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Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)
Distributor provided a review copies for both Legend of Zelda games, Bravely Default, and Street Fighter.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been on the market for just under two months now, and it's already become one of the best-selling consoles ever in that time. Apart from the major releases, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, there is a constantly growing selection of great titles coming out for Nintendo's new console. Below are five essential titles you shouldn't miss if you're out to upgrade.

Donkey Kong Bananza is the first must-have title for the Switch 2
★★★★★ | With innovative gameplay and a spectacular world, Donkey Kong Bananza is a modern masterpiece and a true must-own title for the Switch 2.
Mario Kart World is a massive leap for the franchise
★★★★★ | Review: Mario Kart World re-imagines the iconic franchise into something familiar and wildly new. The result is a definitive racer for the new generation, one that might be enough to sell the new system on its own.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Arguably the best game ever released for the Nintendo Switch, even though it's a port of the Wii U version! Now, Breath of the Wild finally gets its due as it's released on the Switch 2 with all the technical prowess this masterpiece deserves.

First off, the graphics are sharper and everything runs at a steady 60fps. Initially, that doesn't sound like much, but when you actually give it a try, it's like playing the game for the first time all over again. This is the experience Nintendo must have dreamed about when they released Breath of the Wild initially. The fact that we didn't care about the stuttering or frame drops just goes to show how impeccable the gameplay proved to be.

The story, taking place in a post-apocalypse Hyrule, where Link searches for echoes of the kingdom he once fought for, is still a melancholy and often unbearably sad experience. It's so drastically different from previous Zelda titles that, at launch, it almost drove old-school fans away with the departure.

There are things that I wish Nintendo had changed for the Switch 2 remaster. Namely, the breaking weapons, which is a mechanic that didn't work upon initial release, and certainly doesn't work now, seven years later. It's a punishing and dull mechanic that takes away from the freedom and sense of exploration.

Luckily, everything else works like a charm, even today. This is one of the finest Zelda adventures ever made, and would probably be in the top three if it wasn't for its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, released five years later.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

A masterpiece, even nearly a decade later. Breath of the Wild is an incredible experience that shows how Nintendo isn't afraid to shake up their most beloved franchise to its core, and come away with something that redefines an entire genre.

This is one of the finest Zelda adventures ever made

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Released at the end of the life cycle of the original Nintendo Switch, Tears of the Kingdom is a celebration of Zelda's and Link's adventures that manages to wring everything out of the aging console.

Like Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom recontextualizes Link's adventures into a grand new mythology for Hyrule, where he and Zelda are split apart through time and space. As they journey to be reunited, Link witnesses Hyrule rebuild itself time and time again after Ganon's endless conquests, and we become part of the cycle of wandering souls who protect this realm. It is epic high-fantasy storytelling at its best.

The gameplay mechanics have also received an overhaul from Breath of the Wild. Now, Link can build contraptions from basically everything he finds on the battlefield. These devices can turn into everything from weaponry to airships, depending on how the player chooses to put them together. In true Nintendo fashion, there is nothing stopping you from going wild with your inventions.

The result is a more open and free adventure, one that rewards those with an imagination and courage to explore unconventional ideas. On the Switch 2, the graphics and performance have both improved drastically, and the already impressive world of Hyrule – be it in the air, ground, or in the depths of the earth – comes to life more vividly than ever before.

Sure, the breaking weapons are still a pain, but it's hard to complain when everything else is once again sets the standard for an entire genre. If you have a Nintendo Switch 2, you owe it to yourself to get both Zelda titles. If you already own them on the Nintendo Switch, not to worry, you can upgrade them for a small fee for the Nintendo Switch 2 version or, if you have a Nintendo Family Subscription, you get the upgrades free of charge.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

One of the greatest adventure games ever made and a stunning victory lap for the original Nintendo Switch. The Switch 2 version improves on perfection with better graphics and frame rates, resulting in the definitive way to experience this masterpiece.

If you have a Nintendo Switch 2, you owe it to yourself to get both Zelda titles.

Bravely Default Flying Fairy Remaster HD

Hailing from the Nintendo DS era, this lovingly restored remaster of a classic JRPG is a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 lineup. It's not the most technically impressive title out there, but it is so packed with ingenuous mechanics, wonderful writing, and spirited characters, that it should be on the short list for anyone who enjoys good adventures.

Set in the kingdom of Luxendarc (and other equally silly names), Bravely Default is a traditional story of light and dark duking it out over four elemental crystals, championed by epic heroes who begin as ordinary youths in the midst of grand events, only to eventually redefine the course of time and history itself.

Luckily, Bravely Default refuses to follow the traditional path for too long, and by the halfway point it becomes clear that this is anything but a typical JRPG. Sure, it still has all the hallmarks of JRPG games, such as endless grinding and party management, but even those are toned down somewhat in this HD Remaster.

Similarly, the visuals have received a gorgeous overhaul, and the DS-style elements have translated beautifully to the near-4K output the Switch 2 is capable of.

The dynamic battle system, a mix between traditional turn based elements and quicktime events, is still one of the best ever made for this genre. There's a delightful mix between aggression and strategy, where it pays off to take chances every now and then. Happily, the quality of life improvements mean that you don't have to worry about the fights ever getting too difficult, and it's nice for those of us who've already completed the game at some point in the past.

Now, granted, this isn't quite a Definitive Edition, and it doesn't promise that, either. It's also a major bummer that this is just a game key card, instead of the full game on the cartridge. Something that wasn't the case with the original Switch release. Here's hoping that Square Enix fixes things down the line, or releases a Bravely Default 1+2 package fully on a single cartridge.

Until then, this is still the best way to play Bravely Default for now. But, if there's anything this game teaches us, it's that things can always change for the better.

Bravely Default Flying Fairy Remaster HD

One of the best-written JRPG adventures gets a lovingly crafted update for the Switch 2 with enough quality of life updates to make it worthwhile. Sadly, the half-digital/half-physical release dampens the mood quite a bit.

This is still the best way to play Bravely Default for now

Street Fighter 6

When I reviewed Street Fighter 6 for the PlayStation, I called it one of the greatest fighting games ever made. I stand by that to this day.

Taistelupelien suurmestarin paluu maailman huipulle
Street Fighter 6 uudistuu tavalla, johon harva näin vanha sarja enää kykenee.

In fact, the Nintendo Switch 2 is even more remarkable because of how well it performs in relation to the more powerful console brethren. Put side by side, and I couldn't tell the difference between the versions – at least when docked.

The Switch 2 delivers near flawless arcade action from beginning to end, only dipping in the overworld maps and transitions to fights. These stutters, for whatever reason they may occur, aren't enough to become deal breakers, but they are noticeable compared to the PlayStation 5 version.

Luckily, the arcade and versus modes are completely fine, with fantastic performance output even in the most hectic scenarios.

The new additions to combat, such as the accessibility options for controls, are more than welcome. They make Street Fighter 6 finally a title that everyone can play, regardless of their cognitive impairments or lack thereof, and the overall result doesn't skew in favor of any one player. Instead, this is such a well-balanced title that it only highlights the best elements of this genre: Anyone can become a champion if they practice and work hard.

That's such a cool thing to experience through a power fantasy such as Street Fighter.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 was one of the best fighting games ever made upon release in 2024. A year later, the Switch 2 port continues that tradition by delivering the arcade brawler perfectly onto Nintendo's console. This is the best the genre has ever gotten, bar none.

Street Fighter 6 is one of the greatest fighting games ever made

Fast Fusion

I'm old enough to have grown up with the original Wipeout series, which basically defined the tone of the mid- to late-nineties. Insane EDM soundtracks combined with impossibly fast gameplay that, today, is impossible for me to play.

So, it was with some trepidation that I jumped into Fast Fusion, the indie title from developer Shinen, released entirely digitally for the new console. Luckily, I shouldn't have worried. Fast Fusion captures the sensation and style of the old Wipeout games, but does so with elegance and grace that allows for modern players (and old fogeys like me) to enjoy the madness without issues.

This is a classic arcade racer without any frills, and it doesn't need them, either. It focuses on exactly what matters: going fast and leaving behind a burning husk of a racetrack. The rules are simple, the mechanics intuitive, and the game works like a dream even with four-player split screen.

Even if Mario Kart World is the big seller for the Switch 2, I'd argue that Fast Fusion is an essential purchase for everyone who wants diversity in their racing catalogue. If you're old enough to remember Wipeout, you'll love Fast Fusion even more. This is as close to a remaster of the series as we're going to get, and, arguably, a better version of it that redefines everything that made them such classics in the first place.

Fast Fusion

Hyper fast and hyper fun, Fast Fusion is an essential racing game for everyone who loves speed and hard-hitting thrills. This is unlike any other racer released in the past decade, and a definitive addition to the genre.

If you're old enough to remember Wipeout, you'll love Fast Fusion even more.