Nintendo Direct (09/06/2026) Reveals
Overview
The Nintnedo Showcase was the finale to the great week of not-E3, and premiered for the same day it was announced. It carried its own sense of importance for Ninteno as it was the one year anniversary since the release of their successor console the Nintendo Switch 2, a much more powerful and capable console that can run new release titles, along with pushing beyond the limitations of the original Nintendo Switch for their first-party games, and Nintendo had this in mind, and a message to prove for the new handheld's future.
Rhythm Heaven: Groove
Release Date: 2nd July 2026
Kicking off the show was the reveal of a new Rhythm Heaven Game called Rhythm Heaven Groove, which looks to be a new and exciting mini-game, party game experience that feels like Warioware with a rhythmic twist. I've never played one of these games before, but am excited to check this one out when it releases in early July.
Orbitals
Release Date: 3rd September 2026
This next game is one of my most anticipated for the later half of this year, and that is Orbitals, which is a co-op third-person adventure that plays similar to the Hazelight games we've seen in recent years, drenched in an 90's anime aesthetic that is absolutely oozing with style. I love seeing more games that are centered around being both narratively-driven and co-op is something that feels like the product of a bygone era, and we don't get many games today that are built or focused around co-op, especially couch co-op, so I love to see this and the overall presentation and feel is something that feels right up my alley.
This one is game is being developed by Tokyo-based Studio Shapeform and published by Kepler Interactive, and is currently exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2, and I'm looking forward to playing this later this year on September 3rd.
Garden Eight
The Big Walk
Release Date: 4th August 2026
The next game revealed was another game that I am very highly anticipating callled The Big Walk which is a multiplayer game that thrusts the group into this forest adventure where you utilize tools, solve puzzles and try to make it through this big adventure together. The Big Walk utilizes proximity chat, and has tools like Walkie Talkie's to contact your friends in the instance you get lost, and seems like this really fun puzzle-like journey as you and your mates scout your way through the map.
The game is being developed by House House the team behind the humorous Untitled Goose Game, and this is shaping up to be another interesting experience.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet
Release Date: October 26th 2026
The next game that was shown was a plesant surprise. This is a One Piece game where you play as Sanji who for those who're unfamiliar with One Piece is Chef for the Straw Hat Pirates. The game is a restaurant sim meets cooking game, think elements of Dave the Diver in the world of One Piece, built around Sanji's time working on the floating restaurant Baratie. It looks like a fun game that has a lot of One Piece references, and characters that can dine-in at the restaurant, and it'll be a fun game to kick back and enjoy on the side amongst all the other big releases when it launches October 26th.
Pokemon Pokopia Expansion
Release Date: Same Day as the Showcase
One of the most beloved releases of 2026, Pokemon Pokopia, is getting an expansion pass and free update that release same day as the showcase. The focus of the update and the first expansion being focused around underwater biomes that introduce new Pokemon and further expand the core gameplay loop of the Pokopia experience. There are going to be other expansions and updates coming in the future that are tied to the expansion pass, so if you're looking for more Pokopia content, then you're being well fed into the next year.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
Release Date: 17th September 2026
The next game that we'd get to see is a full release trailer for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave. We'd get to see more about the world, story and gameplay, and surprisingly we'd also be greeted with a release date as well. This one came as a surprise to me as I wasn't expecting Fortune's Weave to be a 2026 release, but this will be in fact releasing this year on September 17th.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave looks to be the next Fire Emblem that will be evolving on the blueprint of the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and I'm interested to see what new mechanics, systems and changes to combat Intelligent Systems has in store for us.
Jujutsu Kaisan: Rumble: Survivation
The next game that we got a reveal for was an odd addition and that was a new Jujutsu Kaisen game. But this isn't some brawler or fighting game that you would typically expect from this series, it is a survivor-like game that is being developed by poncle, the developers of Vampire Survivors. This looks to be a surprisingly interesting spin-on the formula, not only including your favorite JJK characters but a multi-player mode where it will see you competing against other players for the highest score and survival.
Ninjala 2
Release Date: Spring 2027
Ninjala 2 is the next game that was revealed and I really didn't know much about this series, and to be honest was one that I glazed over during the initial conference due to the hype and texting friends about other entries that were announced prior. But on a second glance writing this article, Ninjala 2 peaked my interest. It's an open-world action-adventure that see's your protagonist manipulating gum, to make cool abilities that create rails to grind on or grapple hooks to get around. It can also be used to fight enemies, looks pretty cool, and it has a co-op mode as well.
Muramasa: Revenant Blades
Xenoblade Genesis
Release Date: 2027
Xenoblade Genesis is the latest game from Monolith Soft and is a prequel to the Xenoblade Trilogy. This one surprisingly is releasing next year and is one that I am absolutely excited for. The original Xenoblade trilogy is fantastic, the first and third game in particular are exceptional video games, and it's witchcraft how Monolith Soft was able to make all three of these games run on the original Switch. So with less limitations holding them back, I am eager to see what they come up with in the latest entry, and the crazy part is, we won't have long to wait with Xenoblade Genesis releasing in 2027.
Nintendo Switch Sport Resorts
Star Fox
Release Date: 25th June 2026
Star Fox revealed a demo that would be available to play the same day as the Nintendo Direct, and the full release for Star Fox, the remake of the iconic Star Fox 64 is coming June 25th 2026.
Final Fantasy Resonance
Release Date: October 22nd 2026
Final Fantasy Resonance is the 2D-HD return to form that many of the older school Final Fantasy fanbase has been saying they'd love to see the series return to with the game having a more traditional form of turn-based combat, compared to the action-oriented direction of more recent titles. There is a wealth of charm and wonder to this game, and I didn't realise this upon watching the trailer, but Final Fantasy Resonance is adaptation of a mobile game called Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, removing the mobile game elements and instead opting in new combat and scenario wriiting.
Final Fantasy Resonance will cover the events of Brave Exivus' first season out of the five total seasons that the game had during its runtime and service. So there is an interesting proposition here with this game, if it does sell well there are at least four more games in this spin-off series that can be adapted, plus other defunct mobile games, and more notabily the desire to make something compeletly new in this manner.
I think that everything about Final Fantasy Resonance looks absolutely stellar, the art-style and 2D-HD look is fantastic, there will be voiced characters and feels at its heart like it is aiming to capture the magic of what old-school Final Fantasy is known for. I absolutely adore this and am looking forward to playing this when it releases October 22nd.
Pikuniku 2
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World
Release Date: December 3rd 2026
The next game we got a look at was Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, and this game was revealed at the 40th anniversary of Dragon Quest showcase earlier in the year. But now, we have a release date for the game, and it is dropping December 3rd 2026, and I'm really keen to check this one out.
The Duskbloods
Release Date: TBA
There was an update for The Duskbloods Network Test coming Summer 2026. This most recent trailer was more cuts of the world and characters, there wasn't really much in the way of gameplay nor a release date, which many of us were expecting. But the big reveal was the network tests being held later in the Summer, and what is interesting about this game is that on both Nintendo's Store and From Soft's website, the game is still slated to release in 2026. Could we see another game come out in the September - October window, or will From Soft go toe to toe with Grand Theft Auto VI in November.
Splatoon Raiders
Release Date: 23rd July 2026
- Deeper look
Deltarune Chapter 5
Release Date: June 24th 2026
Kingdom Hearts 4
Release Date: TBA
- Will launch on the Switch 2
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Release Date: 2026
To close out the show, Nintendo went out with an absolute bang, remaking one of their most revered and beloved games that many would claim is one of the greatest ever made. Yes, Nintendo are remaking The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and that isn't even the craziest part, the game is scheduled to release in 2026. You really have to wonder when in the stacked later half of this year, this game will release and I wonder if between this and The Duskbloods which I talked about earlier, are both these games going to be coming out in November, going toe-to-toe with Grand Theft Auto VI and what's crazy is I do think that they both have the brand power and fanfare that they actually could.
There is not much else we know about this game with the trailer being a pure cinematic teaser reveal, we don't know what this game looks like, the gameplay or if this remake will be a one-to-one remake or a reimagining. Time will tell, but this is exciting and I am keen to see more in future. What else can be said, it's an incredible way to cap off a fantastic show.
