While both new and old games have started to accumulate on the Nintendo Switch, there are still certain holes that need to be filled. Here are a handful of the games we’d like to be able to play in handheld mode on Nintendo’s portable, as everyone has their own wish list.
Nintendo: Vampire Survivors
The incredibly addictive Vampire Survivors stormed Steam in late 2021, and its popularity has only increased since then. It is a hybrid idle game/action RPG. Although the game’s visuals are a little dull, its central gameplay cycle of gaining experience points and raising up your character is what makes it so compelling.
In Vampire Survivors, you only need to maneuver your character to defeat hordes of foes. Your attacks are automatic and passive; they also have cooldowns, so they recharge. You can choose from a variety of characters who use a variety of opening attacks, which you can develop and expand as your character gains strength.
It works well for brief periods of time and is simple to take up yet difficult to put down. Given that the game can get chaotic in later levels, some adjustments would probably be necessary to make it more suitable for the smaller 16:9 display on the Switch. Vampire Survivors is now available on Steam for Windows and Mac, or you may play it for free on itch.io.
Nintendo: Dead Island
Dead Island was released by Techland in 2011 for the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. This warm-weathered zombie action role-playing game prioritizes melee combat and offers a unique analog stick-based attack system for consoles (with the option of defaulting to the right trigger instead).
Weapons would deteriorate, therefore constant upkeep was necessary. Additionally, these weapons might be altered to offer additional damage kinds, such as shock and bleeding. With its plot, ominous musical score, and juxtaposition of a tropical paradise and a zombie apocalypse, the game made a significant impact on the way people felt about it.
When played in cooperative mode with up to three friends, the game is at its best. A distinctive selling feature for Nintendo’s system would be the capacity to play via a local wireless network. Let’s hope a Switch port is in the works as Dead Island already had a definitive edition release in 2016 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This edition featured the Riptide DLC.
After all, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, which uses the same engine as Dead Island, has already gained popularity on the Switch.
Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas
Early in the Switch’s lifecycle, Bethesda launched the epic fantasy RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which is still enjoyable today. However, prior to Skyrim, Bethesda created Fallout 3 and released Obsidian’s follow-up Fallout: New Vegas, neither of which had the plethora of special editions or re-releases that Skyrim had.
If Skyrim’s success is any indication, a Switch release may give each of these games a fresh start on a portable platform. Both games, which are set in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of North America, offer the player a mystery to solve as well as a ton of side missions and additional extras to keep the journey going.
Aspects of the game’s design haven’t held up so well over time, the difficulty can suddenly increase, and the engine is infamous for its faults and (occasionally humorous) problems. The essence of the Fallout lore experience is getting lost in it, so having that ability on a portable console like the Switch sounds like a tremendous pleasure.
Both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are available on Steam, where they both run smoothly on Valve’s portable Steam Deck (as does Fallout 4, apparently). Additionally, you can use Game Pass or play on your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 instead.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Director’s Cut)
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a cyberpunk role-playing game that blends stealth, exploration, shooting, and social interactions, giving the player a lot of freedom to decide how events play out. You assume the position of Adam Jensen, a security manager at a business that pioneers augmentations, biotechnology, and cybernetics.
You’ll wander between Shanghai, Detroit, and Montreal as you shoot, sneak, and hack your way through the game’s main goal and side tasks to earn points for more powerful powers. Human Revolution’s gameplay is more engaging thanks to its interwoven cyberpunk graphics, elegant soundscapes, and transhumanist ideas. Alternatives include pulling out your Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or Wii U. (but try to avoid the original 2011 release).
Nintendo: Mother 3
Nintendo has so far resisted releasing Mother 3 in the west, despite the chorus of critics who regularly laud it. The game, like its follow-ups, is an RPG featuring turn-based combat that draws heavily from the Dragon Quest franchise. Controlling a group of characters as they seamlessly explore the underworld, engaging in combat and interacting with non-player characters is how the game is played from a top-down perspective.
The history of the Mother series is a little convoluted. Although the sequel, EarthBound, never made it to the West (along with the original game), it had a significant influence there when it was first on Super Nintendo in the US in 1995. Nintendo added the original title EarthBound Beginnings to the Nintendo Entertainment System library for the Switch in early 2022. This game is playable as a part of Nintendo Switch Online.
You’ll need to look for a fan translation and use an emulator if you want to play this vintage Japanese role-playing game.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess
You may be wondering where the Switch versions of your favorite games, The Wind Waker or Twilight Princess, are. Nintendo hasn’t made any official announcements yet, despite rumors that the firm is developing ports.
In Japan, The Wind Waker had its GameCube premiere in 2002; localized versions followed the same year. The focus of the game was sailing across the world and had a brand-new cel-shaded graphic style.
Location, visual style, and Link’s form are more conventional than in The Wind Waker. It was the most popular Zelda game when it came out (a title since claimed by Breath of the Wild).
Despite the remastered for the Wii U and being downloadable, neither game has released for the Switch. After March 27, 2023, you’ll need physical media to play these remasters.
Nintendo: Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 is Valve’s 2004 sequel to the 1998 shooter Half-Life. Gordon Freeman travels to dystopian Eastern European City 17 to face the Combine, a Nintendo-controlled army.
Valve optimized Half-Life 2 for the Steam Deck’s introduction in early 2022 with a redesigned UI. The Deck’s analog sticks and gyro controls could benefit the Switch. There are grounds to hope for a port, even if the game won’t run as well as on Steam Deck.
Portal: Companion Collection for Switch, which uses Half-Life 2’s Source engine, was released in June 2022. The game was well-received by critics and Switch owners and ran at 60 fps. Switch users should be shouting “Half-Life 2 when?” after reading this, but don’t get your hopes up.
Nintendo: Jet Set Radio and Future
Jet Set Radio, a 2000 Sega Dreamcast game, featuring skating, street painting, and escaping the police. In 2002, the Xbox version of Jet Set Radio Future was on the road. It improved on the earlier game’s fun elements while lessening the graffiti’s difficulty.
The game, originally known as Jet Grind Radio in the US, has a classic aesthetic that is still relevant today. By simulating one of the games and increasing the internal render resolution, you may verify this for yourself. We achieved this using the Xbox emulator xemu by tripling the internal resolution, with no discernible performance hit.
Ironically, this might be preventing Sega from bringing the game to Nintendo’s handheld because licensing might be pricey and challenging.
Both games are playable with original media on their respective original systems. For the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS, Android, and PlayStation Vita, Sega also re-released the original game. Instead, use an emulator and increase the internal resolution for a better experience.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
You’re probably not the only one who doesn’t remember Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. Capcom’s detective shooter was available to the Nintendo DS in 2010 and localized versions a year later. You play as a character named Sissel shortly after his death in the game’s opening moments.
You must use your ghostly skills to save lives and determine out what happened. Swap between the physical world and the afterlife to take over bodies and change events. Humor, unexpected turns, and a slight dread that comes with situations throughout the plot. When the game was first released (such as geometry dash), it was well welcomed and lauded for its intriguing puzzle design, thrilling story, and capacity to keep the player guessing. In 2012, the game was available globally for iOS, and it is still obtainable on the App Store. A Nintendo Switch re-release, remaster, or remake would let more people play this game.
Nintendo: Shenmue I and II
Our final recommendation doesn’t break the mold of long-tail RPGs, which so many of the titles on this list are. The 2001 sequel raised the stakes and put more of an emphasis on action gameplay and set pieces. It also offers a potentially more compelling plot and setting. This series enables you to explore at your own leisure, enjoy the game’s activities, conveniences, and music.
Shenmue’s aspects haven’t aged well, but the series laid the groundwork for open world games. It would be a tremendous delight to be able to progress through this adventure in handheld mode on the Switch.
With the Shenmue I & II collection, you can play both games on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Steam.
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