Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games At Launch (Based On What We Know So Far)

Nintendo Switch 2 is nearly here, and exciting as new hardware is, it’s ultimately all about the games. Given the reality of the launch lineup, the best Switch 2 games on launch day are likely to feature a lot of familiar names. Thanks to a combination of backwards compatibility, free enhancement patches, and Switch 2 Editions of hit games, we already have a pretty good sense for what we’ll be playing.

Mario Kart World is by far the biggest of the brand-new games coming to Switch 2 on day one, and we’ve enjoyed what we’ve played of it so far. But we’re confident enough in the quality of certain other games–which look to only be getting better on Switch 2–to weigh in with some early picks for the platform’s best games.

This list will evolve over time, both as we spend more time with Switch 2 and as more games make their way to the platform in the months ahead. Take these picks with a grain of salt for now, given that we’re still waiting to get our hands on Switch 2 and sink meaningful time into all of its games. But we know the question of what to play on Switch 2 is one people are demanding an answer to, and we do feel comfortable highlighting a small selection at this point. There are other games we expect could end up on here–Cyberpunk 2077, Hitman, Split Fiction–but we want to test these first to ensure that the Switch 2 versions are a good way to play them (particularly Cyberpunk, which is a demanding game from a hardware perspective).

For now, here’s an early look at what we feel are the Switch 2 games you might want to play at launch. With most Switch games also being supported (even if they aren’t getting Switch 2 enhancements), you can also consult our picks for the best Switch games to play in 2025. For the purposes of this list, if an original Switch game doesn’t feature some kind of enhancement on Switch 2, we won’t be including it below.