30. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (Switch eShop)

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has never been better than on Switch; the enhanced versatility of the console lends the game a new sort of appeal and convenience that wasn’t there before. This is a charming, colourful, and sometimes challenging Metroidvania that will no doubt prove to be a memorable addition to your collection.

While it could be a little longer, we would give this one a strong recommendation to anyone who hasn’t yet picked it up for any other platform. For those of you who have, know that you’re essentially just paying for the ability to play this on the go, but that’s still arguably worth the asking price. Either way, this is one of the most polished Shantae games.

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29. Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Switch eShop)

An episodic entry featuring Claire Redfield and the return of Barry 'Jill Sandwich' Burton from the original RE, we also got to meet his daughter Moira in Resident Evil Revelations 2. Co-operative gameplay was served with a twist; of the four playable characters, only two use firearms. This forces you to approach scenarios differently and gives parts of the game a stealthy flavour.

Although it might lack the prestige of the mainline entries, this is a fine, full-fat addition to the lineup, and as fans of Barry from the original game, it was great to see him return in his new paternal role here.

28. Resident Evil Revelations (Switch eShop)

This began life on the 3DS before getting ported to other platforms (including Wii U). The compartments of the cruise ship Queen Zenobia were a necessary design concession when the game ran exclusively on handheld hardware, and this gave Resident Evil Revelations something of a unique flavour in the modern RE era, recalling the contained spaces of the Spencer Mansion from the first game, although here the 'mansion' was floating.

Despite some disappointingly blobby enemies and a slightly laborious scanning mechanic, Revelations (or 'Revelaitons' as the famous box spine misprint called it) did a great job of cramming the series' tension onto Nintendo's handheld. It looked fantastic, and even scaled up on more powerful hardware, it holds up remarkably well. Its sequel edges it in a face-off, we'd say, but this is still definitely one to check out if it passed you by the first (or second) time around.

27. ARMS (Switch)

The core fighting mechanics of ARMS are easy to grasp — especially when you're using the pleasantly intuitive motion controls — but they showcase the kind of depth which rewards dedicated players.

Mixing up light and charged punches with your dashes and leaps allows you to create an almost balletic style of play, but add in grabs, stuns, and features unique to each stage and you've got a truly formidable foundation to build on. The lure of collecting Arms will keep you glued to your console even if you only choose to play solo, but Arms also proves its worth online, and for those who want to take things to the next level, Ranked Matches provide the ideal means of proving your skill.

In the scheme of things, Arms might not have made much of a dent in the hallowed canon of Nintendo IP, but it deserves a second look if it flew under your radar.

26. Blaster Master Zero (Switch eShop)

Blaster Master Zero is a lovely addition to the Switch's library, a low-impact retro shot which helped fill the gap between major retail releases after the console's launch back in 2017.

A homage to Sunsoft's original Blaster Master on NES, Inti Creates did a fine job 'rebooting' the gameplay of the original and giving the 8-bit visuals a couple more 'bits' to make the sprites really pop on your Switch screen.

The result is a game which looks retro, but feels wonderfully crisp and vital. If you are looking for something old-new, we highly recommend Blaster Master Zero; it's a great homage to the original and one you will have a blast (sorry) playing.

25. Cat Quest (Switch eShop)

As polished as Cat Quest may be, it does have a few downsides. The strong focus on cats and endless supply of cat puns is obviously not a world everyone will want to immerse themselves in – especially if you are a dog lover.

However, if you are willing to overlook this and its rather basic design, what's on offer is a functional role-playing game that can be played for short or longer periods of time by players of all ages, and cat lovers, alike. Mee-ow.

24. L.A. Noire (Switch)

L.A. Noire's development resulted in accusations of poor management at Team Bondi, the fallout of which was enough to effectively sink the studio. Despite its troubled history, it's heartening that players are being given the chance to revisit Los Angeles on Nintendo Switch.

While the game's myriad faults remain and the revised interrogation system fumbles its chance to fix one of the most egregious parts of the game, the great acting, stunning atmosphere and amazing facial animation all combine to make this a detective adventure that's worth experiencing, despite its rough edges.

It wasn't a flawless game back in 2011 and that hasn't changed, yet it somehow manages to be more than the sum of its parts. We suspect it will be regarded as a pioneering classic in the future; few games treat the player to such a grown-up and mature experience, and that's important for the video game industry as a whole.

23. Cave Story+ (Switch)

If you haven’t played Cave Story yet, you need to; it’s an essential title for any fan of Metroidvania style games. Its wonderful pacing, fantastic controls and charming visuals make it a must-have for fans of the genre, especially those that have yet to play it. If there was the equivalent of a required reading list for games, Cave Story+ would be on it.

22. Resident Evil Revelations Collection (Switch)

Resident Evil Revelations Collection isn't really a collection, as such. There's no significant connective tissue between these two distinct games beyond a few common elements and a shared fictional history. It would have been nice to see some kind of effort put into presenting a unified front, with a common UI and a synced-up approach to controls.

A certain sense of porting laziness aside, though, these are two fine entries in the Resident Evil series. The original Resident Evil Revelations was a great 3DS game at the time, and remains a surprisingly solid, refreshingly breezy experience on Switch. Revelations 2 is where it's really at, though. The sequel is a full-fat episodic Resident Evil experience with a neat partner system and some terrifyingly tense set pieces.

21. Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack (Switch)

Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack gets a strong recommendation to anyone who hasn’t yet played these games. This collection presents a good opportunity to try both games in a format that can be played on both a big screen or a portable.

They stand tall on their own merits and, when you consider additions like HD Rumble and DLC, they certainly justify investigation on Switch. The porting job is a little sloppy; fans who have already played these out on the 3DS might want to think it over first before buying. If you haven’t played them yet, this is nevertheless the best way to go.