Following up on one of the best gaming years in recent memory is no easy task, but the Nintendo Switch appears to have another strong year ahead. Nintendo's first-party line-up is still largely mysterious, aside from a few games like Mario vs Donkey Kong, Princess Peach: Showtime, and a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Surely the company has plenty more to announce that it will be detailing as the year goes on.
In the meantime, third parties are picking up the slack. We already have announced release dates for huge RPGs like Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and Unicorn Overlord, remasters like the Tomb Raider Trilogy, and charming new games like The Plucky Squire. We also expect to get release dates for promising games like Mina the Hollower and (fingers crossed!) Hollow Knight: Silksong. If this is going to be the Switch's last year as Nintendo's flagship console--and we expect it will be--it's going out on a high note.
Let's take a look at all of the big and notable games on the way to Nintendo Switch.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy - January 25, 2024
Following on the heels of the Phoenix Wright Trilogy released in 2019, the Apollo Justice trilogy compiles the latter games after Phoenix got a young apprentice. The first is a pure Apollo Justice game as Phoenix takes a backseat as an advisory role, but subsequent games feature both protagonists working together. The trilogy revolves around the two navigating the "Dark Age of the Law," a period rife with falsified evidence and tampering with witnesses. For those who enjoy cozy crime melodrama, this is a lot of game stuffed into one package.
Tomb Raider Remastered Trilogy - February 14, 2024
Lara Croft has gotten a number of modernizations and reboots, but this year we'll get a chance to see her early days of pioneering 3D platforming. The Tomb Raider Remastered Trilogy collects the first three games, preserving Lara's more polygonal look while giving it a slight touch-up to look great on modern screens. Similarly, the controls have been revised with a modern option alongside a classic control option. Lara was a major force alongside Mario and Link in helping blaze a trail for 3D games, and with this collection, it will be easier than ever to experience them again.
Mario vs Donkey Kong - February 16, 2024
The Game Boy Advance classic Mario vs Donkey Kong gets a modern remake this year on Switch. The puzzle-platformer had Mario tracking DK through themed stages to get back the little Mario toys that the big ape stole. It was the spiritual successor to the Game Boy game Donkey Kong, which traded the arcade action for distinct puzzle stages. The mini-Mario figurines went on to define the "Minis" sub-series of puzzle games as well, but this classic provides a look back at where it all started.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster - February 28, 2024
The classic Star Wars FPS Dark Forces is getting a remaster this year, from Nightdive Studios. This is the game that introduced fan-favorite extended universe character Kyle Katarn, a Rebel operative who uncovers a vicious Imperial plot. The original Dark Forces is still remembered fondly by fans as one of the best of its era, so we can hope the Force is with a modern remaster.
Unicorn Overlord - March 8, 2024
The latest from Vanillaware takes its infamously lush artwork and applies it to the tactics genre in an homage to strategy games of the 1990s. As an exiled prince in the land of Fevrith, you look to unite the neighboring kingdoms behind you to reclaim your throne. The battles see you needing to strategically move your units, and then engage in real-time combat when the units collide.
Princess Peach: Showtime - March 22, 2024
It's been almost two decades since her last solo adventure, but at long last, the spotlight is back on Princess Peach. Nintendo hasn't shared a great amount of detail on her starring vehicle, but we do know Princess Peach will be able to don a variety of costumes--gifting her different abilities like making her a detective or Kung Fu expert--to take down the evil Wicked Grape. And while she hails from an action-oriented series, this new spin-off looks to incorporate adventure game elements as well.
South Park: Snow Day - March 26, 2024
South Park has gotten a pair of RPGs that successfully emulate the show's 2D paper cutout art style, but its next game enters the third dimension. South Park: Snow Day sees you once again take on the mantle of the "New Kid" who befriends Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny while on a grand adventure. A blizzard has buried the town of South Park in snow, and the gang sets off to stop an eternal winter. The 3D action gameplay mostly revolves around adventuring with pretend weapons and throwing snowballs, though a mature content description also says you'll use farts, urine, and feces. That's how you know it's really South Park.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes - April 23, 2024
Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of the classic JRPG series Suikoden, has come back to direct this spiritual successor after a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2020. And like Suikoden, Eiyuden Chronicles looks to be defined by a massive roster of playable characters, political intrigue, and a rich world to explore. The evil Galdean Empire is searching for a relic that will make it nearly unstoppable when one of its officers befriends a young village boy, and their fates turn in unexpected ways. If you'd like to get a taste of the world and you just can't wait for April, Eiuden Chronicle: Rising is a fast-paced action RPG that helps set the stage for Hundred Heroes.
Contra: Operation Galuga - early 2024
The classic run-and-gun arcade shooter Contra has been reimagined as a 2.5D action spectacle. WayForward is behind Operation Galuga, and given its track record of nicely polished remakes and homages, that alone is enough to make us take notice. This remake appears to borrow lots of tried-and-true elements from the original Contra while adding new features like unique abilities for various characters and reimagined boss battles. It's also likely to be tough as nails, so maybe keep the Konami code fresh in your memory, just in case.
Little Nightmares 3 - 2024
Little Nightmares has engendered a cult following between its two creepy platforming horror adventures, but this next entry represents a big shift. While the first two games were developed by Swedish developer Tarsier Studios, Little Nightmares III has changed hands to Supermassive Games, the studio behind games like the Dark Pictures Anthology and the Quarry. That certainly comes with certain horror bona fides, and everything we've seen indicates that Supermassive is approaching this sequel with care for the franchise--which makes sense, as it assisted with ports of Little Nightmares II. We'll have to see how its first solo Little Nightmares effort turns out when it releases this year.
Rift of the Necrodancer - 2024
The studio that made the hit rhythm game Crypt of the NecroDancer is back with a fresh take on the rhythm genre. Rift of the NecroDancer once again has you working to the beat, but this time it's in a series of mini-games and boss battles that blend elements of Guitar Hero, Punch-Out, and more.
Fantasy Life: The Girl Who Steals Time - TBA
Fantasy Life was a modest success on the 3DS, and Level-5 is reviving the series with a new entry. You'll once again choose a profession and learn new skills as you build both a city and your friendships with townsfolk, but this time you'll also be traveling between the past and present to unlock the mysteries of a cursed island. It looks cute as all heck, and may be a great choice for curling up with a cup of tea and a warm blanket.
Loco Motive - TBA
What is it about trains that make them the perfect vehicles for murder most foul? You'll have to discover the answer to that question yourself, as Loco Motive puts you in the gumshoes of a rookie detective, a lawyer, and an undercover spy as they race to prove their innocence before the real killer strikes again. While the setup is grim, the rest of the game plays out like a slapstick whodunnit as you interact with fellow passengers. Loco Motive has a delightful pixel art aesthetic, a moody soundtrack by Space Haven's Paul Zimmerman, and plenty of puzzles.
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon HD - TBA
Some of the best games of the 3DS era have gotten a second lease on life on the Switch, and the next game getting that treatment is Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. Once again starring Mario's timid brother, who definitely is afraid of some ghosts, this game has received a visual update and sees the plumber in green take on all manner of troublesome phantoms in the Evershade Valley.
Metal Slug Tactics - TBA
Metal Slug has long been one of the best run-and-gun action game franchises out there, but for a change of pace, the series is swapping its blitzkrieg design for a more measured tactical-RPG format. A combination of gorgeous pixel art and fluid animation, Metal Slug Tactics features series powerhouses Marco, Eri, Fio, and Tarma and their over-the-top arsenal in an isometric tactics format that looks fun, clever, and explosive ahead of its eventual release.
Metroid Prime 4 - TBA
Metroid Prime 4 has been in development for many years at this point, and development even restarted in 2019 when Retro Studios took over. There's still no word on a release window, and no one really knows how far along in development it actually is. That said, with Retro Studios at the helm and the sheer brilliance of the trilogy before it, we imagine Metroid Prime 4 will be worth the wait... however long that winds up being. In the meantime, you can check out (or replay) Metroid Dread, which brought side-scrolling Metroid back in style last year.
Mina the Hollower - TBA
Yacht Club Games has made several follow-ups to its breakout hit Shovel Knight, but Mina the Hollower marks a totally new franchise for the indie studio. The game is said to be modeled after Game Boy classics like Link's Awakening, and the studio opened up its development process early with regular streams and blog posts showcasing concept art and design concepts. It's coming thanks to its successful Kickstarter campaign, but no release date has been set.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - TBA
In 2023, we received a stellar remake of Super Mario RPG, the 16-bit classic from Squaresoft. This year we're primed to receive another remake of a Mario-themed RPG, the fan-favorite Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. While Paper Mario established the look of this branch of Mario games, Thousand-Year Door is still beloved thanks to its refinement of the first game's mechanics and its array of lovable characters. That makes this remake one to watch, especially after the reverent care we saw for Super Mario RPG.
The Plucky Squire - TBA
We've seen blends of 2D and 3D environments before but The Plucky Squire looks to be an especially charming version of it. As a storybook character named Jot, you roam around your pages in an animated overhead style, but then learn you can pop out of the book to explore your real-life surroundings. The artwork for both styles looks just cute as all heck, and the blend of styles could create some engaging puzzling scenarios.
Rune Fencer Illyia - TBA
An action-packed platformer that's focused on both exploration and combat, you'll play as a young Runist named Illyia of Moonstone who is on a journey to find her missing twin sister and a way home. There's plenty of danger along the path, but Illyia quickly picks up some sharp sword skills and powerful runic magic that'll help her survive in a hostile land.
Star Wars: Hunters - TBA
Star Wars: Hunters is a team-based action game that may primarily be thought of as an iOS and Android game, but it's also coming to Nintendo Switch. Hunters features 4v4 PvP combat in maps based on iconic locales from the Star Wars universe. There will be a ton of playable characters, including Jedi, Stormtroopers, Mandalorians, and more.
Hollow Knight: Silksong - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hollow Knight fans have been patiently and sometimes not-so-patiently waiting years for Silksong, and this may finally be the year it happens. The sequel to the acclaimed action metrodivania seems even more ambitious than the first, and information on a potential sequel has been drip-fed to fans. If it does come this year, Team Cherry will be making good on years of anticipation and expectations.
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