwell Isle and use some of Ms. Chalice’s new moves like double jumps and rolling dodges. Defeat a bevy of new bosses with their own distinct personalities, not to mention wild and monstrous attacks. Cuphead – The Delicious Last Course wallops its way onto Nintendo Switch on 30^th June.
• Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival: Drum to 76 boppin’ beats, including an orchestral version of the main theme from The Legend of Zelda, as well as “Gurenge,” “Feel Special” and “Racing into the Night”. Face off against each other in the new mode, Great Drum Toy War, or put on a live concert with friends in DON-chan Band. Plus, a paid in-game subscription service that gives you access to over 500 songs will be available at launch. Drum to your heart’s content when Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival launches on Nintendo Switch in 2022.
• Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes: Join Fire Emblem: Three Houses characters as you engage in massive battles across a war-torn Fódlan. Edelgard, Dimitri, Claude and other Fire Emblem: Three Houses characters return to put their combat expertise on display. Unleash devastating combos and stunning special moves in action-packed, real-time combat. Cut through hordes of enemies as characters from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Take down dozens of foes with Edelgard’s axe or Dimitri’s lance, or blast enemies from a distance with Claude’s bow. Slash, swing and spear your way to a brighter future for Fódlan. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes launches for Nintendo Switch on 24^th June. A Limited Edition for Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will release on the same day, including an artbook, a tapestry map of Fódlan, a set of five acrylic figurines and a character postcard set, as well as the game card.
• LIVE A LIVE: Previously unreleased outside of Japan, the RPG game LIVE A LIVE is releasing on Nintendo Switch in the HD-2D style! Seven different stories featuring different protagonists, time periods and gameplay styles await. In the Wild West, a wanderer with a bounty on his head fights for his life; In the Twilight of Edo Japan, a shinobi undertakes a secret mission. Experience these tales in any order you choose – the adventure is yours to control. A journey of discovery awaits you when LIVE A LIVE launches for Nintendo Switch on 22^nd July. Pre-orders in Nintendo eShop begin shortly after the presentation.
• TRIANGLE STRATEGY: The tactical RPG TRIANGLE STRATEGY is almost here, and a new demo that lets you play from Chapter 1 to the end of Chapter 3 will be available in Nintendo eShop shortly after the presentation. Save data from the demo can be transferred to the full game once purchased. The protagonist Serenoa and his allies will be engulfed in the conflict among the three nations. Your choices and conviction will determine their fate when TRIANGLE STRATEGY launches for Nintendo Switch on 4^th March.
• FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake / FRONT MISSION 2: Remake: A full remake of the first FRONT MISSION game is storming onto Nintendo Switch. In this tactical RPG, you’ll pilot weaponised machines called Wanzers and lead your battalion to victory. Gain the upper hand in battle by aiming for enemy parts to destroy and uncover the great storyline of this classic game. Prepare for battle when FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake launches on Nintendo Switch this winter. The sequel FRONT MISSION 2: Remake will also launch on Nintendo Switch in the future
• Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series: Klonoa: Door to Phantomile and Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil are coming to Nintendo Switch! Run, jump and hover while firing Wind Bullets to grab and throw enemies across dreamy side-scrolling levels, using each level’s surroundings to your advantage. Take on great adventures when Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series launches on Nintendo Switch on 8^th July.
• GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon: Death is not the end: Defeat infernal foes until you die and carry on the fight with your eternal soul and memories in a new body. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon combines intense Ukiyo-e style roguelike action with a stunning dark fantasy world, brought to life through traditional Japanese art. While death is not the end, the world of Hell lives and breathes, presenting new layouts and challenges to overcome with each attempt. GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon launches for Nintendo Switch shortly after the presentation.
• SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE: Strange incidents called Breaks are occurring across the GUNDAM universe. Find out what’s causing them and restore the proper timeline in SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE. You’ll lead three Mobile Suits in dynamic action-RPG battles, with the ability to enhance each suit with Parts to improve their power. You can also battle alongside friends in online co-op multiplayer*. SD GUNDAM BATTLE ALLIANCE launches on Nintendo Switch in 2022.

The Nintendo Direct presentation also featured a montage of upcoming Nintendo Switch games, including LEGO Brawls, a fast-paced LEGO take on multiplayer*** platforming launching this winter; Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles, an exhilarating arena fighter launching on 10^th June; Two Point Campus, the campus-building simulation launching on 17^th May game with a full courseload of joie de vivre; and Zombie Army 4: Dead War, a pulse-pounding sequel in the ultimate undead action series launching for Nintendo Switch on 26^th April.

About the Author

Adrian Gunning Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.

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