Best Switch Exclusives: 25 Must-Play Games

The Animal Crossing series has been one of Nintendo's most unassuming smash hits for years, but its Switch appearance blew up like never before due to when it happened to release. It came out in March 2020, just as pandemic lockdowns were beginning and people were looking for some social substitutes to spend their unused dining-out money on. Even outside of that context, though, New Horizons is one of the best in the series to date, simplifying and streamlining some of its systems while keeping all of the charming cozy qualities that made fans fall in love with it to begin with.

See our Animal Crossing: New Horizons review.

Nintendo is generally reluctant to hand the keys to its hit franchises to other developers, but that's been changing in recent years. Cadence of Hyrule is one such crossover collaboration--a rhythm game based on Crypt of the Necrodancer. Necrodancer established the clever rhythm combat formula, where you move (and attack) to the beat. Cadence of Hyrule uses the same basic mechanics with a Hyrule-based overworld and classic Zelda tunes. It's unlike any other Zelda game, while still carrying the series' unique charms, and that alone puts it on the list.

See our Cadence of Hyrule review.

A Swiss Army knife of a game, Clubhouse Games is a collection of tabletop and card classics all in one convenient package. A follow-up to the Nintendo DS game, this one features a selection of 51 classic games as diverse as chess, blackjack, dominoes, along with helpful lessons and interesting facts about their origins. You can also play local multiplayer with your friends on one system or multiple systems using a Guest Pass, or even link up your Switch systems into a Mosiac mode for certain games like slot car racing to make the tracks extra long and windy.

Fire Emblem has grown more popular in recent years, and the latest entry in the strategy series retains the series' deep tactical bona fides while adding expanded social sim elements. Rather than a pure military story, this game puts you in the role of a new professor at a military academy, where you'll adopt one of three distinct schools with their own roster of characters. From there you'll oversee their training as the threat of war intensifies just outside your borders, while getting to know them on a personal level. It's a massive game with multiple decision points leading to very different story outcomes, so you'll be busy taking tea with your warriors for a long time to come.

See our Fire Emblem: Three Houses review.

Less a game and more a learning tool, Game Builder Garage lets you make your actual functioning video games within a simple interface. A set of tutorials take you through some game development basics like logic strings and win conditions, and then you can make your own creations and share them with others. It's simple enough to teach kids the basics while being flexible enough to have created some impressive gaming feats.

See our Game Builder Garage review.

A charming indie game that mixes golf mechanics with RPG hooks, Golf Story helps fill the void left by the classic Mario Golf for Game Boy Color. You'll be able to explore 8 pixel-perfect environments and hit the links, develop your golfer with a rich progression system, and get to know a quirky cast of characters. If the new Mario Golf: Super Rush doesn't quite strike your fancy and you want something similarly RPG-inspired, this is the game for you.

See our Golf Story review.

Into the Breach is a brilliant strategy game from the makers of FTL. While that game has never made it onto any consoles, Into the Breach makes the transition here seamlessly, playing remarkably well on Switch. You pilot a crew of mechs across a series of turn-based battles in which you battle giant monsters, protecting buildings and other infrastructure from their attacks. You always know exactly what enemies will do during their upcoming turn, leaving it to your limited number of actions to eliminate or manipulate the level (and enemies) to avert disaster. That might involve absorbing an attack meant for the power grid, repositioning enemies to render their attacks harmless, or--most enjoyable--forcing enemies to fire on each other. There's an incredible amount of depth, and despite only typically controlling three units, you'll often find yourself spending several minutes on each turn trying to imagine the different approaches you can take before choosing the best course of action.

See our Into the Breach review.

As the first game in the long-running series to get the 3D platformer treatment, expectations for the Forgotten Land were through the roof. Despite the pressure, Nintendo and HAL Laboratory managed to craft one of the best platformers for Nintendo Switch. The title sees you exploring the eponymous Forgotten Land as he rescues helpless Waddle Dees and tries to find his way back home. A slew of Copy abilities are available to help with the task, and you’ll take control of cars, planes, and everything in between thanks to Mouthful Mode. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is loaded with exciting content, and it's a blast whether you're playing solo or with a friend.

See our Kirby and the Forgotten Land review.

One of the very first games released for Nintendo Switch remains one of the all-time best. This latest entry in the long-running Legend of Zelda franchise completely rethought what it means to be a Zelda game, making major changes to elements like dungeons, equipment, and traversal. It was an open-world Zelda game like never before, and it has already had a huge impact on other games and inspired imitators. For more, be sure to check out every Zelda game on Switch.

See our The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review.

Link's Awakening is a Game Boy classic, but the Switch version gives it a significant upgrade. While keeping the classic structure intact, it revises with a diorama-like presentation and a control scheme that takes advantage of the increase in buttons, new collectibles, and a dungeon creator that lets you make your own top-down dungeons from parts found around the world. At the same time, it keeps the original's quirky charm, including elements like cameos from Mario enemies.

See our The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening review.

While Mario may be known as the more adventurous brother, Luigi has carved out a nice niche for himself as a professional (if cowardly) ghost-hunter. Luigi's Mansion 3 takes him to a haunted hotel, where his best friends and brother have been captured by a wicked specter. The hotel structure divides the game into distinct puzzle sections made up of a few floors at a time. With new gadgets and a beautiful presentation, this is a sweet little spooky treat. One standout star is Gooigi, a little slime version of everyone's favorite brother-plumber, who assists in puzzle challenges. The game also sports co-op so you can scare up some fun with your friends.

See our Luigi's Mansion 3 review.

Definitely one of the strangest concepts in recent memory, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle teams Nintendo's mascot with Ubisoft's bonkers bunnies. The game itself is a turn-based cover shooter, similar to an XCOM, except much cuter. Mario and his friends team up with Rabbid-based imitators to take down an encroaching darkness. It was widely praised enough to warrant a sequel, Sparks of Hope, coming next year.

See our Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle review.

Mario Kart 8 appeared on the Wii U, but the Switch version is where it really earned its (racing) stripes. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Switch's best-selling game, thanks to its huge amount of content, rock-solid racing mechanics, and beautiful, colorful presentation. As the Deluxe version, it includes the extra tracks and racers that were added post-launch on the Wii U version, which introduced characters like Link, Isabella, and Squid Kid.

See our Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review.

It’s not Metroid Prime 4, but Metroid Dread is certainly worthy of the Metroid moniker. This time around, Samus is investigating a strange transmission coming from Planet ZDR--which happens to be ruled by gigantic, deadly robots. It plays out like past entries in the series, with a variety of unlockable gadgets and abilities granting you access to previously inaccessible sections of the map, but its smooth platforming and enhanced combat make it stand out. The side-scrolling format gives Dread a nostalgic feel, but its modernized flourishes make it a step in a bold new direction for the long dormant series. It's also just quite wild that Nintendo released a new side-scrolling Metroid a whopping 19 years after the last one.

See our Metroid Dread review.

Capcom's hit action-adventure franchise has gotten much more attention since the advent of Monster Hunter World, but Nintendo's handheld hybrid got its own exclusive entry as well. Monster Hunter Rise takes some of the quality-of-life upgrades that made World such a success and fits them into a Switch structure, along with some new additions like the Palamute companions and a new Wirebug grapple tool to get around with speed and style. It's also a remarkable step up from the previous Monster Hunter game on Switch, offering the same sort of large, open levels to explore as World--but with the added mobility the Wirebug affords.

See our Monster Hunter Rise review.

Pokemon Snap on the Nintendo 64 was a quirky idea--a photo safari starring Pokemon instead of real-life animals. Fans have been calling for a sequel for years, and now Nintendo finally introduced one. New Pokemon Snap doesn't break the mold of its predecessor, but it provides a wide array of new environments bustling with Pokemon activity to document. It's a chill, relaxing experience to ride through the jungle snapping pictures of your favorite creatures, and Nintendo has supported it post-launch with new areas and mechanics.

See our New Pokemon Snap review.

Whether you’re a Diamond and Pearl veteran or newcomer to the series, the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remakes are without a doubt the best way to experience the nostalgic action. The original experience remains largely intact, although you’ll be treated to an adorable new art style and a bevy of quality-of-life changes. This includes a new auto-save feature, an expanded underground, and a useful pause menu that gives you hints on where to go next. The Sinnoh region has never looked better, and Pokemon fans will find little to complain about with this refreshed duo.

See our Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl review.

The latest main entry in the beloved Pokemon series is, as you might expect, a massive monster-collecting adventure. This one takes you to the Galar region, a new area loosely based on the UK, which is chock-full of brand-new pocket monsters as well as old favorites returning, some with special Galarian evolutions. This one introduces Gigantimax Pokemon, which have the special ability to grow kaiju-sized for massive battles, as well as Raid dungeons to capture massive Gigantimax Pokemon with your friends. It also introduces Wild areas, large expansive environments where you can see Pokemon wandering freely and control the camera freely.

See our Pokemon Sword and Shield review.

After releasing formulaic titles for the better part of a decade, the Pokemon series got a much-needed adrenaline shot in the form of Legends: Arceus. Instead of the usual formula (that is, catching Pokemon, leveling them, and fighting Gym Leaders), Arceus tasks you with compiling the world’s first Pokedex. It also brought a variety of new gameplay mechanics, as you could now sneak up on Pokemon and capture them without ever entering combat. The vibrant creatures inhabiting the land are still core to your experience, but Arceus’ new, adventure-based experience is a breath of fresh air for a franchise that was at risk of becoming stale.

See our Pokemon Legends: Arceus review.

Nintendo's latest foray into the fitness industry trades the Wii's balance board for a resistance ring that attaches to your Joy-Con controller to measure your progress. But while games like Wii Fit were essentially progress tracking programs, Ring Fit Adventure is a full-fledged RPG, complete with boss battles and progression. Fans say this helps keep them coming back and keeping to their exercise routine.

See our Ring Fit Adventure review.

Shin Megami Tensei V stands as one of the best JRPGs on Switch. The turn-based adventure is set in a Tokyo that’s been decimated by an apocalyptic event--which has also managed to give your main character a host of otherworldly powers. Its narrative is just as complicated as you’d expect from a Shin Megami JRPG, and its turn-based encounters are both exhilarating and strategic. You’ll need to carefully plan your attack during each battle, keeping an eye out for enemy weaknesses and doing everything in your power to keep your party alive. You’ll get the most out of the experience if you’ve played a few others in the series, although newcomers can still dive in and have a lot of fun in its well-crafted world.

See our Shin Megami Tensei V review.

Super Mario 3D World's re-release from Wii U makes it not quite an exclusive, but half of the package can only be found on Switch. Bowser's Fury is an inventive open-world Mario game with a unique structure. You can bank power-ups and choose your own order of stage challenges to gather special Cat Shines, and then engage in a massive kaiju battle against a corrupted Bowser. It's shorter than the average Mario game, but it's also a potential preview of what Nintendo may be thinking for future Mario titles.

See our Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury review.

The first Super Mario Maker on Wii U was a neat way to let players try out their game creation chops within a familiar framework. The sequel, exclusively on Nintendo Switch, expands the toolset and adds a story campaign (of sorts) with premade stages.Mario Maker 2 has a wealth of user-created content to enjoy and plenty of space to explore your own game design fantasies. You can pick up a stylus separately to create stages on the Switch touchscreen just like on the Wii U.

See our Super Mario Maker 2 review.

One of Nintendo's newest takes on its iconic mascot platformer is a joyful romp themed after different vacation destinations. This time the plucky plumber has a magical version of his red cap called Cappy, which you can toss onto enemies to take control of them for a short while. With a mix of inventive and satisfyingly challenging platforming stages and personality to spare, Mario Odyssey earns its spot as one of the best. It's one of the best Mario games on Switch, and for good reason.

See our Super Mario Odyssey review.

The Smash Bros. series has been a mainstay among competitive players and a huge, long-lasting hit for Nintendo. The latest one made a point of including absolutely every character from previous Smash Bros. games, so there's no doubt you'll be able to find your fave. Not only that, but Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has been supported by an unusually lengthy cycle of post-launch support, regularly adding new fighters, stages, and balance changes.

See our Super Smash Bros. Ultimate review.