💠My Thoughts On The June 2026 Nintendo Direct
Yesterday was the Nintendo Direct, the big summer one. The last time they had a full direct like this was December 9th 2025! They've had game-specific directs since then, but a proper direct has been overdue. So it was quite a build-up.
I tried to stay away from reading any leaks or what people were guessing or predicting. But even when you try really hard, things always slip through the cracks, which is very annoying. I feel like leakers, and even predictions… I understand why people do it; it's engaging, it's content… but for me, when I consume that content, it really takes away from my experience of the moment. I also feel like Nintendo doesn't care about content creators. It doesn't care about what will get the most views or streams. I really don't think it does. I think the Nintendo Direct might be for the regular folks who aren't chronically online, like me. I think if I took that lens and looked at the Direct as a person who has a Nintendo Switch, isn't constantly online reading gaming news and gossip…I think they would've thought the Direct was really cool. There is a lot of online discourse complaining about a bunch of remakes or ports of games that already existed elsewhere. But if Nintendo is all you've ever really engaged with, seeing a Devil May Cry, seeing a Metaphor Refantasio…you would think, "wow, oh my god, this is amazing, look at what my system can do." And I think that's really exciting. I hope people are excited about this.
If you haven't watched it yet and are curious to experience it for yourself first, please watch it here. I don't want to be the one who spoils your experience. Be aware that after this, I will be talking about the games mentioned in this Direct.
Personally, the Direct was okay. There wasn't much that I was like, Wow, I'm so excited about this. But there were a few things.
Zelda Ocarina of Time: This was leaked, so it was a bit spoiled, and that makes me sad. I think if that had been completely kept under wraps, it would have been such a powerful moment. It's cool that they're remaking it. I've tried to play Ocarina of Time a couple of times. I had the 3DS version, tried it on there, never got through it, and ended up giving it to my brother. I've tried it on the N64, again, could not handle it, I couldn't do the 3D world. So we'll see. I'm looking forward to seeing what this one will look like, and I'll give it a try.
Final Fantasy Resonance: Really excited about that. I've never really played a Final Fantasy game. My brother was more into them than I was; I couldn't get into it. But this HD2D style, I really love. I've tried to get into Octopath Traveler, but the story always feels too dark for me. But I would love to try this Final Fantasy game. It also makes me think: maybe I should go for Dragon Quest 3 HD2D, because that's in that style too. So yeah, I'm excited about that.
Star Fox Demo: I'm really excited that they put out a Star Fox demo, because I really liked Star Fox, but I was really bad at it as a kid. I think it's the whole 3D-space maneuvering spaceship thing; I couldn't do it. So I was really excited to try the demo, and it looks like it's going to be so beautiful. I did try it last night, and it turns out…even though I have now been gaming for many more years and have gotten more used to maneuvering in 3D space… I'm still just as bad at Star Fox. I cannot do those sharp rolls to the left or right for some reason. I had to redo that portion of the training so many times.
Dragon Quest Monsters The Withered World: I love Dragon Quest, but I don't know if Dragon Quest Monsters is going to be it for me. There is a demo for the previous Dragon Quest Monsters game. Maybe I should try it before knocking it out.
Switch Sports Resort: This looked like fun. And because I have a kid, that might be something I'd be interested in introducing into our household. Wii Sports Resort was so much fun. But I didn't see the sword-fighting game in this one, which I think my kid would've loved!
Metaphor Refantazio: a game I've had my eye on for a long time, and that I was waiting to play until it came out on Switch. Well, it's coming to Switch now. Might pick it up, but truth be told, I have Persona 5 still waiting for me. And in terms of gameplay and vibe and aesthetic, obviously, because it's made by the same people, it's a very similar game. I might as well play Persona 5 first. And then once I've done that, I could probably go another few years without playing another sort of Persona-like game, if that makes sense. Maybe I'm being very basic about it, but that's just how my brain thinks about these things.
Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave: I am so glad they showed more gameplay, because I was not initially interested in this at all. I have Fire Emblem: Three Houses, so I probably will not get Fortune's Weave until I've at least completed that. But I loved the UI I saw; I liked that there's a social aspect to it, and the characters look amazing. So yeah, I feel like that's a game I could see myself spending 60-70 bucks on.
Xenoblade Genesis: I still have Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to finish, which I have really, really loved so far. So I won't be running out to buy Genesis. They also announced that they are coming out with a Switch 2 edition of all the Xenoblade Chronicles games, and you have to pay €10 a piece, which kind of bums me out. I wish they had an option that was just the graphical upgrade. They've added stuff to the game, which warrants charging extra money, I get that. The game doesn't need anything added. They need to add something extra to get people to come back to these games for the Switch 2 edition. It makes sense business-wise. But I don't think I'll be picking up the Switch 2 edition. Xenoblade Genesis is definitely one I'm interested in, but would I spend €70 on it immediately? No. I have to finish Chronicles 3 first.
Final Fantasy XIV Online: Okay, this was already announced somewhere, so I already knew about it, but Final Fantasy 14 Online is coming to Nintendo Switch, and I'm really excited. I love MMORPGs, but I don't have a gaming PC, and honestly, I don't like gaming on my laptop. I know WoW is on MacBook, and I have tried it, but it's a lot of effort. I like to just game, lazied up on the couch, or in stolen moments between school pick up and other life things. So I've always wanted to try Final Fantasy 14, and I'm really excited that this is coming to Switch. I don't know if it's free-to-play up to a certain level like WoW, but if it is...oh, you bet I'm installing that baby the first day it's out.
So my short list is: Fire Emblem, Switch Sports Resort, Metaphor Refantazio, Final Fantasy XIV Online, Xenoblade Genesis, Final Fantasy HD 2D, Zelda, and the Star Fox demo. From that list, there isn't one I would actually pay €70 for at launch. Not because the games are bad or not worth it, but because of my own mindfulness around how I'm spending my money, what games I already own and need to play through, and my values around that. Ever since I gave myself that buying ban, I have rewired my brain in a good way, which was the whole point. I am now very, very picky about what games I'm willing to spend money on. The example I always bring up, because it's the only one I really have right now: Pokopia. The first game I bought after seven months on a no-buy ban. I spent €70 on it. I really thought, yep, this is the game, it's gonna be amazing, it's gonna have so much content and keep me busy for hours. And it did. It kept me busy for 45 hours, which is also incredible, because I'm always complaining I never have enough time to game. I put 45 hours into Pokopia. A game that, probably about 10 hours in, I started thinking, "I think I'm done with this." So that's also a very interesting thing to notice. But yeah, €70, and I kind of regret it. Part of me thinks I should have used that to buy Dragon Quest HD2D instead, because those games might have hit harder for me.
So I've become very picky, and I'm looking at the announced games, thinking, "What would I spend my money on out of all of these?" I was secretly hoping for an Elden Ring announcement. I know it was on that list of games coming to the system, and it still hasn't come. This is all crazy talk because I already own Elden Ring. I own it on Xbox and Steam Deck, but I keep waiting for it to come to Nintendo Switch because I think once it's on Switch, I'll actually pick it up and play it a little bit here and there. Level up a little bit, try a boss once or twice, put it down. It would fit around my life much more easily. Which brings me to the point that all this shows how personal these opinions are. All these "here are 10 games you should buy" and "here's the console you should buy in 2026 "... it's all so personal. You really need to either explore it for yourself or find someone, some content creator, that you feel you can really trust, who has the same mentality, almost the same sensitivities as you do. Everyone speaks volumes about the Steam Deck, but for me personally, I much prefer my Nintendo Switch. Not even the Switch 2! Switch OLED. I would take a Switch OLED over a Steam Deck any day. GASP…I know, I know… but having owned the Steam Deck, I can confidently say it's not for me. I have the base-level Steam Deck; it was a gift, and I'm very grateful for it, because I really thought at the time that it was the answer to all of my gaming problems. But it turns out it wasn't. It's much bulkier in the hand; I don't feel comfortable holding it. I don't like how loud the fan gets, how hot the console gets. And you have to tinker with it to get the best performance. I know it makes no sense, because games on Steam are cheaper and probably run better. But it doesn't make a difference to me. I would much rather play the game on my Nintendo Switch.
So Elden Ring… if that comes to Nintendo Switch, I think I might actually rebuy it. Crazy talk, I know! But again, it just fits my lifestyle better. So that might be one of those games I would want to break my no-buy ban for. Of the things that were announced, what would I be willing to spend €60-70 on? The only one I can really confidently say I would is Zelda. Because I personally can trust that Nintendo will give me a good play experience. This is no shade to other developers, but I know that Nintendo has play and wonder at the heart of what they do. Even games like Princess Peach Showtime, I would not pay €60 for it, but I played a demo and would love to play more. Even though critics are like "it's a baby game, it's too simple, blah blah blah", there is a sense of play and wonder within that game that makes me enjoy it just from the demo alone. If I find it in the bargain bin, I would 100% get it. I feel like I can trust that Nintendo will deliver on the reason I come to play games: to be surprised, to feel joyful, to feel my curiosity rewarded. Which I don't always get with other games.
So, if you are looking at the Direct thinking, oh my gosh, so many new games, my wallet's gonna be so upset, I would urge you to look at your backlog. See what games you already own that might be scratching that same itch, and try to finish those first before you set aside money to buy a new one within that same universe. That's just what I would do. Those are my thoughts on the Nintendo Direct. I love seeing Koizumi doing the thumb wrestling. I thought that was really funny. I love that Nintendo does its own thing. I love that they show up so formal, but underneath those suits, there's so much play, wonder, and joy. I love it. I love gaming. It brings me so much joy, and that's what I'm looking for when I game.
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