If someone has leaked rumors that ended up coming true in the past, their credibility is boosted. Yet, if some random nobody just decides to “leak” information, you have to expect that 90 percent of it is BS. Now, the reason I’m bringing all that up is just recently, somebody leaked out some major Nintendo Switch news, regarding software in the future.

I’m going to dive into it a little bit, and then assess whether or not the leaks are believable. So, right now, go ahead and check out the tweet that was sent out by @markomaro:

1H 2021
New Pokemon Snap (Spring)
Pokemon Collection (Feb)
Famicom Detective Club remakes (At least in Japan)
Zelda BOTW Sequel (April if is not delays)
Metroid 2D (If not more delays, already finished)
New IP (Not announced yet)
Fire Emblem Remake (Spring-Summer)

— markomaro (@Newmarkomaro) November 19, 2020

Now that you’ve seen it, let’s talk about it.

Is it True?

Yeah, might as well start with this, right? A user on Reddit went ahead and shared this tweet looking for some information on the leaker’s credibility. If you scroll down in the comments section of the post, you’ll notice that many people aren’t buying this one at all. It’s worth pointing out that not all Reddit users can be taken seriously, but when this many people are calling out the leaks for being fake, it’s alarming for sure.

The sad part is the information that was leaked is insane. If even half of this were to be true, Nintendo Switch owners would be in for a heck of a future. Though I’m starting to believe that 90% of it isn’t going to happen (at least in the manner the games were predicted). Here’s what I’d be most looking forward to on the list:

Donkey Kong Country 6

Without question, this is what piqued my interest in this leak in the first place. It’s been so bloody long since we had a new entry into the DKC franchise that I’m starting to wonder if we’re ever going to get a new one. Clearly, if there was a game in development, it’s most likely not going to be called Donkey Kong Country 6, as that would most likely be just a placeholder name.

There are no more details about it, however, which is unfortunate. I’d love to see it, but I’ll only believe it if and when Nintendo confirms it.

The BOTW Sequel in April

The likelihood of this happening is very, very slim. You even will see some commenters in the Reddit post mocking this prediction. We all know the BOTW sequel is coming, but to expect it as early as April of next year would probably be pushing it. This is Nintendo we’re talking about here, as they have historically done this with Zelda. With that said, we’d all lose our marbles if we actually had the chance to play this game that soon.

It Just Seems Like Too Much

Someone made mention of this in the Reddit post. It just seems like there are too many games on this list for the information to be accurate. How could someone know that many games in the coming future are coming to the Switch? It just seems fishy for sure, but I wanted to share it anyway. Leaks are fun to speculate about, and all we can hope for is that some of the information turns out to be true.

Yes, we got Super Mario 3D All-Stars, but that was honestly kind of a disappointing release. Additionally, it didn’t offer anything new (outside of being able to play the first three entries in HD). What we really want is an actual new entry in the franchise, but what do you think that’s going to be? Today, I want to talk about that a little (no rumors will be present, this is all for fun).

Super Mario Odyssey 2

Out of all the possibilities, this one is the most likely. Honestly, it’s really only because Nintendo seems bound and determined to support the Switch for another couple of years at least. And there’s no way they’d wait all the way until their next console to release a new 3D Mario game. It also seems unlikely that we’d see a brand-new game. The safe bet is on the sequel to Odyssey and, personally, that’s the entry I want it to be the most.

Super Mario Galaxy 3

For whatever reason, this game has been speculated and wanted for literally a decade. Now, I’m a huge fan of the Galaxy games (the first is arguably my favorite 3D platformer of all-time). However, if I’m being brutally honest, I just don’t see the point in making a 3rd. The time has come and gone, and at the end of the 2nd entry, I got the idea that Nintendo sort of ran out of ideas. Super Mario 3D All-Stars proved that a Galaxy game can run on the Switch, but I still don’t see a 3rd entry happening.

Super Mario Sunshine 2 / Super Mario 64 2

I just figured I’d talk about both of these at the same time. Again, this is a list of what new entry you’d want in the franchise, and many would be eating these two up. Personally, an actual sequel to Super Mario 64 would be insanely cool. We’re not going to talk about the other game, as I’m not that big of a fan of it. Both of these, however, seem highly unlikely. This is especially true considering both of the original games finally landed on the Switch. Both of these would probably be pipe dreams.

A Brand-New Idea

Outside of a sequel to Odyssey, I would just prefer a brand-new concept for the next game. Yet, why waste this on the Switch? I feel Nintendo will wait for their next console to create a brand-new game. Plus, with as amazing as Odyssey is, I really want to see what they could do in a sequel. So, you know my two cents, what’s yours?

Now, virtually everyone has already played the three titles in this collection. So, I’m not going to waste your time and review each of them separately. Instead, I’m simply going to list for you my main likes and dislikes about the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very hard for me to come up with my dislikes. That said, I still enjoy the collection, as a whole. But enough small talk, let’s get into the beef.

What I Like: Super Mario Galaxy

Alright, so let’s get this out of the way first. Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite platformer out of the three in this pack. It’s actually not even close, either, as it’s arguably my favorite 3D platformer of all-time. However, after I finally upgraded to a QLED, 55-inch, 4K HDTV, I noticed that 480p, Wii content doesn’t look too amazing.

So, no doubt, this is the game I was looking forward to the most. Outside of the utterly amazing visuals (seriously, Galaxy literally looks breathtaking in this collection), the reworked controls are actually very nice. I never had an issue with the motion control in the original, as I thought it was executed very well.

Yet, I have to admit, using the Pro Controller to play this game is a wonderful experience. Sure, there’s still motion control required, but remapping the spin/shake to a button was a brilliant idea. To me, it worked out better than I could’ve imagined.

What I Don’t Like: The Bare Bones Menu

Oh boy, I knew the menu system was going to be lazy, but even I was surprised. I know complaining about the menu seems to be nitpicking, but I think it’s fair game. What I was hoping for was some type of overworld to explore. In this overworld, in my mind, you would have the three games in different locations. Heck, this could’ve even included a museum celebrating the history of the franchise.

Instead, Nintendo did what Nintendo does. They slapped a bland menu system with the ability to select between the three different titles and their respective soundtracks. Yippee, so freaking exciting.

What I Like: The Visuals

This was touched on with Galaxy, but really each of the three titles here look fantastic. Nintendo nailed that aspect of this collection, which was one of the main points of doing it. Some people have complained that Super Mario 64 wasn’t expanded to a 16:9 aspect ratio. To me, though, it’s not too big of a deal because the game plays well at 4:3.

What I Don’t Like: Little to No Improvements

As much as I want to say that the 3D Mario games are flawless, they really aren’t. Even Galaxy has its camera issues. Super Mario 64 still feels like the same clunky and somewhat irritating platforming experience. Nintendo could’ve done a couple of things. One, they could’ve at least attempted to fix the awful camera a little bit. Secondly, they could’ve made Mario feel smoother and more modern. Really, the same problems could’ve been fixed for Sunshine too.

Look, some will say that not doing this is a good thing as each game retains the same feel. This still could’ve been achieved with the addition of improvements. Yet, Nintendo went the lazy path again. Boy, that’s a real shocker.

Bottom Line: It was a Cash Grab

Yep, this game was a cash grab. With the limited availability added on to the fact, it becomes even more apparent. However, do I regret the purchase? No, I don’t. Despite the complaints I have, the collection is still pretty darn good. You get three of the most famous Mario games of all-time on one, modern platform. They all look really good, and you can even play them on the go now. More should’ve been done, but it’s still nice that Nintendo did deliver on them.

Understandably, COVID-19 has impacted everyone around the world. Nintendo hasn’t been immune to the impact of this pandemic. Yet, my problem with the whole situation is look what Sony and Microsoft have been doing. Along with Nintendo, these are the juggernauts in the video game industry. Unlike Nintendo, however, those two companies have given all their fans reasons to be excited for 2020. But what about us Nintendo fans, what do we have to look forward to?

Xbox Series X and PS5 Have Been Revealed

In the gaming world, the hype is off the charts. Both Sony’s new flagship console, the PS5, and Microsoft’s, the Xbox Series X, have been revealed to the general public. Most fans are certainly excited for those two gaming consoles and all the games they’re bringing with them. When you look at this through Nintendo’s point of view, they have to be wary of all the attention going away from their system.

Non-Stop Rumors Virtually All Year Long

For those of you who have followed Nintendo this year, I have too, it feels like it’s been one rumor after another. It’s important to point out that they are not responsible for these rumors, so I’m not blaming them at all for them. Yet, at the same time, while the rumors have been close to accurate, there still hasn’t been a full-on Direct since last year. No, Minis are not full-on Directs, I don’t care what anyone says.

I would be fine with this, as would others, if we still had an idea of what to expect for the rest of 2020. The 2020 lineup has already been less-than-solid (no, I don’t like Animal Crossing) but a big holiday lineup could change all that. The problem is we don’t know what the heck is happening from here on out, and that’s a big problem in my eyes.

Hope for August?

Truth be told, I’m sick to death of getting excited for a potential Direct. Especially when you consider what Nintendo presented just the other week. Don’t ask me why it was called a Direct, as it was far from that. Looking forward, could August finally be the month? Well, I’m sure rumors will start circulating real fast about the potential of that happening.

For now, I’m just going to sit here with my tail between my legs patiently waiting for Nintendo to give me something exciting to wait for. Sounds like a whale of a time, doesn’t it?

And, if you are a fan then you have no doubt heard the rumors and ramblings over the last several weeks. You guys know what I’m talking about; the rumors about a potential collection of remasters coming sometime in the near future. Nintendo clearly wants to do something big for the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.

If you want my opinion, though, I’m not that excited at what might be a remastered collection pack of the 3D Mario games. Don’t worry, I’m going to explain myself.

Most of the Titles Were Optimized for Their Console

Outside of Super Mario 64, the other three titles being discussed for this supposedly remastered collection were all optimized for the controller of the system that they were made for. The first one, Super Mario Sunshine, required the use of the “R” trigger for FLUDD. The triggers on the Switch controllers probably wouldn’t work that well and remapping the button to something else would just feel odd.

Then, you have the Galaxy games. Sure, there are some people out there who would rather play them without the motion control, but you can’t deny the impact it had. Gamers complain a lot about motion control and I’m not too high on it myself. But, for the Galaxy games, it was virtually perfect and actually made the experience even better. The only solution I can think of is if Nintendo designs them specifically for the Joy Con controllers. Personally, I hate those controllers as they are way too small for average-sized hands.

I’m So Sick of Remasters

Alright, the video game industry is just out of control with how many remasters are being released. When they happen once in a while, I have no problems with them. But, it seems like every day there’s a new remaster revealed. After a while, the allure leaves. I mean, is it so hard for video game developers to actually come up with something new?

I’d Rather Have a Sequel to Odyssey

If you gave me the choice of being able to play all the 3D Mario games on the Switch or playing the sequel to Odyssey, I would choose the latter within a millisecond. Regardless of the time Nintendo puts into this collection (if it even happens), I’d rather see them spend their time designing Super Mario Odyssey 2. There’s so much potential in the sequel and I would be very disappointed (to say the least) if it’s not being created.

Trust me, I get the allure and excitement of a collection of this nature, especially if they are full-on remasters. For me, though, I just want to see Mario take on new platforming adventures. I guess that’s just me.

“Wait, is this writer on drugs, doesn’t he know that the first Breath of the Wild was a perfect masterpiece without a single flaw?”

Alright, listen up, I wasn’t even a fan of the franchise, but when I played Breath of the Wild, I was amazed the entire time. After I beat it the first time, I proceeded to play through it two more times (accumulating roughly 360 hours of gameplay time).

Yet, as I continued to play the game, I began to notice some rather major flaws. While they certainly don’t ruin the experience of the game, they do alter it slightly. So, today, I want to talk a little bit about these flaws and how the sequel can fix them. In other words, these are additions that I would like to see present in the inevitable sequel (whenever the darn thing releases).

Better Enemy Variety

What’s most alarming about the first game is just how little enemy variety there is. For how massive the map is, it’s quite shocking that Nintendo opted to provide such a lack of diversity with the monsters that you fight. They did spend a lot of their time attempting to work out all the kinks of the physics in the game, so it’s possible that they simply didn’t have time to account for a wider variety of enemies.

Sure, it’s nice that there are more difficult versions of enemies throughout the game (and even more in Master Mode), but they all virtually fight the same. Hopefully, Nintendo simply doesn’t rehash the enemies in the first one and just add a few more. It would be wise to possibly include a few of them (such as the Lynels) and simply design several new ones.

The Ability to Repair Your Weapons

I’m not one who hated the manner in which weapons broke in the first game. It actually was a nice mechanic as otherwise, you’d just go throughout the game with an overpowered arsenal of weapons on your side. But, I do believe that there should’ve been a way to repair your weapons before they broke.

What if in the sequel, you could travel to dedicated repair shops? Given the minerals and general materials that you can collect, there could be a “fee” for doing so. And, the more powerful the weapons, the more expensive and lucrative they’d be to repair. Oh yeah, there also needs to be a better method of knowing when your weapons are going to break (like a health meter for each one of your weapons).

Improved Framerate

This is not so much of an “addition” as it is a necessity. It’s no secret that the original Breath of the Wild has framerate issues. No, they don’t ruin the experience of the game. However, there are times where the game lags (and lags a lot). It also only runs at 30 frames per second. Is it too much to ask for the sequel to run at 60 frames?

Occasional drops in frames can be expected as it’s tough for games to perform perfectly on the Switch (as it’s not as powerful as other modern consoles). Yet, virtually everyone will agree that the sequel needs to have improved performance regarding its framerate.

I skipped the addition of dungeons, for the record, simply because I haven’t played the old Zelda games (it’s on my things-to-do list, though). But, for me personally, those three additions would be very much appreciated in the new Breath of the Wild.

The reason I bring this up is Breath of the Wild fans, like myself, have been patiently waiting for news regarding the game’s release. Ever since it was unveiled at E3 back in 2019, there’s been little to nothing in regards to news for it. Sure, there have been news outlets from time to time that comment on the rumors that have been swirling around about it. However, we as fans have yet to receive any hard evidence of when we can expect the sequel to drop.

What’s the Deal?

Let’s not act as if the year 2020 hasn’t been insane, as it certainly has. With the world in pure chaos and COVID-19 taking over, many businesses and organizations have been affected in negative ways. Nintendo hasn’t been immune to this and the pandemic has actually seemed to affect them more than others. Could this be the reason we haven’t heard any news about the sequel?

Maybe There’s Nothing to Show

We may just have to accept the reality that Nintendo is not close to finishing Breath of the Wild 2 (or whatever it’s going to be called as it probably won’t be called that). The reveal trailer showed little to no gameplay footage and it sure would be nice to see some actual in-game footage. But, even though Nintendo contradicts themselves on the topic occasionally, they typically don’t like showing off games that aren’t close to release (even though they literally do it all the time).

That begs the question, though, how much longer does the sequel need before it’s ready to drop onto our home consoles?

Prepare for a 2021 Release

It’s no secret that Nintendo has kept the rest of their 2020 lineup (which has been pedestrian) a secret. For whatever reason, there’s been little talk about what we could see come the holiday season of 2020. Many have speculated and hoped that it could be the sequel to Breath of the Wild, but it’s probably better to presume that it won’t come until 2021.

Hopefully, if 2021 is the intended release window, it will be in the first quarter of the year. Who knows, though, it could drop in the holiday season of 2021. No, that’s something nobody wants to admit, but Nintendo’s not going to release the game until they feel it’s 100 percent polished and ready to go. Us as fans will simply have to continue to remain patient, though it’s definitely getting harder and harder to do so.

Now, for the record, there are some franchises on this list that have appeared on the Switch in some capacity (whether via ports or certain retro titles available for online members). However, for the following five series, we deserve brand-new entries altogether that are currently not available on the Switch.

Mario Kart

Ironically, a Mario Kart game is currently the highest-selling video game on the Switch as we speak (that being Mario Kart 8 Deluxe). Yet, as alluded to, I am not satisfied with ports (in general). Sure, it is impossible to dispute the success of this port but at the same time, we have not seen a new entry in this franchise in around six years.

As for the chances of this occurring, the number of units it would probably sell gives credence to the argument for it. Nintendo has never released two full-fledged Mario Kart games on the same home console before but this would be a little different. I feel somewhat confident that this one has a chance.

Star Fox

The closest thing to a Star Fox game on the Switch is Starlink: Battle for Atlas. In fact, Fox McCloud and friends actually play a somewhat significant role in that game (in the Switch version). Still, an actual solo video game starring Fox McCloud is what I have been craving for a while.

Unfortunately, his last entry was not received all that well. Of course, I am alluding to Star Fox Zero on the Wii U. Nintendo attempted to make use out of their GamePad but the end result was a somewhat short game with highly questionable controls. I may just have to come to the realization that this franchise had its time and place. However, the lore of the Star Fox universe is too intriguing and Nintendo could do so much with the characters that are present.

Banjo-Kazooie

Alright, so this probably has a snowball’s chance in Hell of happening. Rare is the video game company who developed the classic Banjo games on the Nintendo 64. However, many years have passed since then and Rare has been a Microsoft property for nearly two decades now.

And, due to this, the franchise has literally been dead since the Nintendo 64 (Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts can’t touch the magic of the originals). The only inspiring news is Banjo and Kazooie did make their way to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, a new installment in the franchise is not impossible (but it is highly unlikely).

Donkey Kong Country

Yep, this is another instance of a franchise getting a port but not a new game. Since 2015 (when I finally got my hands on Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for the Wii U), I have been eagerly awaiting the third entry in Retro Studios series.

Yet, years and years have gone by and as we sit in 2020, there are still no signs of that happening. Now, the chances look even worse as the studio took over development for Metroid Prime 4. There were rumors for a while that they were developing a new game but we may never know what that was. As far as Donkey Kong Country is concerned, a brand-new company may need to do something with the IP.

F-Zero

Talk about a series that has not seen the light of day in countless years, how about F-Zero? The last major entry was F-Zero GX and that was released way back in 2003 on the Nintendo GameCube. Indeed, it has been a while.

This futuristic racing franchise has been a fan-favorite for quite a long time and the Switch is the perfect system for it to make a resurgence. Will it happen? The safe bet is to expect another entry to be omitted on yet another major Nintendo home console.

The fan in me desperately wants to see all these titles land on the Switch over the next few years. I understand the reality of the industry, however, and realize that some of these will remain to only pipe dreams.