The Nintendo Switch 2 launched with some good new versions of classic Switch games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which felt brand new with the next-gen upgrades. Later, Kirby and the Forgotten Land got a cool new campaign addition along with a boost in visual power.
So far, there are two notable games getting Switch 2 upgrades in 2026. Super Mario Bros. Wonder will help continue to celebrate Mario’s 40th anniversary, which was in 2025. Also, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a big set of new features. Beyond those examples, what other Switch games need a modern upgrade in 2026, either to perform better or to get a second chance at life on the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026?
Super Mario Bros. 35
Coming Back One More Time
Super Mario Bros. 35 was released to celebrate the 35th anniversary of everyone’s favorite plumber in 2020. It was a Battle Royale game wherein thirty-five players competed in classic Super Mario Bros. levels.
It was a clever way to reuse NES Mario assets for a modern gameplay trend, but the game was sadly taken down in 2021. Nintendo has the opportunity to bring it back in a big way on the Switch 2, perhaps with new modes, or maybe a brand new visual style, including reusing assets from the second or third games.
Super Mario RPG
Geno Returns
Another Mario game that could return on Switch 2 is Super Mario RPG, which was a Switch remake of an SNES classic. Visually, it looked great and ran pretty well on the Switch. The one thing that some fans didn’t like was that it was virtually a 1:1 remake without much added to make it feel new beyond a visual upgrade.
A further boost onto the Switch 2 could add a new party member or perhaps some post-game content wherein fan-favorite Geno returns. Making a completely new Mario RPG may be risky, but an updated classic with new content could be just as good.
The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Improve The Dungeon Building
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is another remake that was released exclusively on the Switch, but it was also almost completely unchanged from the Game Boy original. Unlike Super Mario RPG, this remake stuttered a bit, which is not something the Zelda series is known for.
The framerate dips were not consistent enough to make the game unplayable, but they were noticeable. A Switch 2 upgrade would certainly fix those technical issues, but it would also be a good opportunity for Nintendo to get more dungeon-maker materials ready. The dungeon-maker feature was interesting, but there wasn’t enough there at launch, so an update could let players get more creative with their creations.
New Pokemon Snap
Just Add More
New Pokemon Snap made a lot of Pokemon fans happy because it was the first sequel in decades. The new Pokemon and gameplay segments were fun to track on-rails, but they also didn’t evolve the formula too much. Also, even though there are currently over a thousand Pokemon, the game only features a little over two hundred.
It is understandable why the developer didn’t include every Pokemon, but the numbers were still low for a Pokemon spinoff. Perhaps a more powerful console, like the Switch 2, could handle an update that includes more Pokemon to take pictures of. Revisiting classic areas from the series would be fun as well, from Kanto to Johto.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Needs The Most Work
Any Xenoblade Chronicles game could use some TLC to perform better on the Switch 2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the oldest title, as far as updates and re-releases are concerned, since it launched in 2017. It was impressive to see a massive open-world RPG running on Switch that gave fans hundreds of hours of content. That said, the framerate wasn’t always solid, and the visuals took a noticeable blow during combat or when day turned to night.
These are the kinds of slam-dunk upgrades an updated Switch 2 version could provide. The standalone DLC campaign, Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna The Golden Country, would be great to see on Switch 2 as well. Nintendo could bundle them on Switch 2, along with adding new features, be it new characters or new areas to explore.
Ring Fit Adventure
A New Year For A New Fit
Ring Fit Adventure was a huge success for Nintendo and the virtual exercise market. It not only worked as an exercise game, but it was a fun RPG too, with an incredibly lengthy campaign, intuitive gameplay mechanics, and catchy music. The game was released in 2019, and Nintendo hasn’t touched it since. No DLC or massive expansions here.
Making a Switch 2 version may be tricky, as the console’s hardware has bigger Joy-Cons that won’t fit into the peripherals released with the original game. It might behoove Nintendo to make a sequel instead, but since the Switch 2 still supports older Joy-Con controllers, it is possible to give the game new levels and exercises. A dance RPG mode would be fun too. What better way to ring in the new year than with glistening abs?
Bayonetta 3
An Action Game Held Back
Bayonetta was one of PlatinumGames’s first big hits. It was a spiritual successor to Devil May Cry, and brought the action to consoles with slick visuals and addictive combat. Even though Bayonetta 2 launched on a less powerful console, the Wii U, it still performed well. However, the same was not true for Bayonetta 3, as the visuals and performance levels were not up to the standard the series set in 2009.
Fans still enjoyed the game as a Switch exclusive, but they also knew things could be better, and perhaps it’s time they got what they wanted from the original release out of a Switch 2 update. Hopefully, as the publisher, Nintendo can make this happen again with PlatinumGames.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Don’t Let Sony Win The Marvel Race
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is another game that Nintendo published exclusively for the Switch, and Team Ninja developed it. It was great to see the series return after exactly a decade, but it was admittedly odd to see it return as a Switch exclusive. Like so many other examples, fans thought it wasn’t the best-looking game ever, but it certainly had that same addictive top-down action the series is known for, and there were plenty of Marvel characters to play as.
2026 is going to be a massive year for PlayStation on the Marvel front between Marvel’s Wolverine and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Nintendo shouldn’t let the PlayStation brand have all the Marvel fun, so an update to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order would be perfect on the Switch 2, maybe with a new campaign and more characters.
