The Nintendo Switch 2 is absolutely teeming with potential, especially if all the rumors are to be believed. Allegedly boasting the same power as a Steam Deck, the Switch 2 will be more than capable of running some of the best games available while giving Nintendo's own first-party efforts a significant boost in quality. Whether it's enhanced ambition or simply better visuals, the first-party exclusives coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch and beyond should make the most of the hardware.

Naturally, players are already thinking of the Switch 2's third-party launch titles, including the likes of Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. However, if the Switch 2 hopes to compete with the other handheld gaming devices on the market, then it needs a strong offering of first-party releases right out of the gate. Luckily, the Nintendo Switch 2 is absolutely primed to have the best launch line-up as Nintendo has plenty of dormant franchises waiting to get a new entry.

10 A New Animal Crossing

Fans Deserve A Cozy Sequel

Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in 2020, and since then, players haven't been treated to a new mainline game outside of the mobile game Pocket Camp. Naturally, fans are more than done with their islands, with many having sunk hundreds of hours into making it perfect. The desire to move onto greener pastures - and preferably some not surrounded by water - has only grown since then. So, it only makes sense that the Switch 2 launches with a new Animal Crossing.

Nintendo is also not the only one making social sims anymore, with even Ubisoft developing its own Animal Crossing. So, releasing a brand-new game in the series on the Switch 2 almost feels necessary if Nintendo wants to keep up with the competition. Additionally, the improved hardware would allow Nintendo to create a far more ambitious Animal Crossing game, perhaps one with more responsive villagers or multiple villages for players to move between.

9 The Next Mainline Fire Emblem Game

The Nintendo Switch 2 Needs An Epic Strategy Game

Fire Emblem may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those who crave a good strategy game on Switch, it is the go-to franchise. Outside the spin-offs, Fire Emblem only got two releases on the Nintendo Switch, and fans are naturally craving more. However, while Engage was a perfectly good traditional Fire Emblem experience, the Switch 2's first entry in the series should head down the more experimental route that Three Houses took.

The social sim aspect of Three Houses, coupled with its unique setting, made it a truly standout game that no other game has come close to. Nintendo should capitalize on the improved hardware to allow the next Fire Emblem game to feel as ambitious and new as Three Houses was. Regardless, having a strong strategy entry on the Switch 2 at launch would be a great addition to its lineup and cater to the TRPG fans out there.

8 An Advance Wars Sequel

It Has Been A Long Time Since The Last Mainline Entry

Much like Fire Emblem, Advance Wars is a more niche entry and one that many may not necessarily consider to be a must-have launch title for the Switch 2. However, with the rise in popularity of tactics games, Nintendo needs to step up its game and finally release a mainline game in the series. The last mainline Advance Wars game was released in 2008 for the Nintendo DS, and it was a huge departure from what fans had grown to love about the series.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp was released for the Nintendo Switch, but it was a remake of the first two games and not technically a new game in the mainline series. Additionally, while well received, it implemented many controversial changes that fans did not like.

Like many of Nintendo's dormant franchises, Advance Wars deserves to be reawakened, and what better opportunity than with the Nintendo Switch 2? As a launch title, a new Advance Wars would offer a unique experience that none of Nintendo's competitors are really producing. It would also help bolster the console's strategy game offering, something the original Switch was lacking, and introduce a whole new audience to the iconic series.

7 A Brand-New Kirby Experience

The Switch 2 Needs To Launch With The Pink Ball As Its Mascot

Kirby actually got a lot of games for the Nintendo Switch, certainly more than many of Nintendo's other mascots. Whether it was a competitive multiplayer experience or an inventive single-player adventure, there were so many great Kirby experiences for fans and newcomers to enjoy on the original Switch. However, while it may seem imbalanced in Kirby's favor, it should serve as an indication of both the character's rising popularity and how the series has grown substantially over the years.

The recent slate of Kirby games has proven that the character is incredibly adaptable and can be used to tell a variety of unique stories. Nintendo clearly has a lot of love for the character and some fun ideas, so it would be great to see Kirby return for the Switch 2. Whether it is a smaller release like Kirby's Dream Buffet or a much longer experience, both Kirby fans and those who are just discovering it will definitely enjoy it.

6 A New IP From Monolith Soft

Another Xenoblade Game Or Something Entirely New

Monolith Soft is one of Nintendo's best first-party developers, constantly pushing its hardware to the absolute limit and producing some of its biggest and best games. If you want a sprawling, open-world JRPG on Switch, then Monolith Soft has you covered with the endlessly epic Xenoblade Chronicles series. Naturally, many fans are wondering what is next for the company, especially after it just celebrated its 25th birthday.

Of course, it's easy to speculate that Xenoblade Chronicles 4 will be released for the Nintendo Switch 2. However, XBC3 had a fairly definitive ending, especially with the Future Redeemed DLC, so it seems unlikely that there will be an XBC4 any time soon. Monolith Soft has allegedly been working on a new fantasy project for some time, and it isn't impossible that it will end up being one of the Nintendo Switch 2's first exclusive titles. Regardless, Monolith Soft is absolutely the developer to deliver a truly next-gen Switch 2 experience.

5 A The Legend Of Zelda Remake

There Are So Many Options

While the majority of first-party exclusives at launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 should be brand-new games, it is clear that the fanbase desperately wants remakes of older Zelda titles. From the classic N64 masterpieces to those still trapped on the DS, there are a plethora of potential candidates that Nintendo could remake for the Switch 2. In many ways, a remake would be the best demonstration of the Switch 2's technical prowess, as Nintendo could literally point to it as a display of how far it has come.

Whether it is Spirit Tracks, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, or any of the other candidates, it is clear that the Switch 2 needs to give more love to the Zelda franchise than even the original console did. Of course, many of these games are available via the Nintendo Online subscription, but a full-blown remake would allow newcomers who are averse to trying older titles to experience just how magnificent the original Zelda experiences were.

4 A New 3D Mario Game

The Switch 2 Would Be Incomplete Without One

It seems impossible that the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch without a 3D Mario game, considering that it is a staple of Nintendo's hardware. However, outside a few enhanced ports like Super Mario 3D World, fans haven't had a full-blown 3D Mario game since Super Mario Odyssey, which launched alongside the Switch in 2017. Of course, there have been some pretty spectacular Mario experiences, including the phenomenal Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but nothing of the same scale as Super Mario Odyssey.

There is a lot of potential for where a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey could go, but whatever it ends up being, it needs to be on the Switch 2 at launch.

It would be great to get a sequel to Mario Odyssey or even an altogether new adventure for Nintendo's favorite mascot. Outside of Astro Bot, Nintendo's competitors haven't really produced many platformers to the same scale as a 3D Mario game. So, fans of the genre are desperate to get their hands on a new triple-A release. Naturally, there is a lot of potential for where a sequel to Super Mario Odyssey could go, but whatever it ends up being, it needs to be on the Switch 2 at launch.

3 Mario Kart 9

It Feels Inevitable At This Point

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe proved to be enough for Mario Kart enthusiasts on the Nintendo Switch, especially when its impressive DLC launched a few years later. It added some much-needed variety and a number of new tracks, which helped maintain interest in the game. However, since the last Wave was released, interest has once again been waning. Naturally, a new Mario Kart is in high demand, especially as it can bring a whole host of new features to improve the experience.

Fans already have tracks in mind that could be remade, but it would also be great to finally see some new tracks, as the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC only really introduced a handful of genuinely new maps to race on. Perhaps, much like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 9 could feature more crossovers with Nintendo-owned franchises. It would be great to see Shulk driving a Mechon or Samus flying the Gunship next to Mario and Luigi in their karts.

2 Nintendo Switch 2 Sports

Relive The Classic Wii Experience

One of the greatest games on the Wii was the free game bundled with every console, Wii Sports. It was a masterclass in mini-game design, and its focus on co-op play ensured that families could all in. It offered hours upon hours of enjoyable content despite being fairly limited in scope. Unfortunately, no Switch game has ever managed to capture that same joy, with One, Two, Switch proving to be a failure and Nintendo Switch Sports offering an enjoyable yet never comparable experience.

So, it would be great to see Nintendo Switch Sports 2 finally offer players a fun way of playing well-crafted sports-based mini-games with family and friends. Nintendo Switch Sports attempted to expand the Wii Sports roster by including the leg strap in some of its mini-games, and that was a nice touch. Nintendo Switch Sports 2 could implement similarly unique features to help it stand apart while avoiding alienating players by being too complicated.

1 The Next Mainline Pokémon Game

It's Time The Series Had A Glow-Up

Nintendo has already announced that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is coming to the original Switch, but it is yet to shed light on the Gen 10 mainline game. This is easily the more exciting prospect, as Pokémon Scarlet & Violet showcased how the Switch was hampering the developer's ambitions for a bigger and better Pokémon experience. On the Switch 2, a mainline Pokémon game has the potential to be something truly incredible.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether the next main Pokémon game is an open-world as well, or whether it returns to the series' roots. Nevertheless, the next game has to address the Pokémon formula's main issues so that fans feel like they're getting a truly next-gen experience on the Switch 2. While not all of these games will likely launch at once on the Switch 2 - although that would be incredible - it would be great to see Nintendo come out of the gate with a very strong first-party offering to entice prospective buyers.

Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube (1), (2)