Baldo: The Guardian Owls (Switch eShop)

Baldo's incredible Ghibli-esque art style caught the eyes of gamers the world over when it was first revealed and it's probably the single aspect of a incredibly disappointing game which lives up to expectations. We described it in our review as "one of the most exquisite looking games on Switch" — hence its inclusion here — and we utterly stand by that. It's just a shame that was pretty much the only praise we could give.

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Hoa (Switch eShop)

On the topic of Ghibli-esque art, we were pleased to find that 2D platformer Hoa managed to match some great gameplay with its stunning good looks. It's gentle, lilting game with elements that pay loving homage to Ghibli classics such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and more. Nevertheless, the ideas built on those borrowings are emotive and lusciously realised. With lush environments and incredible animation, Skrollcat Studio did a spectacular job here, so if you're looking for a pleasant, painterly platformer, Hoa's just the ticket.

Fast RMX (Switch eShop)

Another entry from Shin'en, the developer's understanding of the hardware has produced fantastic results on Switch from the get-go. Fast RMX was one of the console's launch titles and a buttery smooth example of what was possible on this shiny new hybrid console. You could argue that perhaps the angular craft aren't the most taxing of assets, but this game is one of the smoothest and satisfying racers on the console, and a real looker, too.

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

Super Mario's jaunt around the world really shouldn't work as well as it does. On paper, its mess of art styles and approaches should never gel (what other game could pull off the meeting of a realistically proportioned human, Super Mario and an anthropomorphic fork?), but Nintendo manages to pull it together into a coherent whole through the genius of its mechanics and the high polish of every single element, including the visuals. From an art direction perspective, 'a bit all over the place' is a generous description, but the graphical collage Odyssey presents is nonetheless compelling.

We should also mention Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle as another plumber-based game that looks luscious, but the crazy breadth of styles on show in Super Mario Odyssey makes it one of the most impressive (and varied) visual treats on Switch.

Cuphead (Switch eShop)

The sheer surprise that this game ended up on Nintendo's console at all caught us off guard, but the fact that the Switch version proudly stands toe-to-toe with the Xbox One and PC versions is a triumph for StudioMDHR and a win for Switch owners everywhere. Even if you're not a run-and-gun fan, the incredible style of Cuphead will likely pull you though the challenges the game throws at you.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Switch eShop)

Similar to the lovely Ori and the Blind Forest, its sequel was another unexpected Xbox exclusive we were lucky enough to see arrive on Switch. The port of Ori and the Will of the Wisps really is something to behold on Nintendo's console. Incredibly, it retains the visual splendour of its Xbox One counterpart, with an enchanting art style and wonderful animation work. Moon Studios' achievements in getting this fantastic game running on Switch — and at 60fps, too — make it one of the most miraculous Switch ports we've seen.

Forgotton Anne (Switch eShop)

Last time we mention Ghibli, honest. A fine puzzle-platformer, Forgotton Anne tells a beautiful, fanciful story with an incredible attention to detail across the board, and with art that really feels like an interactive, 'living' anime adventure. We called it "an evocative, artistic triumph" in our review, and Throughline Games' journey through The Forgotten Lanes is one that sticks in our minds to this day.

Paper Mario: The Origami King (Switch)

Unlike Super Mario Odyssey, Paper Mario: The Origami King is a visually-coherent game with a singular art direction that highlights just what you can do on the most modest hardware if you've got the chops. Yes, a little HDR or some raytracing might make things look even lovelier, but the papercraft aesthetic here is already to die for.

The brightest, most colourful game on the system is shot through with an astonishing attention to detail — the mixture of paper styles, the framework of pins underlying the crafty façade, the animation, the lighting, the water — that leaves you wondering exactly how this would look better running on a machine with double-digit teraflops. The Origami King is worth investigating even if you prefer traditional platforming in your Mario games — it's an utter treat for the eyeballs.

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (Switch)

As promised, we're not going to mention a certain famed Japanese animation studio again; we'll just leave this entry for Ni no Kuni II here and point towards its gorgeous, colourful anime art style, its whimsical, poignant narrative, and incredibly impressive overall presentation on Switch. As we said in our review, it's a "a sumptuously crafted adventure", and a real looker.

Eastward (Switch eShop)

The game might suffer from some light pacing issues in places, but Eastward boasts not only a heartwarming story and fantastic dungeon segments, but also incredible pixel art that manages to breathe life into a style that's been in danger of inducing yawns for a some time now. The attention to detail here is what really sets it apart from your Common or Garden Indie Pixel Game, and highlights just how much potential there still is to innovate through sheer excellence. Absolutely lovely.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

We remember the first time we caught sight of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It looked fine, but there was a part of us that thought it resembled an up-rezzed version of 3DS entry New Leaf. As more information surfaced and we got a better look at the game, those thoughts began to vanish.

Years later, after playing the game for an unhealthy amount of time, we're still constantly ogling incredible vistas or admiring little details and animations and hitting the capture button to snap screenshots of something beautiful. Whether it's the early morning light of a sunrise illuminating the sky, the glistening of a fish's eye or the edible delights of a piece of fruit (does any developer do fruit better than Nintendo?!), New Horizons is an absolute joy.