40. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (Switch eShop)

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights was one of the strongest Metroidvanias of 2021, and easily one of the best examples of the genre on Switch.

It boasts excellent visuals throughout, with bursts of colour lighting up the otherwise dreary kingdom, and a wonderful soundtrack that we guarantee will live rent-free in your head for hours. All of this is held together by strong gameplay, with a particular focus on customisable loadouts via the spirit abilities.

It’s a tough game at times, and minor frame rate dips hold it back from true greatness, but with a respectable playtime of roughly 15 hours, this is an experience you’ll be glad to try out.

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39. Cruis'n Blast (Switch)

As long as you're willing to put up with some performance hits and the fact that there's no online multiplayer, Cruis'n Blast is a hugely entertaining arcade style racer with incredible set-pieces that has us crossing every possible body part in the hope that it's successful enough to encourage more of the same somewhere down the line. A real and very welcome blast from past.

38. BLUE REFLECTION: Second Light (Switch)

Blue Reflection: Second Light improves on almost every aspect of the original, with a mystery that feels more personal as the characters become closer. The relationship between the girls as they seek to discover why they were brought to this strange world is the star of the show; though the combat is fun, it is always a vehicle to get you more story rather than the driving force of the game. Second Light is a fantastic-looking anime adventure that you'll love, so long as you can accept that combat isn't the focus.

37. Gnosia (Switch eShop)

Between the surprisingly deep plot for such a simple game, the clever narrative explanation of the mechanics, and enough chaos going on in the discussions to keep you guessing, we had a lot of fun with this one. Gnosia's simple game mechanics and deceptively deep story make it a must-have for visual novel and murder mystery fans; it's just a shame that the music is so poor. Even so, if you give it a chance it's highly likely that you'll fall in love with each member of its diverse cast – just in time for them to kill you.

36. There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension (Switch eShop)

When it comes down to it, There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is a bit of a misnomer. There is certainly a game to be found here, and it’s a ruddy good one.

If you’re not a fan of point-and-click style adventure games, then you may want to look elsewhere, but with an experience packed with ingenious puzzles and excellent self-aware jokes, this is one of the strongest examples of the genre in recent years. It’s right up there with the best; don’t miss out.

35. Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Switch)

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is an excellent action-RPG that's arrived on Switch in a fantastic, feature-packed port. Evan and Roland's antics across this game's sprawling world are stuffed full of great characters, exciting combat and adventuring, and a kingdom-building mechanic that's a delight to get to grips with. It looks and sounds every bit as good as its predecessor and, although the story might be a little more hit-and-miss here, we were completely hooked into this one from beginning to end. This is a sumptuously crafted adventure you won't regret diving into.

34. Cyber Shadow (Switch eShop)

If you consider yourself a fan of retro action platformers, you owe it to yourself to pick up Cyber Shadow. It’s clear in virtually every facet of Cyber Shadow’s design that this project was a labour of love and that its designer is intimately familiar with what makes the stalwarts of this beloved genre so great.

Well-built levels, authentic presentation, tight controls, and high difficulty all combine to make this a supreme and focused experience, and one that we can easily say is well worth your time. Mechanical Head Studios set a high bar with its inaugural release.

33. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox (Switch)

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox isn’t a massive step up over its tropical predecessor, Ys VIII, but it hits all the right beats it needs to make for an addictive and engaging action RPG. 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, we urge a little bit of caution with Monstrum Nox on the console.

However, fast-paced combat, a memorable setting, and a surprisingly content-rich open world make up for most of the issues and deliver an amazing experience for action RPG fans. While the game is reportedly better on PS4 and PS5, we can guarantee that you're still in for a good time on Switch — just brace yourself for those frame drops.

32. NEO: The World Ends With You (Switch)

NEO: The World Ends With You impresses in all the categories we were terrified it could fail in bearing in mind how great its predecessor was. The game boasts an energetic soundtrack that feeds off the energy of the original, a deep and rewarding combat system that makes a successful leap to 3D, an inspiring cast of characters that stand tall on their own, and importantly, a world that begs you to come back even after you’ve finished the 40+ hour campaign. After 13 long years, many fans lost hope we’d ever see a sequel to that first Reapers Game, but we’re so pleased to see these talented developers never lost their calling.

31. Little Nightmares II (Switch)

Little Nightmares II is nothing less than engaging from start to finish, with superb pacing, entertainingly varied level design and excellent graphics and performance. Its only real flaws are based on the imprecision that comes with all games in its sub-genre, as well as a few sections that feel more about trial-and-error than reactive survival. In our view, though, this doesn't detract from a far superior sequel and one of the best cinematic platformers we've had the privilege of enjoying. A real stylish treat.