The Nintendo Switch 2 is indeed one of the best gaming consoles going right now. It’s got much more powerful internals, a bigger screen, and even without being OLED, there’s no questioning it’s a sizeable upgrade on its predecessor.
And yet, all the specs in the world make little difference if the games aren’t there, and while third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077 hum along quite brilliantly on the new system, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting for a different kind of test: the annual sports franchise.
After all, many juggernaut franchises in the genre skipped the original Nintendo Switch (Madden), while others put out half-baked, last-gen versions and called it a day (EA Sports FC – previously known as FIFA). One of the worst offenders was, sadly, WWE 2K18, which marked the last entry in the series on a Nintendo system.
Jumping into WWE 2K25 with my teeth gritted, then, I’m pleased to say that the latest port not only helps bury the memory of that 2017 version like a casket match, but it shows the future is bright for sports games in general on Switch 2.
Is that John Cena in your pocket?
The magic of the Switch (and its successor) is being able to take your adventures, be they to Hyrule, New Donk City, or Monday Night Raw, wherever you go.
WWE 2K25 not only reaches that bar but exceeds it. It would’ve been easy (maybe even forgivable) for 2K to sand down some modes to allow a relatively early release on the nascent console, but it’s gone the whole hog.
There are dozens of match types, improved career mode options, intergender matches, and even The Island (which remains microtransaction-heavy, sadly), as well as an absolutely colossal roster, whether you opt for any of the downloadable content (DLC) or not.
Whether you want to take a star to the top of the company or just want to slap Logan Paul with a steel chair, WWE 2K25 has you covered. Sure, it doesn’t look as good as it does on other platforms, but the ability to take the console on the go (as it has with other ports since 2017) makes that a small price to pay.
There’s not quite as much glistening chest sweat, and the spandex doesn’t shine quite the same, but it doesn’t matter a single jot when I can grab my Switch 2 on the train and pick up MyGM.
Like the food critic in Ratatouille, I find myself transported back to family road trips with my PSP in hand, blasting through every match after match in Smackdown VS Raw’s GM mode until my console battery gives up the ghost like the Undertaker’s Wrestlemania streak.
Would I have put that same time in when I’m sitting in front of my lovely PS5 Pro? Probably not, but having the Switch 2 ready to go at any time is a dream.
A New World Order for sports games on Nintendo hardware?
While there will be some that suggest WWE 2K isn’t a sports game at all, it cannot be argued that it’s an annual release in a long-running franchise that was, sadly, done dirty by its most recent outing on any Switch.
So, what’s the case for NBA 2K26? The game is launching with PS5 and Xbox Series X & Series S aspirations, aiming to offer the most up-to-date basketball sim that you can take anywhere. In fairness to 2K, its early Switch 1 basketball offerings were solid, if lacking in visual fidelity, but began to fade when newer consoles arrived.
Still, that’s better than EA’s efforts, but given EA Sports FC appeared at a Nintendo third-party direct in recent weeks, I’m hopeful the company has seen the pull of the new hybrid system.
If we can get EA Sports FC 26 running with physics, animations, and gameplay features closer to parity with the current-gen consoles, it would be the first time I’d consider switching my platform of choice for the series since I moved from Xbox to PlayStation in 2020. Being able to play EA Sports FC 26 on the go would be a huge boon for me, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
Sure, it’s a different developer from WWE 2K25, but if the latest grapplefest has shown it can be worth taking the time to port a series properly, I could be grinding FUT wins at the coffee shop or playing my manager mode save on public transport.