Here is our Top 10 Nintendo Switch games that we reviewed in 2020. This list will only feature games from big companies. We made a separate Top 10 list for the indie games on Switch. The games aren’t in any specific order but we save our absolute favourites for the top 3 of the list. We tried to cover as many genres as possible, so there is something for everyone on this list. But of course, there will be some overlap in the genre because some games are just that great. If you want to know more about the games featured in this list, please read our fully fletched review by clicking the title link.
Number 10: Part Time UFO
In Part Time UFO you play as Jobski, a little UFO who has come to earth to find work to do. Part Time UFO plays like a crane game with objectives and quirky levels. But unlike a carnival crane game, the crane actually grips properly. As you would expect, the game is physics-based. This concept may not sound very appealing but the interesting part is in the aesthetics and objective system. Each job has a specific theme; from you fishing up fish onto a boat to working in a museum and so on. No job is too crazy for our little UFO friend. The jobs are packed with a lot of humour and quirkiness and have nice details in the background. Besides a single-player mode, there is also a co-op mode included. Work together or not to complete the levels.
Number 9: Immortals Fenyx Rising
The story begins with Fenyx, who suddenly awakens on an unknown island. Guided by an old prophecy about an unknown hero of Olympos and the strange mythical presence of Hermes, Fenyx goes on the adventure of a lifetime. It’s up to Fenyx to bring back his friends and get rid off the evil that is Typhon. It’s hard not to compare Immortals Fenyx Rising with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as it clearly took a lot of inspiration. Just like in Breath of the Wild, you’re exploring a vast open-world filled with secrets. From the powers and the flying and climbing to traverse the lands, they feel familiar to Link in Breath of the Wild. In order to get better gear, Fenyx has to clear the Vaults of Tartaros, resemblant of the Shrines in Breath of the Wild. In the Vaults you are challenged with a variety of puzzles. Each puzzle leading to items needed to upgrade your skills etc. The combat is extremely fast-paced and rewarding as it’s a joy to take down small groups of enemies using your divine powers. Combining your mythical wings with legendary weapons to take down even the biggest of enemies really gets your adrenaline rushing. Immortals Fenyx Rising is a great adventure that certainly resembles Breath of the Wild but manages to put its own stamp on the genre. If you loved Breath of the Wild and are waiting for its sequel, play this game while you wait.
Number 8: Doom Eternal
DOOM Eternal finally landed on Nintendo Switch and is seemingly an ‘impossible port’ because of the difference in hardware between the versions it was developed for. The game definitely has undergone severe visual downgrades to get it running on the Nintendo Switch but still runs on a solid 30 frames per second. So if you have access to an Xbox One/PS4/PC those are definitely better versions. But it is still fantastically good fun. It’s still that extremely high-paced shooter where you need to switch between your weapons at a crazy speed if you want to make it out alive. Add some intense platform sections to it and you know what you can expect.
Number 7: 51 Worldwide Games
With 51 Worldwide Games, you’ll get the opportunity to play 51 iconic games from all over the world, all put together on one single Nintendo Switch cartridge. It’s the perfect marriage of old-school gaming on a modern console. This truly is an impressive collection filled to the brim with classic games from all over the world. You can instantly play classics such as Chess, Texas Hold ‘Em, Four in a Row, and plenty more while you can also get your hands on more exotic games such as Hanafuda. If you’re not really into board games or card games, you can go for the more action-packed games such as Bowling, Darts, Golf, Air Hockey and more.
Playing the games on your own is pretty fun, especially since you easily can change the level of difficulty of your opponent. But, a game like this just is even better when you play it together with your friends. It’s easy to play together both online as offline. If you only own one Nintendo Switch system, you can play a selection of the games together by sharing your Joy-Con set. If your friend owns a Switch system too, you can play together by using your own system to compete in local co-op mode. Still not convinced? Maybe you should try the online mode were you can play against friends or stangers to improve your skills.
Number 6: Pikmin 3 Deluxe
This Deluxe version of Pikmin 3 offers tons of extra content to make it worth playing for both veteran Pikmin players and newcomers. For those not familiar with the Pikmin franchise let me explain. Pikmin offers a unique take on the strategy genre where you use little creatures called Pikmin to help you collect certain recourses for your spaceship. To make things a lot more interesting, you’ll meet different coloured Pikmin, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. By combining the powers of your small new friends, you’ll advance in the level. Pikmin 3 offers more Pikmin types, multiple Captains to control your small army, a lot of thrilling boss fights, hidden levels, and tons of collectables compared to its predecessors.
At its core, Pikmin 3 Deluxe offers the same content as the Wii U version with some extra bonuses. It contains the original story of our three new protagonists and adds all released DLC to the mix. This DLC comes in the form of Mission Mode where you’re tasked to achieve a certain goal before the timer runs out. These missions vary from gathering missions to boss fight missions and all offer a thrilling fight against the clock. If you played everything before, there’s still something completely new added to this Deluxe version in the form of Side Stories. Besides this, there is a couple of quality of life improvement to make your experience a lasting memory.
Number 5: No More Heroes 1 & No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Ok, we are kinda cheating with this one by putting two on the list, but they are both excellent games. No more heroes 1 & 2 were originally released on the Wii and are action-adventure beat’em up games, which feature gameplay and humor that you wouldn’t expect on a Nintendo platform, since of their mature theming.
For those unfamiliar with the story, let’s do a quick rundown. The story follows Travis Touchdown. After winning a beam katana in an internet auction, he runs out of money. He accepts a job to kill Helter Skelter, which earns him rank 11 on the assassin ranking. Realizing that he has the opportunity to make it to the top, he sets out to secure himself the coveted position of number one assassin in the UAA. The second game continues on this story of becoming the number 1 again but this time with another assassin swearing revenge for his brother’s dead.
With No More Heroes 3 on the horizon, this will be a nice way in for new fans of the franchise.
Number 4: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
See Hyrule 100 years prior to the events in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and experience the events of the Great Calamity. Join the struggle that brought Hyrule to its knees. Learn more about Zelda, the four Champions, the King of Hyrule and more as they try to save the kingdom from Calamity.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity does not contain the same gameplay as Breath of the Wild, but fits within the Warriors/Musou franchise. Usually, this genre is known for button mashing and defeating hundreds of enemies. Musou/Warriors games are a niche genre, often described as mindless hack and slash or button-mashing galore. But they actually contain elaborate button combinations to perform certain, flashy attacks as well as complete tasks with a few strategic elements involved. Since it’s a prequel familiar characters will appear like the Champions, but they are actually playable in this one. Play as the 4 champions, Impa, Zelda, Link of course, and more, in order to defeat the Calamity.
Although different from Breath of the Wild, this will scratch the itch for Breath of the Wild 2 will we all wait for its release.
Number 3: Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
At its core, this still is the same Xenoblade Chronicles you played on Nintendo Wii or New Nintendo 3DS, meaning you’ll still get to meet Shulk and go on a tremendous adventure in one of the best open worlds ever created. But, this is also the Definitive Edition, meaning there’s a lot of improvement too. The most noticeable improvement is the new visual style of the characters. The characters traded their realistic yet blurry face for colorful anime-like faces. The graphics of the entire game are bumped to true high definition, which results in brighter graphics and better environments. But, visuals aren’t the only improvements here. They also added a brand-new epilogue called Future Connected.
For those not familiar with Xenoblade Chronicles gameplay let me explain. Unlike traditional RPGs where you attack in turn, you attack in real-time, with a twist. If you engage the enemy by locking on to it, you’ll enter the combat mechanic. In here you’ll have to select a so-called art, which is the game’s special attack. While selecting these, you can move freely in combat and that’s crucial to master. The effectiveness of your attacks often depends on where you and the enemy are positioned; for example, some attacks are better when performed from behind. If you’re a fan of action RPG games and missed out on the masterpiece that’s Xenoblade Chronicles, the Nintendo Switch gives you a chance to play it in the best way possible.
Number 2: Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers the perfect escape from reality, where we can just live our life the way we want to.
In this new Animal Crossing game, you’re living on an entire island instead of in a town as the Animal Crossing games that came before. For those not familiar with the franchise, Animal Crossing is a life simulation game. You start in a tent and work your way up to a big house. This is done by gathering resources by digging for fossils, gathering fruits, going fishing, and selling to earn some bells. Buy items like clothes, decorative items etc to make the island yours. The game plays in real-time, so if you stay away for a long time, the island will keep moving on. So the game becomes kind of a routine. The game features both local as online Co-op, so visit each other’s virtual world.
Number 1: Super Mario 3D All-stars
Of course, this one is on the list. Why wouldn’t it be? Super Mario 3D All-starts is a collection of the 3 original critically acclaimed 3D Super Mario games: Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine & Super Mario Galaxy. All the games are updated with enhanced graphics and controls, but the good old GameCube controller can also be used. Besides these 3 games, each game comes with the full soundtrack as well. This collection is released to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the franchise. The release is limited and will be delisted from both shops as the eShop at the end of March 2021, so be sure to pick this one up if you’re interested.
