Nintendo Direct: The biggest announcements for September 2021
The latest Nintendo Direct wrapped up its 40-minute presentation on Thursday, Sept. 23, dishing out some exciting news and updates that gamers can look forward to on the Switch.
The event unveiled some surprises, including a new Kirby game, an expansion of Switch Online, and the star-studded cast for the Super Mario animated movie. In case you missed the event, here’s a roundup of some major announcements.
Super Mario movie unveils cast and release date
Nintendo announced the all-star voice cast of the Super Mario movie, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Jack Black as Bowser. The film being made in collaboration with Minions studio, Illumination, will be out on Dec. 21, 2022.
The Super Mario Bros. Animated Film movie is heading to theaters in North America on 12/21/22!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 23, 2021
Check out the voice cast for the upcoming movie below ? pic.twitter.com/Xj31P6hk6y
Bayonetta 3 is coming next year
After four years of no updates, fans were treated to a long look at Bayonetta 3, featuring the fashionable, long-legged witch, in a four-minute long action-packed trailer. Sporting a new look with braids, Bayonetta returns to battle foes with her signature Witch Time! This time, she’ll wield her new Demon Masquerade ability to channel the power of demons and engage in larger-than-life action. Bayonetta 3 is set for release in 2022.
N64 and SEGA Genesis games are coming to Switch online
Both Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis (a.k.a. the Sega Mega Drive in Southeast Asia regions) games are coming to the Switch Online subscription service. The games will be part of a premium tier “expansion pack” for the service. Pricing details will be announced at a later date.
For N64 it’s launching with Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64 , and Ocarina Of Time, among other titles, with more classics to follow, including Pokémon Snap. For Genesis it’ll have 14 games at launch, including Contra Hard Corps, Sonic 2, Ecco the Dolphin and Streets of Rage 2.
Nintendo will also be selling the proper original-looking N64 and Genesis controllers, in Switch-compatible wireless versions.
Play a selection of Nintendo 64 and SEGA Genesis games with #NintendoSwitchOnline + Expansion Pack!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 23, 2021
This new membership plan launches late October and includes all features of the base Nintendo Switch Online membership. Details on pricing, timing, and more will be shared soon. pic.twitter.com/BMArRe5Vg6
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting an update
Nintendo announced that a major update is coming for Animal Crossing: New Horizons in November. More details will be revealed next month about what’s in store for the virtual game.
Kirby is back in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Iconic video game character Kirby is back in a brand new game titled Kirby and the Forgotten Land. The game transports the pink puffball to a world full of abandoned structures from a past civilization with some serious The Last of Us vibes for some 3D platforming action. The game is coming to the Switch next spring.
Splatoon 3: Return of the Mammalians
The third Splatoon game has been titled Return of the Mammalians. Nintendo showed some gameplay for Splatoon 3, including new multiplayer powers and new weapons that are sure to intensify Splatsville’s multiplayer Turf Wars. Some familiar faces will be lending a hand in the game’s Story Mode, Return of the Mammalians, where the Inklings’ world is about to get a lot hairier.
Monster Hunter Rise is getting an expansion
The RPG Monster Hunter Rise is getting a major expansion this year, with new story elements, locales, monsters, hunting actions and quest ranks. The expansion called Sunbreak will launch as a paid DLC in Summer 2022.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut heads to Switch on October
The critically-acclaimed RPG Disco Elysium is finally getting released on Oct. 12 on the Switch. The Final Cut is an expanded version of the game with with full voice acting and new content, which was released for consoles in 2021 alongside a free update for the PC version.
Castlevania Advance Collection comes to Switch
The Castlevania games originally released on the Game Boy Advance 20 years ago are coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Nintendo announced that the Castlevania Advance Collection would include Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (2001), Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (2002), Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (2003) and a bonus SNES title Castlevania: Dracula X (1995).
New card-based RPG from Nier masterminds
A new card-based role-playing game dubbed Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars will be coming to the Switch on Oct. 28. The game from Nier masterminds Yoko Taro and Yosuke Saito follows a self proclaimed hero as they set off to slay a recently awakened dragon, presented in the manner of a tabletop RPG and playing out through narration from the gamesmaster.
Chocobos are getting their own racing game
Square Enix, the studio behind Final Fantasy, announced Chocobo GP, a new racer reminiscent of Mario Kart with chocobos on rollerblades. The game, which features iconic characters from the Final Fantasy universe in various wheeled vehicles and twists like magical spells, is set for a 2022 release.
In case you still want to watch the entire Nintendo Direct presentation with all the other announcements, here's the full video below.
(Images via PlatinumGames/Nintendo)