The Top 10 Switch RPGs We Want To Revisit on Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally launching next week on June 5. As a follow-up to one of the best consoles for RPGs thanks to its hybrid nature, there are many notable titles that I'm curious to revisit on Nintendo Switch 2 through backward compatibility. These include ports, exclusives, first-party games, and more. This feature will cover Nintendo Switch games that are either getting dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 Edition releases, those getting either compatibility updates, and also just those that will be played via backward compatibility. As of this writing, we don't have information for how unpatched Switch games will play on Nintendo Switch 2 aside from some load time improvements so any technical improvments mentioned are all speculation.
The top 10 Switch RPGs we want to revisit on Nintendo Switch 2
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Of course Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity was going to be the first game featured here. As a huge fan of all the Nintendo Warriors games since playing Hyrule Warriors Legends on New 3DS, Age of Calamity was a technical disaster with abysmal performance and poor visuals. This was a big step down from Fire Emblem Warriors, but I was always hopeful to see some improvements through potential updates. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is going to be the first Switch RPG I'll be installing on my Nintendo Switch 2 to hopefully get a more playable experience. What I played of Age of Calamity was very good including the music, but it really was held back by the technical issues that hopefully can be addressed via backward compatibility on Switch 2.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has been confirmed to get visual and performance improvements already, and I'm also curious to see how it plays without said update on Nintendo Switch via backward compatibility. I enjoyed my time with Pokemon Violet despite all the technical issues it had. I agree with what James said in his review. It is likely that the free update coming to the game for Nintendo Switch 2 will finally let it be an enjoyable experience without major caveats. I'm also looking forward to seeing how Pokemon Legends: Arceus feels on Switch 2.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 remains my favorite game in the series for its cast, music, and narrative including its amazing expansion, but the base game is definitely the least impressive Xenoblade release on the technical side with its performance issues, low resolution, and poor sharpening making the overall experience not great, especially played handheld. I adore this game and hope it hits its higher targets through backward compatibility on Nintendo Switch 2. I haven't revisited it since 2019, so this will be even more interested given how the series has evolved visually since 2017.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Link's Awakening
Both The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening have been confirmed to get free updates for an improved experience on Nintendo Switch 2, and I'm looking forward to replaying them without getting motion sickness like in Link's Awakening. Echoes of Wisdom ended up running worse, but considering it was more on the lower end of the spectrum, it didn't bother me as much as Link's Awakening. Both games getting visual and performance improvements with HDR make it an easy decision to revisit them in the coming weeks.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses remains one of my favorite games from the Nintendo Switch generation, and one I keep going back to through replays and also experiencing more of the world with Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes. Three Houses had many technical issues, and despite those, it was an amazing game. I'm looking forward to seeing if we get any major improvements just by playing it and Three Hopes (the second Fire Emblem Warriors Switch game) on Nintendo Switch 2 through backward compatibility.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
While Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is available on other platforms, most people including myself have our main save on Nintendo Switch with more than 500 hours played. Obviously a dedicated update or upgrade from Capcom would be ideal, but if the Switch 2 can sort the annoying performance issues like in the Flooded Forest or even Sunbreak late-game hunts, it would be a nice excuse to revisit Capcom's amazing Sunbreak release.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Editions
Given that the upgrades for both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are included in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, it is likely that everyone is going to revisit both of these landmark Zelda titles on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has also been showcasing the improvements and new content since the console's reveal. I'm curious to see how much I can push both games in their stress areas that suffered on the original Switch model and also to see how the Zelda Notes features feel when replaying them.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Even though Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition released a few months ago, it has some performance issues holding it back in busier areas and noticeable latency with inputs. Given the recent release, hopefully Nintendo does some sort of upgrade or update to have it play better on Nintendo Switch 2. If not, I'm interested in getting back to the game and seeing how it runs in handheld mode and whether it feels more responsive on Nintendo Switch 2.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains one of the most-impressive Nintendo Switch conversions of the generation, but it wasn't an ideal experience compared to other platforms. As someone who played over 120 hours on Switch in handheld and docked, I'm curious to see how the more powerful Switch 2 hardware helps stabulize performance and resolution. I'm also interested to see how Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition feels in comparison, given what we've seen so far.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an amazing RPG on PC, but the Switch version had unstable performance albeit with great visuals both docked and handheld. I played it on both PC and Switch, and I'm hoping the Switch version played on Switch 2 means the frame rate hits its upper limit and is more stable compared to how it is right now.
