TOP 10 Nintendo Switch Platformer Games

10. Ori: The Collection

What’s better than playing one of the most beautiful platforming games of all time? Playing two of the most beautiful platforming games of all time! Ori: The Collection combines Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel Ori and the Will of the Wisps into one package, both telling the story of Ori, a small white guardian spirit, who must explore and protect a mystical forest. With a mixture of pure platforming, puzzle-solving and a surprisingly moving story, these are two games that’ll stick with you long after you finish playing. 

9. Kirby Star Allies

What makes Kirby Star Allies stand out from other recent platformers released by triple-A publishers is its heavy focus on local co-op. Up to four players can jump in and out of gameplay seamlessly, with players 2 to 4 taking the role of former enemies, who have been brainwashed by big cartoon hearts (it’s Nintendo, just roll with it). In a culture when gaming is becoming more isolated, this really does harken back to a time in which gaming was a more traditionally social pastime. 

8. Paper Mario: The Origami King

The Paper Mario series has long been considered a cult fan favourite. Incorporating various RPG elements into the usual platforming formula, there’s a dedicated group of players who advocate them as some of the best Nintendo games ever. Paper Mario: The Origami King is the latest title to continue this legacy, thanks to its enchanting world and its charismatic inhabitants. If you’re a fan of more slow-burn exploration, we can’t recommend it enough.

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. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

It’s time to start a brand new adventure as everyone’s favourite marsupial! Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time manages to recapture the magic of playing the original trilogy for the first time. It strikes the perfect balance between timeless, nostalgic gameplay and enough new innovations to create something truly special. It’s not just a worthy entry in the series, but dare we say the best yet.

5. Yoshi’s Crafted World

Yoshi’s Crafted World is a really fun and charming platformer that is absolutely worth picking up. This new adventure takes everything you loved about side-scrolling games and turns it on its head. Playing alone or with friends, this game is a treat for the completionists out there with many collectables to hunt down through all of the adorable and challenging diorama-like levels it has to offer.

4. 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. 

3. Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2 doesn’t change the winning formula of its predecessor too much, after all, there’s a certain satisfaction achieved from building your dream level that can’t be replicated by any other type of game. Yet, tucked away amongst all the creation modes is Story Mode, effectively a brand new Mario adventure in its own right, built from the styles of Mario games throughout the decades. This alone makes it worth picking up, but even if you don’t consider yourself particularly creative, there’s plenty of hours to be lost to the creation modes too. 

2. Mario Odyssey

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. 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.

TOP 10 Nintendo Switch Kids Games

10. Splatoon 2

A multiplayer FPS game that’s suitable for kids and not insufferable like Fortnite - whodathunkit?
Splatoon 2 definitely fits the bill, replacing blood and gore with vibrant paint without scrimping on the excitement and addictive gameplay. It takes the formula of its predecessor and builds on it with the inclusion of a single-player campaign as well as a smorgasbord of new multiplayer modes. Whether your flying solo or squadding up, you’re bound to have a good time!

9. 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. 

8. New Pokémon Snap

After a 22-year gap, New Pokémon Snap brings the cult series back in grand fashion. The on-rails nature photography game will have you squealing with glee, as you capture shots of everyone’s favourite pocket monsters in their natural environment. Seeing everything at ground level and in first person is an absolute delight, and with a greater emphasis on narrative this time around, it’s easy to lose hours in this enchanting world. 

7. Pokémon Let’s GO

The latest entry in the much-loved franchise takes us back to where it all started, yes that’s right the mean streets of the Kanto Region, where you can now retread the maps of Pokémon Red and Blue in glorious high definition. All of the original 150 odd Pokémon can be found in Let’s GO, as well as their thousands of moves, their stats and their evolutions. 

6. 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.

5. 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. 

4. 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.

3. Mario Odyssey

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.  

2. Super Mario Maker 2

The perfect game for inquisitive young minds, Super Mario Maker 2 blends entertaining gameplay while encouraging boundless creativity. This iteration doesn’t change the winning formula of its predecessor too much, after all, there’s a certain satisfaction achieved from building your dream level that can’t be replicated by any other type of game.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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.