From cozy island life to genre-defining adventures, the Switch library covers every mood and playstyle — and some of these titles redefined what games could be. Which one earned the top spot? Cast your vote!
1Breath of the WildNintendo's 2017 open-world Zelda masterpiece that reinvented sandbox exploration and became a landmark of the genre.1000pts
2Metroid DreadMercurySteam's 2021 side-scroller, the first new 2D Metroid in 19 years, in which Samus is hunted by the relentless E.M.M.I. robots.790pts
3Pikmin 4The 2023 strategy adventure that became the best-selling Pikmin game, sending a rookie rescue crew and the dog Oatchi to explore a shrunken world.738pts
4Divinity: Original Sin IILarian Studios' acclaimed tactical RPG, released on Switch in 2019 as the Definitive Edition, famed for its freedom, elemental combat and co-op play.715pts
5Stardew ValleyThe beloved 2016 indie farming RPG that has become one of the best-selling games of all time, offering hundreds of hours of cozy gameplay.715pts
6Mario Kart 8 DeluxeThe 2017 enhanced edition of Mario Kart 8 that became the best-selling Switch game ever, later expanded with 48 extra tracks through the Booster Course Pass.672pts
7HadesSupergiant Games' 2020 roguelike in which Zagreus battles out of the underworld, the first video game ever to win a Hugo Award.672pts
8Splatoon 3The 2022 third entry in Nintendo's ink-based shooter series, set in Splatsville and expanding Salmon Run, Tableturf Battle and Splatfests.672pts
9Pokémon Legends: ArceusGame Freak's 2022 reinvention of Pokémon set in the ancient Hisui region, focusing on open-area exploration and catching wild creatures.639pts
10Bayonetta 2PlatinumGames' stylish 2014 action sequel, brought to Switch in 2018, famous for its over-the-top combat and spectacular boss battles.639pts
11Link's AwakeningNintendo's 2019 remake of the 1993 Game Boy classic, reimagining Koholint Island with a charming toy-like diorama art style.571pts
12Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's FuryThe 2021 Switch release of the Wii U platformer, paired with Bowser's Fury, a new open-ended adventure on Lake Lapcat.571pts
13Super Mario OdysseyNintendo's joyful 2017 3D platformer sending Mario through vibrant kingdoms in a globe-trotting hat-throwing adventure.571pts
14Astral ChainPlatinumGames' 2019 action game in which a police officer fights interdimensional Chimeras alongside a Legion bound to them by a chain.571pts
15Dragon Quest XI SThe 2019 definitive edition of Square Enix's classic JRPG, adding new story chapters and an optional retro 16-bit 2D mode.511pts
16Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year DoorIntelligent Systems' 2024 remake of the beloved 2004 GameCube RPG, often called the finest Paper Mario adventure ever made.511pts
17Splatoon 2Nintendo's 2017 ink-spraying team shooter that turned Splatoon into a competitive hit, with Salmon Run co-op and colourful Splatfest events.511pts
18Super Mario Bros. WonderThe 2023 side-scrolling Mario adventure, the first new 2D entry in over a decade, whose Wonder Flowers transform every level in surprising ways.443pts
19Animal Crossing: New HorizonsThe 2020 life simulation phenomenon that became a cultural touchstone during the pandemic, selling over 40 million copies.443pts
20Metroid Prime RemasteredRetro Studios' 2023 remaster of the 2002 GameCube classic, shadow-dropped with rebuilt visuals and modern twin-stick controls for Samus's first-person adventure.443pts
21Xenoblade Chronicles 2Monolith Soft's 2017 JRPG following salvager Rex and the mysterious Blade Pyra across giant Titans drifting on a sea of clouds.443pts
22Xenoblade Chronicles 3Monolith Soft's 2022 epic set in Aionios, where soldiers from the warring nations Keves and Agnus live just ten-year lives.365pts
23Super Smash Bros. UltimateMasahiro Sakurai's 2018 crossover fighter that gathers every fighter in the series' history, becoming the best-selling fighting game of all time.365pts
24Hollow KnightTeam Cherry's indie dark fantasy masterpiece offering a vast underground kingdom to explore with challenging precision platforming.365pts
25Kirby and the Forgotten LandHAL Laboratory's 2022 adventure, the first fully 3D mainline Kirby game, famous for its Mouthful Mode transformations into cars and objects.365pts
26Persona 5 RoyalAtlus's expanded 2022 Switch release of its stylish JRPG about high-school Phantom Thieves who steal the corrupt hearts of Tokyo's adults.365pts
27Luigi's Mansion 3Next Level Games' 2019 ghost-busting adventure in which Luigi and his gooey twin Gooigi explore a haunted hotel floor by floor.275pts
28Ring Fit AdventureNintendo's 2019 fitness RPG using the Ring-Con and a leg strap, turning exercise into combat and becoming one of the console's top sellers.275pts
29Donkey Kong Country: Tropical FreezeRetro Studios' challenging 2014 platformer, re-released on Switch in 2018 with the new Funky Kong mode, praised for David Wise's music.275pts
30The Witcher 3: Wild HuntCD Projekt Red's open-world RPG starring Geralt of Rivia, squeezed onto Switch in 2019 in a celebrated port with all its expansions.275pts
31Fire Emblem: Three HousesIntelligent Systems' 2019 tactical RPG in which a mercenary-turned-professor guides one of three rival houses at the Garreg Mach Monastery.275pts
32Super Mario Maker 2Nintendo's 2019 level-creation game that added slopes, a story mode and online multiplayer, letting players build and share millions of Mario courses.170pts
33CelesteMaddy Thorson and Noel Berry's 2018 precision platformer about a young woman climbing a mountain while confronting anxiety, Best Independent Game at The Game Awards.170pts
34Octopath TravelerSquare Enix's 2018 RPG that debuted the HD-2D art style, weaving together the stories of eight travellers across the land of Orsterra.170pts
35Tears of the KingdomThe 2023 sequel to Breath of the Wild that expanded Hyrule into sky islands and vast depths, letting players build machines with the Ultrahand ability.0pts
36Paper Mario: The Origami KingIntelligent Systems' 2020 RPG for the Switch, in which Mario's turn-based fights use a ring-based puzzle system.
37Monster Hunter RiseCapcom's 2021 action RPG, built for the Switch, has sold more than 20 million copies, the second-best result in the Monster Hunter series.
38Bayonetta 3PlatinumGames' 2022 Switch action-adventure follows the witch Bayonetta and the witch-in-training Viola, adding the Demon Slave and Demon Masquerade mechanics.
Photo credits
- Celeste — Maddy Makes Games, CC BY-SA 4.0
















