The Nintendo Switch is now a little over three years old, and over that time we've been treated to a pretty huge number of games. Some have been real winners, like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, for example, while others have been... Well, a bit pants.
Of course, one of the many ways we can assess the quality of these games is through reviews - ourselves included - and Reddit user yuxbni76 has been busy compiling lots of data from review aggregate site, Metacritic. The chart below plots the Metascore (the weighted average Metacritic awards games based on reviews from well-known outlets) for every single Switch game that qualifies.
As you can see, the average score given out to the 1,408 Switch games on the site has been around 70%, which would naturally be a straight '7' on the Nintendo Life review scoring policy. yuxbni76 has also gone out of their way to share a list of the best and worst reviewed games for the console:
Best-Reviewed Switch Games
1) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 97
1) Super Mario Odyssey - 97
3) Undertale - 93
3) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 93
3) Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition - 93
6) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 92
6) Celeste - 92
6) Bayonetta 2 - 92
9) SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition - 91
9) Sonic Mania Plus - 91
9) Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove - 91
9) Retro City Rampage DX - 91
9) INSIDE - 91
9) Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - 91
Worst-Reviewed Switch Games
1398) JCB Pioneer: Mars - 34
1398) Fantasy Hero: Unsigned Legacy - 34
1400) Poisoft Thud Card - 33
1400) Back in 1995 - 33
1402) Superola and the Lost Burgers - 31
1403) ARK: Survival Evolved - 29
1404) Woodle Tree Adventures Deluxe - 28
1404) Tennis - 28
1404) Awkward - 28
1407) Ultra Off-Road 2019: Alaska - 24
1408) Vroom in the Night Sky - 17
Turns out our pretty scathing Vroom in the Night Sky review was slightly generous, then. Wow.
Interestingly, a similar chart produced for all PS4 titles shows an almost identical average:
Would you say the overall quality of Switch games has exceeded your expectations, or do you think the eShop has a few too many bad eggs? Share your thoughts with us down below.
[source reddit.com]
Comments 42
Vroom in the Night Sky is such a great title and great premise, with a very cute logo. I think it'd be fun to actually make that game.
I mean, assuming that whatever Poisoft released lies somewhere on the perimeter of what the term video game encircles.
I'd say that the overall quality of Switch games are hit and miss. There's too much "shovelware" in the eshop, but the cream always rises to the top. Lots of great exclusives on the system, and the fact that those games are portable and switchable to the tv is what makes the Switch the best game console of all time, imo. And I own all consoles. Let's not also forget about Nintendo's boldness to innovate. Ring Fit Adventure is a perfect example of that.
Vroom has its... charm.
It’s kinda telling that a lot of great games on the Switch are multiplat indie games. There are so many big hitters, but nothing that I couldn’t live without.
Ark on Switch is like... Retro in a modern game. 216p ftw.
Steamworld Heist got 91? It's a great game no doubt, but that's a bit much.
So 7 is average! People have been trying to convince us it’s a good score for years...
joking, naturally.
OR AM I?
@Maxz I’m looking for a “broken-heart” button... 😜
Wow, that's interesting to see the Mean & Median are roughly the same for Switch & PS4.
It's a shame metacritic can't quantify & include of lot of smaller games because they didn't get any or enough reviews to qualify. Hey @ryancraddock, please review all those games. Just you hahah I'm playing with you. Make Gavin do it (I'm still messing with you. Just making an insane request for fun.)
The highest and lowest rated games on Nintendo Switch were both launch games. Oddly fitting.
That Vroom in the Night Sky tho bro... sweet!
Where is WWE 2K18 on the worst-reviewed-list?
2+ years have pass but the pain is still deep.
I got your straight 7 right here.
In slight defense of Woodle Tree Adventures Deluxe, I'm pretty sure that's a game for small children.
Honestly, I am surprised some people still take the metascore thing seriously. Critics seem to be quite diverse at times and the user scores are far too influenced by fans. Can't say that scores on sites like that really mean a whole lot to me.
This just reminds me that I need to play Divinity!
@Lando_ ark is great on pc bugs and all
Pleased to see I own none of the bottom ten. Might look them up out of sheer curiosity...
@Woomy_NNYes Yeah, I don't think that'll be happening any time soon 😛
No suprise in the worst one's.The best are must have titles.Overall good article
The e-Shop is a nightmare at the moment. So much shovel ware, but the switch has bad sone of the best Nintendo games in years
Shovelware is a sign of a success console. Wii also had loads.
Mmmmm, yummy yummy stats.
If Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the worst Switch games ever how come I've got 360 hours in it if it's that bad?!! It's not one of the worst games it's one of the worst reviews! NintendoLife sure review bombed that one!
I remember watching Clyde Manelin play Vroom in the Night Sky when it was released.
The game didn't look that bad, outside from the funny bad translation.
Certainly didn't look "worst of 1,400 games" bad.
Pretty impressive to see Switch's mean and median be almost exactly the same as the PS4's despite being on the market for a lot less time.
And yeah, every gaming platform has shovelware... Thankfully platforms like the Switch and PS4 for that matter have plenty of good games, so the shovelware is easy to ignore.
I own a bit over 70 games on my Switch. Not stopping any time soon👍🏼
Honestly, felt a bit uneasy with you doing this topic, when there were instances of review bombed games. But I am ok with what’s presented.
Vroom was a launch title and it was so pathetic
@Incarta Yeah I think the current software situation has given me an environment where there is a total abundance of just about anything that could capture my interests so I have had plenty of time to go through it and focus on what I really enjoy.
@Kit 'cause you probably have very low standards 😛
I honestly find this numbers remarkably unremarkable. Not surprising at all.
I had a lot of fun playing Vroom in the night sky. It just gets repetitive. I wish they had added more course and characters into the game.
Huh... I played that Awkward game with a friend one time and thought it was pretty okay!
@Murbs
Maybe the majority of video games ARE good? ^^
@Gwynbleidd I mean, if it's the only system you have to play it on, I'm sure it's worth it, but even a modest computer could probably run Witcher 3 better. Great game, but an understandably inferior port. Switch is awesome, but it can only handle so much, you know?
@Pod I think you're absolutely right; scores have become fairly meaningless as a result. Especially in the age of YouTube where we can check out a gameplay video and commentary to see if it's something worth playing...
@Murbs
Very true. The number is less useful than ever.
I've always struggled to comprehend what 'average' was supposed to mean in terms of video games scores anyway.
Nobody starts up a game to have an average time.
@KingMike I don't believe it really is. But as one of the launch day games on the eShop, people were probably comparing it subconciously to an off-the-scale game like Breath of the Wild.
Here's your headline: "Analysis of Large Data Sample Reveals Bell Curve". Pretty Earth shattering stuff.
I still remember the time Vroom launched. It was early days on the Switch. The trailer looked like sh*t. The description was so sloppily written to say it was supposed to sell you on the game.
If only we could round up all these weeb games and dump them in the sea. Fire Emblem would have to be sacrificed I’m afraid. I’m a fan of Awakening and the older ones but the route they’ve gone now is creepy to say the least
@Kit It's probably a good game but it just doesn't run as well as expected.
Yes ARK is an excellent game and works well enough on Switch, and yes the graphics aren't the best but the gameplay is really good and you do get the full Ark experience. Definitely one to pick up from the bargain bin tbh. It's a pity NL slammed it so hard it should be 5 /10 at worst, but don't let ratings put you off a thing.
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