As the reveal and subsequent arrival of theNintendo Switch 2draws ever closer, information about what games will be made available on it is becoming more prevalent. Granted,official information about the Switch 2 is still remarkably sparse, with Nintendo being tight-lipped about its forthcoming device, but its existence has been confirmed, and it will probably be unveiled soon.
Whether the new console will actually be called the “Switch 2” or something similar is unclear, but it is expected to be a direct successor to the Switch in terms of form and design, unlike the evolution from the Wii to the Wii U, for instance.
At the time of writing, two games have been confirmed for release on theNintendo Switch 2:My Time at EvershineandBestario. These lower-profile indies may not garner the widespread attention of, say, a newLegend of Zeldaentry, but they nevertheless represent an exciting prospect: the games' developers, Pathea Games and Wiggin Industries, have gone on record stating their plans to bring these games to Nintendo’s next console. With these announcements, a more complete picture of the Switch 2 may be forming, and it’s worth digging intoEvershineandBestarioto get a sense of what experience they’re aiming for, and what they could accomplish on Nintendo’s new hardware.
Unveiled Nintendo Switch 2 Games Explained
My Time at Evershine
As some could have already gleaned from the title,My Time at Evershineis the follow-up toMy Time at SandrockandMy Time at Portia, quaint settlement-building and life-sim titles with a notable focus on action-RPG elements.My Time at Evershinelooks to retain the strengths of its two predecessors, putting players in the role of the governor of the Evershine Settlement, tasked with building a community through flexible creation tools.
How differentEvershineis fromSandrockandPortiaremains to be seen, but the game’s art direction already looks like a significant departure: gone are the chibi-adjacent, squat character designs of the previous games, replaced by more svelte, mature-looking models similar to what one would find in a game likeValorant. In general, thevisuals ofEvershineseem like a major leap forward, with VFX and animations of a much higher caliber than fans may have come to expect.
Action-RPG combat, survival elements, and cozy game staples like crafting, customization, and romance options will meet inMy Time at Evershine, making it an ostensibly perfect game for Nintendo’s hybrid console. Thesuspected hardware improvements of the Switch 2should also synergize withEvershine’s graphical improvements, ensuring that Switch players don’t get a compromised experience.
Bestario
As it’s not a new game in an established formula,much less is known about the Kickstarter-fundedBestario. That said, it’s being described as a “turn-based RPG with social sim elements,” with the developerslikening it to thePersonaseries. Set in Spain after a devastating pandemic,Bestariosinks its teeth into Spanish folklore, looking to provide an experience similar to classic JRPGs, but with a modern, culturally distinct touch.
Its blend of turn-based combat and rigid, time-sensitive social simulation seemsthe most reminiscent of thePersonafranchise, as players will have to balance exploration and monster-fighting with their regular life, forming bonds with NPCs that can impact their abilities in battle. In terms of presentation, Wiggin Industries is once again emulating old-school JRPGs, though not without adding its own flair and personality, which lends the game a decidedly distinct, appealing aesthetic. It may not exactly require the increased power of the Switch 2 to look and run well, but its availability on the platform will certainly help flesh out its indie RPG library.
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.
