Kyle: Monster Hunter Rise stole so many friends away from me. They’d all insist I’d love the wild third-person combat and meticulous armor crafting, but I didn’t pick up the game at launch anyway. With this new Sunbreak expansion, which looks gorgeous, maybe I’ll finally give this series a shot.

Mary: The Monster Hunter grind isn’t for everyone, but I did enjoy the bit of time I sunk into Monster Hunter Rise earlier this year. This massive DLC will add new monsters to hunt, new gear to fashion, new areas to see, and new quests to enjoy, making this the perfect time to jump back to the original before the summer release.

Kyle: I’ve never been one for card RPGs. However, I love Yoko Taro’s work, so this will be one I pick up on day one. If Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is even half as good as NieR: Automata by some slim, unlikely chance, then JRPG fans are in for quite a treat. 

Mary: I am… so excited for this game. But why, you ask? A simple card-based JRPG is nothing to be foaming at the mouth for, right? With Nier series director Taro and Nier music composer Keiichi Okabe at the helm of this project, however, there’s every right to get pumped for this one.

The entire world of this game is made of playing cards, from the maps to the battles, which is a really cool concept for a game. Yet, I just know with this being the brainchild of Taro accompanied by Okabe’s gorgeous music, I will no doubt have my heart broken and smashed into tiny little pieces thanks to a card game.

Kyle: As a huge Final Fantasy fan, I have no idea what to say other than Chocobo GP looks hilarious. I’ve partaken in quite a few rounds of chocobo racing in Final Fantasy XIV, which is either a maddeningly frustrating endeavor to just chill prances about the race track. If Chocobo GP can capture that magic, then I’m totally into the idea of this kart racer.

Mary: Mario Kart, in MY Final Fantasy? This was not an announcement I was expecting, but I’m so here for it. Final Fantasy‘s large roster of memorable characters makes for a great racing game ensemble, with so much potential at Square Enix’s fingertips. Sign me up for some adorable cart racing with my favorite Final Fantasy characters.

Kyle: Kirby and the Forgotten Land looks like a cutesy mashup of Super Mario Odyssey and The Last Of Us. Well, maybe not quite. But those post-apocalyptic environments coupled with Kirby doing all the adorable platforming he’s known for sure made me chuckle. It looks beautiful, too, further proof that the Switch still has technical wiggle-room to show off some pretty visuals. 

Mary: No doubt inspired by Super Mario Odyssey before it, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is going open world in a full 3D title. The gameplay has everything you’d want from a Kirby title, from puzzles and platforming to their iconic ability steal mechanic.

Kirby can even make a post-apocalyptic setting look like fun for the whole family, so what’s not to love here?

Kyle: What I look forward to most about Mario Party Superstars is learning to hate my friends all over again! No, but really, this series brings out the fierce competitor in all of us. There were one too many sleepless nights where I was terrified Yoshi would steal all my coins during a match of Hot Bob-omb. 

Mary: Set to release in a little over a month, Mario Party Superstars is adding three iconic boards to the mix as the background for your upcoming fights with friends and family alike. This one is definitely looking like a must-grab for your next party or get-together.

Kyle: Metroid Dread is going to be my first game in the series. Yeah, I know. There’s no excuse for this blasphemy! But I’m incredibly excited all the same. Coming to adore 3D action platformers like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and Hollow Knight, it’ll be interesting to jump into the series that practically invented the genre finally.

Mary: I also have never played a Metroid game — I’m sorry!! — but Metroid Dread looks equal parts terrifying and a bloody blast to play. The atmosphere alone already has me intrigued, as does the snappy platforming and gameplay mechanics.

Kyle: I’ve never heard of Actraiser until today, but apparently, it’s a cult classic SNES game — one that combines the frenetic platforming of Castlevania with city-building simulation elements of Sim City. Uh, sign me up? Sounds mighty weird, but awesome, my favorite sort of mash-up. Hopefully, this remake captures what made the original so beloved.

Mary: I will once again side with my coworker here in that I too had never heard of Actraiser, but to be fair the game came out before I was born! This trailer for the remake has a neat art style and features two different types of gameplay, with the city-building being the most interesting.

Though this isn’t my cup of tea, I am excited for the fans of the original who will get to experience the game again with a fresh coat of paint!

Kyle: I lost so many hours to Splatoon 2. The series is like a blend of Jet Set Radio’s electric punk aesthetic with a container full of gak from Nickelodeon’s golden age during the early 2000s. The only thing missing is good netcode, an issue I desperately hope Splatoon 3 rectifies in time for launch. Oh, and Nintendo, please bring back Salmon Run. My friends and I need to mow down more weirdo fish dudes.

Mary: I spent a bit of time playing Splatoon 2 some summers ago and very much had a blast with its really wholesome vibe and insanely fun gameplay loop. Like seriously, listen to this track from the series and tell me it doesn’t fill you with a childlike glee as you get set to splatter some Inklings in paint?

Splatoon 3 looks to build more upon the series’ formula of addicting combat and the bright and cartoony atmosphere that fans of all ages enjoy.

Kyle: I’m deeply ashamed of how little I know about Castlevania. Like, it’s got dapper vampires, tight 2D platforming, and killer soundtracks — all stuff I love. Yet, I’ve never played one. So the Castlevania Advance Collection is the perfect introduction. It’s coming with the Game Boy Advance titles Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, and even the illusive SNES entry Castlevania: Dracula X. Can’t wait to delve into this classic series finally! 

Mary: My experience with the Castlevania series has mostly come from the Netflix show which was inspired by the games, but this collection seems to be a great jumping off point for someone like me. With an entire bundle of some of the series’ greatest hits, there’s sure to be something for everyone here, from newcomers like me to Castlevania franchise veterans.

Kyle: Had Bayonetta 3 not made an appearance at this Nintendo Direct, I’m almost certain half of my friends would’ve passed away from overwhelming disappointment. Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 are, without question, some of the best character action games ever made. Both of them are incredible. So when Nintendo and Platinum Games announced Bayonetta 3 almost four years ago now, the wait for a third got excruciating. But she’s finally here! And with a sick new hairstyle, to boot. 

Mary: The queen is back and looking better than ever! The first minute of this trailer likely bamboozled a lot of folks, including me, but once the iconic Witch Time sound effect played, you could hear the joyous screams of Bayonetta fans everywhere. Platinum Games has had one hell of a run since kicking off the Bayonetta series back in 2009 and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for one of video game’s most stylish characters when this launches next year.