40. 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.

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39. 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.

38. 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.

37. 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.

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. 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.

34. 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.

33. 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.

32. Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (Switch)

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key ends Ryza's three-game run on a high note, serving up a heady mix of exploration, crafting, and combat that benefits greatly from a narrative arc that's had time to develop and grow.

The new key mechanics add more depth to combat, synthesis, and exploration, the world is more seamless and diverse than ever before, and the whole thing comes together to form a satisfying end for this hugely popular protagonist.

We did have some issues with small text, no English dub, and a little fussiness in how information is relayed, but overall this is Gust's finest adventure to date and a JRPG experience that long-term fans and newcomers alike will find plenty to delight in.

31. Outer Wilds (Switch eShop)

If you can overlook the technical challenges — and we could — Outer Wilds remains a wondrous experience on Switch. With almost no gating and free rein to investigate a rich corner of the universe, it captures the quest for learning in the most direct way possible: the only reward for progress is knowledge.

Starting with no information at all, you come to understand the intricacies of this little solar system better than its inhabitants. Having soared through such an epic, introspective, and existentially inquisitive adventure, we probably came to understand ourselves a little more, too.