My dream Nintendo Switch 2 game launch lineup

Now that we’ve passed the seven-year anniversary of the Nintendo Switch launch with no official announcement of the next console, I’ve become about as impatient as Mario waiting for his cake. There are rumors and leaks all over the internet about what the Switch 2 will look like, how much it will cost, and when it could be released, but there’s one key thing that no one is claiming to know: what games it will have.

I have to say upfront here that I have no insider information on this whatsoever. Nintendo has always been one of the tightest-run ships when it comes to leaks, especially when it comes to its software. That said, I think it would be a fun experiment to predict what games a Switch 2 could launch with if the stars aligned. Of all the major consoles, Nintendo systems tend to have the strongest launch lineups, so expectations will be high for when this new system does indeed drop. This is my dream Nintendo Switch 2 launch title lineup. I’m not suggesting every one of these games will be there, but even just a few would be a success.

1 A new 3D Donkey Kong

Go bananas

It isn’t a hard and fast rule, but Nintendo typically likes to launch its new systems with either a new 3D platformer or an adventure game like Zelda. Most of the time, that 3D platformer slot is held by their biggest mascot, Mario. However, there are exceptions to that, and I think the Switch 2 would be the perfect opportunity to give Mario’s former rival another chance to stand in the spotlight.

Whether you loved it or hated it, Donkey Kong 64 shouldn’t be the last true 3D DK game we get. The last two 2D games from Retro were stellar and showed that the Kongs can still go toe-to-toe with Mario in terms of platforming. Even if it just focused back on Donkey Kong alone, the enemies, moves, and world would be different enough from Mario’s to feel like a fresh experience but still have that same sense of wonder and tight controls. With a new console, that would be the perfect time to reintroduce Donkey Kong back into 3D with a massive adventure and let Mario rest for a while.

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2 Metroid Prime 4

We’re primed and ready

I’m sure Nintendo is kicking itself for revealing Metroid Prime 4 in 2017. Granted, there’s no way anyone could have known that the development would’ve gone so poorly that the entire project would have to be scrapped and restarted back at Retro, but the point still stands that fans have been waiting on this game for seven years now. If you aren’t tuned into the industry to see the behind-the-scenes goings-on, this one trailer would be the only thing you know of this game. We’ve seen that Nintendo isn’t afraid to put out a game on an old system even after a new one (Metroid: Samus Returns released on 3DS after the Switch came out), but Prime 4 shouldn’t suffer that same fate.

Nintendo has no shortage of family-friendly franchises it can fill a lunch lineup with, but Metroid is one of the few more “mature” themed games it has up its sleeve. Giving that kind of variety with a more moody first-person shooter will help cast a wider net for people considering the Switch 2 at launch. Knowing how Nintendo rolls, this would be the closest thing to a “hardcore” shooter the system could ever get at launch as well. We’ve already waited this long, so we might as well push it for the next console and give it a bit of a power boost.

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3 A Platinum game

They never lose their luster

Platinum and Nintendo is one of the most confusing pairings in the industry, but that’s part of why I love it. Platinum makes the most over-the-top, high-octane, and excessive character action games in the business that just never seem to sell well. Nintendo, perhaps in an attempt to cater to an older audience, funded both Astral Chain and Bayonetta 3 for the Switch. There are certainly some narrative issues with the latter, but both are some of the most satisfying games to simply play on the console. I don’t know how Platinum manages to do it, but it always makes sure the combat is a silky smooth 60 FPS on that ancient hardware.

For a launch game, I would honestly take anything from this studio. It could be another Bayo or Astral Chain sequel, but console launches are also perfect for starting up new IPs. We know that Nintendo is cool with Platinum doing almost anything it wants (even letting Bayonetta dress up as Nintendo characters) and it rarely misses. No one does action like this studio, and not being crowded out by tons of other games may finally get more people to see what’s so special about them.

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4 Mario Party 11

Get the party started right

Since Donkey Kong is holding down the platforming front, Mario’s role can shift to one of his spinoff games. Instead of a sports game, I think the Mario Party series is a way better option to launch a console with. It can function as a return to form for the series (hopefully), as well as a showcase for whatever new bells and whistles Nintendo packs into it. I don’t think there will be such a massive shift as the Wii where Wii Sports could hold up as a must-have game just for showing off the motion controls. This time, we need something that can introduce those new features in a friendly way but also have legs as a complete game.

Mario Party has gone too far off the rails after the Game Cube era. I don’t blame Nintendo for a mixed bag of quality for mini-games since it would be impossible to keep coming up with new ones that are all great, but messing with the board game format was too far. Bring the game back to its roots with a handful of boards with a couple of gimmicks and the simple but understandable goal of reaching the star first. Also, don’t let the game just die out like Super Mario Party. Add in new boards, characters, and mini-games over time as DLC to keep the game alive for years like you did with Mario Kart 8.

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5 Zelda 3D collection

Link between generations

We just got a new Zelda game in 2023, so it would be way too much to ask for a brand-new adventure, but fans (me) have been asking for any of the 3D ports to come to Switch for the entire generation. Mainly, we’ve been wondering why Windwaker and Twilight Princess HD were two of the only great Wii U games that didn’t get a Switch version. Sure, we got Skyward Sword, but we need to keep those older games accessible outside of the few Wii Us still around. But since this is my dream list, I’m going bigger than just Windwaker and Twilight Princess. Give us the complete 3D experience with Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask 3D, plus Windwaker and Twilight Princess HD. If the Switch 2 is backward compatible, then Skyward Sword doesn’t need to be included.

Each of these games is a timeless classic that is stranded on outdated and unsupported hardware. I am totally fine with them just being ports, but get them off the 3DS and Wii U Nintendo! Also, don’t pull another Super Mario 3D All-Stars move and make it available for a limited time. If you want to be extra generous, offer a cartridge with all of them and let us buy each one individually on the E shop. This move would buy you all the time you need to make the next proper Zelda title.

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6 Baldur’s Gate 3

D&D to go

It would be late, no doubt about it, but Baldur’s Gate 3 is so good that it needs to be on every device that can run it. Considering how much trouble Larian had getting it working on the Series S, we can accept why it was impossible to work on the current Switch. Once the Switch 2 comes out, however, there’s no reason we couldn’t get it on Nintendo’s hybrid system. I expect it would need to cut some corners in terms of graphics and split-screen co-op, but I’m willing to accept that if it’s the only way to make it work.

Steam Deck users are already in love with BG3 in mobile form, but that is still a relatively niche product.The Switch 2 will instantly overtake it in all likelihood, and this would just be another easy way to bring over some of the more hardcore gamers. A few ports that just couldn’t work on the Switch are easy wins to buff up a launch lineup.

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7 Boosted backward compatibility

30 FPS or bust

This isn’t a specific title, but simply the necessity for the Switch 2 to not only have backward compatibility with current Switch games but also enhance them. It would be almost a death sentence for Nintendo to not allow the next system to play the current library, so I’m not worried about that much. What I am concerned about is whether those games will get any performance boost from the new hardware. I don’t need the games to suddenly run at 4K 60, but so many of the late Switch games struggle to even have a locked 30 FPS. While I would love games to hit 60, even just making games have a solid 30 would be a win for Nintendo.