Nintendo has, timely after the Summer Game Fest, presented its highlights for this and next year for Switch 2. But the big highlight for me was not the remake of Ocarina of Time, but another genre.
In fact, I entered today’s Nintendo Direct on May 9, 2026, which was available on YouTube, with not too high expectations. The rumors about the remake of Ocarina of Time had intensified so much that I almost expected there would be a surprise reveal.
A bigger surprise was Kingdom Hearts 4. Graphically, it doesn’t make huge leaps compared to its predecessor, but as a fan of the series, I’m excited about every little piece of information and any sign of life that there is.
But what thrilled me even more was that a completely underrated genre received such a big focus in the Nintendo Direct. The true highlights for me lie in the smaller JRPG announcements.
The Nintendo Direct was a celebration for JRPG fans
Surprisingly, numerous games were revealed that broadly belong to the JRPG genre. And I don’t just mean Kingdom Hearts 4:
- Finally, more material about Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave was shown. Maybe this will also be the first game for which I buy a Nintendo Switch 2, as it will be released in September 2026.
- VanillaWare as a developer is a guarantee for spectacular graphics and fortunately, their game Muramasa: Revenant Blades is coming next year for Switch 2.
- Xenoblade fans can look forward not only to parts 1 to 3 as remakes, but also to the first images of Xenoblade Genesis, a fresh start for the series.
- For the first time in the history of Final Fantasy, there is an HD-2D remake. Final Fantasy Resonance is set to offer the original first game in prettier graphics, but will also feature heroes from other parts of the series.
- As if that wasn’t enough, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Wizard World is also coming. The original is a JRPG. This is more of a monster-collecting game.
- If you haven’t played the brilliant JRPG Metaphor ReFantazio yet, you have no excuse now, as the game will be released for Switch 2 soon.
- What many might have overlooked: Tales of Eternia is also coming for Switch 2. In Europe, this game was only available for PlayStation Portable until now. I’m even more pleased that it is finally coming to modern hardware.
As you can see, there are numerous reasons why JRPG fans can be excited about the Direct. For me, it falls into the S-tier category – even though many Nintendo fans probably expected more in-house titles.
What were the highlights you were particularly excited about in the Direct? Feel free to share your highlights in the comments!
Our MMORPG expert Carsten might now have a reason or two to finally get a Switch 2. Because he actually lost interest in the console, even though he has been a Nintendo fan for 39 years: The Nintendo Switch 2 has made me lose interest, even though I’ve been a Nintendo fan for 39 years
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