Over the years, many beloved Nintendo games have become easier to access on modern consoles thanks to the Nintendo Switch Online classics library. The popularity of remakes and remasters have also brought even more retro games back to the forefront. And yet, some of the biggest and most beloved games from the 2000s remain difficult, if not impossible, to access on modern consoles like the Nintendo Switch. One major gap has always been the older Pokemon games, which have never had a native Switch release. Until now. Pokemon recently surprised us all by confirming that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are coming to the Switch eShop as standalone titles.
Videos by ComicBook.com
These games mark a big shift for the Pokemon company, which has previously been more likely to revisit older regions via remakes than to re-release older games for modern platforms. It has many of us hopeful that other classic Pokemon games, and other long-awaited 2000s titles, could also arrive on the Switch and give us a chance to relive the magic. So, now that FireRed and LeafGreen are bringing us to old-school Kanto on the Switch, these 5 games from 2000s Nintendo history need to be next.
5) Nintendogs
Yes, I’m going to keep telling Nintendo they need to bring this series back until it happens. With the rising popularity of cozy games and the Switch 2 bringing back the built-in microphone, this Nintendo DS delight deserves a new time to shine. Re-releasing Nintendogs for the Switch and Switch 2 would be a huge win for pet lovers and cozy gamers of a certain age. And it’d also be a smart move for Nintendo.
Nintendogs sold incredibly well when the games released back in 2005. In fact, the Nintendo DS pet sim game ranks among the best-selling games for the 2000s. Though we’ve gotten plenty of new simulator games since, few pet sims have come close to the magic of these early efforts. Bring them back, Nintendo.
4) The Sims: Bustin’ Out
Once upon a time, The Sims put out all kinds of bizarre and wonderful spin-offs in addition to its main PC games. And one of the weirdest, yet most satisfying, entries during this era was the 2003 release of The Sims: Bustin’ Out. This multi-platform spinoff hit both the Game Boy Advance and GameCube, along with the PS2 and Xbox. And unlike the main series games, this was a bit more plot-driven. The GameCube and Game Boy versions had their own unique plots, and honestly, I’d love to play them both again.
The Sims: Bustin’ Out and its 2004 sequel,The Urbz: Sims in the City put a bit more structure to the classic life sim gameplay. Story-driven objectives pulled players through the main storyline, while the same social simulation elements The Sims is known for returned. Bcause these were console exclusives, they are much more difficult to revisit than the PC games. And that needs to change.
3) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Game Boy games were, in my opinion, the peak for Harry Potter games. In particular, I get the urge to replay Chamber of Secrets for the Game Boy Advance at least a few times a year. But alas, I no longer own a copy or a GBA to play it on. Which is why I’d love to see these licensed games make their way to the Nintendo Switch. And a standalone version I can buy and own, rather than requiring that Expansion Pack upgrade to my NSO subscription? Even better.
Despite being a tie-in to the movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets drew from the books rather than the films. It filled in many missing moments from the movies while offering fun mini-games like gnome tossing and collecting chocolate frog cards. I would be there day one to buy this if it ever re-released for the Nintendo Switch.
2) Animal Crossing
The very first Animal Crossing game released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan only, then arrived on the GameCube in North America a year later in 2002. The series has only grown in popularity since then, with New Horizons introducing a ton of new players to the games. And yet, the original has never been re-released for modern platforms.
While we got the Switch 2 edition of New Horizons last year, it seems like a new game could still be a ways off. What better way to celebrate the franchise than by letting fans revisit the game that started it all? And for those who didn’t pick up the series until New Horizons, this would be a fun way to experience franchise history.Just be prepared for how mean some of those villagers were back in the day if Nintendo ever does make it happen.
1) Pokemon Crystal
You know I had to throw in my wish for more older Pokemon games on the Switch. I’d love if they all made their way to the console eventually, but if I had to choose just one other older Pokemon game on Switch, it’d be Pokemon Crystal. This was the game that truly made me a lifelong Pokemon fan, and it’s one that I’d most love to revisit on Switch. It also holds up pretty well for an older game, delivering true improvemenets over Pokemon Gold and Silver.
Pokemon Crystal has a special place in my gamer girl heart in large part because it was the first game to ask “Are you a boy… or a girl?” But it’s also got a fun story, solid use of the day/night cycle, and other enhancements that make it a truly definitive installment in the franchise. I’m really hoping that LeafGreen and FireRed hitting the Switch will pave the way for this game’s re-release in the future.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of The Pokemon Company
