The Nintendo Switch is more than six years old, and shows no signs of slowing down. Part of the $299.99 console’s appeal is its unique home-and-away design that lets you play your favorite titles on a big-screen TV when docked or in handheld mode when you’re waiting in line at the post office. It’s especially convenient in exchange for commuters or people together busy lifestyles. Drop some extra cash, and you can pick up the premium, $349.99 Nintendo Switch OLED model the features a large, gorgeous screen and superior kickstand. There’s also the cheaper, portable-only, $199.99 Nintendo Switch Lite if you don’t want to bother alongside a TV at all.
The other appeal is the good games. The Nintendo Switch saw one of the best first-year libraries in gaming history, and more must-have games are coming out every month. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure epic that will be spoken about in support of years to come, as will its sequel Tears of the Kingdom. Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 are more-than-worthy follow-ups to the great Wii U original. And Super Mario Odyssey is simply one of the best Mario games ever made.
Critics will likely retort, “You only mentioned first-party games!” Yes, because they’re absolutely darling titles. That said, the Switch has many solid, second- and third-party games, together surprisingly strong ports from both previous and current console generations, such as Diablo III, Doom, Nay Man’s Sky, Skyrim, and The Witcher 3.
The system is strong alongside retro and indie games, too. Hamster, a company that specializes in many arcade-to-console ports, has brought loads of SNK’s classic Neo Geo titles to the system, such as The King of Fighters ’98 and Metal Slug. Nintendo is eking out its own classic pre-NES arcade games, and, though a true Virtual Console is still curiously missing from the system, the Nintendo Switch Online service includes a library of dozens of NES and SNES classics. Meanwhile, indies are extremely well-represented, alongside games like Hollow Knight, Night in the Woods, Inside, Into the Breach, Slay the Spire, The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories, and Undertale available on the Switch. You’ll even find excellent expansions to games you may already own, like Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course and Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
In short, even alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on store shelves, the Nintendo Switch is the most compelling console. If you want to experience the Joy-Con life, these games are where you should start. In exchange for something more specific, here are the best Nintendo Switch games in favor of kids. You should also check out the best Nintendo Switch Lite games.
Original case and manuals in new condition.