After weeks of waiting for any announcement from Nintendo, we finally got the first Nintendo Direct of 2024! This time, it was a partner showcase, which means the Direct focused on games developed by third-party developers, not Nintendo. It was also announced beforehand that these games would all be released this year, which is always exciting to hear. Even though we didn’t get any major announcements related to Nintendo’s big franchises, there were still some surprises to get you excited.
Rumours have been circulating for the past few weeks about Xbox-exclusive games coming to other consoles, and this Direct confirmed that this was indeed true (although not to the extent some people were saying). The survival game Grounded, developed by Obsidian, will be the first Xbox exclusive to make its way to another console (in this case, the Switch). I was intrigued by the concept of this game when it was first shown off in 2020, but I never got around to playing it. Maybe I’ll dive headfirst into this small world with this new Switch version.
The other big news related to Xbox and Nintendo being besties was the reveal that several games from Rare’s catalogue will make their way to Nintendo Switch Online. These games include classics like Killer Instinct and Battletoads in Battlemaniacs. It’s always a nice surprise when Rare games show up on a Nintendo system again, and hopefully, there will be more to come.
Something I like about Nintendo Directs is that, for the most part, they have something for everyone. This Direct was no exception, with a wide variety of games revealed for almost every genre. If you’re a fan of Suika Game (I mean, who isn’t at this point), you’ll be excited to learn that a multiplayer DLC was announced and is available right now. What’s the worst that could happen, combining one of the most stressfully addictive games of all time with the competitiveness of multiplayer? No friendships will be broken (surely).
If you’re a fan of RPGs, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is for you. This updated version of Shin Megami Tensei V has quality-of-life improvements and a whole other story. This means there’s even more RPG goodness to experience. And if you just want to roll around in a ball collecting bananas, the newly announced Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is right up your alley. It’s great seeing SEGA make games that aren’t Sonic from time to time, and I’m so excited to jump back into some Monkey Ball fun.
Remakes and remasters had a lot of the spotlight during this Direct, but I’m not complaining in the slightest. Especially because we’re getting the original Star Wars: Battlefront games on the Switch! The Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection is bringing the original two games to modern consoles, and I can barely contain my excitement. I grew up playing Battlefront 2, and I loved the massive scale of the battles, piloting my favourite vehicles and cutting down those battle droids with a lightsaber. And they’re even adding new content to the games, such as Asajj Ventress into Battlefront 2 (just in time for The Bad Batch).
Besides Star Wars, Disney will be re-releasing one of its classics from the Wii era, Epic Mickey. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a remake of the 2010 game, and it looks incredible. Everything has been given a facelift, with new visuals, cutscenes, and wholly redone animations. I’m looking forward to the massive hit of nostalgia. Monster Hunter Stories is another game that is getting a second life on the Switch. Having played the sequel, I always wanted to go back and play the original Monster Hunter bonding simulator. Now I can with updated visuals, full voice acting, and new features that were previously only available in Japan.
These were my highlights from the Direct, and I barely scratched the surface of what they showed off. This Nintendo Direct had a lot of variety, and 2024 is already shaping up to be a good year for Nintendo. You can check out the full Direct below and keep it locked to Couch Soup for more Nintendo coverage for your hungry nerd soul.
Did you watch the Nintendo Direct? What did you think? What are you excited for? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about why Battlefront 2 is the best game ever.
