After what felt like months of rumours, Microsoft and Nintendo finally put us out of our misery during the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase by confirming that, yes, select Microsoft-published Xbox games will be making their way to the Nintendo Switch to join the likes of Banjo-Kazooie on NSO, and the Ori duo.
Heck, one of them — Obsidian’s Pentiment — is available to download right now (with a physical version also on the way), but Nintendo fans can also look forward to Grounded in the near future. We were expecting to see both Hi-Fi RUSH and Sea of Thieves, but alas, while both of those have been confirmed for release on the PS5, there is currently no sign of them on Nintendo’s platform.
It got us thinking: the likelihood that Microsoft will limit its multi-platform lineup to these aforementioned games seems slim at best. It’s doubtful that the firm will reveal its long-term plans anytime soon, but we reckon we may see some more Xbox titles make their way over to the Switch (or ‘Switch 2’) — and we know Call of Duty is coming, at least.
But which ones would we like to see, exactly? Which ones would you like to see? Vote in the poll at the bottom of the page to let us know which Xbox series you think might work best on a Nintendo platform. If you want to see something we haven’t mentioned, then don’t forget to leave a comment, too. Let’s see what the Nintendo Life team thinks…
Ollie Reynolds, staff writer
As tempting as it might be to just say “Whack The Master Chief Collection on Switch” and be done with it (because gosh, that would be good), I think there are certain franchises like Halo and Gears of War that are quite simply locked to Microsoft’s ecosystem for good.
There is a specific trilogy that I think would do quite well on the Switch, however, and that’s Fable. With its quirky humour, accessible gameplay and, let’s be honest now, pretty basic visuals at this point, there’s no reason those games can’t find an audience on Nintendo’s platform. It’s another tricky one, mind, what with a brand new Fable entry currently in the works, though I’d argue that getting more eyes on the franchise would be the perfect marketing tool, no?
Alana Hagues, deputy editor
Look, I know this isn’t the best game out there, but no one can deny that Blinx the Time Sweeper would fit perfectly on the Switch. A mascot puzzle platformer with time-bending mechanics? I had fun with this as a kid, but I know it’s not considered to be that good. Some new controls would help spruce it up. Artoon worked on Yoshi Topsy-Turvy and Yoshi’s Island DS, too — let’s give them a last hurrah on the Switch.
Speaking of Artoon, it also worked with Mistwalker on a few occasions. Mistwalker is the developer founded by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi after he left Square; the studio made a couple of Xbox-exclusive RPGs that are still stuck on the system to this day — Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. Even though you can play them on Xbox Series X|S, I feel like they should be on other consoles.
C’mon, Mistwalker — I definitely need more RPGs to sink my time into…
Gavin Lane, editor
For years I’ve been banging on about getting Rare Replay on Switch. Iit’s a natural fit for the Nintendo audience and the idea of a Rareware ‘homecoming’ makes me a little misty-eyed.
However, we’re at the point now where it’s making less sense by the month. It feels like we’re getting many of those games piecemeal via the NSO app anyway, even though they don’t feature the bells or whistles or documentary trappings of the excellent Replay package. Surely it’s only a matter of time before the studio’s entire N64 output is on NSO (minus Mickey’s Speedway USA, perhaps).
That does leave the massively underrated Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts behind, though, so I still want it. And Grabbed by the Ghoulies.
Otherwise, Ollie nailed it with Fable, specifically Fable II for me. That was a magical game that I’d love to revisit. I wouldn’t say no to a Forza, although that seems less likely. And I never got to play Double Fine’s Psychonauts 2 — a cheeky 1+2 pack would be a great way for Nintendo gamers to catch up with Raz. Just hearing Peter McConnell’s brilliant soundtrack coming out of my Switch would be a dream.
