Here's Alex's video round-up of 21 picks, although BEWARE that his video covers games released in Switch's seventh year (between 3rd March 2023 and 3rd March 2024), not the calendar year.

2023 was an incredibly fruitful year for gamers, and Switch enjoyed an excellent seventh year on store shelves.

Industry-wide layoffs in the latter half of the year made for a sobering counterpoint to the glut of great games, and at times the pandemic-related backlog of projects which finally flushed through made it difficult to keep tabs on everything — it was a fantastic year for anyone just playing video games.

Best Switch Games Of 2023
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While the future is uncertain in many respects, it's impossible to deny the quality and quantity of software that launched across all platforms in 2023, as our (and we're sure your) backlogs can attest. Here at Nintendo Life, once again we compiled your selections of the best games of the year — as governed by each game's User Rating in our games database — into a dynamic community-ranked Top 50 Switch Games of the Year: 2023 Edition.

It started out quiet, with little of note on Nintendo's announced first-party release list beyond January's Fire Emblem Engage and the tentpole TOTK, but the calendar soon fleshed out with the long-awaited Advance Wars 1+2, the excellent Pikmin 4, and the delightful Super Mario Bros. Wonder — the first brand-new 2D Mario for over a decade. Add some surprise ports (Quake II, Vampire Survivors), third-party classics (Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, Persona 5 Tactica), and indie gems (Sea of Stars, Blasphemous 2), and 2023 was bursting at the seams with incredible Switch games.

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But how do they stack up against each other? We asked Nintendo Life readers to rate the games this year, and the list below is the result. Please note: The order may change, even after publication, subject to those fluctuating User Ratings. This means that it's not too late to rate your collection and influence the list, even as you're reading this now. Just click on the star icon and score the game from 1-10.

Can't see your favourite? Use the search bar below to find what you're looking for and rate the game(s) accordingly. Note. To become eligible, a game needs to have been rated by a minimum of 30 users.

Looking for Team Nintendo Life's personal picks? Check them out in our Staff Awards round-up below. Otherwise, let's take a look at the 50 best Switch games of 2023, as ranked by you...

50. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (Switch eShop)

Rarely has there ever been such a drastic improvement regarding visuals and gameplay than with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. It boasts a wide range of optional mechanics that, while certainly a bit fiddly for newcomers, result in a stellar gameplay experience. The story hits many of the same beats as the original PS1 classic, yet still manages to be original and engaging, with frighteningly prescient commentary on the dangers of AI. The major downside with this release on Switch is the 30fps performance, which may feel fine in practice but is still immensely disappointing in principle.

49. PowerWash Simulator (Switch eShop)

PowerWash Simulator is a game where you use a pressure washer to clean various items and locations. You have a variety of nozzles, cleaning products, and attachments with which you can streamline the process. It’s wonderful and to be perfectly honest has absolutely no right to be as much fun as it is, whether you're going solo or joining friends online for a co-op squirt session. One thing that is sorely missing in this Switch version, however, is gyro aiming. It’s not a dealbreaker, and there’s still a roaring good time to be had here, but oh how we ached to wave our controller around and have it actually do something in-game.

48. Trombone Champ (Switch eShop)

Trombone Champ is a hilarious rhythm game about perfection. Before you (or up to three other tromboners) play, it asks you to select a stance: 'estudious' or 'jubilant'. Neither of these is appropriate when you know your performance will be as ear-abusive as an excited puppy mauling a bulb horn. Or are they? The true lesson is perhaps to hold your head high anyway. In life, as in Trombone Champ, faced as we all are with certain doom, be estudious if you like, be jubilant, parp like crazy, and be your very best you – no matter how imperfect that invariably is.

47. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection (Switch)

It's clear that a lot of effort and love went into Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection; this is a worthwhile re-release (available across two separate volumes on the Switch eShop, if you prefer) that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. While everyone will have their favorite, the Mega Man Battle Network series remained remarkably consistent throughout its whole run, due in no small part to the innovative battle system and charming storylines present in each entry. If you’re a fan of Mega Man and haven’t given these games a shot yet, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up immediately. Even if you’re not a Rockman enthusiast, these games each offer up some inventive RPG experiences that are certainly worth your time.

46. Metal Gear Solid (Switch eShop)

Playing Metal Gear Solid on the Switch in 2023 serves as a stark reminder of why the game is considered one of the greatest of all time, but it also highlights some of the ways it has aged in the decades since. With its release on Switch, Konami has opted to remain as faithful as possible to the original game, which means there's certainly some room for graphical and gameplay improvements. That said, the release also includes some tasty extras, such as the VR/Special Missions expansion and the Japan-only Integral release. If you can stomach the blocky visuals and quaint gameplay, it's a must-buy.

45. Sonic Origins Plus (Switch)

In keeping with tradition, Sonic Origins Plus is a bit of a mixed bag. The new playable characters, Game Gear games, and other content feel just barely worth the upgrade fee, but there’s no escaping the sense that Sega could’ve done a lot more for this update and chose not to. While the overall package is a strong one, we’d give the new content of this expansion a very light recommendation as it does ultimately feel worth the price tag (for existing owners). But how much value this will hold to you depends heavily on how much nostalgia you have for the Game Gear and how badly you want to play as Amy in the classic games.

44. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life (Switch)

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life retains the charm and the pleasant tedium of the GameCube original while bringing enough features up-to-date that it's not a total chore to play. Fans of later farming/life-sims might find it too slow and too dull, but we encourage you to embrace the slow-and-dullness to find a surprisingly fulfilling and earnest game underneath. After all, this game is the granddaddy of Stardew Valley, and it's not too hard to see the family resemblance.

Just, uh, use a guide. Trust us.

43. Suika Game (Switch eShop)

Suika Game is a competent and addictive little puzzler that does a great job of executing a very simple concept. There’s not a whole lot to it, but considering it's roughly the same price as a pack of gum, Suika Game is definitely worth the cost of admission. If you’re looking for a quick time waster to add to your Switch library, we’d recommend you pick it up with some Gold Points.

42. Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse (Switch eShop)

For fans of the franchise, Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse should be a no-brainer. 15 years after its original release in Japan, its launch in the west brings some welcome upgrades to the visuals and presentation. That said, you can definitely feel the game's age in the core gameplay and little has been done to bring this more in line with modern sensibilities. Movement is janky, the camera never quite feels spot on, and the loading between rooms really shouldn't be an issue in 2023. Additionally, the frequent presence of ghosts and the arcade-like combat required to defeat them feels constantly at odds with the otherwise impressive sense of dread felt as you explore the environment, but since this is a core aspect of the series at large, you might be able to overlook this. We definitely recommend checking it out if you're into survival horror, but just know that it comes with a number of quirks that we wish had been ironed out.

41. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon (Switch)

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a delightfully stylish origin tale that sees young Bayo take her first steps on the road to becoming the badass Umbra witch we all know and love. This is a graphically stunning fairy tale with plenty in the way of atmosphere and charm. However, long-term Bayo fans beware, it's also a game that's aimed squarely at a young/casual audience, introducing plenty of fun puzzle and combat mechanics but never really evolving them to a point where they become in any way challenging. Repetition creeps in later in the game and, although it ends with some bombastic sequences and a few nice shoutouts to the main series, it feels like a little more challenge and experimentation in puzzles and combat could have made this one absolutely essential for all ages.