The Switch 2 Saga: Six Months In, Are We Conjuring Gaming Gold or Just Polishing Old Wands?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Six months into the Switch 2's life, Jeff dives into Polygon's updated list of top games, finding a surprisingly potent mix of revitalized classics and ambitious new titles that hint at a magical future for Nintendo's new console.
Right, mate, so we’re six months deep into the Switch 2’s lifecycle. You know that feeling when you finally get your hands on a legendary artifact, only to realise you’ve got no idea how to actually *use* it? That’s kind of been the vibe, hasn’t it? All this shiny new hardware, all this potential, but the burning question on every curious gamer's mind: 'What the bloody hell are we actually *playing* on it?' Well, I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, and fair warning, it's wilder than it first appeared. Turns out, Nintendo’s been brewing up a surprisingly potent mix of new and reimagined titles, even if the 'big guns' are still playing a bit of hide-and-seek.
Now, don't get me wrong, the proper AAA blockbusters – your Marios, Pokémons, and Donkey Kongs – they're still largely doing their mystic rituals in the shadows. But Nintendo, bless their quirky hearts, hasn't left us entirely in the lurch. We've seen a solid spread of what I'd call their 'B-tier enchantments' – things like *Kirby Air Riders*, *Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment*, and *Mario Tennis Fever*. And let’s not forget the sheer, unadulterated wizardry of backward compatibility. Pretty much the entire original Switch library is still playable, which is a neat trick, like having a whole separate dimension of games at your fingertips.
But we're not just here for old spells, are we? My latest dive into the digital tea leaves, updated just this February, added some absolute crackers: *Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined*, *Mario Tennis Fever*, a revitalised *Animal Crossing: New Horizons*, and *Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade*. The folks at Polygon (who originally conjured this list, credit where credit's due to Oli Welsh and Josh Broadwell!) reckon they're looking for quality *and* variety, which sounds like a solid spellcasting philosophy to me.
Let's peel back the arcane layers on a few of these, shall we?
First up, let's talk about the game that probably kept half the planet sane (or drove them slightly mad) during the great lockdown ritual: ***Animal Crossing: New Horizons***. It’s back, baby, with an official Switch 2 Edition and a frankly *chunky* new update. Now, I’m always a bit wary of these 'new editions' – sometimes it feels like they’re just slapping a fresh coat of pixie dust on the same old pumpkin. But here? Nintendo’s actually pulled some genuinely impressive magic. We’re talking new hotel and slumber islands, which sounds utterly delightful, and more importantly, some proper, game-changing quality-of-life improvements. Bulk crafting, *finally*? Bloody hell, it’s like they heard our collective frustrated screams from across the dimensions! Plus, playable classic game consoles (meta, much?) and those adorable Zelda and Lego collabs. The original article from Polygon points out that if you OD'd on AC during the pandemic, it might still give you a 'mildly haunted feeling' – and honestly, who among us didn't emerge from that era a little bit haunted by talking animals and bell debt? The Switch 2 Edition itself adds mouse control (a wizard’s precision, anyone?) but the real spellbinding improvements are the vastly quicker load times and reduced pop-in. No more watching trees materialise out of thin air like a botched teleportation spell. For the hardcore island architects, this is an essential upgrade, no doubt.
Next up, a real litmus test for the Switch 2's magical prowess: can it handle a proper, beefy, current-gen AAA game? Ubisoft, bless their wildly ambitious hearts, decided to throw ***Assassin's Creed Shadows*** at it, and by all accounts, they've pulled off quite the feat. After an already impressive port of *Star Wars: Outlaws*, they’ve managed to 'squash' (Polygon’s word, and honestly, it feels appropriate for these giant open worlds) this latest historical romp onto a handheld in under nine months. Now, I'm always a gentle skeptic when a publisher proclaims 'resounding yes!' to hardware capabilities. Of course, there are 'a few visual cutbacks' – it’d be a dark miracle if there weren’t – and yes, it might dip below 30 frames per second when things get a bit too chaotic, like a spell overload. But the genuinely impressive part? It gets 'stunningly close' to the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions. That's some serious optimization wizardry right there. The game itself, set in 16th-century Japan, sounds like a decent slice of historical tourism, with two distinct protagonists, Naoe the ninja and Yasuke the samurai, offering different ways to slice and dice through the narrative. If you’re yearning for a full-scale epic adventure on your new portable portal, this might just be your ticket.
Speaking of big, ambitious worlds, ***Cyberpunk 2077*** landing on Switch 2 is another fascinating development. Night City in your pocket? That's the kind of future tech I actually *want*. CD Projekt Red’s sprawling urban RPG is all about exploring at your own pace, soaking in the atmosphere, and getting tangled in some truly compelling side quests. Sure, the main story can sometimes lean a bit too hard into its gruff cynicism, but as Polygon notes, underneath all that chrome and grime is a genuinely poignant tale about existence and the dangers of corporations getting a bit too... influential. Sound familiar in our digital-first world, where power consolidates and data is gold? Just a thought, mate. Anyway, despite how much this game demands from even the beefiest PCs, it actually 'holds up brilliantly' on the Switch 2. *Almost*. Let's be gently skeptical here: they do admit performance in the *Phantom Liberty* expansion is 'a bit dodgy.' Which, fair enough, that expansion pushes boundaries even on powerhouse machines. But the base game? Stable with clear resolution. And here’s where the Switch 2 really shines: those extra control options. Motion controls working 'with surprising effectiveness' for an FPS on a handheld is like a minor miracle, helping to smooth over the usual analogue stick woes. And mouse controls with the Joy-Con 2 in docked or tabletop mode? That's just clever, offering a wizard's precision when you need it most. It's a proper testament to getting complex magic to work on a smaller scale.
Now, for something a bit different, something that truly sparks my digital wizard senses: ***Deltarune***. This one’s the spiritual successor to *Undertale*, and if you’ve ever dabbled in Toby Fox’s unique brand of interactive storytelling, you’ll know it’s less about brute force and more about heart. Polygon wisely observes that while *Undertale* sometimes got a bit... *enthusiastic* with its 'let's all be friends' message, *Deltarune* absolutely nails the smaller, touching character moments. It's less a rigid narrative and more a playground for ideas, a magical sandbox of emotions and quirky worlds. You're diving into these 'Dark Worlds,' each themed around real-world problems – like society’s obsession with public image or, y'know, flat-out refusing to acknowledge death. It's endlessly inventive, like watching a skilled illusionist pull a dozen different rabbits from a single hat. But the real spellbinder here? The battle system. It takes *Undertale*'s genius 'fight or pacifist' choice and adds layers of bespoke charm. Guiding your little heart through torrents of enemy projectiles is one thing, but when the game weaves elements of the story directly into the combat, forcing you to navigate an old man's walking stick or adapt to a narcissistic TV host's twisted quiz? That’s clever, mate. That’s pure, unadulterated gaming magic that you won't find in a hundred generic RPGs.
Speaking of reimagining, ***Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined*** from Square Enix is another one making waves. This isn’t just a simple polish; it's a 'thorough reimagining' of the 2001 PlayStation classic. And thank the digital deities, they've actually cut and reordered passages to speed up what was, let's be honest, a notoriously slow burn of a game. Like trying to cast a grand spell with too many incantations – sometimes you just need to get to the point, yeah? The character class system's been reworked, and the visuals have gone in a 'mildly controversial' direction with doll-like Akira Toriyama designs in lush dioramas. I reckon 'mildly controversial' is marketing speak for 'some purists are gonna have a whinge,' but it sounds intriguing to me. Polygon sums it up nicely as a 'perfect introduction' to the *Dragon Quest* series and classical turn-based RPGs. Simple at first, then getting 'substantially deeper and richer' as you delve in. And on the Switch 2? Apparently, it looks and plays like a dream, the 'perfect portable system for this summer holiday of a game.' Sounds like a proper chill, yet magically engaging, experience.
And for a final flourish of Square Enix wizardry, we've got ***Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade***. Now, if *Dragon Quest 7* was a reimagining, *FF7R* is a complete, metatextual, reality-bending re-organisation of a beloved classic. They're turning one epic RPG into *three* sprawling blockbusters! It's like taking a single spell and breaking it down into a trilogy of incantations – ambitious, a bit mad, but undeniably fascinating. The Switch 2 gets the expanded PS5 version, *Intergrade*, which is a nice touch. Polygon calls it 'a bizarre project masterminded by several members of the original development team... an unholy but delightful mashup of classic Final Fantasy, modern action game, and postmodern retcon.' An 'unholy mashup' – that’s my kind of chaotic magic! While this first part isn't universally considered the strongest, it's still 'lavish and surprising,' and the big reveal? The Switch 2 'handles it surprisingly well.' Colour me impressed. It seems the new console isn't just for cozy island life and old arcade romps; it's got some serious processing magic under the hood for these grander narratives too.
So, what's the takeaway from this six-month check-up on the Switch 2's library? Well, it's not quite a full-blown blizzard of must-have titles yet, but the landscape is definitely looking more fertile than a few months ago. We've got genuine innovations in old favourites, surprisingly competent ports of demanding AAA behemoths, and plenty of quirky charm from the indie/B-tier scene. It feels like Nintendo is slowly but surely conjuring up a compelling collection of games, laying the groundwork for what could be a truly magical generation. It's an interesting start, mate, and I for one am curious to see what other spells they'll cast in the coming months. Keep those Joy-Cons charged, yeah?
*Original article by Oli Welsh and Josh Broadwell for Polygon.*
Tags: Nintendo Switch 2, Game Recommendations, Console Gaming, Gaming Trends, RPG
Original article: Polygon