The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is finally out, and was worth the long wait. But what other games are on the horizon that will justify your $300 Nintendo Switch purchase? Here are a few of the biggest and best games coming to Switch in the next year.

1. Super Mario Odyssey

    • Developer: Nintendo
    • Genre: Platformer
    • Price: $59.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: Holiday 2017
    • Play If You Like: Banjo-Kazooie, Jak & Daxter

The most striking thing Nintendo has showed us in Super Mario Odyssey so far is Mario running and jumping in what looks an awful lot like a city here on planet Earth – New Donk City. We don’t know how much of a role this area will play in the game, but that Nintendo showed it in the very first trailer of the game makes me inclined to believe that role won’t be small.

The second most striking thing we see in the trailer is Mario’s new hat ability. Mario’s hat is now a character that he can throw in front of him, and use as a boomerang that he can bounce off to help him jump. I expect Nintendo to make full use of this new ability all throughout the game. Nintendo has a knack of taking a simple mechanic and using it for a variety of different gameplay ideas.

Before the Switch launch games were announced, there was rumor and speculation that Super Mario Odyssey might also be a launch game beside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It was not to be however. Zelda rightfully got its time in the spotlight.

Super Mario Odyssey will spend more time in the oven for what will be a big holiday 2017 release. Expect to hear a lot more about this game as the year goes on. Nintendo will blow this game through the roof as its release gets closer.

We haven’t had a full 3D Super Mario platformer since Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 2010. For those of us who still believe in the 3D platformer, it’s about time we got a new one.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2

    • Developer: Monolith Soft
    • Genre: RPG
    • Price: $59.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: 2017
    • Play If You Like: The Legend Of Zelda, Skyrim

The Xenoblade series has had a unique experience since it began on Nintendo consoles in 2010. The original Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii went from almost not even making it to North America (thanks to Nintendo of America believing the Wii audience didn’t like role-playing games for some reason) to Xenoblade Chronicles X being one of the best RPGs of last generation – but releasing on the Wii U, a console almost no one bought.

Now Monolith Soft will be releasing the third game in the Xenoblade series: Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which should give the series the exposure it deserves. Unlike Xenoblade Chronicles X, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will be a direct sequel to the original Wii game. It looks to be showing off a different art style, but in the same world.

Expect another massive open-world game that will rival Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Skyrim in its scope. If you like explorative, wide-open RPG games with stunning visuals and vistas, with tons of side-quests that can take more than 100+ hours to finish, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 should be very close to the top of your Switch wishlist.

3. Splatoon 2

    • Developer: Nintendo
    • Genre: Shooter
    • Price: $59.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: Summer 2017
    • Play If You Like: Team Fortress 2, Overwatch, team-based shooters

The original Splatoon was Nintendo’s take on team-based shooters like Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch, and ended up being a surprise hit for the Wii U. It’s a colorful shooter that emphasizes how much territory your team has, and defending your turf, with lots and lots of paint-splatting in lots of different of ways.

The story in Splatoon 2 takes place two years after the original game. Nintendo is promising more weapons, more levels, new characters, and of course new fashions in weapons and gear.

The big question for Splatoon 2 is voice-chat. Nintendo is promising a smart phone app that will enable voice-chat in their online games. How will that work? Is this going to be Wii Speak all over again? Or will it finally be a real way to voice-chat in a Nintendo game? That will play a big part in Splatoon 2’s online play.

Even in spite of that, Splatoon 2 will be one of the biggest games for Switch in the next year. It’s definitely one to watch.

4. Yooka-Laylee

    • Developer: Playtonic Games
    • Genre: Platformer
    • Price: $39.99 (for non-Kickstarter backers)
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: 2017
    • Play If You Like: Banjo-Kazooie, Super Mario Galaxy

Yooka-Laylee is the proper Banjo-Kazooie sequel that Microsoft never gave us after buying Rare in 2002.

Why did Microsoft have Rare working on Kinect games instead of Banjo-Kazooie 3? Because most of the people at Rare that made the Banjo games left the studio after Microsoft bought them. The good news is many of those same people have gotten back together and formed their own studio. They call themselves Playtonic Games, and Yooka-Laylee is exactly what those of us who long for the golden era of 3D platformers want.

Yooka-Laylee is the continuation of the same brand of platformer as Banjo-Kazooie and the original Donkey Kong Country games. And it’s being made by a lot of the same people. These guys love those games as much as we do. Playtonic Games are a veteran team with decades of combined experience going back to the days of the Super Nintendo.

There may be no upcoming Switch game I’m more giddy for than Yooka-Laylee.

5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

    • Developer: Nintendo
    • Genre: Racing
    • Price: $59.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: April 28, 2017
    • Play If You Like: ModNation Racers, kart-racing

As far as straight value for your dollars and fun-factor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe may have everything beat. Yes, it’s an enhanced port of the Wii U game, which has caused some grumbling from Wii U Mario Kart 8 owners. However, this game comes absolutely packed with content.

    • Over 40 characters
    • 48 tracks available right from the beginning
    • Can brake while drifting
    • Steering assist (optional)
    • Can hold two items at once
    • All new Battle Mode arenas
    • A 200cc mode

All the downloadable content from Mario Kart 8 is included for free in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. That also includes Link from the Legend Of Zelda series, the Villager and Isabelle from the Animal Crossing series – and exclusive to the Deluxe version will be the Inkling Boy and Inkling Girl from the Splatoon series – plus other characters. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe looks to be the definitive version of maybe the best Mario Kart game to date.

6. Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers

    • Developer: Capcom
    • Genre: Fighting
    • Price: $39.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: May 26, 2017
    • Play If You Like: Tekken, Mortal Kombat, fighting games

Street Fighter II is maybe the greatest fighting game of all time, and it’s being re-released for Switch. This time better than ever with Ultra Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers.

Capcom has modernized the look of the game, and added the Dark Ryu and Violent Ken characters. If you prefer the older look of the game, no worries there. You can choose between the new, modernized look, or the retro, Super Nintendo graphics. Capcom is promising several different game modes and online play to go along with local versus and co-op multiplayer.

I admit, I am not very good at Street Fighter games, or fighting games in general. But I appreciate their fun factor and what they bring. A game like Street Fighter 2 and the Switch’s portability will be a great match.

7. Has-Been Heroes

    • Developer: Frozenbyte
    • Genre: RPG, Strategy, Roguelike
    • Price: $19.99
    • eShop: Yes
    • Release Date: March 28, 2017
    • Play If You Like: Trine, Shiren the Wanderer, roguelikes

Frozenbyte, the developers of the Trine series, are bringing their new roguelike, Has-Been Heroes, to Switch. This is a game not many are talking about, but if you like role-playing or strategy roguelikes, you should definitely give this one your attention.

Expect a challenging turn-based, roguelike RPG with hundreds of hours of gameplay, plus hundreds of spells and items to collect. You play as a group of adventurers who are past their prime, and are out to prove they have what it takes to still be heroes.

What makes Has-Been Heroes even better is its $20 price tag. The gameplay style looks perfect for the Switch’s portable mode too. It usually takes a few years for a system to get quality RPGs or strategy games. The Switch is getting them in the first year. I’m looking forward to this one.