Nintendo Direct Drops Surprise Zelda Reveal, Metroid Prime 4 Title, and Mario RPG Footage

Nintendo stole the spotlight today with its latest Nintendo Direct, treating fans to a rapid-fire reel of announcements that left few franchises untouched — and left Zelda, Metroid, and Mario fans equal parts stunned and ecstatic. The presentation, streamed worldwide, featured a surprise reveal of a brand-new Zelda game, an updated look at Metroid Prime 4, and extensive footage from the upcoming Super Mario RPG remake.

The biggest shocker came with the unexpected announcement of a new Zelda title, “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Time,” a top-down adventure slated for early 2025. Nintendo offered a brief but tantalizing teaser that showed Link in a dual-world mechanic reminiscent of A Link to the Past, with aesthetic nods to both classic pixel art and modern dynamic lighting effects. While story details remain scarce, long-time series producer Eiji Aonuma teased “a journey that bends destiny, memory, and what lies between realms.”

Following that, fans finally got the long-awaited glimpse of Metroid Prime 4, now officially titled “Metroid Prime 4: Eclipse.” First announced in 2017, the game had faced a development reboot in 2019 but seems to be back on track. The footage gave a short look at Samus Aran exploring an alien world with new traversal mechanics and a strikingly cinematic presentation. The game is expected to arrive in late 2025 and is being developed by Retro Studios.

Also turning heads was a new trailer for Super Mario RPG, the enhanced remake of the beloved SNES classic. The new footage highlighted updated animations, expanded battle mechanics including a new timing-based combo system, and voice-acted cutscenes — a first for the title. The remake launches on November 17, 2024, and pre-orders have already gone live on the Nintendo eShop.

Nintendo’s Direct reasserted the company’s dominance in crafting nostalgia-driven yet forward-thinking experiences. With flagship titles on the horizon across its biggest IPs, Nintendo is poised to make 2025 a blockbuster year — and today’s announcements just raised the stakes.