If you thought Nintendo was cooking, you’ve seen nothing yet. 2026 promises to be one of the biggest Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 years ever, particularly for the latter.
On June 5, 2025, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch 2. In many respects, it signaled the end of the previous era—the record-breaking Switch 1’s good times—and looked toward the future. One filled with 120 FPS games, 4K, HDR, and many other features that make the Switch 2 so appealing and attuned to the demands of modern-day games.
2026 will see many of the biggest and best games of the year on Nintendo Switch 2. This handy article should serve as a news Bulletin (Bill) on what’s to come.
New Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive Games Releasing In 2026
The gaming calendar is subject to constant change, to everyone’s delight and despair. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 games are earmarked for 2026, but delays could push them 12 months away; be prepared for delays, difficulties, and other dilemmas that could jeopardize your plans.
All the games here are based on current information.
Mario Tennis Fever
You don’t typically think of Sports franchises when Mario jumps into frame. Everyone’s favorite platforming plumber has had numerous sporting outings and regularly enjoys competing in the Olympics, loves a round of Golf, and is partial to a competitive game of Tennis. Mario Tennis Fever was one of the earliest Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games locked in for 2026. It promises many major improvements over Mario Tennis Aces and should make for another excellent party game.
Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon Pokopia makes you wonder why the series has never done anything like this before. Has a new Pokémon game and concept ever made more sense than this? Animal Crossing, but with Pokémon, is a million-dollar idea. That’s probably why Omega Force is working on this, and what little has been shown so far looks like a simulation-lover’s dream.
Don’t be shocked if this ends up being the best-selling Switch 2 game of 2026—screenshot these words if you need to!
The Duskbloods
It was a big move to make The Duskbloods 2 an exclusive FromSoftware Souls game on Nintendo Switch 2 only. Common sense suggests this is only a timed exclusive to help Switch 2 hardware sales, with PS5, PC, and Xbox ports coming later down the line. Until this happens, if you’re a FromSoft or Souls fan, you might want to consider investing in a Nintendo Switch 2. The Duskbloods is a brand-new IP and features intense PvP and PvE action. Don’t miss out on Hidetaka Miyazaki’s latest brilliance.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
It’s about time Yoshi got another game. It’s another side-scrolling platformer, so don’t expect too much deviation from 2019’s Crafted World from a core gameplay perspective. Moreover, you also shouldn’t expect a drastic move from the series’s cute and cuddly nature, featuring family-friendly elements and accessibility. The key difference for the sequel is no multiplayer, and this is a great platforming adventure for a young tyke or lifelong Yoshi enthusiast.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Every few years, a new Fire Emblem comes out. This inevitably leads to the loss of most people’s free time as it flies out the window, courtesy of the content on offer. The strategic franchise is renowned for regaling you with regal stories of weapons and warfare. Fortune’s Weave looks like more of the same, but in a good way. The ‘Heroic Games’ will be a centerpiece attraction in the story, and its narrative and gameplay stylings will follow in the footsteps of the critically acclaimed Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Sneaking in late to the exclusives list are two Switch 2 ports, the first being ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.’ Just like the 2025 Zelda ports, this is the classic New Horizons experience that the world began to love in 2020, only spruced up with extras, such as mouse control support, a new Megaphone, which uses the Switch 2’s microphone, enhanced online multiplayer, and huge resolution and performance upgrades.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup In Bellabel Park
There’s one final Switch 2 port of original Nintendo Switch content that’s known heading into 2026, and that’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup In Bellabel Park. The long and hideous name aside, it’s the ‘Wonder’ content you know and love, but with the new arrival of ‘Meetup In Bellabel Park.’ It mainly features many mini-games and multi-person party games.
Biggest 2026 Nintendo Switch & Switch 2 Games
Reanimal
Tarsier Studios toddles off from its legacy as the creator of Little Nightmares to create another sleep-interrupting monstrosity. Reanimal is a new animal with familiar spots on its coat. It retains Little Nightmares’ cinematic look, its frantic platforming and chase sequences, and the terrifying tale can be enjoyed by up to two players in horrifying harmony.
Resident Evil: Requiem
One of the biggest AAA games of 2026 comes to the Nintendo Switch 2—Resident Evil Requiem. This is one of the console’s biggest draws: It’s capable of delivering polished ports of the latest and greatest releases. You might struggle to get GTA 6 onto the Switch 2, but Capcom’s Requiem isn’t missing the party. Requiem looks to combine many of the features from Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 8 as the series finally returns to a bombed-out Raccoon City with a new game. The Nintendo Switch 2 is sure to do Alyssa Ashcroft’s (and Leon Kennedy’s) adventure gruesome justice.
Between Nintendo Direct presentations and surprises, this is only the start of Nintendo’s 2026. More first-party exclusives could arrive in 2026, but head to the Insider Gaming Discord Server and tell everyone if we’ve shockingly missed a game from this list. Also, give some insight into your most anticipated Switch games of 2026.
For more fun lists, check out the Best Co-Op Games for Family, Best Gifts for Gamers, and the Top Video Games to Buy This Holiday Season and beyond.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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