Nintendo has set up its 2020 fairly conventionally, still sticking to ports of Wii and Wii U games to fill in the gaps between major Switch releases. There are still many exclusives without official release dates but that information could be a Nintendo Direct away.
Either way, there's plenty of games set to release in 2020 for the Nintendo Switch, so here's everything revealed so far.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE Encore - January 17
Nintendo started off its 2020 fairly lightly with only an enhanced edition of the Wii U game Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE Encore hitting the Switch. Initially released in 2016 for the Wii U (December of 2015 in Japan), the title was a collaboration between Nintendo’s Fire Emblem series and Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei series. The game is a JRPG that molded themes and recognizable aspects of both franchises into one lovingly crafted fan project (the fans being the producers at Atlus and Nintendo).
The game is set in Tokyo in the modern-day, contrasted by the appearance of a few characters from Fire Emblem Awakening for the 3DS (and from the Famicom game, Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light).
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX - March 6
Originally developed by Spike Chunsoft, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team are a pair of roguelike Pokemon games released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. The pair of games are now getting an HD remake, also developed by Spike Chunsoft, to be released on March 6 for the Nintendo Switch. The games are being remade under one title this time around and will be called Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team DX.
As is standard among roguelikes, the player completes quests, or jobs in this case, by exploring caves and dungeons eventually leading to Pokemon battles. The unique aspect of this title’s story is that the player has been turned into a Pokemon rather than just being a trainer.
Animal Crossing New Horizons - March 20
Initially slated to be released sometime in 2019, Animal Crossing New Horizons got delayed and is now ready to hook in Switch users on March 20. The newest game in the series takes place on a deserted island and the player has to gather resources, craft items and equipment, and decide what their place of abode should ultimately look like. The title also comes with online multiplayer features, allowing friends to see each other’s places among other things. Isabelle is set to make a return as is Tom Nook, who is more ready than ever to hand out bills.
Ninjala - TBA Spring
Ninjala is a multiplayer title coming to the Switch sometime in the spring of this year. Gameplay revolves around players choosing little stylized characters and running around a modern-day city, going up buildings and such, to then using bubble gum in order to float from one area to the next. The objective of the game is to strike opponents with bats and other weapons while dodging them and running away using the bubble gum as it continues to grow to the size of an air balloon. The game slightly resembles Splatoon but without all the paint.
Axiom Verge 2 - TBA Fall
Made by game designer Thomas Happ, the original Axiom Verge was a PS4 game that eventually branched out to other platforms and was notable for the clear inspiration it took from the Metroid series. Happ has returned to make the sequel, Axiom Verge 2 which has only been confirmed for the Nintendo Switch so far.
It is likely that the title will be released on other platforms after the Switch version, but until there is official confirmation, Axiom Verge 2 is a Nintendo Switch exclusive title scheduled to be released sometime in the fall of this year. The new title seems to have branched out in inspiration as well, taking cues from classic levels in Contra and Ninja Gaiden this time around.
Bravely Default 2 - TBA 2020
One of the newest RPG titles from Square Enix, Bravely Default 2 has a general release window of 2020 for the Nintendo Switch. From the producers of the original Bravely Default for the 3DS and Octopath Traveler, Bravely Default 2 follows the same battle system that was featured in those previously released games. The player controls a party that engages in turn-based battles and allows for special moves and attacks. It also has a job system (which is a variation of a class system) that is similar to the other games. This is actually the third entry in the series, after Bravely Second which also came out on the 3DS.
No More Heroes 3 - TBA 2020
Grasshopper Manufacture and Goichi Suda are back at making another No More Heroes game. Designed around the theme of a Thanos-style villain trying to take over the world, No More Heroes 3 is going primarily focus on the aspect of superheroes. The reveal trailer showed off a backstory involving a kid named Damon who befriends an alien named FU. After they develop a bond, FU goes back to his home planet while Damon becomes a mega successful adult off of FU’s alien technology. FU returns and wreaks havoc, causing Travis Touchdown to step back up to stop the new evil aliens and eventually save the planet from total destruction. There is still no solid release window besides 2020.
Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5 - TBA 2020
Another enhanced port of a RPG coming in 2020, Rune Factory 4 Special will bring the original 3DS game into HD for the Nintendo Switch when it eventually releases in 2020. The enhanced port was already released in Japan in July of 2019 but as is the case with many Japanese games, a western release is due ostensibly a year after its eastern counterpart. This game focuses on dating, marriage, farming, and crafting far more than typical RPGs and is what makes it stand out.
Rune Factory 5 was announced in early 2019 during a Nintendo Direct and was given a release window of 2020 as well. However, it is currently unclear what the time difference between its launch in Japan and other countries will be.
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition - TBA 2020
The action RPG Xenoblade Chronicles launched on the Nintendo Wii in 2012 in North America (2010 in Japan), was ported to the 3DS in 2015, and is now getting remastered for the Switch with a general release window of 2020. One of the key aspects of this title that made it stand out from other action RPGs is its massive network of interconnected areas which the player was free to explore. This vastness was explored again in the sequel, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which was released for the Switch in 2017 but Switch fans have yet to get their hands on the original game (unless they played it on the Wii or 3DS).