The Nintendo Switch 2 is here — and we’ve already played the best of the Switch 2 launch games and early releases. Want to know which new Nintendo titles should be on your pre-order list? You’ve come to the right place.
Nintendo’s lined-up a cracking list of games for the launch of its new-and-improved hybrid handheld, which released on June 5th, with more than 20 games ready to play on day one.
And, unlike other Nintendo console launches, it’s a healthy balance of first-party and third-party titles of all different genres. From the arcade racing thrills of Mario Kart World to the scuzzy future-noir of Cyberpunk 2077, there’s something for everyone, with later summer releases like platformer Donkey Kong Bananza keeping the hype train rolling through the year.
The next evolution of the Nintendo Switch console is here! Experience new, exclusive games like Mario Kart World only on Nintendo Switch 2.
With a week with the console under our belts now, and more hours than we care to share of playtime sunk into its new games, here's our verdict on the best games Nintendo Switch 2 currently has to offer. And, as ever, we're only talking about titles we've had personal hands-on experience with here — so expect this list to shake up dramatically in the coming weeks and months as new releases land.
The best Nintendo Switch 2 games
1. Mario Kart World
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe perfected the form of the arcade racer. So where does Nintendo go from there?
Off-road, of course.
Mario Kart World is the series biggest departure from its standard mascot-on-mascot, shell-slinging roots since Double Dash’s dual racer gimmick, with World giving drivers a massive map to bomb around in, beyond the confines of traditional Mario Kart tracks.
Yeah, you’ve still got tarmac to burn rubber on, but there’s the promise here of a secret-filled map to explore, and less downtime between races as you go off the beaten path while competitive lobbies fill.
New racers include the Moo Moo Meadows cow, while you’re also able to grind pipes and poles to find new shortcuts across the multi-layered maps. A new battle-royale knockout-style competition is the star of the show though — a 24 racer point-to-point challenge that sees those at the back of the pack whittled away in a tense ongoing battle for pole position. Think Outrun with Blue shells, and you’ll be on the right lines.
A unique spin on a classic formula, we’re ready for Mario Kart World to take over our lives this summer.
2. Yakuza 0 Director's Cut
The finest game in the Yakuza series? We’d say so, and the Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut edition for Switch 2 only makes it even better. In terms of sheer performance, this is the most impressive launch title we’ve played so far — hitting a locked 4K / 60fps in docked mode.
But it’s also a much enhanced game in terms of content too, with new cutscenes, a much-improved ‘Save anywhere’ system, and, for the first time, an English dub of the Japanese script.
It’s a brilliant game generally — a superb mix of brawling action, a twisty-turny underworld narrative, and charm in spades. It’s a wonderful rendering of 1980s Tokyo, with Yakuza 0 expertly walking a line between hard crime drama and campy presentation. This is a must play on Switch 2, even if you’ve already enjoyed it elsewhere before.
3. Hogwarts Legacy
Don't let anyone tell you Hogwarts Legacy is just for kids; it's a charming open-world adventure that truly shines on the Nintendo Switch 2. This native version offers a night-and-day difference compared to the original Switch port, which was notoriously held back by the original console's underpowered hardware.
A game that tested the resolve of home consoles, we were impressed with how it looks in Switch 2's handheld mode. The visuals are now on par with what you'd see on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, a huge leap from the muddy textures and compromises of the first Switch version.
Excuse the pun, but it makes for a much more magical experience. The expansive open spaces and intricate castle interiors are a joy to explore, brimming with secrets to uncover. Plus, the frame rate stays stable around 30 frames per second (fps), ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience as you cast spells and explore the wizarding world of Harry Potter on the go. It's a massive title, and seeing it squeezed into a handheld with this calibre should be applauded. It also makes for an excellent way to snip away at the hundreds of hours of challenges the game contains.
4. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
The original Switch had its fair share of ‘impossible ports’ — Doom Eternal, The Witcher 3 to name just a couple. But Cyberpunk 2077 takes things to a whole new level.
Here’s a game that was so demanding at launch, even high-end PC gamers had to scrap their systems and rebuild them for it to run at the level of detail the game demanded. PS4 and Xbox One consoles could barely keep up.
But here in 2025? You can play Cyberpunk 2077 on the back of a bus, on a handheld, thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2. And, somewhat shockingly, it works! Developers CD Projekt RED have managed to squeeze the game onto Nintendo’s new machine relatively unscathed. The cyborg-packed open world is all there, and looking pretty darn great — to the point where this might be the best-looking handheld game ever released.
Are there concessions here? Sure — resolution dynamic scaling can be spikey, and frame rate can be equally varied. But it remains very playable, there’s time yet for further optimisations, and it’s going to be a trip hooking up with Keanu Reeve’s Johnny Silverhand on the toilet.
5. Street Fighter 6
You can't teach an old dog new tricks? Tell that to Street Fighter 6. Throwing in a free-roaming career mode along with its usual 1-vs-1 classic fighting action, it's the most feature-rich entry into the series to date.
This Switch 2 version has all the core additions from previous versions of the game, including avatar matches against create-a-fighter creations from other players around the world, and multiple control types to make pulling off even the flashiest of moves easy enough for anyone to jump onboard with.
But for the Switch 2, developers Capcom have thrown in some exclusive tricks, too. As well as supporting standard Switch 2 features like tabletop mode and amiibo figures and cards, it introduces unique modes that take advantage of the Joy-Con 2 motion controls. "Gyro Battle" sees you using motion gestures to do battle with your opponents, while "Calorie Contest" keeps you active, challenging you to burn as many calories as possible while playing with motion controls. It's a great game made greater, and runs silkily smooth on the Nintendo Switch 2, with its beautiful anime-like art style really shining on the system's high-refresh screen.
6. Hitman World of Assassination: Signature Edition
Hitman could — and should — be so much higher on this list. It's one of the finest series of games of the last decade, putting you in the shoes of a ruthless assassin as he travels the world taking out targets in exotic and glamorous locations.
It's as much puzzle game as action — each globe-trotting level is packed with hundreds of NPCs, and just as many ways to take out your targets without being noticed. But it takes meticulous planning, and an eye for flair and creativity, to pull off the job.
The core gameplay is all present here and as amazing as ever, and in a near-complete package pulling together multiple years of content. So why the lower ranking? At the time of writing, Hitman's performance on Switch 2 is just a bit lacking. Though it runs reasonably well in handheld mode, where the Switch 2's VRR screen can smooth out the peaks and troughs of the game's choppy framerate, that feature's not available in docked mode. It leaves Hitman feeling like a slideshow when played on the bigcreen, so further refinement from the devs will be needed post-launch before we can heartily recommend it. For now, it's a great game running in not-so-great conditions.
7. SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS
A Sonic platformer on a Nintendo console before even Mario gets one of his own? What's the world coming to!
Thankfully SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS is excellent fun pulling together both the Sonic and Shadow Generations titles in a single package.
It's a bit like a greatest hits package for the Blue Blur, mixing 2D side-scrolling action with 3D levels, and seeing the characters travel across time to interact with earlier versions of themselves. It's fast paced and, thanks to its time-hopping narrative, a welcoming entry point for Sonic fans who've perhaps not been paying attention to his latest adventures. It's a smooth and solid presentation on the handheld console too. Definitely worth a look, even if it feels like a betrayal of the plumber mascot.
8. Survival Kids
Here's a fun, family-friendly game to play with the little'uns in your family. Reviving a little known OG Game Boy title, Survival Kids is a bit like a 'My First Minecraft' title, but with a greater emphasis on puzzling.
Multiplayer-focussed, it sees up to four players stranded on a deserted island, and will require each player to work together to build camps, harvest resources, and come together to solve puzzles where each player takes a role. It's simple fun, well suited to the Switch's younger audience, and has a Goonies-like charm, rather than feeling like Lord of the Flies: The Game, where helping your buddies out is the only route to success.
9. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
A charming digital tour of the features of the new console, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour lets you guide a miniature person around a Switch 2-turned-museum, letting you learn all the cool new things your console can do. Full of trivia and minigames and a clean toy-town like isometric design, there’s some ingenious explanations of the console’s new tricks, such as playing the very first ever 2D Mario level in a tiny pixel-perfect resolution that unfurls across the span of a modern 4K screen.
It's fun, if slight — the only reason it’s near the bottom of this list is that it feels a bit stingy for this to not be a pack-in title with the console, as per Wii Sports, or the PS5’s excellent Astro’s Playroom.
10. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
Mastered Tetris? Need a new block-dropping challenge? Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S might be the game for you. Though it's a port of an older title, its wacky mix of classic Tetris action and puyo-popping puzzling could be just what you're looking for.
Combining the rule sets of both long-running puzzle series, its kid-friendly visuals belie a brain-bending complexity that'll challenge even the most hardened of Tetris 99 veterans. If you think getting a four-line Tetris is satisfying, just wait until you line up a dozen puyo-pop chains.
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games: Remasters and Re-releases
With gaming's greatest back catalogue, Nintendo is giving Switch 2 owners plenty of opportunities to revisit their best titles of yesteryear. As well as new additions to the Nintendo Switch Online retro gaming library for subscribers, Nintendo is also introducing 'Nintendo Switch 2 Edition' games. These paid-for upgrades are essentially Switch 1-era game remasters, upping their resolutions, frame-rates and overall graphical sheen, as well as introducing new gameplay features. Here's our pick of the bunch so far...
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Switch Zelda games have received a Switch 2 glow-up re-release — making two of the finest games ever made even better. These upgrades cost £7.99 each on top of the price of the original games, though Nintendo Switch Online+ Expansion pack subscribers get them free with their ongoing subscriptions.
Though both are amazing, of the two, we’re picking Breath of the Wild for our most-coveted for two reasons — firstly, it’s the older of the two, so we’re just about ready again to dive into its gigantic adventure. Secondly, being the older title, originally built for the Wii U, it’s the one that had most to gain in terms of performance from a Switch 2 remaster.
And boy has it delivered. After a few hours running around Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule, it looks astonishingly great, enough to suck us back in for another 100+ hour adventure. Higher frame rates, sharper resolutions, quicker loading times — the game looks as gorgeous as ever, but it’s all smoother and snappier. A new accompanying app also lets you repair damaged items (a controversial, divisive omission from the original release), as well as hunt down secrets with something akin to a GPS system. If you’ve never had the joy of trying the game before, you are in for a superlative treat here. For everyone else, it’s a perfect excuse to go Korok hunting once again.
Gamecube Retro Titles
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers have been crying out for GameCube titles to be added to the service’s retro gaming library, and with the launch of Switch 2, Nintendo delivers. At launch, players are able to dive into classics including The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, F-Zero GX and Soul Calibur 2.
With this membership option, you’ll get access to all the benefits of the standard Nintendo Switch Online membership, in addition to a growing library of classic Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance and SEGA Mega Drive games, and access to downloadable expansions for select Nintendo Switch games.
They’re then followed up throughout the year with Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokémon Colosseum, and Chibi Robot.
Some of these games are incredibly difficult to track down now, so having an official outlet to experience them once again is excellent. Nintendo has put a decent amount of effort into porting them to Switch 2, too, with upscaled visuals, save state support, and auto-widescreen configurations where available. It’s a bit of a bummer that it means we’re now unlikely to see the superior Wind Waker HD port hit Switch anytime soon, but as a subscription value-add, it’s a winner.
Out: Roll out begins 5th June (launch)
Nintendo Switch 2 Games Coming Soon
There's more still to come from the Nintendo Switch 2's early months, and we've had the pleasure of trying out some of its soon-to-be-released games ahead of their launches. Here's four upcoming titles that we can't wait to play — including the long-awaited return of one of Nintendo's biggest stars...
Drag x Drive
Now for something completely different. Drag x Drive uses the Nintendo Switch 2’s Joy-Con 2 mice feature to great effect, with a dual-handed control scheme that mimics steering a wheelchair. Pitting two teams of three against each other, it’s essentially wheelchair basketball by way of Rocket League.
Players spin the wheels and propel themselves forward by dragging the Joy-Con 2 mice back and forth, and toss the ball to the hoop with a flick of the wrist. Though the visual style is a bit dull, the game itself is manic and a unique multiplayer experience.
Perhaps best of all is that, as this concept is so fresh, there’s going to be a totally level playing field, competitively speaking, when this game launches. Mastery of previous video game control schemes won’t make a difference here, so even gaming novices can pick this up on day one and have a chance of being king of the Drag x Drive court.
Out: “Summer 2025”
Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV
Another Switch 2 Edition re-release, this is classic Mario Party action, with a Switch 2 twist. Players face off across mini-game filled boards with familiar Nintendo characters, earning coins and game-winning stars for their efforts.
Where Jamboree gets a Switch 2 refresh is in its new mini-games. Mouse-based challenges, such as an electric buzzer wire loop-alike and a spray-paint face off, are fun examples of the potential of Nintendo’s new control scheme. The all-new Jamboree TV is an even bigger departure — it uses the new camera accessory to put you in a deadly game show with Bowser, where your onscreen movements and shouts will determine your success.
Throw in the amazing Game Chat camera features that proved to be a highlight of the new console's launch, and we're sold.
Out: July 24th, 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond shot up our most-wanted list following our Nintendo Switch 2 preview play session — a surprise for us, given how excited we were about Mario Kart World going into the event.
What Metroid brought to the table, however, was a real sense of surprise. Though its development has had to keep the original Switch hardware in mind (it’s coming out on both generations), seeing it run in silky-smooth 120fps was revelatory, and not the sort of cutting-edge performance we’re used to seeing from Nintendo hardware.
A first-person shooter at its heart, it’s a great example of the potential of the Joy-Cons-as-mice hook the new console is pushing. Aiming bounty hunter Samus’s crosshairs with a swipe of the ‘mouse’ was natural and instinctive — even if getting used to the repositioned buttons when the Joy-Con is held like that will take some getting used to. It helped us imagine a time when twitchy competitive shooters could hold their own on the Switch 2 hardware — a point of hardware separation that the PS5 and Xbox consoles can’t naturally match with first-party input options.
What was missing from our hands-on play was the signature sense of isolation on an alien world that Metroid is known for. Playing through a pretty linear section from the opening of the game, there were loads of baddies to blast, but little exploration. Likewise, there was a Halo-like supporting cast of space soldiers we were fighting alongside, in an environment more military than other worldly. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will undoubtedly inject some of that old eerie energy further into the game — we’re just hoping the balance is in favour of that stranger-in-a-strange land feeling of previous entries rather than the bombastic space opera that the demo presented.
Out: ‘2025’
Donkey Kong Bananza
Way out in front of the pack, our most-wanted Nintendo Switch 2 game is easily Donkey Kong Bananza — and that’s as much based on what we haven’t seen, as what we have.
Seemingly developed by Nintendo’s EDP Tokyo — the same gang that made Mario Odyssey — though yet to be confirmed, it’s a huge departure from Nintendo’s previous 3D platformers, be they from the plumber or his buddy-come-nemesis simian counterpart.
Where Mario games are about precision and athleticism, Donkey Kong Bananza is all about destruction and brute force. The titular ape gets a new look for this, his first 3D outing since 1994’s Donkey Kong 64, and a whole new moveset unlike anything we’ve seen from the character before. Donkey tears up the landscape — literally. He can smash his way through rock walls, deforming the levels around him, and even making makeshift projectiles from the ground he rips apart.
A short hands-on session let us embrace the chaos, but we still don’t know quite how the game will play out in full. Donkey’s moveset would break other games — what sort of platforming challenges can be created when you can smash up everything they’re built upon? But there’s charm in spades here, loads of energy, and a near-launch title that we can’t wait to see more of.
Out: July 27th
- Nintendo Switch 2 review: Powered up in all the right places
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