The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally out tomorrow (June 5) and you’re right to be excited. Alongside the shiny new gadgets, fans will also be able to get their hands on two brand new, never-before-played games – Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
A bigger, more powerful console means a number of classics will be available on Nintendo for the very first time, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman: World Of Asssination. Some best-selling Switch titles will also be getting upgrades to make full use of the Switch 2’s improved graphics and processing might. Then there’s the Nintendo Online Library, which features retro favourites from the original NES through to the N64, with a selection of GameCube oldies available exclusively too.
Basically, Switch 2 owners will be spoiled for choice – and that’s before we even get to upcoming releases like Donkey Kong Bananza, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Borderlands 4.
To make things a little easier, we’ve gone through the launch line-up and picked out our absolute-must-play essentials.
Mario Kart World
Is it any good? Nintendo has spent eight years working on the sequel to Mario Kart 8: Deluxe and it’s time well spent. ‘Grand Prix’ races are more hectic than ever as you battle against 23 other drivers to cross the line first, ‘Open Roam’ means you can take your kart and explore every corner of the colourful open-world and the new ‘Knockout’ mode makes an already chaotic game even more intense. With loads of side-quests to uncover and characters to unlock, Mario Kart World will feel fresh and exciting long into the future.
How much? even at £74.99 for the physical game, you’re getting pretty good value.
Perfect for: getting together (in-person or online) with your mates.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Is it any good? Nintendo has made a lot of odd decisions over the years but not including Welcome Tour with the Switch 2 might be the most bizarre. It’s built around quizzes and minigames that showcase the new console’s technical strength. Players can learn the difference between 30 and 120 FPS (frames per second) and marvel at the Switch 2’s ability to know exactly what angle the built-in stand is currently at. It’s the perfect primer for anyone picking up the appliance on launch day…
How much? £7.99, which sounds cheap but this one has limited appeal in the long run.
Perfect for: getting to grips with the Switch 2.
Soul Calibur 2
Is it any good: There have been plenty of brilliant arcade fighting games released over the years, but Soul Calibur 2 is easily one of the best. Players can unleash a series of devastating attacks on their opponent by memorising the right combination of buttons but simply pummelling your controller repeatedly is also a valid way to play this wonderfully fast-paced brawler that was originally released on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and GameCube in 2002.
How much? The game is available for all Nintendo Switch 2 Online Library + Expansion Pack subscribers, which will set you back £34.99 for a year’s membership.
Perfect for: getting out those frustrations after a long day at work.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Is it any good: Back in the day, GameCube owners had to deal with PlayStation and Xbox owners calling them childish. Nintendo didn’t exactly help matters by following up the darkest Legend Of Zelda game (2000’s Majora’s Mask) with a cartoon-like adventure that featured a talking boat and a pre-pubescent Link. The hand drawn look of the game originally divided fans but as time’s gone on, The Wind Waker has been rightfully celebrated as one of the most entertaining entries in the long-running franchise.
How much? Another one that’s available free for Expansion Pack subscribers.
Perfect for: realising you were an idiot 23 years ago.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Is it any good? Creativity is key in this open-world adventure that lets you craft any number of wacky inventions to use as tools in your quest to save Princess Zelda from the evil, monstrous Ganon. Massive in scope, Breath of The Wild pushed the original Switch to its technical limits and now it’s getting a Switch 2 upgrade that will make the gorgeous game look even better. If you do fall in love with Breath Of The Wild, there’s also sequel Tears Of The Kingdom to conquer afterwards.
How much? If you already own the game, it’ll cost you £7.99 to upgrade to the Switch 2 version but newcomers will have to shell out £66.99.
Perfect for: spending hours exploring a vast, beautifully rendered fantasy landscape
Split Fiction
Is it any good? The perfect co-op game used to be It Takes Two but Swedish developers Hazelight improved on their own formula for Split Fiction. Half of the game is a sci-fi epic, the other half is a fantasy adventure as you and a mate work together to escape a pair of storybook worlds. Along the way, you’ll have to solve puzzles, defeat scary-looking bosses and fly dragons. It’s basically a giant love letter to video games and the power of teamwork, selling nearly 4million copies since March. This is the first time Nintendo fans have been able to play it though.
How much? £44.99, which works out at £22.50 per player.
Perfect for: introducing an uncertain mate to the wonders of video games.
Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
Is it any good? The long-running Yakuza series has always balanced its over-the-top mob stories with a knowing self-awareness. They’re a little bit bloody but also a little bit silly. Originally released in 2015, prequel Yakuza 0 explored the backstory of brutal gangster Kazuma Kiryu and cabaret club manager Goro Majima, while the new Director’s Cut expands on that twisting story. As well as giving the beloved game a much-needed lick of paint, Director’s Cut also introduces a ‘Red Light Raid’ online multiplayer mode, meaning you can team up with a mate and fight through hordes of enemies.
How much? £44.99 and it’s not available on any other console (for a limited-time, anyway).
Perfect for: filling the void left by Tom Hardy’s TV epic MobLand
Super Mario Odyssey
Is it any good: Every Nintendo console has featured an iconic Super Mario platformer. We’re sure one will come to the Switch 2 eventually but while you’re waiting, why not rediscover Super Mario Odyssey. The 2017 Switch game sees Mario teaming up with a sentient hat named Cappy, allowing him to copy pink pal Kirby’s party trick of transforming into loads of different objects, from Bullet Bill to Chain Chomp to a city-destroying T-Rex.
How much? £49.99 for the original Switch game but a free Switch 2 update will make it look better and allow you to play co-op using ‘GameShare’.
Perfect for: reminding yourself that Nintendo’s mascot is so much more than The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Is it any good: After nine generations of mainline Pokémon games, fans were a little burnt out by the time Scarlet & Violet came out in 2022. Dodgy graphics and performance issues didn’t help the first open-world entry in the series either. It’s a shame because this is an inventive evolution with a compelling story and some brilliant-looking ‘Mon to add to your team. The free Switch 2 upgrade promises to fix a lot of those issues, so maybe give it another chance?
How much? £49.99 which seems pricey for an older game.
Perfect for: catching them all, duh.
Deltarune
Is it any good? Deltarune is the follow-up to Toby Fox’s brilliant cult game Undertale. An episodic role-playing game about saving the world, Deltarune enemies can be defeated using ‘Bullet Hell’ violence or peaceful conversation. The first chapter was released for free back in 2018, with the second coming in 2021 with both parts celebrated for their humour and a brilliant soundtrack. Not only are those first two parts of the Deltarune story coming to the Switch 2 this week, but chapters 3 + 4 are also being released.
How much? £20.99
Perfect for: being your new favourite game