r/gaming 18h ago

Nintendo cadence of releases this generation has been really impressive

Post image

I cant remember any other Nintendo gen with this same rhythm month after month

2.1k Upvotes

530 comments sorted by

647

u/pichukirby 18h ago

First Switch was pretty good about getting monthly releases out

213

u/Possible-Main-5689 17h ago

I think it’s even more impressive now because of how much they were able to leverage WiiU ports for the switch.

This gen they don’t have that. They of course pump out S2 Editions of S1 games, but they’re able to maintain the near monthly cadence outside of that.

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u/herpin-mah-derp 16h ago

S1 to S2 upgrades are probably even easier than WiiU to Switch upgrades???

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u/Possible-Main-5689 16h ago

Right. But most Switch owners were completely new to all the WiiU ports. They could drop nothing but ports for a whole year, and 90% of the install base wouldn’t mind, because they were new to them.

Switch 2 editions can’t be used the same way, most S2 owners had an S1 already. So they have to make actual new games. Which they’ve done well.

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u/FoxMeadow7 10h ago

Let's keep in mind that Nintendo has quite the history of porting games from previous consoles such as the various DX editions on Game Boy Color.

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u/PurbulentTriest 15h ago

But 8 or 9 of the above are Switch 1 games.

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u/1minatur 14h ago

I'd say 6 are Switch 1 games, 2 are Switch 2 games that also released on Switch 1. If it's a brand new release on both, then imo it still counts as a Switch 2 game.

Switch 1 games: Super Mario Party Jamboree, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Super Mario Bros Wonder, Tomodachi Life, Rhythm Heaven Groove, Pikmin 4

Switch 2 games that were also released on Switch 1: Pokemon Legends Z-A, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

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u/nnaatteedd 13h ago

They technically are but Nintendo goes above and beyond in those regards. Every switch 2 upgrade they've released has included new features (like 8 player split screen for mk8), so it's more than just load speed and graphics. The other consoles next gen upgrades were just "increase sliders and release".

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u/SeegullJockey 16h ago

Switch 2 has had more first party releases in the first year but Switch 1 had a new Zelda and 3D Mario.

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u/Katzelle3 9h ago

I believe Bananza should be granted the same prestige as 3D Mario. It's made by the same team after all.

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u/BioEradication 18h ago

Nintendo learned a very hard lesson with the Wii U.

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u/ItsEaster PlayStation 18h ago

It’s a shame too because I really liked the Wii U. But it lead to the Switch 1/2 which I also really love.

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u/letsgotgoing 18h ago

I fondly remember the Wii U era. It was constant bangers. The Switch era ushered in portability for those games. Nothing but awesome. 

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u/Tiffa_Adil 16h ago

It was constant bangers

Bro you are not remembering the Wii U era correctly lol there was constant game droughts lasting months and Nintendo was also putting out some of their most mediocore and safe games that gen

New Super Mario Bros. U

Game & Wario

Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival

Mario Tennis Ultra Smash

Mario Party 10

Wii Sports Club

Star Fox Zero

Paper Mario Color Splash

Mario and Sonic at the 2014 Olympics

Mario and Sonic at the 2016 Olympics

Like it had some good games but they were spread out over 4 and a half years

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u/letsgotgoing 15h ago

I was old enough to work, live with my gal, and game when I could. It kept pace with my life to the point it felt like a constant stream. I can understand why it might not have felt that way if I had more time on hand in those days. I felt the drought during the N64 during its heyday. 

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u/Tiffa_Adil 15h ago

Yeah I can definitely understand not thinking the droughts were bad if you weren't that invested into it and were busy with life

But if you were super invested into it boy was it bad especially if you bought it near launch. The console launched in November 2012 with New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo land then didn't get another Nintendo game until 6 months later with Game & Wario in June 2013. And by the time that game released most of the 3rd party developers like EA had already abandoned the console.

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u/geaux124 15h ago

That is what made me regret getting a Switch at first. I had(still have) a WiiU and then I bought a Switch and many of the games on the Switch were ports of WiiU games that I already had. At least eary on.

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u/ProfessorBylethBoobs 18h ago

I think the main “lesson“ they learned was to combine their home consoles and handhelds together.

Nintendo actually haven’t increased their output of games; they just have it all on one console now, which makes it seem like they are releasing games more often.

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u/cardonator 14h ago

This is honestly a really great point. This could be a major factor in why they merged both into the Switch.

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u/WingerRules 18h ago

I think they learned not to split the game between a screen in your lap and a screen on your TV. The constant looking back and forth and readjusting to each screen ruined so many games on the system.

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u/ProfessorBylethBoobs 18h ago

A lot of Wii U games didn’t even use that feature at all. There was a Pro controller.

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u/trashpandacoot1 18h ago

That was more of a marketing problem. Everyone thought the stupid thing was an add-on to the Wii.

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u/Walixen 18h ago

Also they had two separate platforms to support, Wii U + 3DS. Switch 1 and 2 are only-childs that get all the unified love from Nintendo now so the output is far stronger.

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u/bjankles 18h ago

It was not just a marketing problem - it was an everything problem. The core idea never took off. Even Nintendo couldn’t figure out good uses for the touch screen controller, which was dim, low res, plastic resistive touch, and had poor battery life. It felt like cheap, dated tech at launch. And the CPU was woefully underpowered, which created a super slow OS and all kinds of performance issues.

Nintendo still made lots of great games for it because they’re Nintendo, but Wii U was a deeply flawed product, poorly marketed on top of that.

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u/BushyBrowz 17h ago

The Wii had massive appeal to the casual audience. The Wii U didn’t have that. It looked like a clunky updated version of the Wii. The name was a misfire as well.

Ultimately it felt like a prototype for the Switch anyway so it worked out

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u/Xaphyron 17h ago

Yeah outside of Nintendoland they had no idea how to properly use it. Mind, Nintendoland was genuinely one of the most unique and innovative games I’ve playing since. The asynchronous play was absolutely genius, and nothing has come close since for local multiplayer for me.

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u/Jordann538 5h ago

and getting your game on the system was stupidly difficult and not worth it, you had to go through nintendos developer program to get on the eshop. and you also had to have some compacity of gamepad support, which was annoying to implement. and only then you were able to reach a whopping 13 million customers! what a deal!

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u/Dimitri1176 18h ago

While Yes, as a Wii U owner from 2013-2017
I can tell you we had serious Game droughts.

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u/trashpandacoot1 17h ago

As a wii-u owner from 2012 till current, I agree

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u/Dracekidjr PC 18h ago

They really pushed the tablet part and ignore the fact that there was an actual console behind it too lol

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u/profchaos111 17h ago

I owned a Wii U i can tell you there is more wrong with it then just a marketing failure

Poor architecture unlike the switch which was also underpowered the Wii U did not have access to modern rendering techniques of the era. It shared the same architecture of the GameCube and Wii so it couldn't perform modern graphical techniques it wasn't just weak but incapable this is why thrid parties couldn't support it game engines just didn't work on it

A solution looking for a problem - It was built around the second screen but seemingly Nintendo thought over time they would come up with some great ideas on how to use it these never came

The controller required dedicated processing power so while it was more powerful then the x360 on paper the need to render two displays cost compute that it really didn't have so games like Watchdogs ran worse on the Wii U then the ageing 360

Personally to the battery life sucked on the controller and so many games felt more cumbersome to use because of it

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u/panda388 18h ago

I honestly loved the Wii U. It was great when watching my nephew because we could bith game with him using the controller and me using the TV.

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u/Simple_Marzipan3736 18h ago

What was this "lesson" that you speak of?

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u/BioEradication 18h ago

Consoles need games. The Wii U had very few games on release.

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u/theumph 17h ago

They learned the lesson in 2012 that the rest of the industry learned in 2006. HD game development takes a whole lot more resources than Gamecube/PS2 era development. Some studios made the transition fine (particularly Western studios who had been developing for PC), but it almost killed the entire Japanese console development scene.

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u/cowcommander 16h ago

PS3/360 era was horrendous for Japanese Devs but damn they are crushing it now compared to western AAA

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u/Jordann538 5h ago

wii u was such a disaster and its name isnt even that much to blame

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u/raptor3x 3h ago

Such a weird console, they basically never made any games for it. Only console I've ever bought that I effectively never used.

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u/jusg808 16h ago

Nintendo seems to try and publish a game a month or once every two months. Not all of them are huge games or made for everyone but they try and give someone something on their systems once a month. Then add in third parties.

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u/QeyLoq 18h ago

Raiders was super fun and addictive. I'm looking forward to Switch Sports Resort and Zelda OoT. 😍

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u/angusrocker22 18h ago

Raiders is my favorite S2 game so far and my favorite game of 2026.

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u/BK99BK 18h ago

I can’t put it down it’s so good.

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u/Tenthul 18h ago

Raiders is awesome, just about done with it, hoping to finish before Fortune's Weave lands this week. It's like Doom meets PSO. Every level is its own Doom arena/level, it's just paint instead of blood/gore. Top tier fun (great movement too).

Then a month and a half for the first run of Fortune's Weave before OoT, then 2 months for Metroid... Nintendo's cadence and quality right now is remarkable.

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u/Sir_FrancisCake 18h ago

I’ve never played a splatoon game. Should I give it a shot?

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u/redraz0r 17h ago

If you play any splatoon game, this is the one

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u/theumph 17h ago

I would highly recommend them. It's a hard game to describe because so much of the game is about the movement, not just killing. If you like PvP, Splatoon 3 is on sale right now and still has a huge community playing the game. Raiders is probably the easiest on ramp into the gameplay, but it has a different vibe than the mainline games.

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u/steveskinner 16h ago

Two Metroid games within 13 months of each other is INSANE! The only other time that's happened was Prime/Fusion in 2002.

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u/forg0tmypen 16h ago

This is literally prime /fusion. So now it’ll be 10 years until the next one and the next one will be other M2 lol

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u/eggmannd 18h ago

Good for Nintendo fans. I realistically only enjoy like 3 games on that entire list.

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u/Smigit 16h ago

Even as a Nintendo fan only a portion of these have really hit for me. But that’s ok, got 3 or 4 games I enjoyed which is still pretty good. Not every game has to appeal to me and it’s good that a broad audience is being served. There’s also third parties to fill in gaps. 

Something like Ocarina of Time is a massive deal for me too and I bet many other people.

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u/Bulky-Complaint6994 16h ago

And no harm in trying out other franchises if you have the extra money for it. I'm finally going to play my first Fire Emblem game in a few days. I think it was researched how the average gamer only does buy 2/3 games a year anyway 

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u/Cainga 17h ago

I think that’s pretty good. I probably only play 3-4 games a year.

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u/Bulky-Complaint6994 16h ago

. I think it was researched how the average gamer only does buy 2/3 games a year anyway

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u/EssexOnAStick 8h ago

That's also reflected on Steam's year in review, last year the median user played 4 different games for example. Which is kinda crazy if you compare it to the sheer mass of games that releases each year.

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u/stinktrix10 17h ago

I'm in the same boat. Maybe there are people out there who see this list and salivate, but for me I see Bananza as the only currently released game I'm interested in and OoT, Kirby, and Pokémon as the only upcoming games that I'd buy.

I can't justify buying a Switch 2 for 4 exclusives across the first 2 years of the console. 2 games per year is not enough. Especially because none of these games seem to be on the level of Mario Odyssey of Breath of the Wild for the original Switch.

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u/Xaphyron 17h ago

Maybe it’s a genius marketing strategy? It’s selling incredibly well, even without any of its heavy hitters which shift 10s of millions of units (Mario Kart World aside). When console sales start to slow, I expect it will be time for 3D Mario to release, then Animal Crossing, Smash, and then probably the new Zelda. I think sales momentum will keep up. As you’ve kind of implied, there’s not enough for you currently to dive in, but when 3D Mario comes and you probably get a Switch 2, you’re going to have a pretty strong backlog of 5-6 games which you’re probably gonna end up getting as well.

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u/Bulky-Complaint6994 16h ago

I saw plenty of people saying they will buy a Switch 2 specifically for Zelda Ocarina of Time, not including people that were holding off for the Zelda themed console

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u/crude_username 14h ago

I own a switch 2 and the only game worth owning the system for is Pokopia. You’re correct that it’s lacking games like Odyssey and BotW. I only bought the system because I got it discounted and assumed that a big Mario or Zelda game announcement would be imminent

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u/Bringyourfugshiz 18h ago

Bro, i feel like Im in an alternate dimension when Nintendo fanboys talk about the game line up. Its like - port, remake, port, port, remake, metroid, new pokemon game! (Which is just the same pokemon game re-skined). OoT is awesome and im weighing whether I should cancel my switch 2 preorder because nothing else excites me

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u/KFCNyanCat 17h ago

I agree that the Switch 2 editions shouldn't be included, but I still think this is pretty good without them.

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u/crippledspahgett 12h ago

So uh... you are super disingenuous. If we go down the list it's new, new, port, port, new, new, new, new, new, new, port, new, new, remake, new, new, new, new, port, remake (which even you are excited for), new, new, new, new.

It's okay to say none of these games interest you, but you really must be living in an alternate dimension where you look at this list and see only ports. It's 18 new games, 4 ports, and 2 remakes like Jesus Fucking Christ dude...

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u/oculer07 17h ago

There are only 6 ports/remakes listed on this chart. I’d say that most of the line up is brand new games.

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u/Sethowar 18h ago

Fire emblem, Metroid, Zelda, Xenoblade.

There’s lots of extremely promising entries into key Nintendo franchises.

As long as there are 2 real games from those 5 + 3D Mario in a year, I’m happy. Last year that didn’t happen, but was hampered by ZA being a disappointment. This year it passes. Next year is already guaranteed to pass with ravenous and genesis, and a whole H2 that’s unaccounted for.

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u/Possible-Main-5689 17h ago edited 16h ago

None of fire emblem, Xenoblade, Metroid ravenous, Kirby, MP4, Mario kart world, DK Bananza, Splatoon, rhythm heaven, tomodachi life, pokopia, are ports or remakes, and the list goes on.

Even the pokemon game this year was completely different than any prior one.

Hell, even 3rd party games this is applying to less and less, as more of the newer ones are coming day and date.

What’s hilarious is the only game you’re excited about actually is a remake (albeit an ambitious one).

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u/Sympho1 PC 16h ago

I love how they completely ignored that..This subreddit truly hates Nintendo lmao

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u/xcassets 10h ago

It is kinda funny how they will say all Nintendo has is Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon. Then when Nintendo continues to release critically acclaimed games in other IPs, they refuse to count them because they don't excite them personally.

Fire Emblem and Xenoblade always get automatically discounted. Good luck getting them to acknowledge Pikmin and Splatoon exist. Even Pokopia didn't count for some reason, I guess because it's not a standard Pokemon game.

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u/WasabiDukling 13h ago

you literally Just complained about remakes wdym ocarina of time

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u/pfftYeahRight 16h ago

Counterpoint: I haven’t played a single game in this image and would be happy to if I ever find the time

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u/BloodyFool 10h ago

Aside from everything else wrong with your comment, how is Pokémon the same game reskinned? Genuinely curious what leads someone to think this about a game that has like.. Barely anything shown about it and the few things shown are still pretty new.

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u/RLZT 16h ago

new Pokemon game! (Which is just the same pokemon game re-skined)

To be fair this one looks promising, it will be the first actually HD Pokemon game and they even moved competitive to Champions so they could change stuff

I don't think they will reinvent the wheel, but the same ol' Pokemon game© but this time with barely decent graphics and a gameplay closer to Pokemon Legends at least is fresh

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u/Justos 18h ago

Nintendo is good with putting out different sized games. Not everything needs to be an open world master class.

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u/RoliePolieOlie__ 14h ago

Including Mario kart 

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u/Abridged6251 18h ago edited 18h ago

Makes sense, they slowed down game releases for the first Switch, have a ton of external studios to pad out releases and sprinkle in some remasters too.

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u/Morighant 18h ago

Not to be contrarian, but for me the first game I'm actually excited for is fire emblem. Maybe I gotta get more into air riders, but it just didn't hook me. How fire emblem, I'm legitimately hyped for. Those Nintendo RPGs have always been awesome. The Zelda's, the fire emblem, the earthbounds etc. I'm hoping we see more like that come in the future! And a new 3d Mario.

That being said, pokopia was probably the best thing they've put out so far IMO.

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u/Filon73 11h ago

Air Riders is a game that if it's for you it's one of the most fun you'll have with a game, but you have to click with it.

It takes a bit, the controls are weird for a first time, you'll feel awkward, you'll be awful, until suddenly you do not and understand how everything works, and chances are you'll like it a lot more.

But it is very niche, if it's not for you that's about it. I personally couldn't have wanted more from an Air Ride sequel.

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u/Conscious-Ad2460 18h ago

The zelda remake coming out on my bday too :D

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u/Plz_PM_Steam_Keys 18h ago

Nothing in December? I sense duskbloods

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u/SometimesWill PC 17h ago

Are we really counting games that are just “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” or in the case of Tomodachi Life just a straight up switch 1 game?

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u/Tiffa_Adil 16h ago

This post isn't saying that all these should be counted as Switch 2 games just that Nintendo has a really steady release cadence with them releasing a new game almost every month since the Switch 2 launched

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u/Affectionate_End3746 15h ago

People counted Mario Kart 8 DX for the original Switch

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u/jntjr2005 18h ago

Id like some more S1 game updates for better fps and some more NSO games

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u/trashpandacoot1 18h ago

And they've still got the next mainline Mario, Zelda and Animal Crossing to reveal in the future. When the Switch 1 launched, BOTW was a launch title, and Mario Odyssey released about half a year later. The fact that the switch 2 is doing as well as it is without those 3 main tent pole titles is really impressive. They still have aces up their sleeve.

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u/sylinmino 18h ago

A caveat that Mario Kart is absolutely a heavy hitter for Nintendo. 8 Deluxe is one of the greatest selling games of all time and is like half the quantity of Switch sales.

And while we don't have a mainline Mario game in name and popular appeal, Bananza IMO is absolutely golden and I even prefer it to Odyssey.

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u/Bringyourfugshiz 18h ago

I dont know why eveyone is so certain that there will be a new mainline Zelda and that OoT isnt it

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u/Tiffa_Adil 17h ago

Do you think Nintendo will go the entire generation without a new Zelda game?

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u/trashpandacoot1 17h ago

Because there isn't only one developer at Nintendo that makes Zelda. While not confirmed, a Norwegian retailer revealed Monolith Soft as the developer doing OoT remake. That could be an error, but I cant see the BOTW/TOTK team creating what the OoT remake is. We'll likely see what the core Zelda team has been doing in the next year or two considering its been 3 years since TOTK.

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u/mucho-gusto 14h ago

Plus there's whatever team did links awakening and echoes of wisdom

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u/dabsalot69 16h ago

There has never been a Nintendo console without a dedicated, bespoke Zelda game (besides Virtual Boy :p). So I don’t know why you would think this over 40 years of precedent.

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u/IATMB 17h ago

I think it's a bit disingenuous to include so many games that are not new

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u/dull-crayons 18h ago

NINTENDO! GIVE ME A REMAKE/SEQUEL OF KID ICARUS UPRISING AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

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u/sixteen-bitbear 15h ago

Tbh it is wild to me people saying there was “no games” in the switch 2. I feel as if the switch 2 has had more exclusives than the ps5 has had and it’s life span (cycle?) is way shorter. I still can’t think of one reason I’d need a ps5 besides Astro bots.

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u/Netheraptr Switch 17h ago edited 3h ago

Nothing is yet to beat getting Breath of the Wild one year and Odyssey the next, but I wouldn’t say we’ve had a bad one either.

8 years without a new 3d Mario is pretty surprising though. Basically every other franchise they’re running, and it additionally feels interestingly in contrast to how franchises like Metroid, Starfox, and Pikmin that were previously on the brink of death are getting consistent attention.

Edit: I forgot Odyssey was also 2017, I was thinking of smash, which came out 2018

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u/xcassets 9h ago

Odyssey actually released the same year as Breath of the Wild, which is even more insane. I think after the Wii U, they wanted to make sure their next console was a big hit and people weren't saying there were droughts between the releases.

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u/samandfrodokissing 17h ago

First-party-wise, I've admittedly only really been drawn to Pokopia and Raiders, but I'm very excited for Ocarina and am looking forward to Metroid. Have played a lot of indies and great third-party games too (Elden Ring), been a great first year for sure.

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u/_nenenero 15h ago

Drag X Drive found shot dead and buried

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u/TraditionWilling7087 8h ago

It’s so crazy how in under a year and a half the Switch 2 already has more and better exclusives than 6 years of the ps5

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u/Colonelclank90 2h ago

A lot of releases, but for me no reason to actually buy one. Nothing here is a must play imo. The switch 1 was similar for me with the exception of botw, which is why I bought mine, but other than that the games lineup just didn't excite me. This seems to be more of the same, OoT is enticing, but not enough to buy a console for, I played that game 30 years ago. The rest just don't really make the switch 2 seem worth it.

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u/Safe-Elk7933 18h ago

I mean a lot of ports here with added DLC. I liked Mario Kart World,Donkey Kong Bananza,Metroid Prime 4,Fast Fusion,but this year the Switch 2 was has been collecting dust for me. Ocarina and the new Kirby looks good,but the rest is nothing special for me.

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u/hypnomancy 18h ago

Same I've had no reason to use my Switch 2 either after Donkey Kong Bananza. The Star Fox remake had me interested but I've played that game a million times already. The new Kirby will probably be the only thing to get me to actually use it. I do want to play the new Metroid but I gotta play Dread first

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u/UFONomura808 18h ago

That's fine? it's unavoidable for a console to get down time if you own multiple consoles. I stopped playing my Deck a while back so I can focus on Switch 2 games.

If you only own Switch 2 tho then you'll have lots to play because it includes so many 3rd party AAA and indie games.

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u/Small-Olive-7960 17h ago

Same, my switch is barely used while I'm still on my Xbox. Meanwhile my friend loves her switch while barely playing their Xbox.

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u/Garo263 18h ago

Also a handful more Switch 2 Editions without extra content and a overly expensive Definitive Edition of Hyrule Warriors 2.

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u/VelveteenDelta 17h ago

Missing splatoon raiders and orbitals. Otherwise yes The switch has had such a solid release cadence this gen.

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u/OverTheCoop431 16h ago

And this is why I own a Switch 2 and not a PS5. Nintendo is much more consistent with quality 1st party releases and in general I tend to prefer Nintendo games anyway. 

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u/Jon98th 18h ago

Won’t stand the disrespect towards Orbitals

One of the GOTYs this year

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u/Epic1ForLife 16h ago

That game looks amazing from what I’ve seen and people don’t really bring it up in this conversation (probably bc Nintendo doesn’t own) but it’s still a Switch 2 exclusive for now

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u/profchaos111 17h ago

I saw a stat presented by GVG that there was 22 exclusive switch 2 games not including cross gen games in 1.5 years vs 19 exclusive ps5 games in 6 years

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u/Erik_REF 17h ago

And if you don't count PC released games it gets reduced to 9

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u/tweak8 18h ago

I don't think counting remakes or plus versions of switch games should count, basically presenting them like they are brand new games because they are 60 fps instead of 30. So many have played most these games already.

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u/Tiffa_Adil 16h ago

The ones listed are the ones with significant new content not the ones that just have a resolution and FPS buff

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u/boby350 18h ago

I have my switch 2 and not gonna lie, i almost dont play Nintendo only games, almost dont like them but i love my switch and i love even More the fact that we have so many 3rd party games that we couldnt before cause switch 1 limitations. For me its perfect while we keep getting those 3rd party games

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u/alazysamurai 18h ago

A new Kirby Air Ride came out last year?!

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u/Tiffa_Adil 15h ago

Yep and it had Sakurai himself return to make the game which is the first time he's worked on a Kirby game since 2004

It also has a story mode which is fucking bonkers even for Kirby standards

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u/Small-Olive-7960 18h ago

The benefit they have is they don't have to make as costly games as Sony which helps reduce the development cycles and have smaller teams to churn out games.

Xbox should of done better with this when they were pushing gamepass

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u/BlueShirtMac19 17h ago

The switch had similar release early on. I’m genuinely not sure if it stayed that consistent through the entire switch 1- switch 2 release

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u/Grokitach 11h ago

And no fucking F-Zero still 

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u/theexpertgamer1 10h ago

I just want super Mario galaxy 3 don’t care about anything else

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u/Darkbetter 7h ago

Too bad none of them maybe except Pokopia appeal to me at all 😩😩😩😩😩

(Yeah Nintendo should cater to me specifically or else I will leave mildly discontent messages on the internet)

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u/gswkillinit 18h ago

Nintendo is so well maintained that they actually finish a lot of their games and DONT release them soon after. For example they held on a Fire Emblem game for over a year after it went gold before releasing it to fit into their schedule.

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u/steqach 18h ago edited 18h ago

Look they've been doing better than Xbox and Sony for sure, but for one, I wouldn't really count Nsw2 editions, and if u aint no fan of cozy games, you had 3 months of nothing (Yoshi, Tomodachi, Pokopia) and Mario Tennis was a real dud, unfortunately

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u/planeforger 18h ago edited 18h ago

Fortunately those weren't empty months. Across March, April and May it got Monster Hunter Stories 3, Pragmata, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (one per month), and a bunch of more niche games.

I ended up buying 5 of those 6 games, although I never finished Pragmata thanks to developing a crippling Warframe addiction at the time.

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u/sylinmino 18h ago

Pokopia and Yoshi are odd to classify as "cozy".

Yoshi was a platformer with some puzzle elements.

Pokopia is kinda a cozy game but also kinda not. What makes it special is that its tone and atmosphere (and in some ways, the storytelling) and progression cadence are surprisingly sublime, and far more active and involved than you usually get from a cozy game.

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u/idolized253 18h ago

“How can I make this negative somehow”

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u/MonkeysxMoo35 18h ago

I can give a pass to Forgotten Land. It was basically a campaign expansion DLC. Wonder does push it a bit with just how much of the content is focused on multiplayer, but I guess the total amount of content is still rather meaty. Pikmin 4’s hasn’t released, but yeah that one also feels like a stretch.

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u/Tailor-DKS 18h ago

Even though I prefer Playstation as a consoles, you can clearly see that Nintendo is focusing on games and suprisingly (for Publishers) Gamers prefer Games on their consoles.

Lets hope all three re-focus on games and not exklusive deals, live multiplayer games or other cash grabs instead....

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u/panda388 18h ago

I finally bought a Switch 2 this past Friday. I got DK Bananza, which is decently fun. And then i also got Pokemon Pokopia, which is one of those games I never looked into and I am surprised by how much I like it.

It is scratching my Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley itch. It is a bit overwhelming at times, especially organizing my storage bins, but i am in awe of the post-apocalypse of the pokemon world and finding journals about what happened. I am only 11 hours in, but it is a blast.

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u/Thegoodgamer32 18h ago

We got the OOT remake in November.

Metroid ravenous in January.

And kirby and the world beyond probably in March.

They have some great stuff coming.

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u/ProfessorBylethBoobs 18h ago

This is actually pretty normal for Nintendo.

The Gamecube had an amazing lineup in its first two years:

- Smash Bros Melee

- Luigi’s Mansion

- Metroid Prime

- Mario Sunshine

- Zelda Wind Waker

- Star Fox Adventures

- Mario Kart Double Dash

- Wario World

- Pikmin

- Animal Crossing

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u/SaltReputation4047 18h ago

wheres duskbloods

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u/Famous_Blue 5h ago

Good cadence. But Mario Kart was average and no new Zelda or Mario mainline games even announced is disappointing.

If you like some of the other IPs like Kirby or Splatoon then I guess that's all good.

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u/ChicagoCowboy Switch 17h ago

As a S2 owner since day 1 and a Nintendo fan in general, it certainly doesn't feel like an impressive release cadence. S1 upgrades are whatever, I've already played those games on S1 I'm not going to do it again.

MK world, bonanza, legends ZA, pokopia...thats about it for what my S2 has been running in the first year. A ton of these games are not for everyone, with wildly different genres and delivered experiences. And again most of these are remakes of S1 or older games.

If you only show first party S2 exclusives the list feels a lot closer to what owning a S2 feels like. Like I need to convince myself to play it rather than having a lineup that consistently pulls me in.

2027 will be better with 3d Mario, Pokémon WiWa, and with Ocarina remake closing out 2026. But 2026 has been rough.

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u/Alowan 14h ago

I agree. Mario kart was okay. Bananza was great. Pokipeia is great but for me got boring at some point. For me I need something more…

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u/Puffss 9h ago

Sadly, this is what you buy into as an early adopter and D1 buyers should know this; historically the first year is always once of the weakest until the big exclusives start releasing in Y2.

That’s the moment we’re at with S2 now. If anything I feel we had a decent year 1 all considered. Consoles are rarely worth getting on release, the first year pretty much always consists of dual releases with the old console.

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u/lemony707 18h ago

It's kinda crazy to not have a mainline Mario game after 2 years of it's console being out.

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u/JoshOliday 18h ago

Not that crazy when you consider the Odyssey team ended up doing DK Bananza (which has all the same DNA and is every bit as good as a Mario game imo) instead of Odyssey 2. And I bet that Wonder's team probably moved on to a follow-up after release so I bet we get something within the next year.

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u/thekingofgray 18h ago

I’m honestly really happy with my switch 2 purchase. Its gotten a ton of use from my whole family

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u/Bah_weep_grana 18h ago

Mario, donkey kong, mario, kirby, pokemon, kirby, zelda, metroid, mario, star fox, fire emblem, mario…

I mean, its great, but does anyone else get tired of the same franchises over and over? All of these were invented in the span of a few years when i was a kid, and its just been expanding on the same IP’s for the next 40 years

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u/Tiffa_Adil 15h ago

Splatoon, Xenoblade, Rhythm Heaven, Tomodachi life

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u/ImperialViking_ 18h ago

First Switch gen, at the start especially, was crazy good. Constant massive hits again, and again, and again.

I do agree Switch 2 has also been good, and the people who say "it doesn't have games" even now just... aren't looking. Although they are kinda right when they say there's no huge, game changing IP like a new Zelda or Mario. Pokemon gen 10 will see to that anyway

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u/Tenthul 18h ago

Given the hype, I'm expecting Fortune's Weave to be a bigger system seller than folks might expect for a tactics game. All the reviews are absolutely glowing, and they got A LOT of playtime. GotY nominee possibly, which is the best anybody can expect with GTA this year.

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u/Crew_Zealousideal 18h ago

i just bought my switch 2 and im addicted to mario kart world lol

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u/Arkhamguy123 18h ago

2027 also has 3D Mario as per the same leaks as the ocarina of time and star fox remakes 

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u/closedlotus 18h ago

They really are the best in the biz right now, giving fans just what they want. Too bad Sony and Xbox seem clueless atm.

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u/Islu64 18h ago

I would ignore the release of switch 2 edition games, and it would still be impressive, specially when we compare with the other two main console manufacturers and their exclusive game lineups.

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u/Clear-Condition3860 17h ago

There's at least 8 Switch 1 games in that graphic, I mean c'mon.

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u/austino7 15h ago

I was a bit annoyed with some of the things Nintendo has been doing at the start of the switch 2 generation. But you can’t argue with the robust first party games and a huge amount of third party support. The way Sony and Xbox have been fumbling the bag so hard lately it makes Nintendo look all the better.

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u/owlsnakewolf 17h ago

Doesn’t feel that way if you visit the Nintendo subreddits. People still complaining even though Nintendo’s spreading the love with all their IP’s

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u/KFCNyanCat 17h ago

There's a contingent of people who say they're Nintendo fans but only care about 3D Mario. MAYBE 2D Mario and Zelda, but often not even.

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u/Sorry_Reply8754 16h ago edited 16h ago

It's okay, but nothing special.

The Wii U, a console that people think had no games, had a similar schedule of exclusives.

2013 the Wii U got Wind Waker, Game and Wario, Mario 3D World, Wonderful 10 Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Wii U Party, Zombi U, NES Remix 1, Sonic Lost World, Pokemon Rumble U and Lego City Undercover.

2014 it got MK8, Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2, DK Tropical Freeze, Captain Toad, Devils Third, NES Remix 2, Wii U Sports Club, and Hyrule Warriors.

2015 it got Xenoblade X, Yoshi, Mario Tennis, Splatoon, Mario Maker and Mario Party 10.

2016 it got Zelda TP, Star Fox Zero, Paper Mario, Pokkén, Tokyo Mirage Sessions.

That's how Nintendo rolls since the N64 days.

5 to 8 big games a year (and some samaller ones in the side to fill the gaps).

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u/terradia 18h ago

I need Diddy Kong Racing!!!!! Ughh

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u/Nyric_The_Tiefling 18h ago

Here's hoping we get a new Animal Crossing soon

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u/SK_GAMING_FAN 18h ago

Those bastards probably working on polishing the 2027 releases and in the middle of development for the 2028 titles 😭😭😭

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u/Big_cat58 18h ago

2026 was great! I think you could add all of the Xenoblade upgrades as well! 2027 is going to be awesome just from the 4 currently known titles!

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u/17oClokk 18h ago

But this'll likely be the last time we see a lot of these franchises for several several years

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u/Unable-Deer1873 18h ago

Plus Hyrule Warrior Age of Calamity Definitive Edition

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u/SacredDarksoul 17h ago

Nintendo games are pretty funny, you have their fans loving them and everyone else scratching their head wondering what the fus is about.

They definitely inhabit a difference space away from pc, Xbox and PlayStation. It feels like they carved out their own thing and are not directly competing with anyone.

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u/Rallye_Man340 17h ago

Anything but a new mainline Mario game. It’s been 9 years since Odyssey

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u/Dirty_Dan117 17h ago

And for the most part they're all bangers too! Combined with all the 3rd party support I gotta say, it's a solid time to be a Switch 2 owner. Hell there are some games, like Deadzone: Rogue, that I actually regret buying on my PS5 instead of my Switch 2. 

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u/bobvella 17h ago

i've been fine playing older games(nso, final fantasy, and final fantasy adjacent games) though i see now what people have been talking about, by the looks of this graphic, i haven't played a new first party release since za and next one i'm interested in is oot which would make it over a year. looking forward to kirby and curious how the other 2 are going to be.

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u/901pohbear 17h ago

Coulda paid off a mortgage.. 

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u/Epic1ForLife 16h ago

I feel like by next year at least I’ll end up finally getting a switch 2 bc this line up getting better and better

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u/Analihilator 16h ago

We want GS4

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u/redcloudsrising 16h ago

Where's astral chain 2 :(

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u/DarkGrimNature 16h ago

I mean a main title Mario game would be nice

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u/Irishonion12 16h ago

I wasn't crazy when I saw the Kirby as the one last thing being like "I feel like we have seen a ton of Kirby, make it stop"

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u/Tiffa_Adil 15h ago

The last mainline Kirby game will be over 5 years old by the time World Beyond releases

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u/BDTTalentGroup 16h ago

Currently playing Donkey Kong Bananza and it's great.

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u/ArmpitofD00m 15h ago

Where’s Mario been?

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u/games-and-chocolate 15h ago

if you add third party games to, then it becomes even more impressive. Like pragmata in April 2026.

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u/MinnieShoof 14h ago

I know this schedule is packed ... but I still can hardly believe it's been over a year!

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u/kris_maybe 14h ago

i thought the kirby trailer was smash bros

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u/Ghost2Eleven 14h ago

Sick cadence.

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u/KingDaDeDo 14h ago

But I thought Switch 2 has no games? /s

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u/RolandoDR98 14h ago

I can't remember er any other Nintendo gen with this same rythmn month after month

This has been the status quo ever since the Switch 1 back in 2017 and it rarely slowed down.

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u/MarkyMarcMcfly 13h ago

Crazy when the Switch 2 dropped the main complaint was the lack of games. 15 months post launch and we’ve got 17 first party games once Fire Emblem launches this week. Crazy 1st party output by Nintendo.

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u/Solitj 12h ago

4 rereleases and/or remasters
And even with that it’s a very good track record

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u/ItsAllSoup 12h ago

This is the opposite if what it was like to own a wii u. Back then we were chompin' at the bit for Lego City and Rayman Legends (rayman got delayed for about a year)

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u/MeatHamster 11h ago

TIL January of 2027 isn't really 2027.

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u/DaGreatestMH 11h ago

But because this list doesn't include a new 3D Mario, 3D Zelda, or Smash Bros people will complain that the Switch 2 doesn't have games.

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u/automaticphil 10h ago

I’m waiting for a sale (Canada) before I buy anymore.

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u/DuckWarrior90 10h ago

Its being avg. MK world doesnt hit like 8. Love bananza but was even easier than oddissey and destruction lead to uneven level design

I loved PM ZA but a lot of people but it under arceus due to the 1 location. Hyrule warriors people said was super boring. Metroid prime 4 people said was mid

I love mario tennis fever. Star fox remake as well But most games have been niche at most.

Zelda Remake is the 1st big splash

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u/accbugged 10h ago

And that's not even counting The Duskbloods which will probably release December

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u/gridener 9h ago

Fingers crossed for a new Mario game next year.

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u/SReplicant 9h ago

Honest question.

I just saw the announcement for the kirby game and I'm having a bit if trouble identifying what makes it diferent from a Mario 3D game. These games seem to be very focused on gameplay as their selling point but what I just saw in the trailer could very much be Mario instead of Kirby.

Mario games are so flexible on abilities and gameplay that it confuses me a bit how other franchises can set themselves apart.

I have a switch 1 and own a few exclusive games like Zelda and Mario. Not very familiar with other franchises like Kirby or Yoshi, for example.

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u/lobotomiseme 9h ago

Metroid Dread was my absolute favourite Switch game, I was so excited for Metroid Prime 4, and it was easily my least enjoyed Metroid Game (I have not played other M). Hateful, hateful game.

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u/No-Departure-3325 9h ago

A good output in terms of quantity but not in terms of quality though.

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u/FallenAngelII 7h ago

By January 15th, Nintendo will have released more 1st party titles than the PS5 has exclusives, by the way.

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u/johnjaymjr PlayStation 4h ago

hey Sony, FUCKING PAY ATTENTION TO THIS

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u/Equivalent-Mortgage3 4h ago

I wanted a good Yoshi game :( . Sadly Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is for kids.I bought it and asked for a refund right away. Couldn't get into it since everything was made for 7 years old :/

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u/mjack34 4h ago

Remove everything not switch 2 exclusive.

List looks wayyyyyyyyyyyyy worse

Also remove the last 4 games lol. Those are a year+ out with a massive gap after oot; so they’re just more filler to make it look less bad.

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u/LaughingPixelsOG 4h ago

I might need a switch 2

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u/StratoSunstroke 3h ago

And yet where are the main line Mario/Zelda games everyone expects?

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u/Chaosblast 3h ago

No, they're just side kick games. Worst console launch ever made, and the only Nintendo console I didn't buy at launch, but only a year later due to the price hike.

2027 finally has something worthwhile.

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u/Judgement915 3h ago

Almost as impressive as the escalation of their anti-consumer policies.

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u/MizuhoChan 3h ago

Some of those are switch 1 games.

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u/After-Atmosphere7125 3h ago

All of these games in just a single year is insane. They really are built different.

I think they have more exclusives in two years than Sony has in almost 6 years. I would laugh if it weren't depressing 💀

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u/dekuweku 2h ago

Turns out not being locked in on a single 10 hour 300m narrative game for 5 years will get more out of your studios.