Since 2017 we’ve seen a large number of ports come to Switch, many of which seemed impossible beforehand. Surprises like Doom (2016), which arrived in the system’s launch year, and 2019’s Witcher 3 showed that while some smart optimization was needed, Nintendo’s console could be deliver perfectly playable and utterly engaging portable versions of some of the biggest video games out there.
As time passed and next-gen platforms from Sony and Microsoft launched, the Switch ports kept coming – the excellent Pentiment being a particular highlight this year. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Ace Combat 7 and Stray, though recent disappointments like the Batman Arkham Trilogy suggest caution is advised. The Switch is in its eighth year, and the tech inside was hardly groundbreaking in 2017.
There’s still life in the old hybrid, though, and what’s more, many of the games we’d still like to see ported would run perfectly on the current console. There’s also the matter of over 140 million systems sold, meaning there’s a huge addressable audience for developers considering a Switch port in 2024.
As we enjoy the summer sun in one hemisphere (and prepare for a cozy winter in the other), with the knowledge of an impending official announcement of a successor to the Switch, we look back for one last burst of a “Please, Nintendo, can we have some more of it?” – a summer overview of fantastic games we’d still love to see on Switch who are still missing.
You’ll find a mix of Wii U ports (yes, there are still a few left), some Wii gems that the Donkey Kong Country returns in HD treatment, some third-party classics, plus some personal favorites that we’re not giving up just yet. We’ve left out games that are already playable via Nintendo Switch Online, or anything likely to appear there (e.g. Diddy Kong Racing).
So, we now present our final Switch port wishlist, in alphabetical order. Which coincidentally means we’re starting with a few Real pipe dreams…
Alan Wake2
The first Alan Wake is on Switch in remastered form. It’s an unimpressive port, but it did signal Remedy’s interest in the console and sparked our fever dreams that the GOTY-winning sequel might have a shot at making it over.
What are the chances?
A Control-style cloud version? Maybe, but who wants that anyway? As much as it pains us, this and the next game on this list feel like they need more power than the current console can muster if they want to make the leap to Nintendo hardware without serious compromises.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Another GOTY of 2023. Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 struck a chord with series fans and newcomers alike, and with both 1 and 2 already available in Enhanced Edition form on Switch, it would be a treat to complete the BG set.
What are the chances?
Very slim indeed – realistically, it’s another one for the ‘Switch 2’ wishlist. If Nintendo’s next console is, as has been suggested, an iterative update to the current hybrid, and if third-party devs are gearing up to jump straight into ports that aren’t sustainable on the current model, then could be look at a launch lineup for the ages! Okay, we’re getting ahead of ourselves with that hypothesis. It does force us, though.
In general, almost every game released on a new console sells well due to limited choices for early adopters (there’s a reason why Ubisoft is always the first to market with something), so if we were a developer of any size, we would consider getting started with it from day one.
Enough pies in the sky. Let’s take a look at something that the current Switch could use in its sleep.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
There’s not much more to say, really. It feels strange that it’s never been on a Nintendo console, and strange that we’ve had two (excellent) collections but no Symphony.
What are the chances?
There are questions surrounding Symphony’s Requiem compilation and Rondo of Blood as Sony exclusives, but we can’t think of anything stopping Konami from releasing a standard, standalone port. Or, you know, invest in the series’ most celebrated entry and make it available in sparkling form with extras on all platforms.
Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, where he rose to editor. He can currently be found under a Switch backlog the size of Normandy.