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Today, March 3, 2022, marks five years of the Nintendo Switch console, despite it somehow still feeling brand new. To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look at some of the best Nintendo Switch games from the last half decade, as well as what’s to come in the Switch’s fifth year… Will that elusive Switch 2 ever happen?
Five years of Nintendo Switch games
What better way of taking a look back over the last five years of the Nintendo Switch console than picking five of the best games so far. And don’t just take our word for it, these five games are widely considered some of the Switch’s best games across the internet.
Super Mario Odyssey
Launching just a few months after the Switch itself, Super Mario Odyssey was the first new Switch title featuring Nintendo’s instantly-recognizable mascot Mario. Super Mario Odyssey introduced a brand-new character to the Super Mario franchise in Cappy, Mario’s faithful, sentient hat. As with most Super Mario titles, Odyssey was a massive success, and Nintendo gamers are now looking to Nintendo to announce Super Mario Odyssey 2.
Splatoon 2
The follow-up to 2015’s popular Wii U game Splatoon has been another huge title for the Nintendo Switch, even being accompanied by its own pink and green color-coordinated Joy-Cons. The joyful and chaotic franchise brings a whole new dimension to the third-person shooter genre, even making it more accessible to kids, as the Inklings set out with weapons full of ink to cover the world in color. In February’s Nintendo Direct stream, the company announced that Splatoon 3 is on its way in 2022.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The ultimate launch day title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild helped make the Switch so popular and is still one of the console’s most talked-about games to this day. The stunning open-world adventure impressed both Zelda veterans and newbies alike and has a reputation as one of the best Nintendo Switch games of all time.
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Another Nintendo classic that the company would have been silly to neglect when it came to the Switch is Super Smash Bros. Since the game’s Switch debut in 2018, well-known returning playable characters have been joined by such familiar faces as Minecraft’s Alex and Steve, Banjo and Kazooie, and Metroid’s Dark Samus.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ perfectly-timed release happened to coincide with the world going into COVID lockdown. As such, ACNH provided players with a peaceful, calming, and nostalgic comfort game, just about keeping the cabin fever at bay – for a time. And – just as we were starting to get a little bored with redesigning our islands for the eleventh time – the Happy Homes Paradise DLC was released, giving New Horizons an enticing fresh coat of paint.
What does the future hold for the Nintendo Switch?
As we celebrate five years of the Nintendo Switch, here are five things we’re looking forward to in the console’s bright future.
Nintendo Switch 2 or Switch Pro leak
On March 2, 2022, just a day before the console’s fifth anniversary, an NVIDIA leak suggested once again that there is a new Switch console on the horizon. Of course, 2021 brought us the Nintendo Switch OLED, with its bigger and better screen. But the OLED model didn’t upgrade the Switch’s other tech specs, so fans are still waiting for an upgrade on the now five-year-old technology.
More Mario Kart
Mario Kart has to be one of the most recognizable and widely played games of all time, right? So it stands to reason that it’s still going strong, a massive 30 years after its initial SNES release in 1992. Mario Kart 8 is not new to the Switch, in fact, it dates back to 2014 when it was released on the Wii U. However, 2022-2023 will see 48 classic Mario Kart tracks remastered and brought to the Nintendo Switch version as part of the upcoming Booster Course DLC.
The world meets Carby
We’ve mentioned Mario a lot here, but there’s another classic Nintendo mascot getting another outing in 2022 – the precious, pink, puffball Kirby. Believe it or not, Kirby and The Forgotten Land will be the 37th game in the franchise’s history (feel old yet?), but is its first 3D platformer. The sandbox game looks very similar in style to Super Mario Odyssey, so perhaps it will keep us going while we wait for Odyssey 2.
The biggest talking point for Kirby and the Forgotten Land is Carby. If you’re familiar with Kirby, you’ll know he has the ability to inhale opponents, taking on their powers as his own. Now, Kirby will suck up inanimate objects as well, such as vending machines and traffic cones. But in a hilariously adorable moment, February’s Nintendo Direct trailer caught Kirby biting off more than he could chew as he sucked up an entire rusty motor. And thus, Carby was born.
Pokemon’s 9th Generation
February 27th, 2022 saw The Pokémon Company finally announce the ninth generation of Pokémon Games, Scarlet, and Violet. Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, Scarlet and Violet will introduce the world to all-new Pokémon, including new starters Sprigitio, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. The games are scheduled for release at the end of 2022, making a total of three new Pokémon games in just one year including Legends: Arceus.
Nintendo Switch BOTW2
Of course, as one of the most popular Nintendo Switch games to date, Nintendo would be expected to release a sequel to Breath of the Wild. And, while Nintendo has made BOTW2 official, it’s been all quiet on the Hyrule front for some time, causing the franchise’s fans some concern. Even more so now that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have been announced with a 2022 release date.
While we couldn’t fit everything into this article, we’re also excited about so much coming from the Nintendo Switch this year, like Disney Speedstorm and the new Nintendo Sports game. What’s your favorite Nintendo Switch moment from the past five years? And what are you looking forward to most from the future of the Nintendo brand? Join the conversation down in the comments!
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