The Nintendo Switch has some of the best games on any platform for both casual and hardcore gamers. And if you’ve been around long enough to remember your older Nintendo consoles, or if you’ve ever been captivated by Nintendo’s offerings, then you already know how good the Switch can be.
As a handheld game console, it is one of the coolest and most popular platforms out there. But it gets even better because it can be docked at home and used as a home game console as well. Now that the Switch has been out for more than a few years, it has amassed quite a collection of games. But what are the best Nintendo Switch games to sink your teeth into? If you’re new to the Switch and looking for titles to start your adventures, this guide can serve as a handy introduction to what’s on offer.
And it can at least be a good starting point for discovering Nintendo’s collection of great games for the Switch. Keep in mind that there are many more great games for Switch than what is listed here. These are just some of the best to start with.
The best Nintendo Switch games
Game | Cost | Where to buy |
Metroid fear | $59.99 | Amazon, Best Buy, Adorama, GameStop |
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild | From $40.99 | Amazon, Best Buy, Adorama, GameStop |
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | From $49.94 | Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Adorama, GameStop |
Kirby and the Forgotten Land | From $52.99 | Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy |
Shin Megami Tensei V: Standard Edition | From $39.99 | Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, GameStop |
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | From $49.94 | Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, Adorama, GameStop |
Animal Crossing: New Horizons | From $49.94 | Amazon, Newegg, Adorama, Best Buy, GameStop |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | $69.99 | Best Buy |
Ring Fit Adventure | From $69.88 | Amazon, Kohl’s, Best Buy, Newegg, GameStop |
Super Mario Odyssey | $41.48 | Amazon |
Metroid fear
The latest game in the Metroid franchise is one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, and one of the best Metroid games too. Take on the role of Samus Aran as she explores the depths of Planet ZDR.
Like Metroid games of the past, Metroid Dread puts you in the shoes of Samus from a side-scrolling perspective. Samus has a new suit that you can upgrade with all-new powerful abilities and weapons. Which you’ll need if you want to get past some of the game’s more difficult bosses and work your way through some of the more challenging roadblocks.
You will also have to do all this while trying to avoid getting caught by dangerous killer robots called EMMI that inhabit the planet. As Metroid games go, Metroid Dread has a more sinister feel to it. Which adds to the allure of the game. Especially if you are someone who appreciates elements of suspenseful moments in video games.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Breath Of The Wild is certainly not a new game here, but then again most of the games on this list are at least a year old. And there’s no rule that says the best games have to be new. That said, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild is one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch for several reasons.
And for some, it’s the best Nintendo Switch game of them all. This latest installment in the franchise (with a sequel coming hopefully in 2023) is the first game where you can control Link in a sprawling open world. Take the Zelda franchise to places it’s never been before.
Take on enemies new and familiar as you explore the kingdom of Hyrule in a way you’ve never seen before. At least, if you haven’t played this game yet.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart is a time-honored tradition among Nintendo fans and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best of the best. While there will always be a place for the original thanks to nostalgia, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe adds a host of new features and elements. There are new racers, new karts, new power-ups, new tracks and of course online play.
If you like Kart racing games then this is a must have title for the Nintendo Switch. And while it’s fun to play solo, it’s best if you play it with friends. Don’t let the chaos of being hit by a Blue Shell escalate things.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby And The Forgotten Land is the latest game on this list and, like Breath Of The Wild, takes the Kirby franchise to new places in a way gamers have never experienced. While it’s not a truly open world, levels and settings are bigger and more expansive than ever before.
Help Kirby explore the remains of an ancient civilization that once appears to have been a human-inhabited planet. Maybe Earth? But I digress. Kirby And The Forgotten Land is a new adventure with 3D stages, new enemies, new abilities to give to Kirby and new puzzles to solve.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Standard Edition
Shin Megami Tensei V is the game for anyone looking for a great JRPG experience on the Nintendo Switch, and it’s one of our picks for the best games to watch on the platform. Of course, this isn’t the only JRPG on the Switch. There are plenty. Enough good ones. But we’ll start here because this game comes from ATLUS, the same company behind the Persona series. That’s a great set of games too.
In Shin Megami Tensei V, you play the role of a high school girl who is mysteriously transported to an alternate reality version of Tokyo that has been destroyed. It is full of enemies and you have no way to defend yourself. After all, you are a high school student. Perhaps by sheer luck, you are rescued by a powerful entity called an Aogami that merges with your body. Giving you superhuman abilities.
With your new power, you must find a way to save the world from destruction. As a JRPG, Shin Megami Tensei V uses a turn-based combat system like many in the genre. It is also quite long with over 80 hours of play time. So sit down, get comfortable and enjoy the ride with this one.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Standard Edition
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate continues the legacy Nintendo started on the N64 all those years ago. With the largest roster ever in the franchise and a collection of new maps to battle, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can be both fun and frustrating.
If you have a tendency to be competitive, you might have some work ahead of you when you have to go up against your enemies in this battle. With so many different playable characters, that’s a lot of different moves to remember and master. But that doesn’t take away from how cool the game is and how fun it can be to play with friends.
The really cool thing about Super Smash Bros. However, Ultimate is the addition of characters from games that are not Nintendo titles. Like Mega-Man, Sonic of Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. Whether you want to get super technical and improve your skills or just want to play a few rounds with friends now and then, this is a great title to grab for the Switch.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
This is the game for the ultra-casual gameplay you may have been looking for. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a social simulation game where you can create your own island paradise and decorate just about every aspect of it.
It’s great for winding down after a long day at work or relaxing on a Saturday or Sunday morning sipping your coffee and cozying up on the sofa. There are almost no boundaries here. You can create all sorts of things and interact with other players and friends. Visit their islands or invite them to yours, and you can even collect resources and grow crops or catch bugs and fish.
The game even has a dynamic weather system that adapts to the player’s actual location. That is quite a nice feature if we do say so ourselves.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Everything that made Breath of the Wild a great title is present in Tears of the Kingdom, but the sequel follows all that with a plethora of cool new features that vastly improve the gameplay and take it to new heights.
While some features have disappeared from the first game, namely some of the powers, they have been replaced with new ones that offer an equally fun and unique experience.
And best of all are the new powers you get in the game, such as Ultrahand, which allows you to create some truly insane machines to take on enemies in Hyrule. Expect at least 50 hours of gameplay if you complete all main story missions and most of the side missions. But if you try to complete the game at 100%, you will play TotK for more than 100-150 hours or more. It’s a must-have title for Switch owners and our current favorite on this list.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Ring Fit Adventure
Video games are fun, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be good for your health, too. Ring Fit Adventure aims to bring a bit of that mindset into your video game experience. By providing you with a fun way to practice while you play. It is packed with a huge amount of different exercises that you will do as you progress through the brutal story of the game.
At certain points in the game, you must use skills called Fit Skills to attack enemies during combat. Most or all of your actions are controlled with body movements. This is a really cool way to incorporate fitness into your daily lifestyle.
Super Mario Odyssey
- Price: $49.94
- Where to buy: Amazon
At the moment there are so many Super Mario games that it may seem difficult to keep track of them all. And we wouldn’t blame you if that was the case. But if there’s a Mario game for the Nintendo Switch, you should check out Super Mario Odyssey because not only is this one of the best games for the platform, but it’s also one of the coolest Mario games out there .
Explore all new areas like a metropolitan city, as you dare to defeat Bowser before he can marry Princess Peach at an unwanted wedding. In this game, Mario also has help from his friend Cappy, who he can use to take over and control enemies. You can also use Cappy to traverse parts of the landscape that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach on your own.