With Switch 2 leaks becoming more common as each day passes, we cannot be too far from an official reveal of the Switch’s successor. Nintendo has said the console will be revealed before the end of March 2025, with the actual release probably coming within six months from the date of the reveal. The leaks show that the console appears to be similar aesthetically to the current Switch. There will be no huge revamps in terms of function, although we expect the power of Switch 2 to be a few times more powerful than the current Switch. Perhaps approaching the power of a PS4 Pro.
The Switch is approaching eight years on the market, with over 145 million units sold and many key Nintendo franchises have appeared on the system. However, there are a few series that have either not released on the Switch at all, or released in the Switch’s first year.
F-Zero
I had high hopes that there would be a new F-Zero game on the 3DS. The stereoscopic 3D would have made the lightning-fast races look so good. However, all we got was the GBA’s F-Zero: Maximum Velocity release for the 3DS ambassador program (an initiative to compensate people who paid full price for the 3DS before the price cut).
In 2024 Nintendo keeps teasing Switch owners with F-Zero through activities like the old games released on Switch’s online service. Many YouTube Nintendo commentators believe that this could mean that a new F-Zero is in development. The last new major F-Zero game was the seminal F-Zero GX on the GameCube. The game still looks great today. Hypersonic racing games like F-Zero are quintessential video games. It’s something you are never going to do in real life, yet you can drive a supersonic rocket on your N64 or GameCube. A new game on Switch 2 would bring much attention to the new system from old fans who have given up on Nintendo being flashy and expressing their technical mastery of good graphics.
Smash Bros.
Back in the days of the Wii, the hype surrounding a new installment of Smash Bros was incredible. Sakurai, the creator of Smash would release new info every week to further add fuel to the hype fire. Now with Smash Ultimate, we have a Nintendo-themed fighting game that borrows characters from some of the biggest gaming franchises, even characters who mainly appear on rival platforms are in Smash Ultimate. If, as the name suggests, Ultimate is the biggest that Smash will get, we may be in store for a revamp.
Could a new Smash, released in the first year of Switch 2, have a smaller more balanced roster to reinvigorate the series? Only time will tell but expect news of a new Smash within the Switch 2’s first year. Sakurai is allegedly working on a new unknown game. He may not be tempted to return to Smash Bros development. However, the popularity of the series and a hefty paycheck may cause him to return to developing a Smash Bros game.
Mario Kart
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an evergreen title that continues to be a Switch top seller years after release. The game is a remaster from the Wii U’s Mario Kart 8. People have been hoping for a fresh, new Mario Kart for the last few years, so we can’t have too long to wait before we hear or see a new Mario Kart. There are also rumors of a potential cross-over with Smash Bros. This would result in a “Smash Kart.” Imagine how awesome it would be to have a racing game where you played as characters from a wide variety of gaming franchises and had unique moves and attacks in order to move forward or thwart your opponents. Whether Nintendo would want to do this and potentially cannibalize its audience is another matter. They might sell more copies of both Smash, and Mario Kart if they avoided this crossover. Still, it’s a possibility, and one that would excite long-time Nintendo fans and the general gaming audience. Maybe we’ll find out in the next six months when the Switch 2 is announced.
Zelda Remaster
Many Zelda fans have been loving the last couple of years with both the mainline AAA Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom releasing in 2023 followed by the more traditional top-down Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in 2024. One would think that there’d now be a break from all this Zelda greatness but since Breath of the Wild’s release in 2017, Zelda has become one of Nintendo’s highest-selling franchises (before then five million copies sold would have been considered a great success for Zelda). So, a Zelda game released near the launch of Switch 2 would help to create a large user base from the start. However, a new Zelda release in the first year of the Switch 2’s life cycle is less likely than a new 3D Mario. Time will tell, but the Switch 2 having Mario, and Zelda (and maybe even Metroid in the form of a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond port) would be a huge asset for the prospective success of the Switch 2.
The lead up to Switch 2’s release
While I’ve discussed some of the biggest franchises that could be released on Switch 2 in its first year, there are also many smaller series that could have new iterations on Nintendo’s next machine. When a new console launches it’s often an opportunity for developers to test new ideas with innovative new games, or reimagine old, forgotten franchises. We’re for sure due a huge surprise like a new Earthbound game, or an announcement of the long-rumored Sheik stealth game. New series are another possible outcome. The Wii had the huge hit Wii Sports. Maybe the Switch 2 will cater to the hardcore fans with a new 3D Mario, but also have a new IP that follows Nintendo’s old “Blue Ocean” strategy. Either way, the next few months will be exciting and there’s sure to be a lot to play no matter which genres of games you enjoy.
