Tinykin (Switch eShop)

While we wait for Pikmin 4 to finally make it to Switch, why not give Tinykin a go? This gorgeously-animated puzzle-platformer draws its inspiration from the Pikmin games, but puts its own spin on the genre, with a story about bugs taking over a house. Give it a try to see if you gel with its more story-led, dialogue-heavy reimagining of a beloved Nintendo classic.

Live A Live (Switch)

Live A Live can be a bit of a hard sell, but the existence of a demo helps a bunch. This underrated early '90s JRPG flew under the radar, but this glossy remake gives it a lick of HD-2D paint to create something that feels modern without being weighed down by some slightly outdated JRPG mechanics. The demo lets you play through the start of three of the game's chapters, and your save data will carry over if you decide to buy the full game.

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ANNO: Mutationem (Switch eShop)

This 2D-3D cyberpunk action-adventure is perfect for fans of Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, all of which serve as inspiration for ANNO: Mutationem's neon-bright world. If you're only slightly a fan of any of the aforementioned media, or you're not wholly convinced by cyberpunk, then give ANNO's DEMO a go. It's free!

Card Shark (Switch eShop)

Card Shark is a beautiful, weird little game from the makers of Tinder-meets-kingdom-strategy game Reigns, only this one is about watching other people play cards, and helping one of them cheat through an elaborate system of tricks. Only you can decide if this memorisation puzzler is your cup of tea, but lucky for you, there's a demo, so you can learn two things: One, how to cheat at cards, and two, if you like the game.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch)

If you're not entirely sure if HAL Lab's post-apocalyptic take on the pink puff is your jam, then check out the beefy demo for Kirby and the Forgotten Land before you buy. With access to the tutorial stage, a normal stage, and a boss stage — all from the early game — this demo will give you a nice, varied taste of all that the game has to offer. As a bonus, playing through the demo will get you two Present Codes for the full version of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which unlock extra items for Kirby to use.

If it's some classic 2D Kirby that you are after, then the Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe demo might be up your street instead. Hey, you can never have too much Kirby!

TRIANGLE STRATEGY (Switch)

The demo of Square Enix's HD-2D JRPG with a terrible name, Triangle Strategy, gives you a taste of the first three chapters. You'll get to meet Serenoa, the heir to a great house, Frederica, his betrothed, and a handful of the characters you can play as later in the game.

Metroid Dread (Switch)

The Metroid series was taking a long nap before the release of Metroid Dread in late 2021 (which coincided with the release of the Switch OLED), but everyone loved it, so it worked out just fine. But if you're not a Metroid fan already, and you want to see what all the fuss is about, then this free demo will give you just a taste of Samus' adventures. It's a substantial demo, too, with a boss fight to beat and a "rookie mode" to ease in new players.

NEO: The World Ends With You (Switch)

A sequel to the excellent DS cult classic, NEO: The World Ends With You doesn't require that you play the first game (although you'll enjoy the story more if you do) — but you might want to play the free demo before you jump in feet first to this colossal, 40+ hour action-RPG. It covers the first two days of the story, lets you get up to level 15, and takes about two hours to complete. Good news: If you do decide to buy the full game, your save data will carry over, so that's at least two hours that you won't have to play twice!

Game Builder Garage (Switch)

Although Nintendo's game development experimentation didn't do gangbusters, we still love Game Builder Garage for what it tries to do. It's a bright, bouncy, and user-friendly introduction to programming that's ideal for kids and adults alike. Of course, like many games on this list, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, so a demo is the perfect way to test it out.

Hypnospace Outlaw (Switch eShop)

Some games are hard to describe, and need to be seen to be believed. Hypnospace Outlaw is one of those. It's a goofy sleuthing game set in '90s-style cyberspace, and mostly consists of you interacting with MySpace-esque web pages run by idiot 14-year-olds. That might sound a bit dull. It's not. Play the demo, and you'll see what we mean.

AI: The Somnium Files (Switch)

AI: The Somnium Files is the brilliant brainchild of writer and director Kotaro Uchikoshi, who you may know from the Zero Escape games, 999, Virtue's Last Reward, and Zero Time Dilemma. In a similar vein, AI is all about murders, mysteries, and untrustworthy memories, and it's also a long game with a lot of reading. This demo gives you a chance to experience the two sides of the game: The investigation part, and the Somnium part, in which you dive into a person's traumatised brain to solve puzzles and reveal secrets.

Mario Strikers: Battle League (Switch)

Mario Strikers: Battle League was a smashing return to one of Nintendo's more chaotic sports series, despite the game being a little small at launch. This demo provides the perfect opportunity to find out if the frantic football (or soccer, if you will) is for you, with up to seven Quick Battle matches and a singular Cup Battle at your disposal for free.