You’ll want to know which games are the best to buy and play, regardless of whether you have a conventional Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place; in this guide, we’ll list all the best Nintendo Switch games you absolutely must have and consider adding to your collection.
The crew is regularly reviewing the best Nintendo Switch games, so we can offer a thorough overview of the very best titles now on the market. However, if you’re interested in a specific genre, we also have specialized lists for various topics, which are shown below.
With this list of all the forthcoming best Nintendo Switch games, we’ve got you covered for the foreseeable future, so you’ll know what to put on your wishlist for 2022. Check out all the offers you can receive on a Nintendo Switch games bundle if you’re here because you’re thinking of buying a Nintendo Switch OLED.
Top Nintendo Switch games 2022
With this list of all the forthcoming Nintendo Switch games, we’ve got you covered for the foreseeable future, so you’ll know what to put on your wishlist for 2022.
Cave Story+
The first Cave Story was released in 2004, making it unquestionably the oldest game on our list. That PC version, which was essentially a fan-made homage to Metroid and Castlevania, was updated for the Wii and DS in 2010, and then improved for the PC and 3DS under the moniker Cave Story+ the following year. That is the version that was released earlier this year on the Switch. The Switch port maintains the same qualities that made it so fantastic in all of its prior iterations, but with the added bonus of being played on both a TV and while on the move. This is the type of lengthy, complex Metroid-style game that is impossible to put down, making the portable Switch the ideal platform for it.
Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo’s major Mario game for the Switch is an incredible masterpiece, with lovely levels and a pervasive feeling of pleasure. It is one of the best 3D platformers ever created. You still have a lot of moons to locate, and once you’ve finished the game, you’ll see how much more there is to do if you like.
Pokémon: Let’s Go!
Undoubtedly, everyone enjoys playing Pokémon video games. The Switch version of Pokémon Yellow is a charming role-playing game that is available in Pikachu and Eevee flavours. The two best Nintendo Switch games are similar but have somewhat different content. However, the much improved visuals and added motion controls turn this into an interactive classic.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild, a game that is already renowned, shows that Nintendo is just as capable of creating an open world as any other publisher on the planet, if not more so. There are many possibilities with a sandbox version of Hyrule to explore and some incredible tools to employ. This comes in a bundle that every Switch owner has to try, along with some deep and understated music and another great sorrowful narrative.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Despite officially being a re-release of the underutilised Wii U edition, the most recognisable racing game ever has become a massive smash success on the Switch. With its retro driving and item pandemonium, this kart racer looks amazing and plays much better. Furious last-second overtakes and outrageous defeats are assured, making it the ideal party game.
Super Smash Bros
Smash Bros has been expanding its fighter roster for years and just recently added Sora as its last fighter, bringing its roster’s size to the point where the phrase “ultimate” is actually the only way to describe it. Nevertheless, there is a tonne of enjoyment to be gained here, not to mention the huge singleplayer mode. Yet if you play it competitively, even just against your friends, you’ll truly appreciate the strength of Smash Bros, with mechanics that are simple to understand but have a stunningly high skill ceiling.
Hades
Hades is one of the best roguelike best Nintendo Switch games ever made and a stunning independent release. You take on the role of Zagreus, the son of Hades, and must make several attempts to leave the underworld. You’ll encounter unpredictable assaults and boosts as you travel, making each run unique. The tale, which shows empathy for a wide variety of individuals you’ll learn to know and love over time, is what actually holds it all together, despite the fact that it’s fantastic and captivating material.
Stardew Valley
The long-running and beloved universe of Harvest Moon has gone oddly unnoticed until more recently, despite all the nostalgia-driven indie gaming experiences we’ve enjoyed over the last decade. The best of these virtual agricultural love letters is without a doubt Stardew Valley, which enhances fundamental gameplay while introducing its own distinctive flavour. It’s accurate enough that Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons fans will love it, but it’s also easy enough that a whole new group of gamers can enjoy the joys of a pixelated rural life. —Janine Hawkins
Super Mario Maker 2
The successor to Super Mario Maker, which is superior in nearly every way, was brilliantly built on by Nintendo. You can basically create your own Mario 2D platformer levels, share them with others, and play those created by the larger community. You can also have a lot of fun in the single-player story mode by completing more than 100 unique levels.
Hollow Knight
This hand-drawn sidescroller, which is among the best Metroidvania games ever created, features a dark and depressing underground environment to explore. It’s difficult and doesn’t give you much guidance, but it’s still one of the most satisfying best Nintendo Switch games we’ve played in a while.
Metroid Dread
However, Metroid itself is doing just fine thanks to the unexpected release of a new 2D platformer in 2021 called Metroid Dread. The formula and history of the series have been brilliantly reinvented. You’ll play as Samus Aran once more, but you’ll be at your weakest ever. It’s a hectic process that often leaves you with little choice but to run, but the further you get through it, the more satisfying it becomes.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses, a fantastic RPG, successfully adapts Fire Emblem to the current platform generation. In this battle strategy game, you’ll come across a wide variety of endearing characters, but you won’t be able to save them all, and you’ll be forced to make difficult decisions on the spot. Three Houses tells an interesting story and has some really fantastic strategic puzzles for you to try to solve; since it’s only playable on the best Nintendo Switch games, we highly recommend giving it a try.
Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2 carries over a lot of the intelligence of its predecessor, but it also carries over a few of its flaws. You’re still restricted to two multiplayer maps every two hours until they fall out of rotation, a design choice that worked well in the original when there wasn’t much to offer but feels too obstinate now. Existing Splatoon players will be familiar with these complaints, but they will also be familiar with the game’s beauty.
The exhilarating plop, plop, plop of dropping ink, as well as the frenzied beat of each battle, the complicated game of dress-up that develops as you explore Splatoon’s world, stopping by Inkopolis’ main shopping district every day to see what fresh inventory is available. I am convinced that no other game has ever done a better job of capturing the sugar rush of adolescence thanks to its emphasis on fashion and its frantic bursts of action. If you’ve never played Splatoon before, you’re in for a real treat.
