It's been six months since the launch of Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo's latest console has been hailed as a fantastic sequel to the original Switch, and although it's not exactly breaking the mold set by its predecessor, it has beyond the optional extras like mouse controls. It's still a top machine. But, realistically, it's not really about specs, it's the games that really make a great console, and in the last few months we've seen plenty of first- and third-party titles debut for Switch 2. And from that great pool, there are a few that have been the talking points so far for Switch 2 – they might not be what you'd expect.
The original Switch's first year was pretty stellar. Launching with Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and following that up with Super Mario Odyssey before the holidays, we also got Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (you know, just the best-selling Nintendo game of all time), Splatoon 2, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, and numerous others in those first nine months of the Switch's lifecycle.
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The Switch 2's opening months haven't been quite as good as the original Switch, but Nintendo has managed to launch a new first-party title basically every month since the console's launch in June. Mario Kart World took the helm in June, followed by Donkey Kong: Bananza in July. August saw the wheelchair basketball title Drag x Drive launch to muted acclaim in part thanks to its limited scope. September was quiet, but October gave us Pokemon Legends: Z-A, November Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and December gave us the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
Traditionally, these major new titles would go on to define a Nintendo console's first year on shelves, but in reality, it's a little different.
5. Mario Kart World
Well, apart from Mario Kart World. The Switch 2 launch game has gone hand in hand with the console since its original reveal back in January, with teasers for a new Mario Kart included with the first teaser trailer. It's still the only game to come officially bundled with the console, and for the first month, it was the only major Switch 2 exclusive you could buy (apart from Welcome Tour, but really, the less said about that, the better).
It's interesting because Mario Kart World may have dominated the excited chatter pre-launch, but conversations quickly shifted when players actually got their hands on the game. Intermission tracks are still a particular bugbear, with one of the more recent updates actually tweaking them. Free roam fell a little flat too, with players expecting something more akin to Forza Horizon than what they actually got - an open space to just drive around in with some simple challenges dotted around.
So while it's outselling Switch 1 launch title Zelda: Breath of the Wild by over four times in Japan physically, a large part of that will be down to the fact it was the only bundle option for the console. The Switch 2 is already becoming Nintendo's fastest-selling console after all.
That's a momentum that Kirby Air Riders just can't compete with – Nintendo's second kart racer of the year. It might play on player nostalgia, with its new take on a GameCube classic, but it's Mario Kart World that takes first place when it comes to defining Switch 2 so far.
4. Donkey Kong Bananza
After the reactions around Mario Kart World's launch, Donkey Kong Bananza started a whole new debate – whether it should have actually been the launch game for Switch 2 instead. I'm inclined to agree. DK may not have as mass appeal as Super Mario, but Donkey Kong Bananza is a stunning display of the power of Switch 2 with its destructible landscapes. From the makers of Super Mario Odyssey, it felt really unique and innovative in comparison to Mario Kart World, which, despite its new modes like Knockout Tour and Free Roam, still just felt like more Mario Kart.
I also love that it's unashamedly camp from the glorious neon outfits for DK and Pauline to the cries of 'Oh Banana' (which has become a daily catchphrase in our house to the point I'm surprised it wasn't our daughter's first word). It was a refreshing experience that was the perfect pick-me-up in the month after Switch 2's launch.
3. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way since its original launch, and is an absolutely powerhouse of an RPG, which is one of the reasons it's made this list. I was genuinely surprised just how well Cyberpunk 2077 runs on Switch 2, with CD Projekt Red's latest epic looking fantastic on that larger screen.
It was also initially the best-selling third-party Switch 2 title. It just goes to show that maybe there is a method to the madness of Skyrim's continual re-releases, as with Switch 2 Cyberpunk 2077 reached Nintendo gamers for the first time ever.
Of all the third-party launches for Switch 2 so far, Cyberpunk 2077 was a huge get from Nintendo, proving that the Switch 2 was as powerful as it needed to be and could cater to a more mature audience than the original Switch. A sentiment matched well by its more muted design color scheme too.
2. Hollow Knight: Silksong
The game that the games industry has been holding its breath for since its first announcement back in 2019 instantly became a defining title for these first few months of Switch 2. The 2025 release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong that everyone had been waiting for was slipped in at the tail end of the Switch 2 reveal Nintendo Direct and made the internet collectively lose their minds. It arrived the September after, bringing with it a special Switch 2 upgrade that got players 120fps framerates and higher resolutions to take advantage of that lovely display.
The fact it eventually became a launch window title for Switch 2 after all that pining meant that Nintendo's latest console was on par with Xbox and PS5 in that moment. It was part of the conversation for one of the biggest games of 2025.
1. Hades 2
After a year in Early Access, Hades 2 1.0 kicked into the afterlife in September. Switch and Switch 2 are still the only places to play it that aren't on Steam – a great get for the Nintendo handheld duo. Its moreish 'just one more go' is literally a perfect fit for a console like the Switch 2 and it looks utterly stunning too.
Like Cyberpunk 2077, it's another signal that Nintendo's making Switch 2 a place for adult gamers as much as for the entire family. This is a complex, challenging roguelike that's certainly not aimed at kids, and it does well to highlight the range of games available on Switch 2 goes beyond the more safe-feeling Nintendo-published and developed titles.
The Switch 2's first six months have been promising. Top titles, great exclusives, and the ability to play with the big boys of Xbox and PlayStation when it comes to games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hollow Knight: Silksong. Not all of Switch 2's exclusives have been out and out successes, but innovation and the ability to make the most of its new and improved hardware has meant that Switch 2 is off to a tremendous start. Check out the best games of 2025 for a broader look at the year's heaviest hitters across the board!
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