More of a March madness fan? This video of ours differs from the list below as it looks at the best games that came out between the 3rd March 2021 and the 3rd March 2022. Ooo!

2021 has come and gone (almost) and despite a quiet start to the year, Switch owners have seen some real gems launch over the past 12 months. We've seen big releases (admittedly re-releases or remakes in several cases) of most of Nintendo's biggest franchises, with some big anniversaries popping up, too.

We got a Mario, a Zelda, a couple of Pokémon, a Metroid(!) and, perhaps most excitingly, a Big Brain Academy. Hey, it's a fun little game! Throw in WarioWare, another Mario Party and a host of brilliant third-party and indie titles — plus a sexy new SKU in the Switch OLED model — and it's tough to deny that Nintendo's console ended up having a strong software showing throughout 2021.

As such, we asked Nintendo Life readers to rate the Top 50 Switch games of 2021, and the ranking below is the result, as governed by the User Ratings associated with every 2021 Switch game released according to our games database. As with many of our reader-ranked Best Games round-ups, the ranking will change even after publication to reflect those User Ratings — and that means it's never too late to rate your collection and influence the list.

To score your favourites, simply click score the games below by clicking on their respective stars and rating them out of 10. Can't see your favourite? Head to our library of Switch games to find what you're looking for. To become eligible, a game needs to have been rated by a minimum of 40 users.

So, let's take a look back at 2021AD and the best Switch games of the year.

50. Blaster Master Zero 3 (Switch eShop)

As the conclusion to the modern take on the Blaster Master saga, Blaster Master Zero 3 hits all the notes to deliver a high octane and satisfying retro platforming experience. The dark world mechanic adds a nice extra layer to the overall design, while the familiar aspects of gameplay are as polished as they’ve ever been. Inti Creates certainly could’ve stopped with the original Blaster Master Zero and that would’ve been enough, but what it’s delivered here with its third take on the franchise is nothing short of excellent. Whenever you next get a chance, be sure to add this one to your library, although we’d say so with the caveat that you should first play the preceding two entries. Really, these games are just that good.

49. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (Switch eShop)

There's a lot to like about Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (known as Project Zero in Europe). While we didn't find it overly scary, it is very good indeed at being eerie. You'll see ghosts out of the corner of your eye and when you check, they'll be gone. It's oddly cosy and non-stressful for a horror game, because your camera is such an efficient weapon and the combat it propagates is too action-packed to really let any dread sink in. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though we found the earlier PlayStation 2 instalments of the series were more interested in actively frightening the player. Get absorbed in the storyline — which is easy to do as the episodic structure makes "just one more area" a compelling prospect — and you'll find this game's a real winner and worth snapping up if you're a horror fan who missed it on Wii U.

48. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania (Switch)

It may not be saying much but Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is the best the series has been in almost two decades and newcomers are bound to find a lot to love. Clearly the team has true passion for the franchise and it's packed full of content, new ways to play, and there are so many extras and improvements that never existed in the original. Unfortunately, the engine beneath it all isn't quite up to the job. What they've achieved with Unity simply isn't on par with the originals and while the main game is still enjoyable, many of the party games are severely hindered. For us, this one is feature-packed, but not top banana.

47. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot + A New Power Awakens Set (Switch)


46. Axiom Verge 2 (Switch eShop)

Axiom Verge is a remarkably tough act to follow, but Thomas Happ managed to do it again in producing a pitch-perfect, excellently paced Metroidvania adventure. Axiom Verge 2 perfectly balances familiar elements that made the original great and trying out new ideas that give the sequel its own identity, and while lovers of the first game may take some time to adjust, everything comes together and makes for a potent experience that no fan of the genre will want to miss out on. The mysterious atmosphere, thrilling pace, and fantastic world design all come together to make for a worthy follow-up that stands well on its own.

45. Subnautica + Subnautica Below Zero Double Pack (Switch)

Subnautica and its sequel arrived on Switch in unexpectedly fine form. This is an absolutely essential survival smorgasbord, a fantastic port and something of a must-buy double feature for fans of the genre. If you're purchasing one or the other separately on Switch we'd still plump for the original game, as Below Zero's fleshed out narrative and on-foot sections dilute the overall experience ever so slightly, but, regardless of which you choose, you're in for a mighty good time here with two of the very best survival games currently available on any platform.

44. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition (Switch eShop)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is a great beat ‘em up which became available to purchase once again back in 2021 after years stuck in delisted purgatory. Its bombastic presentation and crunchy combat gameplay make it enjoyable from start to finish, and though it can feel like it runs a bit short, and the difficulty spikes can be rather intense, anybody looking for a fun, short game to play in co-op is in for a treat. Let's just hope it sticks around for longer than it did last time.

43. Subnautica (Switch eShop)

When Unknown Worlds announced they were bringing Subnautica to Switch we were hugely excited, this is one of our all-time favourite games after all, but it was excitement tempered with a degree of scepticism as to how on earth they'd manage to cram the entire experience onto Switch in a properly playable manner. As it turns out, we needn't have worried as this is a super solid port that — besides a few loading stutters here and there and some scenery pop-in that's present in every other version of the game — successfully delivers one of the very best open-world survival experiences on any platform to Nintendo's hybrid console.

42. No More Heroes III (Switch)

No More Heroes III has the faults of both its mainline predecessors – it’s a little more tedious than No More Heroes 2, and a little less meaningful than No More Heroes. It makes up for this, however, by being another inarguably impressive, balls-to-the-wall carnage-fest, a blood-spattered love letter to excess, and a Suda51 fan’s wet dream splashed across the Switch. The story it tells is cool. The game it plays is cool. Neither of these crucial aspects reach the heights of the series' Nintendo Wii origins, but nobody who truly gets No More Heroes could reasonably be disappointed with this third incarnation. The joke’s beginning to wear thin, but it’s all in the telling. And Suda51 can still spin a very fine yarn.

41. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (Switch)

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox isn’t a massive step up over its tropical predecessor, but it hits all the right beats it needs to make for an addictive and engaging action-RPG. Fast-paced combat, a memorable setting, and a surprisingly content-rich open world make for an experience that action-RPG fans won’t want to miss out on. Were it not for the performance issues, we might even be inclined to say this is the best example of the genre on the Switch yet. Given those problems, however, a totally unreserved recommendation of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is tough to make. Performance is reported to be a little bit better on PS4 and PS5, so if you have access to one of those consoles, we’d recommend getting it there. Otherwise, you’re still in for a good time on Switch — just brace yourself for those frame drops.