Nintendo Direct proves the female protagonist trend is here to stay

Today's Nintendo Direct was a real treat, and I'm so excited for the roster of new games headed to the Nintendo Switch console. Some impressive animation styles were showcased, with retro remastered titles taking inspo from the best retro gaming consoles. I'll dive into my top picks from the Nintendo Direct showcase briefly, but first, I'm dying to talk about The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.

It's no secret that female protagonists have claimed a strong presence in gaming right now, with the hugely popular Princess Peach Showtime game paving the way and proving that there is a demand for Nintendo female-led RPGs after all. This latest announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom continues the trend with Princess Zelda in the spotlight for a change, and I'm so here for it.

Some of the best Nintendo Switch games in my opinion are ones that you can get either fully immersed in, or cosy up in bed with a cup of tea to unwind with. This latest Nintendo Direct has a lot to offer, and has been especially generous to female gamers, while still catering to every type of player. From Hello Kitty to Metroid Prime 4, it seems the female protagonist is leading the charge.

Here are the games from the June 2024 Nintendo Direct Showcase that I'm most buzzed about.

01. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

As I mentioned above, it seems that Nintendo is continuing the female protagonist approach to its latest RPG games with Princess Zelda taking a lead role in this latest The Legend of Zelda story. Yes, technically Zelda has always had her name in the title of the franchise, making it obvious that she is a pivotal character. But never before has Princess Zelda had the starring role.

As one YouTube commenter comically puts it, 'Finally, Grandmas will be right when they try to guess the main character of a Zelda game'. Although as another commenter has pointed out, Nintendo may have missed a trick when choosing the title, 'It should have been named "The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Link"'.

The game trailer reveals that mysterious rifts have appeared across Hyrule, forcing Zelda to step up and protect her kingdom as the heroine of the story using newfound powers such as echo creation to mimic objects and monsters.

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The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom releases on September 26th.

02. Mario & Luigi: Brothership

This brand-new RPG involves our two favourite plumbers in an adventure across the seas to navigate the vast world of Concordia. Brothership is a clever twist on "brotherhood" while the game is set on a ship, that doubles as an island.

I really like the animation style of this game and think it's a refreshing change from the typical 3D gameplay that we've gotten used to with Super Mario franchises (excluding Paper Mario, of course). We see some familiar faces from the mushroom kingdom in the trailer above, as well as some new characters that look like... plug sockets?

Anyhow, Mario & Luigi: Brothership will be released on November 7th.

03. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Samus Aran is back in her newest game Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. For many people, this game has been a long wait (first announced at E3 back in 2017), and the game's predecessor, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, was released over a decade ago in 2007.

Unfortunately, the trailer above, while glorious, teases very little. And all we really know is that we can expect a 2025 release date for the continuation of the Prime sub-series. Looks like we'll have to be patient just a little bit longer.

04. Funko Fusion

As someone who has spent years collecting Funko Pop Vinyl figures, I'm super excited about this one. It seems kind of like a classic Lego game but with iconic characters in their Funko forms. You can play as 60+ unique characters inspired by some of the most popular entertainment franchises.

Funko Fusion will be released on September 13th and is available for preorder now via Amazon for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X consoles.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

Hello Kitty meets Animal Crossing in this absolutely adorable cozy adventure game. I've never really been into Hello Kitty (who is actually in fact NOT a cat!), but I can already tell that I'm going to waste hours of my life playing this.

Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, and other Sanrio characters are living their best lives on Friendship Island and I've never been so unashamed to declare my excitement for a kawaii game. Previously available exclusively to Apple Arcade, Hello Kitty Island Adventure will now be available for the Switch, coming in 2025, that's all we know.

06. MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection

I am a huge Marvel fan so I'm definitely excited for this one, but throw in retro graphics too and I'm completely sold. The Marvel Vs CAPCOM Fighting Collection has all of our fave Marvel superheroes, Capcom favourites, and Street Fighter Warriors battling it out in various different locations with a true nostalgic feel.

This collection boasts 7 legendary games, and according to the trailer above will be releasing in 2024, which is super vague.

07. LEGO Horizon Adventures

Lastly, we have LEGO Horizon Adventures. A typical Lego game as you'd expect but featuring Aloy and other characters and creatures from the Horizon franchise in their Lego form. LIke most Lego titles, it offers 2-player local or online co-op, making it an excellent multiplayer choice for those looking to game with their Player 2.

It's great to see another female protagonist-lead title getting the recognition it deserves in the form of a Lego spinoff, and I can't wait to dive into this one on my lazy Sunday afternoons. LEGO Horizon Adventures will release "this holiday" which again, is super vague. But at least it's better than 2025.

Other standout titles announced today include Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports, a Dragon Quest III HD-2D remake, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Just Dance 2025 Edition, Farmagia, Tales of the Shire, and a Luigi's Mansion 2 HD remake.

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Beth is Creative Bloq’s Ecommerce Writer. An avid music photographer and previous staff writer for Digital Camera World, Beth has a keen eye for content and knows just how to create it. Her background working as a tester for CeX has provided extensive knowledge surrounding the latest tech and gaming trends, and she studied Music Journalism too, so you'll probably find her at a gig. Basically, she's a total nerd with a Snorlax tattoo and a Master's degree in Photography, forever wishing she was Peter Parker.