Terraria (Switch)

If you love Minecraft, but you're burned out on blocks, may we suggest Terraria? There have been many attempts to recreate the success of the cubey original, and Terraria is the one that's managed to crack the code by creating something that's inspired by, but different to, Minecraft. Its main difference is that it's 2D, so you don't need to bother with pesky corners any more.

Terraria has disappointed some Switch owners, though, since its price is significantly higher on Switch than PC, and the co-op — which was only added in September 2020 — is limited to two-player split-screen. If you don't mind those limitations, though, Terraria is a compelling, story-free survival game with emphasis on crafting and building.

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Multiplayer? Two-player split-screen couch co-op only
Difficulty options? Journey (start with extra equipment, and ability to control spawns and weather), Normal (drop half your coins on death), Mediumcore (drop all items on death), Hardcore (permadeath)
Can you have pets? So many — from monsters and snowmen, to penguins and the Companion Cube from Portal

Smoke And Sacrifice (Switch eShop)

When your firstborn gets surrendered as an offering to the Sun God, you don't question it, right? It's the way things are done around here. But when things start to go a bit funny, you start to wonder if your firstborn wasn't actually killed by that giant laser, after all. To find out what's really going on, you'll have to venture into the netherworld — a place where everything is terrible, and an underclass toils away to provide resources to the utopian world above, where you came from.

Smoke and Sacrifice is a survival game like many others, with crafting, perishable food, scary monsters, and a dangerous nighttime, but its parable of class-based societies, inequality, and the grasp of fossil fuels on the economy sets it apart.

Multiplayer? You can play couch co-op, with Player 2 taking control of Juicebox, your robot companion
Difficulty options? None
Can you have pets? You can tame some creatures, and they'll fight alongside you

Crashlands (Switch eShop)

Crashlands is an appealing mix of sci-fi, crafting, base-building, and goofy, entertaining writing. Like Don't Starve, it's a top-down survival game full of beasties that want to snack on your face; unlike Don't Starve, there's no hunger or thirst metre to contend with, making Crashlands a slightly less stressful experience. Plus, it's in space, so all the beasties are weird aliens.

Crashlands also has a story to keep you reeled in once the resource collectathon wears thin, so you'll always have something to do. Non-hostile aliens will ask you for various things, and you'll either have to catch them or craft them to continue the quest.

Multiplayer? TBC
Difficulty options? TBC
Can you have pets? TBC

Minecraft (Switch)

The original, the GOAT, the blocky eighth wonder of the world, it's Minecraft! The sandbox-exploration-adventure-survival game is apparently fairly popular in the gaming world, with millions of players worldwide despite being over ten years old. Minecraft's survival mode pits players against various obstacles and enemies, and although it's not quite as unforgiving as other survival games, you'll never forget the first time you fall into lava with all your diamond gear.

Your main sources of frustration, of course, are the mobs, from the exploding Creepers to the bow-and-arrow-wielding Skeletons who'll snipe you from a mile away. Early on in the game, you'll be better off just building a dirt house and hiding until daytime, when all the monsters catch on fire.

Multiplayer? Yes
Difficulty options? Survival (you can die, and you have to find blocks naturally), Creative (access to all blocks from the beginning), and Adventure (used for exploring player-made maps, so you can't destroy anything)
Can you have pets? You can tame dogs, cats, horses, llamas, donkeys, parrots, and foxes, and raise sheep, cows, pigs, and chickens. You can even make yourself an aquarium or a beequarium if you catch enough fish or bees

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Minecraft
Minecraft

Residual (Switch eShop)

Residual is a comprehensive survival experience that fans of the genre will absolutely adore. Exploring the procedurally generated planets feels a bit daunting at first, but when the game opens up and starts dishing out essential resources, it becomes a lot more manageable. There are a few teething issues that we hope will be ironed out in time, like the confusing inventory UI, overly frequent need to eat/sleep, and the slightly dodgy navigation controls, but overall Residual is a fun, engaging 2D survival game that can sit proud alongside genre heavies like Minecraft and Don’t Starve.

Multiplayer? No
Difficulty options? Yes, you can change day length and change a host of bits
Can you have pets? Er, you can go fishing?

Ones to Miss

Not all games are made equal. There are a few we haven't mentioned, but a couple of the most obvious omissions are Ark: Survival Evolved and Fallout Shelter. The former is a very bad port, which makes the graphics look like a PS2-era game; the latter is perfectly fine but better suited to mobile platforms. Of course, your mileage may vary, so if you've played all of the above and you're still craving more, well... you can give them a try, if you want!

Vampire Survivors (Switch eShop)

Vampire Survivors skyrocketed in popularity in 2022 for good reason. It's one of the best roguelites in recent memory thanks to its gripping gameplay loop and metagame that highjacks your mind. The Switch port only adds more to love with local co-op and updated content. It's so easy to slip into a blissful sense of flow in Vampire Survivors' Castlevania-inspired, comically named levels as its ripping soundtrack and satisfying sound design propel you into the horde that you'll surely lose track of time playing it. Surviving has never felt so good, and it's a good thing that rounds don't usually last more than half an hour.

Switch Survival Games

That's certainly not all of the survival games, but it should be enough to get you started on your masochistic way. However, if you think there's a glaring omission in here, feel free to tell us in the comments... it might even make it in to the list!

This article is one of our Switch Essentials guides which cover a wide variety of genres, including the Best Switch FPS Games, the Best Switch RPGs, the Best Switch Games For Kids, the Best Switch Couch Co-Op Games and the Best Switch Fitness and Exercise Games. We can also help out hunting down the Best Switch Horror Games, the Best Switch Racing Games, the Best Switch Action-RPGs, the Best Nintendo Switch Roguelikes, Roguelites and Run-Based Games, the Best Free Switch Games, the Best Remakes And Remasters, the Best Switch Music And Rhythm Games, Best Feel-Good Switch Games, Best Switch Open-World Games, Best Switch Soulslike Games, Best LGBTQ+ Switch Games, and even Games to Play After You've Finished Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Whatever your favourite genre, we've got you covered: Strategy Games, Metroidvanias, Puzzle Games, Party Games, Online Multiplayer Games, Local Wireless Multiplayer Games, Shmups, Twin-Stick Shooters, Visual Novels, Kart Racers, Fighting Games, Football Games, Funny Games, Golf Games, 'Walking Sims' And Narrative Games, Switch Games For Lovers And Lonely Hearts, Detective Games, Hidden Gems, 2D Platformers, 3D Platformers, Puzzle Platformers, Tabletop Mode Games, Run and Gun Games, LEGO Games, Sports Games, Survival Games, Beat 'Em Ups, Camera Games, Chill Games, Family Games, Retro-Inspired Games, Short Games, Card Games and Deck-Builders, and Life Sims And Farming Games.

Still hungry for more? Elsewhere we look at Wholesome Games, TATE Mode Games, Flight Sim and Space Combat, Point and Click Adventure Games, and the Best Switch Exclusives, as well as Every Arcade Archives Game, Every ACA Neo Geo Game, Every SEGA AGES Game On Switch, plus the Best Switch Ports, Best Wii U-To-Switch Ports, Best Switch Collections And Compilations, Best Cheap Switch Games, Best Switch Demos, Games That Are Better On Switch OLED, Switch Games Under $10, $20, $50, and Switch games with the Best Soundtracks and the Best Graphics. Phew!

If you're looking for the best Switch games regardless of genre, our reader-voted selection of the Best Nintendo Switch Games should help you out, and you can also find the Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. And finally, if you're interested in other Nintendo consoles and retro games, check out the Best Game Boy Games, Best GBC Games, Best GBA Games, Best Nintendo DS Games, Best Nintendo 3DS Games, Best NES Games, Best SNES Games, Best N64 Games, Best GameCube Games, and Best Wii Games, and Best Wii U Games, as well as Every Available Nintendo Switch Online Retro Game, and ranked lists of Every Nintendo Switch Online NES, SNES, N64 and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive Game.