Once again, it’s the most exciting time of the year to be a Nintendo fan, as the company has just announced its latest Nintendo Direct. The showcase, which is the first since February, promises a look at games “launching this year, including new details on Pikmin 4.”
Related:Best Franchises That Started On Nintendo
While Nintendo Directs are always exciting, this one carries a little more weight as, pastPikmin 4, Nintendo has nothing on the horizon — so, with that in mind, let’s look into the crystal ball and make ten predictions of what we could see.
10Metroid Prime 4 Resurfaces, Early 2024 Release Date
It’s no major secret thatMetroid Prime 4has been through development hell. The title was revealed at E3 six years ago and has faced relative-radio silence, with the only major update from Nintendo stating that theproject had been restartedwith Retro Studios at the helm.
That update was in 2019, though, and it’s time for Nintendo to show us what they’ve been cooking up. It’s entirely plausible that they do that during this Nintendo Direct, and a 2024 release date seems like a real possibility.
9Super Mario RPG Remake
Super Mario RPGwas one of the titular plumber’s first forays outside his traditional platforming roots, jumping into a full-scale RPG.
Related:Every Mario RPG, Ranked
A joint venture between Square and Nintendo, the 1996 SNES title has become something of a cult classic. With Nintendo relying on the remake train a fair bit recently, alongside the odd murmuring here and there, don’t be surprised if this pops up.
8The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD Remake Finally Revealed
It feels likeThe Legend of Zelda: Wind WakerHD Remake rumors have been swirling around for a lifetime, first surfacing alongside those suggestingMetroid Primewas being remade.
With the latter, which was incredibly well received, now out in the ether, it’s high time that Nintendo’s worst-kept secret is released into the world. Especially following the success ofThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
7The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom DLC
Speaking of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it would be no great surprise to see Nintendo drop details of the game’s already confirmed downloadable content.
Much likeBreath of the Wildbefore it, Tears of the Kingdom is set to get a meaty expansion, and it would absolutely make sense for Nintendo to strike while the iron is still hot. Withbizarre vehicle crafting available as a core mechanicthis time around, don’t expect to see the Master Cycle Zero.
6New Mario Sports Title
Mario sports titles have become synonymous with the history Nintendo, with the hero playing soccer, basketball, golf, and baseball, among others.
Related:Best Mario Sports Games, Ranked
Nintendo has dropped Mario soccer, golf, and tennis games during this generation of consoles, all of which have received a tepid reception, so it’s entirely possible Nintendo will attempt to buck the trend by announcing yet another Mario Sports title.
5Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass Wave 5 Revealed, Out Now
TheMario Kart 8 DeluxeBooster Course Pass has been a revelation, reinvigorating (an already excellent) nine-year-old game and helping Nintendo keepMario Kart 9under wraps.
The first four waves of the Booster Course Pass have now been released, adding 32 new tracks (plus Birdo), and the fifth wave is coming “soon…“according to Nintendo. Don’t be surprised if that “soon” is within hours of the Nintendo Direct. You can go ahead and probably lock this one in.
4Pokémon Stadium 2 Is The Next Title Coming To Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo has now released 25 Nintendo 64 titles to its Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, including the likes ofBanjo Kazooie,Mario Kart 64, andThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Related:Best Nintendo 64 Games Ever Made, Officially Ranked
The most recent of these games, Pokémon Stadium, was released back in April, so it’s high time we got the next one. With the original Stadium being the last game to grace the service, Pokémon Stadium 2 seems a safe bet to follow it up.
3Luigi’s Mansion 4 Revealed As Nintendo’s Big October Title
Luigi’s Mansion 3was a rousing success, averaging an 86 on Metacritic and selling close to 13 million copies. However, it’s now been almost four years since it was released.
With Nintendo’s Holiday season looking particularly sparse this year, and developer’s Next Level Games being quiet since the aforementioned Mario Strikers: Battle League, Luigi’s Mansion 4 is something that would certainly get Nintendo fans excited.
2Next Mainline Mario Game Revealed (Not A Sequel To Odyssey)
When people think of Nintendo, they think ofMario. The famous plumber has been the company’s mascot for almost 40 years, and a new mainline Mario game is a surefire way for Nintendo to delight its audience.
With the latest traditional entry into the franchise,Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury,releasing over two years ago, and the most recent original game,Odyssey, almost six years old, it’s time we get our next installment. Just don’t be surprised if it’s not a direct sequel to Odyssey.
1Nintendo Teases The Switch 2
Rumors of a Switch successor, or at least an updated model, are almost as old as time now, with the only major iterations in the console’s seven-and-a-half year life span being the Switch Lite and the OLED Model.
There’s no smoke without fire, and Nintendo has clearly been working on something in the background for a while now — especially given the age of the Nintendo Switch. While a new model would likely warrant its own presentation, a little tease from Nintendo during this direct wouldn’t be the most shocking thing in the world.
