With several years under its belt, theNintendo Switchhas had so many games launched. With that, it’s always a great time to look back at the Nintendo Switch’s stellar library of first-party and third-party games to see some of the amazing titles it’s had over the years.
The console saw a lot of solid entries in legacy franchises, along with some standout games in relatively newer series. There are plenty of great games here, ranging from platformers to RPGs and everything in between, and picking just one from each year is a tall task. Still, there are some that immediately come to mind as the highlight of that year.
The Nintendo Switch started off strong in 2017, with bangers such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Besides these games, Super Mario Odyssey is also very noteworthy.
As the name implies, Mario goes on an odyssey across many different worlds based on the classic trope of saving Princess Peach from Bowser. This 3D platformer has all of the best features of the series, all wrapped up in a really polished package.The art direction is stunning, and the levels are highly detailed with plenty of secrets to uncover.
Nintendo’s crossover fighting game series saw a return in 2018, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being a definitive package featuring an extensive roster of characters. All of them feel different from each other due to their unique abilities, and are always fun to control and play around with.
The game is notable for having every single character from the previous games, on top of plenty of new additions that were highly requested by fans. This made it the game with the largest roster of playable characters in the entire franchise. The game has aged quite well, still being featured in fighting game events and tournaments.
Astral Chain takes place in a futuristic city, with you taking on the role of a police officer tasked with fending off interdimensional creatures. The gameplay is hack and slash-focused, and players use Legions, which are a type of living weapon that is fused to them.
Developed by PlatinumGames, the game shares plenty of its DNA with other action titles developed by the studio, namely the Bayonetta series. The game offered a relatively unique experience on the console and is worth checking out.
The original Xenoblade Chronicles received a much-needed facelift with this remaster released back in 2020, freeing it from its Nintendo Wii constraints. The JRPG features a cast of likable characters, and the story is very compelling.
It also blends a few gameplay mechanics with its narrative in interesting and impressive ways, such as being able to see and predict enemy moves. The Definitive Edition adds a lot of new content and refines a few other gameplay aspects.
Metroid Dread marked a return of the franchise to its 2D roots,and it was a great one at that. You once again play as Samus Aran, but this time, you explore the planet ZDR, which is crawling with hostile alien life and terrifying robots. The side-scrolling level design is great here, and the stealth mechanics give it some uniqueness.
The inter-connected areas make for some worthwhile backtracking and exploration, and the atmosphere is great as usual. The game did a great job of feeling both modern and classic at the same time with its controls and combat.
Another Xenoblade game tops this list, this time being the expansive Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The story follows two main characters, Noah and Mio, who are from opposing nations but find themselves united against a common, mysterious threat.
The real-time combat system here was a big step up from previous installments, and it combines strategy and action in a balanced way. Thanks to developer Monolith Soft’s expertise with the console, this game reallypushed the boundariesof what was capable on Nintendo Switch’s limited hardware.
The sequel to Breath of the Wild built upon what was already great in the original game while also introducing brand new areas like floating islands in the skies and underground dungeons. Link also gained new abilities that let him interact with the world even more deeply, like being able to fuse various items to create new weapons and equipment.
This was the first Zelda sequel to reuse the entire map and be even more of a direct continuation, something that is relatively rare in the series. And while it might not be as genre-defining as its predecessor, it was still one of the best games across all consoles of that year.
The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom finally puts the focus on Zelda herself, as she shines in the first mainline Zelda game, where she acts as the main protagonist, something that fans have wanted for several years.
In this game, Zelda sets out on a quest to save both Link and the Kingdom of Hyrule. The art style and vibe are very similar to The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake, which makes sense since it was developed by Grezzo, the same studio behind these two games.
