Nintendo has debuted its first Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase of 2024, focusing on news and announcements about third-party games coming in the first half of 2024.
Interestingly, if I had the liberty to be a little tongue-in-cheek with the headline, I'd title this post "give and take" as it includes two of the previously teased Xbox Games going multiplatform, but also a couple of relevant former Nintendo Exclusive expanding to new console and PC audiences as well.
The first announcement is indeed Obsidian Entertainment's Grounded, which is one of Microsoft's first-party games expanding to multiple platforms. It will be released on April 16, 2024. For the moment, only the Switch release has been confirmed.
Update: Microsoft officially announced that Grounded is also coming for PS5 and PS4.
Next is the next game in the Ender Lilies series, Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist by Binary Haze Interactive, coming in 2024. You can watch the trailer directly within the recording of the Nintendo Direct since it has not been released individually at the moment of this writing.
We then see Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure by Furniture and Mattress, coming in the summer of 2024 for PS5, Switch, and PC.
Unicorn Overlord by Vanillaware and Atlus is next. It's coming on March 8 on Nintendo Switch and we learn about a demo releasing today. Interestingly, it appears to be only for Nintendo Switch, while the full game is also coming to PS5, PS4, and Xbox.
The first Monster Hunter Stories game returns to Nintendo Switch this summer, but it's also coming to PS5 and PC. The game used to be a Nintendo exclusive for the 3DS.
Next on the menu is Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed from THQ Nordic, coming in 2024 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Atlus then showcased Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, coming on June 21, 2024. It includes an "all-new storyline" featuring new locations, demons, and choices to make and it's releasing on multiple platforms, Switch, PS4, PS5, PC (via Windows Store and Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Star Wars Battlefront: Classic Collection comes with additional characters, maps, and modes. Pre-orders begin today and the release is slated for March 14 for Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC
South Park: Snow Day developed by Question and published by THQ Nordic was showcased next. It's coming on March 26 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream is next from the popular saga by Bandai Namco, including single-player and multiplayer with up to 20 players. It's coming in 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. This saga will obviously never end, and there will always be new waifus for Kirito.
Gundam Breaker 4 is another return on a well-known franchise. It's coming in 2024 for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, letting you build and fight with your own Gunpla models.
Sega presented Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble. It's coming for Nintendo Switch on June 25. The dedicated press release from Sega mentions no other platforms.
World of Goo 2 by 2D Boy was showcased next, and it's launching as a Nintendo Switch console exclusive in 2024.
Level 5 revealed the release date of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. It's coming to Nintendo Switch on October 10. It's worth mentioning that the official site mentions that other platforms are "undecided," so the game could go multiplatform at some point.
Another Crab's Treasure by Aggro Crab is next on the menu, and it's a Souls-like with Crabs. It's coming on April 25 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch, on top of Game Pass
We get to see Penny's Big Breakaway by Evening Star, which actually releases today for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.
The Suika Game Multiplayer Mode Expansion Pack was shown next. It's also coming today alongside a bundle with the main game. Online multiplayer is coming with a later update and you can watch the trailer on the broadcast's recording.
Pepper Grinder developed by Ahr Ech and published by Devolver Digital releases on March 28 for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, with a demo dropping today.
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! by Game Freak is another game that is releasing today. You can check out the trailer in the official recording of the Direct.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley was showcased next, and it's coming for PC and Nintendo Switch on March 7.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU by Surgent Studios and Electronic Arts was also briefly showcased, and it's coming on April 23, 2024, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You can watch it on the recording of the broadcast.
The party game Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board was next, and it's coming on Nintendo Switch on April 26. This is another you'll have to watch on the recording of the Direct.
Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come: Deliverance Royal Edition is coming for Nintendo Switch on March 15, with pre-orders opening today.
Konami's Contra: Operation Galuga comes on March 13 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. A demo has been made available today.
Obsidian Entertainment returns with Pentiment, which is actually coming tomorrow, February 22, 2024. At the moment of this writing, only the Switch release has been confirmed officially. You can watch the trailer on the Direct's recording because neither Microsoft nor Obsidian have said a word at the moment of this writing.
Update: Microsoft has officially announced that Pentiment is also coming for PlayStation 4 amd PlayStation 5.
5 classic games from Rare are coming to Nintendo Switch Online today. These are Killer Instinct, Blast Corps, Battletoads Battlemaniacs, R.C. Pro-Am, and Snake Rattle 'n' Roll. Blast Corps is exclusive to the expansion pack.
Mother 3 has also been announced for the Nintendo Switch Online service, but only for Japan.
The last announcement is Endless Ocean: Luminous. It's coming on Nintendo Switch on May 2, 2024.
Speaking of games that appeared exclusively on the Japanese Nintendo Direct, we take a look at eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2024-2025, coming at least in Japan in 2024.
Next is the remake of the thriller Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin Okhotsk Ni Sho Yu, a game released in 2024 by Loginsoft for NEC PC-6001 and NEC PC-8801. It's coming likely only to Japan in the summer of 2024.
We then get to see Reynatis by Furyu, an action JRPG coming on July 25, 2024. It appears to be another attempt by the Tokyo-based company to take on the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei franchises.
