It’s an understatement to say that theNintendo Switchis a successful console. Shipping over 143 million units at the time of writing, Nintendo’s hybrid console has managed to redeem the company in the wake of the considerably less successful Wii U. Withgames likeThe Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomandMetroid Prime 4yet to come, it doesn’t seem like the system is going to be slowing down any time soon.
But maybe the gulf between the Wii U and theSwitchisn’t as great as some make it out to be. Though the former’s branding and marketing, coupled with its lack of competitiveness in the console tech arms race, made it a tough sell alongside the more impressive PS4 and Xbox One, it was still a high-quality system where it counts: games. In fact, many of the Nintendo Switch’s best-selling “exclusives” were actually released on the Wii U first, or as cross-platform titles. Games fitting this description include:
But at the same time, there are a number of Wii U exclusives that are mysteriously absent from the Switch’s portfolio. It’s worth taking a look at these, and pondering their future as Nintendo moves ahead with new hardware.
Major Wii U Exclusives That Haven’t Come to the Switch Yet
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD
Perhaps the most notorious omissions from theSwitch’s lineup areTwilight PrincessandWind Waker. Originally released for the GameCube, both of these games were remastered for the Wii U, and these recreations have been almost universally praised as improvements over the originals that don’t adulterate what makes them special. Nintendo may have plans to bring these iconic releases to the Switch 2, or even Nintendo Switch Online, but for now, there’s no way to get a hold of them on a base Nintendo Switch.
Splatoon
Splatoonhas amassed a loyal followingover the last few years, with the second and third entries in the series being among the Switch’s best competitive multiplayer games. And yet, the inaugural game in the franchise has never been brought over to the Switch. WithSplatoon 1’s servers permanently shut down as of April 2024, there’s no way to play this original release online without a homebrewed Wii U, making it essentially lost to time.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Often considered one of thebestXenoblade Chroniclesgames,Xenoblade Chronicles Xremains locked on the Wii U. This is somewhat curious, as the franchise’s fanbase is among gaming’s most dedicated, and a Switch port would undeniably sell well, but for now, players will have to make do with the Wii U version.
Star Fox Zero
Though it certainly has its supporters,Star Fox Zerodidn’t set the world on fire in 2015. Asthe firstStar Foxgame in over a decade, expectations were extremely high forZero, and while many believe it didn’t meet these expectations, others found it to be a solid, enjoyable game that stays true to the series' roots. Hopefully,Star Foxwill make a proper return sometime in the future, and perhaps that could lead to a re-release ofZero.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Kirby and the Rainbow Curseis a solid enoughKirbygame, but it’s also often overlooked compared to other entries in the series. This middling performance, coupled with its heavy integration of the Wii U gamepad, is probably what has kept Nintendo from porting this game to the Switch. Still, it has the signature charm and creativity that many associate with the franchise, and it would surely be a welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, capable of being played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld-only model, followed in 2019, with an OLED refresh coming in 2021.
