Five Pokemon Games That Would Be Right At Home On Nintendo Switch

So in case you missed the news earlier today, we’ll be getting a special Pokemon-related Nintendo Direct special tomorrow. More than likely, the special will officially announce Pokemon Stars, the long-awaited adventure that’s been hinted at over the past few months.

But that doesn’t mean that’s all we’re getting, as the special could also provide us with a hint of other Pokemon franchises that are coming to the Nintendo Switch. After all, there are a number of games within the Pokemon universe that would be right at home on the handheld/console system, especially with its particular set-up.

What franchises would be perfect for release on the system? Well, we’ve got a few ideas, and most of them pan out pretty well, so let’s see if Nintendo makes them happen!

Pokken Tournament

Whether it’s a straight-up port of the hit Wii U game or a brand new game that capitalizes on the success of the original with more characters and stages, Pokken Tournament just needs to happen on the Nintendo Switch. It’s already built for fighting competition, based on what we’ve seen from Ultra Street Fighter II and the forthcoming ARMS; and it would make for ideal fights whether you’re playing at home or on-the-go, since the JoyCon controllers would be pretty good for chaining together combos and unleashing super moves. Plus, it would give Nintendo another opportunity to sell Pro controllers featuring the likes of Pikachu and Charizard. Gotta buy ’em all!

Pokemon Snap

We’ve discussed the importance of the Pokemon Snap game in the past, mainly because it’s still a fan favorite after all these years. After all, who gets tired of taking perfect photographs of Pokemon creatures and unlocking bonus goodies? A new version for the Nintendo Switch just makes sense, especially nowadays, with so many new characters that could be implemented into the sequel. For that matter, Nintendo could re-introduced a print-out option with a number of retailers, getting people more involved in their Pokemon collecting. Sure, Blockbuster Video isn’t around anymore…but Toys ‘R Us would certainly be game, particularly with game sales.

Pokemon Puzzle League

If the Nintendo Switch has proven capable of anything, it’s that it can handle puzzle games like a pro. Just look at how well Puyo Puyo Tetris is selling on the platform. With that, we request the return of a classic puzzle series, Pokemon Puzzle League, for the platform. Nintendo can start out slow with this, reintroducing the N64 version as part of its Nintendo Online gaming network, and then go all-out with a special version with new Pokemon characters and online play. On top of that, a $20 price point would be perfect when it comes to sales. It may not be as deep as other Pokemon games, but we’d be all over it.

Pokemon Pinball

Speaking of classics that could be due for a comeback, how about Pokemon Pinball? It’s been well over a decade since Nintendo did anything new with this series, but both the original game and its Ruby & Sapphire did extremely well on the portable front, as well as Virtual Console on the Wii U. A new release, with graphics that cater more to the Switch’s processing power and more tables featuring a variety of Pokemon characters and stars, would be ideal for a formula such as this – and on top of that, it could make use of the HD Rumble features when it comes to shaking things up on the table.

Pokemon Ranger

Here’s another blast from the past that would do well in a contemporary setting on the Nintendo Switch – Pokemon Ranger! We haven’t heard from this series in years, despite the fact it did pretty well on the Nintendo DS. A new version would hit the spot for Switch, complete with revitalized visuals to make the world well worth exploring; a number of new Pokemon creatures, including some favorites from Sun and Moon, that would be worth collecting; and the potential for online play against others. We don’t really have that many traditional Pokemon adventures anymore, save for the most current releases on the 3DS, so one would be a perfect fit for the Switch.

BONUS: Pokemon Stadium

Let’s say that Pokken Tournament isn’t quite what you’re looking for when it comes to Pokemon battling, and instead you prefer something straight out of the old-school days – like, say, on the Nintendo 64. Both Pokemon Stadium and its respective sequel did quite well on the platform, but Nintendo has since been focusing on more traditional adventures for handheld. So, why not bring it back? Stadium would work very well on the Switch, especially for on-the-go battles. And the potential of online play could bring together a large community that would take advantage of the Nintendo Online network. Again, Nintendo could introduce the older games to its network first to see how they fare, then come rampaging into the scene with Pokemon Stadium Switch. See? Even the name sounds good.