Summary
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The Nintendo Switch 2 has officially been released.
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We know about some games released on the console, such as Mario Kart 9 and Pokémon Legends: ZA.
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Fans try to predict the release of other games during the console's release year.
The day has finally arrived, Nintendo has officially confirmed the existence of its upcoming console, the Nintendo Switch 2. The new hardware is bigger than its bold predecessor with a sleeker aesthetic, but what fans really care about is what games they'll be on launched. console in the near future.
The first look video has all but confirmed that a new Mario Kart (possibly Mario Kart 9) will be coming to the Switch 2. We also know about previously announced titles that have been heavily speculated to be coming to the Switch 2, namely Pokémon Legends ZA and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Now, fans have come together in a ResetEra thread by Zan to speculate what else we can expect to see in the launch year of the Switch 2. The consensus in the thread is that Mario Kart 9 will be the launch title ” adequate” of the Switch 2, presumably along with the console's sales.
Release Year: Start
Nintendo generally releases a party game designed specifically to show off a console's new features, something along the lines of 1-2 Switch. We'll probably see something like that when the console launches.
Nintendo will eventually release mainstream entries in all of its popular franchises, but the key question here is what will turn out to be the console's first year. The original Switch launched alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 arriving before the end of 2017.
Several replies in the thread predict an Animal Crossing release. The original Switch didn't get a new Animal Crossing entry until 2020, when New Horizons was released, but it's also been five years since that release, so an early release on the Switch 2 isn't out of the question.
A main Mario platformer is also expected in the first year, and you'd expect The Legend of Zelda to have some sort of presence. Tears of the Kingdom isn't too long in the rearview mirror, so maybe a long-awaited remaster of Wind Waker or Ocarina of Time is in order?
We're definitely getting Pokémon Legends: ZA, but is there any chance that the tenth generation of Pokémon will make an appearance? Pokémon Legends: Arceus was released the same year as Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, let's not forget.
There are calls for a new Fire Emblem, but Engage was released in 2023, so Nintendo and Intelligent Systems may not be in a rush. We can also expect a new Smash Bros., but it is unknown if Masahiro Sakurai will be involved, but we do know that he is currently working on a secret project.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to the Nintendo Switch, scheduled for release in 2025. Confirmed to be backwards compatible, it will play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. A full disclosure is written for April 2, 2025.
