Whether you own the standardNintendo Switchmodel,Switch LiteorSwitch OLED, you’re going to want to know the best games to own and play.
Luckily, you’re in the right place - in this guide, we’ll be detailing all the must-own Switch titles to consider adding to your library.
The Pocket-lint team is constantly testing out the latest Switch games for review, and that means we’re able to provide a comprehensive shortlist of the very best available right now.
Super Mario Odyssey
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Hollow Knight (Dupe)
Metroid Dread
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Metroid Prime Remastered
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Nintendo’s mascot returns in this gorgeous, sprightly game.
One of the best 3D platformers ever made, Nintendo’sbig Mario game on the Switchis an absolute masterpiece, with gorgeous levels and a pervasive sense of fun.
There are countless moons for you to find, and when you finish the game you’ll realise how much more there is to do if you fancy it.
Stunning freedom
Somehow improving on Breath of the Wild, there’s nothing else out there quite like Tears of the Kingdom.
Tears of the Kingdomis a direct sequel to the astonishingBreath of the Wild, and somehow improves on that game’s near-perfection. This time out the world is denser and more full of life and characters to meet, and the powers you wield are all the more free-form and wide-ranging.
Pushing the Switch to its technical limit, this is a game that puts more powerful consoles to shame, and an absolute must-play for Switch owners.
Peerless racing
A jam-packed party classic, Mario Kart 8 feels like pure racing mayhem from the comfort of your sofa.
The most iconic racing game out there has become a huge smash hit on the Switch, despite technically being a re-release of the underplayed Wii U version. Thiskart racerlooks brilliant and feels simply fantastic to play, with old-school driving and item chaos.
It’s the perfect game for a party, with furious last-second overtakes and unbelievable losses guaranteed.
Fantastic brawler
One of the most complete fighting games ever released, and huge bundles of fun as well.
A roster of fighters so huge that ultimate really is the only word - Smash Bros has been adding to its lineup for years and only recently called that all to a halt by adding Sora, its last fighter. Still, there’s so much fun to be had here, not least in an extensive singleplayer mode.
Play it competitively, even if only against your mates, and you’ll really see the power of Smash Bros, though, with mechanics that are easy to learn but have an impressively stratospheric skill ceiling.
Incredible roguelike
A near-perfect roguelike that lets you unfold a story over time.
A stunner of an indie release, Hades is one of the best roguelike games ever released. You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, and have to try over and over again to escape the underworld. As you go you’ll get random boosts and attacks so that each run is different from the last.
It’s brilliant and addictive stuff, but a wonderfully-told story is what really ties it all together, showing empathy to a huge range of characters that you’ll come to know and love over time.
Superb exploration
An atmospheric little game that we loved exploring.
One of the best Metroidvania games ever made, this hand-drawn sidescroller is simply sumptuous, with a mysterious and melancholy world to explore underground.
It’s challenging and doesn’t hold your hand too much, but one of the most rewarding games we’ve played in ages.
Tough action
A challenging but very rewarding platformer.
Metroid itself is getting on fine, though, with the surprise arrival of a new 2D platformer in 2021, in the form of the correctly-titledMetroid Dread. This is a great reinvention of the series' formula and heritage. You’ll once again play as Samus Aran, but this time you’re less powerful than ever.
With plenty of occasions where all you can do is run, it’s a frantic affair, but extremely rewarding the further you get through it.
Strategy gem
A brilliant strategy game with some fun social simulation as a side order.
A superb RPG, Three Houses brings Fire Emblem into the current generation of consoles with aplomb. You’ll meet a wide array of likeable characters in this battle strategy game, but you won’t be able to save them all and hard choices will come at you thick and fast.
Three Houses tells an engaging story and has some really great strategic puzzles for you to try to solve, and it’s only playable on the Switch, so we highly recommend giving it a try.
Cerebral shooter
A beautiful new lick of paint revitalises this essential shooter - it now runs like a dream on the Switch and is well worth revisiting.
Metroid’s renaissance continued with this fine remaster of the first Metroid Prime game, which looks all-new on the Switch and plays like a dream.
It feels just as intuitive and revolutionary now as it did on its first release for the Game Cube, too, with interesting exploration and power-ups to find. Its moody, melancholy tone is the perfect garnish for its compelling shooter gameplay.
Open-world fun
This fun open-world revolution for Pokémon feels like a real step forward for the series, with some technical hiccups along the way.
We weren’t certain at launch when it had plenty of bugs, but the reality is thatScarlet and Violetoffer the closest thing we’ve tried to a truly new Pokémon game. Their open world is truly freeing, even if it’s not as tightly-edited as those that went before.
It has charming new monsters to find and catch, a decent co-op system to make playing together very doable, and some really fun areas to explore, all without many constraints.
