TheNintendo Switchhas been a runaway success for the company since it launched back in early 2017. With a healthy lineup of top qualityexclusives likeSuper Mario OdysseyandMetroid Dread, Switch owners have had no shortage of games to play these last few years. The Switch has also accumulated a stockpile of legacy titles either from remasters or through Nintendo Switch Online, providing gamers the opportunity to discover forgotten classics and hidden gems.
That being said, even with the plethora of games made available on theNintendo Switch, with so much content out there, some titles will naturally be lost in the shuffle. Even more shocking is that many of these games are spin-offs of Nintendo’s own flagship franchises. For one reason or another, these are the most noteworthy spin-off Nintendo games that have yet to be ported to Nintendo Switch.
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Xenoblade Chronicles X
TheXenobladeseries has been on a roll on the Switch for the last few years.Xenoblade Chronicles 2was released early on in the console’s lifecycle to great acclaim and gained the franchise a legion of new fans. Since then, both a remake of the first game andXenoblade Chronicles 3have become available. This only leaves out the Wii U entry with a sci-fi twist,Xenoblade Chronicles X. While its uncertain why it has yet to be ported to Switch, the recent success of the series could result in it popping up on the hybrid platform at some point.
Donkey Konga
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezeis often applauded for its clever use of music to drive the pace of its level design. However, years before that game,Donkey Kongaon the GameCube quite literally had players jamming to the beat of a rhythm, with the use of a real life bongo set. Even predating theGuitar Herofranchise’s explosion in popularity,Donkey Kongawas an interesting concept for the time and is still pretty fun today. A port job shouldn’t be too difficult; a developer could simply adjust the control scheme to make the player move the JoyCon to the beat of the song and the rest will fall into place.
Diddy Kong Racing
Speaking of the Kong family, Rare was on a roll during theN64 eraand followed up itsDonkey Kong Countrytrilogy withDiddy Kong Racing. Even with the mega popularMario Kart 64also being made available at the same time, Diddy and company still managed to stand out, with a handful of fun game modes and lengthy single player campaign. This beloved classic being brought to Switch is a bit tricky however, as although theDonkey Kongseries is Nintendo property, the game was developed by Rare, who is now owned by Microsoft.
Star Fox Adventures
In a similar situation to the above, Microsoft owning Rare may cause complication for porting this often overlooked gem from the GameCube era. Originally intended to be theN64 swansongDinosaur Planetbefore being reworked to fit into theStar Foxfranchise, the game is a major departure from the arcade action the series is known for and is more comparable to an entry inThe Legend of Zelda. Even so, the game’s adventure is big, the world is packed with things to discover, and the graphics are still dazzling two decades after its release.
Super Princess Peach
After countless adventures in which Mario needs to save the day, the tables are turned inSuper Princess Peach, where Peach has to instead rescue the mustached plumber. Released exclusively on the Nintendo DS, the game was a 2D platformer, similar to most of the prior Mario games in the series long history. The game was a decent success and could find renewed life on the Nintendo Switch if the company ever chose to give it a remaster.
Metroid Prime Hunters
While most gamers are eagerlyanticipatingMetroid Prime 4, and would like aMetroid Prime Trilogyrelease on Switch in the meantime, there is a side story that is often overlooked. Another Nintendo DS exclusive,Metroid Prime Hunterswas a showcase for the technical capabilities of the handheld, delivering the first person action fans had come to expect, while on the go. A visual upgrade would definitely need to be implemented, but bringing back the addictive multiplayer with possible split screen support would be a huge plus.
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