16 Nintendo franchises missing from the Switch 2 line-up

The release schedule for the Switch 2 is a mystery beyond this year but what secrets are Nintendo working on and when might they appear?

Several important Nintendo franchises haven’t been announced for the Switch 2, as well as some less important ones that could flourish on the console.

There were plenty of exciting game reveals at the Nintendo Switch 2 showcase, particularly from Nintendo itself. Although the likes of a new Mario Kart and 3D Donkey Kong were expected, they nonetheless made strong first impressions, but you also had genuine surprises like a new Hyrule Warriors and a Kirby Air Ride sequel.

However, a decent chunk of Nintendo’s announcements involved ports of Switch 1 games (a couple of which aren’t even out yet), leaving several big names oddly absent. It’s obviously still early days, but it’s surprising Nintendo didn’t even mention some of its most important franchises.

As such, we’ve scoured the entirety of Nintendo’s library to highlight the games missing from the Switch 2’s line-up, from those guaranteed to make an appearance to those that deserve it because they could make the most of the console’s new features.

1. Super Mario

Most people would have predicted a new 3D Mario platformer to be among the Switch 2’s first batch of games. Instead, Nintendo is focusing on Donkey Kong and while it won’t confirm anything, Donkey Kong Bananza is assumed to be being helmed by the 3D Mario development team.

As such, a new 3D Mario game is either further off than expected or the team is somehow working on two games at once. With the second Super Mario Bros. movie out in 2026, that would make a lot of sense as a release date but the team has never made two major games in quick succession like that before.

If a new 3D Mario is a long way off, Nintendo may look to fill the gap with a new Super Mario Maker. Both the original and the Switch sequel were very successful, with the latter including enough pre-made levels to count as a whole separate game.

A third game on the Switch 2 would not only be more intuitive and easier to use, thanks to the mouse controls, but could potentially go beyond the 2D format and let you create full 3D levels. That’d be the perfect compromise if the Super Mario Odyssey successor is still years away.

2. Luigi’s Mansion 4

It’s been three years since Mario Strikers: Battle League Football but there’s no word on what developer Next Level Games is currently working on. Given how underwhelming that last game wound up being, it wouldn’t be surprising if Nintendo opted to play things safe and put the team to work on a new Luigi’s Mansion.

Considering Nintendo has had enough faith in the spin-off series to remake the original game for the 3DS and then remaster the sequel for Switch last year, a fourth Luigi’s Mansion seems almost certain.

Previous games have always had very advanced visuals for their hardware, especially Luigi’s Mansion 3, so it’d be great to see what Next Level Games could cook up on Switch 2. The new hardware could let them do more with the last game’s advanced physics engine and the mouse controls could be used for new gadgets Luigi acquires.

3. Animal Crossing

It’s still baffling that despite the overwhelming success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo’s post-launch support only lasted 20 months. With no further content planned past that, you have to assume the development team had already moved onto the sequel.

That in turn suggests that a new Animal Crossing is going to turn up fairly early in the Switch 2’s lifetime, perhaps as early as next year.

New Horizons was too successful for Nintendo to abandon the series (it’s the company’s second best-selling Switch game, at 47.44 million units) and the Switch 2’s GameChat feature feels tailor made for multiplayer sessions between friends.

We could see the mouse controls making item customisation a lot easier and possibly allow for more intricate designs for clothing and furniture. A bigger island to cultivate feels like an obvious step forward, but maybe the sequel could go even further and let you create multiple villages across various islands, thus addressing the criticisms about how New Horizons limited you to one island per system.

4. Splatoon 4

The Animal Crossing studio is the same one responsible for Splatoon and it seems it’s capable of juggling both series at once, considering Splatoon 3 only launched a couple of years after New Horizons.

Given how massive Splatoon is in Japan, it’s surprising there wasn’t at least a small tease for a Splatoon 4 at the Switch 2 Direct, but it can’t be long until a new game is announced. Splatoon has an active eSports scene, so you’d think Nintendo wouldn’t want to take too long with Splatoon 4.

Splatoon 3 wasn’t as much of an evolution of the formula as many fans would’ve hoped, playing things unusually safe for a Nintendo sequel. It’s limited to a degree by it’s multiplayer scene but the game will be in need of new ideas beyond just additional weapons and one-off gimmicks.

9. Pokémon Gen 10

Pokémon is already set to debut on Switch 2 with Pokémon Legends: Z-A later this year, but that is only a spin-off and we’re due for the next mainline entry within the next couple of years, which will usher in a new generation (Gen 10) of pocket monsters.

New mainline entries like Pokémon Scarlet & Violet typically arrive every three to four years and since Generation 9 was in 2022, it stands to reason that Gen 10 is being saved for 2026. Especially since Nintendo and The Pokémon Company typically like to have a new game out every year and 2024 saw no new releases whatsoever.

Some Gen 10 details may have already leaked thanks to last year’s terahack incident, with new claims suggesting the region is inspired by the islands of Greece.

5. Fire Emblem

Fire Emblem is another major Nintendo franchise that’s clearly going to make an appearance on Switch 2 eventually. It’s not just a matter of when though, but whether the next entry will be something entirely new or another remake.

We don’t doubt series developer Intelligent Systems is busy with something Fire Emblem related right now. While it’s not the only Nintendo franchise it’s responsible for, its last two games were WarioWare: Move It! and the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake, so it’s due a return to Fire Emblem.

Given the gaps between new Fire Emblem games seem to typically be three to four years, the next one may not be ready till 2027 – since Fire Emblem Engage came out in 2023.

There have been long standing rumours of a Fire Emblem 4 remake, though, and if that’s still happening, perhaps Nintendo and Intelligent Systems could have it ready for 2026. The possibility isn’t too farfetched considering the company already has a history of sitting on near completed games, until it finds an empty slot in its release schedule.

Whatever the next game is, it stands to greatly benefit from the Switch 2’s mouse controls, which could also see the scale of the action change – perhaps with a meta strategy element like the Total War series.

6. WarioWare

Like we said, Intelligent Systems is probably prioritising Fire Emblem at the moment, but it can clearly juggle multiple projects at once and it’s already surprising a WarioWare game hasn’t been announced for Switch 2.

Previous entries have often made full use of Nintendo’s hardware gimmicks for their microgames, be it the DS’s touchscreen and microphone, the Wii’s motion controls, or the Wii U’s GamePad.

That’s why they often come out at or near launch, although this time round the Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree seems to have filled some of that role, by demonstrating strange uses for the mouse controls.

Alternatively, Intelligent Systems could be working on an entirely new IP, as it’s also been responsible for lesser known games like the Pullblox/Pushmo puzzle series (which ruled) and Code Name: S.T.E.A.M (which drooled).

However, it’s stuck to Fire Emblem, WarioWare, and Paper Mario for the last 10 years, so there’s little to suggest it’ll break away from that for its Switch 2 debut.

7. Advance Wars

If Intelligent Systems was going to break away from its routine our top pick would be for another Advance Wars. The Switch 2 is the perfect platform to bring it back, thanks to its mouse controls – which could open up new gameplay opportunities that’ll help the series evolve in meaningful ways, distinct from Fire Emblem.

It doesn’t necessarily need to be Intelligent Systems either. The excellent Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp remake was handled by WayForward, so we’d be happy to see it try an entirely new game or even remakes of the two DS games.

A less likely alternative would be a revival of the Battalion Wars spin-offs, which was more of a real-time tactics game with third person shooter elements. The original developer is no longer around, but whether Intelligent Systems or WayForward took over, Battalion Wars would definitely benefit from the Switch 2’s mouse controls as well.

8. Star Fox

Some Star Fox fans might still consider it one of Nintendo’s main franchises, but we doubt the company itself feels the same way anymore. After 2016’s Star Fox Zero bombed hard at launch, reportedly selling not even half a million copies, Star Fox seems to be dead in the water (barring an official release of the cancelled Star Fox 2).

Stranger things have happened though. Star Fox Zero itself arrived 10 years after the last new entry (not counting the Star Fox 64 3DS remake in 2011) but if Nintendo did decide to give the series another shot, it probably wouldn’t be with an internal team.

The smartest move might be to pass Star Fox onto one of Nintendo’s partners. PlatinumGames and Bandai Namco already have experience with the series or why not commission Star Fox 2 developer Argonaut Games, now that it’s re-opened?

If Nintendo doesn’t want to spend resources on a new project or a remake/remaster, it could at least port Star Fox Zero to Switch 2, since it’s much better than its reputation suggests – especially as the worst part were the weird Wii U specific controls.

10. Pikmin

Despite never having the strongest sales, Pikmin has maintained a consistent presence thanks to it being the baby of Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto. Pikmin 4 reinvented the series to be a lot more approachable and became the best-selling Pikmin game, so the wait for Pikmin 5 may not be very long.

Although Pikmin 4 has strayed the furthest from the real-time strategy inspirations of the first game, a sequel could still benefit from optional mouse controls for ordering pikmin around. It could even allow for a new game to have more strategic elements, although that will be a bit odd because Pikmin 4’s success came from taking many of the existing ones out.

Given that, a spin-off may be the best way to go if Nintendo wants to take its time with Pikmin 5. Nintendo enlisted another studio, Eighting, for assistance with Pikmin 4 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe so perhaps it could helm its own spin-off while the main team focuses on Pikmin 5.

11. Xenoblade Chronicles

Although Xenoblade Chronicles 3 acted as the culmination to the series’ ongoing storyline, developer Monolith Soft has said it wants to keep it going ‘as long as possible.’ So, the real question isn’t whether there’ll be another Xenoblade games, but rather what form it will take.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s story DLC strongly insinuated that it inhabited the same universe as Xenosaga, the series’ spiritual predecessor that Monolith Soft worked on before Nintendo acquired the studio. As such, could Xenoblade 4 actually be a new Xenosaga instead?

Comments by series director Tetsuya Takahashi also suggest that any Xenoblade sequel would be ‘vastly different’ to what came before, which could mean a dramatic overhaul of its core gameplay. Combat in Xenoblade is comparative to MMOs, but could a sequel embrace full real-time action like Final Fantasy 16 did? Or if it’s continuing Xenosaga, swap to a traditional turn-based formula?

We know Monolith Soft has begun work on a new role-playing game, with Takahashi in the director’s chair, meaning it’s likely the next Xenoblade or a new successor. Whatever the case, it could arrive sooner than expected since despite regularly assisting with other Nintendo projects, Monolith Soft has managed to turn out four Xenoblade games throughout the Switch’s lifetime.

Two of those were enhanced remasters of the first Xenoblade and the Xenoblade Chronicles X spin-off, but if you discount those, it was only a five year wait between Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and 3, meaning the studio’s next new game could arrive as early as 2027.

12. Yoshi

While Yoshi as a character is a popular mainstay of the wider Mario franchise, he’s always had plenty of his own standalone games – which are often aimed at a younger audience.

Nowadays, the series seems to be the responsibility of Good-Feel, which made Yoshi’s Woolly World for Wii U and 3DS and Yoshi’s Crafted World for Switch. Both games were competent 2D platformers with spectacularly charming visuals, although in gameplay terms they were fairly basic.

Perhaps the Switch 2 will be the opportunity for Yoshi to get a Donkey Kong Bananza style makeover or perhaps Good-Feel will simply trot out another cute-but-safe 2D platformer.

Alternatively, we wouldn’t be opposed to a Princess Peach: Showtime! follow-up, given the original really didn’t live up to the premise and there’s plenty of room for improvement.

13. Kid Icarus

Of all the 3DS games in need of an updated Switch 2 port, Kid Icarus: Uprising is the most obvious. The moment the console’s mouse controls were shown, many fans thought about how much better Kid Icarus: Uprising’s unique mix of rail shooter gameplay and third person action would be on Switch 2.

That’s not to say the original was a poor game, far from it. But ground combat always felt clumsy and the game forcing you to use the stylus for everything meant a lot of hand cramps during long play sessions. Nintendo obviously realised this and bundled a stand with the game, as an admission that the controls were not ideal.

Kid Icarus: Uprising director Masahiro Sakurai is currently busy with his Kirby Air Ride sequel, which is an odd pick for his first Switch 2 game, when the original is little known and out the same year as a far bigger racing game: Mario Kart World.

Nintendo doesn’t necessarily need to enlist Sakurai for a Kid Icarus: Uprising remaster, although they’d probably want him at least overseeing it, considering his influence is all over the original. Hopefully, they find some time to do it before Sakurai is sent back into the Super Smash Bros. mines.

14. Super Smash Bros.

Speaking of Super Smash Bros., we already wrote a feature on the future of the series and what its Switch 2 entry could look like, so we won’t spend too long on this section. A sequel will certainly happen someday, but will it be an entirely new game or an updated re-release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?

The latter might be the more likely option thanks to the existence of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games. Fans wouldn’t hesitate to pay an upgrade fee for a Switch 2 port of Ultimate if it came with a handful of new characters and that would be quicker to do than a full sequel.

Again, Sakurai’s currently busy with Kirby Air Riders but once that’s out of the way, he’ll likely be dragged back to work on the series.

15. Nintendogs

There’s no evidence of Nintendo having any interest in reviving Nintendogs, outside of a patent that some think is hinting at a successor for mobile phones, but this is another example of an idea that’s too good to not try, thanks to the Switch 2’s mouse controls.

As a pet simulator, a major part of the appeal is interacting with your virtual dog. Using a control stick and buttons is a bit impersonal, which is why Nintendogs made you use the DS’s stylus for petting and playing with your pet. It’s a little thing but it makes all the difference, and that interactivity can be replicated with mouse controls.

Nintendo has a team dedicated to more casual games, such as Ring Fit Adventure, Big Brain Academy, and Nintendo Switch Sports. They’re probably the best fit for a Nintendogs revival and it could find new success on Switch 2 if it was pitched as a free-to-play experience.

16. Another Code/Hotel Dusk

Had Nintendo not randomly commissioned Arc System Works to remake the two Another Code games last year, we wouldn’t have bothered including it or its sibling series Hotel Dusk in this list.

We’re still not sure what Nintendo’s motivation was beyond capitalising on a niche audience’s nostalgia, but with Another Code fresh in peoples’ minds, perhaps there’s a chance for it to continue on Switch 2.

The console’s mouse controls are perfectly suited to its brand of point ‘n’ click adventure gameplay and if the Another Code remakes did decently, there might be hope for Hotel Dusk as well.

Both series were developed at Cing and while the studio’s long since shut down, many staff moved to Arc System Works and made a Hotel Dusk successor called Chase: Cold Case Investigations – Distant Memories.

They clearly have a lot of affection for Hotel Dusk (main character Kyle Hyde even had cameos in the Another Code remakes) so they’d likely jump at the chance to return to the series if Nintendo asked.

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