The 50 Best Nintendo Switch Games You Can Play on Your Switch 2

Nintendo claims there are 12 games updated for Switch 2. In actuality, it’s more like 11 because two them are Pokémon Violet and the fraternal twin Scarlet.

Violet and Scarlet give fans of the franchise a gorgeous open world that lets trainers explore and catch all the Pokemon you could ever dream of. In the game, you play as a student in the Naranja or Uva Academy (depending on what game you get) where you’ll learn about gameplay mechanics when you need a break from exploring the great outdoors in search of Pokémon. Of course, you could just cut class and participate in battles! We won’t judge!

Don’t let the “3D” in the name confuse you, in Super Mario 3D World the levels in the game are very much sidescrollers like the ‘Mario’ games you grew up with. You can move in all directions, but in this title, you won’t be exploring large open worlds collecting items, but rather running through colorful environments stomping on enemies, and collecting coins before time runs out. It’s a formula that works and this game is as addicting and entertaining as past titles in the franchise. We also love that it’s multiplayer so kids can join in on the fun. And on Switch 2, up to four people can play together online.

It was one of the first Switch games in 2017, and it’s still one of the best. The last “real 3D” Mario game was a banger. Odyssey brought the whimsy to every nook and cranny of its far-out worlds. From New Donk City to the Luncheon Kingdom, each new vibe brought up a new twist and hurdle for Mario and Cappy to overcome. Did I mention this is the one where you can possess Goombas with your hat? Well, yeah, it’s also got that going for it.

While the Switch 2 is destined to get a successor to Mario Odyssey soon enough, this title is at least enhanced in the meantime, with HDR support and the ability to play co-op locally with another Switch owner via Switch 2’s GameShare.

Echoes of Wisdom is the first Zelda game where you actually play as princess Zelda. It takes the level design and overheard perspective of the old school games and meshes it with the emphasis on creativity within a sandbox that Breath of the Wild brought to the series for good. It lacks the size and scale of wonder of the Switch’s 3D Zelda games, but Echoes of Wisdom is the only one that lets you create a bed and sleep in it whenever you want. Wish we had that ability, IRL.

Hopefully, the Switch 2 upgrade will fix the stuttering issue that plagues the screen transitions in this title and the Link’s Awakening remake.

Naturally, the enhanced games list contains a lot of Mario. Plenty of Mario, we’d say, but no list of the plumber’s accomplishments would be complete without an entry from the New Super Mario Bros series. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is as good as it gets. A remake of the 2.5D WiiU side-scroller that builds upon the simple foundation of the original Wii game. Great for kids, complicated enough for grown-ups, with some devilish levels for hardcore fans hidden for the very end. The package also includes New Super Luigi U expansion which, in our opinion, is even better.

Arms is the red-headed step-child of the Switch era. A weird-looking, even weirder playing, one-v-one fighting game where all the characters have springs in their ARMS. That’s why it’s called Arms. It didn’t quite hit, towing the line between trying to be a spirtual successor to Punch-Out!! and competing with real full 3D fighting games like Soulcalibur.

In a world where Splatoon was a hit, Arms doesn’t feel like a crazy reach for Nintendo (pardon the pun), but the end result is a marvelously unique title. More frames for Arms fans!

Another hidden gem of the WiiU that was later ported to the Switch (and will now be upgraded yet again for the Switch 2), Captain Toad is pure puzzling joy. As Captain Toad (an adorable Toad with a headlamp) you explore and solve a series of increasingly complex and inventive dioramas. Treasure Tracker is less about making the right jumps and more about slowing down, making sure you are looking at the environment from the right angle. An excellent change of pace and a game we hope gets a sequel on Switch 2.

If you’ve ever thought about building your own video game, Game Builder Garage is an excellent place to start. This title helps teach anybody — even young kids — the basics of game and level design with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. You can either share your games with friends or find plenty of exciting games other users have built.

Link’s Awakening is a remake of the 1993 Game Boy title (which was then brought in color to GBA in ’98), but this time around, it features a whole new tilt-shift art style that makes Link and his pals look like toys.

This game has plenty of puzzles, dungeons to explore, and enemies to defeat — it even features some enemies from the Super Mario series. It’s definitely the trippiest game in the series.

Time to train your brain. For some reason, this educational minigame collection is one Nintendo has chosen to allocate resources to enhance for Switch 2. At least, it’s a pretty good one of those. Good for young ‘uns but a good reminder of how much training adult brains can use once they are out of school.

A cult favorite of the Switch library that will benefit greatly from GameShare. Seeing your friends’ poker faces while you play them in these 51 classic board games from around the world will only enhance what is already an excellent facsimile. It’s the best digital board gaming gets.

Breath of the Wild is one of the best games ever made and it’s not even a contest. It changed what we thought an open world could be, and most games in the genre still don’t have a tenth of the sense of wonder and creativity this title inspires. Truly a masterpiece.

It wasn’t without issue when it launched on the Switch day one, and plenty of areas suffered from game-breaking low frame rates and other jarring technical issues. The $10 paid upgrade is meant to provide a big boost in this department, as well as introducing HDR support and cutting down the load times. These improvements make the Switch 2’s the best version of Breath of the Wild you can (legally) play.

So, as it turns out, we got a sequel to Breath of the Wild and it was—in some of our humble opinions—even better. It understood what did and didn’t work in the first game and adjusted accordingly, presenting the same open Hyrule, but giving Link powers that were better suited for building and traversing large areas quickly. The vehicles, the weapons, they are all built from what you find in the world and stick together. Dungeons are back this time and it’s got an ending that rivals Ocarina of Time in terms of epic-ness.

Not gonna lie, Mario Party has been on a roll lately. Super Mario Party was a great return to form for the series and the 2024 sequel Jamboree is even better, filled with even more characters, minigames, everything you’d want from a Mario Party in 2025.

The paid update is coming in July and it’s a pretty big one. Not only does it have support to share locally to other Switch’s with GameShare, you can use the Switch 2’s new mouse mode with Jamboree. When the Jamboree TV update hits on July 27, you will also be able to utilize the Switch 2’s USB camera connection to put yourself into Mario Party like never before.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land marks Kirby’s latest fully 3D adventure since the colorful Crystal Shards game on the Nintendo 64. This time, it lives up to the promise of the (frankly superior) 2D Kirby games. The game packs plenty of boss fights, puzzles, and new foes for Kirby to copy their unique abilities. I recommend the game, especially for younger kids, but I promise it’ll make grown-ups smile, too. I couldn’t help but laugh the first time I made Kirby swallow a car.

The paid upgrade to this one won’t come until August, but with it there will be a whole new expansion titled Star-Crossed World. Other enhancements will include improvements to frame rates and visual fidelity.

With more than 3 million copies sold in just 11 days, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is not only the fastest-selling game in the Super Smash Bros. series — it’s the fastest-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time! As the years went on, it went from instant classic to staple. What is the Nintendo Switch without this game?

Featuring every single character from the series’ history, all-new levels, and multiple game modes. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate more than lives up to the hype.

Splatoon 3 is my favorite multiplayer game on the Switch. The premise is a bit like paintball, your character is equipped with a unique paint-filled weapon which could be anything from a giant paint roller to a rifle and you go around and color a map and take out your opponents. The winner is determined by who paints the largest portion of the map before time runs out. The game is highly competitive and is so much fun. Reader, I truly can’t put it down.