Nintendo 2026: Switch 2, Super Mario, Virtual Boy & New Game Releases
- Nintendo is looking to capitalize on the success of the Switch 2 and the enduring loyalty of its fanbase in 2026, with plans to leverage the 40th anniversary...
- Nintendo’s first half of the year will be anchored by several key titles, including February 12th’s release of Mario Tennis Fever, February 27th’s Resident Evil Requiem, the return...
- “2026 is going to be a very exciting year for Nintendo because we continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mario without forgetting our past.
Nintendo is looking to capitalize on the success of the Switch 2 and the enduring loyalty of its fanbase in 2026, with plans to leverage the 40th anniversary of Super Mario and a wave of nostalgia surrounding the Virtual Boy console. The company previewed its plans at a meeting held in Frankfurt, Germany, at its European headquarters.
Upcoming Releases
Nintendo’s first half of the year will be anchored by several key titles, including release of Mario Tennis Fever, Resident Evil Requiem, the return of the Virtual Boy, and the expansion to Super Mario Bros. Wonder, titled “Encounter in Bellabel Park.”
“2026 is going to be a very exciting year for Nintendo because we continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Mario without forgetting our past. In this case with Virtual Boy, a ‘super nostalgic’ console that only came out in Japan and is arriving for the first time in Europe,” stated Enrique Marcellán, Head of Communications for Nintendo Europe in Spain.
Mario Tennis Fever ()
Much like Nintendo transformed Mario Kart into an open-world racing platform, Mario Tennis is undergoing a similar evolution. The game, which originally launched in 1995, has been reimagined as a spectacle of minigames, special moves, and racquets with magical abilities, shifting the focus away from realistic sports simulation.
The game boasts a roster of 38 characters, 30 distinct racquets each with unique abilities, and graphics that resemble an animated film. The gameplay is fast-paced, prioritizing fun for the whole family, with matches supporting up to four players.
Numerous modes are included, such as tournaments, challenges, and a “pop-up” mode where unpredictable external events alter the gameplay. A story mode casts Mario and his friends as babies, and a mode allows players to use the controller as a racquet, reminiscent of the Nintendo Wii.
Virtual Boy ()
Launched in 1995, Nintendo’s foray into “virtual reality” with the Virtual Boy was a headset featuring 3D graphics. The device, with its futuristic design, was misunderstood by the public and, due to its commercial failure, never launched in Europe. It was a large headset played while seated at a table, and only around twenty monochromatic games – red graphics on a black background – were released for it.
Nintendo recognizes that times have changed and nostalgia is a powerful force. The Virtual Boy is returning to market in two versions: a premium collector’s edition headset nearly identical to the original, and a cardboard version designed to house the Switch (1 and 2) screen for gameplay. The re-release will include a catalog of 16 games, aiming to entice gamers with its original stereoscopic effect.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Encounter in Bellabel Park ()
Following the 2023 release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the expansion “Encounter in Bellabel Park” arrives on Switch 2 with improved graphics and performance. More significantly, it introduces a new multiplayer experience that Nintendo describes as “practically a completely new game,” filled with new activities and challenges that encourage both competition and collaboration.
The expansion is accompanied by a “talking flower” collectible, resembling a prop from the video game itself. This interactive flower can tell the time, display the temperature, and function as an alarm, speaking in up to 11 languages.
Resident Evil, Pokémon Pokopia, Pragmata
Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise will continue with release of Requiem, the ninth installment in the series. The game maintains the franchise’s signature horror and suspense while offering more direct action, allowing players to choose a playstyle based on their chosen character: stealth and claustrophobic terror as Grace, or determination and problem-solving as Leon.
will see the release of Pokémon Pokopia, which is expected to be one of the year’s biggest surprises, blending mechanics from Minecraft and Animal Crossing.
Pragmata is presented as a narrative science fiction title, emphasizing a futuristic setting and fluid action with a novel puzzle-solving mechanic.