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Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand...
Yes, Halloween is less than a month away, which means publishers are racing to get their spooky games onto consoles amidst the dozens of big-name titles stacking up before the Thanksgiving rush. GTA is the biggest of big names coming soon to other platforms, although in Nintendo land it's Ocarina of Time that has us most excited for the post-Halloween period.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though; October brings a brand-new Castlevania, plus the first Call of Duty game ever on a Switch, plus all the Kingdom Hearts, plus another Capcom game, plus a Final Fantasy, plus...
Lots to play, then. Below, we've highlighted the most exciting Switch 2 (and 1) games coming in the next couple of months. You'll find more great games beneath our top picks, as well as a bunch of accessories.
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New Switch 1 & 2 Games for September & October 2026
Kingdom Hearts Collection I-III - October 8th (Switch 2)
Hopefully these will wash away the memory of the ghastly cloud versions which came to Switch 1. The first game in this collection (which are all available separately) is also available on that console if you're not aboard the Switch 2 train.
As you've come to expect from Square Enix, this is a Game-Key Card.
Platform-exclusive Keyblade "Long Night" with purchase!
A value‑packed bundle featuring three collections: KINGDOM HEARTS -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX-, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and KINGDOM HEARTS III + Re Mind (DLC).
Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen - October 9th (Switch 2)
Enhancing the original game while also adding some new content, Capcom appended the same subtitle to this sequel as it did the original game. Obviously they're not too worried about SEO these days.
Also, Game-Key Card alert! (At this point, it would probably be easier to say when it's not a GKC, such is their ubiquity, but it's always worth making crystal clear.)
Dragon's Dogma 2 presented players with a deep, explorable fantasy world, challenging them to choose their own experience – from the appearance of their Arisen, their vocation, their party, how to approach different situations and more.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse - October 15th (Switch 1)
Konami's tapped the developers behind the exquisite Dead Cells to bring this latest entry in the 2D Castlevania lineage to fruition, and we're got everything crossed that it'll live up to our expectations.
This one's a Game-K—hang on, it's Switch 1 only! Praise be for physical that's proper physical.
Medieval Paris, Where the Tolling Bells Herald the End
1499. Paris is engulfed in flames as monstrous creatures suddenly emerge from the shadows.
Trevor Belmont, the hero who defeated Dracula, ventures into the burning streets with his daughter, Rose Belmont. Armed with the legendary holy whip, the Vampire Killer, they hunt down the beasts bleeding from the looming castle.
Final Fantasy Resonance - October 22nd (Switch 1 & 2)
This is the first Final Fantasy to get the HD-2D treatment and has its roots in a mobile gacha game, Brave Exvius, which shut down a couple of years ago.
Square Enix has assured everyone that those gacha elements have been stripped out, so we're hopeful for a full-fat FF and a pleasantly substantial experience. Because we don't have enough of them right now.
And yes, it's another Game-Key Card.
Return to the pixel‑art world of FINAL FANTASY, evolved from its classic roots. Travel with companions bound by fate and call on Visions to aid you in battle to uncover the truth behind a force that threatens to bring everything to ruin.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort - 22nd October (Switch 2)
The Switch 2 follow-up to not-Wii-Sports-but-Wii Sports, this one packs a dozen sports into a holiday package that sees you return to Wuhu Island of Wii Sports Resort and Wii Fit fame. We could do with a stay at a luxury resort, so fingers crossed this delivers.
This sporting retreat is home to all sorts of unique activities you can participate in! Explore the island and hunt for photo spots in Leisure Sports like Prop Plane or Skateboarding, or get competitive in everything from Boxing and Archery to Bowling and Thumb Wrestling!
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 - October 23rd (Switch 2)
Returning to Nintendo platforms after skipping Switch 1 entirely, it's thrilling to be getting this day and date with other platforms. Fingers crossed that the Switch 2 version has gotten the appropriate care and attention. Nobody wants a misfire. Cross-play, cross-progression, and Mouse Mode options are all good signs.
Speaking of misfires, this one's not even getting a Game-Key Card; it's a Code in a box with an estimated initial download size of 84.9 GB.
The latest installment pushes the series into darker and more dangerous missions, where consequence and escalation bring long-running storylines to a powerful and emotional breaking point. The Campaign will have players becoming members of a young squad of South Korean soldiers as they fight to survive on the collapsing front lines, while half a world away a vengeful Captain Price wages a personal war from the shadows as he stays one step ahead of those hunting him. As Price’s off-book mission collides with the forces behind the invasion, the war spreads beyond anyone’s control.
Minecraft - October 27th (Switch 2)
Minecraft Dungeons 2 is coming at the end of September, but less than a month later Mojang's finally bringing the big guns to Switch 2 with a bespoke port that comes with the previously released Nintendo-exclusive Super Mario additions.
This one's a Game-Key Card, too.
The much-loved Super Mario Mash-Up pack is also getting an update, to get the most out of those Vibrant Visuals graphics. As a reminder, the Super Mario Mash-Up pack is exclusive to the Nintendo versions of Minecraft, bringing with it a custom Mario-themed world, music, and unique skins. Explore iconic locations like Peach’s castle and Delfino Plaza within Minecraft. Worlds collide!
For those of you who already own Minecraft on Nintendo Switch, a digital upgrade path will be available for Nintendo Switch players. More details to follow.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - November 5th (Switch 2)
Obscure little indie from a little-known studio. You play as the eponymous Zelda, an elf trying to find his squashed flute.
The evil Ganondorf is scheming to steal the mythical Triforce from the Sacred Realm and take over the world. Now Link must become the hero of time and save the kingdom in this classic tale, built from the ground up for the Nintendo Switch 2 system.