Nintendo's 2025 has been all about the hardware, but 2026 is going to be its year for games

From announcement, through full reveal, and right into release, there's no denying that the Switch 2 has dominated Nintendo's 2025. And rightfully so. Eight years after the launch of the original Switch, this is the highly anticipated sequel that delivers many of the features and specs fans expected from a Switch Pro. The first-ever Nintendo console to be a straight sequel with the simple addition of a '2', it's a console that feels much more appealing to a broader market than the bright colors and motion-controlled fun of the original Switch's launch.

Its matte grey minimalism, with just the right pops of color, feels like an attitude change from Nintendo. This is a sophisticated design that feels tailored to the vast adult Switch audience as much as to the rest of the family.

And what's interesting is that, so far, this mentality is matched by the games.

Dark surprises

The fact that Nintendo's launch line-up for Switch 2 included the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and Yakuza 0 still blows my mind. I remember going to the Switch 2 preview event back in April, and in one corner of the huge space was a curtained-off over-18s game section for the duo of titles. It looked hilarious, as at that time it was just journalists and influencers in attendance, but it was soon to be open to the public, too, so it wasn't just for show.

But the ring-fencing, now looking back, only drew attention to Switch 2's more diverse launch line-up. Here was a console that's not only capable of running something like Cyberpunk 2077 without resorting to cloud streaming, but also a company that was very happy to showcase it alongside Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.

The Switch 2 reveal also surprised everyone by including a FromSoftware exclusive that I doubt anyone saw coming - The Duskbloods. A brand new IP that melds FromSoft's gothic horror with PvPvE multiplayer, it's unlike anything the studio has done before and also the first time the studio has done a Switch exclusive. Previously the only game from the studio to launch on Switch was Dark Souls: Remastered, but in 2026, we're also getting Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Switch 2, alongside The Duskbloods, so it's a great year for FromSoft fans on the platform.

Consistency and exclusivity

Of course, there's plenty to play already outside of the FromSoft lure. Nintendo has done incredibly well to launch a Switch 2 exclusive every month since the console launched, even if not all the games have lived up to the hype.

Debuting with Mario Kart World in June, which I'd say had a complicated reception, with its surprisingly muted open world and 'intermission' tracks overshadowing the new modes and design. It was followed by the critically acclaimed Donkey Kong Bananza in July. August gave us Drag x Drive, which, although commendable in its representation of wheelchair basketball, missed the mark when it came to translating that to long-lasting multiplayer fun.

September was quiet, but then October gave us Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a refreshing new entry in the Legends series that I've had serious fun with. Kirby Air Riders launched in November, offering an alternative take on the kart racer but with some Super Smash Bros mixed in for good measure. It was joined the same month by Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, an action game effectively serving as a spin-off prequel to Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was December's headliner, although review scores were a lot more mixed than I had hoped for a game we've waited so long for.

A promise for the future

Although Nintendo's output was high in 2025, to me the Switch 2's strength lies in the 2026 games line-up. Alongside The Duskbloods, we've already got confirmation of a whole host of Switch 2 exclusives in the works for next year. Pokemon Pokopia, an excellent-looking blend of Minecraft and Animal Crossing where you play as a Ditto turned human, is my personal highlight, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it in March. But there's also the revival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in January, with Update 3.0 and a Nintendo Switch 2 version incoming. Just three years of radio silence on that one after Nintendo said it was done with the game, but I'll take it.

We're also getting Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, another creative Yoshi title, but this one's a storybook platformer where you can interact with nature. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Pokemon Champions, and Tomodatchi Life: Living the Dream are also scheduled for next year too, so it's going to be a pretty busy year for Switch 2 gamers.

Of course, that's without even considering that Switch 2 is getting more and more AAA titles launching day in day with other platforms. Resident Evil Requiem is an excellent example of that, launching alongside the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X versions in February, along with Switch 2 versions of Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village. It's also continuing to cement the sense that Nintendo is really trying to broaden Switch 2's appeal beyond the traditional Switch audience. You've also got Reanimal, 007: First Light, and Pragmata to the Switch 2 line-up for 2026, which again are launching the same day as the PC and console versions, continuing that trend too.

And that's basically only a teaser of all the upcoming Switch 2 games already confirmed for next year.

Building on success

So while 2025 has been a strong debut for the Switch 2, it's the continuation of exclusives and third-party support already confirmed for 2026 that's making this year feel additionally sweet. Having a 2026 that already feels full of anticipation for a console that's not yet a year old is a really positive promise from Nintendo, I just hope that it can live up to expectations.

Check out how many Switch 2 games sit among the GamesRadar+ best games of 2025 ranking