Nintendo Direct February 2023: the biggest news and trailers

The latest Nintendo Direct had all the big names — well, aside from Mario. But we got a fresh trailer for the next Zelda game, a surprise launch of the original Metroid Prime, a release date for Pikmin 4, and the addition of Game Boy games to the Switch Online subscription service. Plus, there were some excellent announcements for RPG nerds. Here’s everything you might have missed.

The wait for the sequel to Breath of the Wild has been tough, but at least we have a new trailer to make things a little easier. The latest is very dramatic.

The long-awaited remaster of the original Metroid Prime is making its way to the Switch, and it’s happening very soon: the digital version of the game hits the eShop later today.

The event kicked off with the best look yet at Pikmin 4, which — most importantly — will introduce an adorable new “dog-like creature.” We also learned that it’s hitting the Switch this summer, with a July 21st release date.

Nintendo’s ink-filled multiplayer shooter Splatoon 3 is getting a paid expansion pass, which will be available in two waves and introduce features like the original Inkopolis location from the first game, which will be part of wave 1. The second wave will include a new single-player campaign called “Side Order.”

Nintendo’s subscription service just added another retro platform with titles from both the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Advance. Available titles include Tetris, Metroid II, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Fire Emblem, and more. Both will be available to subscribers today.

After being delayed indefinitely, the remaster of Advance Wars 1+2 now finally has a launch date. The colorful strategy games will be coming to the Switch on April 21st.

The cult classic music series Samba de Amigo is coming to the Switch with a new motion-controlled title called Party Central. It doesn’t have a release date just yet, but it’s due to launch this summer.

Beloved paranormal detective game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is getting a new (after)life on the Switch, with a rerelease that’s due out in the summer — perfect for fans of both Phoenix Wright and lost spirits. And if you don’t have a Switch, Capcom is bringing the game to the PS4, Xbox One, and Steam as well.

The classic DS dungeon crawling series Etrian Odyssey is making its way to the Switch with a collection that bundles the first three games in the series. Etrian Odyssey made excellent use of the DS’s second screen — it was a map-drawing tool — so it’ll be interesting to see how these classics translate to a more traditional device.

Two anticipated RPGs are getting a demo today on the Switch eShop: the sequel to Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler and the 16-bit style Sea of Stars.