Nintendo just proved me wrong about the Switch

This story is part of our Summer Gaming Marathon series.

It was only one month ago when I proclaimed that the Nintendo Switch was in its “filler era.” At the time, Nintendo was riding a wave of re-releases and left-field oddities that made it clear that its console’s life was winding down. We were knee deep in a return to the Nintendo 3DS’ final days, with the console going out quietly as developers saved their big guns for Nintendo’s next system.

Now, I’m eating my words. And I’m happy to do it.

With expectations at rock bottom, Nintendo came out swinging for what might be the Switch’s final dedicated Direct. The 40-minute showcase caught fans off guard by revealing new Mario and Zelda games, alongside a shocking first look at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. While we saw a few ports and remasters, Nintendo made it clear that it’s not going to let its historic console drift off without a bang. It’s an unusual move, but one that shows how serious Nintendo is about pushing its momentum these days.

If you missed the show, it’s worth watching. Nintendo surprised fans right out the gate with the reveal of Mario & Luigi: Brotherhood. While fans may have expected another remake of a Game Boy Advance classic, Brotherhood is actually an entirely new RPG sporting a bold new art style. That graphical detail immediately stood out. You don’t often see companies visually overhauling established franchises in the final stretch of a console’s life. That tends to be reserved for new platforms, giving series a fresh start with new tech. Brotherhood is the kind of evolution I’d expect to see on Switch 2. Instead, we’ll be playing it this November.

• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s stunning first trailer was worth the wait
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom gives Zelda her starring role
• Apple Arcade’s most popular game is coming to PlayStation, Switch, and PC

That reveal set the theme for the show, as Nintendo’s first-party announcements all