Developer Rockstar recently announced that it's going support to Nintendo Switch. However, the title it announced is probably not one you were expecting: LA Noire. While the crime-solving adventure is an interesting addition, it got us thinking about the games from (mostly) last generation we'd really like to play on Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo's hybrid hardware is more powerful than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, so there's a whole world of content to explore; it just requires developers and publishers willing to port that content over. You can read our previous list of Wii U games we want to see come to Nintendo Switch, but this will be our wishlist of last-generation non-Nintendo games that would be a perfect fit for Nintendo Switch.
These don't need new features like motion-control or touchscreen maps; they're just great games that still hold up. Our list is in no way comprehensive, so if we left off something you'd want to see yourself, let us know in the comments below!
Red Dead Redemption
LA Noire's not a bad game, but if Rockstar wanted to bring a game to Switch, the more obvious choice is Red Dead Redemption. With a sequel on the way in 2018, now is a great time to experience the sprawling story of John Marston. And a game like Red Dead would also add some more adult content to the Switch's lineup; while the likes of Mario + Rabbids and Splatoon are great fun, it's time that Nintendo's console started adding some games that go above a "teen" rating. -- Justin Haywald
Spelunky
Switch already has a nice selection of quick, pick-up-and-play roguelike games with Gonner and The Binding of Isaac, but few out there are better than Spelunky. Creator Derek Yu has already said that he would like to release a game on the platform. An original game from him would be wonderful to see, but in the meantime, Spelunky would help make the wait easier. Any system can always use more top-tier, expertly designed games, which is precisely what Spelunky is: an incredibly thoughtful, well-crafted game with far more depth than you'd realize at first blush. It could even support play with two Joy-Con controllers, which is always a nice bonus with any Switch multiplayer game. -- Chris Pereira
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
The Metal Gear series has enjoyed an on-again-off-again relationship with Nintendo, but with the series entering a new, zombified era, now may be the perfect time for the earlier games in the series to be resurrected for Nintendo's latest console.
Remaster masters Bluepoint Games (with a little help from Armature Studio) did an excellent job porting the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection to Vita, and even without the proper number of buttons, the games (Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker) all played great. In theory, the games would look and play even better on the more advanced Switch. -- Peter Brown
Persona 3 (and Persona 4)
Atlus has already said that Persona 5 isn't coming to Switch, but that won't stop us from wishing its super-stylish UI (and the great RPG that surrounds it) makes it to the platform eventually. The next best thing would be its two predecessors. There are tons of people who have only more recently become aware of the series thanks to the success of Persona 5. The Vita version of Persona 4 (and PSP version of Persona 3 before it) showcased how well these games play on handhelds, and having all three games playable on a modern platform where these new fans of the series could play them feels like a win for everyone. Some elements of Persona 3 and 4 may not compare favorably to those of Persona 5--particularly the dungeon design--but they nonetheless hold up well overall. Their excellent stories and characters make them well worth going back to if you missed them the first time around. -- Chris Pereira
Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
Bayonetta 2 was a bright spot during the Wii U's troubled tenure, delivering the over-the-top characters and combat that developer Platinum Games is known for. A few years ago, Platinum Games took a stab at applying its brand of action to Metal Gear's cybernetic ninja, Raiden, for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.
The action-focused game at first seemed like an odd fit for a series that's traditionally encouraged stealth over conflict, but in the hands of Platinum, Raiden's solo outing was an utter blast. Revengeance also took the series into the future and currently stands as the last word in Metal Gear's timeline. Hideo Kojima may be done with Metal Gear, but I'm still holding out hope that Revengeance won't be a one-off, and that Platinum may eventually revisit one of its best projects. However unlikely a sequel may be, I'd happily take Revengeance for another spin on Switch. -- Peter Brown
Final Fantasy HD Anything
Around the dawning of the Final Fantasy franchise, Square Enix's biggest games were only available on Nintendo consoles. That trend changed with the PlayStation-exclusive Final Fantasy VII and continued for many years after. But recent Final Fantasy games have gone multiplatform, and many of the main entries have gotten PC releases. And while you could play most of the later Final Fantasy titles on the Vita through PSN, with its bigger screen, Nintendo's Switch is an even better portable console for tackling classics like Final Fantasys 7-12.
Since almost all of those classic era games are available on PC, it seems like there's at least the possibility that the recent PS3/PS4 ports of games like FFX and FFXII could find their way to Switch. -- Justin Haywald
We've already gotten the first two Danganronpa games on non-Sony platforms, so it doesn't seem out of the question to expect a version on Switch as well. The system is somehow devoid of any visual novels, which are a perfect match with it: Being able to crawl into bed at night with the system is an ideal way to experience them--just like a book--but Switch would also provide the flexibility to throw the game on a TV for the big-screen experience or to enjoy it with a friend.
Aside from that, it would also complement the existing library--there just aren't a lot of dark, story-based games to be had on Switch right now. Both Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair have gotten a second lease on life with recent PS4 and PC releases (after previously being limited to PSP and Vita), and they're fantastically written adventures that more people need the opportunity to play. -- Chris Pereira
Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2
Ports of the first two Dark Souls games don't have the best technical track record, and developer From Software president (and Dark Souls creator) Hidetaka Miyazaki has said that he's more interested in looking forward to new things than repeating the past, but come on: let's see Dark Souls come to Switch! Can you imagine playing Dark Souls in portable mode? What if somehow decrepit versions of Ganon, Bowser, and Kraid found their way into the game, for that extra special Nintendo treatment? Chances are that our imaginations are the only place these theoretical games will ever appear, but it's natural to dream, even if that dream is filled with nightmarish beasts and punishing combat. -- Peter Brown
Dead Space, Dead Space 2, Dead Space 3
Dead Space is a series that made a huge splash when it arrived, and it continued to make waves with each new release. It's difficult to pinpoint why the series has been left dormant by EA for so long--Dead Space 3 was released four years ago--but even if we can't look forward to a new Dead Space game anytime soon, we can cross our fingers for the pre-existing games to come to Switch. Dead Space's weapons are just as distinct today as they were years ago, the Switch could benefit from a few games with a darker atmosphere, and there's been a big enough gap in time between now and the series' heyday to justify revisiting it, or potentially introducing it to a new audience altogether. -- Peter Brown
Hearthstone
Hearthstone has yet to appear on a proper console or handheld, but a Switch version makes a lot of sense. It could feature the same touchscreen controls of the iOS and Android versions when played in handheld mode. The growing slate of single-player content would provide something to do when the system is away from a Wi-Fi connection--in addition to playing local multiplayer matches with a fellow Switch owner, of course. And the co-op Brawl activities we've seen previously could be expanded into a full mode that can be played on one system with a pair of Joy-Cons. With Rocket League, Nintendo has shown a willingness to support Cross-Play on Switch, which is essential to Hearthstone. This all just makes too much sense to not happen. -- Chris Pereira
Grand Theft Auto V
If Grand Theft Auto V can run on PS3 and Xbox 360, you bet it can run on Switch. GTA V is arguably the best game in the iconic series and is just as fun to play today as it was when it came out in 2013. If Rockstar is willing to bring LA Noire to Switch, there's a solid chance we will see GTA V follow in its footsteps; though certainly not without a lot of work on the studio's part. -- Peter Brown
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Spanish studio Mercury Steam has had an interesting track record in recent years, having created new games for two classic series: Metroid, most recently, and Castlevania, a stint that lasted for three games. The first Castlevania: Lords of Shadow game was a shock to many longtime fans who had enjoyed years of 2D portable metroidvanias. Mercury Steam delivered a decidedly western take on the world and characters, offering a 3D action experience that felt more like controlling Kratos than a vampire-hunting Belmont.
Regardless of the comparisons to Castlevania's past, Lords of Shadow made a name for itself thanks to one of the series' best stories, awe-inspiring environments, epic boss battles, and a rousing orchestrated soundtrack. The second Lords of Shadow game didn't quite stand up to the first, so if we had to pick one to come to Switch, it would have to be the original. -- Peter Brown
Mass Effect Trilogy
Mass Effect finds itself in a weird place after Andromeda failed to meet many fans' expectations, but it's not as if people have suddenly fallen out of love with the idea of an epic space opera where you're a hero who saves the galaxy. Eventually, EA will come back with a new game in the series, and what better way to get people feeling better about Mass Effect than by giving them an excuse to replay the three original games on a new platform?
Even in lieu of a proper remaster, presenting the games on a hybrid system could help to make them feel fresh--it certainly would make it easier for the completionists out there to make it through the slog of the first game's Mako exploration sections. Years after their release, there's nothing quite like the expansive galaxy and interconnected story of the Mass Effect Trilogy--and certainly nothing like it on Switch. -- Chris Pereira
Nidhogg (2)
Nintendo touts the Switch as a platform for spur-of-the-moment multiplayer matches, and a game like Nidhogg is the digital embodiment of that idea. It'd be great to get Nidhogg 2 as well (or maybe a collection with both games together), but with its simple controls and art style, the original a game well-suited to the Switch's portable screen and tiny controllers when you're playing on the go.
And as a self-professed Nidhogg grand champion, I just want more opportunities to sacrifice avatars to the digital dragon that dwells at the far end of each game's map. -- Justin Haywald
Ultra Street Fighter IV
Capcom supported Switch early on with Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers, though, as many fans decried, the game was very expensive at $40. Instead of porting a version of the most ubiquitous Street Fighter game there is, perhaps Capcom should have looked to Street Fighter IV, the popular fighting game that's still played today despite the arrival of Street Fighter V. Street Fighter V might be too advanced to fly on Switch without some serious tweaks, but Ultra Street Fighter IV is technically possible. There are some decent fighting games on Switch, but none that match Ultra Street Fighter IV's refined fighting system and massive roster of characters. -- Peter Brown
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