The best Switch games for 2024

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Link pulls out the master sword in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch has had a lot of success in the nearly six years since its release. The console-handheld hybrid has been on the market since 2017, and a slew of fantastic games from first- and third-party developers have launched over the course of the system’s life cycle.

Heavy hitters such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder make the console a must-play while stellar indies fill out the roster. And some of the best games from previous Nintendo systems like NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, and Wii have modern entries in the Switch ecosystem.

The Switch is entering its filler era at the end of its lifecycle with the Nintendo Switch 2 around the corner, but there are still plenty of exciting upcoming Switch games on the way in 2024.

There are plenty of incredible games to enjoy on the Switch right now. But which ones should you check out? These are the best Nintendo Switch games (including free-to-play titles) for 2024.

Action

Neon White

Neon White
Neon White
  • Metacritic: 90%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Shooter, Platform, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Ben Esposito

  • Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

  • Release: June 16, 2022

Buy at Nintendo

Neon White offers a unique blend of first-person shooter mechanics and puzzle elements, serving as one of the most fascinating releases of 2022. Your goal is to zip around the game’s beautiful stages as quickly as possible while clearing all the enemies throughout. The catch? You have access to a selection of cards that grant special abilities to help you get through each stage. Speed is the name of the game in Neon White, and your performance yields different rankings, motivating players to strive to earn better times. Tying the entire thing together is a gorgeous, vibrant art style that truly makes it pop from the screen.

Read our full Neon White review

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy, Tactical, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up

  • Developer: Omega Force, Team Ninja

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: June 24, 2022

Buy at Nintendo

Following in the footsteps of the previous Warriors games, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes doubles down on the fast-paced action gameplay while implementing many features from Three Houses. This fundamentally feels like a Dynasty Warriors game, sending you into large-scale battles against hundreds of enemies, but also offers plenty to keep Fire Emblem fans onboard. Three Hopes takes place in the universe introduced in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, allowing you to pick between Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer — each with their own branching paths that unfold differently. Even if you aren’t wild about the Warriors-style gameplay, you might still enjoy this game if you’re a Fire Emblem fan since it ties so closely to Three Houses. This is Omega Force at its best, sticking close to the source material without ridding itself of its Dynasty Warriors roots.

Read our full Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes review

Bayonetta 3

Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: M

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Hack and slash/Beat 'em up

  • Developer: PlatinumGames

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 28, 2022

Buy at Amazon

If you’re looking for the most over-the-top gaming experience you can find on Nintendo Switch, look no further than the Bayonetta trilogy. All three games in PlatinumGames’ excellent hack-and-slash series are now on Nintendo Switch, including its most recent release: Bayonetta 3. The third installment is a multiverse-jumping adventure that sees Bayonetta and her eclectic crew (including new protagonist Viola) trying to stop a nefarious villain from destroying reality. And of course, Bayonetta does that in style by using a massive collection of moves and wielding the power of demons. A raucous blockbuster from start to finish, Bayonetta 3 is an excellent way to cap off Bayonetta’s story and a strong  addition to the Switch’s list of character-based action hits.

Read our full Bayonetta 3 review

Hades

Hades
Hades
  • Metacritic: 93%

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Supergiant Games

  • Publisher: Supergiant Games

  • Release: September 17, 2020

Buy at Nintendo

The latest from indie hit factory Supergiant Games, Hades is a rogue-lite action RPG that puts players in the shoes of the prince of … wait for it … Hades. As it turns out, you’re not so keen on the place. It’s dark, cramped, depressing, and your dad is a real peach. So, naturally, you want to do the impossible — escape. Hades feels positively electric to play. You’ll often die, but you’ll also often feel like an absolute rock star. Even when you die, you’re swiftly returned to the start, giving you a chance to try again after only a brief pause to check out any upgrades you might’ve unlocked. It doesn’t hurt that Hades, like past Supergiant Games efforts, has stellar production values. The art, voice acting, and music are without peer, and they give Hades a blinding sheen of polish that even big-budget AAA games often lack. That fact is especially apparent in Hades taking home the Game Award for Best Action game, beating out massive titles like Doom Eternal.

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity

Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
  • Metacritic: 80%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure

  • Developer: Omega Force

  • Publisher: Nintendo, Koei Tecmo

  • Release: November 19, 2020

Buy at Amazon

When the first Hyrule Warriors game was originally released on the Wii U, it didn’t seem like much more than a niche spinoff. The hack-and-slash game turned Zelda into Dynasty Warriors with larger-than-life battles. It wasn’t a replacement for mainline Zelda adventures, but it showed that the franchise had some untapped potential when it came to side games. Nintendo capitalized on that promise with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, a more fully realized entry that opens the doors wide open for the series’ future. Unlike the first game, Age of Calamity is part of the actual Zelda cannon. It acts as a pseudo-prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and tells the story of the Great Calamity. While the game presents itself as a Zelda version of Rogue One, where you know that Hyrule is doomed, the story takes some unexpected twists that make for an exciting Zelda side story. With more characters, weapons, and secrets to uncover, Age of Calamity is a high-quality action game that sets a new bar for Nintendo spinoffs.

Read our full Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity review

Dead Cells

Dead Cells
Dead Cells
  • Metacritic: 84%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Motion Twin, Evil Empire

  • Publisher: Motion Twin

  • Release: August 06, 2018

Buy at Amazon

Taking a look at the sidescrolling gameplay and dark 2D art style of Dead Cells may stir up some memories of times spent playing Metroid or Castlevania. Motion Twin, the developers of this highly rated indie game on the Switch, call it a Roguevania due to the inspiration it takes from those games. For a clearer picture of what to expect, add in a Dark Souls-level of combat difficulty, roguelike castle setting, and unforgiving permadeath (short for permanent death), and you get Dead Cells. When you combine themes like roguelike and permadeath, you’ll know that every playthrough of Dead Cells is different. But that doesn’t mean you have to die to have some fun. There’s an endless amount of weapons, hidden rooms, and passageways that will require a bit of work and skill to find. Did we forget to mention the punishing boss battles that will have you searching for the closest save point? Spoiler alert — there are none!

Read our full Dead Cells review

Luigi's Mansion 3

Luigi's Mansion 3
Luigi's Mansion 3
  • Metacritic: 83%

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Adventure

  • Developer: Next Level Games

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 31, 2019

Buy at Dell

The original Luigi’s Mansion for GameCube didn’t seem to understand what its best ideas were but by the time Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon was released more than a decade later, new developer Next Level Games had a firm grasp on what made the spooky adventure so charming. In Luigi’s Mansion 3, our titular anxious hero must rescue his brother and friends from a haunted hotel, using his trusty Poltergust G-00 vacuum and new viscous pal Gooigi. Luigi’s Mansion 3 mixes environmental puzzles with creative combat against several different types of ghosts, and the themed floors vary from a botany-themed area to a medieval arena. All of them are hilarious, and the game’s self-referential jokes and zany animations only make it more entertaining.

RPG

Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG
  • Metacritic: 79%

  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: ArtePiazza

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: November 17, 2023

Buy at Amazon

The SNES version of Super Mario RPG was already a classic, so it’s no surprise that a remake for the Nintendo Switch is also very good. This game smooths over the original’s rough edges, making it more approachable and easier. This quirky-looking game is also more colorful and vibrant than ever, thanks to the visual overhaul ArtePiazza and Nintendo gave it. Although that sheen may take away from the original’s charm for some fans, the core of the RPG classic is still preserved in this remake.

Read our full Super Mario RPG review

Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime Remastered
Metroid Prime Remastered
  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Shooter, Platform, Adventure

  • Developer: Retro Studios

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: February 08, 2023

Buy at Amazon

This Gamecube launch-title has been reworked for the Nintendo Switch after 20 years and, boy, is it worth a replay. Samus’ first 3D adventure plays out exactly how you remember it, but with modernized visuals. In an industry where new games are churned out quickly, it’s impressive that this adventure still holds up.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG)

  • Developer: Intelligent Systems

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: May 23, 2024

The Thousand-Year Door stood as one of the boldest Mario games when it first launched for the GameCube in 2004, and the same applies to its Nintendo Switch remake being released now, 20 years later. This isn’t a remake that completely redefines its predecessor, unlike Final Fantasy VII and Resident Evil 4. This is much more in line with Nintendo’s recent Super Mario RPG and Mario vs. Donkey Kong remakes that refurbish and update the visuals with some small quality-of-life tweaks.

Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars
  • Metacritic: 94%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Sabotage

  • Publisher: Sabotage

  • Release: August 28, 2023

Those looking for a throwback RPG more similar to Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG than to Baldur’s Gate 3, Dragon Age: Origins, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will love Sea of Stars. A prequel story set in The Messenger’s universe, it tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

Read our full Sea of Stars review

Fire Emblem Engage

Fire Emblem Engage
Fire Emblem Engage
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Adventure

  • Developer: Intelligent Systems

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: January 20, 2023

Buy at Amazon

Fire Emblem Engage is a turn-based strategy game that offers a deep and rewarding gaming experience. Players take on the role of a leader of an army, managing resources and making strategic decisions to defeat enemy forces. The game features a complex and compelling story, as well as a wide variety of characters from the series with unique abilities and personalities. With its challenging gameplay, rich world-building, and memorable characters, Fire Emblem Engage is a must-play for fans of the genre, as well as newcomers looking for an engaging and satisfying gaming experience.

Read our full Fire Emblem Engage review

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Atlus

  • Publisher: Atlus

  • Release: June 14, 2024

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a re-release of the original game that adds as much new content as Persona 5 Royal did for its base game. SMT is notably harder than Persona games, and this one is no exception. It is lighter on social elements but has the same level of quality in both graphics and turn-based battles that you expect from Atlus. If you held off or skipped the original, Vengeance is your reward.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Monolith Soft

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: July 29, 2022

Buy at Nintendo

Monolith Soft has yet another hit on its hands, this time with JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 3. This massive open-world game features many familiar mechanics from previous entries, but with some new additions, like the ability to have parties of up to seven members. This gives each battle plenty of variety, especially since you can swap between party members whenever you’d like. The combat is unique in that it occurs in real time, but each of your attacks must be selected, with cooldown timers between your strikes. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 also has a tremendously engaging story that is bolstered thanks to its lovable characters. If you’re looking for a huge JRPG to sink your teeth into, look no further.

Read our full Xenoblade Chronicles 3 review

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
  • Metacritic: 97%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: M

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: CD Projekt RED

  • Publisher: CD Projekt RED

  • Release: August 29, 2016

Buy at Amazon

As one of the great games from the PS4/Xbox One generation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is also available on Nintendo Switch — which is a small miracle, in and of itself. Of course, the visuals don’t look anywhere near as good as they do on PC and consoles, but the fact that the entire experience mostly remains intact on Switch is still incredible. This game is one of the best action RPGs of all time, featuring beloved characters, nearly endless things to do, and a beautiful world to explore. The Complete Edition also comes with all the previously released DLC, meaning you’ll have even more things to do in this massive RPG.

Read our full The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition review

Dark Souls: Remastered

Dark Souls: Remastered
Dark Souls: Remastered
  • Metacritic: 87%

  • Rated: M

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure

  • Developer: QLOC, Virtuos, FromSoftware

  • Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

  • Release: May 23, 2018

Buy at Amazon

Next up is yet another hugely important RPG, none other than Dark Souls. Considering this is a remaster of the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 game on Switch, Nintendo’s handheld hybrid system doesn’t have much trouble running this game. What else can be said about Dark Souls? It’s simultaneously terrifying and rewarding, and it has made a mark on the video game industry thanks to its deep lore and incredible level design. It’s full of memorable moments, such as the first time you gaze eyes upon the stunning city of Anor Londo. The fact that Dark Souls is playable in its entirety on a handheld device is pretty surreal, so we highly recommend giving it a try if you like tough action RPGs.

Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise
  • Metacritic: 95%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure

  • Developer: Capcom

  • Publisher: Capcom

  • Release: March 25, 2021

Buy at Amazon

Pardon the pun, but the Monster Hunter franchise is on the rise. Go back just a few years ago, and Capcom’s action RPG franchise was a bit of a niche experience. It was wildly popular in certain parts of the world, but the west simply hadn’t caught on. The tides started changing in 2018 with the release of Monster Hunter World. The game was a wider hit that started piquing more people’s interests. Now Capcom has capitalized on that success with Monster Hunter Rise, bringing the franchise to the Nintendo Switch. The latest installment is one of the best entries yet. New features like the wirebug and Rampage quest types bring fresh content for fans who have already played hundreds of hours of World. The real key to the game’s success is that it’s a little friendlier for newcomers. The main problem with the series has always been its complex RPG systems that can totally alienate anyone who’s never played a Monster Hunter game before. Rise is a better entry point, making it one of the best games in the series for both old and new players.

Read our full Monster Hunter Rise review

Ring Fit Adventure

Ring Fit Adventure
Ring Fit Adventure
  • Metacritic: 82%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Sport, Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 18, 2019

Buy at Amazon

When Ring Fit Adventure launched in 2019, Nintendo’s quirky fitness RPG was more of an oddity than anything. Critics praised it for its creative approach to exercise, but the peripheral-based game felt niche in comparison to holiday Switch releases like Pokémon Sword and Shield. The perception of the game quickly changed when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world into lockdown. It suddenly became a hot commodity, providing players a fun way to work out at home while gyms were closed down. Fortunately, it’s not just a game that’s popular because of circumstances. Ring Fit Adventure is a genuinely enjoyable spin on the fitness genre that makes clever use of its RPG components.

Read our full Ring Fit Adventure review

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
  • Metacritic: 81%

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG)

  • Developer: Monolith Soft

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: May 28, 2020

Buy at Amazon

If you’re in the mood for a new role-playing game that combines human and machine elements, Xenoblade Chronics Definitive Edition might be a good place to start. The game puts players in the position of Shulk, who attempts to understand his place in the world as he battles with others in his party against machine enemies. The game, which is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, has an open-world feel but generally follows a traditional role-playing game feel with a variety of battle maneuvers, health points that grow with XP boosts, and more. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition also features more than 90 music tracks.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
  • Metacritic: 81%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Capcom

  • Publisher: Capcom

  • Release: July 08, 2021

Buy at Amazon

We can’t talk about Monster Hunter Rise without discussing its foil, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. While the former is a big-action RPG full of hacking and slashing, the latter is more tactical. It’s a turn-based RPG where players befriend monsters instead of slicing them up. That makes it more akin to something like Pokémon, as players collect and train monsters. For those who wish the Pokémon series would offer up some difficulty alongside its creature collecting, Monster Hunter Stories 2 might scratch that itch. The game is most notable for its excellent combat system, which builds on Fire Emblem’s “rock, paper, scissors” mechanics. Players can counter an incoming hit by picking the right attack. It’s a game that rewards observation, as studying monsters can help prepare players for any combat encounter. The action goes even deeper than that, too, as players can raise their kinship with their monster companions to unleash combo attacks. Whether you’re a fan of Monster Hunter, Pokémon, or Fire Emblem, Monster Hunter Stories 2 covers a lot of bases.

Read our full Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin review

Undertale

Undertale
Undertale
  • Metacritic: 88%

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: tobyfox

  • Publisher: tobyfox, 8-4

  • Release: September 15, 2015

Buy at Best Buy

Undertale is not what it seems. The heralded and emotional indie looks like an old-school JRPG with blocky visuals, minimalist character models, and a rudimentary combat system. Then you start talking to the monsters in the world, and everything changes. You begin to see the strange underworld you’re trapped in a bit differently, and you begin to wonder what Undertale is all about. The beauty of Undertale is in its writing. Often funny with undertones of solemn sadness, the conversations you have with the monsters around you will stick with you. As with other indie games on this list, Undertale‘s top-down look makes it a perfect game to play in handheld mode on Switch.

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Double Pack

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Double Pack
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Double Pack
  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Rated: RP

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Game Freak

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: November 18, 2022

Buy at Amazon

There is no shortage of great Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch, as you’ll see throughout this list. If you’re looking to pick up the best the console has to offer, though, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are currently the way to go. While they certainly aren’t the Switch’s prettiest games, they’re the most refreshing mainline series entry in a decade. The open-world pivot completely shakes up the standard Pokémon formula, giving players more freedom to explore the Paldea region and complete its gyms in any order. With fewer restrictions in place, Scarlet and Violet give longtime players more space to create their own story while still being friendly for kids. Plus, the games feature an excellent and diverse Pokédex, which makes it one of the best experiences for those who simply want to catch ’em all.

Read our full Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Double Pack review

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
  • Metacritic: 87%

  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Game Freak

  • Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company

  • Release: January 28, 2022

Buy at Amazon

We’ve got one more Pokémon for you here, and it’s a surprising entry to the list. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is one of the most unique installments in the long-running series, as it retains many of the core mechanics from past iterations while doing something completely new. This game is presented from an over-the-shoulder perspective, ditching the isometric view you know and love. With more of an action spin, this game feels like a modern evolution with a grittier feeling. Its visuals are lackluster, but in terms of gameplay and story, it’ll likely grab your attention fast. It takes many cues from Pokémon Go, emphasizing research instead of battles. Though, you’ll still have the traditional turn-based battles in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This game is fun in and of itself, but what’s even more exciting is the possibility for the series going forward. Could we see this style of game take place in a busy city? We sure hope so.

Read our full Pokémon Legends: Arceus review

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight
  • Metacritic: 92%

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Team Cherry

  • Publisher: Team Cherry

  • Release: February 24, 2017

Buy at Amazon

In Hollow Knight, you play as a beetle-like knight wielding a nail, exploring an underground labyrinth known as Hallownest. Like many Metroidvania-style games, Hollow Knight has an emphasis on player discovery and secrets. Each section in Hollow Knight requires a map purchased from the mapmaker, typically located in a hard-to-find spot. That means you stumble into new biomes and encounter new enemies without much sense of direction. It’s thrilling and ups the sense of discovery. Hallownest is a sprawling world that takes dozens of hours to fully uncover. With great, minimalistic platforming mechanics and tough boss fights galore, Hollow Knight is as fun to look at and explore as it is a great combat experience. Look out for the upcoming sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Strategy

Pikmin 4

Pikmin 4
Pikmin 4
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Strategy, Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: July 21, 2023

Buy at Amazon

Pikmin 4 has all the same gameplay hooks as its predecessors, yet it feels like a very different game. Players take control of a custom-designed astronaut sent out on a mission to find Captain Olimar, the series’ usual hero, who is marooned on a mysterious planet alongside his crew. To track down the missing explorers, players team up with the planet’s adorable Pikmin population to improve their ship’s radar by collecting gobs of treasure. While the gameplay is similar to previous entries in the series, the puzzles are brand-new, there are new Pikmin to discover, and the control scheme has been streamlined. Even if this is your first foray into the world of Pikmin, you’ll enjoy this entry.

Read our full Pikmin 4 review

Unicorn Overlord

Unicorn Overlord
Unicorn Overlord
  • Metacritic: 80%

  • Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Role-playing (RPG), Strategy

  • Developer: Vanillaware

  • Publisher: Sega, Atlus

  • Release: March 08, 2024

Yes, it is a very silly name, but Unicorn Overlord demands to be taken seriously. Coming from Vanillaware, the lush and saturated art style will instantly draw you in, but it’s the unique tactics combat that will make you addicted. Instead of engaging in normal RPG battles where you determine what units do what actions, all of that is decided beforehand by essentially writing programming for how each unit behaves and watching it play out. You can tailor and tweak tactics to be as deep and complex as you want in this gripping story of reclaiming a kingdom from an evil overlord.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
  • Metacritic: 88%

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Adventure

  • Developer: Intelligent Systems

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: July 25, 2019

Buy at Amazon

The first traditional entry in the series to hit Nintendo Switch, Fire Emblem: Three Houses manages to improve just about every element, ranging from combat to character development. Taking a page out of the Path of Radiance playbook, the game stars a mercenary-turned-professor rather than the endless number of princes we’ve seen in other games. It’s your responsibility to pick one of the titular three houses and train them, building relationships and learning about the situations that brought them to the game’s central monastery. When things pop off, however, the Three Houses is classic Fire Emblem game goodness. Turn-based strategy combat has rarely been this polished, providing you with numerous options in how you approach any scenario based on the way you have developed your roster. Special “Combat Arts” and the new Battalion system are two more tools in your chest, and the normal difficulty strikes a balance between challenging and accessible.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Adventure

  • Developer: Ubisoft Paris

  • Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment

  • Release: October 20, 2022

Buy at Amazon

During the Switch’s launch year, Ubisoft shocked Nintendo fans with Mario +Rabbids: Kingdom Battle — a quirky strategy game that combined two unlikely properties. It was a surprise success, offering an all-ages-friendly spin on the tactics genre. Its sequel, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, is even better. Doing away with the first game’s grid-based combat, Sparks of Hope opts for more fluid strategy gameplay that lets players freely roam around the arena and chain together abilities in wild ways. That system is rock solid, but even the exploration outside of battles is improved. Mario and his Rabbid pals can explore different planets and find various secrets throughout, giving it a bit of a Super Mario Odyssey feel. It might be the best Nintendo game that Nintendo didn’t actually make.

Read our full Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope review

Platformer

Celeste

Celeste
Celeste
  • Metacritic: 88%

  • Digital Trends: 5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Extremely OK Games

  • Publisher: Extremely OK Games

  • Release: January 25, 2018

Buy at Amazon

The Nintendo Switch’s portability makes it ideal for “pick up and play” games you can start and stop at a moment’s notice, and few titles meet that bill better than Celeste. A tremendously well-designed platformer with simple controls that feel ideal on the Joy-Cons, it’s a game that continually surprises you with new level design decisions. This forces you to think on (and off) your feet and attempt maneuvers that seem impossible at first glance. Don’t worry, though, if the going gets too tough, you can turn on the comprehensive “assist” function that lets you take complete control of the difficulty to get through particularly grueling sections. And did we mention that Celeste is frequently laugh-out-loud funny? With fantastic, hand-drawn character designs during dialogue scenes and surprisingly deep storytelling, Celeste bucks the trend of platformers focusing exclusively on gameplay, and it gives you more motivation to keep playing than seeing “just one more level.”

Read our full Celeste review

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
  • Metacritic: 90%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 20, 2023

Buy at Dell

Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Nintendo’s latest 2D Mario marvel, lives up to its name by igniting a sense of wonder with its meticulously designed levels. This game rewards exploration and boasts Wonder Effects, from serenading Piranha Plants to ingenious top-down perspective shifts, that dramatically alter the stage dynamics. Throughout the adventure, Super Mario Bros. Wonder remains consistently inventive and captivating.

Read our full Super Mario Bros. Wonder review

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure

  • Developer: HAL Laboratory

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: March 25, 2022

Buy at Amazon

Serving as Kirby’s first fully 3D adventure since the Crystal Shards on N64, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a major change of pace for the series. Sure, it still feels like a Kirby game, allowing you to consume enemies to gain new powers, but its presentation is more polished than ever. You might not realize it at first, but this game is actually set in a post-apocalyptic world, mirroring the likes of popular AAA games like Horizon Forbidden West. But of course, this is a Nintendo game, so you won’t be battling creepy zombies or anything like that. Instead, you’ll enjoy new mechanics like Kirby’s Mouthful Mode, which causes the character to take the shape of objects he consumes. For instance, you can eat a car, and in doing so, Kirby is sort of molded around the vehicle in a humorous way. As expected, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is absolutely brimming with personality and is an approachable platformer that will no doubt make you smile.

Read our full Kirby and the Forgotten Land review

Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Platform, Puzzle, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Surgent Studios

  • Publisher: Electronic Arts

  • Release: April 23, 2024

Buy at Amazon

Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness. When one chapter ends, another begins. Tales of Kenzera reminds its players to keep turning the page even when it feels like their story has reached its conclusion.

Read our full Tales of Kenzera: Zau review

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
  • Metacritic: 89%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: February 12, 2021

Buy at Dell

Super Mario 3D World was already an excellent game before its Switch rerelease. The Wii U platformer was among the best games the system and the franchise itself had to offer. It features creative level design, chaotic multiplayer fun, and some of the best power-ups Mario has ever gotten his hands on. The downside was always that it was stuck on a console that few players bought. Nintendo could have simply ported this game onto Switch without making any tweaks, and fans still would have been happy. On its own, it would have been one of the best games on the console. Nintendo upped the ante, though, by bundling it with Bowser’s Fury. The pack-in game is a brand new adventure that’s a mini open-world game. Think Super Mario Odyssey on a smaller scale. Bowser’s Fury is a fantastic entry in the franchise that goes well above and beyond its freebie status. That makes Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury one of the absolute best values money can buy on Switch. Players are getting two excellent Mario games in one that brings over 50 hours of content between them. The package is every bit of a must-own as Breath of the Wild for Switch owners.

Read our full Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury review

Penny's Big Breakaway

Penny's Big Breakaway
Penny's Big Breakaway
  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Evening Star

  • Publisher: Private Division

  • Release: February 21, 2024

In Penny’s Big Breakaway, players follow the titular character, a performer forced on the run after her sentient Yo-Yo tears off King Eddie’s clothes during an audition. Throughout the adventure, Penny tries to evade Eddie and his compatriots, and meets an eclectic cast of characters along the way. When Evening Star Games lets unique platforming mechanics and fluid platforming shine and reinforces them with the scoring system and enemy design, Penny’s Big Breakaway shines.

Read our full Penny's Big Breakaway review

Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2
  • Metacritic: 81%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD, Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: June 28, 2019

Buy at Dell

The original Super Mario Maker was one of the best games on the Wii U and practically defined the system before also making its move to the 3DS. With Super Mario Maker 2, Nintendo has improved the level-creating formula with new items and tricks like sloping platforms. Players have quickly embraced the game and have created some truly dastardly and innovative courses. Though the Switch doesn’t include a stylus, you can purchase capacitive styluses for very little cash to make designing easier in handheld mode. If you’re more in the mood to play levels than make them, the new story mode is perfect. Filled with Nintendo-designed courses that are far weirder and more puzzle-based than traditional Mario levels, it’s the ideal opportunity to learn just what is possible in Super Mario Maker 2.

Read our full Super Mario Maker 2 review

Yoshi's Crafted World

Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi's Crafted World
  • Metacritic: 79%

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform

  • Developer: Good-Feel

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: March 29, 2019

Buy at Dell

Yoshi’s Crafted World follows the tradition of previous Yoshi platformers. Yoshi can swallow enemies, turn them into eggs, and use said eggs to capture collectibles and take out other enemies. Where it differs is scope. Each level is longer than the traditional Mario platformer, and the set pieces are adorably crafted out of cardboard and paper. Levels have more depth, too, meaning that Yoshi periodically travels into the backdrop and routinely interacts with objects both far away and close to the player. Yoshi’s Crafted World is leisurely platforming experience that focuses heavily on uncovering all of the many secrets scattered throughout each level. Cute costumes let Yoshi turn into a cow or truck or even a juice box. Local co-op lets two Yoshis scour the levels together, making it a great choice for parents who want to play with their youngsters.

Read our full Yoshi's Crafted World review

Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey
  • Metacritic: 90%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 27, 2017

Buy at Dell

Not since Super Mario 64 came out more than two decades ago have we seen a Mario game as fun and whimsical as Super Mario Odyssey. Taking place across several unique kingdoms, Mario’s adventure to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser and his gang of wedding planners offers something unexpected at practically every turn. From zippers that open up to reveal secrets in walls to retro-style 2D platforming sections, the game is always only a few minutes away from amazing you with something.

Read our full Super Mario Odyssey review

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: February 24, 2023

Buy at Amazon

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a faithful but very much improved remake of one of our favorite little pink blob’s best 2D adventures. The game’s plot centers around finding missing pieces for the alien Magolor’s ship, which crash-landed on Planet Popstar. You can find these missing pieces with friends and play as Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee. As a bonus in this remake, there’s a new post-game campaign called Magolor Epilogue where you’ll get to play as the strange new alien character in his own distinct platformer.

Read our full Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe review

Shooter

Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread
  • Metacritic: 87%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Platform, Adventure

  • Developer: MercurySteam, Nintendo EPD

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: October 07, 2021

Buy at Nintendo

There have been a handful of Metroid games since Metroid Fusion launched in 2002, but none of those games were actually direct sequels. The Metroid Prime trilogy is its own series, Metroid: Samus Returns and Zero Mission were remakes, and the less we say about Metroid: Other M, the better. That means that Metroid Dread was the first original 2D Metroid game to launch in 19 years, which is staggering to think about. Luckily, it was worth the wait. It’s one of Samus’ most memorable adventures yet and one of the best Nintendo Switch shooters to play. Metroid Dread picks up precisely where Fusion left off narratively, but it’s a much more mechanically modern title. Developer Mercury Steam, the team behind Samus Returns, heavily refined movement and combat for this game. Samus can now freely melee enemies with her arm cannon, slide through gaps, and free-aim in every direction. That allows her to move around like her Super Smash Bros. self during tough boss fights and tricky puzzles that require a mastery of movement. Dread also ups the series’ horror tendencies as Samus must escape from the robotic E.M.M.I., which stalks her like Alien‘s xenomorphs. It all comes together to form one of the scariest, toughest, and most stylish games Nintendo has made in a very long time. Take a look at our Metroid Dread beginner’s guide to get started.

Read our full Metroid Dread review

New Pokémon Snap

New Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap
  • Metacritic: 72%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Simulator, Adventure

  • Developer: Bandai Namco Studios

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: April 29, 2021

Buy at Amazon

For over two decades, Nintendo fans begged the company to make a sequel to Pokémon Snap. The N64 classic was a beloved hit thanks to its intuitive photography gameplay and charming use of the franchise. It was a long wait, but it was worth it in the end. New Pokémon Snap is a delightful follow-up that feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch. For fans of the original, it doesn’t stray from what made that version work. It features relaxing, on-rails gameplay that lets players lay back and take some cute snaps. The sequel really shines when it comes to content. The original game was extremely short, making it a perfect Blockbuster rental. This new version is much more robust. There are over 210 Pokémon to snap, each of which has four distinct poses. There are way more courses to explore, which have several variants. Side requests give players around 200 bonus goals to complete on top of the already beefy 12-hour story. To top it all off, the game has a photo editor and an online social component where players can share their best snaps. For those who just want to live in the world of Pokémon, it’s a much more fully realized version of Snap that’s perfect for lazy Sundays on the couch.

Read our full New Pokémon Snap review

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3
Splatoon 3
  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Shooter, Platform

  • Developer: Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: September 09, 2022

Buy at Nintendo

Splatoon 3 is everything we could have wanted from a sequel. Instead of feeling like a 1.5 iteration of its predecessor, this installment feels like a true sequel, with plenty of improvements and new features to enjoy. Of course, the star of the show is the game’s competitive online multiplayer mode, consisting of quick three-minute matches that are easily digestible. The frequent map rotation encourages players to keep checking in — as do the regular Splatfest events. But beyond that, Splatoon 3 has an incredible single-player mode, arguably the best the series has ever had. We won’t spoil it here, but be sure to play through the very end because the final showdown is absurd. Splatoon 3 is arguably the best in the series, and we’re glad Nintendo stuck with it after the dreadful Wii U era.

Read our full Splatoon 3 review

Cuphead

Cuphead
Cuphead
  • Metacritic: 86%

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Shooter, Platform, Adventure, Indie, Arcade

  • Developer: Studio MDHR

  • Publisher: Studio MDHR

  • Release: September 29, 2017

Buy at Nintendo

Cuphead‘s 1930s cartoon visuals dazzled Xbox One and PC players when it launched in 2017. Amazingly, StudioMDHR produced a flawless port for Switch, allowing gamers to take the adventures of Cuphead and Mugman on the go as well. Cuphead is an immaculately designed action game that focuses heavily on boss battles. Though six run-and-gun platforming levels exist, the brunt of your time with Cuphead is spent squaring off in grand battles against wondrously designed and challenging bosses. Cuphead is punishing but fair, and the art and sound design help to keep you engaged even when you’ve been fighting the same boss for hours on end. There is nothing quite like Cuphead. If you own a Switch, you shouldn’t miss out on this ambitious and sublime experience.

Fortnite

Fortnite
Fortnite
  • Metacritic: 68%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: T

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy

  • Developer: Epic Games

  • Publisher: Epic Games

  • Release: July 25, 2017

Fortnite is one of the biggest games in the world. The full battle royale game is available on the console, and it supports cross-play with PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Mac, Android, and iOS. Unlike the virtual analog sticks on the mobile version, however, you’ll be able to play it on the Switch with a traditional control scheme and compete against skilled players, and if you want to pop it on the big screen, you’re free to do so like you can with almost every Switch game.

Read our full Fortnite review

Racing

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
  • Metacritic: 84%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Racing

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD

  • Publisher: Nintendo of America, Nintendo of Europe

  • Release: April 28, 2017

Buy at Dell

The original Wii U version of Mario Kart 8 is one of the best games in the entire series, with inventive, gravity-defying courses, beautiful graphics, and a surprisingly competent online multiplayer mode. The game also launched with a Battle mode that did away with open-ended maps in favor of more race-oriented ones, rendering the style significantly less fun than it was in games like Mario Kart 64. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe brings with it not only a revamped Battle mode but also every single character and map released as downloadable content — for the Wii U version. A few new characters, like the Inkling Boy and Inkling Girl from Splatoon, also join the fun this time around. In addition to using the Joy-Con Grip and Switch Pro Controller to race, each player can also use one Joy-Con, and up to eight Switch owners can connect their systems for a local multiplayer party, even if they’re on the go.

Read our full Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged
Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged
  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Racing, Simulator, Sport, Arcade

  • Developer: Milestone

  • Publisher: Milestone

  • Release: October 19, 2023

Buy at Amazon

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, the eagerly awaited sequel to the 2021 arcade racer sensation, takes the thrill of toy car racing to new heights. This installment enhances its predecessor with exciting new mechanics, featuring exhilarating boosts like jumping and strafing, along with the innovative Waypoint mode that unleashes players in expansive environments, including a dinosaur museum. While not the most intricate or challenging racer, it boasts a whimsical story mode and car-unlocking mechanics that may feel akin to games of chance. Nevertheless, the game’s key additions result in a faster and more entertaining racing experience that’s perfect for both kids and the young at heart.

Read our full Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged review

Simulation

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
  • Metacritic: 87%

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Indie

  • Developer: ConcernedApe

  • Publisher: ConcernedApe, Chucklefish Games

  • Release: February 26, 2016

Buy at Amazon

Few indie games have ever been as successful as Eric Barone’s Stardew Valley. The first-time developer spent five years creating a spiritual successor to the farming RPG Harvest Moon, and when he finally completed the game, what he had made was even more impressive than its influences. Mixing classic farming mechanics with exploration, relationships, and even some combat, Stardew Valley is much more ambitious than its 16-bit visuals indicate. It also happens to be one of the best Nintendo Switch games to play in handheld mode during commutes, as there is always something you can do to pass the time. Whether you’re interested in fishing, finding a husband or wife, or mining for minerals, it’s possible in Stardew Valley, and you can just feel the love that went into the game’s development.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
  • Metacritic: 84%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Simulator

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD, Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: March 19, 2020

Buy at Amazon

The long-awaited Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now almost two years old, and it just might be the series’ best game yet. Set on a deserted island that players must develop from scratch as part of a vacation getaway package, New Horizons gives unprecedented freedom and customization options. Furniture and decorations can be placed anywhere on the island, and custom patterns can be created for flags and even face paint. It’s one of the best multiplayer games on the Switch and has already moved over 31 million units, making it one of the Switch’s top sellers.Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues the series’ online multiplayer tradition with support for up to eight players, and players can still trade items such as fruit back and forth to help each other build up their homes. Tom Nook remains in charge and wants mortgage payments, but the joy of New Horizons gameplay means it won’t even seem like a big deal. With regular updates on the way and seasonal fish to catch, New Horizons is certain to stick around for a while.

Read our full Animal Crossing: New Horizons review

Party

Overcooked! 2

Overcooked! 2
Overcooked! 2
  • Metacritic: 82%

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Simulator, Strategy, Tactical, Indie, Arcade

  • Developer: Ghost Town Games

  • Publisher: Team17

  • Release: August 07, 2018

Buy at Amazon

Overcooked 2 is the sequel to the hectic cooking co-op game, Overcooked. It doesn’t change much of the stress-inducing yet deeply satisfying formula we saw in the first game, but it does refine it. Added features include a new throwing ability, more chefs, different recipes, and online multiplayer. If you enjoyed the first game, then you’ll likely love Overcooked 2. If you didn’t play the original game, then starting with Overcooked 2 will ease you into what you missed since it’s not as frustratingly difficult and has more intuitive controls. This time around, you’ll be facing a new foe called the “Unbread” (zombie bread — get it?), and the only way to save the Onion Kingdom is to don your tallest chef hat, travel to crazy locations, and cook up complex recipes in really impractical kitchens. Overall, we’d say Overcooked 2 is one of the best Nintendo Switch games to bring to a party. The kind that will bring you closer to your friends or have you hurling insults at each other.

Adventure

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
  • Metacritic: 98%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: May 12, 2023

Buy at Best Buy

Everyone was nervous about how Nintendo was going to follow-up Breath of the Wild, but Tears of the Kingdom delivered an evolution of that game’s open world and mechanics that made the previous entry feel like a beta. Not only do players have two new open worlds to explore with the Sky Islands and underground Depths, but systems like Fuse and Ultrahand ask players to embrace their creativity to solve puzzles and traverse around the open world.

Read our full The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
  • Metacritic: 92%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure

  • Developer: Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: March 03, 2017

Buy at Amazon

It’s one of the best Zelda games of all time — do we need to say more? . While the Zelda name alone is enough to intrigue most buyers, Breath of the Wild still seeks to innovate the series’ classic formula and bring Link’s adventures into the modern era. The lands of Hyrule have opened up, giving you the freedom to explore and complete quests as you please. Weapons and items now have temporary lifespans, meaning you will have to search for and craft items to assist you on your adventure. The game’s physics — from Link’s movements to his weapons — has also received a drastic overhaul, so expect actions to have increased fluidity and realism. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild takes the series in a welcome new direction without shedding the iconic Zelda charm.

Read our full The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
  • Metacritic: 84%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Adventure

  • Developer: GREZZO Co.,Ltd.

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: September 20, 2019

Buy at Amazon

Throwback Zelda with an overhauled art style, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is an exemplary remake of the 1993 Game Boy classic. As the weirdest game in the franchise, Link’s Awakening taps into its mysterious personality even more with the cutesy art style that makes everyone and everything look like toys in a playset. Koholint Island remains the best setting not named Hyrule in franchise history thanks to fun characters and a mysterious story revolving around a giant egg. Nintendo thoroughly improved Link’s Awakening in the remake, tweaking the inventory system to make gameplay better, adding map pins for exploration, and significantly increasing the number of Heart Pieces, Secret Seashells, and other collectibles scattered across the island. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening holds up remarkably well and is arguably one of the best top-down Zelda games ever made. Excellent dungeon design and a brilliantly conceived overworld make it an absolute joy to revisit more than 25 years after its initial launch.

Read our full The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening review

Fighting

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
  • Metacritic: 87%

  • Digital Trends: 4.5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Fighting

  • Developer: Sora, Bandai Namco Studios

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: December 07, 2018

Buy at Dell

The Nintendo Switch game that could become your sole obsession, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of those fighting games so comprehensive that it’s worth buying a Switch for it alone. The latest universe-melding fighting game features every character ever included in the series’ nearly 20-year history, and more than 100 stages are available as soon as you boot it up for the first time. Nostalgic for Nintendo of the past without seeming dated, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate plays with the speed of a competitive fighting game, but it is easy enough for less-experienced players to enjoy, as well. The character roster has something for everyone, and newcomers like Incineroar and Simon Belmont feel perfect alongside classics like Mario and Jigglypuff. A hefty single-player campaign mode and new local multiplayer options are just icing on the cake.

Read our full Super Smash Bros. Ultimate review

Sandbox

Minecraft

Minecraft
Minecraft
  • Metacritic: 78%

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows Phone, Nintendo Switch, Amazon Fire TV

  • Genre: Simulator, Adventure, Arcade

  • Developer: Mojang Studios

  • Publisher: Mojang Studios

  • Release: September 20, 2017

Buy at Amazon

One of the most influential and culturally significant games ever made, Mojang’s Minecraft is a perfect fit for Nintendo’s console. The Switch version contains both the building-focused Creative mode as well as the traditional Survival mode, which tasks you with building shelter to survive nature’s most dangerous elements, all while digging deeper into the planet’s surface. The Bedrock Edition update lets Switch players connect to friends on Xbox, PC, Mac, iOS, Android, and even VR platforms. You’ll also be able to earn Xbox Gamerscore for any achievements you earn in Minecraft on Switch, and you can purchase additional skins or maps from the game’s marketplace.

Puzzle

Cocoon

Cocoon
Cocoon
  • Metacritic: 90%

  • Digital Trends: 4/5

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Puzzle, Adventure, Indie

  • Developer: Geometric Interactive

  • Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

  • Release: September 29, 2023

Buy at Nintendo

Cocoon, crafted by the designer behind Limbo and Inside, invites players into a mesmerizing realm of insect-like creatures navigating worlds within worlds. This puzzle game, deceptively simple, yet profoundly unique, showcases director Jeppe Carlsen’s talent for intricately designed challenges. It offers an experience both grand and intimate, teleporting players into the minds of these enigmatic insects. Cocoon is a striking journey, celebrating the remarkable efficiency of Earth’s tiny creatures. While occasionally routine, it beckons players to fathom the instinctive intelligence of bugs.

Read our full Cocoon review

TETRIS 99

TETRIS 99
TETRIS 99
  • Metacritic: 82%

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Puzzle, Arcade

  • Developer: Arika Co., Ltd., Alper Sar?kaya

  • Publisher: Nintendo, Nintendo of America, Nintendo of Europe

  • Release: February 13, 2019

On paper, Tetris 99 sounds ridiculous. It’s a puzzle battle royale game where 99 strangers try to out-Tetris one another in a massively multiplayer versus round. Players can eliminate one another by targeting struggling players and dumping trash into their Tetris well. It has many of the basic principles of an elimination game like Fortnite but boiled down into a completely different genre. The weird thing about Tetris 99? It absolutely works. In fact, it’s one of the tensest battle royale games available today, thanks to its fast-paced gameplay that ramps up as players get closer to the number one spot. The best part about it is that it’s free to all Nintendo Online subscribers, so anyone can start playing today. Those who want to sharpen their skills further can purchase additional single-player content for the game, adding more traditional modes to the game.

Balatro

Balatro
Balatro
  • Metacritic: 84%

  • Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Strategy, Indie, Card & Board Game

  • Developer: LocalThunk

  • Publisher: Playstack

  • Release: February 20, 2024

The closest genre Balatro could fit in is “puzzle,” but it doesn’t neatly fit into any genre. This is one of the most addictive roguelikes of the year thanks to it being so approachable. The game is all about making poker hands, which sounds simple enough, but adds new layers and twists as you go that really nail that “one more run” feeling. This is the perfect game for the Switch so you can play it in bursts whenever you have a moment to play a few hands.

Sports

Rocket League

Rocket League
Rocket League
  • Metacritic: 83%

  • Rated: E

  • Platforms: Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

  • Genre: Racing, Sport, Indie

  • Developer: Psyonix

  • Publisher: Psyonix

  • Release: July 07, 2015

No one could’ve predicted Rocket League‘s runaway success. After all, its premise — soccer with cars — seemed like an odd experiment that would be cool to try out but would likely fizzle shortly thereafter. Instead, Rocket League became an instant success when it launched in 2015. It has remained popular ever since, and the Switch version offers perhaps the greatest asset of all: Portability. Though you need to be connected to Wi-Fi to experience Rocket League how it’s meant to be played, with broadband access popping up on transits, in businesses, and elsewhere, it’s not so much of a problem to find a place to get an exciting match in on Switch. Couple that with the fact that Switch users are playing with both Xbox One and PC user bases, and you’re unlikely ever to have a hard time finding a game. Plus, the Switch version has Nintendo-themed vehicles and decorations. Pretty cool, right? Best of all, it’s free to play now.

Nintendo Switch Sports

Nintendo Switch Sports
Nintendo Switch Sports
  • Digital Trends: 3.5/5

  • Rated: E10

  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch

  • Genre: Simulator, Sport

  • Developer: Nintendo

  • Publisher: Nintendo

  • Release: April 29, 2022

Buy at Amazon

Taking us back to 2006, Nintendo Switch Sports is a follow-up to Wii Sports, a game that needs no introduction. On Nintendo Switch, though, the motion controls work better, the visuals are much improved, and the gameplay is far more defined. Offering bowling, tennis, badminton, chambara, volleyball, and soccer (and possibly more down the line), Nintendo Switch Sports is once again an example of a game that nearly anyone can play. Even non-gamers can find enjoyment in earning a strike in bowling or scoring a goal in soccer, making it one of the most approachable games on the platform. Sadly, this installment isn’t bundled with a console, meaning you’ll have to shell out additional cash to buy it, but thankfully, Nintendo isn’t charging full price for this one.

Read our full Nintendo Switch Sports review