Nintendo Switch 2 should be the home for retro shooters

One major factor that can be agreed upon is how the Nintendo Switch has been a haven for retro shooters. Since its 2017 debut, the console has had thousands upon thousands of games ported or re-released for it, but one genre that stands out is retro shooters, which includes a mix of games like Doom, Ikaruga, R-Type, and more.

The genre has been a mainstay in games since its inception, with Space Invaders’ 1978 debut showcasing how fun and replayable it can be. Since then, we’ve seen vertical arcade shooters, first-person shooters, lightgun shooters, and more in the genre. But it could be a perfect home for Switch 2, and could revitalise some games that have been forgotten.

The Escapist recaps

• Nintendo Switch 2 came out in June 2025, selling over 10 million within three months.
• Vertical shooters like Ikaruga, Strikers 1945, and ZeroRanger have long established how well games can look in portrait mode.
• Other types of shooters, such as those from the FPS genre like Doom and Quake, helped to define the category.
• Switch 2 should be the home for these, able to service all kinds of shooters, in every orientation.

5 Things to Make Switch 2 Appealing for Shooters

Dedicated Vertical Mode

A big feature of Nintendo Switch 2 is how it can adapt. From Tabletop Mode to Docked Mode, it can fit into a variety of situations, but when it comes to vertical shooters, like Xevious and 1942, the console doesn’t natively support it. Granted, you can try to balance the Switch 2 vertically, but it would be an awkward challenge.

Instead, let’s see Nintendo release an accessory that lets the Switch 2 easily stand upright, as well as update the console’s firmware to be used in portrait mode, along with a dedicated group folder showing all vertical-based shooters, ready to play. This way, players won’t have to switch orientation modes constantly, and they can jump into these games with ease.

Standardized Online Features

Plenty of Switch 2 games, in the shooter genre, lack online features. It’s understandable, as implementing a system in games that are over 30 years old can be challenging for anyone. But Doom is a great example of how well its multiplayer mode can be used on Switch with no issues.

For existing and upcoming shooters to come to the Switch, a standardized online feature set that could be added to these games would be hugely beneficial for both players and developers. This way, players can drop in and out of these shooters, just like how some would at a real arcade, further adding to that feel of playing these games as intended.

Bring back more shooters from the 1990s

Despite many shooters being re-released for the Switch, such as Ikaruga, Doom, and more, plenty are yet to be brought back from the past. Namco could lead the charge on this, with games like Time Crisis, Point Blank, and Crisis Zone being released as part of an arcade collection, much like Capcom’s recent efforts, with the Joy-Con 2 controllers as ‘lightguns’.

Many, this writer included, remember visiting the arcades in school holidays, playing games like Time Crisis with family and friends, ducking for cover, and collecting more powerful guns against powerful enemies. To bring these shooters back exclusively to Switch 2 could unearth some nostalgia and perhaps make the console more of a home for the genre.

Arcade Accessories for Switch 2

A big part of what could help make Switch 2 a home for retro shooters is emulating the feeling of being at an arcade. From trackballs to lightguns, it isn’t just a stick and six buttons that you would have found at places hosting many arcade games. The same applies to shooters on the Nintendo Switch, so there should be a set of arcade accessories.

Similar to how the Nintendo Wii controllers could be put into a variety of accessories, like the Wii Zapper, Wheel, and more, Joy-Con 2 should adopt a similar method. Being slotted into arcade inputs like light guns and bongos could supercharge how Switch 2 retro games could be played, whilst taking advantage of what the Joy-Cons offer, like HD Rumble 2.

Accessibility Options

There’s no denying it, arcade games could be difficult. It’s understandable, as it was a way for players to keep putting in more credits to carry on and not lose their progress. But when it comes to playing these on a console you own, arcade shooters and others are usually ported over, keeping their difficulty intact.

For new players coming to Wolfenstein, XENEX, and more for the first time, it would be helpful to have a universal set of accessibility options. These could help them progress with a slightly less challenging time, but enough that they’ll still need to put in a good amount of effort to progress, regardless.

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References

1. DOOM (1993) (Nintendo)