Skyler Orton
Nintendo’s newest showcase dropped and it’s a weird one. Nintendo has always been offbeat but today’s announcements definitely threw me for a loop. I love constantly being surprised by the great things Nintendo has to offer. Here are the highlights, the good and the bad.
Mario’s 40th Anniversary
I can’t believe it’s the 40th anniversary already. Nintendo’s 35th anniversary celebrations sure don’t feel that far off. Nintendo had Mario announcements to spare with several new games and other projects. The biggest focus was on the Wii classic Super Mario Galaxy with the duology gaining updated switch ports. The remasters will launch early October so there’s plenty to look forward to. The 70$ price tag will definitely be controversial which will likely make the discourse around this game unbearable. Its especially notable to have the sequel as its exclusion from Mario 3D All-Stars was controversial The Super Mario Galaxy movie was announced which will follow up 2023’s film with the same cast. While not everyone was a fan I enjoyed the bulk of the movie for its colorful animation and magnificent score which are sure to make the sequel an enjoyable ride.
There were several new games announced as well such as Mario Tennis Fever following up 2018’s Mario Tennis Aces. It’s an exciting announcement but it can’t help but hurt a lifetime fan of Mario’s baseball games which hasn’t received a new entry since the Wii. We also received a trailer for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, a new 2D Yoshi game and a Switch 2 version of 2023’s Super Mario Wonder.
For me the weirdest part of these proceedings was the new merch announced alongside it. A physical version of Mario Galaxy’s Rosalina storybook is very exciting but a statue of Mario Wonder’s talking flower that talks around your house at random times is… weird. Overall it looks to be a good celebration of everything Mario with plenty for all fans to enjoy.
Virtual Boy on Switch Online
This is an announcement I never thought I would make but here we go. Virtual Boy games hit the platform starting February 17th 2026. All 14 games to ever release on the platform will roll out over time but they will require a special accessory to play. The Virtual Boy is one of Nintendo’s biggest flops so even acknowledging its existence is strange. Still I can’t help but be excited to play one of gaming’s biggest oddities.
Trailers for existing games
A lot of previously announced games got new trailers with release windows. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream was given a release window of Spring 2026. The new trailer shows off all of the new features that are sure to be a hit with fans of the original (like me).
Kirby Air Riders is getting Amiibos as well as a second direct livestream filled with new content. I thoroughly enjoyed the first direct so be sure to tune into this one once we get a confirmed date.
The biggest release date announcement for me is that Metroid Prime 4 is confirmed to be releasing December 4th of this year. I expected this game to be delayed further so it’s a nice surprise. The new trailer showed off Samus’ new motorbike that is sure to add gameplay variety to the game’s branching world.
Donkey Kong Bananza DLC
Despite only being out for a couple of months Donkey Kong Bananza is getting an expansion that drops today. This slightly annoys me since it was likely in development alongside the game and ready to release. It feels slightly scummy but if you loved your time with the base game like I did this is sure to appeal to you too since it looks like a fantastic addition. The new tropical setting is fun but I wish it let us explore New Donk City with DK since it felt like the one thing I was missing from the original.
Pokemon announcements
Pokemon had several new announcements in today’s direct. There was plenty of new footage for Pokemon Legends Z-A but the biggest announcement is that a paid dlc titled Mega Dimension is incoming as well. No release window is confirmed but I would predict early 2026. I have the same issues here as I do with the Donkey Kong one but the new Mega Raichu design announced alongside looks great.
A new Pokemon spinoff was also announced and we see more classic Nintendo weirdness here. Ditto is the star of the show here in new lifestyle game Pokemon Craftopia. You play as a Ditto who assumes human form and uses the abilities of neighboring Pokemon to build a farm and small town. It gives the vibes of cozy games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing which is great on its own. The unique gameplay aspects and charming art is sure to set it apart from the rest of the pack. I’m in love with this game’s world and I can’t wait until it releases sometime in 2026.
Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave
A new Fire Emblem game is coming sometime in 2026. This is easily my most anticipated game by far as the Fire Emblem series has quickly become a favorite of mine. It seems to follow up 2019’s Three Houses and is set in the world of Fodlan. While the familiar cast of the previous game wasn’t heavily featured in the trailer an older version of Sothis appeared at the end so I’m intrigued on how this game handles the original’s 4 separate endings.
The game itself looks great and looks like it uses the Switch 2’s full potential. The animated cutscenes were on a larger scale than the series has seen before and the graphics look great both in battle and while exploring the world. The gameplay will bring back many elements of Three Houses such as Divine Beasts and gambits which are some of my favorites in the series. Overall, I can’t wait for the new entry and encourage everyone to check out Three Houses to prepare for this newest entry.
What was your favorite announcement? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!
