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The Nintendo Switch is currently one of the best handheld gaming consoles available on the market, with a large assortment of games available to download and play while you are on the go. The console offers a great variety of options that make it the best portable gaming device on the market, including excellent battery life, detachable joycons, and lightweight design.
The Nintendo Switch also brings with it a varied selection of games, which includes Nintendo-exclusive properties as well as many third-party titles. These games allow for many experiences one can get into while commuting from work, sitting outside and enjoying the sunlight, or even when in the loo.
If you are just now picking up the Nintendo Switch, you might be wondering which games to get as an inauguration title. This article dives into the 10 best games on the Nintendo Switch. Prices vary by region.
Note: This article reflects the writer's opinion.
The Nintendo Switch has been offering players a variety in games
1) Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Starting off this feature is a Nintendo Switch Exclusive that everyone should play sometime in their life: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This is the most recent Zelda game for an original story and sets things in an open-world setting featuring the land of Hyrule.
Breath of the Wild has been praised for its open-ended gameplay as it does not follow a traditional linear story. Instead, players are free to explore, take up quests, and level up at their own expense.
They may even try to take on the game's final boss from the moment they open world is made available to them, although they would have little hope of succeeding.
Even if you aren’t a Zelda fan but own a Nintendo Switch, this game is worth giving a shot purely because of its sheer brilliance. The best part is that it is getting a sequel that will be released sometime next year, which is a first for Zelda games as they tend to be standalone adventures.
2) Untitled Goose Game
If you’re into memes and have come across the many iterations of the “peace was never an option” meme, then chances are you’ve seen one that features a shell-shaded goose holding some weapon or the other. Well, that, my friends, is the protagonist from the Untitled Goose Game, which is available on the Nintendo Switch.
The premise of the game and its objectives are quite simple: you are a goose, doing goose things and making the lives of ordinary people utter hell. The game embodies the line “Chaos is a ladder” and allows players to have some fun while role-playing as one of the most despicable and hateful creatures on the planet.
Hate-speech aside, this game is a perfect pick to play during their commute as it is a fun puzzle game that does not pressure the player. Trial and error is the way to go, and hardly ever is the player punished for getting things wrong. The only downside is that you may have so much fun by yourself that others in public might give you a few looks.
3) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
One of the best-ever RPGs is available on the Nintendo Switch, and if you’re someone who has not yet played a single hour of Skyrim, this is the platform to get it on. The game is an expansive hero’s journey that takes a while to finish, but playing it on a handheld is the best way to get it done.
The game was ported for the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and allowed players to explore the land of Skyrim in handheld mode. Taking on the role of the Dragonborn, players must set out on a journey to face down the evil dragon Alduin in an epic battle to save the world from being devoured.
Nothing can be said here that hasn’t already been said about Skyrim. The RPG set the gold standard for similar titles in the coming years, praising its open world, story, and characters. This revolutionary game is one that we highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t had the chance to try it out yet.
4) Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a very pleasing and aesthetically chill game that is great for diving into on a lazy day when getting out of bed doesn’t feel like an option. The role-playing simulation game was developed by a single person named Eric Barone, also known as Concerned Ape.
In the game, players acquire a farm and are tasked with its upkeep, maintenance, and making profit. Alongside these primary objectives, players can mingle with the nearby Pelican Town population to make friends, get into relationships and even settle down with a spouse who will help them out on their farm.
Stardew Valley is just one example of how chill games like these are some of the best titles to play on the Nintendo Switch. We recommend this title for the Nintendo Switch for players who haven’t yet tried it and those looking to enjoy something peaceful and calming during their free time.
5) Dark Souls Remastered
Speaking of peace and calm, Dark Souls Remastered is precisely the opposite of that. While this is not a game recommended to be played during commuting time or in public (you might end up punching someone IRL), it is still one of the greatest games ever made.
The game was the popular title from FromSoftware that put them on the map and delivered their iconic take on the story, world-building, lore, and gameplay. Be warned, as this is not a title for the indecisive and those that cannot accept failure. Failure will probably occur more recurringly than success for new players.
However, the lesson at the heart of this game is that failure is the greatest teacher. Players must learn from their failures, adapt and improve to proceed further throughout the game. Despairing at every loss will only lead to discouragement, while understanding that failure is a part of the game (as it is in life) will lead to clarity.
6) Metroid Dread
The Metroid series made a stunning comeback in 2021 with Metroid Dread. The game was a 2D platformer reminiscent of earlier Metroid games and incorporated stealth elements. It received critical acclaim on launch and won the Best Action/Adventure Game award at the Game Awards 2021.
It is a Nintendo Switch Exclusive and sees the return of Samus Aran, the long-time protagonist of the Metroid series. The game is played from a side-scrolling view, as players take control of Samus and guide her across various levels in the planet ZDR. It also has items and weapons that can be unlocked, opening up previously inaccessible areas.
This title was a love letter to the older Metroid games, which you will love if you’re a fan of the series. The good news doesn’t end there, as another new Metroid game is on the horizon, with Metroid Prime 4 being in development under Retro Studios.
7) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Bioware’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt arrived on the Nintendo Switch in 2019, much to many Switch users' joy. After Skyrim, the Witcher 3 is the most well-known action-adventure RPG, one that is more famous, although that is up for debate.
Players take on the role of Geralt of Rviai as he searches for Ciri in this third game of the Witcher series by CD Projekt Red. A larger threat awaits in the form of the Wild Hunt, who have plans for the young girl, and Geralt must find a way to stop them and return to Ciri safely home.
A spectacular game in itself, its port to a handheld device was the perfect choice for those that wish to get into the game intermittently. With a large world to explore, monsters to kill, and lovers to woo, you’d want to take your time with the game and play it slow to enjoy all the right moments.
8) Animal Crossing: New Horizons
If you had been a Nintendo Switch owner during the pandemic, you’re likely to have been part of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons craze that swept the entire world. On the off chance that you’re not and have gotten a Switch recently, do not fail to grab this Nintendo exclusive on the platform.
The game is similar to Stardew Valley in that players have to maintain an island, generate revenue, etc., but it also offers a whole lot more. The Animal Crossing games are known for their AI villagers that will inhabit the player’s islands based on how the island has been designed and which features are prominent, like decorations, trees, art, etc.
Players can also visit each other's islands and look at what makes the game such a fun social experience. Each player’s island will have a distinct look and feel that will reflect their creative side. With Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins himself) and Danny Trejo making the news during the pandemic by visiting the islands of other players, there's a chance that you may even run into some celebrities.
9) Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Of course, if one wants to play a decent Pokémon game, a Nintendo Switch is mandatory now, as it is the only console where the IP releases its mainline entries. While Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are due to hit the virtual store shelves on November 18, 2022, Switch owners can still get their hands on Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
This Nintendo Switch exclusive took a slightly different route from the standard gameplay of the Pokémon titles by taking a third-person over-the-shoulder camera perspective. This means that players can view and explore the world in greater detail, a change carried over to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Legends: Arceus also diverges from other mainline games in that it takes place in the past, during a time when humans and Pokémon are still learning to co-exist with each other. The Pokéballs seen in the game are a primitive version, while Pokémon are also more hostile and less inviting to people.
10) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Another Nintendo Switch exclusive that stole the show, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, is Nintendo's fifth installment in this crossover fighting game series. Like previous games, it features 89 playable characters hailing from various Nintendo IPs and partnered projects.
The matches occur in a 2D stage with various platforms where the characters must battle to be the last ones standing. This is the perfect game to play with your friends and children, as it does not include any visceral scenes and takes a cartoonish approach to fight. It is also hilarious to see characters like Mario, Kirby, Samas Aran, and a Pokémon share a fighting stage.
Since the game is available on Nintendo Switch, it is automatically viable for 2-players local multiplayer, as a Switch comes with two joycons. It also does have online matchmaking and multiplayer that allows you to challenge other players from across the world.
