The Nintendo Switch has an incredibly robust game library, with many games worth recommending. However, for our 10 absolute favorites, you can check out the list below. It’s a list we’ll update as often as worthy games are included in the release. We’ll be starting games and adding new ones as the Switch library grows.
Please note that while the list below contains 10 entries, we’re not actually ranking them – if a game has come this far (and manages to stay here), it’s a big hit. must-play section. As such, we will list the entries in reverse chronological order. Additionally, you’ll find a summary of previous entries at the bottom of the list. While those titles have been upgraded for a bigger and better experience, they’re still great games in their own right and worth exploring if you’ve got your hands on the latest hits.
Here are Game Informer’s picks for the top 10 games on Switch.
Pokémon Legend: Arceus
Released: January 28, 2022
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is considered the biggest change of pace to the longstanding franchise. Set in the ancient version of Sinnoh, you are tasked with exploring a large world to fill the first Pokédex. Although not a true open world, the feeling of freedom still offers a sense of freedom as well as a less restrictive combat system where players are free to sneak, challenge and even hide Pokémon. We love shooting never-before-seen versions of our favorite pocket monsters, and the plethora of side quests, plus the compelling main story, keep us glued to the Switch screen. Pokémon Legends: Arceus has its flaws, but it represents a strong first step towards what we hope is the start of a new series. | Our review
Metroid Dread
Released: 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 an intense experience, filled with challenging boss battles and deadly robots that relentlessly chase Samus across Planet ZDR’s various biomes. Metroid’s classic exploration-based platform is still intact, and we’re eagerly on the hunt for new upgrades like the Ghost Cloak and Spider Magnet. The race to 100 percent has ended so quickly, but we can’t wait to see what Dread’s big story reveal means for the future of the series. | Our review
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Released: February 12, 2021
Re-reads rarely get our full attention these days, but the Wii U’s 4-player Mario title is so fun and exciting that we can’t resist going back to the Switch port. As if that wasn’t enough, Nintendo also included a brand new single-player campaign titled Bowser’s Fury. In this standalone experience, Mario travels across Lapcat Lake, completing various platform running challenges to collect Cat Shines. Bowser’s Fury’s larger open-world design makes for an incredibly refreshing Mario experience, and we love how each action ends in a Kaiju-scale boss battle. | Our review
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Released: March 20, 2020
Quiet, low-stress Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes out at the right time in the world. With the news cycle becoming more chaotic 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 incredibly rewarding as New Horizons offers an exciting daily loop full of goals and rewards. | Our review
Fire symbol: Three houses
Released: July 26, 2019
The Fire Emblem series has been a huge hit through handheld platforms in recent years, but with Three Houses, the turn-based strategy series is exploding back on TV in the best possible way. With outstanding strategy gameplay, a story fun to interact with and influence, and multiple paths to traverse the story, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is one of the best strategy games available today. | Our review
Super Smash Bros.
Released: December 7, 2018
As an event spanning two decades in the making, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate represents the series in its most realistic form. Contains great combat mechanics, a great set of game modes, and a roster of fighters featuring every character in the series’ history and later several, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a must-have title for the Switch. | Our review
Super Mario Odyssey
Released: October 27, 2017
Every Nintendo console must have at least one great Mario background, and the Switch is no exception. Mario Odyssey released a few months after launching the console, and it hits all the necessary Mario checkboxes to be considered classic, plus some surprising new ones. It’s whimsical, has perfect controls, lots of things to explore, and has a city level where all humans have normal proportions while Mario runs around like a cartoon, dwarf self. he. It’s an odd adventure and a must-have for Switch owners. | Our review
Stardew Valley
Released: October 5, 2017
Harvest Moon’s future is uncertain and its recent past is bleak. Thankfully, Stardew Valley lives on and improves upon almost every mechanic the series is popular with. Managing a farm may sound like a chore, but in Stardew Valley it’s a joy. Watching your crops grow over time and sell them for profit while getting to know the townspeople creates an experience that is hard to miss. Adding Switch portability just makes the experience better. | Our review of the PC version
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Released: April 28, 2017
More than just a simple port of the great Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, Deluxe includes all of the game’s DLC (additional tracks, racers, and cars) and a Battle Mode, which is not included in the original version. initial release. Playing split-screen Mario Kart has always been a success, and having a version of the game with two controllers that you can take anywhere makes it the perfect introduction to the Switch. | Our review
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Released: 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 a rare 10/10 in review and gave it Our 2017 Game of the Year award because 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 in Breath of the Wild, and it’s also brimming with the kind of awesome puzzle design you’ve come to expect from a Zelda experience. It’s a journey you won’t soon forget, and the optional DLC packs add new challenges and items worth pursuing in the underworld. | Our review
Games reviewed for this list have not been cut or have been cut since we originally published this article: Pokémon Sword & Shield, Hollow Knight, Fortnite, Celeste, Golf Story, Mario Kingdom Battle + Rabbids, Splatoon 2, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Death, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Wolfenstein II: The New Colosseum, Sonic Mania, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of the Elusive Age – Final Editionand the recently ported classics, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, Insideand Axiom Verge. All of them are still great games, so give them a try!
Follow these links to read comparable lists for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Playstation 4and Xbox one!
