Nintendo’s surprise announcement (or maybe not so surprising for some since it was leaked online beforehand) in yesterday’s Nintendo Direct was a new Endless Ocean game for Switch called Endless Ocean Luminous. 

The original Endless Ocean was released on Wii in 2008. It was a very relaxing scuba-diving game where you explore the ocean depths and catalog aquatic life. It had a light story, but the whole vibe was one of wonder and relaxation. There were no enemies to fight or worry about. Just swim with the fishes and whales and explore the ocean to some beautiful background music that enhanced the experience. Although it maybe could’ve used a few more mechanics and a little more depth (gameplay depth, not ocean depth), it did exactly what it set out to do and was one of the most surprising and unique games on the Wii. A sequel called Endless Ocean: Blue World released for the Wii in 2010.

Endless Ocean Luminous will have over 500 sea creatures to catalog in a vast ocean that, according to Nintendo, changes every time you dive. We’re not sure if that’s related to the game’s mechanics or to some mystery we discover in the story, but it should help keep the game fresh. Also, Luminous will have 30-player online co-op as well.

Endless Ocean Luminous releases exclusively on Nintendo Switch on May 2, 2024.