Player 2 vs The June 2026 Nintendo Direct
Closing out the June gaming bonanza is Nintendo with a hefty Nintendo Direct, and with rumours swirling of perhaps the biggest remake of the most acclaimed game of all time, paired with the usual expectations of big non-E3 June Directs, and there’s a lot to be excited for. P2 editor Paul James goes through the Direct with a fine-toothed comb, discussing each game presented along the way in this new Vs feature.
Rhythm Paradise Groove
I’m not a very rhythmic person, so I’m a bit concerned about my ability to click with this one, although it all seems pretty accessible, so we’ll see what happens whenever I can go hands-on with the game. Perhaps I’ll have more to say in the near future…
Onimusha: Way Of The Sword
Great to see that Switch 2 continues to get love from Capcom. From all reports, Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata are excellent on the Nintendo console, so Capcom really seem to have understood the ins and outs of the platform. I downloaded the PS5 demo the other day, so hopefully it clicks with me.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen
Wow! This wasn’t the place where I had expected to see DLC for Dragon’s Dogma 2 getting announced. The game is new to the platform, and this big expansion is huge news for fans as well. Good get Nintendo!
Stella Blade
There’s going to be some pretty significant compromises made to get Stella Blade working on Switch 2, but it’s another great get by Nintendo. Thought PlayStation had locked the original down as far as consoles are concerned, but not to be.
Orbitals
There’s such a strong positive sentiment around for Orbitals, and now the game finally has a September release date. Of course, it’s dropping into an ugly release window, so hopefully it gets the spotlight the game deserves, especially given the Switch 2 exclusivity, so my fingers are crossed.
Rayman Legends: Retold
Not much new information for this on top of what we have already learned in the last week or so, since the game has been revealed. Just great news that Nintendo Switch 2 owners are missing out on the fun.
Big Walk
Goose Game fans, I hope you’re paying attention. This is the follow-up to the acclaimed game, and while there are a lot of differences, there’s still much to be excited about. The August release date is also excellent news, a lot sooner than I’d expected
One Piece: Grand Gourmet
Why are we running a restaurant in the One Piece world? I don’t care for the anime, so I really couldn’t care less about this game spin-off. Good to see creatives stretching their legs and trying different things within established IP, but it’s not going to win me over.
Pokemon Pokopia
Pokopia continues to impress. The initial launch was massive, and now free DLC is going to keep the rage going. Nintendo and the Pokémon Company have quickly cottoned onto the success they’ve got, and now we’re getting paid DLC too. They’ll extract all they can from wallets, and in this case, they’ve well and truly deserved it.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
I do like the initial premise of Fortune’s Weave because it feels like we’re starting out with much lower stakes than most Fire Emblem games. I’m sure things will escalate, and the drama will rapidly build, but I’m a big fan of where we’re at narratively here. Beyond that, the options outside of the normal tactical encounters are great to see. I’m pumped for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, and wish I could be playing the game already. I guess I’ll tolerate waiting for September 17, though. What painful timing, though. My sleep is already gone for that month, and this makes things worse
Ninjala 2
I’ve never heard of Ninjala before. The bubble gum gameplay gimmick doesn’t resonate with me, which is a shame, because mechanically it’s fine; I just don’t like the context. They’ve got more time to win me over before a 2027 launch. We’ll see how we go.
DK Challenge
A nice bit of DK filler. I can’t say that I’m super interested in the game, but it’s a nice way to further justify a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The fact that I now technically already own this means that I’ll at least check DK Challenge out. Cool Mario additions to Bananza, too.
Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble Survivaton
I never got into Vampire Survivors, and now there are so many knock-offs. I don’t think I particularly care about this one at all. I also don’t have any connection to this Jujutsu Kaisen IP, so pass.
Lords Of The Fallen II
Everything is too Soulslike-coated these days, and if they just dropped that, I’d be more interested. Sorry, team, not for me.
Lies Of P
I know what I just said, but Lies of P has a flair that makes it unique for most Soulslikes out there, and the accessibility options make the game more accessible than most as well, so I’m stoked that it is coming to Switch 2.
Devil May Cry 5
More Capcom love. It’s an older port, but I feel like we’re getting close to the next chapter in the DMC story, so getting the game out on Switch 2 consoles is important for that next step. Eat it up, Switch 2 fans.
Muramasa Revenant Blades
I loved playing Muramasa back in the day, but it has been a very long time since that initial release on Wii, and the best version of the game (to date), Rebirth, on PS Vita. I’m glad to see Vanillaware is bringing this one back, with a range of modern upgrades. Keen to see more, and perhaps take this one for another spin.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Okay, we’ve been getting remasters for Xenoblade Chronicles games for quite some time now, so here’s a definitive Switch 2 edition, and we can now move on to whatever comes next. The original game has more remasters than The Last Of Us… let that sit with you!
Xenoblade Genesis
After so much fluffing around with remasters, it’s awesome to see MonolithSoft moving onto the next chapter in the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise. I don’t feel like the main cast are as visually distinct as what we’ve seen from prior games, but their personalities may really shine in-game, so I’ll give the benefit of the doubt for now. Looking forward to checking this one out sometime next year.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
The Wii lives on! Boxing, table tennis, archery, tennis, and other favourites all return, and despite it all feeling unbelievably familiar, I’m still really down for this. Interesting new additions like mouse-controlled skateboarding, etc., as well, so there’s a nice mix of new and old present. Keen to check it out in October. The demo of thumb wrestling was pretty funny. I feel like I became less interested in it the longer the demo went on, though.
Runescape: Dragonwilds
I’ve said it a few times in the last week, I played Runescape as a kid, but it’s a chapter of my life that I’m pretty happy to leave 20+ years in my past. I can’t believe the IP still exists and is relevant, to be honest. Good on those who are keen to check this one out, but I won’t be joining you.
Hello Kitty Party Land
Shoutout to the Hello Kitty fans, I’m not one of you, but I’m sure you’ll have a great time with this one. Hard pass for me.
Star Fox
I recently demoed Star Fox, so please check out my preview for fuller thoughts, but you can check out a subset of that demo yourself. Please try it out, the game is coming up great!
Final Fantasy Resonance
Final Fantasy in HD-2D!!! This is wild! Count me in! I’m super interested in seeing where this goes, but the nostalgic factor absolutely has me on board from the outset. For it to be dropping so soon, though, is unreal!
Pikuniku 2
I’ve seen Pikuniku over the years, but I’ve got no idea what is going on. I don’t think this trailer overly sold me on the franchise either, so I feel like I’m going to need to go out of my way to fall for it. I’m not sure that I’m willing to put in that effort, though.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World
We saw Monsters get announced during the very disappointing Dragon Quest day a few weeks ago, but if they showed this footage that day, I would perhaps have been less disappointed then. I’m really vibing with Dragon Quest at present, so I’m ready to eat up almost everything that they throw at me. A December release is surprising, given how vague they were at the announcement. Great news,
The Duskbloods
The next big FromSoftware game is almost here. The Bloodborne inspiration is still very clear, but it’s also sadly a long way away still. Keep yourselves busy, fans, the wait might still be lengthy yet.
Splatoon Raiders
Alright, I’m loving where Splatoon Raiders is heading. I’m not much of a competitive player, so the prior games never stuck with me, but this is something I can really get around. Loving the direction that Raiders is heading in, so count me in when this one launches soon.
Deltarune
I got so excited for Pikmin when I saw the green shoot popping up, but for it to be Deltarune really frustrates me. I’m not a Toby Fox game fan, so this broke my heart for a bit there. Pass
Metaphor: Re Fantazio
Didn’t play the game a few years ago, and I don’t think the Switch 2 will be the platform where I jump in. I own the game on my PS5, it’s just a battle against time, given the size of these games
Minecraft
I’ve never gotten into Minecraft, and while I cannot deny its popularity, and sure, maybe I’m the problem here, a Switch 2 SKU won’t be what wins me over.
Sizzle Reel
Lots of love for the Switch 2, and I was really glad to see games like Space Marine 2 and Metal Gear Solid amongst the notable games on the list. Tales of Eternia Remastered was a surprise to me in there, though, really hyped about that addition!
Kingdom Hearts Collections
So much Kingdom Hearts. These games have gotten so wild, and I’m so far behind since playing the original game back on PS2, that I don’t think I’ll ever be going back, sadly.
Kingdom Hearts 4
I had never expected Kingdom Hearts 4 to show up. For the reasons I just outlined, I’m not really going to get into the game, but this is a huge get by Nintendo. Well done to all involved for keeping this one locked down. Launch day release for Switch 2 is massive news, but not as massive as what came last
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
Absolutely insane to see this remake after so many years of people hoping and dreaming for this to be a reality. Given the 2026 release, this was a very restrained announcement, but my hype is through the roof for this. The best-reviewed game of all time is coming back, and I’m so fascinated by what this remake can become. The graphical style of Zelda is always a controversial thing, but I love the style of this, which gives off eerily similar vibes to the Majora’s Mask fan film that was made by Kena Bridge Of Spirits developer Ember Lab. Desperately wanting to see more.
Final Thoughts
Sadly, the big Ocarina of Time reveal had already been spoiled for us, but it still hits differently when it’s revealed and is suddenly real. I want Nintendo to definitely drop this game in November, going head-to-head with GTA, and cause some chaos for the hardcore gamers out there. Beyond Zelda, this was a strong (but not incredible) outing. Some great reveals from Final Fantasy Resonance, to the release date of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Kingdom Hearts 4 in there (despite not being for me) is undoubtedly huge, meanwhile, there are some great games finally coming to Nintendo (shoutout to Capcom as a major contributor in this space). There were a few too many lulls, and a showcase like this needs to appeal to a broader audience than what a PlayStation or Xbox showcase will, so not everything will be your cup of tea.
