All The Big Switch News From The February Nintendo Direct

Last night, Nintendo broadcast a Direct presentation which was packed with new games for the best-selling Switch console, and it included quite a few surprises.

First up was Super Mario Maker 2, the sequel to the popular Wii U game. You’ll be able to create your own Mario levels and share them with friends, using components from some of the plumber’s most famous 2D adventures. The Switch touchscreen will come in handy, as you’ll be able to interact with the world using your finger.

The next biggest news was that the 1993 classic Zelda: Link’s Awakening is being remade in 3D for the Switch. One of the most beloved instalments in the series, Link’s Awakening adopts a top-down approach and is more old-school than Breath of the Wild, but it should scratch the Zelda itch nicely.

Astran Chain was one of the other big reveals, and is the latest game from Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames. It’s set in a future where demons and monsters are kept at bay by a special police force, and focuses on combat moves where two characters are chained together.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses also got plenty of screen time, and is now confirmed for release on July 26th – a little later than planned.

Sticking with RPGs for a second, Square Enix’s Dragon Quest XI is coming to Switch later this year with loads of exclusive content, including a cool 16-bit graphics mode which you can toggle to on the fly.

It was also revealed that the award-winning Hellblade is coming to Switch this year; originally released on PS4 and PC, this foreboding action title explores mental illness and has been critically-acclaimed in its previous iterations.

After months of rumours, it was finally confirmed that Assassin’s Creed III Remastered is coming to Switch, alongside the PS4 and Xbox One versions. It will include all of the released DLC, as well as the stand-alone game, Liberation, which was originally released on the PS Vita.

While many Switch players are hoping that Tetris Effect will come to the console soon, Nintendo tided them over with the shock release of Tetris 99, a free-to-play online version of the game exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online members.

Finally, it was confirmed that Final Fantasy IX would be made available on Switch right after the presentation, with Final Fantasy VII coming soon.

You can watch the whole thing below: