Nintendo Direct Roundup: Metroid Ravenous, Kirby and Major Switch 2 Ports Revealed

Nintendo's latest Direct presentation delivered a dense rundown of games, upgrades and release plans spanning the original Switch and Switch 2. The showcase followed a Zelda-centered broadcast earlier in the week, shifting the emphasis toward the broader lineup planned for the coming months and into 2027. While plenty of familiar games are receiving enhanced Switch 2 editions, the event also held several substantial new announcements, including fresh entries in the Metroid and Kirby series.

The overall message was clear: Switch 2 is set to receive a significant flow of first-party releases, remasters, major third-party ports and smaller experimental games. Some announcements are available immediately, while others are positioned far enough ahead that Nintendo and its partners still have room to reveal more. Here are the biggest details from the presentation.

Metroid Ravenous leads Nintendo's new first-party reveals

The largest newly announced Nintendo game was Metroid Ravenous, a new 2D entry in the long-running action-adventure series. It is scheduled for Switch 2 on January 28. Samus' latest mission has an energy-draining element built into its premise: she will be able to siphon energy from defeated enemies, giving the title's "Ravenous" name a direct mechanical connection.

Nintendo also plans to release a special edition and new Amiibo alongside the game on January 28. The announcement gives Switch 2 another major exclusive following a year where Nintendo has continued to balance brand-new releases with upgraded versions of Switch favorites.

For useful background on this topic, read Switch 2 Still Has No New 3D Mario, Breaking a Three-Decade Console Pattern.

Closing the presentation was Kirby and the World Beyond, a 3D adventure due for Switch 2 next spring. The footage showed Kirby wielding a sword and wearing a pointed green cap that evokes a certain legendary Nintendo hero, though Kirby's familiar copy abilities remain part of the experience. The timing is notable because the game is planned for Kirby's 35th anniversary year.

Monster Hunter, Final Fantasy and Resident Evil strengthen third-party support

Capcom's Monster Hunter Wilds is headed to Switch 2 on December 4. The arrival is one of the more prominent third-party announcements of the event, particularly given the scale of the current-generation action RPG. Capcom will also bring remade editions of three earlier Resident Evil games to Switch 2 on October 16: Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4. The Resident Evil 2 release is a deluxe edition with its DLC, while the Resident Evil 4 version also includes downloadable content.

Square Enix's final chapter in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy has been confirmed for Switch 2. Final Fantasy VII Revelation will launch on April 8, 2027, on the same day as its releases on other platforms. Players looking for something sooner can pick up Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, which arrived on Switch 2 the day of the Direct.

Atlus also confirmed two substantial Persona projects for Nintendo's hardware. Persona 4 Revival, the remake of Persona 4 Golden, is coming to Switch 2 on May 20, several months after its release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Meanwhile, Persona 6 has been confirmed for Switch 2, though no release timing was supplied.

Elsewhere in the RPG space, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is planned for Switch 2 in 2027, bundled with all of its DLC. Eternal Anima, a time-traveling JRPG about revisiting mysterious memories and gaining the abilities of heroes from the past, is scheduled for March 4. The Direct also gave a January 14 release date to Danganronpa 2x2 on Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. That release combines a remake of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair with a separate scenario that reworks the story's victims and killers.

Switch 2 editions bring old favorites forward

Nintendo is continuing to revisit major Switch releases with upgraded editions. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - Definitive Edition will reach Switch 2 on February 25. The updated hack-and-slash Zelda spinoff includes improved visuals, higher frame rates, more enemies on screen, every previously released DLC pack and a new higher difficulty option. Existing Switch owners will not receive a free upgrade, but Nintendo says they will be offered a discount and can transfer save data.

Pikmin 4 arrives on Switch 2 on November 12, with an upgrade option for current owners. Its headline addition is Dandori Academy, a mode centered on rapidly collecting treasure from stages. It includes three difficulty levels and weekly trials that can only be attempted once, with score comparisons available among friends and other players. The Switch 2 edition also uses the system's built-in microphone for voice commands.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will get its Switch 2 edition on December 3. It adds Heroes' Vault, a wave-based survival and roguelike mode, as well as a new hero named Shimmer. Shimmer can see an opponent's next move, an ability that should bring a different strategic wrinkle to combat. Players who already own the original game will be able to obtain an upgrade pack.

Nintendo Switch Sports is also receiving a more expansive follow-up in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, launching October 22 on Switch 2. It includes 12 sports, an offline single-player Island Crown mode and a free-roaming Wuhu Island component. Players can travel around the island by plane or skateboard and use a jetski on the water.

More Nintendo series get updates, DLC and returning classics

Pokémon Pokopia's second paid expansion is set for later this year. The DLC will add more Pokémon and customization accessories, letting players dress Pokémon in items such as sunglasses, ribbons and bowties. Nintendo also announced a September 29 update for Star Fox that adds four-player split-screen to Battle Mode and introduces three more stages. On the retro side, Star Fox Adventures joins the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library immediately.

Mario Kart World received an update immediately after the presentation. It adds refreshed takes on 10 courses from the original Super Mario Kart, including Ghost Valley 1, and gives Knockout Tour two new routes.

The final pair of Kirby Air Riders Amiibo were also revealed: Sword Kirby & Dragoon and Noir Dedede & Hydra. Both are due on November 12. Nintendo additionally teased a future event that will refresh the game's menu and paddock presentation.

New games include puzzles, horror, co-op and climbing

Level-5 brought two announcements. Professor Layton and the New World of Steam will come to Switch and Switch 2 on December 10, promising the biggest puzzle selection in the series so far. Completing puzzles will reveal additional story information. The developer also confirmed that Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain is in development, although no platforms or release window were announced.

Ghost Town Games, the studio behind Overcooked, provided a closer look at Stage Fright. The coming-of-age cooperative game has a ghost-town mystery at its center, with players solving escape room-style puzzles and overcoming obstacles together. It supports both local and online play and is expected on Switch and Switch 2 next year.

Bloober Team revealed Onyx: The Dark Grip, a Switch 2 exclusive horror game due next year. The game takes place in a fog-filled town and is playable only in handheld mode. Its design uses touchscreen interactions for examining the environment and reading other characters' minds, while tilting the console is used against some threats. The handheld-only focus makes it one of the more unusual concepts in the presentation.

Other smaller announcements included Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale, a rhythm-puzzle coming-of-age story planned for Switch 2 next year, and Cairn, the survival climbing game due in early 2027. A Switch 2 demo for Cairn is available now. Meccha Chameleon, the multiplayer hide-and-seek hit where players disguise themselves by matching the environment, is also out now on Switch 2 after its rapid success on Steam.

A busy partner slate extends into 2027

The Direct also collected a wide array of partner updates. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- Remastered launches September 29 for Switch 2 as a free upgrade for people who own the original Switch version. The enhanced release supports mouse and motion controls, gyro aiming and touchscreen features.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of Lara Croft's original adventure, arrives February 12 on Switch 2 and other platforms. The game previously drew attention over generative-AI use. Its Steam disclosure states that AI-assisted assets were either replaced or refined by humans to preserve the development team's creative and artistic vision.

Further down the schedule, The Crew Motorfest reaches Switch 2 on October 8; House Flipper 2 and a Switch 2 version of It Takes Two arrive October 15; Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves launches October 22; and Stellar Blade plus an encore edition of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy arrive November 5. Sonic Pico Park is due November 12, while Bluey's Happy Snaps launches October 15 on both Switch and Switch 2.

Nintendo also noted that 007 First Light remains planned for Switch 2 this year without a precise date. Ubisoft's Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon ports are scheduled for spring 2027. SNK's Metal Slug Ultimate Collection, which bundles 10 games with online co-op, is coming to Switch and Switch 2 next year. Finally, Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force GX and the 3D remake Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United are both planned for February 16 on Switch and Switch 2.

With a mix of immediate launches, holiday releases and projects extending well into 2027, the Direct positioned Switch 2 as a platform with a crowded and unusually varied road ahead. The major question now is how many of these promising ports and exclusives will receive deeper demonstrations before their respective launches.