Best Nintendo Switch Games
Nintendo is one of the biggest gaming brands of all time, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for 50 years the chances are you’ve played at least one of their consoles (and even if you have been living under a rock, we won’t believe that you haven’t somehow played Tetris). From Mario to Link, Yoshi to Donkey Kong, Nintendo has one of the most diverse, unusual, mascot-friendly rosters around, and with them come some truly classic games. After the failure of the Wii U, Nintendo came back with one of the most successful and influential systems ever. Part home-console, part hand-held powerhouse, there’s something unique and deeply satisfying with being about to carry around such a fun gaming device wherever you go.
Working out the best Nintendo Switch games can be incredibly daunting, especially when their software line up is full of first-party exclusives and world beating indies games. Luckily, LastVerdict is full of obsessive Nintendo fans who are on hand to accumulate all their gaming might to compile the ultimate list for first time buyers. We’re listing the hardcopy version here, so you won’t have to worry about buying a hefty MicroSD to store them all. From adventure games where you have to race across giant monster filled lands, to haunted houses brimming with hidden secrets, the Nintendo Switch has something for everyone. So, LETS A-GO!
- Best Nintendo Switch Games
- The Verdicts
- Super Mario Odyssey review
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons review
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate review
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses review
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review
- Luigi's Mansion 3 review
- Pokémon Sword and Shield review
- Super Mario Maker 2 review
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics review
- Best Nintendo Switch Games Buyers Guide
The Verdicts
1
Super Mario Odyssey
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Score: 97%
- Genre: Platformer
Super Mario Odyssey is the first 3D Super Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2 and takes the best of the pervious and ramps up the creativity. The result is one the best games of the last 10 years
Mario is, and always will be, the benchmark for 3D platformers. Rarely making a misstep throughout his adventurous journeys over the last 30 years, Super Mario games tend to define the generation they appear on, with all other competitors playing catch up. In his latest adventure Mario is once again – you guessed it – attempting to save Princess Peach from his arch-nemesis King Bowser (if you really don’t know anything about these games, it’s literally a short Italian man in a plumbing uniform battling a giant dinosaur). From prehistoric grasslands, Japanese forts, to Tim Burton-like lands where hats live, you’ll navigate through beautifully designed levels, battling all sorts of strange monsters and engaging in some of the best gameplay across all the current generation consoles.
2
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Score: 90%
- Genre: Social Simulation
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first new entry in eight years of the beloved series, and all at once feels fresh and at the same time welcomingly familiar, expertly bringing much needed improvements and hidden depth to the cute little sim
The Switch have been known for breathing new life into exhausted and often overlooked games, and with New Horizons it’s managed to go above and beyond. On the surface, Animal Crossing has nothing to it; no fighting, no hunting (unless you count catching bugs), no combat and very little challenges, but yet players have put up to 250 hours into the game! New Horizons just wants you to have a nice time on a getaway island with your friends – and that’s it. Fixup your home, invite friends over, collect seashells, or help a shipwrecked seagull fix his broken phone. New Horizons rarely tells you what to do, and that’s part of its charm, as the game is all about what you put into it. With this recent instalment, Nintendo have combined all the classic and well-loved parts of the pervious games, with HD graphics, better internet functions for playing with friends, and an abundance of cute characters that few other games can compete with.
3
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Sora Ltd., Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development, BANDAI NAMCO Studios
- Score: 93%
- Genre: Fighting
The Brawl for All fighting game that asks the age-old question ‘who would win in a fight between Yoshi and Sonic the Hedgehog?’ is back in this highly anticipated fifth instalment of the franchise.
Easily one of the most well-loved and valued franchises in the gaming world, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a classic case of ‘easy to learn, hard to master’. Test your might by selecting characters to battle from all over the gaming world, from Pac-man to Ryu, Solid Snake to Kirby, and with an almost endless supply of wacky items and insanely bizarre levels that make this game more a party game than your regular fighting-style game. We’ve spent hours of our time battling our friends across dozens of levels, and with over 80 characters to choose from there is always something new to find every time you pick up the game. Considered to be one of the best fighting games around, as well as a treasure trove of popular gaming culture, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a must for any Nintendo fan.
4
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo, Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo Games
- Developer: Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo Games, Koei TecmoGenre: Fighting
- Score: 89%
- Genre: Tactical role-playing game
While not as well-known as it’s contemporaries, Fire Emblem has amassed a solid and loyal fanbase who have fallen in love with the depth of it’s tactical battling system, and its soap opera-style dating sim mechanics
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a hard game to pin down. On the surface it’s an ambitious story of a land at war controlled by captivating leaders, in which there are no real good or bad guys, and mixes game of throne style betrayals and intrigue with huge set pieces. And then you can also go on dates and give people you like bouquets of flowers. Weird. The colourful cast of troops you send into battle are beautifully detailed, and the graphics have a crisp anime style to them that gives the whole game a classic feel. If you’re looking for more of a grownup style game (with a fun Nintendo edged of course), with in-depth gameplay and charm that totals to possibly 100s of hours then this is the game for you.
5
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Score: 92%
- Genre: Racing
The genre defining party-racing game is back in this eighth home-console instalment. Mario and friends are once again battling for first place across the Mushroom Kingdom, all the while trying to avoid that dreaded blue shell. Ready, set, GO!
One of the few positives that comes from the unfortunate failure of the Wii U, is that all the amazing games that no one got to experience on that console are being polished up, packed with extra features and rereleased on The Switch. This update of the racing classic is easily the beat instalment yet, with all your favourite characters and racetracks (48 in total!), as well as tons of new ones. To be specific, what you get in this deluxe edition is the original game, all previously released DLC, new characters and vehicles, two new weapons, and a completely revamped Battle mode including eight battle arenas. Whether you’re new to the series, or an old master, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has everything you need from a multiplayer racing game, just try not to explode with rage when your little brother beats you by ½ a second.
6
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Score: 97%
- Genre: Adventure
The classic Nintendo adventure game is back and takes the Zelda franchise to a whole new level, producing a game that not only reinvents the series, but celebrates its history at the same time. The Legend of Zelda games will never be the same
Step into the world of Zelda once again! Breath of the Wild is a boundary-breaking, action adventure game set in the land of Hyrule, and puts you once again in the shoes of the young warrior Link. Travel across vast fields, wade through spooky forests and battle the elements as you traverse up terrifying mountain sides, all while battling monsters in the hope of saving Princess Zelda. An open-world game, this is simplify put one big level that you can tackle in any way you see possible. Want to run into battle headfirst? Or capture a wild horse and train it to be your loyal ally? Or maybe you just want to take it easy and cook some carrots? It’s completely open to you how you tackle this adventure. Breath of the Wild is considered a truly ground-breaking game, and if you’re looking for an epic adventure, there’s none better.
7
Luigi's Mansion 3
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Next Level Games
- Score: 86%
- Genre: Adventure/Puzzle
Mario’s timid brother Luigi is out on his own, this time tackling ghosts and solving mysteries in this fun and inventive puzzle game from Nintendo that is part Ghostbusters, part puzzle-solver. Who you gonna call? Well, Luigi obviously
Although sometimes forgotten by the general public, Luigi is every bit as iconic in the gaming world as his shorter sibling. The Luigi Mansion series has always flown under the radar, but over time has gained a loyal following, and with the 3rd chapter, we have the best game yet. The game is not your typical ‘Mario-style’ game, with little emphasise on the classic Mario tropes such as running and jumping that we’re all used to; instead you’ll be solving puzzles and sucking up pesky ghosts with your trusty Poltergust G-00. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is charming, very funny and has some of the most rich and delightful presentation ever seen in a game set in the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as some deceivingly tricky puzzles that’ll have you scratching your head for a good few minutes before the lightbulb goes off. Don’t wait till Halloween and start hunting those ghosts now.
8
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Game Freak
- Score: 80%
- Genre: Role-playing
The behemoth that is Pokémon is back, and for the first time ever is on a home-console! Collect Pokémon and train them to battle in this immense and sprawling RPG that lives by its classic catchphrase – Gotta catch ‘em all!
Pokémon is a cultural icon and having been around for over 25 years it doesn’t look like it’s ever going to slow down. Video Games, trading cards, Tv shows and Movies (not to mention the mobile game that went viral across the globe) have seeped into every part of pop culture, so it can be easy to forget how it all began. The latest version of the classic has the best graphics ever seen in a Pokémon game, and all the components of what make the games so additive. Work your way across wild and wonderous lands and towns, battling Pokémon trainers and catching wild Pokémon in the hope of creating the world’s best Pokémon team. There are two versions of the game as always (Shield and Sword), with their own different types of Pokémon to catch, with a total of 400 to collect!
9
Super Mario Maker 2
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
- Score: 88%
- Genre: Platformer/world building
Mario fans of the world, unite! Now you can play, create, and share the side-scrolling Super Mario courses of your dreams in this highly addictive sequel to the Wii U classic
Super Mario Maker 2 is such a novel idea, that it’s mad to think that it’s predecessor only came out in 2015, and Nintendo didn’t try and release it years before. The story mode of this game is your basic Mario game, and is mainly used a tool to introduce the player to what the game is really all about – building your very own Mario levels. Super Mario Maker 2 is without doubt one of the most in-depth and accessible tools ever seen on a console, and you can easily sink dozens of hours building levels and playing other players (with the indefinite number of user-created levels, Super Mario Maker 2 could last you for the entirety of the Switch’s lifetime). Super Mario Maker 2 gives you so much freedom to how you play, how you build, that it’s astonishing how well it all comes together.
10
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Our Verdict
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: NDcube
- Score: 82%
- Genre: Boardgame
Play and discover 51 board games, tabletop games, and more all in one package. This diverse collection includes games from all over the world across multiple genres, from familiar favourites like Chess to international hits like Mancala
Has there ever been a more straightforward games title? 51 games! Is there anymore you need to know? At LastVerdict, we love boardgames, so this was instantly on our radar the moment it was announced. This simple package, with an unassuming title and cover, is already one of our favourite games of the year. Nintendo have a real knack for putting time, effort and love into games that other companies would release quickly for a cash grab. From Chess to Billiards, Blackjack to slot cars, even toy boxing – Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics has a wide and varied mix that will keep family and friends firmly interested for hours at a time. It’s even got a small piano built in for touch screen play because, why not?
| Image | Product Name | Our Rating | Our Verdict | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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|
Super Mario Odyssey |
Super Mario Odyssey is the first 3D Super Mario game since Super Mario Galaxy 2 and takes the best of the pervious and ramps up the creativity. The result is one the best games of the last 10 years
Mario is, and always will be, the benchmark for 3D platformers. Rarely making a misstep throughout his adventurous journeys over the last 30 years, Super Mario games tend to define the generation they appear on, with all other competitors playing catch up. In his latest adventure Mario is once again – you guessed it – attempting to save Princess Peach from his arch-nemesis King Bowser (if you really don’t know anything about these games, it’s literally a short Italian man in a plumbing uniform battling a giant dinosaur). From prehistoric grasslands, Japanese forts, to Tim Burton-like lands where hats live, you’ll navigate through beautifully designed levels, battling all sorts of strange monsters and engaging in some of the best gameplay across all the current generation consoles. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Animal Crossing: New Horizons |
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first new entry in eight years of the beloved series, and all at once feels fresh and at the same time welcomingly familiar, expertly bringing much needed improvements and hidden depth to the cute little sim
The Switch have been known for breathing new life into exhausted and often overlooked games, and with New Horizons it’s managed to go above and beyond. On the surface, Animal Crossing has nothing to it; no fighting, no hunting (unless you count catching bugs), no combat and very little challenges, but yet players have put up to 250 hours into the game! New Horizons just wants you to have a nice time on a getaway island with your friends – and that’s it. Fixup your home, invite friends over, collect seashells, or help a shipwrecked seagull fix his broken phone. New Horizons rarely tells you what to do, and that’s part of its charm, as the game is all about what you put into it. With this recent instalment, Nintendo have combined all the classic and well-loved parts of the pervious games, with HD graphics, better internet functions for playing with friends, and an abundance of cute characters that few other games can compete with. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
The Brawl for All fighting game that asks the age-old question ‘who would win in a fight between Yoshi and Sonic the Hedgehog?’ is back in this highly anticipated fifth instalment of the franchise.
Easily one of the most well-loved and valued franchises in the gaming world, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a classic case of ‘easy to learn, hard to master’. Test your might by selecting characters to battle from all over the gaming world, from Pac-man to Ryu, Solid Snake to Kirby, and with an almost endless supply of wacky items and insanely bizarre levels that make this game more a party game than your regular fighting-style game. We’ve spent hours of our time battling our friends across dozens of levels, and with over 80 characters to choose from there is always something new to find every time you pick up the game. Considered to be one of the best fighting games around, as well as a treasure trove of popular gaming culture, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a must for any Nintendo fan. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Fire Emblem: Three Houses |
While not as well-known as it’s contemporaries, Fire Emblem has amassed a solid and loyal fanbase who have fallen in love with the depth of it’s tactical battling system, and its soap opera-style dating sim mechanics
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a hard game to pin down. On the surface it’s an ambitious story of a land at war controlled by captivating leaders, in which there are no real good or bad guys, and mixes game of throne style betrayals and intrigue with huge set pieces. And then you can also go on dates and give people you like bouquets of flowers. Weird. The colourful cast of troops you send into battle are beautifully detailed, and the graphics have a crisp anime style to them that gives the whole game a classic feel. If you’re looking for more of a grownup style game (with a fun Nintendo edged of course), with in-depth gameplay and charm that totals to possibly 100s of hours then this is the game for you. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe |
The genre defining party-racing game is back in this eighth home-console instalment. Mario and friends are once again battling for first place across the Mushroom Kingdom, all the while trying to avoid that dreaded blue shell. Ready, set, GO!
One of the few positives that comes from the unfortunate failure of the Wii U, is that all the amazing games that no one got to experience on that console are being polished up, packed with extra features and rereleased on The Switch. This update of the racing classic is easily the beat instalment yet, with all your favourite characters and racetracks (48 in total!), as well as tons of new ones. To be specific, what you get in this deluxe edition is the original game, all previously released DLC, new characters and vehicles, two new weapons, and a completely revamped Battle mode including eight battle arenas. Whether you’re new to the series, or an old master, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has everything you need from a multiplayer racing game, just try not to explode with rage when your little brother beats you by ½ a second. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |
The classic Nintendo adventure game is back and takes the Zelda franchise to a whole new level, producing a game that not only reinvents the series, but celebrates its history at the same time. The Legend of Zelda games will never be the same
Step into the world of Zelda once again! Breath of the Wild is a boundary-breaking, action adventure game set in the land of Hyrule, and puts you once again in the shoes of the young warrior Link. Travel across vast fields, wade through spooky forests and battle the elements as you traverse up terrifying mountain sides, all while battling monsters in the hope of saving Princess Zelda. An open-world game, this is simplify put one big level that you can tackle in any way you see possible. Want to run into battle headfirst? Or capture a wild horse and train it to be your loyal ally? Or maybe you just want to take it easy and cook some carrots? It’s completely open to you how you tackle this adventure. Breath of the Wild is considered a truly ground-breaking game, and if you’re looking for an epic adventure, there’s none better. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Luigi's Mansion 3 |
Mario’s timid brother Luigi is out on his own, this time tackling ghosts and solving mysteries in this fun and inventive puzzle game from Nintendo that is part Ghostbusters, part puzzle-solver. Who you gonna call? Well, Luigi obviously
Although sometimes forgotten by the general public, Luigi is every bit as iconic in the gaming world as his shorter sibling. The Luigi Mansion series has always flown under the radar, but over time has gained a loyal following, and with the 3rd chapter, we have the best game yet. The game is not your typical ‘Mario-style’ game, with little emphasise on the classic Mario tropes such as running and jumping that we’re all used to; instead you’ll be solving puzzles and sucking up pesky ghosts with your trusty Poltergust G-00. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is charming, very funny and has some of the most rich and delightful presentation ever seen in a game set in the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as some deceivingly tricky puzzles that’ll have you scratching your head for a good few minutes before the lightbulb goes off. Don’t wait till Halloween and start hunting those ghosts now. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Pokémon Sword and Shield |
The behemoth that is Pokémon is back, and for the first time ever is on a home-console! Collect Pokémon and train them to battle in this immense and sprawling RPG that lives by its classic catchphrase – Gotta catch ‘em all!
Pokémon is a cultural icon and having been around for over 25 years it doesn’t look like it’s ever going to slow down. Video Games, trading cards, Tv shows and Movies (not to mention the mobile game that went viral across the globe) have seeped into every part of pop culture, so it can be easy to forget how it all began. The latest version of the classic has the best graphics ever seen in a Pokémon game, and all the components of what make the games so additive. Work your way across wild and wonderous lands and towns, battling Pokémon trainers and catching wild Pokémon in the hope of creating the world’s best Pokémon team. There are two versions of the game as always (Shield and Sword), with their own different types of Pokémon to catch, with a total of 400 to collect! |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Super Mario Maker 2 |
Mario fans of the world, unite! Now you can play, create, and share the side-scrolling Super Mario courses of your dreams in this highly addictive sequel to the Wii U classic
Super Mario Maker 2 is such a novel idea, that it’s mad to think that it’s predecessor only came out in 2015, and Nintendo didn’t try and release it years before. The story mode of this game is your basic Mario game, and is mainly used a tool to introduce the player to what the game is really all about – building your very own Mario levels. Super Mario Maker 2 is without doubt one of the most in-depth and accessible tools ever seen on a console, and you can easily sink dozens of hours building levels and playing other players (with the indefinite number of user-created levels, Super Mario Maker 2 could last you for the entirety of the Switch’s lifetime). Super Mario Maker 2 gives you so much freedom to how you play, how you build, that it’s astonishing how well it all comes together. |
CHECK PRICE | |
|
|
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics |
Play and discover 51 board games, tabletop games, and more all in one package. This diverse collection includes games from all over the world across multiple genres, from familiar favourites like Chess to international hits like Mancala
Has there ever been a more straightforward games title? 51 games! Is there anymore you need to know? At LastVerdict, we love boardgames, so this was instantly on our radar the moment it was announced. This simple package, with an unassuming title and cover, is already one of our favourite games of the year. Nintendo have a real knack for putting time, effort and love into games that other companies would release quickly for a cash grab. From Chess to Billiards, Blackjack to slot cars, even toy boxing – Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics has a wide and varied mix that will keep family and friends firmly interested for hours at a time. It’s even got a small piano built in for touch screen play because, why not? |
CHECK PRICE |
Best for Adventurers: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild can understatedly feel overwhelming for newcomers but rest assured – Nintendo know what they’re doing. Zelda games are rarely a continuation of previous games, so you don’t have to play every single release to understand the plot. They’re Also typically very good at introducing the core mechanics to the player. Breath of the Wild starts you off in an enclosed area, runs you through some training tests, and then after 30 minutes says, ‘you’re good to go’ and release you in a huge open world full of danger and monsters. If you’re looking for a game to sink 50 hours in to (and more if you want to complete the Master Mode) then look no further. You’ll be spending your time battling huge mechanical robots, fire bats, giant cyclops and evil ninjas, all while paragliding from mountain tops, swimming through lakes and riding horseback across beautifully designed fields.
Best for Multiplayer fun Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can sometimes feel like the Monopoly of video games. Friendships can end in a split second if you choose to fire a red shell at your once best friend! While fun and massively entertaining, Mario Kart is as competitive juggernaut of a game that’ll have you screaming in rage or punching the air in victory. Play on the couch with up to four of your friends or link several consoles to multiply the chaotic fun to 12. If you’re looking for some truly hardcore gaming action, jump online and compete against some of the best in the world. And it’s not only racing, with a highly addictive battle mode added to mix up the gameplay, as well as the classic time trial leader boards that have you testing your need for speed against your friends’ best times. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has over 40 colourful characters to choose from, and over 48 tracks with varying levels of difficulty to race across, and it’s easy to see why this has become the go to game to play when having friends over.
Best for Family Fun: Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Imagine having over 50 games at your disposal to choose from when the family are sat around at home bored on a Sunday afternoon. Checkers, Ludo, Four-in-a-row, Blackjack, Sevens, Dominoes are just the tip of the iceberg in this thoroughly entertaining, and surprisingly well-crafted, boxset. Each game has a brief, but very helpful, video tutorial to go along with the text manual for those new to some of these classics, so younger players shouldn’t feel left out for long. Nintendo has for years been known as the family friendly console, and with good reason. They’ve always strived to include every member of the family with their party games, from grandma to the youngsters, and with this collection of games it’s no different. If you’re looking for a mix of relaxing games that won’t cause the family to break out in all-out war, then look no further. Having said that, the collection does include a game called War, but don’t worry, it’s a card game.
Best Single player: Super Mario Odyssey
Do we even need to go into detail about why a Super Mario game is the best game to buy if you’re looking for a great one player experience? Nintendo have refined and defined the 3D platforming genre from day one, and with this latest instalment they once again hit all the right notes. You play as Mario, but this time you’re joined by a new sidekick – Cappy. In the hands of any other company this would be a throwaway gimmick, but trust Nintendo to nail it. Cappy (a magical cap that you can throw at baddies and objects) completely reinvents the gameplay, allowing you to transform into the baddies, trees, and even dinosaurs! It completely opens up the game and means that you can complete tasks in an almost endless number of ways. Add that to the call backs to classic Mario games of past, with its 2D sections, cameos from Donkey Kong, and beautiful reimagining’s of classic songs and you have an instance classic.
Best for Taking it Easy: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of Nintendo’s best-selling titles of all time. It catapulted the Nintendo Switch from a great selling console into the must have item due to its mix of accessible fun, laid back gameplay and some of the cutest, most charming characters you’ll ever meet in a video game. You start by touching down on a deserted island and are told to ‘get to it’ by a nice little racoon called Tom Nook. Build a house, make friends, landscape some paths, or go swimming – it’s entirely up to you. Just remember to watch out of tarantulas! The video game equivalent of a warm cosy blanket, all you need to do is sit back take things easy and enjoy the company of your new neighbours. What could be better than that?
