I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2. From snappier Joy-Cons to improved performance, there was a lot to get hyped for.
But now, over a week after its official release, I’m at odds. While I think the improvements are promising, especially the larger and more vibrant screen, it’s the software that’s taken the most enormous misstep.
It’s owed largely to the fact that the Switch 2 launched with just one main first-party game in Mario Kart World. The rest are third-party titles that launched years prior, including Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, and Hogwarts Legacy.
Don’t get me wrong, these are fantastic games — Cyberpunk being one of my all-time favorites — I wish the Switch 2 had a bit more going for it. Especially given its exorbitant price tag.
More Mario
Surprisingly, Nintendo didn’t have more Mario games up its sleeve for the new hardware. You’d think Nintendo would want to come out with a bang, highlighting major features using its very bread and butter with something like a Mario Odyssey 2 or even a Super Smash Bros sequel.
Instead, we got Mario Kart World, a rather lackluster experience in terms of overall content. You can have a blast so long as you have a good crew to play with, but beyond that, it's a pretty limiting title and really comes down to your enjoyment of racing games to begin with.
You could point out some of the incredible visual and performance enhancements available for more well-known titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But it's a significant drag that older Nintendo games are being put on a pedestal.
I know some games are releasing in the coming months that could put these woes to bed, like Donkey Kong Bananza and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Still, Nintendo should have launched with more first-party experiences to make up for the already limited lineup, like a revamped Mario Party, Luigi's Mansion, or Mario Golf.
The FromSoft equation
I can't lie, FromSoftware is one of my favorite video game developers. That's why I was let down by the fact that the Switch 2 edition of Elden Ring didn't launch along with the system, and there's no real understanding of when it might release.
The Nintendo website says it's supposed to release this year, but it's still unclear when that might be. That's a massive release for Nintendo and works to get some extra fans interested in FromSoft games ahead of the launch of Duskbloods on the Switch 2 next year.
That's why I wish more FromSoft games were launching on the system. Instead of just Elden Ring, why not bring over some of the additional Dark Souls series of games to the platform? The original Switch already has access to Dark Souls Remastered, and it's not like Dark Souls 2 or 3 would be too intensive for the refreshed hardware.
A full Dark Souls trilogy available on the Switch 2 from the outset would have been huge for fans of the developer. You could even throw in Sekiro, which is one of its most beloved experiences and even won Game of the Year in 2019. That would make for a killer software suite and probably wouldn't take too much effort to put together.
As of writing, FromSoftware fans just have Dark Souls Remastered to play around in on the Switch 2 as they wait for Elden Ring and Duskbloods, which is a tad unfortunate, seeing as it's pretty much dead in terms of co-op and PvP invasions.
Horror hits
Although it is a family console, the Switch 2 is missing out on more horror titles. If you're a fan of killer thrillers and terrifying horror experiences, you're largely stuck with the games that already existed on the original Switch.
I'm a huge horror fan, and it's a bit of a drag to see such a minimal offering in this category. Just take a peek at the official Nintendo online eShop for its Switch 2 titles, and you'll see that horror isn't even an option in its genre selection.
Again, I understand this is more of a family console, and horror probably isn't the most-searched genre on Switch, but the variety would be a welcome change for the platform. Nintendo could have tapped some heavy hitters for a well-rounded third-party horror selection, including Dead Space remake, Metro Exodus, Still Wakes the Deep, and Slitterhead, to name a few.
Maybe it's the fact that horror is just too niche for the Switch to begin with, but I'd like to see a wider offering on the more adept hardware. Especially given that beloved horror franchises in Silent Hill and Resident Evil are basking in the limelight with massive hits on the horizon.
If you are one of the few looking for some horror games on the Switch 2, I recommend playing Observer, Fatum Betula, Signalis, and World of Horror. They don't put the new hardware to the test, but they are nail-biting as ever.
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