What Games Will Be on the Switch 2?

In the midst of procrastinating yet another set, I am seized by my obsession with the godforsaken company Nintendo. Ever since the official announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2 (yes that is actually its name), I have not known a day of peace. I seem to be physically incapable of lasting 24 hours without thinking about this new console. With a supposed price of around $400-449, it is important to see if it will match up to the high price point.

One of the most important factors to the success of a console is the games that are available on it even at launch. To see how important this is, one needs only to look at SEGA. Known for Sonic the Hedgehog and not much else, a rushed release with few native launch games and a disconnect between its Japanese and American divisions led to the SEGA Saturn launching to disappointing numbers. Some toy stores even refused to stock the console. SEGA’s next console, the Dreamcast, would be its last as the SEGA Saturn’s failure would see Sony’s Playstation’s success.

Now, of course, there’s more to this story, and times are different from 1995. We now live in the age of online shopping and the standards for console prices have been blurred. Additionally, Nintendo would never release a console without a couple of its flagship franchises backing it up. Regardless of the price, I feel certain that upon release the Switch 2 will be sold out quickly and then resold by scummy scalpers for twice the price. The internet will simultaneously love and hate it. These are simply an inevitable part of the modern game console market.

What is not certain is the games that will come with the Switch 2, though there are some guarantees. I have compiled my list and ordered based on a combination of my confidence and how close to the launch date of the Switch 2 they will release.

Thus, to no one’s surprise, the top spot goes to Mario Kart 9/10. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (emphasis on “Deluxe,” because Mario Kart 8 is actually a different game) is practically synonymous with the Switch. It’s one of the games that you can get bundled with the Switch and is so popular that it even has a mobile version. Therefore, it’s basically a given that Nintendo would create another successor to one of its longest-running game franchises. My confidence for this called shot is also boosted by the fact that they literally showed a Mario Kart clip in the trailer. We know that this clip most likely does not show Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (which will be abbreviated to MK8DX) footage because it features 24 starting places for players to race and a Donkey Kong design that more closely matches The Super Mario Bros. Movie than MK8DX’s current design. A new Mario Kart game on console release ensures that there is at least one game featuring Nintendo’s most iconic mascot to bundle with upon release. I estimate that buying the bundle will save you about $10 more than if you buy the console and the game separately. I believe the only thing not set in stone about Mario Kart 9/10’s release is if it’ll be Mario Kart 9 or 10. While it may not seem like a big deal, the Japanese are superstitious about 9 and 10 is a much prettier number. This may seem like a stupid reason, but remember that Apple, an American company, went straight from an iPhone 8 to iPhone X (10). I would not be surprised if Nintendo also skipped 9.

My next guess is a Legend of Zelda game of some kind. It has been 8 years since Breath of the Wild released alongside the Switch and it is still held in high acclaim. Its graphics demonstrated the potential of the Switch along with innovative puzzle and open world mechanics. Its effect is still seen in almost all modern open world games. Some prevalent examples of games that take heavy influence from Breath of the Wild are Genshin Impact and Infinity Nikki. Thus another blockbuster game would be just the thing to prove the Switch 2’s capabilities and get its name out there, especially since it might have trouble distinguishing itself from the Switch. However, it is important to note that the sequel to Breath of the Wild was released only 2 years ago, 6 years after Breath of the Wild was released. Good games take time and I think it is unrealistic for a game on the same level of Breath of the Wild to be made in 2 years for a completely new console. What this means is that there will most likely be a Legend of Zelda game but it might be a smaller game like Tears of Wisdom or a remake. Most likely it’ll be a remake with extremely good graphics. Personally, I would like to see Twilight Princess return.

I think we would also need to see a more serious and adult fan-focused franchise because at the end of the day, the Switch 2 can really only be purchased by adults. This is because adults have money. For a more adult option in a similar open-world vein, there is Xenoblade Chronicles. Known mainly for having characters in Super Smash Bros., Xenoblade Chronicles is a lesser-known franchise that still maintains a relatively dedicated fanbase. While you might hate Pyrhha/Mythra in Smash, Xenoblade Chronicles fans will hate them because they come from Xenoblade Chronicles 2. I hope that this entry will not be a remake but an entirely new game starring Shulk and his cool sword.

There are a couple other games that I am expecting to come with the Switch 2, but they are not necessarily launch games in my mind. Among them are new entries in the Pokémon, Splatoon, and Smash Bros. franchises.

The Pokémon company has long faced backlash for decreasing quality in games with high-pressure crunch times being to blame. For a while the series was on a breakneck pace of at least one game a year, and it seemed like the company would work itself into the ground, becoming a husk of what it once was. However, hope has returned as the last Pokémon game, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, was released in 2022. More than a year after it was released, Pokémon Legends: Z-A was announced. This increased amount of time between games combined with the Pokémon Legends title seems to promise a good product. Expectations are high as the last Pokémon Legends game was extremely well received despite departing from the regular Pokémon formula. It seems sure to release in 2025, so it’ll most likely be within a couple months of the Switch 2.

Nintendo then needs some way to market their Online service and what better game to do so with than Splatoon? This kid-friendly first-person-shooter (FPS) sees a variety of weapons combined with squid mechanics explode in bursts of colorful fun. While it can be argued that the new Mario Kart game will carry new Nintendo Online subscriptions, I would say that the Splatoon fanbase has a larger Nintendo Online usage as the core gameplay/attraction of Splatfests and Turf Wars relies on the service. On the other hand, while Mario Kart also has an active online community, it seems to be bought more for local co-op than online co-op. Additionally, if the rumors of the Joy-Cons having mouse capabilities are true, there is no better game type suited for mouse controls than an FPS. If Nintendo insists on “Joy-Con mouse,” it will try to make it a feature in one of its famous franchises. Splatoon 4 will likely come later than Pokémon as it hasn’t been announced.

Finally, we have Smash Bros. The explanation for this is simple. Every Nintendo console has had a Smash Bros. game. There’s no way they don’t make another. Estimated release date: no idea.

Whatever Nintendo releases, it’ll certainly be popular. However, the focus should not be entirely on Nintendo games.

One of the most admirable things about the Nintendo Switch is the wide variety of indie games that are available on the platform. No other console has the same level of presence in the indie game industry as the Nintendo Switch. Now with big box company games becoming more and more disappointing, indie games become more and more beloved. Thus, there could be nothing more inspiring than Nintendo, a major company, even further encouraging the many indie games hosted on the Switch with an indie game being available on release. What could be even more exciting than the most anticipated indie game for years?

In 2017, not so coincidentally the same year the Switch launched, Team Cherry created the bestselling game Hollow Knight. Initially planned to release close to the Switch’s launch, it came early the next year. Then in 2 years, it sold more than 2.8 million copies. So when they announced a DLC, people were understandably excited.

However, in 2019 it was announced that the DLC would actually be expanded into a full sequel. Support for the new game, named Silksong, grew as time went on. But, around 2023, the developers went silent, presumably to focus on development and ignore the pressure of their fans. Now, 6 years later, one of the developers, William Pellen, has changed his profile picture to that of a chocolate cake. Desperate for any news, fans reverse image-searched this picture of cake and found it belonged to a Bon Appetit recipe posted on April 2nd, 2024. April 2nd also happens to be the date of the next Nintendo Direct, teased at the end of the Switch 2 announcement. Maybe Team Cherry will actually succeed on releasing close to the new console’s release similar to how they hoped to release close to the launch of the Switch. While it might be my own delusion talking, I hope that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available on release of the Switch 2.

In conclusion, I believe there will be plenty of games to look forward to on the Nintendo Switch 2. Nothing set in stone, and yet I feel confident that 2025 will have a pretty nice roster of games. I suppose it is truly a testament to Nintendo’s reputation. I leave you with one final note. Don’t rush to buy the console at launch, it’ll still be here in a couple years where it’ll have even more games that you don’t have to speculate about.