Looking for the best Nintendo Switch games? What follows is a live list of the 16 Nintendo Switch games that we recommend anyone to play or watch, in case you’re new to the system or just want something new to play. It’s a huge number of titles, distributed across a range of genres, with choices for families, children, and adults. The best Nintendo Switch games are a true celebration of the top titles you’ll play on Nintendo’s new console. There are games that should at least be on your wish list if they’re not already firmly loaded on your button. Find something you want, and see what you’re thinking. And just in case you get lost, we’ve included a link to our guide for each game, if possible, just in case you need any help. And if the list of 16 games upstairs isn’t enough for you, check out some extra tips we’ve put down. The Switch is one of the most successful Nintendo consoles ever, with a game library to match. Take a look—we think you’re going to find something you want.
The beauty of this best Switch game list is that there’s something here for everybody, so the Nintendo Switch is well equipped to offer something a little different. Plus, a peek at upcoming Switch games shows that there’s a lot to come.
1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
One of the most beloved role-playing games of this generation (and probably all-time) has finally landed at the Nintendo Switch. As its name suggests, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt-Complete Edition packs a massive open-world adventure with every piece of content on the CD Project Red, including all previously existing downloadable content (including popular Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions). While The Witcher 3’s Switch Port sacrifices visual continuity in the name of playability, it still features the same gigantic atmosphere, gripping story-telling, and satisfying combat that made Geralt of Rivia’s third outing so unforgettable. And now you can take that all away.
2. Dark Souls: Remastered
What’s left to talk about the Dark Souls who haven’t been spewed out in gore, rage, and pure, unfiltered joy? Dad’s tough-as-nails action matches, the explorers hunted the dangerous country of Loran, carrying a thousand imitators and a zillion swear words. Taking a methodical and meticulous approach to battle, it is as unforgiving as satisfying, rendering any hard-won win over its monstrous enemies a true accomplishment. Often equal, he’s also a master of environmental storytelling, steadily exposing his secrets when you take mastery of his processes and best of his enemies. Dark Souls: Remastered isn’t as pretty on the Turn as it is on PS4 or Xbox One, but it does have the extra bonus of going to play (don’t just go jurors on the bus). And there’s a whole new generation of players to connect with when you activate their multiplayer mode – a core component of the series, and a new crowd taking their first brave steps into their cruel world.
3. Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition
Building on the pillars of old-school RPG classics like Baldur’s Gate, Divinity: Original Sin 2 has you on a literal quest for godhood, in a setting where those with magical abilities are oppressed. So far the standard for the title of the RPG. Yet Divinity: Original Sin 2 comes into its own with just how open and liberating its structures are. With turn-based combat that takes as much influence from XCOM as it does from tabletop RPG spellcasting, you’ll still be given several ways to go forward, allowing you to mix objects and environmental modifiers to take on enemies in increasingly inventive ways. Divinity: Original Sin 2 has more concepts in the first ten minutes than any gamers in their whole life: do you want to be an undead adventurer who can speak to skulls? Just go for it. An animal-whisper like Dr. Doolittle? That’s 100 percent going for it. Put four-player multiplayer co-op into the mix, where everyone can do anything they want, anytime they want, and you’ve got a formula for messy heaven.
4. Pokémon Sword and Shield
Pokémon Sword and Shield have all the addicting monster chasing, combat, and adventure that makes the series genius while adding some big changes to Game Freak’s favorite RPG formula. The London-inspired Galar region features the most dynamic landscapes the franchise has ever seen, with wild Pokémon-filled jungle-style desert areas a big challenge for seasoned trainers. Further cementing Sword and Shield as some of the best Nintendo Switch games are Dynamax battles, which allow you to momentarily complete your Pokémon giant with powerful new moves for epic, large-scale gym fights. You’ll also enjoy Maximum Raids that take on giant Pokémon with other players, a lot of social multiplayer features, and some of the best Pokémon designs you’ve ever had.
5. Luigi’s Mansion 3
It has been six long years since Nintendo last released a game in the series of Luigi Mansion and fans start giving up hope for another one, which also announces that it was very welcome news for Nintendo Switch. Luigi’s Mansion 3 sees Luigi and his friends take a much-needed holiday in a high-rise hotel. Yet as fate would have it, the hotel appears to have been haunted, and the ghostly inhabitants have kidnapped Luigi’s friends. You know what it means to you. It’s time to get the Poltergust out again and vacuum those ghosts into a better, more action-packed adventure than ever before. A fun-filled game for the entire family, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a must-have game for the Switch.
6. Hollow Knight
As we’re all waiting for a new Metroid Prime game to appear on the Nintendo Switch, you can still patch your side-scrolling Metroidvania with the superb Hollow Warrior. You know the score – you’re in the midst of a strenuous map that continually reveals its scale as you learn new skills to overcome incredibly difficult challenges and take on ever-more monstrous enemies. Secrets sit around every corner, and the feeling of satisfaction you get when you backtrack to a previously impossible spot after you’ve been armed with the right skills is unsurpassed in every game. Hollow Knight separates himself from other Metroidvania games with his distinct art style (mysterious underground bug town? Count us in and his nodes to the Dark Souls campaign, challenging boss battles, and curiously remote citizens of his subterranean world. Easily one of the biggest Nintendo Switch games has arisen.
7. Octopath Traveler
Channeling the charm of the early Final Fantasy games and published by Square Enix, of course), it combines pixel art with polygonal worlds, like a love note to the role played by old games. Picking up the plot of one of eight uniquely talented explorers, there’s an exciting world-saving story to follow, a clever turn-based battle method to learn, and a wonderful voice-acting script to enjoy. Fantastic fun, guy.
8. Gris
Gris is an experimental game full of vivid colors and an immersive escape. From Nomada Studio, GRIS differs from most of the games on the list because it focuses on its beautiful look with simple controls and a relatable plot. As far as gameplay is concerned, it’s a great puzzle/platformer that you’re going to have to try to get back to the world of color, however, aesthetically, it’s one of the most beautiful titles. The more you play, the more the color spectrum grows, and as you pick colors, and advance through the stage. I can’t help but spam a screenshot press to various places and sites which are just like breathing. This is a pretty small game that takes Turn to its fullest. It is a simple visual tale, that can be traded in any spoken language, and there are no difficult management clashes, complicated wars, or questionable DLCs. It is lying back, relaxing and relaxing, and having fun.
9. The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Skyrim may be a 9-year-old title, but it feels fresh again because of the Nintendo Switch portability. On your ride, you can now play what was once a strictly home console and PC game, and there’s no question it’s funny getting Skyrim’s crazy world on your hand. The Joy-Con motion control joystick also embraces a touch of novelty, allowing you to swing your sword and pull your arc in real life. It’s a brand new play style. This is Skyrim’s fully open-world experience with all the DLCs for the Nintendo Switch, so now we are sure we can have one of the best Switch matches.
10. Cuphead
Finally, on the Nintendo Switch, one of the best platformers of the decade is so funny, amazing, and brutal. Cuphead combines ball-light 2D side-scrolling gameplay with a beautiful, unbelievably challenging airtight jazz-soundtrack and artwork influenced by the 1930s with the look of a classic Disney cartoon right out. The result is a crushingly challenging game, which you will be guided by because of its fun shoot-em-up and its aesthetics. The indie masterpiece of Studio MDHR sounds very at home on Move, whether you fight the Devil with his friend or pull out some bosses on the run.
11. Splatoon 2
Splatoon was Nintendo’s closest shooter ever and this was achieved by essentially flipping the genre on its head. This means that there are no guns, no bullets, and no death. Instead, you play with paint guns to cover the map in the colors of your squad. You can destroy your enemies (well, ‘splat’), but only to purchase time for the painting of your map without interrupting your opponents (and their painting). While theoretically Splatoon 2 is a succession, in fact, it is more the same. It’s not a negative thing necessarily. Although the sequel makes some slight tweaks for the gameplay, Nintendo’s charm is still the same In the first place it was well-designed and balanced. If you have never played the original, Splatoon 2, it’s easy to recommend, but it would be nice to replay it on Nintendo’s mobile system even if you did.
12. Paper Mario: The Origami King
Possibly you know the exercise if you have been playing a Paper Mario game before. The series is made of 2D Mario “paper” a theme used to create all kinds of mechanics with hyper-styles and slick visual elements. All have self-awareness and charm, which makes the show enticing for the fans of Nintendo. This Mario RPG has been popular since the N64 days and the new game has decided to update the equation with a different interpretation of its famous theme. Origami King of Savvy System has a more diorama.
13. Sunless Sea: Zubmariner
Nothing is as Sunless Sea as it is. The Sunless Sea makes you taking the helmet of a steampunk ship in the Untersee, submerged ruins of the collapsed London, part of a red, part of a Text-adventure (with an insect of the pirates of sid Meier!)
The whole thing comes with a victorian gothic feel with more than one bit of love craftsmanship. But its evocative writing is the best thing about this sometimes frustrating game. As a high-down 2D experience, the imagination is left to much (even if it’s all unbelievable atmosphere), and the battle between ships at sea is very easy. However, writing is like an advanced “choose the adventure,” a novel in which discussions with your crew are often interesting, or interactions with the enigmatic characters in port. The maintenance of supplies and the moral crew and combat against maritime monsters are only part of the challenge and it’s always tempting you to take another voyage because of this random nature of the game.
14. Ring Fit Adventure
The Nintendo quirky RPG fitness was more peculiar than anything when Ring Fit Adventure was released in 2019. Critics lauded her for her innovative approach to practice but in relation to holiday Switch releases like Pokémon Sword and Shield, the peripheral game felt niche. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to lock up, the view of the game shifted rapidly. It suddenly became a hot commodity and offered players a fun way to work out while closed gyms. Luckily this isn’t just a game famous due to circumstances. Ring Fit Adventure is a very fun gym that uses its RPG components smartly.
15. Ori and the Will of the Wisps
A genuine standing platformer is the second game in Ori, Ori, and the Will of the Wisps. It mixes tough yet equal difficulty with an excellent design that satisfies platform fans who want real gameplay depth. In the face of the vast number of platforms drivers on the console, Ori and the Will of the Wisps are very competitive on Turn but can stand out. Ori is also renowned for its amazing artistic output, with the second title doubling. The look of the original game is painterly, ethereal, and switches to 11. Much happens here and while Switch owners can’t enjoy the 4K HDR seen in other versions (the Switch either doesn’t support the game looks fine on the integrated LCD of the Switch.
16. Overcooked 2
Overcooked 2 is the sequel to the overcooked cooking game. It doesn’t change anything about what we saw at the first game, which is stress-inducing and yet really rewarding, yet it refines it. In addition to this, there is a new ability to throw, more cooks, multiple recipes, and multiplayer online. You’re likely to enjoy Overcooked 2 if you liked the first game. If you haven’t played the original game, you’ll be quick to start with Overcooked 2, because it’s not so frustratingly hard and has less crooked controls. Now the only way to save the Onion Kingdom is to give up the tallest hat of chefs, go to mad places and make complicated recipes into really unrealistic kitchens. The only way to save the Onion Kingdom is to make the dishes a little fried. Overall, Overcooked 2 will be one of the best to add to the party at Nintendo Switch. The kind that will take you closer to your mates or yell insults.