Nintendo Still Has Tricks Up Its Sleeve After the Switch 2 Direct

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home April 3, 2025 24 Views 7 Min Read
Nintendo Still Has Tricks Up Its Sleeve After the Switch 2 Direct

Summary

  • Nintendo Direct showcased new Switch 2 and games, but major titles like Animal Crossing and Pokemon Gen 10 were absent.
  • The focus was on revealing new games and details on Switch 2, hinting at big moves for beloved franchises in the future.
  • Nintendo has surprises in store, spacing out releases to ensure momentum well beyond the launch of the Switch 2 in June.

April 2’s Nintendo Direct was a smash hit, showcasing not only the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 but also an immense number of new titles coming to the console once it launches in June. Some of the biggest titles revealed during the Nintendo Direct were Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, Kirby Air Riders, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and The Duskbloods — most of which were unexpected. All in all, it was a successful showcase for Nintendo, but it still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, even after those extensive reveals.

The best part about the latest Nintendo Direct was undoubtedly the deep dive it did into the Nintendo Switch 2, as it not only disclosed some precious details about the console but also finally gave it a release date and revealed its price tag. In addition to that, it was nice to see some brand-new Switch 2 exclusives make their debut via some memorable trailers, preemptively making 2025 a massive year for Nintendo. Nintendo may have yet to make its biggest moves, however, as several notable franchises were left out of the showcase that are expected to carry on.

nintendo switch 2 hands on preview

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Nintendo Still Has Plenty of Announcements to Make

The Next Animal Crossing and Pokemon Gen 10 Games Have Yet to Show Themselves

The latest Nintendo Direct might have given fans an all-you-can-eat buffet of new games to look forward to, but it left out news of the next Animal Crossing and Pokemon Gen 10 games. After the unprecedented success of 2020’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, fans of the series and cozy games alike have likely been awaiting news of the next game in the franchise for quite some time.

What makes things quite interesting for Animal Crossing, though, is its absence in Nintendo’s latest Direct showcase, as well as the fact that Animal Crossing: New Horizons is not among the games receiving Switch 2 enhancements. This ultimately suggests that Nintendo is focusing its efforts on a new entry, rather than pouring more time and resources into enhancing the most recent installment, making its exclusion from the latest Direct rather indicative of the franchise’s future.

The latest Nintendo Direct might have given fans an all-you-can-eat buffet of new games to look forward to, but it left out news of the next Animal Crossing and Pokemon Gen 10 games.

The next mainline Pokemon game, which will presumably feature Gen 10 Pokemon, was left out of the latest Nintendo Direct as well. Considering Pokemon is one of Nintendo’s most prized possessions, and it has now been nearly three years since the launch of the Gen 9 entries, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Gen 10 is likely coming soon. The main thing standing between now and its launch is Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

New Mainline Zelda and Super Mario Games Are Expected as Well

While Animal Crossing and Pokemon are both beloved Nintendo series, Zelda and Super Mario are arguably even more so, as they have both been around much longer. Interestingly enough, the next step for either franchise was never mentioned in the latest Nintendo Direct, leaving things open for both series to make big moves in the future. Zelda did just receive another mainline game less than a year ago with Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, but it was primarily developed by Grezzo, not Nintendo, meaning Nintendo could currently be working on the next entry.

Both Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have been announced as Switch 1 games that will be enhanced on the Switch 2, which might be a decent placeholder for fans until the next mainline game arrives.

The next Super Mario game was not revealed during the Direct either, though there were six years between the release of Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Wonder, the last two mainline games in the series. Considering it has only been a little over a year since the launch of Super Mario Wonder, it’s likely that fans will need to wait a bit longer to hear anything about the next game. That being said, the recent release of Super Mario Party Jamboree suggests that Nintendo is likely currently working on another mainline entry.

Even with a Nintendo Direct packed full of surprises, it’s clear Nintendo is only just getting started. The absence of major franchises like Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Zelda, and Super Mario wasn’t a misstep, as the developer would never leave such franchises behind — at least without a warning. With the Nintendo Switch 2 set to launch this June, Nintendo is likely spacing out its biggest titles in an effort to maintain momentum well into 2025 and beyond.

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