The Nintendo Switch has been around for almost five years and is still going strong. The console's unusual home-and-away design, which allows you to play your favorite games on a big-screen TV while docked or in portable mode when standing in line at the post office, is part of its attraction. It's particularly useful for commuters and those who lead hectic lives. If you don't want to bother with a TV, there's also the cheaper, portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite.
The great games are another draw. The Nintendo Switch's first-year library was one of the greatest in gaming history, and new must-have titles are released every month. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a critically acclaimed action RPG that will be remembered for years. Splatoon 2 is an outstanding sequel to the fantastic Wii U original. Super Mario Odyssey is, without a doubt, one of the greatest Mario games ever created.
"You only mentioned first-party games!" critics will undoubtedly reply. Yes, since the titles are really adorable. However, the Switch boasts a slew of excellent second-and third-party titles, including Bayonetta 2, Diablo III, Doom, Skyrim, and The Witcher 3, as well as unexpectedly competent ports from past and current platform generations.
Retro and independent games benefit from the system as well. SNK's iconic Neo Geo games, such as The King of Fighters '98 and Metal Slug, have been brought to the system by Hamster, a firm that specializes in arcade-to-console conversions. Nintendo is creating its own pre-NES arcade games, and the Nintendo Switch Online service contains a library of dozens of NES and SNES classics, despite the system's lack of a genuine Virtual Console. Meanwhile, indies have a strong presence on the Switch, with titles such as Cuphead, Hollow Knight, Night in the Woods, Inside, Into the Breach, Slay the Spire, The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories, and Undertale.
In summary, the Nintendo Switch is the most appealing system, even with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on shop shelves. These games are where you should start if you want to live the Joy-Con life. They're also compatible with the Nintendo Switch Lite and the next Nintendo Switch OLED model, which will be released on October 8, 2021.
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1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons may be the game that defines 2020. Nintendo's little life simulator has always had a following. Thousands of gamers have rushed to their own virtual islands to find camaraderie while the real world has been shut down. Paying a raccoon's mortgage is a tiny thing to pay for the ability to enjoy your own social life once again.
2. ARMS
ARMS is Nintendo's latest attempt at a fighting game. It mixes cartoonish visuals, sci-fi weaponry, and arm-stretching boxing into an approachable, quirky combatant with a wide range of options. It's a well-made, entertaining, and competitive game with more than a passing aesthetic resemblance to Splatoon. Though only time will tell whether ARMS gets traction in the esports world, the game does provide plenty of opportunities to swat your buddies with fists.
3. Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2 is another great game that was released on the incorrect platform. Bayo 2 is still one of the finest action games out there years after its original release, and now that it's been transferred from the Wii U to the Switch, it can receive the attention and dedication it deserves. This game stands out as the apex of action games because of its tight controls, tough difficulty, and lots of flairs.
4. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
If the tale of a demonic castle and a lone hero in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night seems familiar, it should: the game was created by Koji Igarashi, the mastermind behind many beloved Castlevania titles. In every way but name, Bloodstained is a great Castlevania game, hitting the same notes as Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, and Order of Ecclesia. This is the game for you if you're looking for a fresh, fun Castlevania-style game that harkens back to when Lords of Shadow restarted the franchise and Mirror of Fate utterly failed to capture any of its shine.
5. Bravely Default II
Modern Final Fantasy titles have evolved into their own creatures, but games like Bravely Default II remind us why we loved the original Square Enix JRPGs in the first place. In combat, you have the option of doing several actions at once (Brave) or saving them for subsequent rounds (Default), which gives you a lot of strategic options. The diorama world on Switch is more gorgeous and nostalgic than ever before.
6. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
Crypt of the NecroDancer was a surprising indie success in 2015, combining roguelike randomised dungeon exploration with rhythm game beat-keeping to capture players' attention. It first appeared on the Nintendo Switch in 2018, and it's now returned in a new, Nintendo-specific form: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer is a rhythm game that is included into The Legend of Zelda. This Switch game mixes Zelda with Crypt of the NecroDancer to create a surprisingly simple and very entertaining adventure set to Zelda's iconic soundtrack.
7. Clubhouse Games: 51 Classics from Around the World
Forget about the latest video games. You may simply wish to play a game of chess, solitaire, or one of the other virtual antique games included in this collection. Not only is Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics a handy method to play some of history's most lasting games with friends, but it also does a fantastic job of teaching you on that history, including Nintendo's intriguing early Hanafuda background.
8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
There's nothing wrong with the Switch having a reputation for being a game porting machine. Although the Wii U wasn't as popular as the Wii, it still featured a number of great titles that were overlooked at the time. One of them is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, a follow-up to Donkey Kong Country Returns that offers even more difficulty and diversity. Funky Kong Mode, an easier setting and a new playable character (Funky Kong himself) have been added to the Switch edition of this game, making the shockingly harsh platforming seem a bit less punitive.
9. Game Builder Garage
Give Game Builder Garage a try if you liked Super Mario Maker as a method to learn about game creation. You can create anything from platformers to racing games to puzzle riddles with this extremely capable 3D game design tool. Even beginners can build hitboxes and control the Z-axis like professionals thanks to detailed, pleasant tutorials that teach the powerful “Nodon” scripting language.
10. Hades
Hades brilliantly transforms the harsh and controversial roguelike genre into one of the year's most addicting games. Fighting your way out of the Greek underworld while using a variety of abilities and weapons is a thrilling experience. The game's central family storey provides an additional narrative drive to keep playing. Plus, everyone is very attractive.