Nintendo bets on new Zelda game, classic Game Boy games to keep interest in ageing Switch console

The Switch’s next big blockbuster title is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which will be available on May 12.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is highly anticipated sequel to 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild . The Switch exclusive will launch in May. (Image credit: Nintendo)

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Nintendo gave a glimpse into new games coming to the Switch on Thursday, giving its ageing console a much-needed boost as sales of the hybrid device start to peak. The 45-minute livestream put an end to the speculation going on about the lack of must-have games needed to keep the Switch competitive against Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S in 2023.

The Kyoto-based gaming giant is once again tapping into the star power of its legacy game franchises and nostalgia to keep gamers interested in the Switch console. Nintendo has high hopes from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the follow-up to the franchise’s highly acclaimed Breath of the Wild, which will be hitting Switch on May 12 for $70. This is the first time Nintendo is charging over $60 for a new AAA game, which may become a trend in the industry. Sony and Microsoft already charge $70 for high-profile, exclusive games.

Nintendo used its Direct livestream to share more information about Pikmin 4, the game it first revealed at last September’s Direct. The new footage shows off gameplay and the title’s release date: It launches on Nintendo Switch on July 21.

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But one announcement surprised everyone when Nintendo said it plans to bring some of its oldest Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on the Switch. Game Boy and Game Boy Advance were popular handheld gaming systems in the early 90s, selling 119 million and 82 million units in their lifetime.

Also read | What Nintendo’s latest gaming success says about Switch’s enduring appeal

Older games are hard to bring to modern systems due to technical challenges unless platform manufacturers like Nintendo take the charge and bring classic games to newer consoles.

Nintendo will bring some Game Boy games such as Tetris, Super Mario Land 2 and Kirby’s Dream Land to the Switch through its $20-a-month Online subscription service.

It is also releasing GBA games such as The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap and Mario Kart Super Circuit starting through its $50-a-year premium-tier Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The company plans to bring more Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to the Switch as part of the subscription service.

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Nintendo also announced a remastered version of Metroid Prime, first-person Metroid, originally released in 2002 on GameCube, which is available for $40. It revealed a release date for Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp, a game originally slated for last before being delayed due to the war in Ukraine. The game hits Nintendo’s eShop on April 22 for $40.

Already in its sixth year, Nintendo Switch is still going strong but the interest in its hybrid console has been slowly waning. Nintendo, which is often called the “Apple of gaming”, is under pressure to announce a successor to its Switch game console. The company has not reacted to any reports that claim the next-generation Switch is in the works. Instead, Nintendo recently announced its plans to increase the six-year-old product’s production, which surprised market observers and analysts.

The Switch has been Nintendo’s best-selling console ever, shifting millions of units since it debuted in 2017.

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