Splatoon Raiders dropped on Switch 2 earlier this week, and the community response has been immediate and loud. With 59 out of 403 poll votes going to Raiders in this weekend's gaming check-in, it's the runaway pick by a wide margin. Star Fox on Switch 2 came in second with 19 votes, and Mario Kart World held third at 16, but neither is close to touching Nintendo's new loot-shooter.
The early impressions from players are genuinely enthusiastic. Multiple people describe the game as flat-out addictive, with one player already hitting character level 31 and noting how quickly the level system moves. Another mentioned jumping in despite never having touched a Splatoon game before and loving it. The raids are pulling people in hard, and the cooperative multiplayer is getting particular praise for how rewarding it feels.
Here's the thing though: not everyone is completely sold on every element. The sampler dungeons have drawn some early criticism for feeling underwhelming compared to the raids themselves. That split between the raid content and the dungeon filler is worth watching as more players push deeper into the game.
Nostalgia runs deep this weekend
Splatoon Raiders might be dominating the vote, but a solid chunk of players are using the weekend to chase something older. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster on Switch 2 has one player deep in nostalgia mode, with plans to potentially restart Ocarina of Time alongside it. Someone else is working through the Ganbare Goemon Daishuugo collection after a physical import arrived from Japan, a compilation of all four Super Famicom entries that remains stubbornly Japan-exclusive outside this release.
The 3DS is having a quiet moment too. A few players have dusted off their handhelds for Majora's Mask 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, and Fire Emblem Awakening. There's something telling about that: even with a shiny new Switch 2 library filling up fast, the pull of older hardware and older games hasn't gone anywhere.
The wider Switch 2 library is finding its audience
Beyond Raiders, the Switch 2 library is clearly hitting its stride. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on Switch 2 has multiple players deep into it, with one on Chapter 17 and another experiencing the series for the very first time after 35 hours. Digimon Story Time Stranger is drawing comparisons to Pokemon but with more mechanical depth, and the demo alone convinced at least one player to buy the full game. Rhythm Heaven Groove is still pulling in completionists aiming for rainbow perfects and full medal clears.
Mixtape also appears in the poll, and if you're picking that one up this weekend, the full Mixtape soundtrack guide with all 28 songs and Rockford's quotes is worth bookmarking before you start.
Across platforms, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is getting serious attention from players who are replaying the first two remake entries ahead of the recently announced third installment. Tales of Berseria on Switch 2 has at least one player deep in combo optimization and equipment tweaking. Red Dead Redemption on Switch 2 is pulling in players who owned the original Switch version but never got around to it.
What the poll numbers actually tell you
The 403 votes spread across 207 different games is a genuinely interesting snapshot of where gaming is right now. The Switch 2 library is broad enough that even a massive launch like Splatoon Raiders only captures about 15% of the vote. Players are scattered across everything from Tetris 99 and Balatro to Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow on DS and Terranigma on SNES.
What most players miss in these weekly check-ins is how they function as a real-time library health check. When a new release only captures 15% of votes despite being the week's biggest launch, it signals a library with genuine depth rather than one dependent on a single title to carry all the attention.
For anyone still working through narrative-heavy Switch 2 content this weekend, the Directive 8020 Episodes 7 and 8 walkthrough covers every stealth section and key choice if you hit a wall. The weekend is long. Might as well make progress on multiple fronts.
