It's been one whole year since brand-new Nintendo Switch hardware launched alongside the first '2D' Metroid game for nearly two decades. Metroid Dread, with planet ZDR's mysteriously dark environs and Samus' super-bright firearms, was a perfect showcase for Switch OLED's particular enhancements over the base console and Switch Lite, demonstrating succinctly the benefits of the new screen's improved contrast and brighter colours versus the original's IPS panel.
In the week following launch, we published an article and accompanying video highlighting 25 Switch games (plus a handful more, in fact) that we thought looked particularly lovely on Nintendo's premium offering. Obviously, there's an argument that every Switch game will look better on the OLED, but we wanted to focus on experiences that we felt are considerably enhanced by the extra screen real estate and richer detail.
In the year since, there have been plenty of new releases that really pop on Switch OLED (as well as some that fell by the wayside last time — sorry Hollow Knight!), so we're back with another 25(+) games we think are best experienced on the newer hardware.
Further reading:
Does this mean the regular Switch turns the games listed below into unplayable eyesores? Of course not, they all sing on your common-or-garden Switch, too — and your experience while docked to your TV will be identical. However, if you're a handheld player looking for an excuse to upgrade as we approach the holidays (yes, they'll be here before you know it!), here are a whole bunch more reasons to help you justify that slightly extravagant, unnecessary purchase...
Hollow Knight (Switch eShop)
You mean this wasn't on the first list?! Look, we're rectifying that grievous error now, okay?
The crisp lines and deep, dark colour palette of one of Switch's premier Metroidvanias makes it the perfect candidate for a replay on Switch OLED. Those rich purples and silky blacks look both richer and silkier than ever, with the bright elements popping against them beautifully. Hollow Knight has always been a looker, and in handheld mode here, it's at its absolute best.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (Switch)
The outstanding art style of this excellent Switch port definitely benefits from a bigger, brighter screen, as do any text-heavy screens in Vanillaware's hybrid real-time strategy/narrative adventure. Anything which enhances the visuals of your visual novel (or visual novel sections, in this case) is worth investigating if you play a lot of them, and while we haven't filled this list with the many excellent VNs on Switch, you should take it as read that fans will generally appreciate the improved experience Switch OLED offers for that particular genre, both through showcasing fine character art and increasing text size to be easier on the eyes.
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Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Switch eShop)
For a game that's all about painting colour into a black-and-white world, you really want the best canvas you can get your hands on. The brighter whites and deeper blacks of the OLED provide just that for indie smash Chicory, plus the bigger screen means you can be more precise when prodding at the world with your sausage fingers.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (Switch eShop)
Honourable mention to The Cowabunga Collection, but if we're going to pick a Turtles game for this list, it will have to be Tribute Games and Dotemu's Shredder's Revenge. The perfect marriage of old-school gameplay with popping pixel art, the pizza-loving Testudines have rarely looked this good.
The Touryst (Switch eShop)
This is one of the best-looking games on Switch, with a lovely 60fps and a permanently maxed-out pixel count. Coming from developer Shin'en (Fast RMX), The Touryst is an absolute treat for the eyes wherever you play, but Switch OLED gives you a bigger screen to appreciate its colourful voxel art style and bright island-based setting.
Portal: Companion Collection (Switch eShop)
When you consider the vintage of these games (2007 and 2011 respectively), Portal and Portal 2 still look remarkable. Granted, the limited scope of their small, contained spaces — especially in the first game — meant Valve could pay all the more attention to those grimy grid plates in all those clinical test chambers, but that shouldn't detract from just how lovely it all looks, especially on an OLED which highlights the contrasts between the white panelling and the chrome and rust-ridden ironwork hiding beneath it. The RTX mod for the games on PC will make them look even more lovely, but the Switch versions still shine.
Alien: Isolation (Switch eShop)
As you may have noticed, the games on this list and the previous one tend to feature environments which juxtapose super-bright areas with lights and lasers against dark, dingy ones — something which the high-contrast, per-pixel illumination of the OLED screen is particularly suited to. Alien: Isolation might outstay it's welcome by several hours, but it's perhaps the best Alien(s) game ever made, and the Switch port looks spectacular.
BioShock: The Collection (Switch)
More darkness, more dinginess, more neon lights and shiny surfaces. It's easy to see how an OLED screen would bring Rapture to life even more vividly, but it's worth mentioning how the sky-based Columbia from BioShock Infinite also benefits from the bigger, brighter Switch screen.
Just Shapes & Beats (Switch eShop)
This one might have escaped your attention, but it's one of this writer's very favourite Switch games, and OLED gives it an extra 10%. A chiptune bullet hell bonanza, we'll keep recommending Just Shapes & Beats every opportunity we get; if you're a fan of NES-era audio and EDM, it really should be on your Switch.
Developer Berzerk Studio's Infernax, a gory and rather good 8-bit throwback, also looks pretty spiffing on the premium Switch, too.
ARMS (Switch)
Blimey, this is a bit of a stretch, isn't it?...
Look, we like ARMS, okay? And if we're away from home and want to get our Joy-Con on for some alfresco fisticuffs, Switch OLED is easily the best, brightest way to do it. More screen is always a good thing, even if you forgo motion control for manual, and as one of Switch's most colourful games (which is saying something), it feels particularly good on SwOLED.
Comments 50
When I get an OLED, I'll play Alien Isolation first, then I'll but Fatal Frame.
Wonder Boy Dragon's Trap is beautiful on the OLED.
Pokemon always is better in handheld mode too! Especially on the awesome OLED. makes those skanky cheapo graphics looks better than on TV.
Eh, the OLED wowness kinda wears off pretty quickly. Yeah, the old 2D retro games look the best, but other than that...shrugs lol
Upgraded with the splatoon special edition and super happy with it
The new screen really transforms dark games. Fatal Frame and Dark Souls both look nuts on the new display. So much better than on a non-OLED display, even when played at a lower resolution.
The vivid ink colors really shine on the SWOLED as well.
Eventually I'll upgrade to an OLED, they're not scarce around here, I just need to save money (or kill myself working extra hours for 1 month, like I did for my Switch) and find who has the cheapest price for a brand new system.
I can’t get over just how brilliant Splatoon 3 looks on my Splatoon 3 Switch OLED. The visuals pop and it runs so smoothly! As someone who plays Splatoon best in handheld mode, it’s just perfection. And as someone who likes to play Switch games in handheld mode in general, I’ve never regretted buying an OLED at all. It’s meant for me.
Removed - trolling/baiting
Every game looks better on the Switch OLED! Especially horror/Halloween style games (Alien Isolation, Fatal Frame, Luigi's Mansion 3, ect)
It makes it difficult to go back to playing games on any of my Switch lite systems.
Both of my ACNH Switch consoles stay docked to my LG C1 OLED tv's, because I wouldn't want to play them in portable mode anymore...
@DTfeartheBEARD OLED screens are so nice!!! Especially when you get a screen that does HDR well! That is one thing I really look forward to with the next gen Switch is the possibility of HDR
Downwell is one, but only with certain palettes. The default one doesn't for some reason use pure blacks but instead very dark grey. Some other palettes however do have pure blacks.
I haven't tried Minit or Gato Roboto on OLED yet, but I could see them working well as well.
@IronMan30 Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (2017) is a baller game!!! Was a very great early Switch game and perfect for handheld and docked play!!! Really should play that on an OLED screen!
@HammerGalladeBro I do same thing anytime I want to buy something extra. It’s worth it. Bought at launch and since I okay a lot outside, it makes that so much better.
Side note, I’ve been picking up shifts last couple weeks since I ordered a steam deck and officially just shipped this week. I’m curious to compare the 2, but as long as I can play eldin ring on the go, I’ll be happy.
So..
All of them I guess
I upgraded to the OLED last year after having a switch since 2018. I am slightly impressed with the screen graphics in HH mode but to be honest I mostly play on my tv because I cannot see the screen as well as I used to. Old age sux. The upgrade in on board memory was a bonus. My BIGGEST regret of upgrading was losing ALL of my Splatoon 2 data. 100's of hours lost.
@Donutman you'll be happy that Elden Ring plays at a solid 30fps on Steam Deck on high settings. I recommend dropping the resolution and use FSR though as the system does heat up a fair bit when playing. But, have fun my friend!!!
My oled makes my steam deck screen feel a little underwhelming tbh. If I could mix my switch oled screen with steam deck power it would be a dream machine. Switch 2 can't go back now because it will be too jarring
@Wexter I agree, OLED screens are amazing! I could never go back to an LED/LCD screen. Hopefully the next Switch does support HDR.
Switch 2 with an OLED screen at 720p with HDR and most/all games running at 60fps would be perfect. Docked with upscaled 1440p/4K would be great as well!
@Wexter it's gorgeous. The colors really pop.
SSBU also looks surprisingly nice on it if you haven't tried that out yet.
@IronMan30 Which one? Wonder Boy Remix? The scrolling on that one looks terrible.
@bonjong23 Dragon's Trap.
@IronMan30 Yeah, that one looks great. So does the new one.
Wow it’s already been a year?
What about Oscar or Horace or Walter or whatever that one is called?
As a handheld gamer (with exceptions), literally everything is better with OLED. Every single game appears fuller, clearer and more vibrant on the OLED screen. Furthermore, the 7 inch screen increase makes it an XL model as well, which goes a long way to make everything much more viewable while holding the Switch at any distance.
For any handheld gamer, the OLED is absolutely worth the upgrade! Really love Pokemon Arceus, BOTW, and ACNH with the bigger screen.
@Vil BOOOO!!! Get outta here.
The Touryst is a stunning looking game. I bought it basically for the art style!
But which games look ~worse~?
To add on about 13 Sentinels, Vanillaware was one of the premiere developers on the PS Vita, and their beautiful painting style stood out especially well on the Vita's OLED screen. 13 Sentinels was originally in development for Vita, and the console's demise led it to be a PS4 release. The Switch OLED is the closest to its natural home.
Sure, but I'll still wait for a real switch upgrade because let's face it, old screen or not the system is practically archaic
I got an OLED for my family, but the kids use it so much that I had to get myself a Lite. Now I’m loving the Lite. The size, form factor, and light weight make it great to hold. The screen is good enough.
After having mine for about six months, I'd say it'd be easier to say which games don't look better because every title I've played on it is a huge improvement.
But if we're being specific, I'd add Wingspan. The birds really pop and the bigger screen is better for all the little details.
Removed - trolling/baiting
Im still not sold on an oled. If the games only look slightly better but only in handheld mode that's little incentive for me as i hardly ever play in handheld mode. Id rather save up for a PS5 which is an actual upgrade. if only i could find one without selling a kidney.
Every game is better on OLED. Six months later the screen still wows me. If you primarily play handheld, do yourself a huge favour and grab one. They are often on sale at 25% off in chain stores or online.
@Truegamer79 You raise the key points. Unless you play handheld often, OLED is a pointless upgrade. I don't even call it an upgrade; it's more an update. I would say, if you play handheld less than 50% of the time or only a few hours a week, don't bother. I play 90% handheld, so it's been a well justified decision. Even then, I waited for a discount.
Good luck with your PS5 quest. I'm already resigned to waiting another 2 years for a cheaper, preferably slim, version.
I am not buying , I am sure that nintendo will get us a new console very soon , and i have my switch for only 2 years .... Better sart saving money for the new console system.
For those of you who still don't see a good reason to leap to an OLED Switch because you keep it docked most the time, I'm with you, but repurpose this list if you've not yet upgraded to an OLED TV. I recently upgraded from a standard 36" HD 10-ish year old set to a modern 45" 4K with HDR (they're going for like $130 now?!) and even though the Switch doesn't even output to that resolution it instantly felt like playing on new hardware. Splatoon 3 absolutely glows on this thing.
Im not really sure of the purpose of these articles. Shouldn’t just about every game look better on the OLED?
I should play Switch games in handheld mode more often. In general, everything looks better on the OLED model compared the the old model.
@Ripplefield and it even shines more on a 65" Sony Full Array LED TV. 😉
@Rainz I can see the theme they have going here. The games on the list have a lot of high contrast. Much of the screen is very dark while others are glaringly bright. And that's when OLED's benefits are most clear. A game like Mario+Rabbids, or really just about any Mario game where EVERYTHING is bright, it won't make as much of a difference.
I don't know why they keep trying to make such a big deal about the OLED, I guess it's because the Switch has really been aging lately and it's pretty much the only real enhancement we have had. Thing is it's really not that big of a deal, doesn't make the difference more powerful hardware would make.
@AstraeaV Yeah the Switch OLED's problem is how a Steam Deck is only $50 more and it's far more sophisticated hardware.
All of the games. It’s all games.
I wish Nintendo would make a Switch Lite OLED but with upgraded hardware and also allow us to plug it in the TV. The reason I want a lite but with the TV option, is because the joycons are too wobbly and I prefer the solid feel of the lite.
Into the Breach? An ugly game is still ugly, even with an OLED screen. Not that looks are everything…
@Host-Migration The fan and battery upgrades/fixes were present in the rev 2 consoles, I found that to really make the console feel nicer as well. As for what you said about it being a situation where some games look better and some games look worse, that's the same experience I had on PS Vita when I compared my early OLED Vita to my later LED Vita. A lot of games looked better on the OLED, but it surprised me how a lot of games also looked better on the LED, usually the kinda games you mentioned.
Yeah no thanks. My switch plays the same games exactly the same way.
Just another article trying to get buys through links. Guess that means another one next week about eShop cards.
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