The Big List of Nintendo Switch Games: December 2016 Update

We are exactly one month away from learning a lot more about the Nintendo Switch. On January 12, the consolemaker will host the “Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017,” a livestream dedicated to revealing “the launch date and pricing for Nintendo Switch, as well as a look at the lineup of games currently in development.”

However, a few recent rumors have given us a pretty good look at what Nintendo probably has planned for the Switch, including adding GameCube games to the Virtual Console, a multi-touch touchscreen, and a wallet-friendly possible retail price of $250.

We’ve even gotten a glimpse at a dozen new games in development for the Switch, and you can learn more about those after the break.

Officially Announced

Cube Life: Island Survival HD
With its voxel-based graphics, Cube Life: Island Survival is a sandbox survival game that bears a striking resemblance to Minecraft. While most players are happy playing the real thing, there’s apparently a market for this store-brand knockoff, and developer Cypronia has confirmed it’ll be released for the Switch sometime after launch.

Lego City Undercover
Believe it or not, Lego City Undercover helped establish the Wii U as a place for interesting all-ages software back in 2013. In addition to a story of cops and criminals that was perfect for kids too young for Grand Theft Auto, Lego City Undercover turned heads for its huge open world and its status as one of the few Lego games not based on an existing property.

Publisher WB Games and developer TT Games will release Lego City Undercover for the Switch in Spring 2017.

Monster Boy
Monster Boy is a spiritual successor to the 80s-era platformer Wonder Boy, and it is officially in development for the Switch (as well as the PC, PS4, and Xbox One) at FDG Entertainment. The Wonder Boy franchise was mostly confined to the Sega Master System, so it might not be a name that many people are familiar with. But Monster Boy will attempt to reintroduce itself to fans when it’s released sometime in 2017.

Nobunaga’s Ambition
The Nobunaga’s Ambition franchise has a long history with Nintendo consoles, and previous entries have appeared on the NES, Super NES, and Game Boy over the years. Though more recently, Koei Tecmo’s strategy series has found a home on the PC, PS3, and PS4. But the publisher plans to rekindle their relationship with Nintendo with the next Nobunaga’s Ambition game, which will be released for the Switch. The game currently doesn’t have a release date or a title, and it’s also unknown if the franchise’s Switch debut will be a new entry in the series or a port of a previously-released game.

The Sacred Hero
The Sacred Hero is in development at Simplistic, and will be released for the Switch in 2018. Directed by a teenage developer named Kane Goodridge, the game looks to be heavily influenced by The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and a handful of older Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles.

Seasons of Heaven
Based on a novel by Nico Augusto, Seasons of Heaven is an exploration title that’s being built with Unreal Engine 4. We also know that it takes place in a “mystical forest,” and stars a young boy with telepathic powers.

Stardew Valley
Set to launch this week for the PS4 and Xbox One, Stardew Valley is a whimsical farming RPG from developer Concerned Ape. The game was also expected to be out for the Wii U by the end of the year, but instead, development has shifted to the Switch, and it should be available for Nintendo’s next console sometime in 2017.

In Development, But Unannounced

Pokemon
Game Freak is doing something with the Pokemon series for the Nintendo Switch, and the latest rumors are pointing towards it being a Pokemon Sun/Moon remaster known as Pokemon Stars. The re-release is expected to include more Pokemon to collect and improved graphics over the 3DS games.

Untitled Tantalus Game
Tantalus developed and released a well-received remake of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii U earlier this year, and the Australian team has confirmed they’ve got a Switch project in the works as well. We don’t know if they’ve partnered with Nintendo for another remake, but CEO Tom Crago said his company’s relationship with Nintendo is “stronger than ever,” and even encouraged fans to flood their Facebook page with suggestions for Nintendo-published games they’d like to see remade for the Switch.

Rumored

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
Like Stardew Valley, The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ was expected to make an appearance on the Wii U before development recently stopped. However, publisher Nicalis confirmed the game will be released for the PS4, Xbox One, and “one more console” that isn’t the PS Vita or the Wii U. Technically, this statement doesn’t rule out a release on the New 3DS, but it seems much more likely that they’re referring to a Nintendo Switch port for The Binding of Isaac’s final expansion.

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ will be released for consoles in Spring 2017.

Dark Souls Trilogy
From Software was one of the most surprising names to be found on Nintendo’s partial list of publishers and developers currently working on games for the Switch. While the prolific developer has supported Nintendo hardware in the past, it’s always been to a much lower extant than on PlayStation and Xbox platforms.

But a new rumor has hinted at From Software’s plan for a “Game of the Year” re-release for Dark Souls III on the PC, PS4, Xbox One, as well as the Switch. Supposedly, “development on a Switch port has been underway for several months via a small team” though “From Software [is] waiting to see initial sales data before committing to producing ports.” Furthermore, Dark Souls III might be joined on the Switch by the first two games in the franchise, as the rumor mill is also reporting that “discussions internally at the company have discussed the financial viability of re-releasing the main three Dark Souls titles on the Switch with their DLC bundled in.”

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas
FDG Entertainment, the same development team behind the aforementioned Monster Boy, is also likely working on Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas for the Switch. The game is said to be in development for “a Nintendo console,” which is a curiously vague way to put it if you’re talking about the Wii U. But it’s appropriately secretive if FDG was referring to Nintendo’s equally secretive Switch console.