Summary
2017 began relatively strongly thanks to theNintendo Switchlaunching at the beginning of March. That’s nearly unheard of for a console, as most tend to release sometime during the fall or holiday season. It was a struggle for Nintendo fans to get their hands on one, but those who managed to were overjoyed thanks to a particular set ofNintendo Switch launch games.
How does the Switch 2 compare?It technically has more games at launch thanks to backwards compatibility, which is always good to see in a new console. Does it have a strong list of new games, though? Let’s compare the two consoles and see which one boasted the better games library at launch.
Brand-New Launch Day Titles (Switch 1 Win)
Link Takes The Lead
Both the original Switch and Switch 2 featured a handful of new games, ranging from exclusives to debuts on multiple platforms. The original Switch got1-2-Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together,andSuper Bomberman R,which were all new launch day games.1-2-SwitchandSnipperclips: Cut It Out,Togetherwere clever puzzle and party games that effectively demonstrated the Joy-Con’s unique functionalities.Super Bomberman Rwas also exclusive, not appearing on any other console until 2018, and served as a fun refreshfor theBombermanfranchise. The obvious star debut wasThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,which did admittedly come to the Wii U as well, but most consider this game a must-have on Switch and one of the best games intheZeldafranchise.
The Switch 2 gotBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, Deltarune Chapters 3+4, Fast Fusion, Mario Kart World, Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, Shine Post: Be Your Idol!,andSurvival Kidsfor its new launch day games.Deltarune Chapters 3+4technically launched a day before on other platforms, andRune Factory: Guardians of Azumawas released on Switch as well as Switch 2 on launch day.The rest of the lineup is all exclusive, though, withShine Post: Be Your Idol!as the one outlier since that game has only been released in Japan so far.Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remasteris an update based on the 2012 3DS game, a classic Square Enix title and a must-have for RPG fans on the Switch 2.
Survival Kidsis a co-op game from Konami,Fast Fusionis a racing game akin to theWipeoutseries, andNintendo Switch 2 Welcome Touris more like a paid tech demo than a game, in the same vein asAstro’s Playroombut carrying a price tag. The big launch title isMario Kart World,which features a semi-open world, new modes like Knockout Tour, and tons of costumes for each character. It’s a good update on the series, but can it compete withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? The simple answer is no because of the sheer amount of content inThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,which gives the original Switch a win.
New For Nintendo (Switch 2 Win)
An Easy Win For The Switch 2
This category will go through Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 launch games that were ported from other consoles but had never been released on a Nintendo platform before. The only new port the original Switchreceived wasI Am Setsuna,aSquare Enix turn-based RPGthat launched in 2016 for various platforms, includingthe PS4. This “lineup” obviously pales in comparison to the new ports for the Switch 2, includingCyberpunk 2077, Hitman: World of Assassination, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6,andYakuza 0.
Hitman 3did come to the Switch in 2021, but only through their cloud-based service.In 2023, the game was rebranded asHitman: World of Assassination,which included the trilogy on other consoles but not the cloud-based version on Switch, which makesHitman: World of Assassinationmostly new for Switch 2 owners.Cyberpunk 2077, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6,andYakuza 0are completely new for Nintendo, and they all run great on the Switch 2.The only odd one out there isKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddessfrom Capcom, which is a solid action gamewithPikmin-like vibes,but it is not an essential addition to the Switch 2.
Enhanced Ports (Switch 2 Win)
Catching Up To The PS5 And Xbox Series X/S
These games did appear on Nintendo consoles before, but they were enhanced for the Switch and Switch 2. The original Switch got enhanced ports ofThe Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, Human Resource Machine, Just Dance 2017, Little Inferno, Skylanders: Imaginators,andWorld of Goo. Of those games,Just Dance 2017was the biggest upgrade, as the Joy-Cons effectively captured the motion controls of dancing, compared to the odd Wii U setup. The other games were fine ports, and it was nice to see them come to a more modern platform.
The Switch 2 got more ports and bigger enhancements viaCivilization 7, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, Sonic X Shadow Generations,andSuikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. Of those games,Hogwarts Legacyneeded the biggest upgrade since it ran poorly when it launched on the original Switch in 2023. The Switch 2 version makes it look closer to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, allowingHarry Potterfanscan finally enjoy the game properly on a Nintendo platform.
Retro Support (Switch 2 Win)
Along With Backwards Compatibility
Backwards compatibility is always something fans look forward to when a new console launches, and support for it can be hazy at best. Xbox consoles have been good about backwards compatibility for decades now, and Nintendo has had some decent support too from their console and portable line of systems. The original Switch, unfortunately, had no backwards compatibility at launch, which left Wii U discs and 3DS cartridges gathering dust.In 2018, a year after launch,Nintendo Switch Online came out, and with it, offered twenty NES gamesin its digital library, which was a cool incentive to try out the program.The service on Switch eventually added support for games from the SNES, Game Boy, GBA, N64, and Sega Genesis.
The Switch 2, of course, got all of those retro games at launch, along with GameCube support, which is exclusive to the console. The GameCube games includeF-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker,andSoulcalibur 2. Not only that, most Switch physical and digital games will work on the Switch 2. For many, though, the GameCube games alone are a win, as fans have been asking for this addition to the Nintendo Switch Online service for years.
The Verdict
Switch 2 Has An Unfair Advantage, But Wins Regardless
In retrospect, the only thing the original Switch had going for it at launch wasThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The other original games and ports were fine enough, but the Switch 2 simply outdoes that launch on sheer volume alone thanks to backwards compatibility and better ports. It seems unlikely that Nintendo will ever outdo a launch like this unless the Switch 3 also has backwards compatibility, but that doesn’t seem like a very Nintendo thing to do. Fans will find out in about a decade, but for now, let’s give a hearty cheer for the Switch 2’s exceptional debut.
