Nintendo Direct Recap: Metroid Ravenous Lands January 28, Kirby Goes 3D in Spring 2027, and Monster Hunter Wilds Hits Switch 2 on December 4

One day after the Zelda show, Nintendo came back with the general Direct it had promised, and this one was dense. Metroid Ravenous, a brand new 2D adventure for Samus Aran, launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on January 28, 2027. Kirby and the World Beyond, a new 3D Kirby game, follows in spring 2027 for the series' 35th anniversary. Both are Switch 2 exclusives, and both got their first trailers today.

The third party side was almost as loud. Monster Hunter Wilds reaches Switch 2 on December 4, 2026, three Resident Evil remakes arrive on October 16, Persona 6 and Persona 4 Revival are both coming to the console, and a free Mario Kart World update with 10 Super NES tracks was scheduled to go live later today. We covered yesterday's Ocarina of Time reveal separately. Here is everything that matters from the 45 minute show.

Video: Nintendo of America on YouTube

Metroid, Kirby and the first party lineup

Metroid Ravenous is the headline. Nintendo describes it as an all new 2D adventure where it is "eat or be eaten" for Samus, and the key art shows her suit visibly changed by whatever she is fighting. Pre-orders opened today. There is a Special Edition with a steel case, and three amiibo figures launch alongside the game: Samus, a Chozo Statue and Samus in the Metroid Suit. The January 28 date puts it squarely in the post-holiday window, which is where Nintendo has parked big releases before.

Kirby and the World Beyond is a full 3D adventure, the kind of follow up to Forgotten Land that fans have asked about since 2022. Nintendo talked about expansive worlds and creative uses of Copy Abilities, and the spring 2027 window lines up with the 35th anniversary of the series. Closer to now, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is out on September 17 and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort lands on October 22 with 12 sports and an offline Island Crown mode on Wuhu Island. Pikmin 4 gets a Switch 2 Edition on November 12 with voice commands for Oatchi and a new Dandori Academy mode of 72 stages, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gets its own Switch 2 Edition on December 3, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Definitive Edition arrives on February 25, 2027 with every Expansion Pass piece and a new Calamity Mode. Star Fox picks up a free update on September 29 that expands Battle Mode to four local players, and Star Fox Adventures joins the GameCube library for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members the same day.

Capcom, Atlus and Square Enix show up in force

Monster Hunter Wilds on Switch 2 was the biggest third party get. The December 4 release includes all Title Update content, supports cross-platform multiplayer, and the Ascendance expansion is planned for 2027. Capcom also brought Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition to Switch 2 as digital releases on October 16, with an early adopter discount running through November 7 and physical versions coming later.

Atlus announced Persona 6 for Switch 2 without a date, and dated Persona 4 Revival for May 20, 2027. Square Enix confirmed Final Fantasy VII Revelation for Switch 2 on April 8, 2027, the same day as the other platforms, and put Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion on the eShop today. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a ground up reimagining of the first game, is dated February 12, 2027, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered hits Switch 2 on September 29 as a free upgrade for existing Switch owners, with gyro aiming and Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. Meccha Chameleon, the drawing and hide-and-seek game that blew up online, released on Switch 2 today with support for up to 12 players.

Our take

Two Directs in two days is unusual, and the split made sense. The Zelda show got its own room, and this one still had more than enough to fill 45 minutes without padding. A dated Metroid and a real 3D Kirby are the kind of first party anchors the Switch 2 needed for early 2027, and the Capcom and Atlus support says the third party pipeline is not slowing down. The obvious gap is pricing: Nintendo did not state a single price during the show, so we will wait for the store listings before calling any of these a good deal. If you own Mario Kart World, the free update is the thing to check first tonight.