【The Swingin’ Stewardesses】

Table of Contents

It's no secret that Mario Kart Worldis the main reason to get a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. I even got to play it myself at the Nintendo launch event — and again a couple of days ago. But what else will you be The Swingin’ Stewardessesable to play if/when you get bored of that $80 game?

Luckily, Nintendo has an extensive list of Switch 2 launch titles available to play on June 5. As is usually the case with new consoles, many of them are ports of older games. However, in this instance, that's not such a bad thing; there are plenty of people out there who onlyhad a Nintendo Switch, meaning they still haven't played big games like Cyberpunk 2077.

Assuming you've got your Switch 2 preorder on deck, here are 10 of the best Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles to order ahead of June 5 — besides Mario Kart World (which, for the record, I highly recommend).

Fast Fusion

One of the best latter-day Wii U games was a little futuristic racer called Fast Racing Neo. This, in turn, became one of the best Switch 1 launch titles, in an upgraded form called Fast RMX. Now, developer Shin'en is back with a long-awaited sequel that promises new ideas with the same technical excellence as its predecessors.

Shin'en hasn't said much about Fast Fusionyet, other than that it will be out at launch and will only cost $14.99, making it the anti-Mario Kartin one way. But it looks the part of a futuristic arcade-style racing game with a sharp sense of speed, gorgeous visuals, split-screen and online multiplayer, and a unique car fusion system that should set it apart from the competition. And again, it's just $15.

Yakuza 0 Director's Cut

The first port of an old game on this list can be traced all the way back to the PlayStation 3. Yakuza 0has been around the block a few times, just never on a Nintendo platform before. Let me tell you, if you're a person who sticks close to Nintendo and hasn't played this one yet: Make it a priority.

The Switch 2 version adds some bonuses, like new English voice acting and a weird-looking multiplayer fighting mode, but Yakuza 0could've been ported as-is, and that would've been fine. It's an oddball action-adventure game set in a highly period-accurate version of urban, red-light district Japan in the late 1980s. Aside from the very fun and very violent combat, it's also got interactive karaoke, mahjong, and all kinds of other cultural delights for you to take part in on the side.

Yakuza 0also has a terrific story with two excellent protagonists. If you've ever been curious about the long-running Yakuzaseries, this is the best place to start.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

The Switch 2 port of Cyberpunk 2077might be a good litmus test for what the Switch 2 is capable of on a technical level, and that alone makes it compelling, at least to me.

This game famously had to be pulled from the PlayStation store after launch in 2020 because the PS4 version was so terrible, and the Switch 2 is about as powerful as a PS4. Developer CD Projekt Red has had yearsto sort Cyberpunkout, though, and the game is genuinely in an excellent state these days. Between that and the highly impressive Switch 1 port of The Witcher 3, it's easy to see a world where a lot of people experience Cyberpunkfor the first time on Switch 2 and have a perfectly decent time doing so.

Deltarune

In 2015, indie developer Toby Fox broke the internet with a humble little pixel-based RPG called Undertale. Since then, Fox has been following up on Undertalewith Deltarune, an expanded successor with different combat and an episodic release format, but the same off-beat sense of humor and catchy musical direction.

The first two chapters of Deltarunehave been out for a while, but chapters 3 and 4 (in a package that includes all of them) are shipping at launch with Switch 2. If you've already been committed to the Deltarunetrain, why not continue on Switch 2? If not, maybe this is a good place to start, too. These are games that need to be experienced to be understood.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Our last game is another port, though the original only came out in 2024 and sorta fell under the radar on other consoles.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddessis a bit of a weird one. It's kind of a third-person hack-and-slash action game, but also kind of a strategic tower defense game. In totality, it's very unique, cool to look at, and fun to play. Capcom has a bit of an under-discussed banger here, so maybe the Switch 2 launch can be a good way for people who missed Kunitsu-Gamithe first time around to catch it now.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighterrules. It always has and it always will. I'm not much of a fighting game enthusiast, but I have it on good authority that Street Fighter 6is excellent, and it's coming to Switch 2 as a launch title.

This game brings a few new things to the series. It's got a neat urban graffiti vibe permeating the whole thing, to go along with a single-player campaign where you create a character and run around a big 3D city challenging people to fights. The Switch 2 version has some unique features like Joy-Con support and motion controls, though honestly, I'm not sure how well either of those things are going to work. Still, it's Street Fighter, and it's hard to complain about that.

Hitman: World of Assassination

If you've never played a Hitmangame before, the Switch 2 launch might be the perfect opportunity. World of Assassinationcontains three entire Hitmangames in one package, meaning there's a huge treasure trove of giant, intricate clockwork levels for you to explore and learn. You can easily get dozens of hours of enjoyment out of it, in other words.

For the uninitiated, Hitman is about a fairly boring guy named Agent 47 whose job is to, well, you know. But the good news is that all the people you're tasked with killing are among the most despicable humans on Earth. Hitmanlooks dry and boring on the surface, but that couldn't be further from what it actually is in practice. Agent 47 is basically a murderous version of Bugs Bunny, and the game is about doing hilarious slapstick kills on war criminals and CEOs while wearing stupid disguises. It's the best.

• Nintendo Switch 2 preorder stock April 25: See the latest
• Nintendo Switch 2 vs Switch 1: All the differences I found while playing the new console
• 'Mario Kart World' Nintendo Direct: 3 big takeaways from the stream

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

Remember in 2020 when we were all playing Animal Crossingbecause there was nothing else to do?

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azumais not Animal Crossing, to be clear. It doesn't operate on a real-time clock, and it's more about farming than town management. It also has action combat and dungeon crawling. Still, it fits under the "cozy game" umbrella that has become so popular in the past several years, especially on Switch. If you want a game where you can do a bunch of organizing and farming while occasionally fighting monsters with a sword, this might be your best bet.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Speaking of cozy games, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Timecan be described using a lot of the same language as Rune Factory. It's a game about building a town, farming, cooking, fishing, and all that other fun stuff while occasionally venturing out to fight monsters. However, Fantasy Lifehas a more cutesy look to it, a unique job system with 14 different roles for players to inhabit, and four-player cooperative multiplayer.

I know like seven people who have had their lives ruined by this game in the past couple of weeks, in the best way possible. Just know going in that you may not want to play any other games for a while if this one hooks you.

Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster

Bravely Defaultis a game with a very silly title, but also a devoted fanbase that swears up and down about it being one of the great modern turn-based RPGs. Originally a Nintendo 3DS title, this HD remaster brings the game to consoles with sharper visuals, quality-of-life changes, and even mouse support.

If you dig classic Final Fantasy, don't sleep on this one.

Honorable Mention: Donkey Kong Bonanza

If none of these games are enough to whet your appetite, Donkey Kong Bananza is a non-launch Switch 2 title to look out for. DK's first starring role in a 3D platformer in 25 years comes alongside a brand new character design for one of Nintendo's oldest heroes, as well as a funky terrain destruction system that lets players destroy the entire level to get where they're trying to go. You'll have to wait a bit for it, but not long, as Bananzais out July 17.

Where to preorder Nintendo Switch 2 games

Most retailers are offering Nintendo Switch 2 games for preorder, so your first stop for picking up a new title is one of these retailers. Below, find links to each online storefront where you can shop a repository of Switch 2 games available right now.

• Amazon

• Target

• Walmart

• GameStop

• Best Buy

More Switch 2 games available for preorder

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch 2 Edition)

• Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition

• Sonic X Shadow Generations

• Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD

• Super Mario Party Jamboree

• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion

• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S

• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

• Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army

• No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition

fry

Expert writer and contributor. Passionate about sharing knowledge and insights on various topics.