Adding Mouse Mode controls, the expected boost to visuals with a 4K/30 option while docked (or 1080/60 if you prefer), Civ VII - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition also supports all map sizes and more players in multiplayer. As a 10-local-currency-units upgrade to the Switch 1 version , it'd be rude not to.
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a wonderful retread of a forgotten classic, smartly polishing up its best parts and modifying its worst parts to make for an overall more enjoyable experience. Though the visuals are just 'okay' and the detective gameplay can be a bit plain, the action-packed combat, reworked demon fusion, and interesting story all come together to make for a gripping adventure.
We’d recommend you pick this one up if you’re curious and you think it may be up your alley. We’ve never played anything quite like Raidou, and it offers a very unique take not just on the standard SMT formula, but action RPGs on the whole.
An updated version of Switch's Hogwarts Legacy , the NS2 version bumps the resolution up to 1080p in handheld and 1440p docked, thanks to the console's DLSS upscaling.
Co-developers Krome Studios also added Mouse Mode compatibility, improved load times, and a stabilised 30fps while polishing various other things to bump up the overall quality on the more powerful hardware.
Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 is a very fine port of a solid Star Wars game. Kay Vess's story may over-utilise tried and tested gameplay mechanics, it may not bring anything new or hugely exciting to the table, but what it does do is give you a well-crafted world stuffed full of lore through which to explore, sneak, and forge your own path.
With solid performance and good looks in both docked and handheld, and motion controls and cross-saves thrown in for good measure, Ubisoft Redlynx's impressive port is an easy recommendation for Switch 2 fans of Star Wars.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - NS2 Edition is a fantastic revamp of perhaps Nintendo's most sublime sequel. What was once a technical marvel on aged hardware now has a chance to truly shine, with visual and performance boosts undoubtedly making it the definitive way to play.
Nothing will ever match the feeling of playing it for the first time, of course, and some bonus content would have been welcome, but armed with Zelda Notes and the promise of buttery smooth upgrades, we'd challenge anyone to dip back in without losing hours to its unrivalled wonder.
BALL x PIT is a tremendous brew of so many ideas it ought to collapse under the confusion. However, it operates in such perfect balance that it appeals both to the one-more-go instinct and to more cerebral planning and creativity. Kenny Sun Studios set itself a heck of a challenge but, fortunately, hasn’t dropped the ball.
It's out on Switch 2, too - and the upgrade is free.
Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero delivers a commendable 3D brawler experience even if some visual and performance issues persist. The immense roster is sure to please any Dragon Ball fan, no matter what age or era they entered the franchise. The branching narratives in Episode Battles and the online play are fun staples to the game, and it feels right at home on Switch 2, despite the 30fps cap.
30fps in portable mode is a disappointment, and with no mouse mode or touchscreen support, this is a fairly bare-bones upgrade.
However, the handheld 30fps here is the smooth-feeling sort, and it's also not the type of game that critically needs to be at 60fps. In docked mode, it does now hit 60, and thanks to a resolution bump to 1080p, it looks way clearer on-screen whilst benefitting from some lighting and shadow touch-ups. With far shorter load times, as well, these are meaningful quality-of-life upgrades for players who've grown accustomed to long waits and blurry visuals on Switch 1.
Minor gripes aside, then, this is a prettier, crisper, and better way to play an all-timer.
No Man's Sky - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition brings this excellent, constantly evolving space survival adventure to your new Nintendo console in fine style.
Feature-wise, this is an almost-perfect match for other versions of the game, and barring some very minor hiccups here and there, the 1080p/40fps option looks and feels fantastic - doubly so if you're coming via free upgrade from the Switch 1 version.
Combat is still a bit naff, especially in space, and hardcore pirates might not get all they need from the systems in place here, but this is an almost perfect handheld-hybrid port of an almighty behemoth of a game. The sky, it seems, really has no limits.
What stands out about UFO 50 , Mossmouth’s delightful collection of retro-styled games, is not that so many of them are absolute bangers – although they are – rather, it’s the fact that it genuinely all comes together as a single experience.
In this game, you are a visitor in some wonderful exhibition, and UFO 50 is your 8-bit time machine. It's magnificent, and a perfect fit for Switch.
At first, this doesn't quite feel like the reinvention of Mario Kart that people wanted or expected, but the more time you spend in the open world and racing with friends, you’ll uncover a mechanically rich kart racer full of secrets and joy. Mario Kart World refines and expands the formula in meaningful ways while upping the charm in many others.
Few games have brought as much laughter as this one since launch. If you need a pick-me-up, Mario Kart World is sure to bring a smile, and it feels like a perfect start to Switch 2's life.
This beefed-up version of Yakuza Kiwami is effectively the same game, but Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio took advantage of the newer console’s specs for a much smoother, crisper experience that now hits 60fps.
Some aspects can be a little grating, for sure. Boss fights go on for a little too long at times, while the overall pacing isn’t quite as satisfying as Yakuza 0 ; this is fundamentally a 2016 remake of a 2005 game, and the developers have polished the series since then, ditching features and mechanics that don’t quite work here.
Still, it doesn’t feel quite so bloated as some of the later entries, and it still flexes a peerless sense of style at every opportunity. Playing Kiwami portably on Switch 2 is a joy.
Having more content does not necessarily equal a better game, but there’s no denying that Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road ’s massive wealth of modes, options, and gameplay variety make it feel like the franchise’s most premium experience yet. Between a fun and heartfelt story mode, a second story mode that includes the highlights of all previous games, and a bunch of additional side content along with robust PvP systems for longevity, it really does feel like you could play Victory Road forever.
At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to that core loop of teambuilding and playing football matches, and Victory Road’s take on the series’ trademark RPG-esque customisability and intuitive action on the pitch feels just as fresh and stylish as ever. Perhaps all those delays really were worth it.
In reinventing the retro wheel, SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance leads the way: a demonstration of how modern tools, accompanied by thought and talent, can be expanded upon to not just reboot franchises, but actually rebuild them in new and incredible ways. It’s one thing to revisit an arcade action game with new graphics, moves, and weapons, cherry picking familiar set-pieces and nostalgic visuals; it’s another entirely to create a new experience, utilising craftsmanship and a belief that the hardware can offer more.
Art of Vengeance, its cadence and flow, its violence and exhilaration — and the fact it makes you feel like an absolute badass from one slain enemy to the next — is a trendsetter. Fix that frame rate, and it’s pure ninja gold.
Street Fighter 6 on Switch 2 is a cracker, and in portable mode, it may be our preferred way to play this fantastic entry in Capcom's storied franchise. The only fly in the ointment with this port is 30fps fights in World Tour. It's a shame, and it's 100% gonna be a dealbreaker for some.
But if you can overlook that, the rest of what's here is crisp, clean, and as slick as we could have ever hoped. All other modes are fully featured and running at 60fps, and online works a treat, making this an early, flagship port for the console that showed on launch day that — like its predecessor — this little system can punch well above its weight.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma manages to reinvent itself while still maintaining the bones that make the Rune Factory series feel like itself. It takes bold new strides in unexpected directions that thankfully pay off.
The Switch 2 version offers the requisite boosts to frame rate and resolution, but also adds Mouse Mode compatibility. Wherever you can get it, Guardians of Azuma is a must-play for Rune Factory fans and would be well-enjoyed by newcomers to the series as well.
Split Fiction feels like a gift. Its sole aim is to entertain and bring players together by testing them at every turn. Hazelight gives us two distinct worlds, each filled with a huge array of activities for co-op partners to enjoy and argue over.
It serves as a surprising visual showcase for the Switch 2 and enhances the Friend's Pass feature, allowing our original Switch buddies to join in the fun.
Absolum is an on-par experience to Vanillaware's Dragon’s Crown , but a superior game in terms of its key metrics. Its combat, collectible augmentations, and planning are exceptionally well-formulated, ensuring no run is ever quite the same, and its strategic options and play-styles are ever-deepening. It’s incredibly impressive in its reconstitution of arcade, role-playing, and roguelike formats, evolving them into something fresh and exciting.
To that end, it’s one of the best of its kind, whatever that kind may be. If you don’t enjoy the idea of repetition and grind, you may not fall in love with its initial five hours, but the momentum for one-more-go becomes so compelling after a while that it’s impossible to relinquish the pad.
Hitman World of Assassination - Signature Edition is a stunning collection of games that sees Agent 47 at his absolute best. With multiplayer aspects woven seamlessly and smartly into the mix, tons of ways to approach every mission, and some of the best level design in the biz, this is a bona fide belter, no questions asked.
However, at launch, this Switch 2 port needed some work to fix its stuttering issues, especially in docked mode. A promised patch eventually arrived, which included various improvements and an option to cap the frame rate at 30fps to keep things consistent, at least - a workable compromise, though it would still be nice to see 47 hit that 60fps target eventually.
Deltarune is a game that can feel odd to recommend, as it’s both difficult to convey in words what makes this game feel special and… well, with further chapters yet to join the present four, it still isn’t finished yet.
Its goofy and subversive narrative, innovative battle mechanics, and killer soundtrack all combine to make this follow-up to Undertale from Toby Fox worth the purchase in its current state, even if it is incomplete and the visuals feel a tad underwhelming.
After 18 years of waiting, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond manages to replicate that magical sense of discovery from the GameCube original while pushing the series in some incredible new directions. Separating the main biomes with a vast open world sounds ridiculous on paper, but the slick traversal provided by Vi-O-La makes exploration more satisfying than ever.
Combine this with the stunning art direction, ferocious new boss characters, and a surprisingly endearing squad of Federation troopers, and to our mind Beyond is quite possibly the boldest, most well-realised Metroid game to date. The long wait was more than worth it. Welcome back, Samus.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is a deeply satisfying follow-up to 2024's DQ III remake project , closing out the Erdrick trilogy on a fittingly high note. A gorgeous art style, tons of new content and quality-of-life updates, and a wonderful soundtrack all combine to make this one an easy recommendation for any retro JRPG fans.
If you’re interested in RPGs, pick this up at your earliest opportunity. These games stand as excellent reminders of why Dragon Quest is so highly respected today.
Given how cheap the upgrade is for Switch 1 owners, the performance improvements for Fantasy Life i - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition are more than worth the price of admission if you already have the original. And if you don't and you’re keen on trying out Level-5’s long-awaited sequel, this is absolutely the best way to play on Nintendo systems.
This Switch 2 update, on paper, gives us the basics and no more. You've now got mouse controls for fine-aiming, and the expected resolution and frame rate increases look and feel very nice indeed. Remember the journey into Mexico, that magical bit with the music, the showstopping part? It's all the more magical when you can see the very dust in the air, the shimmering heat haze in the distance, now as clear as day thanks to pristine visuals. HDR helps things pop in comparison to the older port, that's for sure.
There's still no multiplayer, but it now feels as though the game is being presented on a Nintendo console in a manner befitting such an epic slice of gaming history. With slick controls, DLSS, HDR, volumetric effects, options to personalise mouse mode, 60fps that felt flawless, and a resolution bump that's got it looking super sharp, this is a gem that still feels modern, immediate, and relentlessly replayable on Switch 2.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is undoubtedly the best way to play one of the greatest games of all time. The visual and performance enhancements remove any issues that you may have had to endure with the original game. It's practically flawless from that perspective.
Sadly, the Zelda Notes app really brings the whole thing down. Useful features that should have been implemented in-game have been relegated to your smartphone, and using it completely breaks immersion in this incredible world. I'm only thankful that it's not even remotely mandatory.
Leave Zelda Notes to one side, though, and you've got the definitive presentation of a modern classic.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World (say that five times, etc.) gives you the base game at a delicious 60fps with a whole big bunch of new content thrown in for good measure.
If you've had your fill of Forgotten Land on Switch 1, there's nothing here to warrant replaying the entire game again, but the 12 remixed areas that make up the DLC are uniformly delightful, the new transformations are excellent, and there's even new challenges for hardcore Kirby fans to get stuck into.
One of the best games on Switch and one of our favourite 3D platformers in years, polished to a sparkly sheen and packing some meaningful new content? That's a very easy recommendation and a truly excellent addition to the Switch 2's early lineup.
Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a wonderful experience on Switch 2. The improved visuals and streamlined mechanics make for a delightful gameplay experience bolstered by a compelling narrative at its core.
There are so many ridiculous minigames to keep you entertained, and exploring Kamurocho and Sotenbori remains enjoyable five or even fifty hours into the game. It stands alongside Yakuza 0: Director's Cut as one of the finest entries in the series.
Persona 3 Reload is an extensive and thoughtful remake of the original and unquestionably the best way to experience this modern RPG classic. Switching between daytime and nighttime activities is a blast, and the streamlined gameplay and slick presentation make even the smallest actions feel satisfying.
Minor frustrations remain, chiefly the repetitious nature of Tartarus, while the lack of FES and Portable content prevents Reload from being the definitive version of Persona 3. If this doesn't bother you, though, consider it a must-play on the Switch 2.
Yakuza 0 is the best of the traditional-styled Yakuza games, with the most complex story and interesting characters of the lot. It's also the ideal place for newcomers to get started with this weird and wonderful series.
The new multiplayer mode in this remastered Director's Cut is a little throwaway, for sure, and the fights do get repetitive (turn-based Yakuza FTW), but otherwise, this is a phenomenal 4K/60 port of an epic adventure that's now probably our favourite way to get down on the mean streets of 1980s Tokyo and Osaka.
In many ways, Octopath Traveler 0 feels like a ‘victory lap’ for the beloved series, remixing various elements that you’re familiar with from the past games while introducing some interesting new ones to spice things up a bit. Importantly, this prequel does not feel like a proper Octopath Traveler 3, but that doesn’t mean that it isn't still an incredibly good time and a much better JRPG than most genre peers.
Even if it's a retread in some ways, though, an absolutely monstrous amount of content, interesting new gameplay elements, gorgeous visuals, and compelling storytelling all come together to make Octopath Traveler 0 a must-buy.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles cuts content from the War of the Lions PSP version, and it's a shame. However, put this one issue aside, if you can, and you've got a fantastic — and fantastically thoughtful — revamp otherwise. Meaningful quality-of-life changes meld with delicate gameplay nips and tucks, CPU enemy tune-ups, and a smoother-flowing experience overall to deliver a game that's pretty much impossible to knock.
Fans will be fully absorbed into the story all over again, enjoying the new flow of the narrative and experiencing the whole thing so wonderfully well-acted. Newcomers, who're less likely to be bothered by the missing content, well, they can just get busy lapping up one of the all-time great tactical RPGs looking and playing better than ever.
There’s no question about it: Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are two of the most sublime games ever created. With gameplay that subverts expectations and scenarios that wouldn’t be possible if not for the creative freedom of the cosmos, they represent the Mario series at its absolute best. They look better than ever, boast small yet welcome additions, and expand upon the narrative with new storybook pages.
Gyro aiming simply isn’t as effective as the Wii pointer, however, and you’ll be recentring the onscreen cursor a lot. Very minor issues with the camera are also a bit more noticeable now than they were 15 years ago, but the fact that Nintendo managed to pull off some utterly ridiculous sequences without the camera going haywire remains a remarkable feat. These games command a high price on Switch, to be sure, but you’ll be playing them for the rest of your life.
Hollow Knight: Silksong ’s beauty is beguiling, hiding an interior that’s deliberately harsh but endlessly rewarding. Everything feels deliberate, pushing you to learn, improve, and perfect, or simply just explore a little more. And what a world it is to dig into.
Somehow, Team Cherry surpassed our expectations tenfold and delivered a mesmeric blend of balletic combat and movement with persistence, joy, and an incredibly invigorating map at the centre. We’ve never felt better surmounting the challenges put before us.
The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy is an excellent tactical RPG that fully showcases the strengths of the creatives behind it. A well-written and compelling story, strong and strategic gameplay, attractive art style, and passionate VA work all come together to make for a comprehensive experience that you won’t want to miss.
It's an instant recommendation for fans of Uchikoshi and Kodaka’s past work, but even if you’re not so much into visual novels, consider adding this one to your library. The Switch has plenty of life in it yet, and Hundred Line stands as a strong reminder of why.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an expertly crafted revamp that gives us all the bells and whistles we could wish for in terms of graphical upgrades. However, it's actually Monolith Soft's attention to clever gameplay revisions that impresses most here.
This is X streamlined and modernised, carefully recast and reset in order to play better than ever. Additional characters, a new ending, and all that snazzy stuff is all well and good, and fans will be excited by the fresh revelations that occur, but it's in how everything flows so much better now that we reckon the hardcore will find themselves most impressed.
And for newcomers a recommendation is even easier; this is up there with the all-time great sci-fi RPGs and an absolute must-play.
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition was a remarkable launch-day port for Switch 2. CD Projekt Red's deep, diverse, and tangible world is fully realised with impressive performance for such a low-powered device.
If you've not taken your first steps into Night City already, or you're a long-time player with a portable-play itch that needs scratching, you're in for a serious treat, choom.
A remake of the very first game in the series, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is maybe the most gorgeous game Falcom has ever created.
Modernising things while also bringing newcomers up to speed with the origins of Zemuria's current saga, this is a comprehensive audio-visual update of a classic series opener, with great characters (Estelle and Joshua are fantastic leads, but the entire cast gets their chance to shine), a world that you’ll want to explore, and deep combat with a wealth of options.
1st Chapter is on Switch 1 (30fps) and 2 (60fps), and as you'd expect, the updated style runs best on Switch 2, with only the odd stumble in docked performance. A joyously chill turn-based adventure.
Donkey Kong Bananza is an almighty re-introduction to the world of 3D platforming for DK, and arguably the Switch 2's first absolute must-play. The punching and crashing is a passing novelty that, once you get your fill, quickly becomes just another way of exploring the wonderfully varied and beautifully presented layers.
Whether it's smashing through the scenery with a Bananza Transformation or carefully planning a route to a hidden Banandium Gem, you'll have trouble finding more originality and, crucially, more enjoyment from a platformer in recent years. As the DK Rap so wisely said, "Donkey Kong is here." Now let's just hope he stays.
“Can time not be stopped?” That’s the question Hades II asks you every time you clear a run.
We're not sure about time, but it's clear that developer Supergiant Games is unstoppable; the studio is five-for-five with this huge, triumphant sequel that manages to diverge mechanically and offer more challenges and variety than its predecessor. It helps that it’s nearly faultless on Switch 2 in particular.
Sometimes there’s a bit too much going on, and in shooting for a bigger, more tragic story, it’s lost a bit of heart. But, quite frankly, we don’t want time to stop because if it does, we won’t be able to play Hades II anymore.
And there you have it, the best Switch game(s) of 2025. Any surprises? How many have you played?
Switch GOTY 2025 FAQ
Before we go, some housekeeping.
What were the best Switch games of previous years?
Here's a round-up of all the previous Switch GOTY winners on Nintendo Life (click the year if you'd like to see the whole list):
Hang on, where's [GAME X/Y/Z]?
For any game with both a Switch 1 and a Switch 2 version which garnered enough high ratings to appear, we've excluded the lowest-ranking version.
We also included the Mario Galaxy 1 and Galaxy 2 bundle release, rather than the separate eShop versions.
How can I add a game to the list?
Think something is missing? All Switch 1 and 2 games released in 2025 are eligible and available to rate in our database. These real-time lists, based on the User Ratings in our database, are a living ranking of each year's finest video games, so any Switch or Switch 2 game launched in 2025 has a chance of showing up, even now.
Use the search bar at the very top of the page (or the handy bar below) to find the game page on our database and rate away!
Please note that a game must have a minimum of 30 User Ratings (and a sufficiently high rating, natch) to appear in the list above.
If you're curious about Nintendo Life staff's personal GOTY picks, you can find them below:
