Originally released all the way back in 2017, theNintendo Switchis now over six years old, and it’s definitely starting to show its age. While the OLED model certainly provided a much-needed refresh, theNintendo Switchis very clearly an outdated video game system, and one that’s possibly on its way out as rumors of a successor continue to swirl. But that doesn’t mean that the Switch is dead and buried just yet. It’s quite the opposite, in fact.
2023 has managed to be one of the best years inthe Nintendo Switch’s long lifespan, delivering a near-perfect swan song for the beloved handheld hybrid. It feels as though Nintendo has pulled all of its resources together to give the Switch a triumphant send-off, withZelda,Mario,Metroid, andPikminall delivering excellent installments this year, and that’s not even mentioning the slew of great third-party games that also found their home on the Nintendo Switch this year.
Dave the Diver
Though it only got ported to the Nintendo Switch at the end of October,Dave the Diverhas quickly become one of the console’s best games. With a core gameplay loop that sees players dive into an ever-changing ocean during the day, hunt fish and other sea creatures, and then return to land at night to run a sushi restaurant,Dave the Diveris perfectly suited toshort hour-long play sessions, making it an ideal game for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive by day! Serve by night! The best diving, harpooning, action-adventuring, and sushi restaurant managing experience you’ll ever have. DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, single-player adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.Explore and unravel the mysteries in the depths of the Blue Hole by day and run a successful exotic sushi restaurant by night.Dive into the ever-changing Blue Hole and use a harpoon and other weapons to catch fish and various creatures. Upgrade and forge equipment with collected resources and sushi restaurant profits to prepare for the dangers that lurk in the unknown. Running out of oxygen means leaving collected items and fish behind!
Disney Illusion Island
Currently aNintendo Switch exclusive,Disney Illusion Islandis one of the best family games of the entire year, acting as the perfect introduction to the Metroidvania genre for young audiences.Disney Illusion Islandsees up to four players take control of Mickey Mouse and the rest of the cartoon gang as they run, swing, climb, and explore a variety of different levels, each one just as colorful and vibrant as the cartoons it’s adapting. Genuinely fun for the whole family,Disney Illusion Islandfeels right at home on the Nintendo Switch.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy embark on a new adventure to find three magical books and save the mysterious island of Monoth. You’ll meet unusual allies and dangerous foes as you play solo or with up to three friends as the Fab Four in local co-op*. Work together as you run, jump, swim, and swing your way to victory!
Experience a brand-new Mickey & Friends adventure with hand-drawn animation, a fully orchestrated original score, and featuring performances from the authentic voice talents.
Dredge
Another nautical-themed Switch game,Dredgeis not only one of the best Switch games of the year, but one ofthe best Indie games of 2023full-stop.Dredgesees players explore a vast ocean, catch some fish, and bring them back to the mainland to sell, using the proceeds for boat upgrades that in turn let players go further out to sea. But the further players venture from shore, the strangerDredge’s ocean gets. A strangely addictive blend of cozy fishing and Lovecraftian horror,Dredgeis undoubtedly one of the Switch’s best games this year.
Captain your fishing trawler to explore a collection of remote isles, and their surrounding depths, to see what lies below. Sell your catch to the locals and complete quests to learn more about each area’s troubled past. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark…Starting from your new home in the remote archipelago, ‘The Marrows’, take to the water and scour the depths for curious collectables and over 125 deep sea denizens. Explore each area while completing quests and visiting neighbouring island regions – each with their own unique opportunities, inhabitants, and secrets.
Metroid Prime Remastered
After years ofrumors and leaks,Metroid Prime Remasteredwas finally announced and released earlier this year on Nintendo Switch, and it somehow lived up to the hype. Far more than just a remaster,Metroid Primemakes some major graphical and technical improvements to the 2002 original, making it truly feel like a game that was always meant to be released in the 2020s. The only downside ofMetroid Prime Remasteredis that fans don’t now have immediate access to its two sequels, though it would make sense that Nintendo has them in the works somewhere.
Intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran receives a distress signal from a wrecked frigate in orbit around planet Tallon IV. Upon investigation, the frigate reveals itself to be a Space Pirate research vessel home to terrifying genetic experiments using the mysterious Phazon substance. There, Samus encounters her nemesis, Meta Ridley, whom she pursues to the surface of Tallon IV. It’s up to her alone to explore the planet’s interconnected regions, investigate its dark secrets, and end the intergalactic threat posed by Phazon.Experience this critically acclaimed first-person adventure like never before with remastered visuals, audio, controls, and more.
Octopath Traveler 2
Released back in February,Octopath Traveler 2has ended up being one of the most underrated Indie games of the year, but it’s managed to remain quite popular on the Nintendo Switch. Just like its predecessor,Octopath Traveler 2gives fans eight playable charactersto choose from, each with their own unique skill set, motivations, and story, and the highlight of the entire experience is once again finding out how all these journeys interweave.
The story takes place in Solistia, a land comprising an eastern and western continent divided by the sea.It is a bustling era, wherein large vessels navigate busy sea routes and the power of steam gives birth to new technologies.Some people thrill to glamorous stars of the stage and industry, while others are brought to tears by war, plague, and poverty.In this faraway realm, eight travelers hailing from different regions venture forth for their own reasons. Step into their shoes and explore the land as you see fit, using their unique talents to aid you along your journey.Embark on an adventure all your own.
Pikmin 4
A game almost a decade in the making,Pikmin 4is very much a real thing, and it’s just waiting to be played on the Nintendo Switch. While its core gameplay loop remains essentially unchanged frompreviousPikminentries,Pikmin 4is by far the most accessible entry in franchise history, both in terms of controls and difficulty.Pikmin 4also makes some fun additions and improvements over prior entries, such as new Pikmin types, a new Night Expeditions mission type, and the ability to customize the player character for the first time in the series. Cozy, calm, and engaging,Pikmin 4is an ideal Nintendo Switch game, showing that this franchise is far from dead.
Guide pint-sized creatures in an endearing expedition! Meet Pikmin: small, plantlike creatures with distinct abilities that you’re able to grow, pluck, guide, and overpower enemies with! Use your Pikmin’s miniature might (and a bit of strategy) to explore this mysterious planet in search of your crew—and treasure.Lead your loyal and curious squad To succeed, you’ll have to balance caring for the Pikmin with leading them into dangerous situations. Do your best out there!Pikmin grow from pellets and wildlife that you can bring to your ship. Pluck them from the ground to have them join you. Go team!Lead your squad through vast explorable areas to find treasures, discover new paths, and battle enemies of all sizes. You can also direct the Pikmin to collect and carry resources that are helpful for your mission. Up to three Pikmin types can be with you in the field at a time—the rest will hang back until you need them.When their task is done, the Pikmin will wait in place for you. Get close and blow your whistle to summon them to your side! This handy action can also help you protect the Pikmin from danger, do a headcount, or simply bring them with you to your next task.
Sea of Stars
The winner of The Game Awards 2023’s Best Indie Game category,Sea of Starsfeels like it was tailor-made for the Nintendo Switch. Technically set in the same universe as 2018’sThe Messenger- another excellent Switch game -Sea of Starsis a throwback RPG, very much inspired by classic retro titles likeChrono Trigger. From great turn-based combat to a gorgeous pixel art style to great character writing,Sea of Starsis one of the best games of 2023.
Set in the same world as 2018’s The Messenger, Sabotage Studio’s Sea of Stars is an RPG that takes inspiration from Japanese classics like Chrono Trigger. Featuring a dynamic turn-based combat system and platforming-based exploration, Sea of Stars is an ambitious and gorgeous addition to the role-playing genre.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The first mainline 2DMariogame in just over a decade,Super Mario Bros. Wonderwas just the triumphant return to form that fans have been desperate for. Though its gameplay will be familiar to anyone who’s ever played aMariogame before,Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s core Wonder Flower gimmickdoes a lot to make the game feel like a wholly new experience, and the addition of four-player co-op helps to makeWonderfeel like this big next step for the franchise. There’s no doubt thatSuper Mario Bros. Wonderis now considered one of the best games on Nintendo Switch, right alongsideSuper Mario OdysseyandBowser’s Fury.
The next evolution of Mario fun: Classic Mario gameplay is turned on its head with Wonder Flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game! These game-changing items can make some wonderfully weird stuff happen. Witness pipes coming alive, wreak havoc as a giant Spike-Ball, and lots more!Loca: Up to 4 players can tackle courses together, share power-ups, and revive each other. Yoshis can also carry other players on their back to help each other overcome challenging courses!Online: With a Nintendo Switch Online membership**, you can share your adventure with players from all over the world or play online with up to 12 friends in a Friend Room, with 4 players per course. Help each other out or see who can finish first! If you place a standee while you’re playing online, other players can use them to revive!
Super Mario RPG
Nintendo doesn’t often do full remakes, but when it does, it usually knocks them out of the park. A full remake of theSNES 1996 underrated classic,Super Mario RPGlooks beautiful and plays wonderfully. WhileSuper Mario RPG’s turn-based gameplay won’t be for everyone, the game’s whimsically odd tone should be enough to draw in anySuper Mariofans, and this remake does a great job of making it all feel suitably accessible and engaging.
Set out on a classic Mario adventure: Enter—or revisit—a world of whimsy with Mario on a quest to repair Star Road and defeat the troublemaking Smithy Gang. Team up with a party of unlikely allies, like the monstrous Bowser and a mysterious doll named Geno, in a story-rich RPG packed with laughs and quirky characters.A strange party unites to save Star Road: Meet the team of oddballs setting out to thwart the troublesome Smithy Gang and protect everyone’s wishes. Even Bowser is lending a claw!Take it easy with Breezy Difficulty Mode: Players new to RPGs or who want a story-focused experience can use the new Breezy difficulty, which makes battles easier and leveling up faster. You can set the difficulty at any time if you change your mind.Adventure, battle, and traverse across a colorful world: Jump towards your next goal and continue the story. Run into monsters to enter turn-based battles with your party of three. Master the new Chain and Triple Moves system to claim victory.A delightfully reimagined world: Enjoy familiar sights with colorfully enhanced graphics and spiffy upgrades.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A game that needs absolutely no introduction,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomhas been widely regarded as one of the best games of 2023, and that legacy already seems firmly cemented. Taking the groundwork of its already-phenomenal predecessor,Tears of the Kingdomimproves and adds upon the original in almost every way,breaking new ground for the open-world genreonce again, this time with its Zonai abilities. Because of the ability to freely ascend through platforms, the ability to fuse weapons, and the ability to build any contraption or vehicle players can think of, there’s truly no other game out there likeThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
