With Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon apparently appearing in the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, there's evidence the Wii U games will have new content on the Switch.

Nintendo fans had a lot to be excited about yesterday, as the codenamed NX console was finally unveiled as the Nintendo Switch. While the innovative hardware impressed many, Nintendo has yet to reveal much of the software in development for the device beyond The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but the console's reveal trailer showed off a variety of games that could be in the pipeline. Among these titles appeared to be the Wii U games Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon, but with some new content.

Starting with the Nintendo Switch version of Mario Kart 8, the game appeared to have a new feature and even a new playable character. It appears as though players that pick up the Switch version of the game can hold two items at a time and will be able to play as King Boo. King Boo is nowhere to be found in the Wii U Mario Kart 8 game, and players are limited to holding one item in that version, which is series tradition.

Splatoon, meanwhile, seemed to be getting a number of changes as well. Based on the footage of the game seen in the Nintendo Switch announcement trailer, it looks like Splatoon fans can look forward to new customization options, including new hairstyles and outfits. It also seems as though Splatoon on Nintendo Switch will have an increased focus on the eSports community, and will come with a brand new map.

While all of this may be exciting for fans of those games, it's worth noting that besides Zelda, it's not confirmed that any of the games in the reveal trailer are actually in development for Nintendo's new system. This became apparent when Bethesda said Skyrim is not confirmed for the Switch, even though the game was shown running on the hardware numerous times in the reveal trailer.

Having said that, every single Nintendo console since the Super Nintendo has had a Mario Kart game, so it's probable that the Switch will as well. However, if Mario Kart does come to the Nintendo Switch, one has to imagine that it would be a new game built from the ground-up for the new hardware, not just a port of the Wii U release. Perhaps King Boo and the two-item feature are things people can expect from a new Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo simply used altered footage of Mario Kart 8 to convey that information.

Previous leaks regarding Nintendo Switch hinted that Wii U ports would make up a decent chunk of the console's library, though, so Mario Kart 8 may very well be in the cards for the new console. Considering how the Wii U flopped in sales, it makes sense for Nintendo to pad the Switch's library with Wii U games that the vast majority of gamers haven't played, but it will also need to make sure there's plenty of new games on the Switch as well. Looking at the system's third-party support, Nintendo Switch appears to be in good shape on that front.

Nintendo Switch will be available in March of 2017.

Source: IGN