Who else was up at midnight in Australia watching the Nintendo Direct? I am extremely tired today, but well, we NEED to talk about it. Nintendo absolutely COOKED. It was a fantastic lineup all around but here are my biggest thoughts!
Kingdom Hearts
So, I wasn’t expecting to see KINGDOM HEARTS announcements in a Nintendo Direct. Certainly not last night! After watching the showcases on for the last week or so and not hearing a single word about Kingdom Hearts, I just thought, it was over.
And then Nintendo announces a whole Kingdom Hearts collection coming out on the Switch 2 AND another gameplay trailer of Kingdom Hearts 4 in one fell swoop.
My jaw literally dropped.
To honour the 25th anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series, we’ve got the following coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 8th, 2026:
- Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
- Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
- Kingdom Hearts 3 + Re Mind
The short of it is, this is pretty much the entire collection of games, from Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 and 3 and everything in between. The Square Enix page has a good breakdown of what’s in each game is for first-timers!
Watching Kingdom Hearts trailers has always induced this really giddy and nostalgic reaction from me. Just as I was still processing the awesome news about the collection coming to Switch 2 (I’ve been itching for a replay of the series so honestly will consider buying), a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 also dropped.
Nintendo got us this season.
Look, I really wanted a release date, so I’m still stamping my foot here, but I really thought I was dreaming for them to even show this. We haven’t heard anything since the last trailer in 2022 so any news is good news for the game. It was one of their last announcements of the night too. There are more familiar faces in the trailer though, and some more cool gameplay. Even if Sora’s still slashing at Darkside’s hands like he’s level 1. Heh.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Unlike last year’s Direct, I came ready to hear about Fire Emblem this time. In fact, I would’ve been very disappointed if we didn’t get a release date for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. We did, and it is 17 September 2026! HUGE. This will be a day one for me. I am adding and rearranging my games schedule for the next few months. I need a separate calendar for games!
Nintendo has been pretty quiet on this front, and I believe this is the only other time we’ve gotten a trailer for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave since last year. It was a good trailer though, featuring gameplay and an introduction to the main characters in the game, each with their own unique abilities.
We have: Cai, a young boy out to save his father; Dietrich, an elite swordsman looking for a challenge; Queen Theodora, a woman on a mission to help her homeland of Saramis; and Leda, a revenge-seeking musician lady with cool ass purple hair. My cosplay senses are tingling…
Ahem anyways. We also get a quick look at the Training Grounds, recruiting allies, exploration as well as a closer look at the combat with battle animations too. The trailer closes with more story, and it looks like the tournament organiser is none other than Sothis??? Ah, so excited!
Pokémon Pokopia Free Update + DLC
We’re also getting some cool content for Pokémon Pokopia! I wasn’t sure if they’d add anything else to the game but it makes sense because it’s been a big hit so far.
We are heading underwater! Dive was announced and allows players to continue building their Pokémon paradise under the sea. This free update won’t be a long wait either. It’ll be available in August.
As for paid content, cos we know they love their paid content, the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass was announced. Part 1, The Bubbly Basin, is available for pre-ordering on the eShop, and will be a 3 part bundle:
- Part 1: The Bubbly Basin, available August 2026
- Part 2: Additional features, available 2026
- Part 3: Additional town, available 2027
I’ve had a quick look on the Australian Nintendo eshop, and the Expansion Pass will be $54.95. Pretty steep. I hope it’ll be worth it.
One thing I noticed is that the dates on the eshop are different to what was announced, but the Nintendo website itself seems to have the same dates as the Nintendo Direct ones, so we’ll go with that.
Other Games
Honestly though, go watch the whole Direct if you haven’t already. So many awesome ports and other games coming out. A couple of other games on my radar are:
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World
Girls on an adventure to collect monsters???? I’m SO down. Ever since I played Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined this year, I have been converted into a Dragon Quest fan. I will make my way through the other games eventually.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World comes out on Dec 3, 2026. It’ll let me spread my games out a bit, thankfully.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet
I haven’t watched One Piece since I was a kid, but this game just looked so fun. I love a good cooking game, and the concept looks amazing.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet is set to release on 23 October. It might not be a day one game for me, but I’ll pick it up if I get the chance!
Metaphor: ReFantazio
This will be a port of the RPG that came out in 2024, but I’ve never gotten the chance to play it. I am infinitely more tempted now that it’s on the Switch 2. I am really loving the games coming out, makes it actually feel like a proper console!
I’ve heard Metaphor: ReFantazio was a good game, and it’s been recommended to me more than once. There’s a greater chance I’ll actually get around to it someday now that it’s on the Switch 2. It’s releasing on 12 November, 2026.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles is a series I also haven’t had the chance to play. My brother adores it, and it looks like it’d be right up my alley. There is a definitive edition out on Switch 2 now (digital version) or 30 July (physical), which once again, makes me tempted to give the series a go.
Additionally, a new entry was announced. For someone who hasn’t played any of the series, Xenoblade: Genesis really caught my attention. I loved the vibes. The bad news is that it won’t come out until 2027 for eager fans. The good news for me is that I can catch up on the rest of the series (and the tonnes of other games) before this one comes out!
What a way to end the week of showcases. I am happy. There are WAY too many good games coming out. Need to find a way to pause life somehow. If anyone’s figured out a life hack for this, I’m all ears.
Look after yourself,
Elena
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