Any longtime Nintendo fan knows that the company’s third-party publishing partners can be fair-weather friends. Plenty of the industry’s biggest franchises have been absent from Nintendo hardware for quite some time. In some cases, Nintendo’s own bold decisions over cartridges and standard definition gaming have cost them key entries in series that were once synonymous with their brand.
But, thanks to the Switch’s popularity, some of the most infamous games to skip Nintendo hardware have come home. Square’s ambitious Final Fantasy VII was once too big to fit on an N64 cart, a factor in driving the longtime Nintendo partner to opt for optical disc media on Sony’s PlayStation. The move apparently had Nintendo telling Square “never come back.”
And yet, in 2019, Final Fantasy VII came to Nintendo hardware—and on a cartridge, no less! Soon enough, Grand Theft Auto III and Kingdom Hearts will be there, too; the latter not on a cartridge, but that's an article for another time.
Many popular games have skipped Nintendo hardware entirely, but here are eight of the most conspicuous absences in history—games that by all means we should be playing on our Switch right now.
Nights Into Dreams (1996) • Sega Saturn
If the Sega Saturn was only remembered for one game, it would be Nights into Dreams. Nights was a knockout for the short-lived 32-bit console, a showy flying game with dynamic music and even an artificial life system, all built around Sega’s fancy new analogue stick.
Nights was a towering achievement for Sonic creators Yuji Naka and Naoto Ohshima, a first look into the remarkable range and skill at Sonic Team that would blossom on the Dreamcast. It was so impressive that Shigeru Miyamoto allegedly said he wished he’d made it.
When Sega went third-party in 2001, its IPs went every which way, with Nights getting a port to the PS2 and a remaster for HD consoles. Nintendo fans got the Wii exclusive sequel Nights: Journey of Dreams, but the original high-flying act has never landed on Nintendo hardware.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997) • Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Castlevania’s roots run deep with Nintendo. While the original 1986 NES game was ported to other 8-bit platforms of the time, the next three numbered entries were Nintendo-exclusive. Count Dracula and the Belmonts are well-represented on Nintendo’s home and handheld consoles, save for one major omission: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
In 1997, the year of Goldeneye 007 and Gran Turismo, releasing a 2D sidescroller on “next-gen” hardware was a risk. Symphony of the Night was slow to sell, but it’s become a cult hit over the years.
Initially inspired by The Legend of Zelda—not Metroid, as you’d think—Konami and designer Koji Igarashi soon took their budding “Metroidvania” formula to the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. But Alucard’s big break on PlayStation and Saturn has missed Nintendo—even as the game’s been remastered for PSP, Xbox 360, PS4, and even smartphones.
Mega Man Legends 2 (2000) (and The Misadventures of Tron Bonne) • Sony PlayStation
Everyone was going 3D in the late ‘90s, and Mega Man was no different. After six side-scrollers on the NES, and a revamped Mega Man X series on the SNES, Capcom packed up the Blue Bomber to move to PlayStation. In 1997, they went all-in on polygons with Mega Man Legends. While Legends has its fans, it’s clear to see that Capcom and producer Keiji Inafune had to stray far from the series’ roots to adapt the classic run-and-gun gameplay into 3D.
Nevertheless, Legends was successful enough to spawn a sequel, Mega Man Legends 2, and a prequel, The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Nintendo saw a version of Mega Man Legends, renamed Mega Man 64, in 2000, though it wasn’t as well-received as the PlayStation original. By then, Capcom had given up on porting the other two games.
Curiously, the cancelled Mega Man Legends 3 was originally in development for the Nintendo 3DS in 2010.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001) • PlayStation 2
Metal Gear is typically considered a Sony series, even if the franchise hasn’t been exclusive to Sony hardware for many years. But Konami’s tactical espionage action has also come to Nintendo in a few weird instances.
The NES got a bizarre port of the original 1987 Metal Gear that swapped the titular mech with a supercomputer, followed by the non-canon sequel Snake’s Revenge. There are two versions of Metal Gear Solid on Nintendo consoles: a completely unique Game Boy Color game set in an alternate timeline (titled Metal Gear: Ghost Babel in Japan), and a GameCube-exclusive remake by Silicon Knights dubbed Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.
The Twin Snakes runs on a similar engine to Metal Gear Solid 2, but Konami would skip that game entirely to port Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D to the 3DS.
Mario Kart Arcade GP (2005) • Arcade
Technically, this was released on Nintendo hardware—namely the Triforce arcade board co-developed by Nintendo, Sega, and Namco. But unlike other Nintendo arcade titles, Mario Kart Arcade GP has never seen a home release.
This series of arcade racing games is actually a unique spin-off of the Mario Kart series, with bespoke tracks, items, and even crossover characters from the Pac-Man and Tamagotchi franchises. The cabinet also includes a camera where players can take a snapshot of themselves with Mario’s hat and mustache.
Nintendo’s not shy about bringing their arcade games home. F-Zero AX, which also ran on the Triforce board, was the sister game to GameCube's as F-Zero GX (and can even be found hidden in that game if you've got an Action Replay). And of course, games like Pokken Tournament and Cruis'n Blast continue to bring the arcade experience to traditional consoles.
Come on, Nintendo, at least let us race through Diamond City in Mario Kart 9.
Vanquish (2010) • Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
PlatinumGames was only three years old in 2010, but the supergroup studio of ex-Capcom devs was off to a great start with wild and punchy action titles like Hideki Kamiya’s Bayonetta and Shinji Mikami’s Vanquish.
Sega was an early partner of Platinum, and they published the studio’s first four games, including MadWorld for the Wii, Infinite Space for the DS. Vanquish was Mikami’s only game for Platinum—a relentless third-person shooter that helped define the studio’s signature style. Mikami left to found Tango GameWorks shortly after.
Vanquish and Bayonetta were rereleased in a 10th anniversary bundle in 2020, but it oddly missed the Switch. Hopefully Nintendo’s close relationship with Platinum will change that.
Dark Souls II (2014) • Xbox 360, PS3, PC (and Dark Souls III)
There was hardly a chance that Bandai Namco would bring FromSoftware’s popular Souls games to the much-less-popular Wii U, but that just made 2018’s Dark Souls: Remastered on Switch a delightful surprise.
To be honest, it’s not much of a remaster here, as the Nintendo version hews closer to the original 2011 release in some areas. But, it’s still a great way to play a stone-cold classic on the go. Why, then, has Bandai-Namco stayed silent on the sequels?
It may simply be a matter of opportunity. Remastered released around the same time as versions on other platforms; scaling these 5- and 7-year-old sequels for Switch may not seem worth it at this point. Still, we need something else to do with our Solaire amiibos!
Persona 5 (2016) • PS3, PS4
Persona 5 might be the most requested Switch port ever. P5 protagonist Joker’s inclusion as the first third-party DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate had a lot of fans speculating whether Atlus’ dating-sim-dungeon-crawler would be coming to Switch. Two years later and nothing’s happened, save for the spinoff Persona 5 Strikers.
Sega may or may not have some kind of exclusivity deal inked with Sony for the Persona series. Though Persona’s parent series Megami Tensei has had a much heavier presence on Nintendo hardware since the Famicom, 1996’s Revelations: Persona is yet another example of a third-party franchise opening up shop with Sony in the N64 era.
Sega recently broke with Persona’s PlayStation exclusivity by releasing Persona 4: Golden on Steam out of nowhere, so maybe they’re testing the waters for wider releases in the future.
Any other amazing games that never appeared around these parts? Let us know the games you wish had come to Nintendo consoles below.
Comments 156
I believe that at some point, Persona 5 will come to switch. It makes too much sense
It'd be so nice to have SoTN on Switch. idk about the original, but I thought the Wii NiGHTS sequel was a bad game.
Symphony of the Night is probably the one I want most from this list, but I understand why it's unavailable on Switch.
But the lack of Persona5 on the other hand makes absolutely no sense. Not trying to start up another Smash roster debate so soon after Sora, but Joker should not have made the cut if he's inaccessible to the platform.
Though Cloud found his way in, eventually, so I guess there's hope.
Id add Nier to the list. Great game which I'd gladly go for 100% completion given the portable treatment
I’m missing the Silent Hill, NieR, Suikoden and Xenogears games on a Nintendo platform, and on the Switch I would like to see Red Dead Redemption 1 and a Fallout game too while we’re at it
There are other strange Japanese omissions too if you’d ask me. Such as Chrono Cross, Dawn of Mana, Ys VI and Seven, Breath of Fire 3-6 and Lunar: Eternal Blue. Let’s hope they’ll be released on a Nintendo portable system too, especially now that Playstation gets less attraction in its homeland.
Eh, I think people should just give up on Persona 5 at this point. The Persona series is pretty much a Sony known IP, at least the main games and Nintendo has the SMT on their side. Not saying that Persona won't come to Switch or any future Nintendo consoles but I think it's already a little too late for a P5 port.
I'm still down for any Tales series to be ported. Symphonia and Graces should be ported considering both were released on Gamecube and Wii (with PS3 port) respectively. I also want to see the other Fatal Frame games to be ported on the Switch. Also, the two Rune Factory on the Wii would be dope and I'd love to see Harvest Moon a wonderful life get an HD remake and call it Story of Seasons a wonderful life
DC fighter Injustice 2 and Batman Arkham Knight. I’d love to see these on Switch. Both series have previous entries on the Wii U. Quite recent examples that maybe could still appear?
Hard to think of anything from past generations as there’s been quite a few that have made it onto the Switch. FF 7, RE 5 among plenty of others.
I'll always be salty about the lack of Tomb Raider on Switch. The Anniversary/Legend/Underworld trilogy would be a wonderful fit on the system.
@InkIdols It makes too much sense since 2017
@mariomaster96 I' believe in it happening.
I understand the desire, but you're not missing much by not getting Dark Souls II
So switch gets persona 5 and ps4/ps5 gets shin megami tensei 5 in return, fair trade I'd say
@Desrever but joker is on the switch with persona 5 strikers
@Friendly Thankfully, we did get at least 1x Suikoden & 1x Silent Hill game on Nintendo hardware, but it would be nice to have the main series releases, for sure ^_^
I keep thinking how Fallout 3 & NV would be such a good fit on the Switch. Maybe Microsoft / Bethesda will continue to deliver past games like these with Nintendo as it would hardly hurt their exclusive lineup & will ultimately bring in a load of profit.
All I want these days is to get AT LEAST Dark Souls II on Switch. Maybe a cloud version of 3. I already own them both on xbox and playstation but goodness I'd love it on Switch
The Nights thing always confused me, I have the HD remaster on 360 but that it never made it to Wii U or Switch is bizarre considering that Nintendo platforms are much more suited to something like that.
I am happy with Journey of Dreams though, will forever love that game and it introduced me to Nights.
Vanquish coming to Switch probably has more to do with Sega than Platinum. These were games before Platinum became publicly adamant about owning their own IP, so I would assume any discussions about Vanqiush ports have to start with Sega.
I would agree that it's a strange omission considering Bayonetta 1 is on Switch - although not the 10th Anniversary re-release. I would guess they don't necessarily think the platform is a good fit. I think that is debatable, especially when stuff like Astral Chain appears to have found an audience.
SOTN and Dark Souls II are no-brainers at this point! Thanks for putting those on the list!!
I don't know if it's a licensing thing, but Warhammer 40k: Space Marine would be so nice on the Switch!
NINJA APPROVED
I thought Nights was over rated personally (please don't throw stones, they really hurt!) SotN and Vanquish most certainly need to come to Switch. And Nights too, because other folk love that game.
Umm, Dead Space and Sands of Time I think get my vote too.
Also Halo, Horizon Zero Dawn and The Last of Us aren't on Nintendo platforms. And I haven't seen Age of Empires or Flight simulator either.
@sanderev and God and Gears of War.
Nights almost feels like an oversight at this point. A DS version could of worked, a 3DS port of the Wii game should of happened.
On Castlevania, the fact that it’s on phones is an insult.
Removed - unconstructive
The Switch should be flooded with JRPGs of yesteryear.
I just want Persona 5 and Nier Automata on Switch and then I can die a happy man
Even though we've had some iterations of these games I think the key franchises for me would be:
GTA (still only the old games coming)
Mass Effect
Metal Gear
Tomb Raider
Kingdom Hearts
Persona
Even Call of Duty has surprised me not coming to Switch when it had a few releases on Wii.
That's a fairly good list. Shoutout for remembering Megaman Legends and Castlevania SotN, I didn't.
Besides Persona 5, that is
@Desrever Why isn’t SotN on Switch?
@Morph bit didn't you hear? Kingdom Hearts is coming to Switch...😏
I had a fantasy where Nintendo would hire Platinum to make a game about a Federation trooper from Metroid, and it would basically be Vanquish 2 in all but name. This was before Federation Force came out mind you, so if by some miracle this did happen they should call it Metroid: Shock Trooper or something.
A lot of these aren't mysterious. Ninty just isn't the intended platform
Much of the Tomb Raider series has also skipped Nintendo too, which seems sad to me.
would love for Metal Gear Solid and persona 3-5 on switch. they could port the MGS HD collection to switch and id buy it in a heart beat.
Yes Metal Gear collection is long overdue! And SOTN aaaaand Vanquish- can’t believe Nintendo let other parties have Wonderful 101- a great former exclusive- and no effort to bring Vanquish to Switch! What an amazing shooter!
Friendly reminder that EX Troopers, the Lost Planet spinoff built out of castoff Mega Man Legends 3 pieces WAS released for the 3DS and remains THE best shooter for it.
@sikthvash Technically there was more than 1 Silent Hill game on Nintendo hardware as there’s the Play Novel Silent Hill game on GBA!
This is a solid list, ya’ll!
I am going to highlight Vanquish as being severely delicious as well as Dark Souls 2 and 3 (especially 3, I’m biased as I never played 2 yet) being devilishly nasty.
These 3 games need to be on Nintendo hardware so I can triple dip.
That leaves Symphony of the night. I’d probably pentadip (?) on that one.
I’m happy I can play these all elsewhere but my OCD needs satisfying in the sense of having all my golden geese on the same console.
I'm still bitter that the mainline Persona series still won't come to Ninty hardware even though I still play them on PS. The waiting game continues, I guess. Though I'm thankful that the SMT series is still exclusive to Nintendo to even things out a bit.
What about the Fallout series? That's always been weird that 3 and Vegas aren't on the Switch.
SoulCalibur games, Tekken 7 or Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Ultra Street Fighter IV, Xenosaga games, The King of Fighters XI, XIII, XIV, and XV. Buriki One, Samurai Shodown 64, Samurai Shodown 6, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, mainline Dead or Alive and Senran Kagura games...
shadow of the colossus is sadly missing from that list.
The biggest omission I can think of is Disney Afternoon Collection, a bunch of NES games NOT coming out on the Switch.
@Losermagnet
Though it’s my least favorite of the SoulsBourne games, I actually really liked Dark Souls II.
Let's have some more love for Western games:
Heroes of Might and Magic 1-5 (No, the Game Boy games don't count...) These would have been perfect on Wii U with the tablet's touchpad or even Wiimote if done well. At least Switch has a touch screen too so it could be doable. Oh and the 6th and 7th games aren't that important to port imo.
Half-Life 2 etc.
Dead Space
No Fallout 3, New Vegas, 4? My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined ...
Don't worry, we'll get P5C: Persona 5 Cloud
@UltimateOtaku91 And on the 3DS in Persona Q2
@Vyacheslav333 Tekken Tag 2 came out on Wii U. Doesn't the 3DS DOA count as main line?
@BanjoPickles yeah I feel similarly about it. It's flaws are more obvious and nagging, but it's not a bad game. I guess if you only have Nintendo hardware a hypothetical port would be better than nothing at all (even if it's not a great representation of Soulsborne as a whole).
nier automata
I'll add some games that haven't happened yet but could happen/would be cool if it happened (for Switch, some of these have happened on Nintendo platforms before):
Ah, good old Persona 5. With the amount of promotion outside of the game AND Persona 5 Strikers, there's no doubt that Sony has some scummy exclusivity deal with Sega over the main series, just as Nintendo probably has with most of SMT. I just wish Sega was more transparent over this, because it's getting super ridiculous.
"Sega may or may not have some kind of exclusivity deal inked with Sony for the Persona series."
Yet we still got the spin-offs on other systems. And no, spin-offs aren't an exception for deals like this.
Wish Microsoft would throw Nintendo a rare replay port.... Never played nuts and bolts
@Yomogi I think it's possible for P5/mainline Persona to come to Switch but Atlus should've capitalized on the Smash hype when they had the chance instead of using it on spin-offs like Strikers and Q2. It's been 2 years and at this point, I imagine a good chunk of people who wanted it on Switch either lost interest or played it on PS3/PS4/RPCS3 already. Not saying it wouldn't be hype if it did come over or it wouldn't sell well now (because it still would) but I definitely feel like it was a missed opportunity to not port them while the Persona in Smash hype train was in full swing.
At least we have SMT though
@Losermagnet Despite its flaws I think Dark Souls 2 is still generally a good game, maybe even great. It was my first Dark Souls game that I beat so I have a soft spot for it and I acknowledge that it's not a great follow-up to the original but it tried some new things and introduced a lot of series staples which are still around to this day. Also, having replayed DS1 on PC I gotta say the first game isn't flawless either.
Symphony of the Night is probably coming at some point in a Castlevania collection, since the other two did so well. Maybe in another year or two.
@Bizzyb Funny, I just got a PS5 a few weeks ago and those were 2 of the first games I got. And I just got the Kingdom Hearts All-in-One collection, would rather play them locally than the cloud version
Persona 5 is going to be on Switch sometime this year after SMT5 has launched probably as a holiday must buy.
I think the biggest regret is FF VII. Missed Nintendo hardware till now. Also Resident Evil 3
@Bomberman64 But we don't have these games on Nintendo Switch. It's a problem.
For me i was surprised to see those FF pixel remasters miss the system, compared to how many times FFVII-XII (sans XI) get ported the last time most of the initial 6 were available on console/dedicated handheld was over a decade ago.
plus retro/nostalgic re-releases do seem to do well on the system (at least if the eshop is anything to go by)
@GameOtaku I think it'll come sometime in 2022 so SMT V has more than a month to shine before it gets overshadowed by Persona. Perhaps as one of the later Anniversary events
@Vyacheslav333 Yes, I agree that they should all come to Switch.
However, this article specified select series or single games that have never been on any Nintendo hardware at all.
I figure the reasoning behind the article is that if you've been an exclusive Nintendo gamer then these are games you've never gotten the chance to experience.
I know several people like this and I was very happy for them when Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was announced.
@Varkster what really irks me about Dark Souls II is that I feel like the best content is all in the second half of the game (and most of that was added as DLC). Collecting the 4 lord souls in DS2 felt really contrived and the areas that took place in were a bit messy. Once you start communicating with Vendrick and infiltrating memories it comes alive a bit. But thats just me. I also think it has a charming whimsy that the other games dont have (the majula theme sounds almost like Harry Potter music, that talking cat).
But suffice it to say, I have been playing through all the Soulsborne games for the first time this year (in order of release, and i'm on Sekiro now) and DS2 is the only instance where I felt like I wouldn't be missing too much had I not played it at all.
vanquish & castlevania symphony of the night pls!!!!😭😭😭💔
Persona 5 if there is no exclusivity deal then that is all because of Atlus not wanting to bring it over but if there is an exclusivity deal then they can't bring it over
None of these games excite me. The only games I've really liked that haven't come to Nintendo hardware are the definitive versions of Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations (the 360/PS3 versions, not the mediocre ports to Wii and 3DS), and the Half Life and Portal games.
How about a multiplayer fps (with 60fps) like Cod or Battlefield. I honestly would play the heck out of survival and zombies on my switch. Battlefield has never seen the light on Nintendo consoles. Imagine playing bad company 2 on this bad boy.
Q : Any other amazing games that never appeared around these parts?
Me: Dance Dance Revolution A20 PLUS
@nessisonett Oooo, I never knew that! Japan only, sadly.
Tomb Raider is the greatest omission to be honest.
I still have hope we can eventually get it in the future for Switch.
would gladly take DS2 on switch, easy favorite of the series
Just a correction: The F-Zero AX tracks were unlockable in GX. You don’t need a cheat device, you just need to be really good at the game.
Where is Crash Twinsanity?
No Madden or Call of Duty on the Switch. EA and Activision must not like money.
On switch been waiting for Gta 5, persona 5, the arkham games, the metal gear solid collection, and mgs5.... Got assassin's creed and tony hawk, resident evil 4, and the gta trilogy on the way... Just need my portable batman and mgs and persona fix...and while we're at it, bully and the warriors would be great for the switch
I can't believe they haven't put out Symphony of the Night on Switch. I had it on my PSP.
Don't say that, I still have hopes the P5 will get ported to Switch
@Losermagnet I picked up Nioh 1 and 2 instead of Sekiro, haven't actually played that one yet, curious on your thoughts on it.
I think whimsical and weird is just something that comes with a Japanese game. The first and third Dark Souls games certainly have their "wtf" moments as well. Obviously music is opinionated but I think Majula is one of the better themes in any of the games.
@Desrever persona 5 strikers is on Switch and Joker is in that game too
@kingbk Well when it comes to Madden, its EA and EA does not give a damn about Nintendo Switch.
But you must know that Call of Duty is notorious for taking up an INSANE amount of GB on console (even PC I think). At this point, it could barely fit on a 500 GB PS4. Switch has EVEN less storage.
And now you think "why not digital only", well COD wouldn't fit anyway regardless.
Also Activision imo is WAY better than EA when it comes to support on Nintendo Switch. We got Tony Hawk and Crash Bandicoot games already on Switch and also Spyro, I believe.
@BrintaPap I feel COD wouldn't even be able to FIT on Nintendo Switch. That game takes up way too much space.
Also Battlefield is from EA and EA doesn't give a damn about Switch.
I'm still baffled how GTA 5 isn't on the switch yet, it's on everything else
@Morph We have Persona 5 Strikers, KH Cloud versions (unfortunately) and also the native KH Melody of Memory. We also got GTA trilogy incoming too.
Also Mass Effect won't come to Nintendo Switch because of EA
@UltimateOtaku91 maybe because it takes up a lot of space?
@luxoricious oh we will.... by the "power" of CLOUD GAMING
@anoyonmus well the witcher on other consoles is 33GB+ and GTA 5 is on ps3/360 which the switch should handle problem.
@UltimateOtaku91 GTA 5 is on PS3/360 but however even if it is ported to Switch, it could still have problems.
If GTA 5 on Switch is a reality, I would be waiting on reviews and would also expect a 30 fps framerate.
Also I do wonder if Rockstar will do a cloud version of GTA 5 for this. Square Enix didn't mind putting KH on cloud even though 1.5 and 2.5 remix were on PS3 and the PS3 is weaker than the Switch
Tokyo Xanadu Ex on Switch would be a no-brainer, and a great way for Falcom/NIS to cash in on the demand for Persona 5.
@Varkster The Majula theme is pretty great. It’s delicate with a bit of melancholy. I love the shrine themes from 1 and 3 too, but Majula feels different.
It’s funny you mention Nioh 1 + 2 - I’ve been thinking about getting them! I’m divided on Sekiro at the moment. It’s so much more focused on combat, with only light RPG elements. I’m at the 3rd boss and, while I can sense that i’ve gotten better since starting, it is significantly more challenging to me than Fromsofts other games. But it’s also greatly satisfying when you succeed. There’s so much more mobility in the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was expanded on in Elden Ring. Anyway, Sekiro gets a soft recommendation from me at the moment.
Let me know what you think of Nioh! I’m always down to talk about some Soulsborne and souls-like 😁
You ever think about how Puyo Puyo Fever 2 was never on GameCube? I think about it a lot.
It was on DS tho.
U can keep every other one on the list if I could get sotn
Persona 5 is hardly a mystery, if you ask me. Mainline Persona games have always been largely Sony exclusive with the only exception being some releases on the PC as well as the PS systems.
@Friendly I'd die for the first 3 Silent Hill games to be on the Switch. That's the stuff Dreams are made of. Shattered Memories was also excellent.
@Morph I do remember hearing that the Mass Effect Legendary Collection may come to Switch eventually. First and foremost they wanted to focus on making it for the big consoles. So don't lose hope just yet!
@Gwynbleidd You think RE2 and RE3 remakes would be possible on Switch if scaled down? Hell, I'm surprised at a minimum that the original 3 games never released on Switch. They're available everywhere else.
@Losermagnet
Granted, it doesn’t hold a candle to the awesomeness of DS3, but it still hooked me.
I would love to see Scholars of the First Sin released before Nintendo sends Switch out to the pasture (that day is fast approaching).
There was no need to put Joker in Smash. They should have added an SMT character/demon instead.
@JustMonika its EA. You think they are going to listen to Switch owners?
Mass Effect won't come to Switch at all (imo ofc). It isn't because Switch is weak to run Mass Effect (Switch could run Mass Effect, ME 3 did run on the Wii U after all). Its because of the publisher of Mass Effect, EA. EA does not care about Switch owners and still have the mentality that Switch users do not buy 3rd party games
I seem to recall that Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is not on any other system due to a current Sony exclusivity.
@dimi Resident Evil 3 was on the gamecube
Missing Persona 5 on the Switch is still odd to me considering what we have related to the game and that the portable aspect of the console would be perfect for the game.
Would love the Castlevania games mentioned and Vanquish in particular. Not to mention Nier. The Tomb Raider games
Also, would live a return of the mainline Soul Calibur, Tekken and Injustice (2) serieses to the Nintendo consoles too. In fact, those most of all.
@Losermagnet Nioh 1 and 2 are both great but getting Nioh 2 pretty much invalidates the first game. I haven't finished 2 yet but there seems to be 200% more content in it compared to the first one and the games are definitely huge investments...I'm talking hundreds of hours.
I'd say I'm roughly 40% through the main story and sitting at 55hrs clocked on Steam. Keep in mind I played the game after finishing the first one which means I'm already very used to the controls and weapon types, meaning I die a lot less than most newcomers. You can confidently watch the story cutscenes and maybe look at some of the bosses in Nioh 1 to get a general idea and then hop into Nioh 2 unless you're like me and you absolutely have to play games in sequence.
In Nioh if you want to min-max theres also a hell of a lot of micromanagement with equipment, items, skill-points and level points. It's honestly a lot more complicated than any Dark Souls game and can probably be very intimidating at the start. I feel like if you're familiar with Monster Hunter and how crazy micromanagement can get in those games then you sort of get the idea of what it's like in Nioh. It doesn't have map design as strong as Dark Souls and its lore is somewhat based on real world events such as the samurai era in Japan. If you've played any Samurai Warriors games you'll probably recognise a lot of the names. Honestly, I like the story in Nioh a lot but I can see why people say it's rather poorly told. I think the second game writes the story much better than the first but still it's not optimal. It's also arguable that Dark Souls doesn't tell its story all that well either, but I feel FromSoft are much stronger at environmental storytelling.
The music in both Nioh games is also great, in my opinion. I'd incentivise you to check them out on YouTube if you have the time. The games aren't weak on the soundtrack/sound design front.
The combat itself I feel is much more challenging and fast-paced than any of the Souls games. It takes a lot of getting used to but it's very rewarding pulling it off. In Souls there is nothing really stopping you from using the same basic weapon and the same basic moves to get through the game. Nioh steps it up much higher because it's pretty much compulsory that you use different types of weapons and stances to get through. Also you can customise your moveset to your liking and you don't need to have a meter like in DS3 which doesn't allow you to use some of the more complicated, flashy moves. Even after playing Nioh 1 and a ton of other Souls-like games (even 2D ones) I still struggled with a lot of bosses in 2. That should really speak volumes about the difficulty of the experience. It was also difficult adjusting to the fact that sometimes it's actually best to block even though I've been running dodge builds since the start of playing Souls. Blocking is very important in Nioh despite the high mobility of the player character.
Another part where Nioh improves over the Souls series I feel is the online play. It's much less convoluted and there are really cool rewards and collectibles you receive from participating in any form of online play.
Great games overall, it's a strong recommendation from me but also a very big investment of time and persistence. You kinda have to know what you're getting into when you want to enjoy these games.
@anoyonmus i'm aware of all of those things but even the series you mentioned are not properly supported on Nintendo systems
As a few others have pointed out, I'm surprised we never got the first two Batman Arkham games, especially as one would have been a Wii U port.
Vanquish would be awesome, said it a few times on here before. Also, seems odd we never got a Street Fighter IV version given how often Capcom recycle.
Also, Far Cry 3 or 4 surely would be possible based on PS3/360 version.
Or Dishonored 1.
Or every game not on switch
What an odd article.
One that will keep aching me is The Tomb Raider. 2013 and 2015 (Rise) should at least be portable considering they both appeared on 360.
Beatemups on Youtube made a great point in regards to why Persona 5 hasn't yet come to Switch. He suggested that as Shin Megami Tensei V has been in development and hyped for so long and a nintendo exclusive, what with it now being the lesser series compared to the spin off (that's my opinion not his), they wouldn't want to release P5 so close as to not negatively affect sales. Thus post SMTV could then have a release of P5, could be an interesting summer fingers crossed.
I'd take a Nier Automata port too...
@Magrane
It is however on Android so that can't be true, unless it's home console exclusivity.
one series i really want on the switch is the yakuza series, i'm unsure if 6, like a dragon, kiwami 2 and judgement + lost judgement would be able to come over due to the dragon engine, but just having 0 and kiwami on the system would be a treat, kamurocho in the palm of your hands would simply be sublime
I would double dip and replay Persona 5 on the Switch. I don't mind getting the vanilla too if its easier to port that one. There isn't a game like Persona on the market and the pacing of the daily life sim would be so much better on handheld play. The execution, writing and story is so brilliant that I think it's set the bar so high for me that I find it hard to enjoy other games because of it. A Megaman Legends revival is also something I am very interested in.
Still waiting for the latest "Soul Calibur" and "Dead or Alive" games...
13 sentinels, its a crime being a PS4 exclusive....
@larryisanassman Little late on the response here, but from what I understand, the SoTN port was funded directly by Sony using PS specific firmware. So its up to Sony whether or not Switch gets a port.
(Also I'm basing this off of something I read quite some time ago, so I'll absolutely eat my words if this ends up being false)
@Desrever Oh damn, never knew that! Always wondered why it didn’t come to Switch when it did PS4, seems a no brainer. Strange that it ended up coming to 360 on XBLA then, wouldn’t have thought Sony would have allowed it especially at that time
Disney. Afternoon. Collection.
Mass Effect 1 & 2 and Fallout 3
@GameOtaku Sure!
Vanquish... remains so underrated. Such a great game. Hoping for an eventual sequel still.
Mega Man.. a new 3D Mega Man or Mega Man RPG are long overdue and would be much appreciated. Mega Man Legends & X Command Mission were underrated.
Persona... having only played 5, I'd like a remaster compilation of 3 & 4 to come to Switch. Also relating to Atlus, I'd like to see the Trauma Centre series return and on Switch.
Final Fantasy... still waiting for the Pixel Remasters to come to Switch and also it's random, but I'd still like to play Crisis Core as I never had a PSP.
... Wun can only hope.
No metal gear rising revengence? pffff
As someone that loves Atlus games and has for many years....Persona 5 isn't worth all the complaining and whining.
If you were that desperate then you could have bought a PS3, 4, or 5! Pretty sure it runs on emulators too!
@Vyacheslav333 wow that’s an amazing amount of choices right there and I agree with all of them would much rather stuff like that than Nights which is good but hasn’t aged well SOtN needs to be on switch what about a castlevania collection with SOtN and Rondo of blood
The original Deus Ex is still not on Nintendo hardware, despite being one of the best immersive sims of all time.
That said, Human Revolution: Director's Cut is on Wii U but there are no other Deus Ex games on Nintendo hardware.
Then again, Deus Ex is historically more of a Windows PC franchise.
I'm really yearning for Dead or Alive on Switch. I'm confounded by the fact that we got Xtreme 3 (a niche Asian exclusive) over the real deal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Xtreme 3 quite a bit (though it suffered from grindy, predatory mechanics that rely on in-game purchases). I was also disappointed by the absence of local multiplayer which could have given the package a little longevity.
And any phallic puns were unintentional. o.O
And as for Mario Kart Arcade, I hope we get a double pack someday. As somebody who has been playing Mario Kart 8 since the Wii U days, I'm hungry for something different. Hell, I'd happily take ports of Mario Kart Wii/Double Dash to scratch the itch until a new game comes along.
How about ONE Call of Duty or Madden on the Switch? It's baffling to this day.
@Pres_Shinra
Pretty sure 13 Sentinels is coming to the Switch.
It's published by Xbox now (not that that would definitely stop it from being released) but Psychonauts and its sequel were both multiplatform games not on the switch (or any Nintendo consoles). I hope they get ported over eventually because they are both amazing. But I can't see it happening now. Maybe if the first game gets a remaster and Microsoft decide to be kind
Games that would make perfect sense on Switch:
Crisis Core: FF7
Persona 5
Kid Icarus 3ds port (yeah it runs on nintendo hardware already, just not current one)
Persona 3,4,5
FF7 Remake, it runs on UE4 it needs to rebuild from scratch to be
able to run on Switch weak hardware.
I wanted megaman legends 3 so bad...
@Deerock69 meanwhile they confirmed it will be released April hahaha
Vanquish, Metal Gear, Mass Effect and Arkham Asylum/City! It’s a crime these are not on Switch!
I would love Symphony of the Night since despite loving the series and finishing basically everything else, I've never gotten around to this. It's a good fit for Switch being an older Metroidvania.
I would also say Yakuza. I loved what I played of them BUT it goes alongside me saying I would love any heavily story/dialogue focused game to be on Switch. There's a damn lot of dialogue in Yakuza from what I experienced and these days when I'm at home playing a game, I want to be PLAYING the game, not reading/listening to dialogue and watching cutscenes.
As an example, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 being on Switch is the only reason I've managed to near finish it. It's such a slog of near constant dialogue and cutscenes that I just couldn't have gotten through it if I wasn't playing it here and there on my work breaks. I would have sold the game if I HAD to play it at home during my downtime because most of my gaming time spent not actually playing the game is frustrating at best.
For me, the most mysterious absence will always be Disney Afternoon Collection. The fact that not only was it not the first thing to come to mind on this list, but also not on it entirely is baffling.
@Pres_Shinra well we got it now!!!
@Varkster doesn't Sony have the rights to Nioh?
@Kimyonaakuma And PC. But yeah l agree
For me, it's VANQUISH. I waited over a year for a port announcement because I was sure it would be making it's way to Switch. Finally downloaded it on my PS5 earlier this year as the 360 was finally removed from the living room... (But the WiiU and by extension the Wii is still sitting pretty under the TV).
Nights Into Dreams isn't a good game, but I'd definitely be interested in the others, especially the Dark Souls sequels.
The final fantasy pixel remasters should have been on Switch, day 1. I think they will eventually end up there, but so far they aren't on Switch.
@Desrever What are the reasons SotN is not on the switch?
The Dark Souls 2 miiverse community would have been absolutely popping off.
The Shenmue 1&2 rerelease comes to mind given that Xbox also got them.
@Chozo from what I understand, the SoTN port was funded directly by Sony using PS specific firmware. So its up to Sony whether or not Switch gets a port.
@dkxcalibur fallout? talk to Microsoft
Inscryption, hex and pony island. Maybe ports from PC would be too hard?
@WhiteTrashGuy I got both Vanquish and Fallout: New Vegas together on PS3 because they launched the same day. Amazing games that need to be on the Switch.
@diwdiws Legacy games are allowed on other systems though. If Bethesda wanted to do Fallout 3 and New Vegas on Switch then they could.
@Xiovanni It's right. But, Nintendo Switch - didn't.
@richardd How about FFXIV: ARR? It was available on PS3 up until 2017. I'm surprised S-E haven't brought it to the Switch yet.
@diwdiws Yeah, I understood who owns the series when I made that comment over two months ago. My thinking back in October was that Microsoft has released it's games on the Switch and has been more lenient on content they own appearing in Nintendo games.
Plus, prior to Bethesda Games being sold to Microsoft, some of it's games were sold on the Switch.
So yeah, I'm still a bit surprised that they didn't try to juice an untapped market for what's left in Fallout 3 & Vegas sales.
Back then I was very intrigued by the prospect of Mario Kart games I never played, but after watching a few videos I understood quickly why they wouldn't bring them to consoles: Because they aren't actually MK. Made by Namco and the feel is completely different.
Although this doesn't entirely meet the requirement of having never been on any Nintendo console, it's always bugged me that Etrian Odyssey games never came to Wii U - the gamepad would have been perfect for it. (And I'm furthermore super disappointed that series has never even come back to Switch either).
I'm guessing that the series is dead at this point...which is just incredibly sad to me.
The devs and publishers are missing an open goal by not putting Symphony of the Night and Persona 5 on the Switch.
I still can't believe Snake Eater exists on 3ds
@anoyonmus Unsure if it's owned by Sony, I played a bit of the first Nioh on PS4 and then quickly snatched it on PC when it came out as a complete edition a year later. Same thing happened with Nioh 2.
I think Sony just has console exclusivity rights to it just like Nintendo with the two recent Monster Hunter releases.
@Varkster maybe. But the game was published by PlayStation in Japan
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