So let’s take a look at our most anticipated Switch games for the coming year…
Publisher: Atlas / Programmer: Atlus Persona Team
After the release of Persona 5 Royal in 2022, Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden will arrive on Nintendo’s hybrid system January 19, 2023. We’re not going to lie — we’re most excited about P4G, the long-awaited Switch release that combines teenagehood, serial killers, ramen, and multidimensional dungeon crawling, complete with gigantic Pokémon-like demonic monsters. It is nothing like the other.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: Intelligent systems
Discovered with January 23, 2023 release date attached, Fire Emblem Engage kicks off Nintendo’s turn-based New Year.
With a mix of new and (some) returning characters from the legendary strategy series, it’s been a while since 2019’s excellent Fire Emblem: Three Houses — and Engage has a lot to live up to. In January, we’ll be collecting our best Jean-Luc Picard impressions — just try to stop us.
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Publisher: Square Enix / Programmer: indies zero
The beloved rhythm game finally returns on February 16, 2023, when Theatrhythm Final Bar Line brings an incredible 385 Final Fantasy songs to the Switch. Final Bar Line will also feature four-player online play, so you can prove to all your friends that your internal metronome is always on the beat.
Publisher: Bandai Namco / Programmer: Bandai Namco
Pen inside February 17, 2023 if you like action RPGs, remakes of GameCube games, and/or beautiful anime cutscenes, because the Tales of Symphonia remaster has it all, and it’s coming out right now. Think old-fashioned Dragons Quest and Finals Fantasy, tweaked with sharper visuals, but without losing the charm of the original.
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Originally released on Vita and PS4, this digital pet RPG is coming to Switch on February 22, 2023, ready to rival the plethora of Pokémon games from 2022. The stakes are high with Digimon World: Next Order, as your Digimon will only evolve if you meet certain requirements, and if not, they’ll die and respawn. Expect to have a much closer bond with your loyal partner than in Pokémon, where you can ditch an old friend without notice. Who’s the real monster, huh?
Publisher: Cow Tecmo
The latest installment in Ryza’s series is Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, an adventure RPG that will tackle the titular Ryza’s final adventure to discover the roots of alchemy. With a flawless open world to explore — one of the largest in the series — and 11 party members to befriend, it looks set to be a game that will take up most, if not all, of our time when it comes out. February 24, 2023
Publisher: Nintendo
Another announcement from the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a remaster of the 2011 Wii game that succeeded in its title by returning Kirby to Dream Land.
We gave the original a 9/10, so we have high hopes for this Deluxe version and the additions it will bring February 24, 2023.
Publisher: Square Enix / Programmer: Square Enix
The sequel to Square Enix’s 2018 hit RPG that introduced the world to the beautiful ‘HD-2D’ style, Octopath Traveler II brings eight more characters with eight paths to follow through the game. While some may disagree, we’ll take as much HD-2D as we can if they look as good as the first game and the excellent Live A Live.
OT2, as no one calls it, will be out February 24, 2023, pushing Kirby for dominance on the Switch. Kirby is on form when it comes to combat — again, he’s up against eight people!
Who wins? We have, silly.
Publisher: Awesome (XSEED)
Another remake of the beloved farming game from the old days, Rune Factory 3 Special follows the excellent remake of Rune Factory 4 for Switch. Of course, it’s not An older ringbut on March 2, 2023we will once again immerse ourselves in the world of Rune Factory.
Publisher: Nintendo / Programmer: PlatinumGames
Announced at The Game Awards 2022, we admit we were surprised to see more Bayo plays so soon after Bayonetta 3 and even more surprised that it will be a highly stylized storybook prequel that lets us know the origins of baby Bayonetta. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon will be out March 17, 2023.
Publisher: Imaginer
Yes, this exists! Announced during the Nintendo Direct in September 2022, this is a crossover that no one expected. Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star brings characters from the popular manga and anime series to the Switch-based world of boxing with the creators of Fitness Boxing at the helm.
Come on, aren’t you intrigued as to what this is all about!?! We don’t believe you. Experience Ken’s fury (not that one) somewhere in the March 2023.
