The upcoming Nintendo games lineup doesn’t have something to the scale of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but there’s still a lot to look forward to. RPG fans are excited over the remakes of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: A Thousand Year Door.
Meanwhile, those who like platformers can’t wait to jump into Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The Italian plumber is super busy, but there are still some hidden gems within this Mario mania.
Detective Pikachu Returns (October 6, 2023)
Just around the corner is Detective Pikachu Returns. It brings back the talking electric mouse and his partner Tim Goodman five years after the 3DS title. Ryme City is in trouble again, but the duo are on the case as they solve strange occurrences around the area. The trailer has teased the inclusion of legendary Pokemon (and my personal favorite) Mewtwo into the mix.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (October 20, 2023)
Two weeks later, we’ll be gallivanting around the Mushroom Kingdom in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It will be a new chapter in the 2D platforming partition of the franchise with a fresh look and new transformations.
You can turn into an elephant and utilize the Wonder Flowers. When Mario and his friends ingest them, you’ll see warp pipes bending strangely and you can turn into a spiky ball, wreaking havoc in the level. There will also be four-player co-op like the New Super Mario Bros. series.
It’s sad, however, that longtime Mario voice actor Charles Martinet is absent from the cast.
WarioWare: Move It! (November 3, 2023)
The Nintendo gravy train keeps on rolling into November 3 when WarioWare: Move It! releases on the Switch. In a similar style to the Wii iteration, players follow over 200 bizarre mini-games in quick succession. The game will fully utilize the Joy-con’s motion controls and IR sensor. It’s going to be one of the funniest upcoming Nintendo games, for sure.
Super Mario RPG (November 17, 2023)
The beloved SNES title Super Mario RPG is finally returning to us as a remake. The new visuals look gorgeous and reintroduce us to Geno, Mallow, and other characters from this Squaresoft/Nintendo crossover. Get ready for some tough turn-based battles, especially with the post-game boss challenges the game has in store for you.
Another neat factor is that you can switch from the remade soundtrack to the original, both from talented composer Yoko Shimomura, at any point in the game.
Another Code Recollection (January 19, 2023)
Phew, that was a lot of Mario to take in. We’ll be able to take a breather with Another Code Recollection in January. In this collection, we’ll be getting two completely remastered/remade games, Another Code: Two Memories and the previously Japan and Europe exclusive Another Code: R – Journey into Lost Memories.
They’re investigation games that let you explore environments, solve puzzles, and experience an engrossing story. We play as Ashley, a daughter desperately looking for her father, who she thought was dead but seems to be alive. It’s one of the upcoming Nintendo games I’m most looking forward to. I’ve been wanting a full-fledged adventure puzzle game for a while.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong (February 16, 2024)
It’s time to say hello to Mario again, but this time he’s in a remake of the GBA puzzle game. You’ll be moving around spikes, moving platforms, and all sorts of obstacles along the way as you try to get a key to the locked door. Mario vs. Donkey Kong will support co-op as well if you get stuck in this puzzle game. I certainly was when I tried this game as a kid.
Princess Peach: Showtime! (March 22, 2024)
One of the most creative games out of the most recent Nintendo Direct is Princess Peach: Showtime! We’ll be playing as the iconic princess as she saves Sparkle Theater from having its shows stolen.
Peach will be transforming into different roles like a sword fighter, investigator, chef, and martial arts master. Each of the levels looks different from the other, creating a fresh experience in a series that sticks to the status quo one or two too many times.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD (Summer 2024)
A remaster of the 3DS game Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon is releasing on the Switch this summer. We’ll be going to multiple mansions rather than just one and use the Poltergust 5000 to suck up ghosts, similar to Ghostbusters.
It will also come with a multiplayer ScareScraper mode that supports up to four players, including yourself. Perhaps this “scary” Nintendo title should be released around Halloween 2024, but c’est la vie. We’ll take it.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)
Oh, look, another Mario game! But wait, this is a remake many have been clamoring for. After following different combat styles (that have annoyed some of the Paper Mario fanbase), we’re going back to one of the best games in the series.
The Thousand-Year Door, from what I’ve heard, has an entertaining battle system, a gorgeous new remade look on the Nintendo Switch, and a wonderful paper-like world to explore.
This will personally be my first Paper Mario game, and I can’t wait to try it out. Hopefully, I won’t feel too much fatigue from the Italian plumber and his friends by then.
Metroid Prime 4 (???)
It has been over six years since Metroid Prime 4 was announced, and no gameplay has been shown. Retro Studios took over the development of the project in 2019. Not much information is known. Hopefully, we’ll hear more about the game soon.
