Third-party developers took centre stage during Nintendo’s “Partner Showcase” Direct overnight. Most of the games shown were ports of existing titles on other platforms or previously announced projects, but there was a fair bit of quality on show.
The handful of new games revealed look impressive, adding to the growing library of Switch 2 games on the horizon. Rather than just show you everything that was announced, which you can find anywhere — like on the excellent Nintendo news site Vooks — I wanted to highlight several that will consume my waking hours in the coming months.
From Zelda spin-offs to a new Monster Hunter entry, these are the eight games I’m most excited to play from last night’s Nintendo Direct.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Hyrule Warriors is a severely underrated Zelda spin-off. What if you could lead massive armies against the forces of evil in Hyrule? That’s precisely what you do in Hyrule Warriors, so I’m definitely looking forward to Age of Imprisonment.
Zelda fans will be pleased to know that this entry is a canonical telling of the events leading into Tears of the Kingdom. A lot of stuff happens in these games that’s not always depicted on-screen, so it’s cool to see new bits of information come to light.
It got a new trailer in the latest Nintendo Direct, but no release date yet, other than “spring”. Which makes me wonder if Nintendo also has an update planned for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. It launched on the original Switch and struggled to run smoothly on the older hardware. I get the feeling it’d be much better on the Switch 2.
Oh, and a heads-up for anyone searching for further information: don’t just search “Age of Imprisonment”. The first result I got was a Wikipedia article about the age of criminal responsibility in Australia.
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
Final Fantasy Tactics was a big hit among my friends growing up, particularly the Game Boy Advance entry. It’s a smart strategy series that borrows a lot of the good high fantasy stuff from the main series, wrapping it in a fun tactical package.
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is a new version of the 1997 PlayStation One original, and I’m very excited that people who missed out the first time can enjoy it with a fresh coat of paint. It’s coming to both Switch and Switch 2 on 30 September.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
A gentler entry into the complex Monster Hunter series, the Stories spin-offs take on a more Pokémon-like approach. Instead of real-time combat, the series is turn-based, letting you take your time when battling huge monsters.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection looks like it’ll be right at home on Switch 2 for people like me who prefer a slower approach to their monster hunting. It’s out sometime in 2026.
Madden NFL 26
It’s been a long time since Madden featured on a Nintendo console. If my research (a quick scan of Wikipedia) is correct, Madden 13 on the ill-fated Wii U was the last, all the way back in 2012.
My first Madden game was Madden 08 on the Wii, so I’ve got a soft spot for Nintendo versions of the annual NFL sports sim. This year, Madden NFL 26 has two major drawcards for me: the return of the series on Nintendo, and its cover athlete. Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley graces this year’s cover, so I’m grabbing a copy and Tush Pushing my way to victory.
If you want to join me, Madden NFL 2 hurdles onto Nintendo Switch 2 on 14 August.
Yakuza Kiwami 1 & 2
Whenever a Yakuza game takes to the screen, I’m there. Yakuza Kiwami 1 and 2, remakes of the series’ first two games, have been around for a while, but the allure of playing them on the Switch 2 is strong. And yes, I’m aware that these are technically two games, but I’m counting them as one for the purposes of this article.
For the uninitiated, the Yakuza series follows the stoic yet sensitive Kazuma Kiryu, who navigates Japan’s criminal underworld and its many back-stabbing factions while protecting those he loves. It’s incredibly earnest and melodramatic, with some of the best mini-games and side-quests in all of gaming.
You can play both games on Switch 2 when they come out on 13 November.
Octopath Traveller 0
Square Enix’s gorgeous pixel art games tell some ripping stories, which is exactly what I’m expecting from Octopath Traveller 0. Unlike the rest of the series, you create your own protagonist while accumulating a hearty roster of companions.
There’s a cool-looking settlement builder element that tasks you with rebuilding your hometown after it’s been razed to the ground. It looks like the moreish combat of previous Octopath games returns, too — no point fixing what ain’t broke.
Octopath Traveller 0 comes to both Switch and Switch 2 on 4 December.
Persona 3 Reload
I never got around to finishing Persona 3 Reload when it debuted on Xbox Game Pass last year. A remake of the 2006 JRPG, Reload modernised the game for those who jumped on the Persona bandwagon with Persona 5 — which was my entry point.
It’s a game begging to be played on a portable device, which is exactly what I’ll do when Persona 3 Reload hits the Nintendo Switch 2 on 23 October.
Star Wars Outlaws
I liked Star Wars Outlaws a lot when it came out last year. Not everyone shared the same sentiment, but that’s okay, variety is the spice of life and all that. It’s had a lot of updates since, including some additional content, so I think Outlaws deserves a second look.
At the time, I really appreciated how authentic Outlaws felt to the Star Wars Universe, and while it was expansive, it wasn’t unnecessarily bloated by modern open-world standards. Plus, Nix, your fuzzy little companion, is utterly adorable.
I’m keen to see how Star Wars Outlaws runs on the Switch 2’s handheld mode when it drops on 4 September.
The post 8 games from the Nintendo Direct I’m keen to play on Switch 2 appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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