The Nintendo Switch 2 event is just days away, but today's Nintendo Direct was a more than fitting sendoff for the 2017 original and shows that the company's portfolio has never been strongerTech15:22, 27 Mar 2025The Switch has been a huge success for Nintendo(Image: Future via Getty Images)We were worried that today's Nintendo Switch Direct would feel a bit like having a good support band before the headliner fun, but a feeling of wanting it to be over.In Switch terms, that headliner is the Nintendo Switch 2 event which is happening next week, but instead this latest Switch 1 focused event felt a lot like a celebration.Article continues belowWhile we await the new console's preorder time, price and release date for next week, the appearance of Pokemon Legends Z-A, Metroid Prime 4, and some surprise returning favourites showed there's plenty to look forward to even if you're not looking to buy the new console.Today's Nintendo Direct had a little bit of everything you'd expect from the format which Nintendo has stuck to since 2011.There are your classic RPG remasters with SaGa Frontier 2 and Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD 2D, a smattering of slice-of-life sims like Tamagotchi Plaza and Story of Seasons Grand Bazaar, and surprise releases launching today like Rift of the Necrodancer.Mind you, I'm not sure anyone could have predicted we'd get a dark, sci-fi version of Pac-Man that appears to be a Metroidvania with Shadow Labyrinth.The Switch 2 is tipped for a June releaseThen there's Nintendo's own exclusives, with a new Pokemon Legends: Z-A trailer, a fresh look at Metroid Prime 4, and the return of Tomodachi Life in 2026.Even with no Mario and no Zelda, the whole thing just felt inherently Nintendo, aided by the company randomly confirming a much-requested Switch 2 feature and a Nintendo-focused news app coming to smartphones.It's a reminder that, despite the company's rough times, there's nothing quite like a Nintendo Direct even if you don't find anything for you.It is curious that Nintendo still has Metroid Prime 4 slated for '2025' but with no firmer date, but for our money, we're still convinced it's a cross-generation Switch 2 launch title and we'd be very, very surprised not to see it again in just a few days.Until then, I'm going to rewatch that trailer another dozen times. Don't tell my boss, yeah?Article continues belowFor the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.