Nintendo has a wide catalog of games spanning over 30 years. The Nintendo Wii U did not sell well, but that doesn’t speak to the quality of the software selection. Nintendo has already ported multiple games to the Switch which appeared on the Wii U, and they have seen massive successes with games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. There are some important games that have been left out though and need to be ported to the Switch if the system is going to be Nintendo’s ultimate console.
If a Toad game received a Nintendo Switch port, these games definitely should.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenoblade Chronicles X was one of the best games on the Wii U and is one of the best RPGs of all-time. Tetsuya Takahashi, the head of Monolith Soft and the executive producer of the Xenoblade franchise, has gone on record as saying he would love to see X ported to the Switch. There have been rumors since before the Switch came out speculating that Xenoblade X would be ported to the Switch. What’s the hold-up? The game is one of the finest RPGs to come out this generation (along with all of the Xeno games) and despite releasing on a dying system sold almost one million copies worldwide. With the Xeno brand stronger than ever, it makes sense to port X to the Switch, and even the original Xenoblade Chronicles if Nintendo is really “feeling it.”
Wind Waker HD
The Wind Waker is one of the finest Zelda games. Though it is 16-years-old, it still holds up against more modern incarnations of the franchise and was incredibly innovative, even by today’s standards. The Wind Waker HD port to the Nintendo Wii U was the definitive version of the game, and there’s no reason in the aftermath of Breath of the Wild that Nintendo wouldn’t want to introduce new fans to one of the greatest entries in the franchise.
Twilight Princess HD
Nintendo also did us the pleasure of remastering Twilight Princess for the Wii U. While many view Twilight Princess as a quasi-clone of Ocarina of Time, it’s still an incredible game in its own right. If it were bundled with Wind Waker HD, Nintendo would have a winner on its hands. It would again introduce new fans, who discovered Zelda through Breath of the Wild, to an older game in the franchise. A Zelda HD Collection is an incredible idea and Nintendo needs to capitalize on this. It would add to their already stellar lineup this year.
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles has already been ported to the New Nintendo 3DS, so why not bring it to the Nintendo Switch as well? Given that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a direct sequel to the first game gives even more reason to bring it to switch. Xenoblade pushed the Nintendo Wii to its limits, and it showed. It never received a proper worldwide release. The Xeno brand is stronger than ever right now, so why not give the game the treatment it deserves and polish it so that new Xenoblade fans can enjoy it to its fullest?
Skyward Sword
There have been multiple rumors, but no concrete proof of Skyward Sword coming to the Nintendo Switch. It needs to. It has the best narrative in the series and as Okami HD proved, motion controls do work on the Nintendo Switch. The game also has some of the best boss battles, best dungeons, and best music in the franchise. While it is the polar opposite of Breath of the Wild, it would be a missed opportunity if Nintendo didn’t give new fans (again) the opportunity to experience this entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, especially given that it’s the first chronological game in the series. The controls may not be for everyone, but it’s a touching tale with incredible gameplay that takes you on a journey of a lifetime.
If Nintendo ports these five games to the Nintendo Switch this year, they will set themselves up to have an even stronger 2019, which is already shaping up to be staggering (not including unconfirmed 2019 titles, like Metroid.)
Pay attention Nintendo. The fans want this.