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Discussion Digital Foundry: Stranded on Wii U: The Best Games Never Ported To Switch

Which game most needs to be brought to Switch

  • Wind Waker HD

    Votes: 67 33.7%
  • Twilight Princess HD

    Votes: 50 25.1%
  • Yoshi's Woolly World

    Votes: 44 22.1%
  • Kirby & The Rainbow Curse

    Votes: 17 8.5%
  • Xenoblade X

    Votes: 129 64.8%
  • Nintendoland

    Votes: 36 18.1%
  • Affordable Space Adventure

    Votes: 10 5.0%

  • Total voters
    199

JazzPotatoes

Koopa
Pronouns
He/Him


Games covered include:

Yoshi's Woolly World
Wind Waker HD & Twilight Princess HD
Kirby & The Rainbow Curse
Xenoblade X
Affordable Space Adventure
 
If WWHD and TPHD are finished, I think we’ll see them to tide over a thin release schedule at some point.

Xenoblade X feels like a good one for Monolith to do for the next Nintendo platform. Such a gorgeous game even on WiiU.
 
Zeldas will come eventually. These aren't even that special and I played them on emulator already since I have a computer that is not a literal potato.
We have enough kirbies on switch.
We have another mediocre yoshi sequel, disappointing everyone with standards.
I do not care about Affordable space adventure nor do i care to find out what it is.

I want a real affordable space adventure with Xenoblade X. I want to fly my robot on the alien planet. I want to get jerked off by a plot that goes nowhere and ends when I find out I'm the aliens and humans are gone. I want to see a purple man in a cloak do something with goo. I want to deliver pizza in new los angeles. I want to jam out to a soundtrack that makes me want to "get armed don't look back shoot them with your guns"

hello

is this thing on
am i all alone
i need a bigger gun
 
votes for everything but Xenoblade X, chaotic evil.

Twilight Princess would be my most wanted, but I really wish it could have gotten a detailed graphical overhaul like Prime remastered did, instead of being given the shortest end of the straw and stick being a quick filler title to basically carry the entirety of the Wii U in 2016 alone.
 
I voted for Xenoblade X although I didn't even like that game that much.
But it could benefit a lot from better graphics and some changes to gameplay.


The Zelda games will come. Sooner or later.

I think they should redo Nintendo Land and make it free for NSO subscriptions. Just some cute mini games for the community. A lot of potential there.

I will miss Super Mario Maker the most because I do not like making levels on the switch in 2.
It was much more intuitive on the Wii U gamepad.
 
0
Absolutely no proof for this whatsoever obviously and it is veering into conspiracy territory here but I am wondering if, assuming the Switch 2 does 4K, they are actually waiting for that system to release before releasing ports of WW and TP. As I said, absolutely nothing to base this on but I am wondering if they feel that they have released it on HD systems already that it might be a bigger sell if they are 4K remasters for the next system (again assuming that the Switch 2 will do 4k in some form).
 
Absolutely no proof for this whatsoever obviously and it is veering into conspiracy territory here but I am wondering if, assuming the Switch 2 does 4K, they are actually waiting for that system to release before releasing ports of WW and TP. As I said, absolutely nothing to base this on but I am wondering if they feel that they have released it on HD systems already that it might be a bigger sell if they are 4K remasters for the next system (again assuming that the Switch 2 will do 4k in some form).
Would make a lot of sense to me as well.

Should be in the interest of fans as well because on Switch it just would have been double dipping.
If they can add some extra value to these re-releases, the better.

I agree with linkstrikesback that TP should get the Prime treatment. Would have earned it and the benefit would be big.
WW still looks great.
 
votes for everything but Xenoblade X, chaotic evil.

Twilight Princess would be my most wanted, but I really wish it could have gotten a detailed graphical overhaul like Prime remastered did, instead of being given the shortest end of the straw and stick being a quick filler title to basically carry the entirety of the Wii U in 2016 alone.
While full on graphical remakes like Metroid Prime or RE4 can be great, I think there's also something to be said for remasters that present the best possible version of the game as it existed on original hardware. Metroid Prime managed to make sinking the shot look effortless, but there are plenty of remakes out there that have redone the original graphics from scratch and ended up losing a lot of what makes the original so appealing (looks at Shadow of the Colossus remake).

For better or worse, Twilight Princess HD is Twilight Princess as you remember it. I think the redone textures and subtle changes still make the game look appealing in a charming sort of way, but I think it's also great that it is basically the best looking version of the original 2006 game you can get. For comparison, the changes in Resident Evil 4 remake look so different from the original (including the aiming system of the original game) that I can't really see any scenario where I'd say it fully replaces the original game.
 
The fate of Xenoblade X stings so hard.

Like, the Wii U is pulling the game like an ant is pulling a truck, with the aliasing all over the place and the pop in so noticeable that it actively distracts from the experience. I know that the gamepad functions was very integral, but if its possible to work around them in some way, I would more than welcome a port.
 
Affordable Space Adventures is my first choice, picked the rest as a formality.

Affordable Space Adventures is weird in that I have no idea how it would port well to Switch unless you definitely had a second console to connect for the asymmetric gameplay, but also I would love to see it escape Wii U purgatory like no other game.
 
0
Last weekend i saw both Zeldas for the equivalence of 60USD in my local CEX Shop, should i get them or wait for Switch releases? (i really want both of them)

I saw Kirby too but I forgot the price, i believe it is also $60

It is Xenoblade X different from the one in Switch?

I have Yoshi and no interested in Affordable Space.
 
While full on graphical remakes like Metroid Prime or RE4 can be great, I think there's also something to be said for remasters that present the best possible version of the game as it existed on original hardware. Metroid Prime managed to make sinking the shot look effortless, but there are plenty of remakes out there that have redone the original graphics from scratch and ended up losing a lot of what makes the original so appealing (looks at Shadow of the Colossus remake).

For better or worse, Twilight Princess HD is Twilight Princess as you remember it. I think the redone textures and subtle changes still make the game look appealing in a charming sort of way, but I think it's also great that it is basically the best looking version of the original 2006 game you can get. For comparison, the changes in Resident Evil 4 remake look so different from the original (including the aiming system of the original game) that I can't really see any scenario where I'd say it fully replaces the original game.
Best case scenario would be the possibility to switch old and new graphics.
(I don't agree with SotC but many do, I know).

The fate of Xenoblade X stings so hard.

Like, the Wii U is pulling the game like an ant is pulling a truck, with the aliasing all over the place and the pop in so noticeable that it actively distracts from the experience. I know that the gamepad functions was very integral, but if its possible to work around them in some way, I would more than welcome a port.

Was the pad that integral? In that it couldn't be just a menu screen?
I honestly can't remember.


@ Wii U Kirby: I thought it was rather boring. Canvas curse on DS was much better with a similar gameplay style, imo.
 
been a while since i've posted this

wiiuchartwhkag.png

DISCLAIMER: this is just a list of the notable first-party wii u games, with the ones that are available on switch, or the ones that don't need be ported because a sequel makes them unlikely to come to switch (splatoon, smash, mario maker) crossed out. it doesn't mean splatoon 2 or smash ultimate are ports, and also doesn't mean everything has a chance of getting ported (nintendo land, etc).
 
I only voted for Kirby. I've already played the original non-HD version of both Zelda games. The rest don't interest me. Canvas Curse is a personal favorite, so I've always wanted to try Rainbow Curse. Though I get the sense it would be the hardest to port to the Switch, because there seems to be an aversion on Nintendos part to touchscreen only experiences.
 
0
Last weekend i saw both Zeldas for the equivalence of 60USD in my local CEX Shop, should i get them or wait for Switch releases? (i really want both of them)

I saw Kirby too but I forgot the price, i believe it is also $60

It is Xenoblade X different from the one in Switch?

I have Yoshi and no interested in Affordable Space.

Xenoblade X is a very much different game from the other 3 in the series, which all have been given Switch versions. It's mostly a very story light game (in comparison to the other 3) and the real gameplay loop is much more focused in just exploring. I didn't like the game though so I can't give a recommendation.
 
Being honest, I don't think I even want to see Windwaker on Switch. Going back to no gamepad inventory management would be hellish.
 
Was the pad that integral? In that it couldn't be just a menu screen?
I honestly can't remember.
The best thing about the gamepad with XCX was the probe resource management that was basically it's own game.

On the map on the gamepad screen, you could not only assign probes to various sections of the map, but connect them in various ways to maximize resource accumulation.

It's the sort of thing you could do as an overlay on the switch screen in portable mode, but docked play would require a fair bit of redesigning to make it work (as on Wii U it was entirely touch driven).
 
The best thing about the gamepad with XCX was the probe resource management that was basically it's own game.

On the map on the gamepad screen, you could not only assign probes to various sections of the map, but connect them in various ways to maximize resource accumulation.

It's the sort of thing you could do as an overlay on the switch screen in portable mode, but docked play would require a fair bit of redesigning to make it work (as on Wii U it was entirely touch driven).
Yeah, I remember that now.
If I am honest, I was not the biggest fan of that part of the game...
I agree it would be more cumbersome with a controller, but doable.
 
0
Would make a lot of sense to me as well.

Should be in the interest of fans as well because on Switch it just would have been double dipping.
If they can add some extra value to these re-releases, the better.

I agree with linkstrikesback that TP should get the Prime treatment. Would have earned it and the benefit would be big.
WW still looks great.
Yep, it makes sense but again a complete guess on my part. However, a 4K version would definitely make me consider buying them.
For sure, I think TP would really benefit from a Prime treatment, could really make it pop and maybe make it more like the Zelda Wii U tech demo from when it was first revealed.
 
If they improved the gameplay and story, xenoblade x. It was the worst xeboblade game, but it was very pretty.
 
0
been a while since i've posted this

wiiuchartwhkag.png

DISCLAIMER: this is just a list of the notable first-party wii u games, with the ones that are available on switch, or the ones that don't need be ported because a sequel makes them unlikely to come to switch (splatoon, smash, mario maker) crossed out. it doesn't mean splatoon 2 or smash ultimate are ports, and also doesn't mean everything has a chance of getting ported (nintendo land, etc).
Always a list that fascinates me everytime I see it, but I guess it would be due for an update that crosses out Kirby, Game & Wario for the WarioWare on Switch, Paper Mario, and Yoshi's Woolly World, no?
 
I’d be really interested in seeing Color Splash return, I remember a lot of the grief towards it being due to the clunky and pointless Gamepad integration. Would love to see it get another chance without that nonsense.
 
0
Always a list that fascinates me everytime I see it, but I guess it would be due for an update that crosses out Kirby, Game & Wario for the WarioWare on Switch, Paper Mario, and Yoshi's Woolly World, no?
Why would Paper Mario and Yoshi be crossed out? They’re distinct single-player entries in their respective franchises. That’d be like crossing out the Zelda ports because we have Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild.
 
I guess it would be due for an update that crosses out Kirby, Game & Wario for the WarioWare on Switch, Paper Mario, and Yoshi's Woolly World, no?
why? games aren't crossed off because they got sequels on switch, stuff like splatoon or smash just have zero chance of having their wii u versions ported to switch, same can't be said for paper mario, yoshi, etc.
 
Why would Paper Mario and Yoshi be crossed out? They’re distinct single-player entries in their respective franchises. That’d be like crossing out the Zelda ports because we have Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild.
I'm only going off the disclaimer Mazi includes at the bottom; I suppose Zelda would be an exception but only because I haven't seen other Yoshi games get ported around (minus Woolly World to 3DS) nor Paper Mario unless it was for VC/NSO.

I mean, if I'm being completely honest were I running the list I'd cross out Amiibo Festival pre-emptively because we already got a mainline entry and AF was a critical and commercial failure that I can't imagine anyone asking for it to come back to Switch, and if they were they're certainly more optimistic than me in seeing Custom Robo get a new game.

E: Ahh, fair enough, I rescind my comments then!
 
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0
Fast RMX on Switch exists also no Paper Mario?
They cover Fast in the video: Fast RMX has a bunch of tweaks and changes to the handling alongside all the new content that Ollie sees it as functionally it's own thing. He prefers the handling of the original
 
All I'm going to say is to me Xenoblade Chronicles X has the most to benefit from a re-release (and even remaster) to the Switch and beyond.

It has arguably the most interesting and in-depth combat between foot and skells in the series that is so poorly explained it's a shame.
 
0
I always find it funny that big part of the third party titles didn't make the transition to Switch:

Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Call of Duty Ghosts
Splinter Cell Blacklist
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Mass Effect 3
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Batman Arkham City
Batman Arkham Origins
Injustice Gods Among Us
Watch Dogs
Zombi(U)
DuckTales Remastered
Yakuza 1&2 HD (lol)
 
Thought you could only pick one in the poll so I picked Xenoblade X, but we need that, Paper Mario Color Splash, Yoshi Wooly World, and the Zeldas. Leave no game that can easily be ported enough behind.
 
0
xcx and nintendo land for sure. a friend gave me a used copy of nintendo land years after it came out but it was scratched beyond functionality so I have still never played that game. and X is the best xenoblade by a wide margin, and one of the best RPGs

Zeldas will come eventually. These aren't even that special and I played them on emulator already since I have a computer that is not a literal potato.
We have enough kirbies on switch.
We have another mediocre yoshi sequel, disappointing everyone with standards.
I do not care about Affordable space adventure nor do i care to find out what it is.

I want a real affordable space adventure with Xenoblade X. I want to fly my robot on the alien planet. I want to get jerked off by a plot that goes nowhere and ends when I find out I'm the aliens and humans are gone. I want to see a purple man in a cloak do something with goo. I want to deliver pizza in new los angeles. I want to jam out to a soundtrack that makes me want to "get armed don't look back shoot them with your guns"

hello

is this thing on
am i all alone
i need a bigger gun
heck of a first post, welcome lmao
 
0
i do like all the people asking "i can play this on my PC/deck why should it be ported?". just the inability to understand why it would be nice to have these games widely available outside of a rom dump site. like metroid prime has been around as a zip file for years but the remaster got more eyes on it than the people uploading emulator footage.
 
i do like all the people asking "i can play this on my PC/deck why should it be ported?". just the inability to understand why it would be nice to have these games widely available outside of a rom dump site. like metroid prime has been around as a zip file for years but the remaster got more eyes on it than the people uploading emulator footage.
Yea as someone that has no personal desktop and a laptop there for work/browsing, it always annoys me how people assume everyone emulate things. I also don’t want to add even more stuff in my life if I can help it so I’d love to have as many games accessible to the one or two systems I decide to own.
 
God I need Xenoblade X to come back. I want to believe after the XC3 dlc it too will get its "Definitive Edition." Don't @ me!
 
0
Not a popular opinion but leave out WW HD/TP HD unless they do a Metroid Prime Tier remaster or wait a few more years after 2023 and put it on the Switch 2 as filler releases. So sometime in 2026 or 2027

With TOTK and Skyward Sword HD preceding Zelda is going to be a bit over exposed, they will sell ok but not nearly as well as they should. Also I personally feel Wind Waker deserve a full on remake with potential cut content put back in and portions of the game expanded or reworked, moving away from the grid ocean system to something more like a BOTW overworld with way more islands and land masses.
 
I always find it funny that big part of the third party titles didn't make the transition to Switch:

Call of Duty Black Ops 2
Call of Duty Ghosts
Splinter Cell Blacklist
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Need for Speed Most Wanted
Mass Effect 3
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Batman Arkham City
Batman Arkham Origins
Injustice Gods Among Us
Watch Dogs
Zombi(U)
DuckTales Remastered
Yakuza 1&2 HD (lol)
A lot of those games were launch window games. Nintendo overcompensated with the perceived lack of 3rd party support historically by showing off how much they had. And worse they already had a dry run with the 3DS launch where multiple 3rd party titles bombed because there simply wasn't enough people to buy them all. The right strategy would have been to just skip certain late ports, and go after some others, while letting your hardware momentum build organic support. Basically the strategy they did with Switch.

Nintendo's efforts have been much better with Switch with what i'd call shadow curation.
 
A lot of those games were launch window games. Nintendo overcompensated with the perceived lack of 3rd party support historically by showing off how much they had. And worse they already had a dry run with the 3DS launch where multiple 3rd party titles bombed because there simply wasn't enough people to buy them all. The right strategy would have been to just skip certain late ports, and go after some others, while letting your hardware momentum build organic support. Basically the strategy they did with Switch.

Nintendo's efforts have been much better with Switch with what i'd call shadow curation.
What actually interesting is, all those titles are from the only big series Switch is missing right now: Madden, Call of Duty, Tom Clancy, Mass Effect, Tekken, Yakuza and Batman Arkham. You can add The Sims to that list to make it complete.

I mean, Mass Effect and Batman Arkham were leaked for Switch but they still didn't come out. There's a big Wii U curse over Switch's third party support...
 
been a while since i've posted this

wiiuchartwhkag.png

DISCLAIMER: this is just a list of the notable first-party wii u games, with the ones that are available on switch, or the ones that don't need be ported because a sequel makes them unlikely to come to switch (splatoon, smash, mario maker) crossed out. it doesn't mean splatoon 2 or smash ultimate are ports, and also doesn't mean everything has a chance of getting ported (nintendo land, etc).
Seeing Splatoon 1 crossed will always bother me as a fan of its single-player campaign.

(On the other hand, I would cross Yoshi, Mario vs DK and NES Remix for their 3DS port and put an asterisk on Game & Wario and amiibo Festival since their best parts were ported to 3DS too)


A lot of those games were launch window games. Nintendo overcompensated with the perceived lack of 3rd party support historically by showing off how much they had. And worse they already had a dry run with the 3DS launch where multiple 3rd party titles bombed because there simply wasn't enough people to buy them all. The right strategy would have been to just skip certain late ports, and go after some others, while letting your hardware momentum build organic support. Basically the strategy they did with Switch.

Nintendo's efforts have been much better with Switch with what i'd call shadow curation.
They also lacked any synergy between their first-party and third-party offering. Some people who buy the Switch for playing portable Skyrim will also likely buy Breath of the Wild (and vice-versa). But Nintendo Land and ZombiU had nothing in common.
 
They also lacked any synergy between their first-party and third-party offering. Some people who buy the Switch for playing portable Skyrim will also likely buy Breath of the Wild (and vice-versa). But Nintendo Land and ZombiU had nothing in common.
Yep. And beyond that Nintendo's made sure to have similar style games release annually to keep the audience engaged.
 
0
The fate of Xenoblade X stings so hard.

Like, the Wii U is pulling the game like an ant is pulling a truck, with the aliasing all over the place and the pop in so noticeable that it actively distracts from the experience. I know that the gamepad functions was very integral, but if its possible to work around them in some way, I would more than welcome a port.
The gamepad functions weren't integral--you could play through on a single TV screen if you wanted. Apparently they didn't add in options to do certain functions with a Pro Controller alone, but there's nothing stopping that from happening. I think they just decided their plans for Switch were already too focused on the connected numbered Xenoblade titles to worry about adding X to the pile as a 4th major release that stands apart. It'll return in time.
 
0
Absolutely no proof for this whatsoever obviously and it is veering into conspiracy territory here but I am wondering if, assuming the Switch 2 does 4K, they are actually waiting for that system to release before releasing ports of WW and TP. As I said, absolutely nothing to base this on but I am wondering if they feel that they have released it on HD systems already that it might be a bigger sell if they are 4K remasters for the next system (again assuming that the Switch 2 will do 4k in some form).
I doubt they are waiting on Switch 2 to release in 4k & it’s more that the timeline to fit these games into a window that doesn’t feature another remaster, new entry, or other Zelda project hasn’t opened until recently. This would be at earliest next year which would be presumably when [Redacted] comes out.
 
Zeldas will come eventually. These aren't even that special and I played them on emulator already since I have a computer that is not a literal potato.
We have enough kirbies on switch.
We have another mediocre yoshi sequel, disappointing everyone with standards.
I do not care about Affordable space adventure nor do i care to find out what it is.

I want a real affordable space adventure with Xenoblade X. I want to fly my robot on the alien planet. I want to get jerked off by a plot that goes nowhere and ends when I find out I'm the aliens and humans are gone. I want to see a purple man in a cloak do something with goo. I want to deliver pizza in new los angeles. I want to jam out to a soundtrack that makes me want to "get armed don't look back shoot them with your guns"

hello

is this thing on
am i all alone
i need a bigger gun
This Yoshi game is best one in a while though, making crafted World even more disappointing.
Atleast it's on 3DS.
And yeah there's tons of Kirby, but this one is a totally different gameplay style, which would also make it handheld only most likely.

Anyway, I get wanting Xenoblade X the most, I also want to fly around in mech while a Sawano Soundtrack is blasting.
 
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To this day, Xenoblade X is still the most impressive open world I've seen in a game. The sense of exploration is unmatched.
 


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