Nintendo Indie and Partner Direct: the biggest news and trailers

Last year’s Chrono Trigger-esque RPG, Sea of Stars, is getting a free DLC, Throes of the Watchmaker, in spring 2025 on PC and consoles.

I really liked the game when I played it last year, so I’m excited to jump back into the game’s world when the DLC comes out.

That sound you heard was Goro Majima from Yakuza Kiwami, the final game on display during today’s Nintendo Partner Showcase. Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the first Yakuza game and it’s finally making its Nintendo Switch debut October 24th. Hopefully, the game does well enough that we will get the rest of the stellar series ported over to the Switch.

Civilization 7 will be everywhere, including the Nintendo Switch. During today’s Indie World / Partner Showcase, Firaxis showed off what Civ 7 will look like on the Nintendo Switch. Expect the same gameplay that will let you mix and match your civs and leaders and change civs as you go through history, but maybe temper your expectations on graphics. Civilization 7 launches on console, PC, and Mac February 11th.

Hot on the heels of Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection, Capcom’s gone back in their impressive-ass vault to pull out another collection of classic fighting games. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 bundles together eight games including Capcom vs. SNK, its sequel, both Power Stone games, and more. No release date yet, but expect the game to come out sometime 2025.

The first two games in the epic RPG series are getting a facelift on the Switch, with a bundle that launches on March 6th. Just make sure to search for the full title: Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars.

In Date Everything, a new dating simulator from Team17 and Sassy Chap Games, your potential partners include appliances like your vacuum, household items like the humble bobby pin, and even concepts like existential dread. If dating and romance isn’t your thing, you also have the capability of just remaining friends. Date Everything arrives on Nintendo Switch on October 24th.

The good folks at Digital Eclipse have turned their attention to Tetris, with a new collection that explores the history of the iconic puzzle series. It’s launching later this year. Plus! The NES version of Tetris is also on its way for Switch Online subscribers.

It wouldn’t be a Direct without some surprise launches. Later today a few new indies will be hitting the Nintendo eshop: co-operative platformer Pico Park 2, the Peggle-like Peglin, and the old-school action game Pizza Tower.

Balatro was the first game to kick off today’s Nintendo showcase double feature announcing some new content. The poker roguelike that’s got people obsessing over Jokers is getting a cosmetic makeover with the help of the Friends of Jimbo expansion that will add themed decks from The Witcher, Vampire Survivor, Among Us, and Dave the Diver. Better yet, it’ll be available today.

Morsels follows a “mouse who uses magic cards to transform into little monsters, battling against wicked felines who dominate the game’s world.” Whatever it is, it looks pretty fun in its first trailer, and it’s launching on the Switch in February.

PowerWash Simulator is getting an ogre-flavored update that’s listed as “coming soon.”

The cozy visual novel series / barista simulator is expanding with a new release called Coffee Talk Tokyo. No release date, but it’s launching next year.

The spiritual successor to the gorgeous Gris looks dark, beautiful, and dramatic in its new trailer. It is launching on October 15th on the Switch, PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.