Since 2017, we’ve seen a large number of ports coming to the Switch, many of which previously seemed impossible. Surprises like Doom (2016), which appeared the year the system was released, and 2019’s Witcher 3 showed that while smart optimization was required, Nintendo’s console can offer playable and completely immersive portable versions of some of the biggest video games around.
As time went on and Sony and Microsoft’s next-gen platforms launched, the Switch ports just kept coming – the excellent Pentiment has been a particular highlight this year. We’ve got our fingers crossed for Ace Combat 7 and Stray, though recent disappointments like the Batman Arkham Trilogy suggest caution is warranted. The Switch is in its eighth year, and the technology inside wasn’t unheard of in 2017.
There’s still life in the ol’ hybrid, though, and besides, many of the games we’d love to see ported can still run perfectly on the current console. There’s also the matter of over 140 million 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 Switch successor announcement, let’s look back for one last shot at a “Please, Nintendo, can we have more?” – a summer summary of great games we’d still like to see on Switch that remain lost in action.
You’ll find a mix of Wii U ports (yes, there are still a few left), some Wii gems they can use Donkey Kong Country Returns HD treatment, a host of third-party classics, plus a few personal favorites we’re just not ready to let go of. We’ve omitted games that can already be played via Nintendo Switch Online, or anything that will most likely appear there (eg Diddy Kong Racing).
So we now present our ultimate Switch port wishlist, in alphabetical order. Which incidentally means we start with some true Pipe dreams…
Alan Wake 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 ignited our fever dreams that the GOTY-winning sequel might have a chance at release.
What are the odds?
A Cloud version of the control style? Maybe, although who really wants that? As much as it pains us, this and the next game on the list look like they’re going to need more power than the current console can muster if they want to make the jump to Nintendo hardware without heavy compromises.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Another GOTY 2023. Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 struck a nerve 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 odds?
Very slim – really, it’s another one for the ‘Switch 2’ wish list. If Nintendo’s next console is, as has been suggested, an iterative update to the current hybrid, and if third-party developers are preparing to enter the field with ports that aren’t stable on the current model, we can check out a launch lineup for the ages! Okay, we’re going ahead with that hypothetical. However, it forces us.
In general, almost every game that launches with a new console sells well thanks to the limited set of options for early adopters (there’s a reason why Ubisoft always gets in the early doors with SOMETHING), so if we were a developer of any size, we’d consider getting stuck on day one.
Enough pie in the sky. Let’s get back to something that the current Switch can do in its sleep.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Not much more to say, really. It’s strange that it was never on a Nintendo console, and strange that we’ve had two (excellent) collections but no Symphony.
What are the odds?
There are question marks surrounding the compilation of Symphony’s Requiem and Rondo of Blood being Sony exclusives, but we can’t see anything stopping Konami from releasing a standard, standalone port. Or, you know, investing in the most famous entry in the series and making it available in excellent form with add-ons on all platforms.
Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. It can currently be found squashed under a Switch backlog the size of the Normandy.