Japanese gaming company Nintendo surprised fans with a short live presentation of its upcoming games last Thursday, March 26. In the 25-minute Direct Mini, Nintendo gave their fans a concise preview of what to expect from Nintendo Switch titles for the rest of the year.

Here’s a roundup of all the exciting announcements.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

The first few minutes of the Direct kicked off with some role-playing game action from Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition. The ultimate version of Monolith Soft’s open-world title is slated to launch on May 29.

2K Games ports for Nintendo Switch

Some of our beloved 2K series will be ported to the Switch, too. These include BioShock: The Collection and the XCom 2 Collection. Nintendo also teased an upcoming Borderlands Legendary Collection, but this pack will not included the latest title in the series, Borderlands 3.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: Shadow of Doom DLC

During the event, Marvel dropped an action-packed trailer for Pack 3 of its Expansion Pass for Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. The new pack, which is entitled Shadow of Doom, features the superhero team Fantastic Four and their arch-nemesis Doctor Doom.

Pack 3 is now available for US$20, with the two previously launched DLC Expansions Curse of the Vampire and Rise of the Phoenix included.



Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons also announced its first event called Bunny Day, which is scheduled to run April 1-12.

In this version 1.1.0 update, a yellow bunny named Zipper will visit players, inviting them to go on a massive egg hunt across the island. Collected eggs can be crafted for special furniture and items.

After Bunny Day, another limited-time event is scheduled for the game. The new update will coincide with global Earth Day festivities.

Ring Fit Adventure

The exercise-driven Ring Fit Adventure dropped an update as well, introducing a new rhythm game mode for its players. The new game mode will have players moving along to the beat of the game’s music tracks, as well as a few more from other beloved Nintendo games.

Also new to the game are a female voice option and an option to change the in-game voice track.

Pokémon: Sword and Shield

Fastest-selling Nintendo Switch titles Pokémon Sword and Shield also released more information about its upcoming downloadable content, The Isle of Armor.

The Isle of Armor features a new dojo where trainers can earn the legendary fighting-type monster Kubfu. With Kubfu, trainers can challenge the Towers of Two Fists. When successful, Kubfu will evolve into the menacing Urshifu, which will ask trainers to choose between either his distinct Single Strike Style (suitable for finishing the Tower of Darkness) and Rapid Strike Style (ideal for completing the Tower of Water).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As the Volume 2 Fighters Pass for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate approaches its release date, Nintendo revealed that the fighting game’s next mystery fighter will come from one of the Switch’s earlier titles — ARMS. The fighter will be available sometime this June.

In the meantime, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can try ARMS for free for over a week from March 26 at 9:00 a.m. PT (March 27 at 12:00 a.m. GMT+8) to April 6 at 11:59 p.m. PT (April 7 at 2:59 p.m. GMT+8).

Bravely Default II

Players also got a good look at Nintendo’s upcoming turn-based RPG Bravely Default II. The four heroes’ backstories, moves, and mechanics were revealed in a four-minute preview.

Bravely Default II will launch later this year. For now, fans can enjoy a demo of the game available in the Nintendo eShop.


Summary of release dates

Below is a full list of launch dates for the games announced in the Nintendo Direct Mini. Some titles were already fully downloadable right after the event.

March

  • Shinsekai: Into the Depths (March 26)
  • Good Job! (March 26)
  • Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (March 26)
  • Panzer Dragoon; Remake (March 26)
  • Saints Row: IV Re-Elected (March 27)

April

  • Vigor Closed Beta Testing (April 9)
  • Trials of Mana (April 24)

May

  • Ninjala (May 27)
  • Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (May 29)
  • BioShock: The Collection (May 29)
  • Borderlands Legendary Collection (May 29)
  • XCom 2 Collection (May 29)
  • Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus

June

  • 51 Worldwide Games (June 5)
  • Mr. DRILLER DrillLand (June 25)
  • The Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III (June 30)

July

  • Catherine Full Body (July 7)

Other titles expected to drop later this spring include The Elder Scrolls: Blades, Burnout Paradise Remastered, and Minecraft Dungeons.

Rhythm title Fuser has been confirmed for a fall release, while the launch dates of titles King’s Bounty II, Bravely Default II, and Star Wars Racer are yet to be revealed.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, release dates and other information revealed in this Direct may still be subject to change.

READ MORE: Everything you missed in the first Pokémon Direct for 2020