The Nintendo Switch has racked up plenty of excellent games since its launch a little over two years ago.
The Japanese video game corporation has decisively begun catering to the interests of western enthusiasts by supplying more third-party licenses, and most importantly, fresh additions to everyone’s favorite Nintendo franchises.
We’ve put together a list of the best Nintendo Switch exclusives – games that cannot run on any other console or PC. You’re not a real fan without these:
#1 Luigi’s Mansion 3
On a system that is home to the Mario and the Zelda franchise, this Luigi spinoff game shines and shows off the strengths of having a family gaming system.
This third part is built on the foundation of Luigi Mansion: Dark Moon released on the Nintendo 3DS back in 2013. It features a funny and over-the-top story, just like the prequel.
It’s a masterpiece featuring ghost-vacuuming pastimes and the appearance of the fantastic Professor Elvin Gadd.
For his third airing, Luigi explores a hotel to save his friends trapped in paintings and climbs up remarkably-themed scary levels to catch demons along the way.
It is difficult to get bored playing, with modes like ScreamPark and ScareScraper, which add aggressive and collaborative angles to the gameplay, respectively.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the ideal first “horror” game for children and an experience that every Switch player should enjoy.
#2 Astral Chain
Combining manga-inspired visuals, PlatinumGames’ swift and unabating game design. The battle experience curated by none other than Nier: Automata’s head game creator, you get Astral Chain.
The Nintendo Switch exclusive is one part action/hack-and-slash, one part examination simulator, and one part open-world adventure. The chief focus remains on inter-dimensional assault that advances to end all of humankind.
This critically acclaimed game received raving reviews from gamers all across the board and has become a staple in every hack-and-slash game lovers’ library.
Astral Chain doesn’t highlight a regular combat method, as you’re joined in action by a chained “Legion” who can make added attacks while you are also involved in a personal battle.
These Legions also help to solve puzzles in a gorgeous-looking world and offer a delicate twist on the PlatinumGames’ typical gameplay experience.
#3 Yoshi’s Crafted World
One of the cutest looking games on the Switch, Yoshi’s Crafted World, is a skillfully crafted sidescroller set in a refreshed version of Yoshi’s Island. The aesthetic is unique – the game looks as if it is constructed out of cardboard and paper, giving Yoshi’s latest experience a bizarre sense of appeal.
It adheres to the same set of techniques used in most Yoshi sidescrollers, though the added depth in the game mechanics allows you to use the items in your environment, and toss eggs off into the distance, both in front and behind the player.
Along with long platforming levels, there is a mixture of new concept levels, including a being put inside a giant Yoshi mech.
The best part – Yoshi’s Crafted World can be enjoyed in a co-op mode using the joy-cons, making it an excellent experience for a parent-and-child team.
Yoshi’s Crafted World can be picked up by anyone who hasn’t played a sidescroller – let alone a Yoshi game. The fantastic story won’t leave too many threads untied, and has turned countless first-time players into long-time fans.
It’s delightfully done and makes for a different, excellent entry in Nintendo’s ever-growing pantheon of material-based platformers.
#4 Golf Story
Yes, you’ll be playing golf, yet, the experience is not dull by any means. The game comes out as a full-fledged story-focused RPG that fans of Camelot’s old-school Mario sports games will relish.
Golf Story will take you across numerous complex environments that offer much more diversity than you’d get in a regular golf game. Apart from playing on standard courses, you’ll have the chance to finish special golf hurdles as you’re exploring the world.
There’s even disc golf for those up for a new challenge, and one can perform several different moves that are only tangentially related to golf. The game is also unconditionally gorgeous, with its pixel-art style implementing the 16-bit aesthetic flawlessly.
The game is an odd mixture of mechanics that works surprisingly well. Players travel eight unique environments, golfing through the world’s (and the players!) problems.
#5 Tetris 99
The concept of the initially comes off as bizarre; however, it’s also enthralling. It’s Tetris’ take on free-to-play battle royale style games.
99 players are pitted against each other in online matches and battle it out for a shot at being the last one standing.
The basic idea of the game rings true to the original – it is the classic Tetris puzzle, which must be solved by putting together the same pieces in the original.
However, in this game, progressing through the puzzle also “strikes” other online players by sending extra lines to their boards.
This striking mechanism is mostly automatic, and the player gets to decide if they want to attack arbitrary players or those on the verge tapping out.
Players can also set up attacks to go after the most aggressive players, upping the stakes and making for a quick, competitive match. Fun!
Exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, the game is a fresh take on the tried-and-tested puzzler, even if the game’s concept overall feels a bit underwhelming.
Playing live against 98 other players is chaotic and can get super challenging.
Signing up on Nintendo Switch Online will enable anyone to play this game for free. The well-paced and beautifully designed, and might be your next favorite.
#6 Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem continues to be one of the most underappreciated series of games on Nintendo systems.
Fire Emblem: Awakening led strategy-role-playing games into a new, stylish era, and more titles following the same formula have released over the course of the past few years.
Players weren’t exactly waiting for an overdue game when Fire Emblem: Three Houses launched on Switch. However, the quality and the style of execution blew away both critics and players alike.
This game does not have a mission-to-mission approach like the other Fire Emblem games. Three Houses boasts a great storyline, where you can battle villains, teach undergraduates in the game’s central monastery, or work on developing relationships.
It’s much to take in and play through, and Three Houses somehow manage to stick the landing, even though it offers some significant changes to the classic combat mode, including the replacement of the weapon triangle.
The game may stand out a highlight in the series for years to come.
#7 Pokemon sword and shield
An ideal diversion released just after the launch of the Nintendo Switch Lite, Pokémon Sword and Shield is the most attractive and featureful Pokémon game ever made.
The story is apt and draws parallels to the anime much more than previous generations of games.
It is Playable both in handheld and docked modes on the Nintendo Switch. Also, it works best when you’re out. Since you can trade Pokemon and play with other players just like you could on the classic Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, DS, and the 3DS.
With better, more streamlined mechanics that allows more players to collaborate, Sword and Shield aren’t as tricky as some of the previous games in the franchise.
Nonetheless, the games still carry the qualities and details that hardcore Pokemon fans love.
Pokémon Sword and Shield succeeds in bringing some new ideas to the table; however, some elements are bland and feel like an underwhelming refresh of decade-old designs.
On the whole, Pokémon Sword and Shield are excellent additions to the HD generation of Pokémon games.
