The second Nintendo Direct is over, which offered a general look at the lineup for the next six plus months. Across the 45 minutes it ran, there were some surprises, new information for games already known, and a very great reveal at the end. Before getting to that, it’s time to look at everything else I loved about this Nintendo Direct. Starting with the free updates for two games.
First up is Star Fox getting three new arenas for its multiplayer. Each new arena also has its own event tied to it for gaining an advantage in points. This is sure to get me returning to the multiplayer, even if just against bots. That free update comes at the end of the month. And as an extra for Star Fox enjoyers, the GameCube Classics app got a new addition in the form of Star Fox Adventures. Which is available today!
The bigger of the two free updates for me was Mario Kart World. The SNES tracks that were implemented into the world can now be selected in versus mode! These tracks will have the item boxes replaced with the item panels, along with all being five laps in length. The second lot of new Knockout Tours have also arrived in this latest update that is out today.
In terms of indie games, there were two that had my attention. The first is Onyx: The Dark Grip. This is a game outside of my usual style, but it has an interesting hook that I feel will make for good playing. Controlling a man trying to survive in a deserted snowy town, the player also becomes God by using the touchscreen to help him survive. Along with other features of the Switch 2 such as motion control and the microphone. I’ll be keeping an eye on it when it comes in 2027.
The second being Cairn. Now, this one released at the start of the year on PC and PS5. The Direct announced that it is coming to the Switch 2 early next year. Controlling Aava, players have freedom of choice in how they approach the climb to the summit of Mount Kami. Manually positioning feet and hands to climb, though only one is moved at a time, management of stamina and comfort are key to success. There’s people to meet on the climb, too. Which adds some nice interactions and stories to discover.
Oh, hello Switch Sports Resort. Nice of you to drop by. You have a true free roam mode? Best news I could have heard about the game. No more time limits when it comes to exploring. Whether flying, on the water, or skateboarding across the land, each mode of traversal has something to find across Wuhu Island. There’s also an offline tournament ladder to progress through with nine of the twelve sports. I’m certainly looking forward to this even more.
A few other announcements I’m curious on include Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force GX, which is a remake of GX Tag Force 3. It’s been a long time since I played a Yu-Gi-Oh! game, but I feel this one could be a good one to return to the series with. Then there’s Torneko’s Mystery Dungeon, a very old Dragon Quest spin-off never released outside of Japan getting a remaster. And it releases today! I’m definitely going to have to find time to give that a shot.
And lastly, the big end reveal. I think I was expecting Mario a bit too much, as the first sign of a grassy field, I thought, “That’s Mario.” But no, it’s instead a new open exploration 3D Kirby game. Kirby and the World Beyond does look a great one. Fighting enemies, using their copy abilities to traverse the world. It seems the big gimmick this time is the ability to break apart the world. Traversing through those cracks to new lands. It releases sometime spring next year, making the perfect way to celebrate 35 years of Kirby.
Images Taken From:
Nintendo Direct – 09/09/2026 | Nintendo UK
