Nintendo Direct recap: Metroid, Mario Party, Legend of Zelda and lots more

With the Switch into the final year of its life, most people could be forgiven for expecting that the last Nintendo Direct solely focused on the system might be a little anticlimactic. Maybe some HD remakes, and a lower-tier franchise to round things out?

Not at all, as it turns out. Instead, Nintendo decided to roll out the heavy hitters, showing new games for The Legend of Zelda, Mario Party, Mario + Luigi, and Metroid Prime 4. It was a packed 40+ minutes, featuring, among others:

• a first look at the new Metroid game, now called Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. It’s due out in 2025 — which suggests we might have a good idea of the game that marks the end of the Switch’s big releases and the first big game on the Switch’s successor.
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which will allow you to play as Zelda. She’ll be on a quest to rescue Link and all of Hyrule, and the game arrives on the Switch September 26 — alongside a new gold-colored Nintendo Switch Lite Hyrule Edition!
• Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the latest in the Mario + Luigi series, which finds the brothers sailing into a new world and encountering familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom. This arrives on the Switch November 7.
• Super Mario Party Jamboree, which will feature five new game boards on an island resort. The game will also feature two returning boards, with 110 minigames in total. Jamboree arrives on the Switch October 17.

It wasn’t just first-party games featured in the Direct, either. We’re also getting:

• HD-2D remakes of the first three Dragon Quest games
• a Marvel vs Capcom collection that features seven games
• The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-, the latest game from the creator of the Danganronpa series,
• acclaimed indie hit Stray

And that’s without even mentioning the various game updates and trailers for multi-platform games that rounded out the Direct. Watch the whole thing below, and then read on for the full list of announcements!

The newest Nintendo Direct presentation featured a broad variety of games coming to the Nintendo Switch system in 2024 and beyond, including the first look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, as well as new information regarding games from Nintendo’s development and publishing partners.

The trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond offered a first glimpse of gameplay from Samus Aran’s newest mission, coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025. The newly revealed The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom arrives on Nintendo Switch on Sept. 26, 2024, where players will play as the noble princess of Hyrule, Zelda.  A Nintendo Switch Lite inspired by The Legend of Zelda series will also be available at launch.

Nintendo also revealed Mario & Luigi: Brothership, a brand-new, seafaring entry in the RPG adventure series starring the Mario Bros., launching Nov. 7, 2024; Super Mario Party Jamboree, where you’re invited to join Mario and friends for the biggest Mario Party yet on an enormous island resort, launching Oct. 17, 2024; and the return of the Kong – Donkey Kong, that is – was heralded with the announcement of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, featuring HD visuals and the additional levels from the Nintendo 3DS version, launching Jan. 16, 2025.

A multitude of games from Nintendo’s global publishing and development partners were also featured, including DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake, an epic fantasy adventure that expands and enhances the original RPG classic, launching Nov. 14, 2024; LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES, an action-packed romp with machine-hunter Aloy and friends set in the world of Horizon, faithfully recreated in LEGO bricks and launching this holiday; and MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics puts up its dukes for a superhero-sized showdown across seven classic arcade games when it launches this year.

To view the Nintendo Direct presentation in its entirety, visit https://www.nintendo.com/us/nintendo-direct/06-18-2024/. Check out below for more information about the featured games:

• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom: It’s up to Zelda and her wisdom to save the kingdom of Hyrule in a brand-new story in The Legend of Zelda series. The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts that have appeared, with a certain swordsman among the missing. Team up with the mysterious fairy, Tri, and use the power of the Tri Rod to create echoes – imitations of things found in the environment. Then recreate those echoes whenever you like to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use echoes of water blocks to reach new heights, make bridges out of old beds, throw rocks at foes – or find your own creative combination of echoes to do things your way. You can even create echoes of monsters to fight at your side in combat. Join Zelda in her quest to rescue Hyrule when The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom launches for Nintendo Switch on Sept. 26.
• Additionally, a gold-colored Nintendo Switch Lite Hyrule Edition system adorned with the Hylian Crest and inspired by the Legend of Zelda series arrives on Sept. 26 as well. Players can enjoy access to a range of classic the Legend of Zelda titles from the NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Advance with the included 12-month individual Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
• Mario & Luigi: Brothership: All aboard for an island-hopping RPG adventure starring Mario and Luigi! The brothers are back for a brand-new entry in the Mario & Luigi series, where they set sail on Shipshape Island (part ship, part island) to navigate the vast world of Concordia. Play as the mustachioed pair and explore islands that range from tropical rainforests to bustling cities. Along the way, meet new friends to help you on your journey and encounter familiar faces from the Mushroom Kingdom like Peach and Bowser. Keep the “Brothership” afloat and rely on Mario and Luigi’s bond to save the day by employing Bros. Moves to get past obstacles and powerful Bros. Attacks to claim victory in a dynamic twist on turn-based combat. Mario & Luigi: Brothership launches on Nintendo Switch Nov. 7.
• DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake: Experience the chronological beginning of the Erdrick Trilogy storyline in this remake of the original RPG classic, now with vibrant HD-2D visuals and an expanded narrative! Set out on an epic fantasy adventure as The Hero to save the world from the dark forces of the evil Archfiend, Baramos. Travel through a vast world full of towns, dungeons and caves to explore, meet a cast of lively characters and fight ferocious monsters in modernized turn-based battles. DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake launches on Nintendo Switch Nov. 14.
• Plus, DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake, an updated collection of two classic RPGs, is gearing up to round out the Erdrick Trilogy when it launches on Nintendo Switch next year.
• Super Mario Party Jamboree: Mario and friends are arriving on an enormous island resort for the latest entry in the Mario Party series! Explore five new game boards: ride the escalators in Rainbow Galleria, stay on track in Roll ’em Raceway and mix things up with an active volcano in Goomba Lagoon, just to name a few. Two boards from previous Mario Party games are making a return, too! In addition, over 110 minigames are available to play — the largest selection in the Mario Party series to date. Experience action-packed challenges, puzzles to test your wits and some minigames that feature motion controls. That’s not all — up to 20 players can go head-to-head in online** play in the Koopathlon mode. Try your best to come out on top! The biggest Mario Party yet will soon be underway when Super Mario Party Jamboree launches on Nintendo Switch Oct. 17.
• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD: Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are back for some ground-pounding action in this HD version of Donkey Kong Country Returns, originally released on the Wii system. The villainous Tiki Tak Tribe has stolen Donkey Kong’s precious banana hoard and the Kongs are barreling after them in pursuit! Play solo, or with a buddy in local two-player co-op in an adventure brimming with hijinks where you can stomp obstacles, send mine carts careening, fly high on rocket barrels and even hitch a ride on Rambi the Rhino. Experience 80 a-peel-ing levels, including the additional ones from the Nintendo 3DS version, when Donkey Kong Country Returns HD swings onto Nintendo Switch Jan. 16, 2025.
• LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES: Explore a LEGO world inspired by the events of Horizon – teeming with lush forests and tall mountains, and where colossal beast-like machines roam – all vibrantly recreated with LEGO elements. Join machine hunter Aloy as she leads a colorful crew of heroes on a quest to save the world and learn the secrets of her past. Dive into boundless adventure, customize to your heart’s content, and take on action-packed battles solo or with a friend locally*** and online**. LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES launches on Nintendo Switch this holiday season.
• Just Dance 2025 Edition: The next installment of the beloved music video game franchise is back with 40 hot new songs, from pop hits to family favorites. Review your best dancing moves, challenge your friends and family*** and get ready to let loose as you take the party to a whole new level, create special family moments and get moving while having fun. Just Dance 2025 Edition has something for everyone when it launches on Nintendo Switch this October.
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond: The galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter Samus Aran will embark on a new mission. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, a new entry in the Metroid Prime series, is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025.
• Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online: MATURE 17+: A new collection of MATURE 17+ Nintendo 64 games is on the way for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members**! Brave the dangerous Lost Land in Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, and end an alien conspiracy in the PERFECT DARK game developed by Rare — now with online multiplayer — as part of the new Nintendo 64 – Nintendo Switch Online: MATURE 17+ collection of games. Both games will be available later today.
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure: Embark on a cozy adventure with Hello Kitty and Friends when the hit game with beloved Sanrio characters comes to Nintendo Switch as a timed console exclusive! Explore and restore a mysterious island while befriending super cute and friendly faces including Hello Kitty, Kuromi, My Melody and Cinnamoroll! Learn what they love, adventure alongside them and eventually become best friends. Create your own character and team up with your friends to explore the massive world of Big Adventure Park as you Craft, Create and Collect to make your ultimate island paradise. Hello Kitty Island Adventure lands on Nintendo Switch next year.
• Stray: The critically acclaimed and award-winning cat adventure game, published by Annapurna Interactive and developed by BlueTwelve Studio, is coming to Nintendo Switch. Take on the role of a stray cat separated from its family and untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten cybercity. Roam areas high and low, neon-lit and murky, and explore this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures when Stray slinks its way onto Nintendo Switch this holiday.
• Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game: Welcome Home, Hobbit! In this cozy life sim, create your very own Hobbit and experience the idyllic life Tolkien envisioned in his books. Cultivate your own garden, reel in a big catch and forage for ingredients to cook up delicious meals for the residents of Bywater. Build relationships by solving the problems of your fellow furry-footed townsfolk. Express your individuality through various clothing options and meticulously outfit your home with furniture, decorations and more. Friendly Hobbits and familiar faces await your arrival when Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game launches on Nintendo Switch this holiday.
• Nintendo Switch Sports Basketball free update: Basketball is coming to Spocco Square in the Nintendo Switch Sports game as a free update! Use motion controls to sink as many baskets as you can within the time limit in the solo Three-Point Challenge. If you’re looking for friendly competition, then up to four players*** can compete locally in Five-Streak Battle or Three-Point Contest, and you can dribble, pass and score in two-on-two matches locally*** or online**. This free update for Nintendo Switch Sports dunks its way onto Nintendo Switch this summer.
• Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition: Bring the thrill of the Nintendo World Championships home! Tackle over 150 speedrunning challenges from across 13 NES games****, test your skills with Legend Challenges – like completing Super Mario Bros. from World 1-1 to World 8-4 the short way (with Warp Zones) – or race against the ghost data of players worldwide in Survival Mode. Stuck on one of the Legend Challenges? Check out Classified Information for tips and tricks to help you improve. Play solo, post your best time on the online leaderboards**, or invite friends and family for local gameplay of up to eight players*** on a single system. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition launches on Nintendo Switch July 18. Pre-orders for the digital version are available now on Nintendo eShop, and a Deluxe Set containing a physical version of the game and other bonus items will also be available at launch.
• Funko Fusion: Experience your favorite franchises from across TV, film, comics and games in Funko Fusion. Explore diverse and colorful worlds, solve puzzles and relive memorable moments from over 20 worlds of entertainment, including Jurassic World, Back to the Future, Shaun of the Dead, Chucky and Battlestar Galactica. Unlock and play with over 60 distinct characters in an action game filled with uniquely authentic, irreverent humor from the creative minds of 10:10 Games. A fandom festival awaits when Funko Fusion launches on Nintendo Switch Sept. 13
• MIO: Memories in Orbit: Play as MIO, a nimble android with extraordinary abilities, who awakens in the Vessel – a gigantic derelict spaceship teeming with lush vegetation and machines gone rogue. Explore a captivating universe, full of wonders and artistic curiosities, and earn abilities to help MIO progress through this twisted and interconnected space. Face off against a diverse array of more than 30 enemy units and 15 formidable guardian bosses while spicing up your fighting skills with Modifiers that transform MIO into a formidable force tailored to your playstyle. Will you rise to the challenge and save the Vessel from destruction? MIO: Memories in Orbit launches on Nintendo Switch next year.
• Disney Illusion Island: The Mystery in Monoth free update: The Mystery in Monoth free update is available today on Nintendo Switch! Curious clues are popping up across Monoth, and Dash Dolphin needs the help of Mickey and friends to find them. Play solo or grab up to three friends in four player couch co-op*** as you locate clues, close cases and solve this brand-new detective mystery in Disney Illusion Island.
• Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD: An adventure of spooky proportions is almost here! Summon your courage and explore multiple mansions filled with goofy ghosts, tricky traps and other supernatural shenanigans. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD launches on Nintendo Switch June 27. Pre-orders are available now on Nintendo eShop.
• Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Switch Online: Play two of Link’s classic adventures, including one with online multiplayer, in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Four Swords, and suit up for a remake of Samus’s first adventure in Metroid: Zero Mission. Both games will be available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack** members later today!
• Among Us free update: Gather your crew in Among Us, the global hit game of teamwork and betrayal, for a free update that features all new roles that add another layer of deception to the party. Play as a Noisemaker that alerts players when they are eliminated, a Tracker that can plant a tracking device on any player, or create some chaos as a Phantom – an Impostor role that can turn invisible. This new update for Among Us is available on Nintendo Switch today!
• Darkest Dungeon II: Form a party, board your stagecoach and set off across the decaying landscape on a last gasp quest to avert an apocalypse in this roguelike roadtrip of the damned. Choose from 12 playable heroes and journey across five campaigns, each featuring its own terrifying challenges to face. Play the game with touchscreen controls, customize your difficulty with thematic modifiers, discover 10 companion pets that confer various bonuses onto you and explore an extensive progression hub called The Altar of Hope. In addition to the base game, The Binding Blade DLC – featuring two new heroes, a special questline and more – will also be available as part of the Oblivion Edition. Darkest Dungeon II launches on Nintendo Switch July 15. Pre-orders begin later today on Nintendo eShop.
• Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports: Speed by as Roadrunner, overpower with brute force as Elmer Fudd, or outwit your opponents as Bugs Bunny and more in wacky sporting action. Control your favorite Looney Tunes character in this local co-op game for up to four players*** and play to their strengths across basketball, soccer, golf and tennis. Play iconic levels such as Galactic Outpost Delta, Porky’s Barn and Martian Command Center while avoiding cartoony obstacles and gaining power-ups to incite chaos against your friends and family. Unleash the full ACME arsenal and disrupt your opponents in the wildest ways possible to win it all … but watch out for falling anvils! Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports launches on Nintendo Switch this fall.
• METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED: METAL SLUG returns as a tower defense game with beginner-friendly controls and its signature 2D pixel look! Build the strongest team you can and crush enemy bases with a variety of strategies and hundreds of characters. The game also features the ANOTHER STORY mode (a unique collection of episodes that fans won’t want to miss), and a viewable GALLERY mode. Battle it out with players all over the world** and strive for the highest title when METAL SLUG ATTACK RELOADED launches on Nintendo Switch today!
• MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics: Seven beloved arcade classics, including X-MEN VS. STREET FIGHTER, MARVEL vs. CAPCOM 2 New Age of Heroes and more, are back to duke it out on Nintendo Switch! This collection features iconic characters and moves, along with added features and enhancements like online functionality**, training modes, custom matches, spectator features, museum, a music player, display filters and one-button special moves, just to name a few! Also included is the first ever U.S. re-release of the arcade version of the beat-’em-up game THE PUNISHER! MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics comes out swinging on Nintendo Switch this year.
• Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero: Set sail to save the day in this grid-less tactical turn-based challenge from the creators of the Disgaea series. Join Marona – a gifted young girl with the power to speak to Phantoms – and her loyal Phantom companion, Ash, as she traverses the ocean world of Ivoire, providing aid to those in need. When a fleet of ghost pirates attack, it’s up to Marona and her new friend Apricot to assemble the legendary crew that once defeated these spectral foes. Recruit Phantoms, bind them to objects, combine them with Gadgets, even merge them with Marona herself to unleash show-stopping abilities and sink the Shipwreck Fleet. With over 50 characters and 300 skills to master, prepare for an unforgettable journey when Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero sets sail onto Nintendo Switch next year!
• The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy-: Introducing a new game from the creators of the Danganronpa series! Takumi Sumino lived an unremarkable life until he was forced to transfer to the Last Defense Academy. His mission: Protect the school from mysterious enemies known as School Invaders for 100 days. As Takumi, delve into the enigmatic truth of the school alongside 15 of his companions, each looking to reclaim their lost everyday lives. Explore the school, prepare for battles with your friends and then engage the invading creatures in strategic RPG battles. The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- launches on Nintendo Switch early next year.
• Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven: The groundbreaking non-linear RPG Romancing SaGa 2 makes its triumphant return as a full remake, featuring English voiceovers, original and rearranged compositions by series composer Kenji Ito, and much more. Furious that mankind has forgotten their many sacrifices, the legendary Seven Heroes have returned as villains bent on revenge. Select your main character from several protagonists, defend your empire in strategic battles and experience a story that responds to your choices. Discover the definitive version of the classic RPG when Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven launches on Nintendo Switch Oct. 24.
• FANTASIAN Neo Dimension: The father of the FINAL FANTASY series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu return to deliver an original RPG story! Experience an enhanced version of FANTASIAN with brand new features including English and Japanese voice overs and an additional difficulty option. Assume the role of Leo as he journeys to recover his memories and solve the mystery of a strange mechanical infection destroying his world. Experience turn-based battles with a wealth of mechanics and strategic combat – including the ability to adjust a skill’s trajectory to target multiple foes at once or send enemies to a separate dimension to fight later – and explore a multi-dimensional universe set against a backdrop of over 150 charming hand-crafted dioramas. FANTASIAN launches on Nintendo Switch this winter.
• FAIRY TAIL 2: Experience the dramatic retelling of the “Alvarez Empire” arc – the final chapter of the beloved FAIRY TAIL story. Join Natsu and his friends in an epic, action RPG and engage in magic-filled battles in real-time combat. Enjoy the world of the FAIRY TAIL anime and play through the powerful ending to the original adventure from KOEI TECMO and GUST. FAIRY TAIL 2 launches on Nintendo Switch this winter.
• Ace Attorney Investigations Collection: Step into the shoes of Miles Edgeworth, the esteemed prosecutor famed for his relentless pursuit of justice, in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection. This remastered collection includes both Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and – in English for the first time – Ace Attorney Investigations 2: Prosecutor’s Gambit! Immerse yourself in a thrilling world full of captivating cases where you’ll scour crime scenes for incriminating evidence, interrogate suspicious suspects and untangle complex webs of deceit. Experience both games with HD graphics, newly added languages (including French and German), and fresh character models and artwork. Keep your Organizer handy: Ace Attorney Investigations Collection arrives on Nintendo Switch Sept. 6. Pre-orders are available now on Nintendo eShop.
• Farmagia: Hiro Mashima, creator of Rave Master and FAIRY TAIL, is teaming up with Marvelous to present a brand new adventure full of frantic monster combat and farming. A despotic overlord imposes an oppressive regime on the world’s inhabitants, and it’s up to you and your fellow Farmagia to stop him! Explore, battle, collect resources, grow and command an army of monsters and upgrade your skills. Gather your monsters and take a stand against the regime when Farmagia plants itself onto Nintendo Switch Nov. 1.
• THE NEW DENPA MEN: Scour radio waves for the DENPA MEN: small creatures that call these invisible signals their home. You can’t see them with the naked eye, but you can find them and catch them on the Nintendo Switch system! THE NEW DENPA MEN is a free-to-play RPG where you can collect these DENPA MEN for your party and adventure with them as your companions. In addition to the main adventure, there is plenty of fun to be had, like decorating your island, fishing, participating in limited-time events and playing against other players’ DENPA MEN. Catch THE NEW DENPA MEN when it launches on Nintendo Switch July 22.