Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (Switch)

Level-5 cemented its grand return in the February 2023 Nintendo Direct with multiple new titles, including a brand new Professor Layton game. Hershel Layton and his assistant Luke Triton are back and their adventures take them to the United States, where Luke now lives. Now it's Layton who's a fish out of water.

While teased during that 2023 Direct, a later Level-5 Showcase revealed we'd need to wait until 2025 to reunite with our favourite detective duo. It looks darn good, though.

Ratatan (Switch eShop)

If you ever owned a PSP, then you've probably played the delightful rhythm game Patapon. Developed by the wonderful Japan Studio (RIP), it saw you command an adorable troupe of eyes to the beat of the music. Two sequels were made, but we've seen nothing of the series since.

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Ratatan, from many of the people who created Patapon, looks to fill that void, and it's coming to Switch in 2025. Blowing through its Kickstarter back in 2023, this is a slice of joy we all need in our lives.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution (Switch eShop)

Shantae's long-lost GBA sequel is being finished, remastered, and released, 20 years after development was initially halted. Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is coming to Switch in 2025.

There will be a single-player, four-player local Battle Mode, and swappable HD or GBA pixel art portraits and HUD elements. This will be a must-have for Shantae fans and platforming enthusiasts. Plus, you can also snap up a GBA cartridge for this when the game releases this year.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Switch)

Okay, we know next to nothing about Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, but we're always excited about the prospect of a new Sonic racing game — even if they haven't all been winners.

CrossWorlds will feature characters and courses from across Sega's history, and also see the return of the "Extreme Gear which first appeared in Sonic Riders. Packed full of unique vehicles and high-velocity racing, we'll be racing to play this one later in 2025.

Tanuki: Pon's Summer (Switch eShop)

Meet Pon, a lazy, well-meaning tanuki and worker at the local post office. His job is to deliver mail on a little BMX. But he also has to help restore the village shrine ahead of the Tanuki Festival.

Tanuki: Pon's Summer looks absolutely delightful. Part life-sim, part mail delivery game, part BMX sim, this one gets delivered to Switch in late 2025.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion (Switch eShop)

Coming from Dotemu and Tribute Games, the beat-'em-up specialists behind the marvellous Shredder's Revenge, this new venture into the comic book world looks like it's aiming to take us back to the arcade heyday of the X-Men and their fellow Marvel luminaries in a retro-styled brawler that we're excited to get our hands on something this year.

Mina The Hollower (Switch eShop)

It's not yet 100% clear if Shovel Knight devs Yacht Club Games will bring this old-school top-down GBC-style game to Switch.

But with all the Nintendo inspiration visible in the game's aesthetic, Mina the Hollower has to come to the Nintendo console du jour, right?

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch)

A new Pokémon Legends game? Sign us up. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set to take place in Lumiose City, the central city of Kalos and Pokémon X & Y. We've got real-time battles, Wild Zones, new and familiar faces, and a trio of adorable starters.

Coming in late 2025, we hope this can live up to the excellence of Legends: Arceus.

Hollow Knight: Silksong (Switch eShop)

Hollow Knight: Silksong, Team Cherry's highly anticipated follow-up to the hugely successful 2D Metroidvania Hollow Knight, was first announced in February 2019. The developers have been relatively quiet ever since, although we've seen some teases.

Most recently, Team Cherry has since delayed the game, pushing it out of its "first half of 2023" window. But with no word since then, we hope we'll be playing this... well, at some point in 2025.

Everybody's Golf Hot Shots (Switch eShop)

An iconic golfing series, this one, and one that Sony owns the rights to, so it's great to see Mario getting some competition thanks to a licensing deal between Sony and Bandai Namco that's bringing Everybody's Golf Hot Shots to all platforms.

Revealed during the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, this one's swinging to Switch sometime in 2025.

The Eternal Life of Goldman (Switch eShop)

A "vibrant yet dark" indie platformer from Weappy Studio, we just adore the look and animation of The Eternal Life of Goldman. Seriously, check out the Direct trailer and tell us it's not one of the best-looking games on this list.

We'll find out if playing it is as sublime as watching it in Winter 2025.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Switch)

Well, well, well. Over seven years since its initial announcement, the June 2024 Nintendo Direct re-revealed the highly-anticipated Metroid Prime 4, along with a new subtitle.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond looks fantastic, but it's taken a long time to get here. In the very first trailer, the game looks like it's running at 60fps, and contains the same mechanics we're all familiar with: the morph ball, missiles, the visor, scanning, etc. We can't wait to find out what else the game will bring when it finally launches in 2025. And yes, it's confirmed for Switch.

Rhythm Heaven Groove (Switch)

A new Rhythm Heaven game, finally! rejoiced millions upon seeing Rhythm Heaven Groove revealed during the March 2025 Direct. 2026!?!?!?! they collectively gasped as their joy collided with the realities of game development and scheduling.

Yes, we would have loved this one to be a shadow-drop — or at least something to play while we wait for Switch 2 — but the fact it's coming is reason enough for great joy and gratitude.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Switch)

Tomodachi was a massive seller was a huge seller on (3)DS, so it's no surprise to see Nintendo bringing this Mii-filled, zany life-sim back on Switch. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream looks to be injecting the series' off-the-wall humour into a New Horizons-esque setting and we're keen to settle down and live this dream as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until 2026. Sad faces all 'round.

Yes, we know there's way more than 35 there, but we're jazzed for each and every one and, with a couple of '2026's and one big question mark — we may all evolve into beings of pure energy before Silksong releases — we wanted to give you your money's worth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we go, a handful of common questions we get asked.

Are games still being made for Switch?

Er, yes! You see all the games above and the ones on the preceding pages? Those ones.

And a load more that we're not looking forward to quite as much, but still might be very good. Plus all the unannounced Switch games. So yes, they are still making games for the Switch.

Rumours persist concerning Nintendo's next console, the fabled 'Switch 2', but right now Switch is Nintendo's only hardware platform. With over 150 million Switch systems sold since March 2017, publishers will be releasing new Switch games for some time to come.

Is Mario Odyssey 2 confirmed?

Not yet. Although the development team behind Super Mario Odyssey is rumoured to be working on a new game — possibly a Donkey Kong game, and very likely for Nintendo's next console — there has been no official confirmation that Super Mario Odyssey 2 exists or is in development.

What is the newest Mario Party game?

We're so glad you asked! Super Mario Party Jamboree is the third Mario Party game coming to Switch, and it's out now.

This isn't an expansion of Super Mario Party or Mario Party Superstars, but a full-fledged new game with new boards, minigames, and online modes. And anyone disappointed that Superstars didn't get any DLC, there are two returning boards from previous games coming to Jamboree. So that's nice.

Is Mario Kart 9 coming to Switch?

If this question has you a little surprised, we're talking about the Mario Kart that was revealed during the Switch 2 announcement — we're affectionately calling it Mario Kart 9, but that might not be the name of it.

Anywaaay, we actually don't know. So far, the next Mario Kart is only confirmed for the Switch 2. It may be cross-platform, but it might not be. Right now, it's all up in the air. We'll likely hear more in 2025.

We'll be updating this list throughout the year as we get more announcements. Is there something on your radar that you think we've missed? Let us know with a comment below and tell us which of the games above you're most looking forward to.