Today is the day, the Nintendo Switch 2 era officially begins! After the smashing success of the console’s first iteration, everyone knew the house that Mario built would return to that system’s winning formula and build upon it to get an even bigger win amongst its fans.

Here’s the thing with me, though—I’m not all that enthused about the Switch 2. I’m impressed by the impressive graphics and improved framerates attached to its exclusive games and previously released Switch 1 titles, plus I have to salute Nintendo for improving the online multiplayer features for their newest piece of home console/portable hybrid hardware. However, the Switch 2’s launch library hasn’t exactly blown me away. And being forced to pay $80 for Mario Kart World doesn’t sit well with me at all! Post-launch day releases, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, Kirby Air Riders, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, all look spectacular in their own right, but they’re still not enough to make me cough up $450 for a Switch 2.

With all that being said, I want to make this clear—I’m still a huge Nintendo devotee who will eventually welcome the Switch 2 into his long library of last- and current-gen consoles. If (or hopefully when!) Nintendo announces any of the eight dream games I’ve listed below, then I’ll rush to my local Best Buy to join the Switch 2 crowd.

‍

1. A New Super Smash Bros.

I put hundreds of hours into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. That game ended up being my sole reason for turning on the Switch for a few years since it’s most notable for being one of the most replayable games on the system. Now we’re at a point where fans of the series are questioning whether that game should receive even more content for a Switch 2 re-release or get an all-new series entry altogether. You know what? It’s time to start anew! Ultimate was game director Masahiro Sakurai’s magnum opus, and now that he’s taken a sabbatical from the series, Kirby Air Riders is his latest focus. Nintendo should work with the equally talented developers at Sakurai’s studio (Sora Ltd.) and Bandai Namco Studios to build something fresh for the king of platform brawlers, while also honoring the legendary roster of past franchise installments.

What I’m envisioning here is a new Super Smash Bros. that cuts the fat that came with the army of clones that took up roster space in Ultimate, keeping the GOATs that the series should never exclude, and inserting familiar Nintendo mascots who have never been playable. Waluigi, Krystal from Star Fox Adventures, Geno from Super Mario RPG, the twin officers from Astral Chain, and Meowscarada from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are all notable Nintendo reps that should make it in. As far as third-party reps go, Crash Bandicoot, Bomberman, Shadow the Hedgehog, Rayman, and Scorpion from Mortal Kombat would go crazy! Bringing back “Spirit Battles,” refining "The Subspace Emissary" mode’s format, and adding rollback to the online multiplayer suite for the next Super Smash Bros. would have me ecstatic!

2. A Kid Icarus: Uprising Remake

Since I’ve already mentioned Masahiro Sakurai and Sora Ltd., let’s give them some more flowers. Back in 2012, they revived a long-lost Nintendo IP that fans had been passionately campaigning for beforehand. Kid Icarus: Uprising was that beloved revival, which launched on the Nintendo 3DS and got rave reviews upon release. I remember it fondly for having legitimately hilarious dialogue, action-packed aerial and ground-based combat sequences, and an amazing soundtrack. But what irked me and everyone else who played it the most was the game’s unwieldy control scheme. The 3DS stylus, analog stick, and special stand that came with the game could only do so much to make controlling Pit feel somewhat comfortable. Even still, I vividly remember the hand cramps I got from beating its lengthy campaign.

I hate the fact that the last Kid Icarus game is stuck on the 3DS. It’s about damn time that it got the remake treatment from the original development team that brought it to life in the first place. Once Sora Ltd. completes its work on Kirby Air Riders, I’d love it if the studio transitioned over to bringing a new and improved version of Kid Icarus: Uprising to the Switch 2. Sprucing up the visuals should be an easy task. And switching up the control scheme to take advantage of the console’s double analog stick layout would solve so many of the game’s nagging issues. On top of those requests, I’d also be down for Sora Ltd. to add more playable content to the game to give fans more of a reason to replay it. Separate side missions for Dark Pit and Magnus should suffice.

3. A New F-Zero

F-Zero fans have been suffering for far too long! The last time they were thrown a bone with another series entry was 2023’s F-Zero 99, which sadly wasn’t a full-blown new game. It was just more of the same format series aficionados have been used to from the SNES original, only this time it adapted the Nintendo Switch Online battle-royale theme to make it a bigger multiplayer attraction. Being teased by a new 3D take on the futuristic racer in the form of a DLC track in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had to sting because of just how bittersweet it felt to zip across “Mute City” with the “Blue Falcon” kart body. Mario Kart World will undoubtedly satisfy its fan base. However, I feel that the racing game fans who have been crying out for the return of Captain Falcon and his rowdy band of interplanetary racing competitors need some love and support from Nintendo as well.

A current-gen F-Zero powered by Switch 2 hardware will most definitely be a visual tour de force. Being able to revisit GOATed tracks, such as “Double Branches,” “Thunder Road,” and “Multiplex,” with HD visuals would be worth the price of admission alone. But I know Nintendo is capable of doing even more with a brand new F-Zero. What I’m asking for here is something along the lines of F-Zero GX that includes its epic story mode, strong focus on vehicle customization, and abundance of prominent tracks. On the topic of new stuff, I think I speak for F-Zero fans everywhere when I say we want new pilots, new vehicles, new tracks, and local/online multiplayer races. I’m going to throw a crazy demand out here, too—wouldn’t it be dope if Nintendo threw that F-Zero 99 concept into this proposed new game as a separate mode? It might be harder to replicate in 3D, but I still want to see it become a reality!

4. A New Eternal Darkness

There are three games that I’ll always remember for scaring the daylights out of me: Splatterhouse 3, the first Resident Evil, and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. That last game I mentioned had me so spooked because it incorporated elements that broke the 4th wall between the player and the game itself. I freaked out when it looked as if my TV was on the fritz because the whole screen went black. I almost had a heart attack when the game told me it deleted the save data for all my GameCube games, even though I told it not to! Those trippy “Sanity Effects” were such a clever way to play mindtricks on whoever’s holding the controller and replicate the protagonist’s descent into madness. The rest of the game held up pretty well, thanks to a unique combat system that let you target limbs, the implementation of a “Magick” crafting system, and an open-ended narrative that let players seek out different paths for their playthroughs.

It sucks that a sequel never got off the ground for Silicon Knights, which is the development studio that crafted this masterpiece. It’s even more heartbreaking when you read up on game director Denis Dyack and his now defunct studio Precursor Games’ failed attempts at using Kickstarter to fund a spiritual successor called Shadow of the Eternals. I feel like Nintendo should do right by Dyack and have him work alongside development studio Bloober Team (it knows a thing or two about crafting survival horror games, after all!) to take another stab at making a second Eternal Darkness. If they can get even crazier with the Sanity Effects and establish a plot that’s just as riveting as the first game’s story, then we have a winner here!

5. A New Star Fox

Fox McCloud deserves so much better. When I look at his recurring starring role in the Star Fox games, I only recognize three top-quality releases out of the series’ total lineup of nine games. I will always champion the nail-biting space dogfighting and random quips from Fox’s crewmates featured popularized by the original Star Fox, Star Fox 64, and Star Fox Command. Plus, I have to salute Star Fox Adventures for trying something different by putting Fox on the ground for an epic trek across “Dinosaur Planet.” Sadly, Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard were disappointing lowlights that have sent the franchise into a dark corner of Nintendo’s vault ever since.

After not getting a new Star Fox on the Switch during the console’s entire lifecycle, Nintendo should breathe new life into the series for a Switch 2 comeback. We don’t need another storyline retread of the original Star Fox—what we do need is a new plot line, new allies, a new enemy faction, and a new overarching threat that must be exterminated for the good of the “Lylat System.” Zipping across space and shooting down enemy ships never gets old. I’d be down for the series’ signature on-rails shooting, off-rails battle scenarios, ground-based combat, multiplayer skirmishes, and branching campaign paths. I’m also envisioning a new Star Fox with Switch 2 Joy-Con mouse compatibility, extensive spaceship customization, and online multiplayer to make it worth coming back to again and again.

6. A New Golden Sun

The Switch RPG library is plentiful. The Xenoblade series sits at the top of the mountain in this regard and is joined by other classics such as Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Persona 5 Royal. While I admire all of those games and others of their ilk, my heart always yearned for the return of a Nintendo first-party RPG IP that never got a home console installment. Of course, I’m alluding to the spectacular Golden Sun series that I sunk hours into across its three entries on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. I loved all three games’ emphasis on turn-based combat that employed the use of flashy ”Psynergy” spells and the careful strategizing that comes with summoning powerful “Djinn.” Outside of combat, the Golden Sun games also excelled in the categories of storytelling, characterization, and puzzle-solving.

Now that we’ve officially entered the age of the Switch 2, I’m hoping and praying that a new Golden Sun is on the horizon for that new console. Nintendo should revert the series' longtime developer, Camelot Software Planning, from working on Mario-themed sports games back to the mystical land of “Weyard.” A fully-realized 3D entry with a vast open world to explore is the stuff dreams are made of for hardcore Golden Sun fans such as myself. I’d love to see a new Golden Sun improve upon its traditional turn-based combat by incorporating active-button presses just like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Keep the puzzles that employ the use of Psynergy, too! And you know what? I’m open to saving the world as a cast of characters that are the offspring of Golden Sun: Dark Ages’ Matthew, Tyrell, and Karis.

7. A New Wario World

One of the zaniest GameCube games I’ve had the pleasure of playing is Wario World. I got a ton of enjoyment out of going treasure hunting as Mario’s evil twin and pile-driving anyone who dared to get in his way. The beat ‘em up gameplay was rewarding, the boss battles were memorable, and the platforming was simple yet solid enough to keep me entertained from start to finish. When I first saw footage of Donkey Kong Bananza, all I could think to myself was, “I’d love it if Wario got a game like this!” I know I’ve asked for far too much from Nintendo already, but I still have to send this next wish of mine their way. I want Nintendo to reach back out to lauded gaming development studio Treasure (the team that created the original Wario World) and task them with producing a big-budget sequel.

A new Wario World could work if it featured the same sandbox level exploration seen in platforming classics such as Super Mario Odyssey and A Hat in Time. Wario’s penchant for greed should be front and center once again as he’s tasked with either getting some valuable treasure back or stealing it from someone he’s none too fond of. A new Wario World could also stand out if it expanded Wario’s arsenal of melee maneuvers, let him wreak havoc with ranged weapons, and gave him access to his signature motorcycle so he can zoom around a beautifully stylized open world. I realize Treasure has been mysteriously quiet since announcing it was working on a highly requested game back in 2022 (I hope that game is a new Gunstar Heroes!). Here’s hoping the studio has some room on their game-making schedule to link up with Nintendo again to give Wario another single-player adventure!

8. A New Sin and Punishment

Speaking of Treasure, that developer is also responsible for joining forces with Nintendo to make two other illustrious games. Those games are the Nintendo 64’s Sin and Punishment and the Nintendo Wii’s Sin & Punishment: Star Successor. Both titles delivered fast-paced shoot ‘em up action with a unique control scheme that saw players move their character around while simultaneously aiming their targeting reticule to blast waves of enemies. Shooting, dodging, and dishing out melee combos at a fast and furious pace kept me glued to my controller every time I booted up both games. It always hurt to see the series get left by the wayside during the Wii U and Switch console lifecycles. But now that the Switch 2 has finally been released, I think the time is perfect for Nintendo and Treasure to begin working on a third Sin and Punishment game.

Retaining the rail shooter concept from the series’ previous two games for a sequel makes all the sense in the world to me. When I think about what other factors could make a new Sin and Punishment so much better than its predecessors, three things come to mind. First, let’s add some levels that employ horizontal and vertical stage layouts that are similar to iconic “Shmups” (which is short for "shoot 'em ups") like Gradius and Ikaruga. Second, I’d be open to non-shooting combat scenarios that focus on stylish melee combat, akin to Devil May Cry and Bayonetta. Lastly, add a two-player local/online co-op option so a duo can enjoy all the bullet hell action Sin and Punishment is known for. If Treasure’s unable to work on this dream game of mine, then I’m confident PlatinumGames would be a worthy replacement to help bring this project to the finish line!