Nintendo Direct announces reboot of Wii Sports and new tracks for Mario Kart on Switch

In what has been a big month for the gaming industry, Nintendo has revealed how it plans to keep players excited about the Switch for the first half of 2022.

The Nintendo Direct live stream on Thursday revealed the next wave of games to be released on the console.

While the Japanese company enjoys a strong fan following, competition is set to heat up between gaming companies after a series of high-profile acquisitions.

Last month Microsoft bought Call of Duty and Warcraft maker Activision Blizzard in a historic deal, and Sony agreed to take over Destiny maker Bungie.

Here are some of the big announcements from Nintendo Direct.

Mario Kart 8 and Strikers Battle League

It's been close to a decade since Mario Kart 8 was released, but the Switch's best-selling game is finally getting DLC (downloadable content).

A Booster Course Pass will include 48 new tracks to be released in six waves until the end of 2023.

Nintendo has also announced the release of a new Mario Strikers Battle League for June 10.

It brings the shenanigans of Mario Kart's items like shells and bananas, and puts them in a soccer game.

Wii Sports is back

Remember the game that almost broke the TV when the controller flew out of your hand playing tennis?

Well now you can do it all again — but this time you can kick too!

Wii Sports is being rebooted as Nintendo Switch Sports with three of the original games — tennis, bowling and chambara (sword fighting) — as well as volleyball, badminton and soccer.

This time the Mii characters look more like people with arms and legs, although they've kept the aesthetics of the original game.

Just remember to keep the controller strap on or you'll feel some of the remorse of the original game too.

It's Kirby and a car. It's Karby

The saying goes, "you are what you eat".

Take that concept and you've got Kirby and the Forgotten Land, due to be released in March.

On a mission to rescue the Waddle Dee, Kirby can suck up almost anything and take its shape.

Kirby and a lightbulb: Krightbulb. Kirby and a cone: Krone. Kirby and a car: Karby.

You get the idea.

Portal and Portal 2

We're back in the Aperture Science computer-aided enrichment centre with the release of Portal and its sequel on Switch.

These are the first Valve games to come across to the console, and they have remained much loved since their release in 2007 and 2011.

Their new life on Switch should open them up to a whole new generation of gamers, who will have cake and grief counselling to look forward to.

Still no news on Silksong 

Despite rumours it is due to be released this year, there is still no update on the Hollow Knight sequel Silksong.

Adelaide-based developers Team Cherry have been tight-lipped about the game's progress.

The crowdfunded 2D action adventure Hollow Knight has been a slow-burn success, as word of mouth grew its legion of fans since its release on PC in 2017.

The legion grew bigger when the title released on the more accessible Switch about a year later.

With just three people behind its development, fans are patiently waiting for the next instalment in what is one of the most successful video games to come out of Australia.