Best Nintendo Switch Games to Play Right Now
For Tactile Nostalgia
Nintendo Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The original Paper Mario series used the limited power of consoles like the Nintendo 64 and GameCube to create a unique aesthetic. The 3D environments with low-polygon counts were reframed as dioramas, and characters appeared as paper puppets. Despite the challenges, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has been successfully remade with more detail and clever artistic touches, capturing the spirit of the original.
One of the best games of all time.
A Rich Open World
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
This sequel sees our hero Link endowed with new powers and the sprawling world of Hyrule expanded and revamped. The Zero Byte reviewer Will Bedingfield says that Tears of the Kingdom is all about exploration and discovery. You can play alone or with up to three friends, similar to many other recent Super Mario platformers.
1 to 4 players can experience the wonder.
Angels versus Devils (But Sexy)
Nintendo Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 came out eight years after the previous game, and it was mostly worth the wait. While the ending left a sour taste in some fans’ mouths, the creator has promised improvements in the next entry. The game features intense action and stylish combat.
1 to 2 players can play together.
For Narcoleptic Adventurers
Nintendo Link’s Awakening
Link’s Awakening is a charming remake of the classic game, offering a delightful adventure for fans of the series.
1 player can wake the Wind Fish.
For Mario Party Nostalgia
Nintendo Mario Party Superstars
If you’re interested in turning back the clock, Mario Party Superstars might be more up your alley. It features five revamped boards from the N64 Mario Party game and over 100 mini-games from the N64 and GameCube iterations of the series.
1 to 4 players can go on a nostalgia trip.
For Board Game Mario Madness
Nintendo Super Mario Party
The Mario Party series has included some all-time classics and some middling games. Super Mario Party is toward the top, featuring motion-controlled mini-games and fun features from various handheld versions of the series.
1 to 4 players can ruin each others’ lives.
A Brawlin’ Beat ‘Em Up
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings classic Smash to the modern day. With a deep roster of characters, new arenas, and a single-player campaign, it offers a lot to both series veterans and newcomers.
1 player can backtrack halfway across the map.
For Catsuit Lovers
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
This game blends the exploration of 3D Mario games with the simplicity and speed of sidescrollers. It includes an extra game called Bowser’s Fury, where you work with Bowser Jr. to find cat shines on a series of islands.
1 to 4 players can run and jump together.
For Wildlife Photographers
New Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap brings back the spirit of the original game. Unlike typical Pokémon RPGs, you go on leisurely automated strolls, taking photos of Pokémon in their natural habitat. It’s a chill game, although Professor Mirror really has high standards for your photos.
1 player can capture the perfect shot.
Best Nintendo Switch Games for Every Type of Player
Cozy and Fun
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a delightful game where you can get a lot done in a day. It’s super fun and cute, perfect for a single player to get cozy.
Ancient Pokémon History
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
This isn’t your usual Pokémon game. Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes you back to an era when humans first started encountering Pokémon. It’s the first open-world game in the series, offering a fresh spin on a classic genre. One player can try to survive in this new world.
For Mythology Lovers
Hades
In Hades, you’ll meet Sisyphus, the knave-king cursed to push a boulder up a hill for all eternity. After a few dozen attempts to escape the underworld, you start to understand his perspective. Hades is fast-paced, beautiful, and challenging. You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, on a quest to defeat death. Each failure makes you stronger. It’s especially worth a visit now, with Hades II on the horizon. One player can explore this world.
“Hades is fast-paced, beautiful, and hard as hell (in a good way).” – Supergiant Games
For Fighting With Friends
Overcooked 2
Some co-op games inspire beautiful collaboration, but Overcooked 2 is different. This cooperative cooking sim often leads to moments of rage and frantic dishwashing. It’s about facing unexpected challenges as a team and working together to defeat undead bread zombies—the unbread. One to four players can run a kitchen together.
A Puzzling Adventure
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Toad, Princess Peach’s loyal sidekick, finally gets a starring role in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Originally a Wii U game, it feels more at home on the Switch. Instead of hopping around like Mario, you navigate compact puzzle worlds to find treasure. The Switch version includes Mario Odyssey-inspired levels. One player can solve these puzzles at a time.
A Turn-Based Strategy Adventure
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mixing Super Mario and Ubisoft’s Rabbids sounds bizarre, but it works. You play as a mix-and-match team of Mario and Rabbids characters, solving puzzles and battling enemy Rabbids in turn-based, tactical gameplay. It was so popular that Ubisoft followed it up with a sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. One to two players can adventure together.
For Racing Maniacs
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced Wii U port that still holds up. Its spectacular tracks, colorful karts, and myriad dirty tricks make it a marquee multiplayer experience on the Switch. A new smart steering option makes it accessible for younger kids. One to eight players can race together.
For Troublemakers
Untitled Goose Game
Explore a Day in the Life of a Mischievous Goose
In Untitled Goose Game, you get to experience a day as a mischievous goose in a peaceful English village. This game is all about causing chaos without facing any real consequences.
Tasks and Challenges
You are given a list of tasks that become progressively harder, involving acts of petty theft and vandalism. The goal is to complete these tasks without getting caught by the villagers. The game describes itself as a “slapstick-stealth-sandbox” and offers a surprising amount of replay value.
Replay Value and Multiplayer
Once you finish the initial set of tasks, the game restarts with a more challenging version of the list, pushing you to become an even more troublesome goose. An update added multiplayer support, allowing two players to wreak havoc together.
1 to 2 players can harass the townsfolk.
For more information, visit the Nintendo homepage.
2 Comments
Top 28, but how many of those are actually worthwhile?
Are 28 games really necessary, or are they just padding the list?