Though highly anticipated and so far incredibly successful, the launch of theNintendo Switch 2has been relatively quiet regarding its offering of exclusives. Thewell-receivedMario Kart Worldis the system’s standout title so far, with the only other brand-new exclusive beingNintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a collection of micro-games serving as an in-depth tech demo.
Every other exclusive is simply an upgraded version of a Switch exclusive, such asThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom’spremium Switch 2 Editions, or the free upgrades toPokémon Scarlet and Violet. This mix of new and returning exclusives muddies the water a bit when looking forward, butthere is a pretty exciting lineup of Nintendo Switch 2 exclusivesset to release throughout 2025, into next year, and potentially beyond.
10Donkey Kong Bananza
August 03, 2025
Donkey Kong Bananzais the next Switch 2 exclusive on the docket for this year, releasing on August 06, 2025. It feels like the kind of game that would have been perfect as a launch title, beingDK’s first new 3D game sinceDonkey Kong 64all the way back in 1999, and a potentially great showcase of the new console’s potential. A little more than a month removed fromMario Kart World, though,Bananzamight have more sales success.
DK and Paulinetake an odyssey through various underground realms, all of which are almost entirely destructible.You can smash your way through nearly every surfaceto find the coveted Banandium Gems while on a mission to stop VoidCo. from reaching the planet’s core.
9Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
July 27, 2025
Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV: Nintendo Switch 2 Editionis the next exclusive upgrade, and the first to demonstrate Nintendo’s ludicrous naming conventions for such games.Jamboreewas already widely celebrated after its launch on the Switch in October 2024, butJamboree TVwill crucially include new content which takes advantage of the Switch 2’s new functions and accessories.
New modes and mini-games will utilize the Switch 2’s mouse controls, the console’s microphone, and the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, a peripheral that’s sold separately. The Switch 2 Edition, dropping on July 24, will bring a host of performance improvements toJamboreeas well, including better textures and a higher frame rate.
8Drag x Drive
July 06, 2025
Drag x Drivefeels like the Switch 2 equivalent ofArms, a proof-of-concept game that’s likely to remain relatively niche.Drag x Driveis a 3v3 wheelchair basketball game that takes advantage of the Switch 2’s mouse controls– you slide your Joy-Cons as if you were turning the wheels of a wheelchair. It’s set to release on August 14 and may help bridge the gap between more traditional Switch 2 exclusives.
Mouse controls on the Switch 2 have had a positive reception so far, but they’ve largely been used in more traditional ways: strategy games likeCivilization 7and for first-person aiming inCyberpunk 2077.Drag x Drivewill be a real test of the technology, asearly previews have mentioned the game can be exhausting. It’s excellent for representation and drawing more attention to the sport of wheelchair basketball, but it’s also catching a lot of flak for its comparatively bland art style.
7Kirby And The Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
July 15, 2025
Although it’s another upgrade to a Switch game,Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World: Nintendo Switch 2 Editionis a mouthful— I mean, a more compelling re-release thanJamboree.Star-Crossed Worldis a brand-new story expansionfor the Pink Puffball’s latest mainline adventure. Its upgrade price of $20 is perhaps indicative of how much new content there will be.
The upgrade price is for those who ownForgotten Landon the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition alone is $80, adopting Nintendo’s new controversial price point for its most premium games.
InStar-Crossed World, a meteor has struck the world, and Kirby is the one to investigate. Very little information has been revealed, butit will more than likely follow theForgotten Landbase game in its structure, with new Mouthful Modes promised for the expansion. FollowingDrag x Driveon August 28, Kirby’s debut on the Switch 2 will come with improved performance as well.
6Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
August 01, 2025
Seeing howPokémon Scarlet and Violetwere fixedon Nintendo’s new console,the Switch 2 Edition ofPokémon Legends: Z-Ais likely to be the definitive way to playthe new monster-catching RPG. Developer Game Freak has struggled to bringPokémonup to par visually with other modern 3D games, andZ-Adoesn’t make any great strides, but it at least has a novel concept.
Z-Awill take place entirely within the Kalos region’s Lumiose Cityduring a restoration initiative to make the urban environment better accommodate human and Pokémon cohabitation. Scheduled for October 16, it carries over some of the celebrated battle mechanics fromPokémon Legends: Arceus, while introducing some new wrinkles, like the player being required to dodge incoming attacks.
5Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment
Late 2025
Age of Imprisonmentis the thirdHyrule Warriorsgame,a musou spin-off series developed by Koei Tecmo. In the same wayAge of Calamitywas a non-canonical prequel toBreath of the Wild,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonmentwill take place beforeTears of the Kingdom’s main timeline, depicting the events of the Imprisoning War. With a release window of late 2025, it marks the beginning of a slate of upcoming Switch 2 exclusives that don’t have a concrete release date yet.
This Imprisoning War is a separate conflict from the identically named Imprisoning War that takes place betweenOcarina of TimeandA Link to the Pastin theZeldaseries' Fallen Hero Timeline branch.
The Imprisoning War was partly depicted inTOTK’s Dragon Tear memories; it’s the saga of Ganondorf’s imprisonment underneath Hyrule Castle, where he remained for untold millennia until the seal is broken inTOTK’s prologue.You’ll be able to play as Zelda, Rauru, and, presumably, the other Sagesin massive, hack-and-slash battles agains Ganondorf’s minions.
4Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
2025
The wait forMetroid Prime 4: Beyondnever seems to end, but it’s still set for release sometime in 2025.Metroid Prime 3: Corruptionwas released all the way back in 2007, andPrime 4has been in turbulent development for many years, having initially been announced in 2017. WithMetroid DreadandMetroid Prime Remasteredlanding on the Switch, though, the series is making a bit of a comeback, andPrime 4is shaping up nicely.
Beyondwill also release on the original Switch, but its Switch 2 version appears to have significant differences in its controls and performance.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyondsees Samus on the new planet Viewros, and will bring a subplot involving rival bounty hunter Sylux to the forefront. The game will be playable with the Switch 2’s mouse controls, but the real highlight isSamus' new psychic powers, which let her manipulate objects from a distance and solve various puzzles.
3Kirby Air Riders
Kirby is having a big year on the Nintendo Switch 2, withKirby Air Ridersalso coming to the system before the end of the year. A legacy sequel to 2003’sKirby Air Ride,Air Ridersis an action racing game. Its announcement trailer reveals very little, but if it’s anything like its predecessor,Air Riderswill be very straightforward to play, but complicated to master at its break-neck speeds.
Kirby Air Riderswill be the first gamedirected by legendary series creator Masahiro Sakuraisince 2018’sSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. Rumor has it,Air Riderswas Sakurai’s condition for agreeing todevelop a newSmash Bros.title.Kirby Air Ridersdoes not yet have a narrower release window than 2025.
2The Duskbloods
2026
WithThe Duskbloods, we’ve moved on to Switch 2 exclusives that are coming in 2026 or later. Developed by FromSoftware, the studio behindDark SoulsandElden Ring,The Duskbloodswas one of the more pleasant surprises from the big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in April. FromSoftware has become one of the industry’s most reliable development houses, butThe Duskbloodsis already raising eyebrows.
The game is unexpectedly a PvPvE multiplayer experience, set to feature many hallmarks of the extraction genre, which is itself rather divisive. Following this year’sElden Ring Nightreign, a co-op roguelite spin-off,The Duskbloodscontinues a notable trend of FromSoftware focusing heavily on multiplayer. Details are scarce onThe Duskbloods, but it’s caught a lot of eyes for its thematicsimilarities to the belovedBloodborne.
1Splatoon Raiders
TBA
Splatoon Raidersis the only announced Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive to not have any sort of release window. It wasannounced alongside aSplatoon 3update, with the promise of more information at some point in the future. It stars Deep Cut, the music trio ofSplatoon 3, and a character known only as a mechanic.It’s the first-everSplatoonspin-off, and appears to be primarily a single-player adventure.
Deep Cut and the mechanic are stranded on the Spirhalite Islands after their helicopter crashes, and the mechanic is briefly shown as the player character, accompanied by a robotic companion. The best guesses pegSplatoon Raidersas a third-person shooter (using the series' trademark mechanics) with survival and crafting elements, as Deep Cut is seen setting up a hub craft of sorts.Splatoon Raiderswill come exclusively to theNintendo Switch 2likely no sooner than next year.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the successor to Nintendo Switch, scheduled for release in 2025. Confirmed as backwards compatible, it will play both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. A full reveal is pencilled in for August 03, 2025.
