To see the full, updated scores of all releases, visit our ranking of the best Nintendo Switch games of all time.
10. The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
Taking its roots from Edmund and Florian's Flash experiments in 2011, Isaac has come a long way since his basement explorer days. Undergoing a rapid rebirth on the PC, and almost all of today's major consoles, Isaac has found a new home in the recent Nintendo Switch. Unluckily for him, his demons will haunt him there too.
A punishing roguelike experience, play as the lonely Isaac as he tries to escape from the clutches of his delusional mother. He makes his way out of her reach through the endlessly treacherous halls of his basement. Face off against a horde of nightmarish monsters, and use your cowardly tears to eliminate your foes. Much like any roguelike or roguelite games, traverse through the infinite terrors of their randomly generated levels and the challenging curse of permadeath.
This expansion from Nicalis carries even more sinister surprises with 6000 new rooms, 500 different items to choose from, and 50 basement beasts to defeat. Meet new monsters, encounter deadly bosses, and fight to live another day.
It has a playscore of 8.13.
9. Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
This the third installment of one of Marvelous' many well-known series. Making its premiere on Sony’s PlayStation Vita, the servant action takes another step up with its recent move to the newest Nintendo console.
This warriors-type action game is set after the events of the legendary Holy Grail War. Take up the mantle of master once again in their newest escapade. This time, their victory in the war has granted them power over a wish-granting computer, and the servants of their former enemy. With another man threatening to control them, prove you're the better master and fight with them against a multitude of foes.
The game has over sixteen playable characters to choose from, all of them divided over eight different classes. Explore each of their unique fighting styles, and use your swords, magic, and violence against the malevolent foes that come before you. Or use their powerful transformations to instill fear among your enemies.
Packed with the same fast-paced combat, beautiful visuals, and lovable cast of characters, it's the musou game that we all came to expect. While it falls prey to the genre's lack of variety, it's still as addictive as ever.
It has a playscore of 8.16.
8. ARMS
Nintendo has always had an affinity for oddball ideas, and then making them work in an epic way. It's this kind of creativity that made them so popular in the first place. A plumber collecting coins and battling evil turtles? Check. A puzzle-solving warrior who dives into dungeons and destroys pots? Check. A fighting game involving lovable characters and extendable arms? You've got it! Their most recent IP does a two-fold justice to the company. Not only showcasing their inherent creativity, but also the unfettered power of their newest console.
With your JoyCons or a few extra pairs, gather up to four of your friends for some knockout, splitscreen fun. This game will have you throwing literal punches across the battlefield, in two different ways. Take your built in JoyCon pair and use their motion controls to punch enemies with your own two hands, or share them with a buddy of yours to swing jabs in the traditional controller method. That way, with just an extra pair you can maximize your Switch’s multiplayer capabilities.
There’s a handful of cool characters you can try on, with a bunch of cooler arms to tinker with for every battle. Mix and match their extendable appendages, and find the best combination to bring your opponents down.
It’s a weird, yet creative take on the fighting genre that only Nintendo could ever pull off. Go play yourself another match! It has a playscore of 8.19
7. Fast RMX
An unexpected gift came for fans of F-Zero, care of the folks at Shin'en Multimedia. For anyone who's been helplessly waiting for years, this futuristic podracing game has everything you want in a F-Zero game, and more. Offering to fill that void in your hearts, this is an expanded version of the Wii U's Fast Racing Neo. This RMX edition includes all the tracks and DLC's of the original game, with six new additions, for a total of 30 tracks overall.
It brings the high octane speeds of its predecessor to the Switch, letting you indulge in their whiplash-inducing modes, beautifully rendered vehicles, and overall exhilarating gameplay. Putting aside the F-Zero similarities, RMX has a little feature that differentiates it from the rest, and gives it a new layer of depth. Speed past tracks and collect orbs to make use of color-coded boost strips littered around its stages.
The game also received a much needed graphical makeover with its jump to the Switch. Enjoy their collection of stunning landscapes with their 1080p resolutions in 60 frames per second.
Despite the positive reviews, it has also seen some criticisms because of its reported “lacking” online multiplayer that pits you against strangers, with no option to play with friends. However, developers assures that a patch is coming to improve it, along with an additional time attack mode. With competitive splitscreen and brutal hero mode challenges, you don’t have to look any further for that racing fix.
It receives a playscore of 8.3.
6. Snipperclips - Cut it out, together!
One of Switch's most beloved exclusives, SFB's Snipperclips is a cut above the rest with its unique puzzle mechanics that fits the social gaming vision of the portable console. Play as Snip and Clip and prove that two heads, or four, are better than one as you solve a variety of papercraft riddles.
While creativity is key for most puzzle games, the game takes that to a whole new level, giving you the freedom to cut through each other however you please. Overlap two areas, and snip away till you get your desired shapes. Pop some balloons, carry objects, and catch a few fireflies.
Other than its main world, it also offers a party mode that lets you work on puzzles together with up to four people, while Blitz Mode offers a more competitive atmosphere, shooting hoops in Basketball, and scoring goals in hockey.
Snipperclips doesn't exactly show off the power of the console, but it's one of the most unique and original games yet. With its vibrant colors, charming worlds, and adorable characters, it does a good job of engaging children and adults alike.
While not as expensive as other games in the Switch's lineup, it has been panned for a relative lack of content. You might be surprised to see you could complete their main puzzles in as much as three hours, with no rewards and extra content for replays. Be that as it may, it's still fantastically delightful and satisfyingly puzzling game.
It has a playscore of 8.36.
5. Splatoon 2
With the jawdropping success of their original game on the Wii U, it's no surprise that the Switch has geared us up for a revival on a modern classic. The battle between Inkling versus Inkling continues on as spatters of colored blots fill up your entire screen.
Making a splash on the hybrid console, the game offers a host of new features to enhance the ink-splatting misadventures. Enjoy a double dose of excitement with the dual splat option, or level up your skills with your powerful abilities and powerups.
But that's not all that changed in Inkopolis. Set 2 years after the first game, the squids have also come back with a collection of new weapons and gears, and a sweet fashion makeover. Return to their trademark tough turf wars and shoot it out in a gruelling 4v4 that's oozing with color and chaos. Take a splat with your ink-filled artillery and choose from its wide variety of memorable characters. This time, the territorial feud goes askew. Brotherhood and friendships will be tested, and families will be torn apart.
You'll also have a taste of a more personalized shooting experience with their improved motion controls. Decimate the opposition with your improved JoyCon aim, and watch them drown in the hues of courage and vengeance. It also offers a new mode called Salmon Run that lets you team up with friends to survive an Onslaught of Salmonids.
There’s a whole lotta things to love about the newest Splatoon, and we talk about in more detail with our latest gameplay linked below. It has a playscore of 8.4.
4. Puyo Puyo Tetris
An unlikely combination of two iconic arcade games, SEGA's Puyo Puyo teams up with the ever popular Tetris to create another fast-paced couch multiplayer for the Switch. This game is for anyone who either needs a two-fold nostalgic treatment, or a light and colorful challenge.
Go on Arcade Sprees by yourself in its single player adventure mode or drop blocks and blobs with friends in a variety of multiplayer game modes. Go 1v1 in the intense versus mode where you pile up combos and tetris lines to send an enormous garbage their way. Or you could tackle the arcade-switching Swap Mode that makes you play both Puyo and Tetris at the same time, or the hybrid fusion challenge, or the lightning fast Big Bang mode for some next level competition.
Check in on your ranks in the online leaderboards, and beat thousands of other players in this hearty battle of bubbles and lines. Even with the game's simplicity, the variety of game modes ensures it a high level of replayability for you and your friends to enjoy. With both online, local, and solo gameplays covered, it's a worthy addition to anyone's collection.
This game’s weird mixture kind of worked, and there’s no denying that. It has a playscore of 8.4
3. Disgaea 5 Complete
With Nintendo Switch finally giving us a way to play console quality games on the go, Nippon Ichi Software took their sixth Disgaea title to the portable hemisphere. Since its release on the PS4 in 2015, it has proven itself worthy of the attention as an addicting, and silly, strategy RPG. Now, with their port to the Switch, you'll be able to enjoy its tactical depth, as well as its laugh, wherever you go. Combining all their DLC releases into one definitive package, this complete edition includes all 8 bonus scenarios, 3 character classes, and the four additional fan-favorites.
If you're not familiar with the series, it follows the tale of Kilia--a demon out in a quest for vengeance against the Netherworld Emperor Void Dark. Fighting against the Void Dark's army of one million, the overworld lords have come together--given life and personality by its outstanding voice actors. Despite its complex and dark themes, it maintains a cool and humorous atmosphere complete with clever dialog and banter. It's one of the things that made the series popular in the first place.
While it wasn't much to look at on the PS4, it seems Disgaea has made quite a graphical improvement with its move to the Switch. With the PS4's 1080p visuals, Disgaea 5 rendering looked drab and almost outdated. But, running in its native 720p on the Switch's portable mode, it received an instantaneous pop of color and sharpness.
Reunite with your favorite lords, and relive the joys of this wacky strategy. It has a playscore of 8.43.
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The most adorable racing game has made a mad dash to Nintendo's newest platform to bring their own brand unmitigated fun and disaster. While it might be a little disappointing not to have a whole new title for the Switch, it looks like this beautiful remaster has been a productive one at least. The most renowned Mario Kart to date brings in more surprises in the form of new features, characters, and improved battle modes.
Unlike the Wii U Original, players can now hold two items at once for twice as much high-speed chaos. And that's just the beginning. Other than the standard 1080p resolution upgrade that's expected of all games, it also has a new smart-steering feature, making handling much easier for beginners and veteran racers alike.Ride along new courses like Urchin Underpass and Battle Stadium, along with new appearances from King Boo, Dry Bones, the Inklings, and so much more.
Originally criticized for the boring online battle mode, this deluxe packs huge changes to the mode, giving it a whole new lease on life. With 5 new game modes and eight custom arenas, there's plenty more room to ballon bomb your friends for hours on end.
So grab your nifty Joy-Cons and set the pedal to the metal. It has a playscore of 9.13
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
As if anything could rival the sheer majesty of Nintendo’s latest Legend of Zelda title. Five months after the Switch’s launch, and after its breathtaking debut, Breath of Wild remains the primary game for the console. While it might be a good thing that Breath of the Wild, with its maddening perfection, has outclassed every release since its premiere, it might also be a cause for concern. However you take it, it’s obvious that this game is an absolute delight. Almost a year of waiting, and it did not disappoint at all.
Travel to the lush greens of the post-apocalyptic Hyrule where, bound by destiny, Link wakes up from to find Kings, Queens, Champions, and kingdoms have fallen. Follow him as he fulfills the prophecies once more to stop the evils of Calamity ganon.
In the first ever Zelda game to offer an open-ended experience, roam around its vast open world in a quest for discovery and answers. Do whatever you want, whenever you want, but don’t expect it to be another cakewalk. With magnets, time-stoppers, bombs, and much more, creativity is definitely a plus. Experiment with each of their effects, and use them to solve puzzles in new, unexpected ways.
Widely acclaimed across rating platforms and review sites, Breath of the Wild has been pegged as this year’s Game of the Year. And there’s no denying that possibility. Thanks to their open-ended gameplay, innovative mechanics, and beautiful environments, it has been a breakthrough for the modern videogame industry. Now, with new DLC’s coming up for the game, it looks like the adventure has just begun.
It has a playscore of 9.32.