The Nintendo Switch does not seem to be coming slowly, even after entering its sixth year of gaming. Despite being an old console at this point, the rising number of sales and the amazing lineup of first-party exclusives and third-party games coming in 2023 for the Switch have still kept the system more than relevant in the gaming world.
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2023 in particular is shaping up to be one of the best yearsfor the console as Nintendo prepares to release some highly anticipated first-party exclusives for the Switch. From the return of highly anticipatedThe Legend of Zeldaseries to the long-awaited next installment of thePikminfranchise, here are six first-party games coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2023.
6Fire Emblem Engage
Developed by Intelligent Systems,Fire Emblem Engageis the seventeenth mainline entryin the long-runningFire Emblemfranchise.Fire Emblem Engageis a tactical RPG set in the continent of Elyos. Players control the protagonist Alear, who after waking up from a deep slumber of a thousand years, will have to gather the 12 Emblem Rings to defeat the menace known as the Fell Dragon.
The game will also feature protagonists from the previous games by using the power of the Emblem Rings which are an essential element to bothFire Emblem Engage’sstory and gameplay. The game is set to release on January 20th, 2023, with as many as four expansion passes announced for the future.
5Kirby’s Return To Dream Land Deluxe
Developed by HAL Laboratory,Kirby’s Return To Dream Landwas originally released on the Wii in 2011 and is now getting remastered under the banner ofKirby’s Return To Dream Land Deluxefor the Nintendo Switch. The gameplay will feature up to four players joining together and going on a platforming journey across the Planet Popstar. Each player can play as a variant of Kirby or as one of Kirby’s many friends, including King Dedede and Meta Knight, etc.
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The remaster also includes new abilities such as the Mecha and Sand copy abilities which will make the game feel more fresh and engaging. Multiplayer improvements will also be added toKirby’s Return To Dream Land Deluxe. The game is set to release on July 25, 2025.
4Bayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demon
PlatinumGames' long-runningBayonettaseries is getting another spin-off in 2023 withBayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demon, which servesas a prequel to the series, focusing on a younger Cereza, as she trains to become the witch that she is known to be today. Players will take control of Cereza and her very first demonic summon, Cheshire, solve puzzles and slay enemies.
Although this spin-off title will not feature the same fast-paced combat, there is still plenty of action involved. The art style of thisBayonettagame also sees a significant departure from the usual style seen in the mainline entries of the series.Bayonetta Origins: Cereza And The Lost Demonis set to release on June 04, 2025.
3The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Developed by Nintendo,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis thehighly awaited sequelto 2017’sThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The game will take Link to the skies this time, literally, as he works to defeat the evil spreading across Hyrule once more.Tears of the Kingdomis set to build upon the world, lore, and mechanics of the previous installment while also introducing some new mechanics as well.
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The hype surroundingThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis evident by the fact that it came out as the winner of the Game Awards 2022’s Most Anticipated Game of 2023 title. While small peaks at the game’s gameplay have been revealed in trailers, not much else is known about the story. The game is set to release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on Jul 06, 2025.
2Pikmin 4
Created by Nintendo, Pikmin 4will be the first installment in the long-dormantPikminfranchise to be releasing exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. It will be the fourth mainlinePikmingame in the series and the fifth overall.Pikmin 4will be a real-time strategy game and will feature gameplay similar to that of the previous entries in the series. Players are bound to control a leader commanding many smaller Pikmin on the map and will have to work their way around defeating various monsters in order to survive.
A few additional details have been provided about the gameplay featuring a new deployment mechanic and new camera options. A teaser trailer was released confirming thatthe game will be releasing in 2023, but not much more has been revealed about the game.
1Disney Illusion Island
Get ready for a magical and charming journey with Disney’s most recognizable characters, including Micky, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in Dalala Studio’s upcoming side-scrolling adventure,Disney Illusion Island.The game is a co-op platformerfeaturing up to four playable.
Disney Illusion Islandfollows Mickey and his squad of lovable friends as they go to the mysterious Monoth Island and try to save it from ruin by searching for three mystical books of knowledge.
The game has a very vibrant art style, which makes it feel more like playing a cartoon.Disney Illusion Islanddoes not have a confirmed release date but is set to come out sometime in 2023 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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