Over the past few years, Switch has become home to a wide variety of ports from other platforms. Games from around the world have made the leap to Nintendo’s hand hybrid, including smaller mobile hits, releases from a few years ago across the console, and more unexpected and recent multi-platform titles. 2020 was no exception, with some fantastic ports coming to the console, including Goliath efforts such as DOOM Eternal and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, excellent overhaul of older games such as Xenoblade Chronicles and the Metro remasters, and sensitive custom adjustments such as Jurassic World Evolution and Hypnospace Outlaw.
For the past few years, we’ve been looking at ports we’d like to see arrive on Switch, and it’s nice to look back at how many have arrived on the console in one form or another. Below we have just collected a few games that we would like to see on Nintendo’s system over the next twelve months. Some of them are remnants of previous years for which we still crossed our fingers and toes, while others are new versions that we think will perfectly compliment the Switch library.
There are still a few remaining Wii U ports that have not yet arrived at Switch (which we have summarized and evaluated elsewhere) Super Mario 3D World arrives in February. We are also very much looking forward to the announced Switch versions of indie classics Spelunky, Spelunky 2 and Braid in 2021.
Let’s take a look at our ten biggest port-based hopes for Switch in 2021, all but one of which will debut on non-Nintendo systems.
Val guys
One of the outbreak hits in 2020, Val guys is a battle generous party platformer that has given players in the slot a social outlet with its collection of chaotically fun mini-games. Our friends at the sister site Push Square loved his brand of colorful multiplayer chaos, and ‘colorful multiplayer chaos’ sure sounds like it’s home on a certain Nintendo console.
What are the chances?
Strong, we would say. After an overwhelmingly successful launch on PC and PS4, developer Mediatonic is catching up while putting out content and expressing errors. Season 3 is live at the time of writing, so provided that the makers and publisher Devolver Digital can find the time to make a strong compilation of the game for other platforms, we can assume that the will exists, even if the way is currently a bit hazy.
A great FIFA game!
Zing! This is now at the point where we’ve had enough of the ‘Legacy Edition’ treatment. If EA is not going to invest in bringing the full FIFA experience to Switch, we really want them not to bother at all.
What are the chances?
Depressingly slim. We have previously looked at the short-sighted chicken-and-egg situation in which EA operated, and despite the support of the Switch elsewhere with releases such as Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered and the coming Apex Legends, it clearly does not care about the comparative pocket change that has to be made from a great Switch port, while FIFA Ultimate Team still attracts millions elsewhere every week.
It seems our best hope is that someone else will fill the void on Switch.
Outer Wilds
Yes, it was on our wish list last year and we are still on Switch for it. Do not be confused with similar names The outer worlds (which done come to Switch in 2020), Outer Wilds is a mysterious space-based open-world (s) FPS that includes a repetitive 22-minute time loop. As lovers of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, we are big fans of time loops and publisher Annapurna Interactive has a good record of games to Switch.
What are the chances?
Like we said last year, Outer Wilds was built in Unity and his stylized art and solitary exploration will work well at Switch. The biggest problem against it is the workload for the small development team Mobius, and 2020 probably did not help in this regard. However, we are still hopeful.
Bugsnax
One of the light-hearted highlights of the year for Playstation owners, Bugsnax is a delightful first-person bug adventure with a surreal (and slightly horrible) edge and a scent of the Pokémon Snaps about it. If nothing else, the catchy theme song by Kero Kero Bonito is worth the price of admission and we’d love to hear it on Switch.
So, are we talking about Bugsnax on Switch?
Can be. Indie studio Young Horses may have signed up with Sony to make Bugsnax an exclusive PS launch, but as far as we know, there is nothing to stop the game from coming to other platforms later. Performance was a bit choppy on PS4, but given the necessary care and attention, a Switch version is well within the possibility.
It’s hard to argue that his colorful creatures will not fit very snugly on Nintendo hardware, right? Nintendo gamers also can not get enough to catch catalogs of cute creatures.
Person 5
There’s a fantastic library of JRPGs on Switch, and Joker’s inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate led us to believe Person 5 on Switch was merely a formality – perhaps a release of Persona 5 Royal with extra content? But no, next April is the fourth anniversary of the game in the West and Persona 5 is still not available on a Nintendo system.
Yes, yes, we get Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, a Musou crossing (and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity very well turned out), but it is no substitute for the dripping style of the original. Come on, Atlus!
What are the chances?
10%? Error …, 90%? It feels like a non-decisive issue, but we stopped questioning Atlus and parent company Sega about things like ‘logic’. Remember, Persona 5 came out on PlayStation 3, so Switch could handle P5 just fine. Not to put out a Switch port, it feels like Sega is just putting a big fat cash on the table.
Speaking of Sega …