Nintendo Switch games 2022: new releases announced at Nintendo Direct - from Switch Sports to Mario Kart

Nintendo has hosted another one of its ‘Direct’ presentations today.

Nintendo Directs give the Japanese gaming giant a chance to live stream details of upcoming games to their fans.

They often come with anticipated first-look trailers, and sometimes even surprise announcements of huge new Nintendo Switch games.

So what did the latest presentation bring to the table, and what announcements got gaming fans most excited?

Here is everything you need to know.

What were the biggest announcements?

As the first Nintendo Direct presentation of 2022, fans were hopeful that the latest live stream will contain some juicy information on upcoming games.

The Direct ran for around 40 minutes, and was be mainly focused on Nintendo Switch games launching in the first half of 2022.

Ahead of the presentation, rumours were flying about the possibility of Nintendo working on a brand new Mario Kart game.

Unfortunately, the Direct confirmed this isn’t the case, although what fans got was arguably even better.

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass launches on 18 March, and will bring 48 remastered courses from across the Mario Kart series to the exisiting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game.

The Course Pass will be delivered in six waves, each containing eight reworked tracks and costing £22.49, though anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership can access it at no extra cost.

Another surprise reveal that is getting everyone excited is that of Nintendo Switch Sports.

While a collection of just six sports-based mini games that make use of motion-controls might not be what most gamers were hoping for, it’s worth remembering that Switch Sports takes its inspiration from Wii Sports.

That was the game that launched alongside Nintendo’s fabled console, and saw everyone and their grandmothers getting up and off the couch for a game of virtual ten-pin bowling.

Nintendo Switch Online members will be able to sign up to participate in an Online Play Test taking place on 19 and 20 February.

Fans eager for news on Splatoon 3 were introduced to Salmon Run Next Wave, a co-op mode that will be included in the game, when it launches this summer.

There was also new information on Kirby and the Forgotten Land with the reveal of Mouthful Mode, which gives Kirby a whole new range of powerful transformations to use in his upcoming 3D adventure.

It was also announced that classic Japanese RPG Live A Live will be released for the first time ever in the west on 22 July.

What else was announced?

Alongside those major announcement, many more games were revealed as coming to the Nintendo Switch in the near future.

These include classics like Portal: Companion Collection and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

What games are releasing for Nintendo Switch in 2022?

Here is a list of all the major games listed as releasing for the Nintendo Switch in 2022.

February

• 10 - Kingdom Hearts III
• 10 - Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix
• 10 - Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix
• 10 - Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
• 14 - River City Girls Zero
• 15 - Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires
• 17 - Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection
• 17 - Touken Ranbu Warriors
• 17 - Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden
• 22 - Monark
• 22 - Sol Cresta
• 24 - Chaos;Child
• 24 - Chaos;Head Noah
• 24 - Crystar
• 25 - Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream

March

• 4 - Triangle Strategy
• 10 - .hack//G.U. Last Recode
• 10 - Aztech: Forgotten Gods
• 10 - Chocobo GP
• 15 - The Cruel King and the Great Hero
• 15 - Phantom Breaker: Omnia
• 17 - Gal Gun: Double Peace
• 17 - Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
• 22 - Rune Factory 5
• 25 - Kirby and the Forgotten Land
• 29 - Crystar

April

• 5 - Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
• 5 - MLB The Show 22
• 8 - Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
• 12 - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
• 21 - Pocky & Rocky Reshrined
• 29 - Nintendo Switch Sports
• 28 - Tasomachi: Behind the Twilight
• TBA - Curse of the Sea Rats

May

• 13 - Evil Dead: The Game
• 17 - Two Point Campus
• 19 - Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong
• 24 - Touken Ranbu Warriors
• 26 - Yurukill: The Calumniation Game

June

• 10 - Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles
• 10 - Mario Strikers: Battle League
• 24 - AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative
• 24 - Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

July

• 5 - Yurukill: The Calumniation Game
• 8 - Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
• 22 - Live A Live

September

• 15 - Shinigami: Shibito Magire
• 22 - Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
• 22 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3

To be confirmed

• Read Only Memories: Neurodiver
• Trifox
• Beacon Pines
• Dawn of the Monsters
• Tormented Souls
• Aliisha: The Oblivion of the Twin Goddesses
• Blazing Strike
• Don't Starve Together
• Omori
• Disney Speedstorm
• Dragon Quest X Offline
• Kao the Kangaroo
• No Man's Sky
• Azure Striker Gunvolt 3
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
• Marvel's Midnight Suns
• The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
• Sonic Frontiers

To be announced

• Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms
• Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo
• Anonymous;Code
• Apsulov: End of Gods
• A Plague Tale: Requiem
• Bayonetta 3
• Bendy and the Dark Revival
• Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread
• Blood Bowl 3
• Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
• Braid Anniversary Edition
• Card Shark
• Chasing Static
• Clive 'N' Wrench
• Cultic
• Convergence: A League of Legends Story
• Dark Deity
• Digimon Survive
• Dragon Ball: The Breakers
• Gerda: A Flame in Winter
• Getsu Fūma Den: Undying Moon
• Graven
• Gunfire Reborn
• Hatch Tales
• The House of the Dead: Remake
• Kingdom of Night
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
• Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
• Legal Dungeon
• Untitled The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel
• Little Devil Inside
• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
• Metal Max: Wild West
• Metal Max Xeno Reborn
• Metal Slug Tactics
• Nekojishi: Lin & Partners
• The Origin: Blind Maid
• Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
• Party Crasher Simulator
• Portal: Companion Collection
• Quantum Replica
• Redout 2
• Re:Legend
• Rise of the Triad Remastered
• River City Girls 2
• Roller Champions
• RWBY: Arrowfell
• She Dreams Elsewhere
• Source of Madness
• Star Wars: Hunters
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
• Temtem
• Turbo Overkill
• Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef
• WRC 10
• XIII
• Zengeon

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