Nintendo Switch has amassed one gigantic Loads of great games since the console launched in 2017. Of course, this plethora of riches leaves us in a sort of pickle – too much software, not enough time to play it all. In fairness, it’s a nice problem to have. Help! There are too many excellent games to choose from!
But what are the best games on Switch so far? Well, we asked Nintendo Life readers to rate their favorite Switch games since launch, and the list below is the result according to user ratings associated with Switch games in Nintendo Life’s games database. As with our roundups of the top 50 games from different consoles, years, and series, the order here is fluid, meaning our best Switch games change over time, reflecting new releases according to their rating. This way you can be sure that it is always up to date.
If you haven’t already rated your favorites, you can cast your vote by clicking on each game’s rating below. Can’t see your favourite? Visit our library of Switch games (click the Games tab at the top of the page) and get a review. A game requires at least fifty ratings to be eligible. So, it’s entirely possible to influence the ranking of the best Switch games below and put your favorites on the list. And if you want to see the best Switch games of each year (i.e. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021), we’ve got you covered too.
Without further ado, let’s dive into this pick of the very best Switch games to play in 2022…
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
Despite the Definitive Edition moniker, the vast majority of what you get in the Switch version of Rayman Legends has been seen in every other edition. The only really new features here are, for the first time, a full character roster and a tournament mode for the soccer minigame. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad game though; that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rayman Legends is one of the best no-plumbing platformers ever, and its cheap price means the Switch version is the perfect opportunity to jump in if you’ve never played it.
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks / Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
The Switch isn’t short of games that have already bowed out, or several, on other hardware, but Skyrim may be the one that most deserves another look from both die-hard Elder Scrolls adventurers and absolute beginners alike. Despite its age, with countless small cracks in its already broken facade, it still exhibits a palpable sense of space that few games have managed before or since. May his dancing Northern Lights never fade.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo
Super Mario Maker 2 took everything you loved about Super Mario Maker to eleven. It has more of everything: Super Mario 3D World style, enemies, gizmos, powerups, vertical levels, story mode with one In fact Story, multiplayer and more (and of course slopes). The list of supplements is really huge if you take a step back.
There are a few small issues here and there – the online is still incredibly bland in a way only Nintendo could pull off, and the slight awkwardness of the button-based building is disappointing after feeling so natural on the Wii U GamePad – but you will be overwhelmed by the sheer joy and unbridled freedom on offer. Free updates and tweaks to the formula mean the game has evolved much like the original since launch, with Ninji Speedruns and various new elements added to this massive Mario toy box.
Publisher: StudioMDHR / Developer: StudioMDHR
Cuphead was an absolute masterpiece when it originally released on Xbox One, and nothing was sacrificed in its move to Switch. A run-and-gun boss fighter dressed up like a 1930s Fleischer or Disney animated short is the same visually stunning, aurally delightful, ankle-splitting, difficult game it was on the Microsoft console, and the Switch library is all the better present for that. The focus on intense boss fights won’t be to everyone’s liking, but as long as you know what you’re getting into we can’t recommend it highly enough. Just see to it!
Publisher: Microsoft / Developer: Moon Studios
What we have here is a flawless port of a game that fully deserves all the praise it has received. From start to finish Ori and the blind forest is a real pleasure to play. Challenging but never feeling unfair or daunting, and almost relaxing to control. The mesmerizing art style and musical score are the icing on the cake, making the player really care about the protagonist and wanting to keep playing until the end of the game. It came as a bit of a surprise that this game made its way to the Nintendo Switch, but we’re glad it did. An unforgettable experience.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo
Mario Party Superstars is a love letter to the parties you remember from 20 years ago. A disappointingly narrow selection of boards dulls things a bit, but it’s hard to argue that this is the best Mario Party in over a decade. While there aren’t many new ideas here, we prefer to have all of those classic ideas intact, rather than potentially tainting them with unwanted and unnecessary inclusions that are added just to be new. How to create a compilation of minigames, and with online play there are even more ways to achieve victory. Grab a can of Tango and a handful of 10p Freddos – you’ll be partying like it’s 1999.
But really, Nintendo, where’s the DLC?
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Square Enix
Triangle Strategy is an absolute triumph for Artdink and Square Enix, a fantastic blend of satisfyingly strategic combat, excellent choice-based campaign narrative, and top-notch worldbuilding, all coming together to form one of the best tactical RPGs we have. been playing for a long time. There’s a lot of content here, with a huge storyline with multiple paths to take based on your choices and multiple really impactful endings to enjoy on revisits. Serenoa Wollfort’s epic journey is a delight from start to finish, a grand and ambitious adventure that proudly stands as one of the finest examples of its genre on Switch.
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: Square Enix
As with any 20 year old video game, there are elements of Final Fantasy IX which doesn’t resonate as well today was as simple as it used to be, but the characters, the crazy story and the overall gameplay hold up very well in a modern context. The medieval-themed setting makes it a fun nostalgia trip for fans of the older series entries or gamers who are fed up with all the futuristic Final Fantasies.
Publisher: Atlus / Developer: vanilla goods
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a wonderful achievement for dynamic storytelling, as it produces a compelling and multi-faceted narrative that will keep you guessing to the end. This excellent story, combined with entertaining combat games, an eye-catching art style, and top-notch voice acting make for an experience not to be missed. It’s the kind of game that will make you wish you could play it again for the first time, only so all of its best elements could be new again.
Publisher: image & shape / Developer: image & shape
SteamWorld Dig 2 is another confident effort from Image & Form and a worthy successor to the original. Stylish and good looking, it also has the show’s trademark humor and, yes, a pretty good soundtrack. It refines and expands upon the qualities of SteamWorld Dig, reaching some delicious peaks. Whether you’ve played the first game or not, SteamWorld Dig 2 is a must-play – its charming aesthetic and cast set the stage for a tightly designed and clever exploration game.
