While the Switch’s sophomore year of 2018 wasn’t exactly filled to the brim with new releases (save for that 1-2 punch of Pokémon and Smash that literally broke every bone in my body and my wallet), 2019 is setting out to remedy that situation. Nintendo is gearing up for a packed year, filled with tons of exclusive first and third party releases for the Switch. And while 2019 is sure to be a great year for the system, 2020 has absolutely no new titles announced for the system as of yet. So in this article, we’re going to be recounting the biggest titles we have announced for 2019, along with speculating on a few new titles that we might end up seeing in 2020. Whether it be games about really mean geese or games that may or may not exist at all, we have 15 Nintendo Switch games coming in 2019, along with 10 that fans have predicted for 2020. Make sure to sound off on what games you’d like to see come to the system, and without any further ado, let’s get into the list!
25 Likely 2020: Rune Factory 5
Barring some sort of delay, Rune Factory 5 seems to be on the way to Nintendo Switch next year. While the series’ fourth entry is receiving a remaster for the console this year, fans will be getting the next game in 2020.
The game’s landing page currently has about 4 words on it right now, with 2020 being 25% of those.
While we don’t know much about the title, we know former Rune Factory developers are working on the game, so fans are surely excited for any new information.
24 2019: Pokémon Sword And Shield
Hi, I’m that one guy who will find a way to force Pokémon into literally every conversation I ever have, and the upcoming release of Pokémon Shield and Sword make that just a bit easier. Coming to us at a TBA time this year, Shield and Sword will have us traveling to the Galar with our partner Pokémon, Grookey or Sobble (and not Scorbunny). This will be the first completely new Pokémon adventure since 2016’s Sun and Moon, so fans are anxiously awaiting more news about the upcoming titles.
23 2019: Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game deserves a Grammy, an Oscar, and literally any other award you can throw at it because this game is absolute genius. You are a horrible goose and you need to cause as many problems as possible for all the villagers you live with.
This is perfect and I will spend so much money on this concept.
Untitled Goose Game has received quite a few delays but is supposedly still on track for a 2019 release. Hopefully this one ends up in the hands of fans sooner rather than later, and hopefully never changes its name.
22 Likely 2020: SNES Titles
Or maybe never? Who knows? It’s honestly kind of ridiculous that we haven’t gotten SNES titles on the Switch yet.
I mean I guess we should be grateful they’re spoon feeding us two NES titles every month?
And weird save state versions of games that have everything unlocked? Either way, with Nintendo hoping to bolster their online service’s appeal, this would certainly do the trick.
21 2019: Daemon X Machina
Daemon X Machina, Nintendo’s surprise E3 2018 opener, is on course for a 2019 release. This is one that no one saw coming and has received a fair bit of interest from Nintendo fans. The developers certainly want to make sure they get the game right, as they recently released a demo with the option for players to send their feedback on what they thought of the title. It seems as if this game will be positioned as a late holiday release, as developers are still hard at work with the title.
20 2019: Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat 11 made for a huge surprise at the 2018 Game Awards ceremony, and with its reveal came another big surprise, the game is coming to all modern consoles! Considering Nintendo’s history, and/or, lack of history with the series, this was a huge shock for gamers. It will be interesting to see what will need to be sacrificed to get the game on the system. Maybe it will be all the blood and gore because Sony and Microsoft do what Nintendon’t.
19 Likely 2020: Pikmin 4
Pikmin 4 has been done for like, ever? Miyamoto stated in 2015 that the fourth entry of the franchise was very near completion?
Ok literally? Prove it.
Because I see it nowhere and it has been four years. In 2017 he gave an update that the game is still progressing. Why does that seem even further away? So while we haven’t heard from this game in quite a while, she’ll have to show up sooner or later here. I think we’ll all gladly take Pikmin 3 on Switch while we’re waiting!
18 2019: Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the newest installment in the Castlevania series. I mean it isn’t but it basically is. The Metroidvania title is coming to Switch this year, with a huge amount of support behind it. With the actual Castlevania series laying dormant in where franchises go to perish Konami’s headquarters, it makes sense that this title is the second highest earning Kickstarter video game of all time. The 2.5D title is launching on the Nintendo Switch sometime this year.
17 2019: Team Sonic Racing
The fastest creature in the world is heading to the Switch in a car for some reason this year! This game was delayed into 2019 from an originally slated 2018 launch, so hopefully, this will be one of the Sonic titles that isn’t on the “eh to ew no” range of the quality scale. Since the game actually features a full campaign along with its multiplayer, it seems as if the title is at the very least ambitious! With the game eyeing a May release, we don’t have too long of a wait to get our hands on the racing game.
16 Likely 2020: A Pokémon Title
During the Pokémon Direct for Shield and Sword, the company promised more news for Pokémon coming soon, and thus, another new title is likely on the way. This could be a few different things. It could be the generation 4 remakes fans won’t shut up about (I’m not not one of them), or a third version of Shield and Sword. It could also be one of their spinoff games such as (definitely not) Ranger or Mystery Dungeon. No matter which it ends up being, Pokémon games sell, and Nintendo knows that, so we will see something sooner than later.
15 2019: Yoshi’s Crafted World
At the end of March, we’ll be receiving Yoshi’s Stupidly Cute Crafted World on Nintendo Switch. That is the full title. In the platformer, after completing a level, you can flip around and go back through to find collectibles! This game originally showed up at E3 2017 with an expected launch date of 2018, before being pushed to this year.
Hopefully, that extra development time was put toward making the game cuter, because I need that aspect dialed up to 10,000%.
With the release date nearing, we’ll soon see what this unique platformer has to offer.
14 2019: Astral Chain
Astral Chain, from PlatinumGames, is making its way to Switch in August of 2019. In the game, you fight as a police officer/robot task force duo?
That was more of a question than a statement because we have very vague info on this action title.
While the gameplay seems very straight forward, the plot seems like it has a lot of twists and turns for us to uncover as we progress. Questions of whether the villains or the protagonists were the true evil were raised in literally the first minute of this game’s reveal, so we’re in for quite a doozy.
13 Likely 2020: Metroid Prime Trilogy
I’m literally exhausted from having to talk about this game so much. I mean, look, the Metroid Prime Trilogy is coming to Switch, it already exists! The only development they would have to do is change the game’s control schemes to match the Switch, which they already have ready for the mythical fourth entry in the series. There’s just no reason not to bring this title over from the Wii with some pretty graphical enhancements.
12 2019: Luigi’s Mansion 3
The spooks will be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019. Luigi is being sent back to help his ungrateful brother in another installment in the Luigi’s Mansion franchise. Hopefully, this game retains the best aspects of the previous two titles, such as the portrait ghosts, while cutting the fat and adding new elements.
I mean, he’s got a plunger launcher this time around, so our boy is armed to the max.
Hopefully, he just doesn’t meet the same fate he did in a certain Smash Ultimate trailer.
11 2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019, and with it comes several hundred more reps for Sakurai to add to Smash. The hotly anticipated title is the first true Fire Emblem title to hit the console and seems ready to up the quality to the max in this installment. Visually, gameplay-wise, and story-wise Three Houses looks like it is ready to deliver when we get the game on July 26th of this year.
10 Likely 2020: Bayonetta 3
Witch Lady that makes Smash players angry is getting a third go around on Nintendo Switch. Bayonetta 3 was announced as a Switch exclusive at the 2017 Game Awards, and we haven’t heard anything since. We got a port of the first two titles to the Switch early last year, and all we know is that 3 is currently in development. With how excellent the first two titles were, hopefully, we see some sort of a trailer soon!
9 2019: The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is receiving a beautiful 3D remake for Switch this year. The Game Boy title is one of Link’s less talked about adventures, which is a crime! It is full of great design and is bursting with charm!
Who doesn’t want to go on an adventure where the shopkeeper will electrocute you and change your save file name to thief if you steal?
Zelda is out here teaching us life lessons! Considering how packed this year is starting to look, let’s hope we get this game at a quiet time so we can immerse ourselves in Koholint Island.
8 Likely 2020: Star Fox Grand Prix
The game that has been thrown around by every single industry insider, Star Fox Grand Prix, is likely on the way in 2020, if it even exists at all.
While I’ve heard literally no one at all express any interest in this title, everyone agrees that it is in development, likely at Retro Studios.
As they’ve recently been moved to Metroid Prime 4 development, this game is now probably being worked on by a small team, if at all. All I really want to do is see Slippy Toad send Wolf careening off of Rainbow Road, so this will likely give me something close to that experience.
7 2019: Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing is coming to Switch in 2019 and that is literally the only knowledge that any of us have on this game.
Oh, and Tom Nook is in it, likely to rob you as per usual.
This game was revealed to be a 2019 title for the Switch during a 2018 Nintendo Direct alongside Isabelle’s Smash introduction, and we don’t know anything beyond that. This is likely going to be a huge system seller for the console, and will actually be my first Animal Crossing title! Just like the rest of the fans clamoring for this title, I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
6 Likely 2020: New 3D Zelda
With the iconic, made Colby drop $80 dollars on amiibo in one day, Breath of the Wild turning three in 2020, we’re due for more 3D Zelda.
With Nintendo turning the franchise into an annual one, we could very easily receive a sort of Majora’s Mask style Breath of the Wild 2.
The less likely options are a full blown new title, or an expansion for the original game. No matter which we get, more 3D Zelda adventures are likely in store for us in 2020.
