Gaming

Best Nintendo Switch games

I'm an old-school PC gamer. I have more than 2500 games in my Steam library. And for the past two years I play mainly on a Nintendo Switch. This post is my personal favorites list with some explanations. I'll try to keep the list updating.

My favorite games list:

System sellers
Exclusives
Multiple players and Party games
Other games with advantages on Switch
Good games to play on Switch
Conclusion

System sellers

The games that sell the platform itself. Must have and must play ones.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I’ve heard a lot of revives who praise Zelda as a masterpiece. It was compared to Witcher, The Elder Scrolls, and other legends of RPG. And Zelda didn’t look so at a first glance. My first thought was: “What is that? Just a casual RPG with a little bit of content, not advanced techniques and outdated graphics!”. I was wrong. Yes, Zelda is not about graphics or complicated story/quests. It’s about gameplay. You have so many abilities and freedom to do. Just give this game a chance. And choose your own play style.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing is a game where you just live. The closest analog is The Sims. But Animal Crossing is much more kind and relax. The game time is tied to a real life time. Usually it’s good to spend around an hour in one day, and return back tomorrow. The game always brings you some nice events. Kindness and peace - those two words characterize the game.

Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey is a 3D platformer with cute graphics and a lot of gameplay possibilities. You will be able to transform yourself into a bullet, tank, dinosaur, etc. I personally do not like platforms, but this one is something good.

Exclusives

Those games are exclusive to Nintendo. You just can’t play them on PS4/Xbox/PC.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition

Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the best jRPG ever. It’s not in the system sellers list just because not everyone likes jRPG, and the game does not give you such amount of freedom as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Mario + Rabbids is something similar to XCOM, but much better. Turn-based battle on a 3D field divided into squares. The game probably will not fit kid auditory since it requires thinking a lot.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore

Tokyo Mirage Sessions was my entrance to the Persona franchise. I can’t suggest the game to everyone: it has a specific turn-based battle system, pretty long gameplay, and some repetitiveness. But it’s one of my strongest drugs. Don’t pay attention to some childish setting, or too bright colors. The game is pretty serious. Advantage of the Mirage Sessions in front of Persona - it doesn’t have micro time management, so it’s pretty difficult to miss something in a story unintentionally.

Shin Megami Tensei V

Shin Megami Tensei V is another RPG from Atlus, but compared to Persona or Tokyo Mirage Sessions does not have such a big amount of text - more exploration and battle. The Persona series was born from Shin Megami Tensei, so it’s nice to try the roots. The game is much darker. You can’t satisfy everyone there (as in Persona). So be ready to become the world-destroyer.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Not too many games use motion control as the main input method. Skyward Sword is one of them. The game was ported from Wii, where motion control was the only possibility for the game. And it was not very good. But Switch’s reimplementation is good and fun. Motion helps you to live the game with deeper immersion.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

Paper Mario is another 3D platformer on this top. A bit more 2D, more cartoonish style. The disadvantage of the game is casual monsters fights - it’s too easy. But the games still give a lot of holiday feeling.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Captain Toad is a good 3D action-puzzle on small maps. Especially perfect to play in portative mode with a touch screen.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Link’s Awakening has nothing in common with Breath of the Wild. It’s a clone of the original gameboy game, top-down view. The graphics is pretty cute.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem is a turn-based RPG with a battle similar to XCOM. You are a school teacher in the game. And you have to rise your class’s students into high-class warriors who will be able to fight in the team.

Metroid Dread

Do you like platformers and shooters? Metroid Dread is for you. A big part of the game is based on timings - you’ll get an advantage when you block with a shield at the correct timing.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Super Mario 3D World is another Mario 3D platformer on this top. Yes, they are good on Switch.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

The fighting game in the mosou genre - it’s where you are the alone warrior beat hundreds of enemies at the same time. The battles are pretty fun in Hyrule Warriors.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Pikmin is a game similar to Overlord - you have a large band of s small creatures who follow you and executes your orders. Each creature type could do something unique: create fire, freeze water, move stones, etc.

Fitness Boxing

Fitness Boxing is one of the rare sports games on Switch. Various kicks and jabs under some rhythmic music feel great.

Multiple players and Party games

Those games are fun to play in a party mode: 2-4 players on the same console

Super Mario Party

A collection of mini-games for 2-4 players. Puzzles, board games, rhythm games, etc. Plus a lot of games use the capabilities of Nintendo hardware - players will move physically and will enjoy it. Everything needed for a party could be found there. The best option for 4 players. Do you have the party at home? Just do the Super Mario Party.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The only party racing game for Switch. It has a cartoonish feeling and looks like a game for kids. But Mario Kart has its own pretty advanced physics and racing strategies. Totally recommended for 2-4 players.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The only fighting in this top is Super Smash Bros. You could play the game as traditional 1-to-1 fighting, or have a huge team-to-team battle with like 4 people in each team. The game looks simple and trivial at a first glance. But it is much deeper than it looks. Also, it’s fun to play. Especially with 4 players at the same time.

Mario Tennis Aces

Mario Tennis is a pretty good sports game for two players. The mechanics were new to our parties, so almost everyone was a beginner - it’s fun to play on the same level.

Mario Golf: Super Rush

The only true-golf simulator on Switch is a Mario Golf. We like to play the game with my wife when we don’t want to have adrenalin in the blood, but something calm and more strategic.

Go Vacation

Go Vacation is something kinda similar to Mario Party - you have a lot of mini-games to play. But the activities in a Go Vacation are more close to the real-life ones: biking, hiking, volleyball, etc. It’s really fun to play. The only disadvantage is graphics - the game comes from Nintendo Wii, so it looks kinda outdated nowadays.

FIFA

Are you keen into football? Then FIFA is your choice! I’m definitely not. But the games is really fun to play in two persons who near the same level. In the real life you have to run and sweat a lot. But the game for Switch have much more fun.

Castle Crashers Remastered

Castle Crashers is a fun beat’em up game up to 4 players. Doesn’t feels like a battle or kill, it feels like pure fun.

Other games with advantages on Switch

Sniper Elite 4

It’s totally not possible to play shooter games on other consoles when you got used to Switch’s accelerometer aim helper. Also, the quality of vibration adds some drive to the game. It’s pleasant to pull the trigger in Sniper Elite series.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher supports cross saves between Switch and Steam. Just take it on a trip with you and continue to play on PC at home.

Hades

Hades is a god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler. Kill all the beasts! The game has cross saves same as The Witcher.

Monster Hunter: Rise

Monster Hunter is a good RPG with a focus on a fight. The game is imbued with an Asian spirit. The game was Switch-exclusive for a long time, so it’s highly optimized.

Good games to play on Switch

The list of games available on other platforms too. But you don’t need another platform, you could play them on Switch.

Auto Racing

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Arcade racing. No physics, no big goals, nothing serious. Just pure fun. Burn it out, Burnout!

CarX Drift Racing

I absolutely like racing drift games from the tines of NFS: Underground. And CarX Drift Racing is something that makes my heart beats faster. Each auto has its own personality. It wasn’t easy to start and understand the physics. But a combination of good car, tuning, and track finally gave me the perfect pleasure.

GRID Autosport

GRID Autosport is still an arcade. But it has some physics, so could be counted as the only racing simulator on Switch. The game is very special and I would recommend it only to the fans of the series. Or of hardcore real racing.

Absolute Drift

Absolute Drift is a drifting game with a top view. You have to get used to physics. But the game is really one of the best when you do.

Other racing

Trials Rising

Trials Rising is a game about motocross/trial. I spent a big bit of my life in XMoto. But Switch game game is much more modern, 3D, and some competitive elements were added.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater is something in a middle between racing and arcade. It’s more difficult to do the tricks than it looks like. But it gave a lot of pleasure to master them.

Lonely Mountains: Downhill

Lonely Mountains: Downhill - Bicycling simulator. Pretty hardcore and fun one.

RPG

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Monster Hunter Rise focuses on a battle. Monster Hunter Stories is more about the story than battle or the development of the character. It feels more like a good 3D visual novel. But the world is open, you ar able to travel freely.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a pretty good clone of Zelda from Ubisoft. Nice graphics, good character leveling system. A no NPC around at all - only enemies.

Oceanhorn

Let’s continue my Zelda-clones list with Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm. The game is initially created by Apple arcade for iPad, not AAA-consoles. It gives both advantages and disadvantages. The main disadvantage is a scale: it’s not that deep. The main advantage - graphics look perfect on Switch.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

Per me, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a mix of RPG and Slasher mechanics - you’ll have to click and dodge all the opponents. It’s pretty linear but really fun to play.

Adventure

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice gives you the most PlayStation experience possible on Switch: a strong story, good graphics, deep atmosphere. The game feels like the movie at the very beginning. And the fighting feels pretty good in the game.

Catherine: Full Body

I’d suggest Catherine for fans of Atlus, developers of Persona series and Tokyo Mirage Sessions. Catherine is not something sexual-themed. It’s traditional for Atlus great storyline about gods and demons.

Ni no Kuni Wrath of the White Witch

Ni no Kuni is an RPG developed in cooperation with Ghibli. Really the best anime style. And not so easy as it looks like.

Action

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

One of the best Assassin’s Creed games available on Switch.

The Talos Principle

It’s more puzzle than action. Something similar to Portal. But some chambers are pretty difficult to pass without platforming/action skills. Also, The Talos Principle has a pretty philosophical plot.

Visual Novel

Nintendo Switch is something really perfect for playing visual novel games. You could play it on TV and enjoy better graphics, or take it with you to the bed and read it as an electronic book. But with graphics, music, and animations! And Nintendo’s library is really rich for this type of games.

If My Heart Had Wings

Google for “best visual novels ever” and you’ll find If My Heart Had Wings in the list. The plot caught me from the first lines. The graphics is pretty reach - the game is not most modern, so the characters are not Live2D-animated hare. But the backgrounds are really perfect and alive. But again, it’s about the story.

Nekopara

Nekopara is something opposite to If My Heart Had Wings - the story is very light here. The main thingie is the atmosphere. And the technical realization of cause - the novel uses all modern Live2D stuff, so try it to see how modern visual novel could look like and feel like.

Doki Doki Literature Club

Do you want some visual novel for adults? Doki Doki is your choise. Not because of nudes or alcohol. The game starts pretty cute and kawaii. But be ready for suicide ending.

Platformer

Hardcore platformer with a hilarious story. Ori will touch your soul.

Trine

Trine is a good platformer with one unique gameplay element - you can switch your playing character on the flight. Knight, mage, or thief. Each has unique strengths and disadvantages.

Other

Florence

Florence is one of the best mobile visual novels. It covers the theme of relations between women and men. And helps to find strength after breaking up.

YouTube

YouTube is not a game. But I run it really frequently. Switch is very silent, always connected to the TV/monitor, always booted into the operating system. So it’s no need to wait while PC boots for a dinner - just run YouTube on your Switch.

Conclusion

Nintendo Switch games are usually not about high-end AAA graphics. There are not many fighting games. But you could find a lot of good kind games focused on the gameplay.

2021-05-15 ARTICLES
articles gaming games nintendo switch