40. Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition (Switch)

Though many doubted how well Borderlands 3 would work on the Switch, we’re pleased to report that this is a well-built port that effectively squeezes down almost the entirety of Borderlands 3 onto Nintendo’s handheld. The deep loot system, stable performance, goofy tone, snappy gunplay, and enormous amount of content all come together to make this one an easy recommendation, though those who prefer multiplayer may be disappointed at the diminished options here, and the unlocked frame rate won't be to everyone's taste. Still, Gearbox rightly deserves praise for the work the team put in here to make this happen; Borderlands 3 on the Switch is well worth your time.

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39. COCOON (Switch eShop)

Cocoon is a fun and addictive puzzler. Its unique mechanics and gameplay had us glued to our screens, and it’s gorgeous to boot. Its lack of explicit story may come as a minor disappointment, and it's a consistently sub-30fps experience on Switch, but its performance never adversely affects the gameplay and if you love puzzles, this game will be an easy favourite — even if it flies by all too quickly.

And if you're playing on Switch 2, the extra power pushes this to a rock-solid 30fps. Lovely.

38. Persona 5 Tactica (Switch)

Persona 5 Tactica is a thrillingly varied tactical RPG that fans of the Phantom Thieves and the genre should take note of. It's a little on the easy side, but the varied gameplay, excellent soundtrack, striking visuals, and lovable characters all make for a very easy recommendation.

We’d especially suggest you pick this up if you really enjoyed Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, as we noticed a lot of parallels. It remains to be seen if this is the last time we’ll be seeing the Phantom Thieves don their masks, but if this does turn out to be their finale, Persona 5 Tactica is a massively enjoyable sendoff for the beloved crew.

37. Mortal Kombat 1 (Switch)

Mortal Kombat 1 on Nintendo Switch manages to deliver this superb game's Story and Towers modes in a state that's playable, but only if you've got plenty of patience. There are frame rate issues, big resolution dips, input and timing problems related to performance drops, missing content, game-breaking bugs in Invasion mode, long loading times, and unresponsive menus. If you are a huge Mortal Kombat fan whose only option is Switch, you may be able to press through all of this. However, if you have any other option, we suggest you stay away from this one.

36. A Space for the Unbound (Switch eShop)

Despite the runtime being padded out by some meandering requests, A Space for the Unbound is a perfect little adventure title to curl up with on a rainy day. The myriad puzzles, while never overtly challenging, switch things up often enough to keep from growing tedious. At the same time, we wholeheartedly recommend it for its bittersweet, sombre narrative alone. It never veers too far into melancholic territory yet handles some heavy topics with grace. We didn’t come away gloomy from the potentially depressing themes depicted via the wonderful inhabitants of this beautifully rendered snapshot of Indonesia. Rather, we came away genuinely touched and inspired.

35. Blasphemous 2 (Switch eShop)

Blasphemous 2 sticks with the exquisitely dark and gory style of its predecessor whilst building on the core combat and improving upon the platforming we saw the first time around.

The Game Kitchen could have served us up more of the same and we'd have been perfectly happy. However, the developer made meaningful upgrades here, with deeper and more satisfying combat and three upgradable weapon sets that combine perfectly with environmental puzzling that feels more cohesive and fluid overall, making The Penitent One's return to Cvstodia an absolute banger.

34. Astral Ascent (Switch eShop)

Astral Ascent is a prime example of a game that amounts to more than the sum of its parts. Its strong character design, hi-bit visuals, tight combat, memorable bosses, and broad build variety have all featured in games you’ve probably played before—there’s nothing ‘new’ here.

But to write it off as just 'another one of those' in a crowded genre would be to miss out on one of the most delightful and surprising releases of 2023. Astral Ascent is comfortably one of the best roguelites available on the Switch. Don't miss it.

33. Tales of Symphonia Remastered (Switch)

We’re a little mixed on Tales of Symphonia Remastered. Though the story is compelling, the character building is satisfying, and there’s lots of content to experience, Bandai Namco’s near-nonexistent efforts to sand off the rough edges of this older game definitely hold it back from greatness. Things like the stiff combat, dated visuals, and awkward writing limit the appeal here, which makes this remaster feel like a missed opportunity. It’s easier to recommend this to those who have nostalgia for the original and want to relive those memories, but it's tough to say whether newcomers should pick it up. This is far from the best action RPG on Switch, and it’s arguably not even the best Tales game on the Switch. Its positives do just about outweigh its negatives — having this game easily accessible on a modern console is a boon — but this remaster could have been so much more.

32. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (Switch)

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is an utterly addictive, perfectly tuned celebration of all things Final Fantasy. It’s a deceptively simple-looking game that, once you get under the hood, you’ll discover it has teeth and demands practice and patience if you want to unlock everything.

We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the series’ 35th anniversary, and this makes it a must-buy for Final Fantasy fans and rhythm game enthusiasts. How other storied, sprawling game series’ haven’t followed suit with their own rhythm games is baffling when the results can be this magical.

31. Quake II (Switch eShop)

Quake II arrives on Switch in the form of one of the very best remasters we've ever had the pleasure of digging into.

With enhanced graphics and audio, refined AI, all-new animations, the iD Vault, a brand new episode, and all previously released DLC in the mix — plus the N64 version — this is an exhaustive package that Quake fans are absolutely gonna eat up.

Add in crossplay support, gyro controls, and lots of co-op and competitive ways to play locally and online, and you've got an outstanding release.