This story is part of Gamepur’s Best of 2022 round-up.
Five years into the Nintendo Switch’s lifespan, we’ve passed the point where the developers’ ambitions far exceed the hardware’s capabilities. Many third-party providers have struggled to get their games to work on the Switch, but for the most part, Nintendo has been able to use even its limited power to create some stunning and memorable games. While we’re almost certainly in the back half of the Switch’s run, there’s been no shortage of excellent titles for this little console that could do that.
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5. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Released March 25, 2022
- Developed by HAL Laboratory
- Published by Nintendo
Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple and silly. Far from being a groundbreaking title, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is more than a competent one. It’s an odd idea to place adorable characters in a somewhat grounded setting, but the charm of the Kirby series is still so present in the pink puffball’s first full 3D adventure.
With responsive controls, crisp animations, and a variety of unexpected left field power-ups, Kirby and the Forgotten Land sets itself apart from current Mario games like Odyssey—but there’s never a mistake in learning from the best. This Kirby title is also another reminder that games don’t have to have absurd difficulty curves to inspire joy or contentment. Sometimes you just want to play a bloody video game, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a very reliable one.
4. Mario + Rabbid’s Spark of Hope
- Released October 20, 2022
- Developed by Ubisoft
- Published by Ubisoft
It’s disappointing never to have finished the first Mario and Rabbids crossover game because after experiencing Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope it’s just impossible to go back to that first game. Sparks of Hope is just too big and too good a jump. Kingdom Battle was a good XCOM-like beginner’s game, but Sparks of Hope restructures that type of gameplay that feels faster, more dynamic, and overall quite tasty.
It also helps that the Rabbids are, dare we say it, pretty funny? With more characters and voice acting, the goofy antics and deadpan dialogue just hit a whole lot harder this time, and Sparks of Hope carries the torch of keeping hard-written Mario spin-off games absolutely hilarious for people of all ages. Now that people are finally getting over the inclusion of the perpetually annoying Rabbids after the first game was such a surprise, I hope as many people as possible enjoy Sparks of Hope and all the laughter and joy that comes with it, will experience.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Released on July 29, 2022
- Developed by Monolith Soft
- Published by Nintendo
It’s quite remarkable that Nintendo and Monolith Soft were able to make not just one, but two (three if you count the remaster of the first game) Xenoblade Chronicles titles. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has already proven to be a fan favorite, even amidst all the massive triple-A action RPGs released in 2022. With an intriguing story and tweaks to the Xenoblade battle formula, this could be the definitive game in the series, and even a good place to start for those who missed the first few entries.
Set in the midst of an absolutely brutal conflict, with protagonists bred for war and with rather short lifespans, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is quite dark thematically and probably one of the more compelling games Nintendo has released in recent times. Combat has never been more intuitive in the series than in this third installment, with the whole process of using your martial arts and combining skills among your party members flowing beautifully. And with a Xenoblade game, it goes without saying, but its world is massive – maybe a little too much for the Switch, but a great sandbox nonetheless.
2. Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Published on January 28, 2022
- Developed by Game Freak
- Published by Nintendo
We’re not so used to Game Freak experimenting with the main Pokémon series, which has mostly stuck to its formula for decades. There are absolutely technical cracks in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but as a departure from what we’re used to seeing in these games, this third-person action title was really exciting to play. Imagine living in a world where Pokémon are dangerous as hell, where stealth and survival are key, and where there are multiple ways to explore the topography.
Legends: Arceus examines the role that Pokémon play in this fictional society by going back to a time when the integration of Pokémon into everyday life was not yet certain. By giving your time-displaced character some busywork, this game creates a gameplay loop that can leave you obsessed. Catching Pokemon is a much faster action in this game that forms the core of this loop. Battles have strong and agile styles that add an extra element to strategy. And there are plenty of smart additions and quality of life changes that Game Freak wouldn’t include in future titles. Legends: Arceus is a great snapshot of where Pokémon can go in the future – all they had to do was create a game set in the past first.
1st train 3rd
- Released September 9, 2022
- Developed by Nintendo EPD
- Published by Nintendo
When the first Splatoon game released on Wii U seven years ago, it felt like an adrenaline rush for Nintendo’s IPs, and if you ask us, Splatoon 3 shows that the impact is still lasting all these years later. Splatoon 3 still retains the unique run and splash we fell in love with in the previous two games and is undoubtedly an improved and better game. The single-player campaign expands, Salmon Run offers quality of life improvements you never knew you needed, and multiplayer remains unmatched by anything else on Switch.
It’s hard not to be drawn to the new characters like the Deep Cut idols, or headbang from the all-new selection of songs. And even more than previous offerings, Splatoon 3 feels closer to modern live-service gaming (for better or worse, we suppose), with a constant stream of rewards, events, and new content. There are many reasons to get completely lost in Splatoon 3 – we haven’t even mentioned them all, like the new deck that’s included – and believe us, we’re still lost in them.
