The recent July 2025Nintendo Directhas given us a look at some incredible third-party games heading to both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2. For fans of either console, this Direct was a must-watch and came with several expected and, luckily, unexpected reveals. Of course, it is always the latter that is the most exciting and ends up stealing the show. Fortunately, this Nintendo Direct had three clear winners.
While there were plenty ofbig reveals at the Direct, the three that stood out the most did so thanks to their unexpected charm, intriguing gameplay, and delightful twists on their respective genres. We even got a greater deep-dive into one of the most-anticipated Nintendo games of the year, which was a genuine treat. Naturally, every game in the Direct will be exciting for someone, butthese three titles should be checked out by everyone who owns a Switch or Switch 2.
Octopath Traveler 0 Is A New Entry Coming This Year
It Brings Back The Iconic HD-2D Style With A Twist
Some who fell in love with Square Enix’s 2D-HD series,Octopath Traveler, may have expected a new entry to grace the Nintendo Switch 2 eventually, butthe reveal ofOctopath Traveler 0took many, myself included, by surprise. That’s partially because it came after what many are referring to as aChrono Triggerspiritual successor, another 2D-HD game by Square Enix, albeit one that ditches turn-based combat for real-time action.
However, it’s predominantly thanks toOctopath Traveler 0’smany surprises, the way it twists the core experience laid out in its predecessors, sees the return of many characters, introduces new gameplay elements, and altogether feels new. That’s what you want from a spin-off sequel, andit is why its reveal easily stole the showcase, especially for us JRPG fans.
Plants Vs. Zombies Is Coming Back In A Big Way
It Is Finally Getting The HD Remaster It Deserves
Another release that surprised many of us wasPlants Vs. Zombies: Replanted. Of course, if you’ve had your ear to the proverbial grapevine recently, you’ll have heardrumors of aPVZremasterfor quite a while. However,this Nintendo Direct confirmed it, spotlighting not only its HD visuals, which were expected, but its many new modes, stages, and more.
Replantedis far more than just a simple visual facelift.It’s adding local co-op, new stages, mini-games, and so much moreto the already incredibly engrossing core experience that we all know and love. As someone who grew up playingPlants Vs. Zombies,Replantedprovides an excellent opportunity to indulge in a healthy dose of nostalgia on my favorite handheld.
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment Will Involve Canon Storylines
It Looks Like Another Amazing Zelda Spin-Off
We also got a new trailer for themuch-anticipated Switch game,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. Doing forTOTKwhat Age of Calamity did forBOTW, this spin-off entry looks truly jaw-droppingly incredible.It is packed full ofinteresting new lore tidbitsthat will greatly flesh outTears of the Kingdom’srelatively enjoyable narrative. Of course, there’s also plenty of flashy, explosive action to immerse yourself in.
This was likely a little unexpected for those unfamiliar with theWarriorsspin-off games, as it’s aZeldareveal during a Partners Showcase, which is reserved exclusively for third-party developers. BothAge of Imprisonmentand its predecessor,Age of Calamity, are developed by Koei Tecmo with supervision from Nintendo, thus technically qualifying it. Regardless, it looks amazing and was another amazing reveal among a sea of fantastic trailers during July’sNintendo Direct.
