WithThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and evenEverybody 1-2 Switch, Nintendo seems to be looking to make 2023 another 2017 for theSwitchin terms of the game lineup. TheNintendo Switchfirst released in 2017, and after struggling to deliver a consistent stream of high-quality games for the Wii U, Nintendo made sure not to repeat the same mistake with its home console/handheld hybrid device.
The Nintendo Switch hit the ground running by launching with a brand-newZeldagame,The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, on day one. The console also had a party game launch title in the form of1-2 Switch, which was meant to show off the new console’s motion controls and other unique features. Later that same year,Nintendo releasedSuper Mario Odysseyto near-universal acclaim, book-ending an overall strong start for its latest system.
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Six years later, theNintendo Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all timeand the massive success Nintendo needed after the general sales failure that was the Wii U. Despite how popular the Switch remains to this day, many are expecting Nintendo to release a successor console at some point in 2024. 2023 could be the last truly big year for the Nintendo Switch, and as such Nintendo is looking to send it out how it brought it in with a newZelda, a newMario, and even a new1-2 Switchgame.
New Mario and Zelda Games for Switch This Year
Just like Nintendo released new main seriesZeldaandMariogames in 2017, it has its heavy hitters on deck and ready to go for 2023 as well.Zeldafans have already beentreated toThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, hailed as yet another landmark release in the long-running series and standing tall as one of the highest-rated video games of all time.Breath of the Wildenjoyed similar success in 2017, and so it will be interesting to see if the reception toSuper Mario Bros. Wonderis anywhere near that ofSuper Mario Odyssey.
WhereasZelda: Tears of the Kingdomis a direct sequel toBreath of the Wild,Super Mario Bros. WonderandSuper Mario Odysseyare two different flavors ofSuper Mario.Super MarioOdysseyis a 3D platformer,Super Mario Bros. Wonderis a 2D side-scroller. It’s possible critics won’t be quite as high onSuper Mario Bros. Wonderas a result, but Nintendo fans will find out when the game drops this October.
Regardless, it’s interesting how the Switch’s 2023 is mirroring its 2017, with aZeldain the first half of the year and a newMarioin the fall.Switch owners will likely look back at 2023as one of the system’s greatest years, especially when one considers the many other games that have already released for it this year and the others that are still on the way.
