Since the official announcement of Nintendo’s next flagship console last month, the gaming world has caught full-on Nintendo Switch 2 fever. During the reveal, Nintendo unveiled a lineup of launch titles for its upcoming system, including several from third-party developers outside the company’s own umbrella.
Back in the early ’90s, Sega and Nintendo were locked in what was considered one of the greatest home console wars of all time, battling for living room dominance over several years. But in 2025, the two gaming giants have joined forces. Sega is set to release several notable titles during the Nintendo Switch 2’s first month—games I had the chance to preview firsthand.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 in hand, I went hands-on with three launch titles: Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, and RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army. One thing became clear during my time with all three—Sega means business on Nintendo’s new console.
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut – Raiding Kamurocho With Allies
The new and improved Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut for the Nintendo Switch 2 is only the second time the SEGA series has been released on a Nintendo console, and the Director’s Cut adds a host of new features for new and returning fans to explore.
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut is the first title in the Yakuza series’ canonical timeline, making it an ideal starting point for newcomers on the Nintendo Switch 2. When jumping into the main scenario, I was greeted by one of the series’ most iconic characters, Goro Majima. While strange occurrences are common in Yakuza titles—a man suddenly dancing in his underwear, for example—I was still surprised when an elderly man (who also happens to be a skilled martial artist, of course) challenged me to a fistfight out of nowhere.
This encounter serves as the game’s combat tutorial, and the Nintendo Switch 2 handles the action impressively. The game plays just as smoothly as its 2015 counterpart. Combo inputs feel responsive, and moves like Majima’s signature eye poke land with satisfying impact. Exploring the Sotenbori district feels wonderfully nostalgic for returning fans, with the vibrant neon lights and familiar layout fully intact. Sega also promises several new cutscenes in Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, giving returning players fresh content and additional story beats during some quests.
A new mode has been added exclusively to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, and it’s called Red Light Raid. Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, this raid mode lets fans blow off steam by battling hordes of enemies on the streets, without the added weight of story elements. Better still, players can deploy up to three CPU-controlled fighters to assist in the chaos. These CPU partners can also be swapped out for real friends, allowing up to four players to team up online and take down wave after wave of enemies together.
Red Light Raid features multiple levels filled with escalating enemy encounters. Players can choose from various characters introduced in Yakuza 0’s main storyline. I stuck with Goro Majima’s Thug style—because nothing beats a classic eye poke from a hardened yakuza in a full suit.
The objective is to clear the streets in an arcade-style loop. Once all enemies are defeated within the time limit, another challenge appears. Beating enemies extends the timer, rewarding bold, aggressive play and encouraging players to fully embrace Yakuza’s distinct combat style. Whether it’s practising combos, swinging a bicycle with flair or landing signature finishing moves, Red Light Raid offers a chaotic and satisfying beat-’em-up experience.
In one instance, dozens of enemies filled the screen, making weapon use not only encouraged, but essential. A full mob of grown men was cleared out with wild, full-bodied bicycle swings—arguably the funniest (and perhaps most efficient) version of lawn mowing ever seen on the streets of Tokyo. This mode supports online co-op with friends, and Sega has confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2’s Game Chat can be used during the chaos. Overall, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut is shaping up to be a strong addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 launch lineup. The game officially releases on June 5, alongside the new console.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army – Demonic Detective Work
Resurrected from the PlayStation 2 era, SEGA and Atlus brought a cult-classic title from its archives to launch in the same month as the Nintendo Switch 2. My time with RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army booted me up in the middle of Episode 1: Missing Girl. You are Raidou, a detective that works in tandem with demons to solve mysteries, and on first look, the graphics have been noticeably enhanced from the 2006 original. Fans of the Persona or Devil Summoner Atlus series’ will feel right at home here with similar (and some same!) demon designs to those two franchises.
Resurrected from the PlayStation 2 era, Sega and Atlus have brought a cult-classic title from their archives to launch alongside the Nintendo Switch 2. My time with RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army began in the middle of Episode 1: Missing Girl. You play as Raidou, a detective who works in tandem with demons to solve mysteries, and right from the start, the graphical enhancements over the 2006 original are clear. Fans of Atlus titles like Persona or the Devil Summoner series will feel right at home, with many of the same demon designs and a familiar aesthetic that ties closely to those franchises.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army drops players into 1930s Tokyo. Beyond acting as a mystery-solving detective, Raidou is often called upon by townsfolk to help with problems they can’t solve on their own. For example, early in the game, a citizen is worried about their cat stuck on a high ledge. Using a demon’s flight ability, Raidou can safely rescue the cat—demonstrating how demonic powers can be used to solve real-world problems. The game features small, puzzle-like sections where Raidou uses these abilities to grow stronger, gather information or overcome obstacles.
Combat has also seen meaningful improvements in RAIDOU Remastered. After weakening enemies, players can use Devil’s Bane for a powerful follow-up attack, while Spirit Slash ignites Raidou’s sword to deal heavy fire damage. Players can now deploy two demons at once in battle, compared to the single-demon system in the original. With over 120 demons available, this adds significant depth to combat. Raidou can also learn new abilities that target enemy weaknesses, improving party-wide effectiveness.
Lastly, while exploring town, a fast travel system has been added—saving players time during quests and making progression more fluid.
After approaching a maid, another demon allows me to read her mind, advancing the story that takes place in the Daidouji Residence. After making my way to the basement, I found an empty shelf for the diary belonging to the ‘Missing Girl.’ RAIDOU Remastered then leaves it up to the player to figure out what to do next, and figuring it out is a welcome experience (hint: demons do many things in RAIDOU Remastered). I was sadly only able to play for a short while, but RAIDOU Remastered will be an ARPG to look out for when it launches for all platforms and Nintendo Switch 2 on June 19.
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S – Multiplayer Chaos!
The last title on the SEGA hands-on preview menu is a multiplayer crash course in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S. We were thrown into play groups of two teams of two, and we were pitted against each other in Versus Mode Doubles. This is absolute chaos.
Players can choose from a variety of Sega characters—including Sonic—before entering the arena in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S. In doubles mode, only one character is selected per team, meaning players will need to vote and come to a consensus. After settling on Zed, we jumped into a cooperative round of Tetris. Passing around the Joy-Con 2 controllers fostered a fun, forced camaraderie between teammates before diving into the match. While playing in doubles, it’s important to note that tetrominos can block your teammate’s lane—often with disastrous results if not coordinated carefully.
There’s a lot happening on screen in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S. Players can monitor their opponent’s board to anticipate line drops, check in on the status of their chosen Sega mascot and keep track of their own puzzle grid—all at the same time. Impressively, the game’s UI makes it all easy to follow. Thanks to clean design and well-organized displays, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S avoids feeling overwhelming despite the action-packed gameplay.
On the Puyo Puyo side of things, our two vs. two squad made a Gentleman’s agreement to use only Nintendo Switch 2 mouse controls during the match, and we all did. This was true insanity. While the mouse controls work well for Puyo Puyo, the chaotic nature of four players on one screen made this a really outrageous matchup that was genuinely a great time, clogging the tetromino lane and all. Panic swiping a mouse still feels great on a joy-con 2.
The Versus Mode Doubles in Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S is a great chaotic time. While our setting had four players side-by-side (what some may consider peak conditions), Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S looks to be a solid SEGA addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 catalogue when it launches on June 5 with the console.
While my time spent with all three SEGA titles launching for the Nintendo Switch 2 was brief, it’s safe to say the new Nintendo console will launch with some solid support coming from SEGA. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut and the Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5. RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army launches two weeks later on June 19.
