TOP 10 Nintendo Switch Exclusives

10. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Super Mario 3D World was a standout title for the Wii U, offering all the classic 3D action from the Mushroom Kingdom we’ve come to expect from the series. And while it’s great now that it's available on the Switch, the real selling point of this package is the brand new Bower’s Fury mode. This sees you play as our moustachioed hero as he teams up with Bowser Jr. to defeat daddy Bowser, who’s been transformed into Fury Bowser by a mysterious inky substance. With a big open world to explore, new power-ups and abilities to try out, and the option for co-op action, this is a title you won’t want to miss.

9. Pikmin 3 Deluxe

The third entry in the delightfully quirky series, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is an RTS, in which you control three interplanetary explorers looking for food to sustain their starving world. They, in turn, control plant-like beings called Pikmin, who help you as you search for items and avoid being eaten by native beasties. The deluxe edition adds some equally fantastic content and small quality of life updates to ensure there’s enough to please new and old fans alike. If you’re looking for the perfect balance between action, strategy, pressure and fun, look no further.

8. Pokémon Sword / Shield

Arguably the most popular handheld RPG series ever, Pokemon Sword and Shield prove the franchise is as strong as it’s ever been. Taking the adventure to a pseudo-London setting, it’s one of, if not the prettiest Pokemon experiences ever. Couple this with a great soundtrack, as well as all the classic battles and exploration fun, and you’ve got one of the definitive Pokemon generations. 

7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The most complete, immersive and downright best Animal Crossing game to date, playing New Horizons is a joyous experience. There’s so much to see, do and explore as you help build your new home town, and it’s easy to lose several blissful hours doing jobs that would seem mundane in the real world. But such is the magic of Animal Crossing, even the every day is made to feel pleasant.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

A remake of one of the most beloved and bizarre Zelda titles, this has to be one of the best remasters of all time. Taking the original formula, it rebuilds the game into a 3D masterpiece without sacrificing any of the original spirit. Throw in modern conveniences to make it more palatable to the modern gamer, as well as a dungeon builder and you’ve got one of the best Switch games to date.

5. Super Mario 3D All-Stars

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of everyone’s favourite moustachioed plumber, Nintendo have released Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of some of the crème de la crème of the series, featuring Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy. Playing it is like seeing the games the way they were always intended to be seen. The timeless art style finally has the technical support to show them off in all their glory. Whether you’ve played them a million times or just picking them up for the first time, there’s never been a better time to delve into the best of the past.

4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The king of the kart racers, nothing comes close to Mario Kart on the Switch. With the near-perfect balance between pick-up-and-playability and challenge, MK8D truly does cater for everyone. Whether entertaining your grandparents or duking it out with the best online, you’ll find a satisfying experience no matter what you’re looking for. Best ever battle mode?

3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo has been perfecting their Smash Bros series for the past 2 decades, an effort that culminates with the near-obnoxiously good Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The fighting/party game boasts one of the best rosters of characters found in any game ever, ranging from Pikachu to Solid Snake to Sonic and even the Wii Fit Trainer (because why not?), and each character feels unique, with a deep move set and individual play style.

2. Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey is a belter! Rather than resting on its laurels, Nintendo takes their moustachioed mascot and freshens him up in a new direction; new worlds, new mechanics and new challenges make playing it an absolute delight and a testament to the company’s expertise in game design.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe how good this game is. Never have we played an open-world game that’s so immersive, so deep and just so gosh darn fun to play. Every aspect of the game is flawless, and the fact it works on a tablet is nothing short of witchcraft. Trust us, it’s worth buying a Switch for this game alone.

TOP Nintendo Switch Party Games

10. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania

The Super Monkey Ball games have a simple premise. You’re a monkey in a ball, and you have to avoid obstacles and dangers as you race from one end of a course to the finish line. But it’s this simplicity that makes the games so dang addictive, and Banana Mania might be the best of the (banana) bunch. Featuring stages from throughout 20 years of the series, as well as playable characters from across SEGA’s roster, it really feels like a celebration and culmination of everything that’s come before. Easy to pick up but difficult to master, this is a great game to bust out if you’re entertaining family and friends who might not be traditional ‘gamers’.

9. Mario Tennis Aces

If you’re pining for the days of playing Wii Sports Tennis until the early hours of the morning, look no further than Mario Tennis Aces. The gameplay is as fast-paced and as fluid as a Mario Kart title, with enough power-ups and special moves to do what Wimbledon never could… make tennis exciting! Mario themed sports titles are often overlooked gems, and Mario Tennis Aces is no exception. 

8. WarioWare: Get It Together

It’s been a decade since we’ve been able to experience the zany, frenetic fun of a mainline WarioWare game, but Get It Together proves it was worth the wait. As expected, the new range of hilarious micro games will have you laughing as quickly as they’ll have your fingers twitching, but that doesn’t mean it’s all more of the same. Instead, each playable character now has different abilities that affect the way you tackle each game, and there’s a welcome focus on co-op too. This makes for a title that feels just as innovative as it does nostalgic. 

7. Just Dance 2021

Just Dance is the unparalleled king of dancing games, and this year’s entry keeps the party going.. Although it doesn’t revolutionise the formula, the selection of classic, kids and sweat mode offers enough variety to keep everyone happy and grooving. Throw in an optional subscription service that unlocks over 500 exclusive tracks, and you’ve got enough content to keep you jiving all year long. And yes, we did have to use a thesaurus to find enough synonyms for dancing. What can we say? We like to strut our stuff. 

6. Mario Party Superstars

Mario Party Superstars is a true return to form for Nintendo’s flagship party series, stripping away all of the bloat that turned fans off more recent entries. Instead, things are kept simple; you and a group of friends navigate a game board, competing in a variety of mini-games until one player emerges victorious. Just one word of warning - if you thought Monopoly ended friendships, you haven’t played a round of Mario Party!

5. Overcooked 2

The original Overcooked was one of the first games to truly show off the multiplayer capabilities of the Switch, as you team up with friends to play as chefs scrambling to get orders out of the kitchen. Overcooked 2 is equally as entertaining, and fixes some of the kinks of its predecessor. Sure it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but when it comes from such a widely celebrated series, it really doesn’t need to. The ideal MO of a good sequel is ‘more but better’, and Overcooked 2 fulfils this with aplomb.

4. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

This remaster of the cult classic kart racer has managed to retain all of the charm and fun of the original CTR, making it a great game for local co-op or tearing up the leaderboards online. But this isn’t just cheap nostalgia bait, and developers Beenox have added more than a graphical update. Brand new unlockable kart parts, character skins and customisation items means there’s even more incentive to be the fastest on the track.

3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The king of the kart racers, nothing comes close to Mario Kart on the Switch. With the near-perfect balance between pick-up-and-playability and challenge, MK8D truly does cater for everyone. Whether entertaining your grandparents or duking it out with the best online, you’ll find a satisfying experience no matter what you’re looking for. 

2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo has been perfecting their Smash Bros series for the past 2 decades, an effort that culminates with the near-obnoxiously good Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The fighting/party game boasts one of the best rosters of characters found in any game ever, ranging from Pikachu to Solid Snake to Sonic and even the Wii Fit Trainer (because why not?), and each character feels unique, with a deep move set and individual play style.

1. Super Mario Party

A collection of virtual board games inter-spliced with mini-games, this entry into the series serves as one of the last bastions of dedicated local co-op, and boy does it do it well. Playable for 1 to 4 players, grab a Joy-Con each for hours of fun in maps from around the Mushroom Kingdom. Couple this with current-gen graphics, and you’ve got the best Mario Party game in at least a generation if not two.

TOP Nintendo Switch Local Multiplayer Games

10. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

Mario & Sonic team up once again run, jump, swim and ride their way to the top of the podium. Featuring a veritable smorgasbord of minigames, the 6th entry in the series now includes a Tokyo 64 mode (1964 being the last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics), in which characters and maps are transported back to their 8/16 bit roots. It’s a nice, retro-themed addition that helps make this a must buy ahead of the Summer games next year!

9. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

If you’ve played any of the earlier entries in this series, The Black Order will feel very familiar, except this time all the action is team-based as you form a squad of four heroes to play in either solo or multiplayer combat. Now, there isn’t much in the way of a grand, arching narrative like we’ve seen through the MCU, rather a loose plot that allows for some awesome, mindless battles. But where it lacks in plot, it more than makes up for it with its character roster.

8. Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuelled

This remaster of the cult classic kart racer has managed to retain all of the charm and fun of the original CTR, making it a great game for local co-op or tearing up the leaderboards online. But this isn’t just cheap nostalgia bait, and developers Beenox has added more than a graphical update. Brand new unlockable kart parts, character skins and customisation items mean there’s even more incentive to be the fastest on the track.

7. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

This remake of the underrated Wii U title sees the titular ape at his side-scrolling best, with gorgeous animation coupled with satisfying if at times a little punishing gameplay. However, if you’re a fan of a more casual experience or just a bit crap, the brand new Funky mode lets you play as Donkey’s totally rad uncle Funky Kong, an experience which offers you more lives and greater resistance to damage. Proof that a surfboard can cure all of life’s ailments.

6. Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions

Based on the classic manga series, Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions looks to blend football with roleplaying and quintessential anime madness. It combines a solid sporting experience with enough charm and heart to really set itself apart from it’s more simulation-based counterparts. With local multiplayer for up to 4 players supported too, you can all share the over the top frivolity! Whether you’re a fan of the source material, or just discovering it for the first time, you’re sure to have a blast lacing up your vibrant, anime boots.

5. Overcooked 2

The original Overcooked was one of the first games to truly show off the multiplayer capabilities of the Switch, as you team up with friends to play as chefs scrambling to get orders out of the kitchen. Overcooked 2 is equally as entertaining, and fixes some of the kinks of its predecessor. Sure it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but when it comes from such a widely celebrated series, it really doesn’t need to. The ideal MO of a good sequel is ‘more but better’, and Overcooked 2 fulfils this with aplomb.

4. Diablo III: Eternal Collection

The standard when it comes to horror-themed dungeon crawlers, Diablo III should absolutely be on your radar. Although the package offers very little brand new aside from a Ganondorf armour set, it is objectively the most polished version of the game to date, making it well worth a pick up for old and new fans alike. A full local co-op mode accompanies the single-player experience, looking good in 720p and playing oh so buttery smooth. 

3. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection

For those joystick junkies who were let down by the slightly lukewarm Street Fighter 2: The Final Challengers, this is the perfect remedy. Comprising of 12 classic releases from the flawed masterpiece that was the first Street Fighter to 1999’s Street Fighter 3: Third Strike, this is an absolutely essential purchase and is sure to even bring a smile to M. Bison’s face.

2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The king of the kart racers, nothing comes close to Mario Kart on the Switch. With the near-perfect balance between pick-up-and-playability and challenge, MK8D truly does cater for everyone. Whether entertaining your grandparents or duking it out with the best online, you’ll find a satisfying experience no matter what you’re looking for.

1. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo has been perfecting their Smash Bros series for the past 2 decades, an effort that culminates with the near-obnoxiously good Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The fighting/party game boasts one of the best rosters of characters found in any game ever, ranging from Pikachu to Solid Snake to Sonic and even the Wii Fit Trainer (because why not?), and each character feels unique, with a deep move set and individual play style.