The Switch has had a storming first year when it comes to software. It's hard to believe we've had so many solid-gold hits in such a short space of time - especially when you consider how barren the Wii U era was at times - and this robust performance means that anyone who is lucky enough to find the console underneath their tree on Christmas morning is going to be literally spoilt for choice.
Assuming you're in that position, picking the right games on a limited budget isn't easy. That's why we've put our heads together here at Nintendo Life (which hurt initially as Alex was too enthusiastic and head-butted everyone else) and come up with 21 must-have games for Switch.

Why 21? Just because.
If you disagree with any of the titles we've picked here, don't worry - you'll get to cast your own vote very soon. Watch this space.
Comments 66
Watched this last night. Great list, wish ARMS was a bit higher
Have Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2 and ARMS ready for my son for Christmas morning, and the Switch itself of course.... He is going to be overjoyed. Really wanna pick up Snipperclips too, as a joint present for my son & daughter. They love watching gameplay videos on YouTube, I'd love to see them playing it together.
No text list. Did not watch.
But what if you don't have money left? That's my case right here. Totally out of money to spend on Switch games. Dammit wallet, why fail me here, you were helpful in the Wii U era a lot, what happened now?
@TobiasAmaranth * Slow clap *
@Damo 😂 it's a great video guys just watch it if you can.
My Switch games list so far : (All Physical)
1. Zelda Breath of the Wild
2. Super Bomberman R
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
4. LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER
5. Puyo Puyo Tetris
6. ARMS
7. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
8. Pokken Tournament DX
9. Super Mario Odyssey
10. Xenoblade Chronicles 2
11. 1, 2, Switch
12. Portal Knights
13. Lost Sphear
14. Overcooked: Special Edition
15. Street Fighter 30th Anniversary
16. Poi: Explorer Edition
@Anti-Matter wow. You have a lot of games for the switch.
As you mention in the video some people's concerns about Rocket League performance issues on Switch, there's an update coming today, Dec 13th, for all platforms... which will include performance improvements for Rocket League on Switch. Nice!
It would be great if you could also publish the text of these videos- I like to have the flexibility of being able to read or watch! Your content is great, but I prefer reading. Thanks.
@denis09 Not all heroes wear capes.
I absolutely disagree with this list. Vroom in the Night Sky should be number 1!
Now how about some Switch discounts for all those golden coins eh?
I have enjoyed RIVE lots and think it should be in the top 20, great twin stick shooter that runs so well on switch. 100% agree that Zelda deserves the number 1 spot.
Some of poor choices are here, pretty mediocre Pokken & Thumper should be replaced by more meaty titles, I vote for Disgaea 5 (awesome SRPG, tons of content here) & Fire Emblem Warriors.
Xenoblade should've been in the Top 5.
How is Nine Parchments not on this list??? Absolutely beautiful and great game!
8 from 21 here. Not bad...
I spent most of my time on Picross...
ARMs should be top 5. So underrated.
Never any love for Disgaea. 😭
I'm happy to hear Vroom In The Night Sky mentioned. I'd completely forgotten that game even existed, although it is on my planned list of games to get when I have a few quid to spare. It'll be worth it for the laughs.
@denis09 Thanks.
It''s funny that the Nintendo Switch's first game will likely remain its best.
Mario and Rabbids should be higher, I think that’s a top 5 Switch game! Other than that, good list. The Switch boasts a lot of variety of really high quality.
@TobiasAmaranth I felt just like you. But I’ll make myself watch it, I know I’ll have to turn my music off for the video, and I was feeling so good because of that music. I really must get an iPod that works with Apple Music, so I can listen to more than one thing at once!
Lots of comments on games that deserve to be in the Top 5 here, and I agree. At least 10 of the games on this list should be in the Top 5. Why did you rank them so low?
Ok I own 7 games out of the Top 10 alone.
Seems I have a little addiction problem...
I keep forgetting about Thumper... must get it as soon as I have less games ahead of me (or as soon as I'm done with Fast RMX).
Great list, but why isn't Enter the Gungeon on there?
Oh right, you guys aren't from the future...
I personally would have made it the 22 best Switch games list and added Stern Pinball Arcade though.
edit. Scrap that. Add Picross S and make it 23.
I would've had Mario + Rabbids top 5, and LA Noire snuck in somewhere around the bottom of the list, but a good list overall. Definitely agree with the top 3.
Breath of the Wild on top again. I force myself to play a little everyday, but after close to 200 hours I don’t enjoy the game anymore.
I’m such a huge Zelda game fan, every other Zelda game I’ve played have been amazing experiences.
I don’t agree that the combat system is interesting. I slam my sword at everything, without any tactics, I think it’s sad that they don’t offer you fun ways to use your sword like they did in Twilight Princess, hell make that most other Zelda games. Against strong enemies, I just buy as many bomb arrows I can and fire away. I don’t know of any other way I can defeat strong enemies, they should have added a long tutorial for people who basically don’t own any imagination whatsoever.
I still haven’t gotten any story feeling. I have a few short videos I’ve been watching over an over, but they don’t really give you much to go on... I’ve been walking aimlessly for hours, in order to find the spots I have pictures of. I still have three I haven’t found. Walking and walking, I feel like I’ve been everywhere.
I don’t want to defeat Ganon without a story. That’s the saddest outcome I can think of, that’s just plain depressing.
I don’t like what they did with the music, when you’re already feeling like you can’t think of anything that would give you some story progress, it’s not very uplifting that there barely is music. The music is so subtle I feel like putting on some other music to cheer me up while playing without a single sip of progress...
I miss the dungeons. The shrines just doesn’t compare.
Talking to Beatle is one of the few uplifting features, he’s always so cheerful, the only bright person in the game so far. I always buy from him, even though I don’t need any of the stuff he’s selling.
Riding around is nice, but they made sure you can’t bring your horse everywhere, even when you are willing to go a long way to do so.
The Amiibo feature is actually great.
My number one game is... I don’t think I have one yet.
Super Mario Odyssey is ok, but I hate platformers. But considering it’s mainly a platformer, it’s excellent. The only platfromer I don’t hate.
Still need to acquire Golf Story and Doom, but probably next year as been expensive enough.
I have to say, it’s a nice complete list and I agree with most of it, but ARMS deserves a higher spot. And where is Fire Emblem Warriors?
My own top 10:
1. Zelda BoTW
2. Super Mario Odyssey
3. Mario Kart Deluxe
4. Shovel Knight Treasure Trove
5. Ultra Street Fighter II
6. Sonic Mania
7. Aerofighters II
8. Gunbird
9. Metal Slug
10. Pinball FX3
@Anti-Matter But the retail release of Overcooked! doesn't release until February 2018? And the Street Fighter 30th collection arrives in May?
Hahahahaha. I misread #8. Saw Sonic Forces instead of Sonic Mania. My mind was like 🤬🤯
@jariw
That was my LIST on my shopping list.
I have own 9 Switch games, until number 9 based from my post number #9.
Xenoblade 2 will be next once i buy Nintendo Switch Neon bundle.
For number 11 - 16, i will buy those games on year 2018.
That was my preparation during year 2017 - 2018.
I have 14 games from that list, another 4 played extensively on PC so i'm not gonna buy them again
I like a lot of the games on the list, but I never got the appeal of ARMS. I tried it at a gamestop once and I just didn't like it. The trailers aren't making me change my mind either.
You take Nintendo out of there and it is mostly garbage time.
Nintendo basically sold every Switch with their line up - their game designers should get a bonus.
Thanks for the video Mr. Olney.
I haven't yet played Odyssey, but I've been playing Breath of the Wild for eight months now, and if Odyssey is that hard to put on spont number 2, then I need to have it in my hands sooner than later.
@Agramonte
For Mario and Zelda they get the admiration of the collective game playing and game making population on the entire planet. That's a kind of bonus.
@Pod Yeah, you cant send your kids to college on that. I'm sure Nintendo takes care of them. Just saying they really stepped up on this one.
No Fifa 18 on this list is...well weird and expected I guess. I've only played Zelda more than Fifa 18. But I guess Fifa 18 is not exactly something that makes Nintendo fans do 360 flips. Or sports games overall. Yes I know, I know it's EA blah blah... However, I still think it should be on this list, I mean it's a stellar game.
And Rabbids Kingdom and ARMS should be higher up IMO!
@Agramonte
They sure did.
Wonder Boy has a spot on my top ten. That was a perfect homage for an old schooler like me.
Here's my top 21 list of the 65+ Switch games I have played so far:
1. BotW
2. Steamworld Dig 2
3. Mario+Rabbids
4. Rocket League
5. Mario Odyssey
6. Stardew Valley
7. Battle Chef Brigade
8. Golf Story
9. NeuroVoider
10. Overcooked!
11. Splasher
12. Splatoon 2
13. ARMS
14. Ironcast
15. Minecraft
16. Thumper
17. Skyrim
18. Cave Story+
19. Thimbleweed Park
20. FIFA 18
21. Snipperclips
@geox30 Thats bogus!! Did it at least come in at #2?
Wait... It didn't make the list at all???
This is poor ethics in videogame journalism. Did we learn nothing from surviving gamergate?
Personally, I'd put Mario+Rabbids at #1.
@thiz Yeah...Arms isn't worth 60. Especially if you only play single-player. I would get rid of it...but it's digital....sucks to be me.
@sketchturner I got really curious about that game! Is it a strategy game? I thought it was a party game... So I had no interest in it. I guess the trailer was really off if that’s the case. They never show any strategy gameplay, or not any that I noticed at least.
@Phle Yes it's a strategy game similar to X-Com. Personally, I rarely enjoy strategy games, but I love Kingdom Battle a lot.
The list of switch games that I own so far. Got my switch in August. (Physical)
1. The legend of Zelda breath of the wild
2. Super Mario Odyssey
3. Splatoon 2
4. Ultra street fighter 2 the final challengers
5. Resident evil revelations collection
6. Doom
7. Dragon ball xenoverse 2
8. Snipperclips plus
9. Tiny barbarian dx
10. The binding of Isaac afterbirth
11. Sonic forces
12. Cave story +
13. Mario kart 8 deluxe
(Digital)
1. Sonic mania
2. Overcooked special edition
the binding of isaac not top 21 switch games?
i have s e v e r a l q u e s t i o n s
Xenoblade 2 is highly underrated imo.
ARMS should be in the top 5.
I bought a Switch in November and I already have Zelda, Mario Odyssey, Doom, La Noire, Rocket League, Skyrim, golf story, the Mummy demastered, Stardew valley, Snake game, Troopers Redux, Resident Evil, Rive, and I still want to get Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2, SteamWorld dig 2, Wolfenstein 2, and possibly FIFA - although I’m boycotting EA, so that might never happen...
I need more money and I need more free time!
My top games since launch
1 zelda
2 arms
3 splatoon
4 monster hunter xx demo
5 turf masters
@JoeDiddley Yeah. Arms should be higher. And Doom is way too high. It is no doubt a good game, and I like it, but there is nothing special about it.
@Phle for the pictures have you found and spoke to Pikango at each of the stables? he's normally stood outside painting and he gives you tips which are pretty important
For this level of quality to exist on a platform this early is unreal. And to even have a debate for what qualifies on this list speaks to the volume of the quality choices switches owners have to consider.
I have 6/21 but nothing new because my own opinion isn't what majority have (no suprising cause been playing since Game&Watch).
I'm honestly somewhat surprised that Thimbleweed Park didn't make the cut, and that it seems to have gone by completely unnoticed! It's such a fun, well put together point-and-click game! It's also refreshing seeing a game like this in 2017!
@Deanster101 I don’t think I have, thanks for the tip
Ironcast... You mean that candy crush knockoff, have you lost your mind?
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...