Last spring when the Nintendo Switch launched, the games available on day one were limited and the availability of the system itself was less than stellar; however, 10 months later, this happened:
Within 10 months, #NintendoSwitch has become the
fastest-selling video game system of all time in the US! pic.twitter.com/raWOMWTVBeWithin 10 months, #NintendoSwitch has become the
fastest-selling video game system of all time in the US! pic.twitter.com/raWOMWTVBe— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 4, 2018January 4, 2018
A big reason the Nintendo Switch had such a stellar 2017 is that it really knocked it out of the park with both Nintendo and third-party game titles.
The good news is Nintendo looks primed to make 2018 an even better year by releasing some fantastic-looking games. Here are 10 Nintendo Switch games we're excited to see in 2018!
- Lost Sphear
- Kirby Star Allies
- Mario Tennis Aces
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
- No More Heroes: Travis Strikes Again
- Yoshi (working title)
- Fire Emblem (working title)
- Metroid Prime 4
- Dragon Quest XI
- Untitled Pokémon RPG
Lost Sphear
Any JRPG fan will likely be beyond excited for Lost Sphear, as it's being developed by Tokyo RPG Factory, the studio behind the fantastic I Am Setsuna.
The gameplay, graphics, and soundtrack featured in the gameplay trailer above are all amazing and I can't wait to tear into another world that Tokyo RPG Factory has created.
It also launches incredibly soon! You'll be able to play Lost Sphear late January 2018!
Kirby Star Allies
Everyone's favorite pink and rotund protagonist is making his first appearance on the Nintendo Switch in the platformer Kirby Star Allies!
Like many of the classic Kirby games of the past, you'll control Kirby through a series of side-scrolling levels and will be tasked with absorbing powers of the enemies around you by swallowing them whole. What's new is the ability to charm enemies into helping you out and becoming your companions, which not only unlocks special moves but can also be controlled by other players.
It's been a while since we have seen a Kirby game hit a home console and I'm excited to grab a couple friends and take this game for a spin. Kirby Star Allies is set to be released on March 16, 2018.
Mario Tennis Aces
The original Mario Tennis on the N64 (I don't count the Virtual Boy game) was one of my favorite games when I was growing up. The fast-paced tennis gameplay mixed with my favorite characters was an absolute delight to play — even if it caused fights between my brother and me. Since then, Mario has appeared in several tennis games and finally, we are getting one for the Switch.
Mario Tennis Aces looks to have everything you love: a large cast of playable characters, fast-paced rallies, and plenty of funky special mechanics to boot.
There's no official release date for Mario Tennis Aces as of yet; however, Nintendo did say spring of 2018.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Yet another classic Nintendo character is finally making his debut on the Switch, as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze launches for the console on May 5th, 2018.
Of course, this is an updated version of the original, which launched for the Wii U back in 2014, but the port will have a few Switch-exclusive features. The notoriously difficult gameplay of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will be back, but Nintendo is adding a "beginner-friendly mode," so new players can settle in more quickly, and Funky Kong will be a playable character in the Switch port and will be able to use some of his sweet surfing moves.
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
It's been eight years since we last saw Travis Touchdown — the world's top assassin — and some time in 2018, he will be on the Switch, no doubt causing mayhem and destruction wherever he goes.
Not a ton is known about Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes, but since both other No More Heroes games were tremendous successes, I'm really excited to dive into that world again. Plus, there's a lot of beam katana action. How can you not be hyped?
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Yoshi (working title)
Announced at E3 last year, the side-scrolling platform game Yoshi (working title) is set to debut sometime in 2018.
Kind of like Paper Mario, a mechanic in the new Yoshi game will allow the player to view the game from two opposite camera angles, allowing the players to "flip sides" to see behind the stage. There will also be a two-player mode that has each player control their own Yoshi character, which could be pretty sweet.
I'm excited to see Yoshi eat enemies, lay eggs, and throw them at enemies in classic Yoshi fashion.
Fire Emblem (working title)
A proper Fire Emblem game for the Nintendo Switch is in the works, and I could not be more excited.
The strategy RPG series is one of my personal favorites and it's been far too long since we have had a console version grace our TVs. With very little information on details, other than the game should be launching this year, I can only speculate whether or not the game will feature all brand new characters.
In any case, I'm happy to see the series coming to the Nintendo Switch and I'm eagerly awaiting when we will know more.
Metroid Prime 4
Fans have been clamoring for another installment in the Metroid Prime series since Metroid Prime 3 came out for the Wii over 10 years ago, and Samus Aran is hopping onto the Nintendo Switch in Metroid Prime 4.
As of right now, there's not much we know about Metroid Prime 4 and the only promotion has been the 2017 E3 teaser trailer (shown above). We aren't even really sure if the game will be out in 2018, but I'm hopeful we will at least see more of the planned title sometime this year.
Dragon Quest XI
The Nintendo Switch has been a great system for RPG lovers and with the promise of Dragon Quest XI coming to the Switch later this year, I'm beyond excited to see this game on Nintendo's newest hardware.
Dragon Quest XI was released in late 2017 in Japan, but has yet to make it over to other parts of the world. Square Enix plans on releasing a Nintendo Switch port of the game in 2018, but we're not exactly sure when that will happen.
I have spent some time watching some gameplay on YouTube fro the Japanese version, and it really does seem like it will have everything you want from a modern RPG.
Untitled Pokémon RPG
Of course, this game was going to make the list; I'm only human!
Very little is know about this game, but that hasn't stopped fans from drolling over the possibilities of what it could be. A true Pokémon RPG isn't somethign we have seen on a Nintendo console yet. Here's hoping it can live up to expectations.
Which games are you excited about?
With a whole year ahead of us, and more games than I could possible mention in one article, I want to know what has you the most excited? Let me know what Nintendo Switch games you're looking forward too in 2018 and beyond!
