When we think of Nintendo we picture serene and cosy cartoon adventures filled with cute creatures and lovable Italian stereotypes. But while there is plenty of Mario on the Switch, the console offers a diverse range of delights for newcomers and longtime gaming veterans. Here are the 15 essentials.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The cosy life sim returned with new characters, chill activities, and endless knick-knacks with which to decorate your own virtual paradise. Create a dream island and then invite friends over for tea.
Why we love it: “Animal Crossing is everything I have been craving: it is gentle, soothing, social and creative.” Read the full review .
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Lead your feisty war-students on to the battlefield in this engrossing, complex and endearingly melodramatic tactical role-playing adventure from Intelligent Systems.
Why we love it: “By turns grandiose and silly, but always engrossing, this bubbling school soap opera is a game to spend a summer with.” Read the full review .
Hades
An award-winning rogue-like dungeon crawler in which your many attempts to slay all the monsters in the underworld are wonderfully interrupted by suggestive conversations with horny gods.
Why we love it: “Interesting things happen all the time, in conversations and chance encounters as well as in battles, and no matter how long I spend with Hades I feel like I am only just getting acquainted with it.” Read the full review .
Hollow Knight
An eerie, atmospheric blend of platforming, tense fighting and exploration, set in an obtuse subterranean world of prowling beasties and expressionistic vistas. Dark Souls meets Metroid – but full of insects.
Why we love it: “A game that worms its way into your subconscious – the excellent sound design and animation are noteworthy, too.”
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Nintendo’s beloved pink blob has a 3D adventure in the cutest ever postapocalyptic world. Weird new abilities and a decent co-op mode add to the zingy appeal.
Why we love it: “Has surprisingly cinematic flair, and many of the levels are broken up by impressively slick cutscenes. A rip-roaring orchestral soundtrack also helps elevate this adorable hero’s outing.” Read the full review .
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Link goes back to a significantly transformed Hyrule aiming to rescue Zelda from the wicked despot Ganon. It offers an exceptionally creative approach to open-world exploration, brimming with delightful concepts. The game’s successor, Tears of the Kingdom, is equally impressive as well.
Why we love it: “A game that marries the best bits of the franchise’s long history with the best bits of the rest of the gaming world, and produces something even greater than the sum of its parts.” Read the full review .
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The ultimate cartoon racing game of all time has been sumptuously revamped to feature 48 tracks along with an extensive selection of racers. Its exceptional multi-player mode ensures it’s a must-buy for anyone with a Nintendo Switch.
Why we love it: Mario Kart serves as a platform for enjoyment with everyone you know, regardless of their particular abilities, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stands out as the finest and most adaptable iteration of this experience. Read the full review .
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
A complete reinvention of the classic Pokémon adventure, with a more challenging capture system and a truly explorable open-world environment. One for Pokémon veterans who are tired of the same old formula – newcomers should go for Pokémon Sword and Shield instead.
Why we love it: This bold remake charts a thrilling new course for Pokémon, successfully reinstating the long-missing sense of adventure… The joyous thrill of anticipation has returned. Read the full review .
Sea of Stars
A gorgeous, heartfelt tribute to the classic Japanese role-playing games of the 1990s, with a typically epic story of magic and adventure, and tense turn-based battles.
Why we love it: “Attention to detail is what makes the game such a fabulous way to while away evenings … Sea of Stars is no shallow mirror of RPGs past. Its depth and sparkle make it a modern classic in its own right.” Read the full review .
Splatoon 3
Another round of paint-splattered multiplayer mayhem for people who like the idea of online shooters but can’t deal with the guns, gore and glorification of military hardware.
Why we love it: “Splatoon 3 doesn’t offer something different, it offers more: more fashions, more modes, more ways to spend time in its messy, chaotic universe, alone or together. It is delightful to be back.” Read the full review .
Stardew Valley
A beautiful homage to the Harvest Moon series, in which you farm, explore and socialise to your heart’s content. The cosiest of cosy games.
Why we love it: “Part farming sim, part role-playing adventure, Stardew Valley was the surprise indie hit of the year, offering charm, wit and a beautiful little world.”
Super Mario Odyssey
When predatory Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach yet again, Mario takes his sentient hat across the galaxy, from deserts to the big city, to track her down – with utterly delightful results.
Why we love it: “A truly joyful, fizzily creative game that revels in the pleasures of movement and surreal humour.” Read the full review .
Super Mario Bros Wonder
Mario returns to his side-scrolling roots in this 2023 adventure which is rich, not only in nostalgia, but in inventive and vaguely hallucinogenic new ideas. A modern family classic.
Why we love it: “This is a wonderful introduction to the fizzy creativity and attention to detail that has made Mario a family staple for nearly 40 years.” Read the full review .
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Nintendo’s unconventional multiplayer brawler returns with a diverse cast of pugilists from Pac-Man to Solid Snake. A staple competitive game that has been at the centre of countless housemate rivalries.
Why we love it: “A palpable love of video games infuses everything, and references to their colourful history are omnipresent, from iconic and world-famous series to esoteric games that you thought nobody else even remembered.” Read the full review .
Tetris 99
The iconic falling-block puzzle game makes an unexpected return as a battle royale multiplayer showdown – and after you overcome just how bizarre this transformation is, you discover it’s incredibly hard to put down.
Why we love it: I find myself embarrassingly unable to put it down — twice while composing this, I had to pause and dive back in for another go. Similar to most battle royale games, each near-victory only fuels my desire for more. Read more here .