Feature: Best Feel-Good Nintendo Switch Games

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

Stuck inside dreaming of taking off on a world trip and escaping this dreariness? You could always go 2D with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, or Super Mario Maker 2, but Mario's latest full-fat 3D platformer takes you on a tour of the world that's sure to lift your spirits. Whether you're a people person who prefers the hustle and, indeed, bustle of New Donk City or prefer the quiet contemplation and isolation available on the surface of the moon, Super Mario Odyssey's got it all. It doesn't get more upbeat than this. Or does it?

Puyo Puyo Tetris (Switch)

Arguably the ultimate puzzling mashup, there's something for everyone and colour to spare in Puyo Puyo Tetris. Whether you're into puyos or tetrominos, the game will tap into your nostalgia for either while also giving you a respect for the other. With plenty to enjoy for solo or multiple players, you really can't go wrong firing this up of an evening.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is like a warm, relaxing cup of something. We beat the main game long ago, but we still fire it up regularly simply to roam around Hyrule finding the odd Korok seed and letting the rolling hills and clean digital air calm our nerves. We find it great for stress relief (and we found sailing the Great Sea in The Wind Waker equally soothing), but Breath of the Wild's engaging gameplay and general gorgeousness make it perfect for lifting your spirits and beating the blues in in any other month of the year, too.

Link's Awakening is equally lovely if you're after a more traditional Zelda adventure, too.

SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog (Switch eShop)

Another standby we dive into whenever we're feeling down, a quick blast through Green Hill Zone can be rather restorative. Obviously the melodious mix of music, waterfalls and dancing flowers is likely to lighten your mood, but it's more than that. It's an odd and comforting thing to navigate through an old favourite on little more than muscle memory. We'd liken it to listening to a favourite song, or perhaps closer, playing your favourite song on a musical instrument; something about the mechanics of it soothes the soul.

Sonic the Hedgehog is available on virtually every console you own, as is its even-better sequel, Sonic 2. You can't go wrong with either.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

The arrival of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Switch made us think back to how we abandoned our Wild World town when Animal Crossing: New Leaf arrived. We regret not saying goodbye properly to the residents of our town (Dibly, because 'Crinkley Bottom' was over the character limit) and, alas, we've done the same with Bell Air, our poor old New Leaf town. Still, we're way too distracted catching fish and making custom designs to linger on the past and New Horizons is proving to be the perfect tonic to the trying times we're living in. Whatever entry you have to hand, though, Animal Crossing is the most heart-warming and delightful of games.

Stardew Valley (Switch eShop)

With more of a focus on farming than the previous entry, Stardew Valley is a country life sim that's equally captivating if you're looking to escape the January drudgery. After inheriting your farm there's a lot of work to do but like any of the very best sims, soon all the elements click into place and the joy of running a well-oiled machine takes over. With a very pleasant 16-bit style to the visuals, this is a wonderful way to get away from it all wherever you take your Switch.

The Touryst (Switch eShop)

A lovely little mixture of atmospheric puzzles, low-key exploration and minigame mayhem, The Touryst was one of 2019's most entertaining gems which arguably got a little lost in the other big releases towards the end of the year. It's bursting with joyous energy and surprises; the very definition of short and sweet. It's a great time for tourysm.

Just Shapes & Beats (Switch eShop)

This one caught us by surprise, but Just Shapes & Beats is an utter delight. Don't let the label 'musical bullet hell' put you off - this is an accessible and joyous chiptune romp with homages to gaming's past and an infectious, positive spirit. It may well have passed you in the flood of releases hitting the Switch eShop - do yourself a favour and try out on of the best feel-good games on Switch.

New Super Lucky's Tale (Switch)

One of the surprise announcements last year alongside a couple of other previously Xbox-exclusive games that have since arrived on Switch, New Super Lucky’s Tale is a great port of an underrated platformer that features a greatly improved camera and channels the spirit of the golden age of 3D platformers. It's a little on the short side and may not provide much of a challenge to more hardened gamers, but it's got an uncanny ability to make us smile.

Katamari Damacy REROLL (Switch eShop)

Katamari Damacy REROLL is like liquid anti-cynicism. While it's also likely to induce some stress, the game's delightfully quirky and unique personality will dose you up with charm enough to make you forget your tension and troubles. The Switch edition is arguably the best way to play short of digging out your PS2, and with a wonderful HD sheen the Prince of the Cosmos looks better than ever on Nintendo's hybrid console. Lovely.

Untitled Goose Game (Switch eShop)

Nothing like a walk in the country to raise your spirits, hmm? The breakout indie hit of 2019 is a refreshing change for the stealth genre. Gone are the night-vision goggles and dark camo-suits you might expect; here they're replaces by a big white goose with bad social skills. You've probably heard more than enough about Untitled Goose Game since it launched and conquered the internet, but if you're after something light-hearted, give the goose a honk.

Horizon Chase Turbo (Switch eShop)

Want to jump in a colourful car and burn rubber into the sunset? Horizon Chase Turbo harks back to an arcade past when all you needed for a good time was the top down, a sunset on the horizon and an attractive co-pilot with their hair blowing in the breeze. It's more Top Gear on the SNES than Out Run, but it channels that blue sky feeling beautifully and makes for an exhilarating ride on Switch.

Alternatively, there's always Out Run.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch)

With an incredibly mood-lifting soundtrack and 2D gameplay that recalls the classic Donkey Kong Country games, a restorative jaunt through the colourful, bouncy worlds of Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a great way keep the clouds at bay. The original game was a fun nostalgia trip, but Playtonic's sequel polishes everything and delivers a far better experience overall, one which we heartily recommend.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Switch)

And speaking of DKC, having topped our ranking of the best DK games of all time it's unsurprising that we love revisiting Retro's most recent Donkey Kong Country game when we're feeling down. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze isn't just a great platformer, it's one of the great platformers and it will help thaw the iciest of moods. Looking and playing better than the series ever has, veteran DKC composer David Wise returned with this sequel, meaning that the music alone is enough to reduce us to tears of happiness. Tropical Freeze is a total joy, and perfect company if you're feeling glum.

A Short Hike (Switch eShop)

A Short Hike is a fat-free indie experience from top to bottom and feels like the very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer and richer the more you play. An exploration in every sense of the word, and a perfect tonic if you're feeling down in the dumps, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don't miss this one.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch)

It's a triple helping of 3D Mario goodness on Switch - what else is there to say? Super Mario 64 is an absolute genre-defining classic, Super Mario Sunshine, for all its flaws, is one of the brightest, bounciest games on any console ever (the Isle Delfino theme alone is worth the price of admission), and Super Mario Galaxy took the plumber to new heights. This limited-time port might not add many real bells or whistles, but the underlying quality here is immeasurable. Get it before it's gone.