Ooo, Bananza (July 2025)
Donkey Kong Bananza arrived at the beginning of July; an formidable destructathon from the Mario Odyssey workforce, and one other sturdy unique. July additionally continued the development of stupidly lengthy Swap 2 Version names, with Tremendous Mario Celebration Jamboree – Nintendo Swap 2 Version + Jamboree TV bookending the first-party choices on the finish of the month.
Elsewhere, we received Wild Hearts S (do not forget that?), WWE 2K25, and the system’s first actual turkey in Tamagotchi Plaza – Nintendo Swap 2 Version, an NL 3/10-er. Ouch.
Regardless of indie dev speak that S2 devkits had been like hen’s tooth for many, we began seeing some tiny video games hitting the Swap 2 eShop – particularly, video games which pushed system options Nintendo was eager to focus on, corresponding to Useful Hockey (Mouse Mode) and Chillin’ by the Hearth (GameChat).
Sizzling matters: Nintendo limiting dev-kit entry, Odyssey vs. Bananza, Zelda film casting
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Donkey Kong Bananza (9) / Tremendous Mario Celebration Jamboree NS2E (9)
Drag, Drive, and cosy vibes (August 2025)
August introduced the subsequent Swap 2 unique, Drag x Drive, an intriguing multiplayer Mouse Mode experiment that lacked character. Elsewhere, a titan of ball sports activities returned to a Nintendo platform in Madden 26, Story of Seasons Grand Bazaar introduced cosy farm-sim vibes, and Bokura: Planet continued the development of indie releases that showcased the system’s options getting waved by.
Additionally, Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Swap 2 Version + Star-Crossed World made former Nintendo Energy podcast presenters grateful that the pod wrapped a number of years again and so they do not need to repeat that ludicrous title in full. Each. Time. Good sport, although.
Sizzling matters: Drag and Drive or Drag ecks Drive?
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport of the Month: Apex Legends (9) / Kirby & The Forgotten Land NS2E (9)
All for a ‘track (September 2025)
An enormous month for releases, though they had been all overshadowed by one specifically.
Closing Fantasy Ways, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, Star Wars Outlaws, Cronos: The New Daybreak, NBA 2K26, EA SPORTS FC 26, Hades 2, Trails within the Sky 1st Chapter, and a few Bananza DLC all dropped in September, however Hole Knight: Silksong stole the present.
Oh, and Galaxy 2 lastly arrived on Swap alongside a brand new port of its predecessor.
Sizzling matters: Mario Galaxy Swap pricing, Are video games too robust? Is Silksong too low-cost? What yr is it? The place are my pants?
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Hole Knight: Silksong (10)
From Z to A, by way of Balls and Pits (October 2025)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A took up a lot of October, launching on Swap 1 and a couple of concurrently. Sq. Enix put out its subsequent HD-2D title with Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake, whereas Sega launched the long-awaited Persona 3 Reload.
On the indie entrance, Playtonic’s Yooka-Replaylee remaster was typically nicely acquired (although the 30fps cap on Swap 2 triggered a stir with gamers anticipating a stable 60), and BALL x PIT massively diminished international productiveness for a spell there.
Sizzling matters: Yooka-Replaylee 30fps on S2, Pokémon discourse
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: The Touryst Deluxe (9) / Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (9)
So that was the Imprisoning Battle (November 2025)
In November, Nintendo printed two video games inside a fortnight: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment and Kirby Air Riders.
Elsewhere, Sega launched ports of Yakuza Kiwamis 1 and 2 forward of the cross-platform debut of Kiwami 3 in three months’ time, and the primary of Tomb Raider‘s Survivor trilogy lastly arrived on a Nintendo system in Definitive Version kind.
Sizzling matters: Myles MacKenzie
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment (9) / Yakuza Kiwami 2 (9)
Past Redemption (December 2025)
2025 completed up with a really busy month, crammed with video games new and outdated, giant and small.
On the brand new launch entrance, we had Metroid Prime 4 Past, Octopath Traveler 0, and Rogue Prince of Persia. For video games getting late-coming Swap 2 releases, Murderer’s Creed Shadows received an admirable port, ol’ trustworthy Skyrim much less so, Crimson Useless Redemption received a Swap 2 Version, and the upgraded model of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds polished issues up properly.
indies, Simogo Legacy Assortment, Forged n Chill, and the superb Skate Story stood out as we headed into the vacations, and Stardew Valley snuck out on Christmas Day within the States (though a troubled launch delayed its European launch till March).
Sizzling matters: Generative AI in sport dev, Bowser retires, Pritchard ascends, Skyrim returns…once more,
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Metroid Prime 4 Past NS2E (9) / Crimson Useless Redemption NS2E (9) / Octopath Traveler 0 (9) / Simogo Legacy Assortment NS2E (9) / The Rogue Prince of Persia (9) / Forged n Chill NS2E (9)
Previous Horizons (January 2026)
Beginning the brand new yr, Nintendo took us again in time with Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Swap 2 Version, reminding us all what a half-finished state we might left our islands in.
Koei Tecmo continued its stable S2 help with Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Dispatch got here to each Swap 1 and a couple of (though in a censored kind, which triggered consternation), and Sq. put out a well-received Swap 2 model of Closing Fantasy VII Remake.
A stable begin to 2026, though by way of video games no person had performed earlier than elsewhere, January bowed to February’s superiority…
Sizzling matters: Dispatch censorship, a Yr In Assessment that truly contains the whole yr
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Stardew Valley NS2E (9) / Dynasty Warriors: Origins (9) / FFVII Remake Intergrade (9) / Dispatch NS2E (9)
Resident Knight Fever (February 2026)
The cross-platform launch of Resident Evil Requiem dominated our ideas for many of the month, though Nintendo did put out Swap 2 unique Mario Tennis Fever. Sega’s Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Darkish Ties was one other S2 sport that launched day and date throughout all consoles – a welcome novelty for these of us used to ready months for a port, if one comes in any respect.
Reanimal and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined continued that ‘day one, all over the place’ development, though there was a gentle stream of outdated video games, too, together with a Swap 2 Version of Hole Knight, Fallout 4, and Resident Evils 7 and 8.
The month belonged to Requiem, although.
Sizzling matters: FireRed & LeafGreen re-releases, Pokémon thirtieth anniversary, Digital Boy
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined (9) / Reanimal (9) / Resident Evil 7 (9) / Resident Evil Requiem (9)
Un Poko’ loco (March 2026)
Coming sizzling on the heels of RE9, Monster Hunter Tales 3 did not make large waves, however was the second in a trio of cross-platform Capcom titles to launch in lower than two months.
Elsewhere, Koei Tecmo and Sega introduced variations of Deadly Body 2 Remake and Virtua Fighter 5, respectively, Swap 2 ports of Blue Prince, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and Scott Pilgrim EX delivered the indie items, and Nintendo itself had a Mario Marvel Nintendo Swap 2 Version with some added content material to tie into The Mario Galaxy Film’s launch.
The month belonged to at least one sport, although: Pokémon Pokopia. Changing into Metacritic’s highest-rated Pokémon sport of all time, Nintendo is bundling this system-exclusive with the console this summer season. It is a winner.
Additionally price noting is Handheld Enhance Mode dropping out of nowhere, giving Swap 1 video games docked efficiency and determination on Swap 2 in handheld. Pretty.
Sizzling matters: Nintendo digital vs. bodily pricing distinction within the US, Nvidia’s DLSS 5 yassification filter, Nintendo suing the US authorities, Fox within the Mario Galaxy Film, Star Fox and Ocarina remake rumours, Yoshi popcorn buckets
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Scott Pilgrim EX (9) / Planet of Lana 2: NS2E (9) / Blue Prince (9) / Shadow Ways: Blades of the Shogun (9) / Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage (9) / The Midnight Stroll (9)
Cap-dom (April 2026)
Capping off Capcom’s trio, the superb Pragmata held its personal on Swap 2, cementing Capcom as one of many system’s most spectacular and dependable devs, and absolutely placing them within the operating for Writer of the Yr gongs come December.
Nintendo let up on the Swap 2 gasoline a bit of following Pokopia and Marvel in March, though Swap 1’s Tomodachi Life proved to be an enormous hit. Elsewhere, high quality video games like OPUS: Prism Peak and Mouse: P.I. For Rent stored issues ticking over in a quieter month.
Sizzling matters: 007 First Gentle delayed on Swap 2
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Pragmata (9) / Mouse P.I. For Rent (9)
Mina and the Mysterious Mixtape (Could 2026)
Yoshi and the Mysterious E-book introduced one other unique to the platform in Could, and Machine Video games’ port of Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle confirmed as soon as once more how succesful Swap 2 will be in the correct fingers.
It was a bumper month for smaller dev groups, too, with Mixtape, Sektori, and Mina The Hollower bringing but extra depth and high quality to the S2 eShop.
Sizzling matters: Swap 2 worth hikes, Bubsy in good-game shocker!
NL’s Highest-Rated Sport(s) of the Month: Mixtape (9) / Sektori (9) / Mina the Hollower NS2E (9)
Rebirth (June 2026)
We’re only some days in, however Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth and Konami’s surprisingly good Swap 2 unique eFootball Kick-Off snuck in earlier than the primary anniversary cut-off.
Simply lacking the deadline are some much-anticipated video games from Nintendo and Sq., too, however let us take a look at these beneath…
Swap 2, Yr Two – What’s In Retailer?
The Adventures of Elliot and Star Fox are each June video games we’re wanting ahead to, with Nintendo folllowing that up in July with Splatoon Raiders and Rhythm Heaven Groove (though that is Swap 1 – the final introduced first-party Swap 1 sport on the time of writing, in truth).
August sees Konami doing us a Strong with Metallic Gear Strong: Grasp Assortment Vol. 2, FromSoft’s Elden Ring arriving after a delay, and Sq. has Closing Fantasy XIV On-line lined up, too.
September brings Lego Batman and DQ XI S Definitive Version, whereas Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 4 will get October day-and-date parity with different platforms. Past that, there is a vital pile of “TBA 2026” titles, together with Hearth Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, The Duskbloods, Layton and the New World of Steam, Oblivion Remastered, DECAPOLICE, and Valheim.
After which there’s no matter Nintendo has up its sleeve for the vacations. Hearth Emblem is great, nevertheless it’s additionally a bit of area of interest. Even when the Ocarina remake rumours for Zelda’s fortieth anniversary yr change into sizzling air, we’re nonetheless anticipating one thing sizeable from Nintendo’s in-house groups for the second half of 2026. – all of the extra if the agency needs to draw new gamers to Swap 2 whereas placing the value up.
