The Top 10 Switch Games

The Nintendo Switch has an incredibly strong library of games, with many worth recommending. For our 10 absolute favorite games, however, you can check out the list below. We will update this list as often as games worthy of inclusion release.

Please note that while the list below contains 10 entries, we aren’t actually ranking them – if a game has made it this far (and managed to stay here), it’s a must-play, period. As such, we’ll be listing entries in reverse chronological order. Also, you’ll find a rundown of previous entries at the bottom of the list. While those titles have gotten bumped for bigger and better experiences, they are still all great games in their own right and worth exploring if you’re already caught up on the latest hits.

Here are Games picks for the top 10 games on the Switch.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Release: October 20, 2023

It is astounding that Nintendo can still innovate within the genre it popularized four decades ago. Super Mario Bros. Wonder takes everything fans have come to love and expect from the Super Mario Bros. series and adds fun and unique twists. The platforming mechanics and level design are still top-notch, but the creative new enemies, gameplay-modifying Badges, and the show-stealing Wonder Effects push Wonder to rare heights, even for the Super Mario Bros. franchise. Every Wonder Flower brings about new surprises and delights as you traverse the title’s Flower Kingdom. It may not be the most difficult Mario game to date, but it’s absolutely brimming with creativity and is easily one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch.

Sea of Stars

Release: August 29, 2023

Nostalgic, pixel-art RPGs are a dime-a-dozen today, but even in that crowded field, Sea of Stars sticks out as a genre leader. By using legendary entries like Super Mario RPG and Chrono Trigger as its primary sources of inspiration, Sea of Stars plays to fans of ’90s role-playing titles to perfection. But it’s the way it expands on those formulas, easing and streamlining so many of the outdated mechanics and game design conventions that makes Sea of Stars a special entry in the RPG genre. Combine those elements with its exemplary art style and expertly crafted soundtrack, and Sea of Stars is worth a playthrough on Switch or any console.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Release: May 12, 2023

To say The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had lofty expectations would be the understatement of the century. Following one of the greatest games of all time is no simple task, but Tears of the Kingdom succeeded in carrying forward so many of the successes of its predecessor. Link’s new suite of powers – most notably, Ultrahand – fundamentally changes the experience of moving through the world and delivers something undeniably novel, even within the long-running series. Add on explorable islands in the sky, a massive underground area, a compelling new narrative, and the intimidating presence of Ganondorf, and it’s easy to see why Tears of the Kingdom has captivated so many Switch owners.

Metroid Dread

Release: October 8, 2021

Metroid fans have been begging Nintendo for a brand new 2D Metroid adventure for nearly two decades. Thankfully, when Nintendo finally delivered, it didn’t disappoint. As the name implies, Dread is a tense experience, full of challenging boss fights and deadly robots who doggedly chase Samus across the various biomes of Planet ZDR. Metroid’s classic exploration-based platforming remains intact, and we eagerly hunted down new upgrades like the Phantom Cloak and the Spider Magnet. The race to 100 percent was over all too quickly, but we can’t wait to see what Dread’s big story reveals mean for the series’ future.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Release: March 20, 2020

The tranquil, low-stress Animal Crossing: New Horizons hit at the exact right time in the world. With the news cycle becoming more tumultuous since 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers refuge in the form of a virtual tropical island. Building and customizing your house and island the way you see fit is immensely rewarding as New Horizons delivers a fun daily loop full of goals and rewards.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Release: July 26, 2019

The Fire Emblem series has built a cult following through handheld platforms in recent years, but with Three Houses, the turn-based strategy series explodes back onto TVs in the best way possible. Featuring outstanding strategic gameplay, a fun story to interact with and influence, and multiple paths to take through the narrative, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is one of the best strategy games available today.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Release: December 7, 2018

A crossover event two decades in the making, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate represents the series in its most realized form. Containing superb fighting mechanics, a terrific suite of modes to play, and a roster of fighters that features every character in series history and then some, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is all but an essential title for the Switch.

Super Mario Odyssey

Release: October 27, 2017

Every Nintendo console has to have at least one fantastic Mario platformer, and the Switch is no exception. Mario Odyssey released a few months after the launch of the console and it hits all the Mario checkboxes necessary to be considered a classic, plus a few surprising new ones. It’s whimsical, has perfect controls, tons to discover, and features a city level where all the humans have normal proportions while Mario runs around as his short, cartoony self. It’s a strange adventure and a must-have for Switch owners.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Release: April 28, 2017

Far more than a simple port of the excellent Mario Kart 8 for Wii U, Deluxe includes all the original game’s DLC (extra tracks, racers, and cars), and Battle Mode, which was curiously absent from the original release. Playing split-screen Mario Kart is always a hit, and having a version of the game with two controllers you can take anywhere makes it the perfect showcase for the Switch. Plus, in 2022 and 2023, Nintendo doubled the number of courses available and added several new playable characters to perhaps the best Mario Kart game ever through its Booster Course Pass.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Release: March 3, 2017

We’re not exaggerating when we say The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the best games ever made. We gave it the rare 10/10 in our review and gave it our 2017 Game of the Year award as it sets a new high standard for open-world video games. Being able to go anywhere you can see on the map has never been more true than it is in Breath of the Wild and it is also filled with the kind of excellent puzzle design you expect from a Zelda experience. It’s a journey you won’t soon forget and the optional DLC packs add additional challenges and new items worth pursuing to the overworld.

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