At the time of this writing, we are twenty-three days away from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s pretty crazy to think about. The original Switch came out about a year after I started this blog, and it’s been easily the console I’ve talked about the most here. But, it’s time to transition to the next console, and with that comes a bunch of new games. So, I thought I’d talk about the games I’m most excited for.

The first and most obvious choice is Mario Kart World. This is Nintendo’s flagship game for the launch and there’s an option to have it bundled with the console. It’s also finally a new game in the series. Mario Kart 8 may have had a lot of new content on the Switch, but it was a Wii U game. It’s been eleven years since 8 came out and I’m just ready for something new. It’s nice that it also comes with a lot of new ideas, like a full open world and a battle royale mode. I think this one will hold my attention for a pretty long time.

There’s two other games I’m picking up at launch. I’ll just mention them quick, since neither are actually new games. One is Cyberpunk 2077, which I’ve actually never played. This seems like a good opportunity to finally check it out. The second is Street Fighter 6. This one I have played, in fact it was my number 5 game on my 2023 game of the year list. But I never picked up any of the DLC, which this version comes with, and I just think having Street Fighter 6 on a handheld is really appealing.

Going back to completely new games, Donkey Kong Bananza comes out about a month after the release of the Switch 2. This is the second Donkey Kong 3D platformer, and even though I didn’t care for Donkey Kong 64, I’m really excited for this one. The general vibe of the trailers feels a lot like Super Mario Odyssey, and I’ve been wanting more of that game for some time. The game’s main gimmick is Donkey Kong’s ability to smash up most of the environment, which looks really fun. I’m curious what kind of challenges the developers will come up with with this style of play.

Next is a really big one. Metroid Prime 4 is finally coming out this year. This was announced in the first year of the Switch, and then barely mentioned again. But, it’ll be out on both Switch and Switch 2, with some additional features on the newer consoles. The game looks way better on Switch 2 and can be played in 4K. It also has mouse controls, which should work great with a first person game. I’m curious how well the mouse works while sitting on a couch. Will I need a lap desk? I guess I’ll find out!

There’s some more third party games I’d like to pick up, but will be waiting until some time after launch. These include games like Final Fantasy VII: Remake, Hitman World Of Assassination, and Yakuza 0. These are all games I can currently play on other platforms but would be fun to have on Switch 2. But I’m not a millionaire, so I’ll be waiting.

And finally, the biggest thing I’m looking forward to, is whatever gets announced in June. E3 season, or Summer Game Fest, or whatever we’re calling it now, is just around the corner, and Nintendo always has a Direct during it. This will be the first E3 with the Switch 2, and we have no idea what Nintendo has planned for the holidays this year. Both Mario and Donkey Kong seem like the kind of games that could be a big holiday release, which makes me very curious what will actually be coming out. Of course, I have some ideas, and you can see those when I post this year’s predictions in the coming days.

I don’t think there’s anything here that’s too unexpected. I’ve always been a big fan of Nintendo’s first party output, and guess what, I’m really excited for the big first party games on Switch 2. But is there anything you’re looking forward to that I didn’t mention here? Let me know!