Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 has had its formal reveal and will be arriving in 2025, we can finally shift our focus from all hardware leaks and rumors to the most important part of any console: the software. The Switch 2 was revealed with footage of Mario Kart 9 and details about its backwards compatibility, but that leaves a lot of room to hope and speculate for other games to fill the lineup of upcoming games. With a host of new features, as well as more power to keep up with games that wouldn’t be possible on the Switch, a world of possibility has opened up for games we would love to play on the Switch 2. These are our top seven games that we would love to see hit Nintendo’s latest console.
Crusader Kings 3
Hardcore strategy games have typically been a genre locked to PCs. While plenty of recent games have done an admiral job of adapting the complex controls and systems for controllers, the genre is clearly best played with a mouse in almost every example. The Switch 2’s new Joy-cons may look like a larger version of the original, but they come with a simple yet brilliant feature that opens the doors for these types of experiences to sing. By holding the Joy-con on its side and placing it on a flat surface, you can use it as a mouse pointer. This would be the ideal way to play a game like Crusader Kings 3, which is built on being one of the most dynamic and deep simulations set in the Middle Ages. Being able to take your empire on the go and still be able to easily manage all the systems without fumbling over the controls would easily get us addicted all over again.
Baldur’s Gate 3
We don’t need to justify this pick beyond saying that we want to play Baldur’s Gate 3 everywhere — literally and figuratively. It is already one of the best Steam Deck games, so we know it works perfectly on a hand-held already, but being on the Switch 2 will expose an entirely new audience to this epic RPG. Of course, the mouse-like functionality will do wonders here as well. Controller support is by no means bad in Baldur’s Gate 3, but everything is just a bit more comfortable and convenient when you can slide a cursor around. Between that and the game’s turn-based nature, we’d gladly start a new run if it made its way onto the Switch 2.
Monster Hunter Wilds
For long-time fans, Monster Hunter is a Nintendo franchise. The series started building its popularity on previous Nintendo handhelds but exploded when Monster Hunter Worlds hit the scene. Wilds is shaping up to be even bigger, and all we want is to be able to take our hunts on the go. As much as the scope, visuals, and options have improved with each entry, the loop of preparing at your base, embarking on a hunt, and returning to craft upgrades remains largely untouched and tailor-made for a handheld. We’re willing to take a hit to the graphics if that’s what it takes, but Wilds looks too good to leave all of us Nintendo fans out in the cold.
Final Fantasy 7: Remake and Rebirth
This one is a bit pie-in-the-sky thinking, but there have been some statements heavily pointing to Final Fantasy 7: Remake and Rebirth coming to more platforms. Xbox would be the obvious answer, but getting these two stellar RPGs on the Switch 2 would be a dream come true. Remake makes the most sense given it was originally a PS4 game and lacks the massive scale of Rebirth, but it might not be an impossible task to get running. Playing it docked would be as excellent as it is anywhere else, but the combat isn’t a bad fit for handheld play, either. Having the option to slow down time with the ATB and tactically choose your spells and abilities keeps it from necessarily requiring split-second reactions. If for no other reason, this remake project is one of the most ambitious we’ve seen and it deserves to be accessible in more places.
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker + Twilight Princess HD
We waited the entire Switch generation for Twilight Princess and Wind Waker HD to finally be freed from the Wii U. However, port after port came and there was no sign of our cel-shaded or wolf heroes to be found. The Switch 2 is the perfect opportunity to right that terrible wrong. We don’t expect a new 3D Zelda for quite a while since Tears of the Kingdom isn’t even two years old yet, so letting us relive these two fan favorites would be a great way to hold us over until the next one. Despite their age, neither game feels dated or archaic to play today. Wind Waker especially seems to have only gotten better with time (and a few quality-of-life updates in the HD version). They also represent the only two major gaps in the 3D Zelda library on Switch 2. If this is the platform Nintendo is going to stick with in terms of game libraries, it would be a crime to leave Wind Waker and Twilight Princess out.