It’s been a massive year for Nintendo. The Switch console has sold nearly 130 million units worldwide, making it one of the most popular video game systems ever. We’ve seen big-name game releases like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Pikmin 4. The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed over $1 billion at the box office.
Nintendo is looking to continue this momentum heading into the future by highlighting the next batch of games coming to the system. From beloved classics, new content for popular releases, and surprise announcements, there’s a lot to look forward to for Nintendo fans.
Princess Peach Stars In Her Very Own Game
Eighteen years after the release of Super Princess Peach, everyone’s favorite Princess is back and starring in her own video game. As one of America’s most popular video game characters, Princess Peach returned to the spotlight thanks to Ayna Taylor-Joy’s performance voicing her in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Princess Peach Showtime! blends several genres of gameplay, including platforming and investigation. This mechanic feels similar to what fans experienced in Super Mario Odyssey, where Mario obtained new abilities after throwing his cap on various items in the environment. Nintendo teases additional secrets to uncover based on the costumes Peach is wearing. Based on a first glimpse, Princess Peach Showtime! looks like it can hold its own compared to other Super Mario Bros. games. It will be released on March 22, 2024, for Nintendo Switch.
Not to be outdone, Luigi is back with Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD. First released in 2013 for the Nintendo DS as Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, the game is being brought to the Nintendo Switch console in high-definition and will feature online multiplayer. It is set to release in Summer 2024.
Don’t Forget About Mario
Finally, when it comes to Mario games, there were three showcased during today’s Nintendo Direct. The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, primarily released on the GameBoy Advance handheld, is coming to Nintendo Switch. The series combines gameplay from the original Donkey Kong games with the puzzle platforming that Super Mario Bros. games have become known for. Mario vs. Koney Kong is reading on February 16, 2024.
Two more Mario games were given release dates: the Super Mario RPG remake is coming November 17, 2023, and the newly announced GameCube remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is releasing for Nintendo Switch in 2024.
Not to be lost in the shuffle, a more traditional Mario adventure is coming later this year. Super Mario Wonder returns the franchise to its roots as a 2D platformer with some unique gameplay twists. A playable hands-on demo was available in Seattle during Nintendo Live. For those unable to attend, you’ll have to wait for its October 20th release.
The Nintendo Museum Will Open In 2024
Nintendo says, “A wide variety of Nintendo products from Nintendo’s history will be displayed.” Construction is ongoing and is tentatively set to be finished in Spring 2024. It is part of the Nintendo Uji Ogura PLant in Kyoto, Japan. Despite being built in 1969 and renovated in 1988, the plant has been closed since 2016.
First announced in 2021, Nintendo stated that the Museum will showcase products throughout the company’s history and focus on the company’s “product development history and philosophy with the public.”
That’s not the only future tease from Nintendo: the final DLC release for Mario Kart is set to arrive this holiday season.
The first announced course is Daisy Circuit from the Nintendo Wii’s Mario Kart Wii. Four new playable characters were revealed: Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, Pauline, and Peachette.
What Else Does The Future Hold For Nintendo?
While learning more about games like Princess Peach Showtime!, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, and surprises like Mario vs. Donkey Kong and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are nice, questions remain. Where is Metroid Prime 4? Is there a 3D Super Mario game planned? What does the future hold for the Nintendo Switch?
That last question is the most important; in March 2024, the Nintendo Switch will turn seven. Generally, that’s when a console’s lifespan comes to an end. The Switch’s predecessor, the Wii U, was in production for five years. The Wii had a lifespan of six.
While official details on a “Switch 2” aren’t available, we do know that a new Nintendo console won’t release until mid-2024 at the earliest, with a holiday release expected. Reports state that a behind-the-scenes closed-doors demonstration of the new Nintendo console was given at the recent GamesCom event in Europe, but nothing official confirms this.
When it comes to a new Nintendo console, the question seems to be when not if. Expect games like Metroid Prime 4 to be available for the “Switch 2.”
