Every Nintendo Direct reveal: Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Bayonetta 3, more

March 13, 2023

The September 23 Nintendo Direct has come and gone, and there were some huge announcements made along the way. From a new Kirby game, the Bayonetta 3 release date, and the return of the Metroid franchise, here’s what you missed from the presentation.

These events only come around a handful of times each year, some of which have more exciting lineups than others. In the past, we’ve seen Pokémon Legends Arceus and other major games revealed during the livestreams, and this installment did not disappoint.

There was a lot to take in over the brief 45-minute presentation, so let’s run through everything mentioned in the latest Nintendo Direct.

Bayonetta 3 release window revealed

The long-awaited game has a trailer and a release window.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had any real updates on Bayonetta 3’s status.

First announced back in 2017, we now know that Bayonetta 3 arrives on Nintendo Switch in 2022.

For a better look at the game, you can watch the gameplay trailer here.

Splatoon 3

Things are getting weird in Splatoon 3. Why are the Mammals showing back up, and what’s up with the giant crab?

Mamamalians were long thought to be gone in the Splatoon universe – until now that is.

An extended look at the game revealed more about the story, and some interesting new designs, such as a giant crab-shaped mech.

The footage showed off classic Turf War gameplay along with some new weapons and locations.

We still don’t have a release date but the game is due out in the Holiday season of 2022.

Final Smash Ultimate Fighter stream details

The final Smash fighter will be revealed on October 5, in a special presentation.

Mr. Mashiro Sakurai will reveal the final Smash fighter and premiere a how-to-use guide on October 5, during the Last Special Program event.

This update will run for 40 minutes and serves as the final update for Smash Ultimate.

Check out our theory about who the last Smash fighter could be here.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

This game blends familar Kirby mechanics with big 3D environments similar to Mario’s latest outings.

A new Kirby adventure is coming to Nintendo Switch. Set in an abandoned civilization, the game will have players exploring an open environment using Kirby’s usual array of powers.

The core mystery of the game is set around Kirby exploring the remains of the civilization and piecing together the mystery of what happened to the people that lived there.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is set for a Spring 2022 release date.

Monster Hunter Rise DLC

Sunbreak is the next update for Monster Hunter Rise.

The newest addition to Monster Hunter Rise has officially been titled Sunbreak.

While explaining the DLC, Yoshiaki Koizumi said that it will feature “new stories, locales, monsters,” as well as some new hunting actions and quest rank.

Monster Hunter Rise was a big success at launch and has only grown in popularity since receiving a proper ending to its campaign back in May.

The new DLC looks to build off of that continued success.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Expansion DLC

Age of Calamity is getting a new DLC in October. A new duo enters the fight!

While there was no news on Breath of the Wild 2, the Zelda franchise was still represented by Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

The new DLC brings in a new difficulty setting, challenges, and a new weapon type right away.

The beloved Breath of the Wild duo Purah and Robbie will be taking up arms when the next wave Guardian of Remembrance arrives on October 29.

Metroid Dread update

Samus Aran returns in Metroid Dread on October 8.

Samus Aran is back in the fight with a new mission. Her journey takes her to the planet ZDR, which holds the key to her investigation into the infamous X parasites

You can read an updated report on Nintendo’s website or watch the gameplay trailer here.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

These are the N64 titles available at launch for Nintendo Online’s Expansion Pack.

The Nintendo Switch Online feature is getting a huge wave of new content and an additional membership plan coming in late October.

This new content package will allow player to play a curated set of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games from their Nintendo Switch.

The list of available games will grow over time, with titles like Majora’s Mask and F-Zero-X being name dropped as early additions.

Nintendo has created a new batch of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis controllers ahead of the Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack release.

Nintendo is also releasing wireless Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis controllers alongside the expansion pack.

Everyone will be able to play their favorite old-school games just the way they remembered them – for another $50 of course.

Triangle Strategy

The latest Tactics style game from Square Enix has made massive updates ahead of its March 4th, 2022, release date.

Square gathered community feedback from their playtest earlier this year to refine the controls, mechanics, and quality of life for the entire game.

The game is set for release on March 4, 2022.

Nintendo rereleases Shadowrun and Castlevania titles

Shadowrun is coming to a new generation of players.

There are a few classic Nintendo series being re-released for the Switch. Namely the Shadowrun Trilogy and four Castlevania games.

Paradox Interactive’s Shadowrun Games blended tactical gameplay with a cyberpunk setting to great effect. As a whole, the games are looked back at as the originators of the Cyberpunk setting in gaming. You can pick up Shadowrun Returns, Shadowrun Dragonfall – Director’s Cut, and Shadowrun Hong Kong – Extended Edition sometime in 2022.

Classic Castlevania titles Circle of the Moon, Harmony of Dissonance, Aria of Sorrow, and Dracula X are all available as of September 23.

The games will have new features such as rewinding, quicksave, and button mapping as well a gallery of never before seen artwork.

Deltarune Chapter 2 free update.

Deltarune Chapter 2 is now available on Nintendo Switch as part of a free update for Chapter One.

While the rest of the story will likely feature paid expansions, Toby Fox released a statement on the Deltarune website explaining why he decided to make this update free.

If you haven’t already played it on PC and want to see what you’re getting into, you can take a peek at the reveal trailer here.

Upcoming releases

Nintendo also showcased a number of upcoming releases and their release dates.

Wreckfest, coming Fall 2021
Rune Factory 5, March 22, 2022
Hotwheels Unlimited, September 30, 2021
Surviving the Aftermath, Holiday 2021

Mario Movie

The Mario movie – produced in cooperation with Illumination, the studio behind Despicable Me – is set to hit theaters in time for the Holiday season in 2022.

The cast will feature Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as Mario and Luigi, with Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, and Jack Black as the fearsome Bowser.

It will arrive on Dec. 21, 2022, in the United States, with international release dates still to come. For more information, you can find our write-up here

That’s all for this Nintendo Direct. Go forth and make the decision whether to take care of yourself or your wallet with all these exciting new announcements.

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