Our list of the best new Switch games is here to cover the amazing titles you can expect in 2026, so you can learn all about the biggest and best names arriving on the portable console over the coming months. With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, there's even more to look forward to on both consoles.
While most of the upcoming Switch games only have a vague release window at the moment, we're sure an absolute truckload of cracking new games will reach the console or its successor by the end of 2026.
Mario Tennis Fever - February 12
Once again, it's almost time to hit the courts with Mushroom Kingdom's finest in Mario Tennis Fever. This sequel to Mario Tennis Aces has Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the rest of the gang serve up some fun.
There's a new story mode that sees the core group of characters transformed into baby versions of themselves, except for Donkey Kong, who looks to be acting as some sort of childminder. Outside of the new story mode, this new sporting spin-off also offers online play, so you can take on your friends across the court or team up as a doubles team.
There's not long to wait for the Mario Tennis Fever release date to see whether it's enough to dethrone the top picks from our guide to the best tennis games, but until then, why not take to the court in Mario Tennis N64, which is included with the Nintendo Online + Expansion Pack.
Pre-order Mario Tennis Fever here
Resident Evil Requiem - February 27
Here we go - a fresh, new entry to the mainline Resident Evil series. As a lifelong fan, words simply don't do my excitement levels justice. I didn't think my hype could get any higher than it did for Village, but Requiem looks superb, and I'm keen to follow our new protagonist, Grace Ashcroft.
While Grace is a fresh face, longtime fans of the franchise may recognize her surname, as she's the daughter of Alyssa Ashcroft, an investigative reporter from the Outbreak games. I love that this creepy entry centers on the daughter of an existing character, though I'd be lying if I didn't say that the return of Leon Kennedy is also a huge plus for me.
Capcom officially confirmed that we get to play as Leon at The Game Awards 2025, and it looks like he brings all of the action to Requiem, while Grace's portion of the game is more terrifying, as she's not a seasoned survivor like Leon. To me, it seems like there's going to be a perfect balance thanks to the two of them, and I can't wait to see how these events unfold.
Pre-order Resident Evil Requiem here
Pokémon Pokopia - March 5
With 2025's release of Pokémon Legends Z-A, none of us were quite prepared for Nintendo to announce another Pokémon game so soon, but I'm certainly not complaining. You see, Pokémon Pokopia isn't your average Pokémon game - it's an adorable life simulation game.
Pokopia sees you take control of a Ditto who has transformed to look like (a rather odd) human. Working together with Professor Tangrowth, you must befriend your fellow Pokémon, learn moves from them to shape the land, and build a bustling town for everyone to live in. From what we've seen so far, both the style and gameplay loop look very similar to games like Animal Crossing and (my beloved) Dragon Quest Builders 2, and I'm genuinely so excited to find out more.
Whether you're using Lapras' surf move to cross water, Bulbasaur's leafage to help the grass grow, or simply taking a nap with Mosslax (an adorable new variant of the iconic normal-type Pokémon), this cute and cozy game is shaping up to be a real treat. And, with the Pokémon Pokopia release date landing in early March, it turns out we don't have long to wait before we can dive in.
Pre-order Pokémon Pokopia here
007: First Light - March 27
I'm a James Bond fiend. Whether it's the underrated Bloodstone or the excellent Nightfire, James Bond games offer a unique kind of escapism I relish. But it's been a long time since MI6's greatest spy reared their digital head on our screens. You've got the frankly awful 007 Legends to thank for that. But the wait ends in March 2026, thanks to Hitman developer IO Interactive.
007: First Light resurrects James Bond's gaming cred with an all-new cast, exotic locales, and a fresh take on his stealth endeavors. I've been saying since the game's announcement in 2021 that IO Interactive is a match made in heaven for this IP. But I don't just know that instinctively, I know it from seeing the game at Gamecom this year. My 007 First Light preview confirms everything you're hoping to see is there, and then some.
Speaking with art director Rasmus Poulsen and senior producer Theuns Smit doubles down that the game is in excellent hands. There's some time until the 007: First Light release date lands, but you can be sure I'll be counting down the days as it approaches my Nintendo Switch 2 dashboard.
Pre-order 007: First Light here
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book - Spring, 2026
Yoshi is back, baby! We got our first look at Yoshi and the Mysterious Book during the September 2025 Nintendo Direct, and now we can't wait for Spring 2026 to get our hands on it.
Like Yoshi's Crafted World, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book looks like it's going to offer some old-school platforming joy, along with some gorgeous visuals, and that's all we can ask for from the little green dinosaur.
While we don't know for sure, the Yoshi and the Mysterious Book trailer makes the game look like it might be oriented towards younger Nintendo fans, but that won't stop us, 20 and 30-year-olds, from catching up with the flutter jumping legend. Bring on Spring.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream - Spring 2026
I can think of few Nintendo games with more of a demand to return than Tomodachi Life, and thankfully, the series will make its grand return in Spring of 2026. If you're unfamiliar with the series, Tomodachi Life is a social simulator about controlling a small population of Miis, each of whom can interact with each other in a number of hilarious and fun ways.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will give us all that surge of nostalgia that we so desperately crave, but it also intends to improve upon the previous entry, including giving us more control over the Miis appearances (including, Heaven forbid, the introduction of ears) and interactions, the latter of which was left to chance in previous iterations.
I'm excited about the tropical island and the chance to create all my real life friends in the game so that I can feed them all little realistic images of food. I also hope that my Miis will be able to live their best gay lives, a feature that was missing from the prior entry. Only time will tell - Spring, come quickly please!
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales - TBC, 2026
I'm an absolute sucker for an action RPG, and I'm similarly enthusiastic about HD-2D games, so when I saw the first teaser for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, I knew it'd be the one for me. The gameplay footage we've seen so far looks to me like something you'd get if you threw a classic Zelda game and Octopath Traveler in a blender, and that's exactly what I'm hoping for from it.
As the name suggests, The Adventures of Elliot stars Elliot, a resident of the Kingdom of Huther, the last bastion for humans on a continent overrun with beasts and creatures. Together with his magical companion, Faie the fairy, our hero discovers the Doorway of Time, embarking on a quest between the past and the present to try and create a new future for humanity. That's exactly the sort of epic fantasy storytelling I'm here for, and the synopsis reminds me slightly of Chrono Trigger, which can only ever be a good thing.
While we don't have much to go on outside of the trailers Square Enix has shared so far and some vague plot details, the box art for The Adventures of Elliot gives me serious Studio Ghibli vibes, so I'm hoping for a heartfelt story from the game. We also don't have an exact release date, but once it arrives, don't expect to hear from me for three to five business days, depending on how eager I am to replay.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave - TBC, 2026
Fire Emblem fans have had plenty to celebrate in recent years, with both Three Houses and Engage providing hours of engaging strategy battles and nuanced storytelling. Now, it's time for some more, with the Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave release date window set for 2026.
While we still don't know all that much about Fortune's Weave, the trailer points to battling inside a Colleseum-style arena, a new collection of charismatic characters, and a continuation of the strategy mechanics that so many of us know and love.
Oh, and there are a couple of familiar faces, which hints at a continuation of the story of Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
Rhythm Heaven Groove - TBC, 2026
By the time Rhythm Heaven Groove (hopefully) launches in 2026, it will have been ten years since the last game in the series. Technically, because Rhythm Heaven Megamix was a compilation title, we haven't had a brand-new Rhythm Heaven game since 2011, so I truly cannot overstate my excitement for this new game.
Rhythm Heaven is the game that started my fixation on rhythm games, and it's pretty hard to find another series that scratches the rhythm itch in quite the same way. We know so little about this new entry other than that it's more of the same, and yet that still excites me!
We've waited far too long to get a Rhythm Heaven game on the Nintendo Switch, so I can't wait to see how this new title merges the original minigame controls from the DS with the experimental Wii gameplay. I already know that I'm going to sink dozens of hours into this game, going for the All Perfects.
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - TBC, 2026
We still don't have a concrete Professor Layton and the New World of Steam release date, but thanks to a trailer from Level 5, I'm a lot more confident that this game will finally come out this year, and I can't wait.
I'm not usually a fan of detective games, but the quaint visuals and quirky puzzles of the Professor Layton series have always been an exception for me. Plus, my partner absolutely adores this series, so we can't wait to play it together.
This seventh entry into the mainline Professor Layton series takes place in Steam Bison, a bustling steampunk hub of technological innovation. But of course, everything is not as it seems, so Luke and Professor Layton must question the citizens, gather evidence, and solve hundreds of new puzzles to uncover the mystery of the new world of steam.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition - TBC, 2026
Tarnished, it's time to rise once more, as Elden Ring is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2026, proving to be one of the more surprising announcements from a recent showcase.
This award-winning, action RPG is set in a spooky, dark fantasy world and tasks you with exploring dangerous dungeons and facing difficult bosses. The Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 includes the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree, and even some brand new weapons, armor Torrent skins, and more.
We've been praying for an Elden Ring Switch port since the game came out, and now we finally get to experience it, thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2's beefed-up hardware. You can find everything we know so far about the port in our Elden Ring guide.
Witchbrook - TBC, 2026
I say this every year. I want to play Witchbrook. I've wanted to play it since it got announced in March of 2018. It's been nearly a decade, but we've got a release date at last. Well, we had one for 2025, but then it got pushed back to 2026, so let's hope it actually, finally, comes out.
It's essentially a little witchy life-sim, with adorable pixel graphics, where you go to school and learn the tricks of the magical trade. It takes place in Mossport, a suitably cutesy name for a village filled with bakeries, furniture stores, and emporiums selling different mystical wares.
We're still yet to get a good look at the game in action, though there are trailers showing off the day-to-day. For me, this will be a perfect game to play on Nintendo Switch, on the sofa, swaddled in blankets with a hot drink by my side. You know, if it ever actually comes out.
Decapolice - TBC
Since our first glimpse of it, Decapolice has been one of our most anticipated Switch games. Unfortunately, multiple delays have occurred over the last few years, so it almost feels like wishful thinking that we'll see a Decapolice release date in 2026, but we're manifesting it, okay?
Level-5's intriguing detective game sees you play the part of a rookie detective hunting down criminals in an open-world city, traveling back and forth between the physical and virtual worlds as you search for clues to crack the case.
With an original release window of 2023, it's clear that Level-5 thought Decapolice needed a little more time in the oven (or a lot more time, let's be honest), but we're hoping that it's going to be worth the wait when it finally arrives.
Splatoon Raiders - TBC
Something I didn't expect with the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 was the reveal of a spin-off Splatoon game. I've always thought it would be a fun idea, but presumed we'd only ever get DLC or updates that added something new. The reveal of Splatoon Raiders proved me wrong.
Details are a little watery for now, but we know that the upcoming game features the trio of idols from Splatoon 3, alongside a playable protagonist called the Mechanic. Your job, it seems, is to head to the Spirhalite Islands and see what's going on.
You get a robot that works with you, and presumably more mechanical items, along with your trusty paint gun. I do wonder how the painting side of things will come into it, but either way, I'm excited for a different foray into the world of Inkadia.
There you have it, all of the biggest new Switch and Switch 2 games. If you want to keep the portable good times going, our lists of the best mobile games and new mobile games are here to help.