It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 8 years since the Nintendo Switch arrived, transforming a company that had fallen on hard times with the Wii U back to an industry leader.
The Switch has sold by the bucketload thanks to iconic franchises, excellent ports, and the joy of taking it just about anywhere, but with its successor on the horizon (and targeting a 2025 release), we’ve put together the five Switch games you really need to play.
From RPGs to action-adventure, there’s a little something for everyone, and they’re only playable on Nintendo’s system.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Breath of the Wild may have been the killer launch title for the Switch, but its sequel is just as much a masterpiece.
Tears of the Kingdom takes place within the same huge world of Hyrule, but with additional airborne areas and subterranean depths to explore.
It pushes the Switch to its limits, but it’s worth it, offering an entire world full of surprises that you can carry around with you.
Super Mario Odyssey
Launching at the tail-end of 2017, Super Mario Odyssey might not be the newest Mario title but it’s the only full 3D one we got on the Switch (ports don’t count).
Every one of its worlds feels like a present that opens to reveal plenty of secrets, and it only gets better after you finish the game as Mario is tasked with tracking down even harder-to-obtain Power Moons.
My only complaint about Super Mario Odyssey is that I wanted more of it - here’s hoping for a sequel on Switch 2.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are newer, but they still don’t run particularly well on Switch. With that in mind, 2019’s Sword and Shield are my picks, and while they don’t offer the open-ended exploration of the latest generation, they’re still great.
The Galar region, based on the United Kingdom, is full of charm, and the likes of Rillaboom, Morpeko and Cinderace feel like they’ve been part of the franchise for longer than they have.
It doesn’t uproot the series’ tried-and-true formula, but there’s something cozy about its structure.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
A game so big it may never see a sequel, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the culmination of a series that once dared to dream about Mario punching Samus Aran.
There are a whopping 89 characters including DLC fighters, with everyone from Pac-Man to Cloud Strife, Sonic to Solid Snake, along with a bunch of stages and items that mean no two matches are the same.
We may never get another game of its scope, so drink Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in and enjoy every second.
Fire Emblem Three Houses
Traditionally one of Nintendo’s more niche franchises, Fire Emblem has been around since the nineties but truly hit the mainstream with Three Houses in 2019.
While some may prefer Engage’s more streamlined approach, Three Houses deftly weaves character stories into an absorbing narrative, while also using the series’ fantastic turn-based combat as a backbone.
It’s hard not to grow to love your cohorts, and with some flashy combat moves, Three Houses is a looker, too.
