Among Us gets surprise release on Nintendo Switch today, Spelunky 2 set for 2021

By Giovanni Colantonio Published December 15, 2020

ot a Breakthrough multiplayer game Among Us just got a surprise Nintendo Switch release. The announcement comes from today’s Nintendo Indie World Direct presentation, which featured several other game reveals.

Among Us initially released in 2018, but saw a massive increase in popularity this year. The game went on to win two awards at this year’s Game Awards, including Best Multiplayer Game and Best Mobile Game. The phenomenon will land on Nintendo Switch later today.

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While Among Us was the headliner from the presentation, several other games made an appearance during Nintendo’s 17-minute showcase. The video started with developer Derek Yu announcing that both Spelunky and this year’s Spelunky 2 will release on Nintendo Switch in 2021.

The long-anticipated Super Meat Boy Forever finally got a release date during the show. The platformer will launch on December 23 as a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Originally developed as a mobile version of Super Meat Boy, the game is now a full-fledged sequel to the popular 2010 indie title.

Standout Apple Arcade title Grindstone also got a surprise release on the system following the show. The action-puzzle hybrid game is available on the Switch eShop right now, where it’s a console launch exclusive. Grindstone is the latest Apple Arcade launch title to finally make its way off the service, joining games like What The Golf? and Dodo Peak on the Switch.

The showcase featured plenty of other strange and intriguing announcements. Highlights included cat combat game Fisti-Fluffs, a Yacht Club Games samurai title called Cyber-Shadow, and the cozy café management game Calico, which is now available on the system.

Giovanni Colantonio

Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…

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Nintendo confirms that Switch 2 and a June Direct are coming

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Nintendo has finally confirmed two important things that people were speculating about. First off, we learned that another Nintendo Direct showcase will be taking place this June. More importantly, Nintendo finally confirmed that it is working on a Nintendo Switch successor and said we'd learn more about it within this fiscal year.

This all came from a statement by President Shuntaro Furukawa on Nintendo's corporate X (formerly Twitter) account. "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015," the post confirms. "We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."

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It's always an exciting week when the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time surprise releases on a Monday. That's what happened on May 6 when Hades 2 surprise launched into early access. Players are already diving into the surprisingly robust roguelike, testing their might in its new biomes. I've been enjoying it myself from the comfort of my couch -- and not on my Nintendo Switch, where I played the first Hades. Instead, I'm curled up with my Steam Deck.

The PC-only launch means that Hades 2 is a Steam Deck "exclusive" for the time being (or at least exclusive to portable PCs like it and the Asus ROG Ally). It'll likely come to Nintendo's system -- or its predecessor -- once it hits 1.0, but developer Supergiant doesn't expect its game to leave early access until at least the end of 2024. Until then, you'll need a device like the Steam Deck to play it on the go. That's a reminder that Valve has beaten the Switch at its own game, and Nintendo will have to get creative again with its next system to regain its throne.
Early access on the go
Based on my time with it so far, Hades 2 is a phenomenal match for the Steam Deck. It's already Verified for the platform, and for good reason. It looks fantastic (especially on an OLED screen) and runs smoothly. I've already taken it on the go and found that it's not a huge drain on the Steam Deck's battery. At this point, I don't imagine I'll need to play it any other way.

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If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.

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