Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

In the Hall of Internet Fame, there are a fair few cats — and one of them is Raymond, the Animal Crossing: New Horizon villager and internet meme superstar. We'd put ACNH on this list for Raymond alone, but there are in fact 23 cat villagers in the game, plus Rover! It's a good game for cat fans.

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Piffle (Switch eShop)

A standard mobile puzzler on the surface, Piffle has players lining up shots to clear blocks from the screen. You'll need to collect an army of 'Piffle Balls' to help you do just that, before flinging them across the screen to cause adorable mayhem. There are plenty of different Piffle Balls to find and craft, as well as a selection of power-ups to collect. It's also heavily cat-themed, if you hadn't noticed.

Rain World (Switch eShop)

"You are a slug cat," reads the developer description of Rain World. What is a slug cat? It does not matter. It is cute, and it is the main character of this beloved survival-platformer game. And it has "cat" in its name. It's a cat.

Monster Hunter Rise (Switch)

Alright, they're not cats, they're Palicos — but we know they're cats, really. Monster Hunter Rise introduces the Palamute, which is a rideable dog, but for those of us who prefer cats, it's Palicos all the way. They help you fight, they cook for you, and they're cute!

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Switch)

It comes up surprisingly infrequently, but the tension at the source of Ni No Kuni II is a war between the treacherous mice-people and the royal cat-people. Even if you don't love kitties, it's a brilliant game from the excellent Level-5.

Inspector Waffles (Switch eShop)

In this old school detective adventure, step into the boots of whip-smart Inspector Waffles (who is a cat) and travel the city to track hidden clues, interrogate shady suspects, and unravel a dangerous mystery. But be warned: curiosity killed the cat...

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (Switch)

What puts Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl ahead of Smash Bros.? One simple fact: The former has cats. Well, one cat. Well, a Catdog. In most other ways, it certainly isn't Smash Bros. — but for fans of Smash, it's still a solid platform fighter. With a cat(dog).

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Switch eShop)

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is about a dog and a rabbit, but there are plenty of cats — and you'll have to find them on your adventure, because they're all lost! 40 "Lost Kids" are hidden throughout the land, and you need to return them to the daycare owner, Beans.

Night In The Woods (Switch eShop)

Night in the Woods seems to sneak onto every single list of Switch games we've ever made, occasionally under some technicality, and, well, the protagonist is technically a cat. It's a good game, so we're not complaining, especially because it has a special "Paws Mode" (like... pause? Yeah?) which lets you use Mae's mitts to move stuff around. Very cute.


In short: Cats.

What's your favourite cat game? And when you get to name a cat in a game, what do you call it? Tell us in the comments.

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.