3 Games Noticeably Missing From Nintendo’s Switch Launch Lineup

Super Mario Odyssey

Nintendo’s Switch event has been and gone and brought with it a lot of interesting news. Many of the announcements came in the form of upcoming games, but, unfortunately for Nintendo fans, there wasn’t a ton announced for launch day. Nintendo has a ton of different IPs and franchises to choose from, so some fans may be surprised by the Switch’s lackluster offerings. Especially when the console is so important to the company. This list takes a look at three titles that everyone thought would be launch titles, but are either coming at a later date or simply weren’t announced.

When Nintendo showed the preview trailer for the Switch back in October, people immediately noticed a new Mario title dropped in there. No other details were given on the game until now. Following the event, we know the game is called Super Mario Odyssey, and that it’ll have an open-world for Mario to explore. What’s more, Mario seems to have been joined on his adventures by a sentient hat.

Prior to the event, many considered its cameo in the trailer as a sign it would be a launch day title. You can’t deny that Link and Mario’s adventures would add some serious firepower to the Switch’s lineup, but alas it wasn’t meant to be. Super Mario Odyssey won’t be coming to the console until this holiday season, meaning there are going to be plenty of experiences between now and then for players to enjoy. It may be a disappointing release date for some fans, but at least we know there’s a stellar title coming to the Switch outside of its opening few months.

Splatoon 2

Another title that made a quick appearance in the Switch’s preview trailer was Splatoon 2, though, at the time, we didn’t know whether it was a remaster or a brand-new game. Following the trailer, rumors then surfaced suggesting that the Splatoon title would indeed be a launch title for the Switch. It may not be one of Nintendo’s legendary franchises, but it certainly made a splash when it debuted on Wii U back in 2015.

Since launching, Splatoon had gathered quite the fanbase, with many considering it to be a fresh and unique take on the FPS genre, and a kid-friendly one to boot. With Nintendo clearly looking at Splatoon 2 to be its potential eSports title, its absence from the launch lineup is a surprising one. Currently slated for summer this year, the Switch will be left for a good few months without a major multiplayer title. At least, based on what we know so far. Considering Nintendo has seemingly poured money into a new online service specifically for the Switch, it’s a rather odd omission. At least it’ll only be a few months until we can get back into the inky action anyway.

Pokemon

Pokemon hadn’t been hinted at by Nintendo prior to the event, but there were certainly a good few rumors flying around that we’d see the franchise coming to the Switch. MCV had listed the series as potentially adding a title to the Switch’s library, meanwhile, more specific rumors further down the line suggested that the title would be a ‘special edition’ of Pokemon Sun and Moon called Pokemon Stars.

Unfortunately for Pokemon fans, Nintendo didn’t mention the beloved series once during the Switch event. Currently, it doesn’t look like Nintendo has anything in the works, or at least, nothing they want to announce just yet. We certainly hope we’ll get a Pokemon game on the Switch soon. After all, the hybrid nature of the console and the Pokemon franchise go hand in hand.

What did you make of Nintendo’s Switch event? Will you be picking up a Switch come March 3? Let us know down in the comments below.