Recently, Nintendo confirmed that the critically-acclaimed Wii U exclusivePikmin 3would be coming to the Nintendo Switch on October 30 asPikmin 3 Deluxe.Pikmin 3 Deluxewill have local co-op support for the entire campaign, all of the DLC, and even some new levels for players to complete. However,Pikmin 3is far from the first Wii U game that has been ported to the Nintendo Switch over the years.
Nintendo has worked to pad the Switch’s library by re-releasing Wii U games for the console. This has been happening since launch withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and has continued with games likeNew Super Mario Bros. U DeluxeandMario Kart 8 Deluxe. But while Nintendo has made an effort to bring many Wii U exclusive games to the Switch, there are still some notable titles that have yet to make the leap.
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Here are the biggestWii U gamesthat still need Nintendo Switch ports.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
The Wii U wasn’t exactly known for its horror games, but that didn’t stop the console from receiving some notable horror titles over the course of its lifespan. The Wii U launched with the underratedZombiUgame, which has since been ported to other platforms, and a few years later, it receivedFatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water. Compared to otherFatal Framegames,Maiden of Black Waterdidn’t earn the highest review scores, but it would still be a shame for it to be trapped on the Wii U. Perhaps Nintendo could bringFatal Frame: Maiden of Black Waterto the Switch as a way to test the waters to see if there is interest in a brand newFatal Framefor its handheld/home console hybrid.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
In 2005, Nintendo releasedKirby: Canvas Cursefor the Nintendo DS, which earned critical acclaim at the time of its release for taking advantage of the handheld’s unique features. A decade later, Nintendo launchedKirby and the Rainbow Cursefor the Wii U, with a similar gameplay style as the beloved DS classic.Kirby and the Rainbow Cursedidn’t reach the same heights asCanvas Cursedid with critics, but it still had its fans, and likeFatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, it would just be a shame for the game to be trapped on the Wii U forever.
Star Fox Zero
Star Foxfans had to wait over a decade to get a new home console entry in the series, and it finally arrived in the form ofStar Fox Zeroon the Wii U. Developed as a collaboration between Platinum Games and Nintendo,Star Fox Zeroleaned heavily into the Wii U’s unique features, which may make a port to the Switch a little tricky. Platinum Games has gone on record to say that it has not been approached by Nintendo to helpportStar Fox Zeroto the Switch, but it’s possible that Nintendo is handling such a port internally or has outsourced it to another company. Even so, fans shouldn’t get their hopes up until an official announcement is made.
Super Mario 3D World
Perhaps the biggest Wii U game that still needs to come to the Nintendo Switch isSuper Mario 3D World. Earning widespread critical acclaim at the time of its release,Super Mario 3D Worldfeatures classic 3DSuper Mariogameplay and the 4-player co-op found in theNew Super Mario Bros.series. This combined with fun new power-ups and excellent level design makesSuper Mario 3D Worldarguably the best game on the Wii U, and so it’s no wonder that fans want to see it get a new lease on life on the Switch.
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Out of all the games on this list,Super Mario 3D Worldmay actually stand the best chance of actually getting a Switch port. Rumors have been swirling that Nintendo plans on releasing a3DSuper Mariocollection for the Switchlater this year in celebration of theSuper Mariofranchise’s 35th anniversary, along with a standalone release forSuper Mario 3D World. So while fans will likely have to fork over another $60 to get their hands on the game, there may be a ton of 3DSuper Mariocontent to look forward to this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
As far asZeldagames go,The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princesshas been one of the most readily available on Nintendo consoles. It launched at the end of the GameCube’s lifespan, but was also released as a launch title for the Wii. Nintendo later broughtTwilight Princessto the Wii U with remastered graphics and some new content, including amiibo support. BringingTwilight Princess HDto the Nintendo Switch seems like a no-brainer when one considers how popular the game is and how it could go a long way in filling the gap while fans wait for more information onBreath of the Wild 2.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
BesidesTwilight Princess, there was anotherZeldaHD remaster on the Wii U that Nintendo could potentially bring to the Switch to tide fans over while they wait forBreath of the Wild 2.The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HDis arguably an even more significant remaster thanTwilight Princess HD, as it features an even more extreme graphical upgrade, plus major changes to the gameplay that make certain sections far less tedious than they were in the GameCube original. BetweenTwilight Princess HDandWind Waker HD, there is a lot ofZeldacontent that Nintendo could potentially bring to the Switch.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Nintendo has already released bothXenoblade ChroniclesandXenoblade Chronicles 2on the Switch, so it would be only fitting forXenoblade Chronicles Xto come to the new console as well. An open world action-RPG that features giant mechs,Xenoblade Chronicles Xisn’t quite the same flavor as the originalXenoblade, but it was still highly praised by critics all the same.
