Our top 10 Nintendo Switch games of all time, from Mario to Metroid… it’s all here!

The Nintendo Switch has an outstanding library of must-play titles, from exclusive new instant classics to retro-remade goodness. There is something on Nintendo’s little console that can be for all gamers! Releasing to the world in 2017, the Nintendo Switch took the world by storm with its hybrid form factor.

Picking just a selection for this list was tough work; there are so many fabulous games to choose from. Here are our picks for the top Nintendo Switch games of all time.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Few games can stand toe-to-toe with the mighty Legend of Zelda franchise; this epic action RPG was spun on its head with the release of Breath of the Wild. Taking everything the series had learned so far and placing it in a beautiful open-world version of Hyrule only scratches the surface of what makes Breath of the Wild so special.

Walking out into the vast landscape for the first time is already down in gaming history for its spectacle and majesty. Stripped to the bare minimum, Link must survive and find a way to save Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule. Along the way, you will face terrible foes, friendly townspeople, and the odd random stranger. Breath of the Wild is an open-world game that should be considered not only the best in the category but also one of the best games of all time; it truly is a delight to experience.

Releasing on both the Wii U and the Switch, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is a technical marvel for Nintendo’s underpowered consoles. Adventuring as Link, traversing Hyrule has never felt so joyful; from the dungeon-like shrines to the monstrous Divine Beasts, each nook and cranny in this huge world is filled with pure magic. If you have a Nintendo Switch and have to pick just one game for your console – this is it.

Metroid Dread

If you have never played a Metroid game, make this one your first. Returning to its side-scrolling origins, Metroid Dread was released in 2021 with an amazing critical reception; it is a fine addition to your Switch library. Developed by Mercury Steam, the newest entry to the space saga is an epic of untold proportions.

This 2.5D Metroidvania title looks absolutely gorgeous; Samus Arun is back and has never looked better. The tried and tested Metroid formula clearly still works, and Dread begs for the sequel treatment. Moving as slick as a whistle, the mechanics are introduced to players at just the right pace. Each new ability, meaning backtracking to explore previously inaccessible areas, is pure endorphin-boosting joy.

No other game in the genre does it, as well as Metroid Dread. From the new look of Samus Arun to the deep dive into the franchise lore, all the elements of the series you want are here and then some. And we haven’t even mentioned the EMMI – a terrifying new enemy that patrols its domain, stalking and eliminating any intruders foolish enough to trespass. It combines all this with some fantastic-looking biomes, along with the haunting alien ambient noises crafted to instill a sense of… dread. Metroid has a new king, and its home is the Nintendo Switch. It is a masterpiece, pure and simple.

Super Mario Odyssey

The Italian boy from Brooklyn is at it again in this 3D Super Mario platforming delight. Being one of the only 2D mascots of the 90s to transition into 3D successfully, Mario has enjoyed continued success that no other franchise comes close to matching. It’s hard to say for a childhood Sega die-hard – but it’s true.

Mario Odyssey isn’t just a good 3D Mario game; it is one of the best Mario games of all time. Looking absolutely stunning on the Switch, Mario Odyssey sees our favourite plumber head off on yet another zany adventure. This time, paired with Cappy, his sentient hat grants Mario the power to possess other people, creatures, and objects for a limited time.

Whether you are a lapsed Mario fan or new to the series, Super Mario Odyssey is a beautiful world-hopping, platforming adventure for the entire family. Taking control of that T-Rex is a gaming moment of all time and a damn good time, if I do say so myself. The challenge is just right, the worlds are varied and fun, and the collectathon within will pull you back to get every last moon well after you have dusted the main story – hearty, wholesome Nintendo fun on a cartridge.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

How do you follow one of not only the best Zelda games of all time but also one of the greatest games ever to exist? Simple – triple down on absolutely everything Breath of the Wild had to offer! Tears of the Kingdom did not have an easy task with such heavy expectations placed upon its shoulders. Somehow, though, Nintendo pulled it off once more.

Yes, the overworld map in the game for Hyrule doesn’t have the same impact as the first time you got to venture forth in Breath of the Wild, but that doesn’t mean Nintendo took the easy option of a reskin here, far from it. Not only do we have Hyrule to explore in full – but we have an entire underworld of the depths to explore and the sky islands high above the clouds. A literal toybox of options to explore, milking every last bit of performance that the aging switch can muster.

The improvements didn’t end with the world; however, the stick any two objects together fusion system has led to some of the most creative open-world moments we have ever seen. Using the new powers and making the most of each new area – Tears of the Kingdom is a worthy successor to the awe-inspiring Breath of the Wild.

Splatoon 3

When the Nintendo Wii U was in its twilight years, a brand new IP from Nintendo was unveiled – Splatoon. This neon-toned online multiplayer shooter seemed an odd choice for Nintendo, but the absolute fun in the paint-based antics pushed aside all doubts. Splatoon was here to stay.

When the sequel was released for Switch mere months after the console launched, many online commented on how similar Splatoon 2 was to the original. While this is largely untrue, the argument had some merit; all the noise around the topic fizzled out when Splatoon 3 finally arrived. Packed with content and new features, this shooter is a masterpiece everyone should add to their collection.

The third entry truly refined the squid-based paint-em-up, utilizing the far superior online functions on the Switch and the boosted processing power. The new maps are all fantastic and give some great variety to the game; each one will have you using different tactics to try and push back the enemy as you try to cover the whole thing with ink. Splatoon 3 is one of the best games you can play online with the entire family and the best game to show off your new Nintendo Switch OLED model, as the colours pop on the screen.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

I don’t remember Animal Crossing being as widely discussed in mainstream pop culture as New Horizons was. This may have been because it was released at the perfect time – lockdown. With people stuck indoors for weeks at a time, losing yourself to Animal Crossing New Horizons cute, charming, and relaxing gameplay loop was an ideal way to forget the realities in the real world. It’s also one of the best entries in the franchise to boot.

Animal Crossing: New Horizon has you setting up a new life on an unknown island. Far away from the towns, villages, and cities found in the previous games, New Horizons has a relaxing vibe baked into its foundations. The entire island can be customized and tweaked to your liking, making each day a creative journey toward making yourself the perfect place to reside and show off your personality.

Support and love for the game were pouring in from all corners of the internet as Animal Crossing fans shared their island designs, and the exciting buzz about the game was unusual for the franchise. Deservingly getting widespread recognition, Animal Crossing: New Horizons may just be the best debt simulator available. Damn you, Tom Nook!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The never-ending, chart-topping, best-selling kart game featuring two Brooklyn-based plumbers and some mushrooms defied the odds after breaking free from its Wii U prison and finding an eagerly awaiting audience on the Nintendo Switch. Mario Kart is one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises; pulling this one off the Titanic onto the new ship was one of the best ideas they have ever had.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released on Switch with all DLC from the Wii U version included. This is a meaty enough package, but Nintendo wouldn’t stop there. Further adding to the already compelling racer with brand new characters, tracks, and modes, the game earns the Deluxe tag and then some. Each new track and remixed classic is a wonderful time; the perfect amount of challenge and joy has been carefully added to make an amazingly fun kart racing game that all ages can enjoy together.

This excellent title was already one of the best games for the Wii U; bringing it to the Switch has allowed it to truly shine. A simple port and polish would have satisfied most fans, but going and adding all-new extra content makes Mario Kart 8 one of the best racing games ever. Adding in the better online functions of the Switch and new modes is just the icing on the cake. Control schemes for all levels of players and bucket loads of unlockable items make this game an easy contender for the best Switch game of all time.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. is a bit of an odd game, somehow feeling both like a AAA release and a hidden cult gem simultaneously. The fifth entry to the Smash franchise is the biggest and best version yet. Your goal in Smash is simple – pick a character and beat down your opponents till you can knock them out of the arena like a homerun hit.

Breaking the gameplay mechanics down to such a fundamental level is an injustice to the nuances that can be found in the game. Still, it is also a testament to yet another Nintendo game that players of every skill level can enjoy. The character roster in Smash Ultimate is insane; everyone is here…literally. Every character returns from the past Smash games, and they are now accompanied by even more fighters from all across the gaming landscape.

Pairing off Mario and Sonic back in Smash Brawl seemed like an absolutely mind-blowing moment; now we can see the likes of Ryu vs. Kazuya, Sora vs. Sephiroth, and many more dream matchups can be made from the 74 base game characters available. The return of campaign mode is here with World of Spirits, a board-game-esque mode where you collect the spirits of other fighters by winning matches and leveling up your character. Adding DLC to an already bursting seams package boosts the roster to an incredible 89 playable characters. Truly the ultimate Smash game.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem is a more niche title outside the hardcore Nintendo fandom – and it shouldn’t be. Three Houses is a fantastic turn-based tactical RPG that has sold 4.12 million copies worldwide, making it the single best-selling game in the franchise. If you haven’t tried the Fire Emblem series or didn’t get into previous iterations – Three Houses is the one you should make time to play.

While similar to past titles when it comes to overall battle mechanics and style, Fire Emblem: Three Houses takes a leaf from the book of Persona and introduces school-life elements to the series. Near the beginning of the game, you are tasked to teach at the school for one of the three houses found there. The school acts as a hub world to pick up quests and help out students and other teachers around the campus.

I am not usually a fan of school-based games, but Three Houses uses the setting superbly, and it doesn’t drown out the core element of the game – the battles. Each battle in Fire Emblem is turn-based and strategic; make one wrong move, and you could be forced to retry the entire encounter; think of it more like chess than checkers. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a fantastic experience packed with content. Replayability is also more enticing here, with you being able to experience the game in a whole new way by joining a different house on a new playthrough, giving you all new dialogue and a fresh lineup of fighters to take to the battlefield.

Super Mario Wonder

After what seemed like endless New Super Mario titles stemming from the days of the DS and the Wii, it felt like 2D Mario games were becoming somewhat stale; the excitement for a new entry was dulling. Enter Super Mario Wonder, the game that revitalized, refreshed, and, I daresay, saved the Mario 2D games in the public arena.

Mario Wonder is deserving of its name. It is still a wonder how this game made the 2D Mario games feel fresh again, but if anyone is going to pull it off, it’s Nintendo. Yes, this game involves Mario and company going world to world to put an end to Bowser’s nefarious deeds once more. Except this time, Mario can be an elephant, and Bowser used a flower to turn himself into a castle…yeah, story isn’t something Mario games are famous for.

The all-new aesthetics Mario Wonder comes to the party with are gorgeous; the new Flower Kingdom you have to explore oozes with charm and beauty. Platforming has never been so tight, and the simple removal of a timer for main stages leads to a whole new gameplay experience where taking the time to explore and discover new areas rises to the top, thanks to the lack of pressure to finish each level in time. Mario Wonder is a bold new direction for 2D Mario that brings the series off of life support with what may be the greatest 2D Mario game of all time.

That about does it for our top Nintendo Switch games of all time; so many more could easily be swapped in and out. What are some of your favourite Switch games? Let us know over on Facebook or X!

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