Since 2017, we’ve seen a slew of ports come to Switch, many of which previously seemed impossible. Surprises like 2016’s Doom, which appeared during the console’s launch year, and 2019’s Witcher 3 have shown that while clever optimization is needed, Nintendo’s console could deliver fully playable and totally captivating portable versions of some of the biggest video games of the moment.
As time has passed and next-gen platforms have launched from Sony and Microsoft, Switch ports have continued to arrive – the excellent Pentiment was a particular highlight this year. Fingers crossed for Ace Combat 7 and Stray, though recent disappointments like the Batman Arkham trilogy show that caution is advised. The Switch is now in its eighth year, and the tech it packs was hardly cutting-edge in 2017.
However, there’s still life in the old hybrid, and besides, there are plenty of games we’d still like to see ported that could run perfectly well on the current console. There’s also the matter of the 140 million-plus systems sold, which means a huge addressable audience for developers considering a Switch port in 2024.
So, as we bask in the summer sun in one hemisphere (and settle in for a cozy winter in the other) with the knowledge of an upcoming official announcement of the Switch’s successor, let’s look back for one last shot master “Please Nintendo, can we have some more?” » — a summer overview of fantastic games we’d still like to see on Switch who remain missing.
You’ll find a mix of Wii U ports (yes, there are still a few left), a few Wii gems that could use the Donkey Kong Country returns in HD treatment, a bunch of third-party classics, plus a few personal favorites that we just aren’t ready to let go of. We’ve omitted games that are already playable through Nintendo Switch Online, or anything that is very likely to appear there (e.g. Diddy Kong Racing).
So now we present our final list of Switch ports, listed alphabetically. Which coincidentally means we start with some real chimerical dreams…
Alan wakes up 2
The first Alan Wake is on Switch in remastered form. It’s an unimpressive port, but it signaled Remedy’s interest in the console and sparked our feverish dreams that GOTY’s winning sequel might have a chance to happen.
What are the chances?
A Control-style cloud release? Maybe, but who really wants that? As much as it pains us, this game and the next one on the list feel like they’ll need more horsepower than the current console can muster if they want to make the jump to Nintendo hardware without severe compromises.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Another GOTY 2023. Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 has struck a chord with series fans and newcomers alike, and with 1 and 2 already on Switch in Enhanced Edition form, completing the BG set would be a treat.
What are the chances?
Very thin – in fact, it’s another item to add to the “Switch 2” wish list. If Nintendo’s next console is, as has been suggested, an iterative update of the current hybrid, and if third-party developers are preparing to launch into ports that are not tenable on the current model, we could We’re going to see a range of launches that will last for centuries! Okay, we’re going a little too fast with this hypothesis. But it forces us to do so.
Generally speaking, almost every game that launches with a new console sells well due to the limited number of options available to early adopters (there’s a reason Ubisoft always gets in early with something), so if we were a developer of any size, we would consider launching from day one.
Enough pie in the sky. Now let’s move on to something the current Switch could do while in standby.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Not much to say, really. It’s strange that it was never available on a Nintendo console, and strange that we had two (excellent) collections but no Symphony.
What are the chances?
There are question marks surrounding the Requiem compilation of Symphony and Rondo of Blood, which would be a Sony exclusive, but nothing is stopping Konami from releasing a standard, standalone port. Or, you know, invest in the most famous entry in the series and make it available in sparkling form with extras on all platforms.
Gavin started writing for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, working his way up to Editor-in-Chief. He’s currently sitting under a Switch backlog the size of Normandy.