Credit: Double Fine
The phrase ‘Bring it to the Switch’ has become something of a meme over the last few years as Nintendo’s hybrid handheld has taken off. Back in 2018, we published a list of games we wanted to see ported to the system. Some of the entries on that list - like Into The Breach - have since become reality.
Even if the library of games available on the Nintendo Switch has gotten better and better over the last few years, there’s always room for improvement. Here are 12 games we still want to see come to the Nintendo Switch.
Kingdom Hearts
Credit: Square-Enix While the rumours that the key blade-wielding Sora would be joining the fray in the last Smash Bros game never came to pass, the Nintendo Switch would still be a solid platform for replaying any or all of the games in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
Since everything bar the most recent installment was able to run on the PlayStation 2, it’s a safe bet that the Switch can handle Square-Enix’s Disney-infused action RPG and while Nintendo’s handheld does have plenty of 2D RPGs, there aren’t that many games on the Switch that deliver the frantic real-time combat found in Kingdom Hearts.
Call of Duty: Mobile
Credit: Activision While Activision has yet to bring any Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch, there are some pretty good reasons that the series’ mobile iteration would be a great fit for the platform.
As opposed to more recent entries like Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Mobile isn’t particularly technically demanding. Instead, it’s all about bringing the flavor, flair and fast-paced multiplayer action the series is known for to smaller bite-sized sessions. For this reason, CoD: Mobile would be an awesome addition to the Nintendo Switch’s existing free-to-play roster.
The Sims
Credit: EA Games Given the recent popularity of life sims like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, it’s clear that there’s an appetite for the genre among Nintendo Switch players. With that in mind, it’s a wonder that EA haven’t looked to port or develop a version of The Sims for the platform.
Sure, you wouldn’t be able to mod the game like you can on PC but Maxis’ iconic life sim would be a great fit for the Switch for many of the same reasons as the aforementioned.
Dragon Age
Credit: EA Games While Bioware’s science fiction RPG series Mass Effect is something that many fans have been clamoring to see ported to Switch for years, the epic fantasy fare of Dragon Age is another obvious choice.
Given the Switch’s friendliness towards other Unreal-based ports, it seems like that the hardware would be able to handle at least the first two entries in the series and the ability to pause the action to plot out your next move would make the sprawling RPG storytelling of the series a great match for the portable form-factor of Nintendo’s handheld.
The Double Fine Catalog
Credit: Double Fine While more recent Double Fine titles like RAD and Grim Fandango Remastered have come to the Nintendo Switch, there are plenty of other classics from the developer’s catalog that would make for stellar Switch ports. Full Throttle, Massive Chalice, Psychonauts and Brutal Legend all come to mind.
Given that Double Fine is now owned by Microsoft, a sudden slew of Switch ports by Double Fine seems less likely than ever before. However, given Microsoft’s friendliness towards Xbox Exclusives like Ori and the Blind Forest and Cuphead making the jump to Switch, it could still happen.
Fallout
Credit: Bethesda While Bethesda have been fairly aggressive about porting many of their popular IPs to the Nintendo Switch with the latest installments of DOOM, Wolfenstein and even the Elder Scrolls coming to the Switch, they’ve yet to bring any of the main Fallout games to the platform.
Regardless of whether they opt to port the original isometric RPGs, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas or Fallout 4, the arrival of one of gaming’s most beloved post-apocalyptic franchises to Nintendo’s latest portable would be something really cool to see.
Distance
Credit: Refract Studios If there’s one area the Switch is lacking in, it’s racing games. Sure, Burnout Paradise is on the way but if you prefer your racers a little more neon, it’s hard to top the sleek science fiction platform racing of Distance.
Loosely-pitched as 'Tron meets Trackmania', Refract Studios’ Distance is an arcade racer that’d be awesome to see on Nintendo’s handheld.
Resident Evil Remakes
Credit: Capcom Sure, you might have to make some pretty deep 'Witcher 3-style' compromises when it come to the graphical quality involved but it would be awesome to see either or both of Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes come to the Switch.
As it stands, the Switch includes almost every major Resident Evil title. The ability to start with Resident Evil Zero and play through the first six instalments in sequence on a single piece of hardware would be great for both newcomers and series veterans alike.
Castlevania
Credit: Konami It’s been a long time since the last proper Castlevania game and while other franchises like Bloodstained or Hollow Knight have done their best to pick up the torch, it’d be great to see the Switch get a proper installment of its own in the venerable gothic side-scroller franchise.
With Konami’s gradual pivot away from developing traditional new video games, a new entry in the series doesn’t seem very likely. However, there were three incredibly good Castlevania games released for the Nintendo DS. A port of any or all of them would make a great addition to the Nintendo Switch’s already-impressive arsenal of Metroidvania titles.
Outer Wilds
Credit: Mobius Digital While Outer Worlds is getting a Switch port, it’s similarly-named contemporary has yet to.
Developed by Mobius Digital, Outer Wilds is a clockwork simulation of a solar system on the eve of self-destruction. As an astronaut trapped in a time loop, it’s a game about exploring the mysteries and understanding whether or not that knowledge can be used to help the future. It’s moody, unique and already lends itself to shorter, burst-like play by design.
Life is Strange
Credit: Dontnod Given that Dontnod has ported the moody supernatural RPG Vampyre to the Switch, it’s a wonder they haven’t tried to bring over the more contemporary and popular Life is Strange.
Both the original game, Before the Storm and Life is Strange 2 feel like they’d be a great additions to the Nintendo Switch's existing lineup of narrative-centric games - since you could easily fit each of the episodic installments into separate play sessions.
No Man’s Sky
Credit: Hello Games One of the best things about the Nintendo Switch is that it works just as well for small games as it does big ones and it’s hard to imagine a bigger game coming to the platform than No Man’s Sky.
While it was initially controversial and shallow at launch, Hello Games’ space simulator has matured with age. A Switch port at this stage would inherit all of those advancements and enhancements, making exploring the cosmos on the go a treat for those who missed out the first time.
