5 Best Nintendo Switch Games That Desperately Need Switch 2 Upgrades, Ranked

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The Nintendo Switch 2 has enjoyed a remarkably strong rollout. Although some flagship franchises are still awaiting their debut on the platform, Nintendo’s newest hardware has rapidly amassed an impressive catalogue over its first year and a half. A significant portion of this lineup consists of enhanced Switch 2 Editions tailored for the original system’s masterworks. Acclaimed titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Kirby and the Forgotten Land have received comprehensive overhauls, elevating already stellar experiences. This encouraging momentum is set to persist with the upcoming release of Pikmin 4 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy.

While Nintendo has successfully modernized a considerable portion of its previous generation’s finest titles, several standout experiences still deserve the luxury treatment. This includes major blockbusters that would thrive with modern performance enhancements, as well as more specialized releases ideally suited for the Switch 2’s precise pointer mechanics. Should Nintendo decide to extend this initiative further, these are the standout titles we hope make the transition.

5

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

In the wake of the Switch 2’s phenomenal Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, revisiting Three Houses feels entirely logical. The 2019 tactical masterpiece propelled the franchise into mainstream prominence, cementing itself as one of the original system’s premier role-playing games. While visual and framerate enhancements would easily bring it up to contemporary standards, the true value lies elsewhere: a comprehensive package featuring all Expansion Pass content, including the acclaimed Cindered Shadows story arc. As a delightful touch of fan service, they could even throw in crossover cosmetic options inspired by Fortune’s Weave for characters like Seteth who appear across both installments.

4

Super Mario Odyssey

If an entirely new three-dimensional Mario adventure is still a ways off, revisiting one of the genre’s absolute highlights would serve as a welcome substitute. A Switch 2 port of Super Mario Odyssey feels practically guaranteed given Nintendo’s penchant for sprucing up legacy hits. While the core experience requires minimal technical overhaul, the real appeal lies in bundling it with a dedicated companion campaign akin to Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. The delightfully focused Bowser’s Fury proved that bite-sized platformers can transcend their promotional origins, and giving Nintendo EPD another opportunity to craft a concentrated sandbox would provide the perfect appetizer for Mario’s next major outing.

3

Super Mario Maker 2

Honestly, it remains baffling that Super Mario Maker 2 hasn’t received a dedicated Switch 2 release. Perhaps hesitant sales figures gave Nintendo pause, but the title feels tailor-made for the new system’s ecosystem. The primary justification is simple: accurate mouse controls. No other franchise aligns so naturally with the Switch 2’s functional capabilities; having the ability to construct intricate stages with a cursor feels long overdue. Furthermore, incorporating a modern spiritual successor to Mario Paint would transform the package into an unmatched creative suite. And at the very least, introducing a dedicated Super Mario Bros. Wonder theme would be an absolute crowd-pleaser.

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2

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Luigi’s Mansion 3 stands, in many ways, as the unsung masterpiece of the previous hardware generation. Despite widespread critical praise upon its 2019 debut, it rarely enters discussions alongside giants like Fire Emblem: Three Houses or Kirby and the Forgotten Land. A robust Switch 2 Edition could easily rectify this oversight. Upgrading the performance to a pristine 60 frames per second would allow Next Level Games’ exquisite character animations to truly shine. Furthermore, there is ample opportunity to incorporate fresh content, ranging from expanded multiplayer maps to pointer-driven minigames or a substantial post-launch episode.

1

Game Builder Garage

More than any other selection on this list, Game Builder Garage merits an upgrade for strictly practical reasons. Nintendo’s charming programming tool stands out as one of the few legacy releases incompatible with the Switch 2 due to its structural reliance on original Joy-Con functionality. Nintendo ought to address this eventually, if only for the sake of digital preservation. However, much like Super Mario Maker 2, introducing mouse-based navigation feels like a natural evolution. Game Builder Garage held immense promise as an educational sandbox when it launched in 2021, and a modernized release featuring more intuitive interaction methods would finally fulfill its ambitious original vision.

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Source: Polygon