Every Game Featured at The February 2022 Nintendo Direct

Big events like E3 draw eyeballs for almost every big developer and publisher in the video game industry, but Nintendo has still seen success with its pioneering Nintendo Direct formula. After a hiatus for major showcases in 2020, Nintendo came back in full-force last year. The first Nintendo Direct for 2022 was announced yesterday, and it includes a lot of surprise reveals for fans.

A number of the reveals at this latest Nintendo Direct have been rumored for some time, but others - including a new Warriors game set in the world of Fire Emblem: Three Houses and a DLC pass for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - kept things fresh. There was seemingly something for everyone in the 40-minute Direct, with plenty for fans to anticipate over the coming year.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Koei Tecmo's hack-and-slash Dynasty Warriors franchise has been around for decades, but recently it's picked up a lot of steam with crossovers like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Persona 5 Strikers. Much like the original Hyrule Warriors was standalone followed by Age of Calamity as a Breath of the Wild tie-in, Fire Emblem Warriors is now being followed up by Three Hopes as a Three Houses tie-in.

The trailer leading today's Nintendo Direct doesn't reveal too many details, but it is confirmed the game will be a "different story set in the same universe." It appears to be an alternate take on the events of the 2019 strategy RPG, possibly with the three lords Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude having more overlap. Various new characters also appear throughout the trailer, which ends on the game's June 24, release date.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, a collection of the original Game Boy Advance titles in development at WayForward, was meant to come out in December 2021 before a delay was announced in October. The February 2022 Nintendo Direct reveals it will now come out on April 8, and details quality-of-life changes like fast-forwarding combat and resetting turns. New modes will also be available, including the ability to make custom maps.

No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky has had a long history, going from pre-release hype to an underwhelming release that wound up rectified via updates over the following years. Given its highly technical performance, many will be surprised to hear that No Man's Sky is releasing on Nintendo Switch this summer - and not via cloud support as with prior titles such as Control. Fans will just have to wait and see how it performs.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

Super Mario spin-offs have seen a lot of life on Switch, from titles like Paper Mario: The Origami King to a variety of sports games including Mario Tennis Aces and Mario Golf: Super Rush. Even so, it's a surprise to see the aggressive "battle-soccer" Mario Strikers series return for the first time since Mario Strikers Charged in 2007.

Mario Strikers: Battle League seems to capture all the hyper-violent charm of the original series with electric fences and attack items. It includes new mechanics like stat-boosting custom gear and powerful "Hyper Strike" moves, and the game will have eight-player local matches as well as an online mode where clubs can form with up to 20 players and compete. Mario Strikers: Battle League will launch on June 10, and pre-orders are available now.

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 is releasing in summer 2022, and its February 2022 Nintendo Direct trailer reveals a follow-up to the second game's popular Salmon Run mode. Salmon Run: Next Wave is largely the same four-player co-op experience fans know and love, but will have new mechanics like tossing eggs to teammates and the goal basket. This trailer also reveals an overarching threat in the form of a Giant Salmonid beast that may point to a heavier story focus, as well as new bosses like the Fish Stick tower and a dolphin-like Flipper-Flopper. It's currently unclear if the mode will retain its limited-availability nature from Splatoon 2.

Front Mission 1st

Front Mission is a series of tactical RPGs produced by Square starting in the Super Nintendo-era, created by Toshiro Tsuchida. A remake of the 1995 SNES original called Front Mission 1st is coming to Switch via developer Forever Entertainment this summer, with stand-out features like customizable mechs and a Fallout VATS-style targeting system that can prioritize damage on specific areas of an enemy. Front Mission 2 remake is also coming to Switch "in the future."

Disney Speedstorm

Rumors have been circulating online about a potential Mario Kart 9 that features more Nintendo crossovers. While this project was not announced at the Nintendo Direct, a somewhat similar free-to-play Disney/Pixar racing game called Disney Speedstorm was announced for summer 2022. Created by Asphalt developer Gameloft, Speedstorm crosses over characters ranging from Mickey Mouse to Princesses like Mulan, as well as fan favorites including Jack Sparrow. Each character has unique abilities, and seasonal passes will add more as time goes on.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition

Another game that has been rumored for months is a Chrono Cross remake, and today it was revealed to be Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition. It's available to pre-order now before releasing on April 7, adding improvements like turning off enemy encounters and a "newly enhanced soundtrack." The text-based game Radical Dreamers, originally released on the Satellaview, will be available for the first time outside of Japan via this remaster.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land has received a number of trailers leading up to its March 25 release, and many are excited about the series' first true 3D platformer. The February 2022 Nintendo Direct likely amped up this excitement for many, offering more looks at its post-apocolyptic environments and revealing brand-new mechanics.

"Mouthful Mode" in Forgotten Land sees Kirby stuck on objects he can't swallow - including cars, vending machines, light bulbs, and more. Instead, he has to use their inherent abilities to his advantage, adding a new level of gameplay. Today's trailer also confirms Kirby can upgrade his copy abilities in Waddle Dee town, unlocking entirely new forms in the process.

Live A Live

The 1994 Japan-exclusve RPG Live A Live, developed by Square for the SNES, is being brought back in an HD-2D style reminiscent of Octopath Traveller and the upcoming Triangle Strategy. Players take on various stories in any order across different time periods, from prehistory to the Wild West and beyond. Live A Live releases for Nintendo Switch on July 22.

Nintendo Switch Sports

A huge selling point for the Nintendo Wii was its pack-in game Wii Sports, which spawned its own sub-franchise thanks to games like Wii Sports Resort. Now Nintendo Switch Sports will debut on April 29, featuring the returning tennis, bowling, and chambara games, as well as newcomers soccer, badminton, and volleyball. There will be local and online play with different game modes, and free updates will add new sports such as golf down the line.

The February 2022 Direct included a physical demonstration with host Shinya Takahashi and fellow executive Yoshiaki Koizumi, though this did not show off the leg-strap accessory packaged with Nintendo Switch Sports. For those who want to try the game collection early, an online play test will be held from February 18 to 20.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival

Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master came to Xbox Game Pass as a day-one launch title on January 27. Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival will be coming to Switch later this year, following up the release of Drum 'n' Fun! in 2018. This title will have an in-game subscription service adding music tracks over time, starting with 500 at launch. Some advertised music includes Undertale's Megalovania and tracks from The Legend of Zelda, but fans can also expect features like a four-player band mode.

Metroid Dread

The Game Awards 2021 "Game of the Year" contendor Metroid Dread only received a small spotlight during today's Direct, but it announced multiple free updates. The first update available today adds Dread Mode, which subjects players to one-hit kills throughout their entire run; as well as Rookie Mode, increasing health recovery for new players. A second update in April will add Boss Rush mode.

Nintendo Switch Online - Earthbound

The Nintendo Switch Online banner coming in toward the end of the Direct had a very particular audience: Earthbound fans. Though Mother 3 is nowhere to be found, EarthBound for SNES and Earthbound Beginnings - the Wii U localization of Mother for NES - are coming to the basic NSO service today. Earthbound has been a long-requested addition, so hopefully having the first two games on Switch also bodes well for Mother 3.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Booster Course Pass

The aforementioned Mario Kart 9 rumors may not have panned out, but Nintendo announced the next-best thing. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is getting another wave of DLC content, adding 48 courses in six batches of eight starting March 18 and through the end of 2023. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not only the best-selling entry in the franchise, it's also the best-selling game on Switch, so it makes sense for Nintendo to give its pre-built audience more content.

The Booster Course Pass costs $29.99, free for those subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and will include remastered tracks from throughout Mario Kart history. Some notable examples showcased were Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii, Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64, and Tokyo Blur from the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Ending off the February 2022 Nintendo Direct was Xenoblade Chronicles 3, another rumored title that is confirmed to be releasing this September. The series has grown in popularity over the years, so there are no doubt plenty of fans excited about a follow-up to 2017's Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

A lengthy story trailer was the blunt of this announcement, though at the end it was confirmed Xenoblade Chronicles 3 "ties together the futures of the worlds in both original games." With Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition also coming to Switch in May 2020, fans will be able to enjoy the entire trilogy on one console.

Additional Announcements

Though they were mostly not given major discussions, a number of other upcoming Switch games appeared in sizzle reels throughout the Nintendo Direct. These have varying audiences and release dates, but will be presented in announcement order: