One of the most notable changes in video games over the years is how much bigger they are in scale. Long gone are the days when AAA studios would release linear,3-5 hour adventures, as most major companies are now releasing vast open-world adventures or RPGs that often provideup to or above 100 hours of content.
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Although this continued trend is great for getting value for money, there are times when players just want a quick 15-30 minute gaming session, which can be tough in games that attempt to take players on epic multi-hour quests. Thankfully, the Nintendo Switch has a handful of excellent games that are ideal for short sessions.
8Super Meat Boy
Super Meat Boywas developed by Team Meat and first released in October 2010 before releasing on Switch over seven years later. The gamehelped put indie gaming on the mapby continuing the momentum of games likeBraidandSpelunky, which showedmainstream audiences just how great games from indie studios could be.
Super Meat Boy’s fast pace, short levels, quick restarts, and tough but fair difficulty had players hooked. The game’s short levels and quick restarts are what makes it perfect for short sessions, as players don’t have to worry about losing any progress and can just focus on trying to beat as many levels as possible.
7Celeste
Celestemakes this list for similar reasons asSuper Meat Boy. The 2018 release drew players in with its wonderfully smooth movement andhigh level of difficultythat is punishing but fair. Moreover, likeSuper Meat Boy, the game has almost instantaneous restarts and dying only makes players lose a few seconds of progress.
Celesteputs players in the shoes of a troubled young woman named Madeline and tasks them with climbing the dangerous Mount Celeste. The game was a huge hit with critics, exemplified by its whopping94 Metascore, which makes it one of the most critically-acclaimed platformers of all time.
Following the high praise for the isometric Captain Toad sections fromSuper Mario 3D World, Nintendo decided to expand them into a full release.Captain Toad: Treasure Trackerwas released in late-2014 and earned a solid82 Metascore.
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Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker’s near-80 stages are consistently high-quality and intelligently designed. Experienced puzzle players aren’t likely to get stuck too often, though the game isn’t insultingly easy either. The game’s short and sweet stages make it perfect for 15-30 minute gaming sessions.
The roguelike genrehas enjoyed a significant spike in popularity in recent years, with numerous indie studios expanding the genre’s catalog with excellent releases. Roguelike games are perfect for short play sessions as they’re specifically designed to have players constantly losing their progress and starting from the beginning again after just a few minutes.
Dead Cellsis a2D side-scrollerthat has a Metroidvania structure to its level design. When players kill enemies they obtain Cells, which are a form of in-game currency that work like souls in theDark Soulsseries. Cells, items, upgrades, and weapons are all lost upon death, aside from a few permanent items and upgrades that are fundamental to progression in the unforgiving roguelike.
4Hades
For those who like the sound of the roguelike genre but aren’t sold onDead Cells, thenHadescould be the perfect alternative. The game features a fairly standard roguelike structure but stands out with its memorable cast of characters from Greek mythology, smooth combat, andeye-catching visualsthat are bursting with color.
Hadeswas released in September 2020 and was soon regarded as one of the genre’s best ever games. Along with a93 Metascore,Hadespicked up numerous awards, includingBest Indie at The Game AwardsandGame of the Year from IGN.
3Stardew Valley
Stradew Valleyis a great choice for short play sessions provided that the player doesn’t get too hooked on the deceivingly addictive game.
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Like many games fromthe farming genre,Stardew Valleybegins with players inheriting some land that they are free to cultivate as they wish. Although farming is a core component of the game,Stardew Valleyalso falls intothe life simulator genre, as much of the player’s in-game day will involve interacting with the charismatic townsfolk.
Stardew Valleyfeatures a day and night cycle that takes about 14 minutes in real-time, making it perfect for short sessions as players know they can fit one or two full days in.
2Civilization 6
LikeStardew Valley,Civilization 6is a great choice as long as players don’t get too sucked intothe addictive gameplay loop.
TheCivilizationfranchise began back in 1991 and has been a pillar of the strategy genre since.Civilization 6, like its predecessors, tasks players with building a thriving empire over many centuries, with the ultimate goal of reaching one of the winning conditions that are categorized intoScience,Culture,Domination,Diplomacy(added in theGathering StormDLC),Religion, and Score.
In many ways,Civilization 6is better played in short sessions, as playing for too long can get players in the bad habit of rushing turns as they get tunnel vision for one of the winning conditions. Instead, it’s best to take the game slow and try to maximize the civilization’s potential in each and every turn, as although players won’t make much progress in a short session by doing this, their patience will be rewarded in the end.
1Super Mario Odyssey
Along withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,Super Mario Odysseyis one of the Nintendo Switch’s flagship titles. The game continues theSuper Marioseries' high-quality while also continuing its reputation for innovation thanks to the new capture mechanic that lets players control a huge range of different characters, providing excellent gameplay variety.
Another change to theSuper Marioformula is that each level is filled to the brim with Moons, which are the game’s equivalent to Stars. The fact that the game saves after a Moon is obtained and players aren’t kicked out of the level like inSuper Mario 64makesOdysseyideal for short sessions, as players can just switch off and explore the wonderfully designed levels at their own pace.
