The Nintendo Switch does not seem to be coming slowly, even after entering its sixth year of gaming. Despite being an old console at this point, the rising number of sales and the amazing lineup of first-party exclusives and third-party games coming in 2023 for the Switch have still kept the system more than relevant in the gaming world.

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2023 in particular is shaping up to be one of the best years for the console as Nintendo prepares to release some highly anticipated first-party exclusives for the Switch. From the return of highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda series to the long-awaited next installment of the Pikmin franchise, here are six first-party games coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023.

6 Fire Emblem Engage

Fire Emblem Engage-1

Developed by Intelligent Systems, Fire Emblem Engage is the seventeenth mainline entry in the long-running Fire Emblem franchise. Fire Emblem Engage is a tactical RPG set in the continent of Elyos. Players control the protagonist Alear, who after waking up from a deep slumber of a thousand years, will have to gather the 12 Emblem Rings to defeat the menace known as the Fell Dragon.

The game will also feature protagonists from the previous games by using the power of the Emblem Rings which are an essential element to both Fire Emblem Engage's story and gameplay. The game is set to release on January 20th, 2023, with as many as four expansion passes announced for the future.

5 Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe

Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe

Developed by HAL Laboratory, Kirby's Return To Dream Land was originally released on the Wii in 2011 and is now getting remastered under the banner of Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch. The gameplay will feature up to four players joining together and going on a platforming journey across the Planet Popstar. Each player can play as a variant of Kirby or as one of Kirby's many friends, including King Dedede and Meta Knight, etc.

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The remaster also includes new abilities such as the Mecha and Sand copy abilities which will make the game feel more fresh and engaging. Multiplayer improvements will also be added to Kirby's Return To Dream Land Deluxe. The game is set to release on February 24, 2023.

4 Bayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demon

_Bayonetta Origins Cereza And The Lost Demon

PlatinumGames' long-running Bayonetta series is getting another spin-off in 2023 with Bayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demon, which serves as a prequel to the series, focusing on a younger Cereza, as she trains to become the witch that she is known to be today. Players will take control of Cereza and her very first demonic summon, Cheshire, solve puzzles and slay enemies.

Although this spin-off title will not feature the same fast-paced combat, there is still plenty of action involved. The art style of this Bayonetta game also sees a significant departure from the usual style seen in the mainline entries of the series. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demon is set to release on March 17, 2023.

3 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

Developed by Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the highly awaited sequel to 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game will take Link to the skies this time, literally, as he works to defeat the evil spreading across Hyrule once more. Tears of the Kingdom is set to build upon the world, lore, and mechanics of the previous installment while also introducing some new mechanics as well.

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The hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is evident by the fact that it came out as the winner of the Game Awards 2022's Most Anticipated Game of 2023 title. While small peaks at the game's gameplay have been revealed in trailers, not much else is known about the story. The game is set to release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

2 Pikmin 4

Pikmin 4

Created by Nintendo, Pikmin 4 will be the first installment in the long-dormant Pikmin franchise to be releasing exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. It will be the fourth mainline Pikmin game in the series and the fifth overall. Pikmin 4 will be a real-time strategy game and will feature gameplay similar to that of the previous entries in the series. Players are bound to control a leader commanding many smaller Pikmin on the map and will have to work their way around defeating various monsters in order to survive.

A few additional details have been provided about the gameplay featuring a new deployment mechanic and new camera options. A teaser trailer was released confirming that the game will be releasing in 2023, but not much more has been revealed about the game.

1 Disney Illusion Island

Disney Illusion Island

Get ready for a magical and charming journey with Disney's most recognizable characters, including Micky, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in Dalala Studio's upcoming side-scrolling adventure, Disney Illusion Island. The game is a co-op platformer featuring up to four playable.

Disney Illusion Island follows Mickey and his squad of lovable friends as they go to the mysterious Monoth Island and try to save it from ruin by searching for three mystical books of knowledge.

The game has a very vibrant art style, which makes it feel more like playing a cartoon. Disney Illusion Island does not have a confirmed release date but is set to come out sometime in 2023 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

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