Former Nintendo Designer Reveals Which Games He Wants to Return on Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 is slated to release this year, and when it does, we can expect to see some of Nintendo’s franchises making their return. Right now, the only thing confirmed is a new Mario Kart, but we can be assured that more are on the way, and it’s possible we could even see some remasters of long missing games. At least, former Nintendo artist Takaya Imamura certainly hopes so. It’s officially February 14th in Japan right now, which happens to be the anniversary of two games Imamura worked on: Star Fox Assault and Steel Diver: Sub Wars. To celebrate, Imamura shared a new piece of art to X/Twitter celebrating the two games.

In the art, Star Fox team leader Fox McCloud can be seen holding a model of a submarine. In the image, Fox says that he hopes “both will be playable on the Switch 2.” The art also shows the release dates for both games: Star Fox Assault debuted on February 14th, 2005, while Steel Diver: Sub Wars was released on February 14th, 2014. Star Fox Assault was released on the GameCube, while Steel Diver: Sub Wars was a 3DS title. To date, these two games have never been released on another platform.

While the return of Star Fox Assault seems somewhat unlikely, a new Star Fox game on Nintendo Switch 2 is definitely a possibility. The franchise has been on something of an extended break since the release of Star Fox Zero on Wii U; in the Switch era, Star Fox fans have had to settle for the team’s appearance in Starlink: Battle for Atlas, and for the re-release of the SNES and N64 games through Nintendo Switch Online. A new Star Fox would be a welcome sight on Switch 2, and could be a way for Nintendo to highlight the system’s improved graphics and processing power.

The return of Steel Diver: Sub Wars seems a bit less likely. It’s possible Nintendo could use remasters of games like that to continue supporting the current Switch system. We’ve seen niche Nintendo franchises return over the last year or two as a way of filling out the system’s lineup, including titles like Another Code: Recollection. If that game can make a comeback on Switch, there’s no reason to think that Steel Diver: Sub Wars couldn’t similarly return.

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One of the most exciting things about a new video game console is seeing the software that gets announced. We’re all still waiting to find out what games will be announced for Nintendo Switch 2, but hopefully the system will see a strong mix of new games, as well as new entries in Nintendo’s most beloved franchises. Thankfully, we should learn a lot more on April 2nd, during a special Nintendo Direct focused on the new system.

Would you like to see Star Fox Assault and Steel Diver: Sub Wars make a comeback? What games are you hoping to see on Nintendo Switch 2? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!