5 Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusives That Justify the Upgrade
Randy Rhodes' first gaming memory is Kirby's Adventure on the NES, and his love for gaming only rose from there. Playing games eventually wasn't enough for him. He began following the industry closely. In 2024, he finally started putting that to use by launching the Project Untitled Gaming Podcast and later the Dual-Wield Gaming Podcast. Covering the news week to week turned out to be something he loved, but a weekly show only has so much room in it, and writing was already something he wanted to do more of.
Randy has written for Lords of Gaming since March 2025 and already has over 200 articles published to show for it. His coverage centers on Nintendo, Xbox, and indies, and runs across news, reviews, previews, and editorial. He enjoys writing about and critiquing the games that he's played, but analyzing the industry brings just as much enjoyment for him. He tends to write editorials that try to dig deeper into the news instead of just restating it.
Randy reviews and previews games broadly across all genres. He has a soft spot for co-op games, 3D platformers, and the majority of Nintendo's first-party output, but he also adores cozy and niche titles that don't always get a serious look: visual novels, farming sims, life sims, etc. He's always looking for up-and-coming indie games worth writing about.
Outside of games, Randy is into DnD, cooking, music and music production, which inspired one of his favorite pieces to write: 50 Songs Leveled Up By Video Game Samples. He also cares about Black representation in games and in the industry behind them, and he's always looking for opportunities to cover it.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is still the fastest-selling console of all time and there's good reason for it. Outside the excellent hardware capabilities compared to the original, Nintendo has been firing on all cylinders, releasing hot first-party titles you can only play on the hybrid console successor. Even without brand-new mainline entries in Nintendo's staple franchises such as Mario, Zelda, Super Smash Bros., and Pokémon, they've still managed to deliver a smorgasbord of quality titles that make the new console enticing.
Nintendo games have always been standouts in the industry, but their cadence of new releases with the Switch 2 is honestly remarkable. There has been a new Nintendo title released almost every month since its launch, and Nintendo has been dominating so far with primarily the second-string lineup. On top of that, Grand Theft Auto VI won't be debuting on the powerful handheld at launch, yet the Switch 2 has still managed to outdo the competition. Here are five Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives that are strong enough to make it worth the jump to the new hybrid system, counting down to the absolute best.
5. Kirby Air Riders
Most people would expect Mario Kart World to take up this spot, and it's a great game that's worth picking up on the Nintendo Switch 2. But Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still the best kart racer ever made and available on the original Switch. However, there is no game like Kirby Air Riders, which makes it a more compelling choice.
The original Kirby Air Ride was generally misunderstood on the GameCube as another Mario Kart clone, but it was much more than that. Kirby Air Riders is fundamentally the same game, just refined, expanded, and online-capable, but now Masahiro Sakurai's vision has been vindicated. Although there's racing in Air Riders, it's not the main event; the City Trial is. This chaotic 16-player free-for-all is closer to Super Smash Bros. than it is to Mario Kart and every match is a completely fresh experience.
The single-player focused Road Trip is a great time-sink for players who aren't ready for a competitive experience. The game isn't as accessible as Mario Kart and has a steep learning curve that may alienate players who don't stick with it. However, those that do will find something truly unlike anything else out there.
4. Splatoon Raiders
The Splatoon franchise is Nintendo's freshest blockbuster IP and its Nintendo Switch 2 debut shakes up the franchise by dropping the competitive PvP nature of the series for a PvE experience. In Splatoon Raiders, you play as The Mechanic with the musical trio Deep Cut backing you on a treasure-hunting adventure across the Spirhalite Islands. This excellent co-op looter shooter (or splatter) proved that the franchise has high potential for different takes outside the winning formula.
Mainline Splatoon games have always featured single-player campaigns, and they've been treated as light, fun warm-ups before you dive online. Raiders flips expectations and delivers the most robust single-player experience in the franchise. You go out on raids looking for salvage and treasure, fighting off hordes of Salmonids with unique weapons and abilities. Your arsenal is deeply configurable with over 100 weapons that pair with gadgets, ink tank abilities, and relics to offer thousands of options to craft your perfect playstyle.
The relaxing base management provides a respite before the next raid and rounds out one of the biggest surprises of the year. Splatoon Raiders is a superb PvE shooter that can definitely scratch the itch for Nintendo fans who are disappointed that Borderlands 4 still hasn't made its way on to the Switch 2. Splatoon has always been a solid franchise, but Raiders managed to exceed expectations, making it a no-brainer for your Nintendo Switch 2 library.
3. Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon during the Switch generation was a mixed bag where Game Freak was more ambitious than ever, but failed at every turn to make a technically passable product. Pokémon Pokopia was a necessary reset button that helped wipe away some of the negativity surrounding the franchise. Co-developed with Koei Tecmo's Omega Force (the team behind Dragon Quest Builders), this deep, crafty social simulator is the most transformative Pokémon experience in over a decade.
In Pokémon Pokopia, you play as a Ditto, transformed to mimic your human trainer, who finds themselves on a post-apocalyptic island with no humans. Hundreds of Pokémon wake alongside you, none of them remembering what happened to the world. Together you rebuild the region piece by piece, catering to each Pokémon's needs while making the land habitable for the humans who might one day return. The Minecraft-like building systems provide you with the tools to make their towns even better than before, if you have the creativity for it.
Pokopia makes the "Gotta catch 'em all" slogan into something that adds mechanical depth as each Pokémon serves a purpose, from helping you build to finding important items and materials. The most charming part of the game is being able to really see each Pokémon's personality like never before. Befriending Pokémon as another Pokémon shows off a new side of your favorites you could never see as a trainer. Pokémon Pokopia wholeheartedly succeeds in making you fall in love with Pokémon all over again.
2. Donkey Kong Bananza
A lot of Nintendo fans are impatiently waiting for the next big 3D Mario game to succeed the 2017 masterpiece, Super Mario Odyssey. There's no need to wait, however, because the same team behind the 3D Mario gems have already dropped an amazing 3D platformer that can stand alongside Odyssey in quality. The only thing is that it's not a Mario game. Donkey Kong Bananza launched a little over a month into the Switch 2's life cycle and was the first post-launch system seller that solidified the console's dominance.
Destruction is the selling point more than platforming, which Bananza does an excellent job at as well. Nearly every surface in each sandbox hub-world can be smashed, tunneled through, or reshaped, and the game is designed around this freedom. It's a mechanic that hasn't been pulled off in a similar fashion since Red Faction: Guerrilla in 2009, and it's amazing how well the slim handheld handles the demand.
The dialogue and heartwarming relationship between Donkey Kong and Young Pauline, who have been depicted as enemies since the duo's debut in 1981, provides a special narrative hook that most 3D Mario games don't carry. You also shouldn't sleep on the banging soundtrack that may be the best the team has ever produced. Although it has a lot of differences from the plumber's big adventures, the quality, expansiveness, and creativity cannot be mistaken. Donkey Kong Bananza is the premier Nintendo Switch 2 3D platformer and a must-play.
1. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is the latest Switch 2 exclusive, but it's already the most ambitious first-party Nintendo title of the generation so far. The GOAT strategy RPG franchise returns with ties to a fan-favorite entry, Three Houses, providing a similar content-rich experience. With a unique time-traveling premise that takes you on a journey across four playable campaigns starring four unique heroes, Fortune's Weave is the must-have title that easily justifies the upgrade.
The narrative kicks off with a twist: you enter the story five years after the Heroic Games and the fall of the Dagdan Empire. The four heroes, Cai, Leda, Dietrich, and Theodora, who are integral to defeating the revived demon god Balor, have already perished and fallen under his control. The goddess of causality, Fortuna, grants you the power to go back in time and save these four heroes who will fight alongside your customizable character, Eshmel, and save the world.
Fire Emblem's tried and true grid-based gameplay is here in full force and the upgraded animation and visual quality makes it feel better than ever. The gorgeous character designs and epic soundtrack are best in class as well. Intelligent Systems added a nice shake-up to the gameplay experience: classic turn-based battles and third-person dungeon crawling. These new additions add some extra variety to the already packed formula, which includes the staple social and party management elements. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more expansive or ambitious Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, and that's why it tops the list.
Nintendo's Best Is Yet to Come
What makes this list even more intriguing is what's missing. No 3D Mario, no mainline Zelda, no new Super Smash Bros., and no mainline Pokémon RPG. Yet Nintendo somehow managed to move console units faster than anyone in history with nothing but bench players. And there are still many more Nintendo Switch 2 exclusives to be excited about: Ocarina of Time remake, Metroid Ravenous, Kirby and the World Beyond, and likely to be among the biggest games of 2027, Pokémon Winds & Waves. If these five games justify upgrading to the Switch 2 alone, it will be impossible to argue against it by the end of next year.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.