Nintendo has a done a great job bringing a variety of gaming franchises to the Switch since it’s launch. Despite this, I have always assumed due to the technical limitations of the Nintendo Switch, we would be unable to play some of the bigger Triple A series on the system.
However, Projekt Red was able to put all worries to rest about any supposed limitations by releasing the fantastic Witcher 3 last year to the Switch. Now that we know what the Switch is capable of handling, we thought it would be fun to start a series that would talk about game franchises we would also love to see brought to our favorite system. Here are the first 3 gaming franchises we would love to see on the Switch!
3. XCOM (2K Games)
XCOM is a turn-based tactical video game that requires strategy both on the battlefield and behind the scenes managing a secret paramilitary organization in hopes of stopping aliens from taking over Earth. I never played the original series from the 90s, but I fell in love with this series as soon as I played the 2012 reboot.
You take the role of a commander of the elite military group XCOM in an alternative version of our own world that is secretly under siege by an alien race. Your job as the commander is to stop them from doing this by any means necessary, which includes fighting, interrogations, developing new technology, and espionage just to name a few actions you will be taking part in.
On top of the aforementioned task, you have to keep XCOM funded and operational by keeping the countries of the world happy by taking actions to keep each one secure. If you fail at doing this, you lose funding and favor from them. If every country stops giving you money, XCOM has to shut its doors and the aliens win without having to fire a bullet (or laser).
I could go into more details about the premise including how 2K Games upped the ante in the sequel XCOM 2, but the amazing story is part of both games’ appeal. The combat, despite requiring you to be strategic, is fast and exciting. Never once did I find myself bored as I tried to figure out the best way to take down alien foes.
I also loved how the game included permadeath for your troops, requiring you to be extra cautious as one bad decision could mean you lose one of your favorite characters. The base management portion of the game always gave you something to do, too, whether it was building new areas, developing new weapons, recruiting new soldiers, or making decisions that affect the course of the game.
The entire gameplay style of XCOM especially lends itself to the Nintendo Switch as the touch screen would make everything much easier to control. Also, the quick nature of the gameplay lends itself to portable playability, as you can easily pick up the game and get in either quick mission or fix up your base. As of now, there are rumors that a remastered version of the XCOM 2 is coming later this year. If this is true, I hope 2K Games also releases the first one as to get the full experience you really need to have played both games.
Either way, I am willing to take whatever they will give me of this addictive tactical series.
2. Bioshock
The Bioshock games are first-person shooters that really changed the genre at the time of release. First-person shooters are usually known for being light on the story and character development while being heavy on the action. Bioshock really revolutionized things by crafting an incredible narrative that placed players in the hauntingly beautiful world of Rapture, where we got to witness someone’s dream become a nightmare.
The sequel, Bioshock 2, allowed us to explore the world of Rapture from a different perspective, before taking us to “the kingdom in the sky” Columbia, ending the trilogy in a satisfying way. I am heavily summarizing the events of the trilogy, as the games are completely driven by the narrative and knowing as little as possible is the best way to approach these games.
The gameplay consists of both shooter and RPG elements. You can modify your guns as well as yourself, as the player possesses abilities called Plasmids or Vigors that allow you to set enemies on fire or even shoot a swarm of bees from your hands.
You also have moral choices to make at various points of your journey which ultimately decide what fate awaits your character at the conclusion of each game. There have been leaks and rumors that the Bioshock Collection, which consist of all three games, should be announced in the coming year. Until then, I eagerly await my chance to explore the world of Bioshock on my Nintendo Switch.
1. Half-Life
The Half-Life franchise is both a famous and an infamous series. Every entry that has been released has been to much excitement and critical acclaim. Unfortunately, the releases have been sparse, and Valve seems to have very little interest in giving their fans what they want in terms of this franchise.
Half-Life is a first-person shooter that really seems to change the genre for the better with each release. Introducing classic weapons, mechanics, characters, and gameplay each time. There have even been various spin offs and mods based on the main game that have become full-fledged gaming franchises of their own.
In Half-Life and Half-Life2, you take on the role of physicist Gordon Freeman that starts out with him arriving late to work and ending up with him trying to stop an invasion from another dimension. On top of taking on a new mysterious alien threat, he also must deal with the military trying to contain and cover everything up. The first-person shooter gameplay is also full of puzzles, exploration, and platforming mechanics that always keeps things fresh and interesting.
The fact that this franchise hasn’t been brought to the Nintendo Switch is puzzling to me. You have seen other classics such as all of the Doom installments already ported to the system, so Half-Life should be a given. There have even been modders who have demonstrated both Half-Life 1 and 2 working on the Switch.
I wouldn’t get my hopes up, because as I mentioned earlier, Valve hasn’t been known to give fans of the series what the want. On the bright side, they are releasing a new installment of the Half-Life series for VR later in the year, and maybe the renewed attention given to the franchise will lead to more ways to play it in the future.
That concludes my first list of 3 gaming franchises that I would love to see brought to the Nintendo Switch. I have plenty more list to come so stay tuned for my next few installments. Do you agree with my list? What franchises would you like to see come to the Switch? Let us know in the comments! Thank you for stopping by Switchwatch.co.uk. See you next time!
