Nintendo Switch: 10 Third-Party Franchises We Need To See
Because Mario and Zelda simply aren't enough.
We could all use a little weird and ridiculous, and Nintendo has always been the wild card when it comes to hardware, never content with mere iteration but instead driven by an obsession with being different (in stark contrast to their approach to a few bloated franchises, but I digress). And different is good. Most of the time, anyway. Nintendo systems can get a bit gimmicky, to be sure, but they're so committed to their own audaciousness that you can't quite hate them.
In this sense, the Switch is basically Nintendo's graduate thesis, Frankenstein'ed together from the company's previous dalliances with the unlikely. It's got a second screen, supports portable play, features touch controls and even has tiny detachable controllers which already hurt my palms. It also has a kickstand and plays games off little cartridges.
Your doing god's work, Nintendo. I'm not sure which god, clearly one in need of medication, but it's work worth doing nonetheless.
Stranger still, it looks like the Switch might actually have decent third-party support. When they finally tore the curtain off the thing, Nintendo was eager to flaunt the list of third-party "partners" they'd secured for the Switch. Granted, all those partners are ultimately meaningless until they announce some proper games, but they're still plenty more than the Wii U had.
That being said, let's dream a bit and have a look at some non-Nintendo franchises which would be a good addition to the Switch library.
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10. Bayonetta
I've no great allegiance to any one console maker, but Nintendo did earn a special place in my heart when they made Bayonetta 2 a reality. Platinum Games' haughty witch only saw a sequel because Nintendo let her cozy up to some of that Mario money, and she's been a cornerstone of the company's hardcore appeal ever since. Seeing her in Super Smash Bros. Wii U still makes me double-take, but it's clear she's here to stay.
What's more, Platinum, or at least director Hideki Kamiya, isn't done with Bayonetta. As Polygon reports, Kamiya is more than interested in making Bayonetta 3; he's just looking for an opportunity to do so. Seeing as how Nintendo bankrolled the second game and is still in need of hardcore titles, I'm willing to bet they'd be happy to provide that opportunity.
I'll be honest: I want to see Bayonetta 3 anywhere. But after seeing just how well Bayonetta 2's frenetic combat meshed with the Wii U gamepad, the Switch legitimately seems a logical choice. Besides, we can always pick up one of those Switch pro controllers if need be.