The 50 best exclusive games for the Nintendo Switch

Domagoj Belancic

11.5.2025

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Support: Philipp Rüegg, Cassie Mammone, Simon Balissat

The Nintendo Switch era is coming to an end. We’re taking a look back at the 50 best exclusives you have to play.

In a few weeks, Nintendo will be ushering in a new console era with the Switch 2. The release of Nintendo’s next-gen hardware also marks the end of one of the most successful console generations of all time – their revolutionary handheld-console hybrid sold over 150 million units. Unbelievable!

The excellent software line-up also contributed significantly to the Switch’s success. No other console offers as many high-quality exclusive games. The editorial team – Phil, Cassie, Simon and I – are looking back at the 50 best titles that have only been released on Nintendo’s hardware.

Let’s-a-go!

Note: details on the editorial team’s Top 50 voting process can be found at the end of this article.

50. Pikmin 3: Deluxe

Hardly anyone played the original on Nintendo’s flopped Wii U console. The Switch re-release with new story content was the perfect way to make up for this. You, a mini astronaut, are stranded on an alien planet. With the help of the plant-like Pikmin, you try to escape. A cute real-time strategy game that feels a little old-fashioned, partly due to the outdated graphics.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: 8ing/Nintendo

49. Mario Tennis Aces

Mario sports games are hit or miss – you never know if you’re in for a new Mario classic or slop with minimal content. Mario Tennis Aces is definitely one of the better spin-offs – even if it’s not quite up there with timeless Mario multiplayer hits. Exciting gameplay mechanics, a solid adventure mode and colourful graphics ensure a good vibe on the tennis court.

• Genre: sports
• Release year: 2018
• Studio: Camelot/Nintendo

48. Paper Mario: The Origami King

Three Mario role-playing games have made it into our top 50. Paper Mario: The Origami King marks the start. The evil Origami King transforms the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom into folded characters. Mario and his friends have to put a stop to him in turn-based battles. A wonderful, albeit somewhat repetitive role-playing adventure.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Intelligent Systems/Nintendo

47. F-Zero 99

The classic SNES racing game, relaunched as a battle royale with 99 drivers. A unique concept that might be a little too chaotic for many beginners. But hey, if you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online, you get the game for free.

• Genre: racing game
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Nintendo

46. Mario Party Superstars

To many fans, this is the best of the three Mario Party games on the Switch – without any gimmicky motion controls. Instead, there’s a selection of classic boards from the N64 spin-offs and a library consisting of over 100 of the best mini-games from the series. Suitable for both newcomers and old nostalgics.

• Genre: party
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: NDcube/Nintendo

45. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

The last traditional 3D Zelda as an HD remake for the Switch. In this version, you no longer have to control Link’s sword by moving as in the Wii original, but can also operate it with the right analogue stick. If you want to embark on an adventure, be aware that Skyward Sword shares little with the open game structure of Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom. It’s one of the most linear old-school Zelda adventures ever.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: Tantalus Media/Nintendo

44. Super Mario RPG

The second Mario role-playing game on the list. It’s a remake of the SNES classic of the same name, never released in Europe. This is Mario’s first foray into the genre, and the role-playing mechanics are correspondingly simple. In typical Mario fashion, turn-based battles are supplemented with real-time elements and quick-time events.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: ArtePiazza/Nintendo

43. Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind/The Missing Heir

And another remake of a game that never made it to Europe – or two, really. In both Famicon Detective Club games, you take on the role of a young private detective and solve murder cases. The story is exciting, the anime aesthetics impressive. Only the adventure gameplay seems old-fashioned from today’s perspective.

• Genre: adventure
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: Mages/Nintendo

42. Astral Chain

A game resulting from the long-standing partnership between Nintendo and PlatinumGames. In a dystopian cyberpunk future, you play a police officer who can capture and control ghost-like creatures with special chains. In battle, you control both characters at the same time – the policeman and the ghost. The action is complemented by adventure and RPG elements.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: PlatinumGames

41. Snipperclips

One of the few launch titles on our list, it’s a cute co-op puzzle game. The players control small pieces of paper. If you place them on top of each other, you can cut away parts of the characters and adjust their shape. Changing shapes is used to solve puzzles, which are distributed across small levels. A very simple, yet ingenious idea.

• Genre: puzzle
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: SFB Games

40. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

Mario and his friends team up with Ubisoft’s crazy bunnies to save the universe from an intergalactic threat. Part two of the turn-based strategy game series is colourful and beginner-friendly. Compared to the first game (Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle), however, some of the Mario charm is lost. The action mainly takes place in generic-looking space levels, not in the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: Ubisoft

39. Fire Emblem Engage

The second Switch spin-off in Nintendo’s long-running strategy game series. You play a dragon in human form who has to save the world from another evil dragon and his army of undead. The turn-based battles follow the tried-and-tested rock-paper-scissors principle of the series – swords beat axes, lances beat swords, axes beat lances. However, the story leaves something to be desired compared to other titles in the series.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Intelligent Systems/Nintendo

38. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda

A crossover between music game Crypt of the NecroDancer and The Legend of Zelda. You play Link or Zelda, fighting well-known enemies from the series to the beat of the music to save Hyrule from destruction. Don’t expect a traditional Zelda experience here.

• Genre: action-adventure/music
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Brace Yourself Games/Nintendo

37. New Pokémon Snap

A new edition of the N64 classic Pokémon Snap, where you take photos of rare Pokémon on preset tracks. The high score-based gameplay is very simple, but the visuals impress with successful animations and colourful environments. A delight, particularly for younger Pokémon fans.

• Genre: shooter
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: Bandai Namco/Nintendo

36. Yoshi’s Crafted World

The colourful and super-sweet Yoshi platformer shines above all with its unique graphics. Its characters look like they’re knitted from wool, and the environments are made of cardboard. If you can put up with the very simple gameplay and low difficulty, you’ll have a lot of fun with Yoshi’s adventure.

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: Good-Feel/Nintendo

35. Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Bootcamp

In this remake package, you can play the first two GBA entries of the Advance Wars series from 2001 and 2003. The turn-based strategy gameplay is still as addictive as it was back then. It’s just a shame that the new edition comes with generic 3D graphics – the pixel charm of the originals is lost.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: WayForward/Nintendo

34. Nintendo World Championships NES Edition

A dream for speedrunners. You play short gameplay snippets from NES classics and try to beat the competition by hundredths of a second. Multiplayer is available both online and offline. However, the mini-game collection would’ve benefitted from a little more scope.

• Genre: minigames
• Release year: 2024
• Studio: indieszero/Nintendo

33. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Expect spectacular action in the Breath of the Wild universe without much added depth. In this spin-off, the background story happens before the events of the first Switch Zelda. The gameplay is based on the Dynasty Warriors series from the same developer studio. In other words, you beat up endless enemies without thinking too much.

• Genre: Hack and Slash
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Omega Force/Nintendo

32. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

And yet another Mario role-playing game for the list, this time a remake of a Gamecube classic. The beautifully staged paper adventure shines with quirky humour, likeable characters and a solid turn-based combat system with real-time elements. Still, you can tell the age of the originals in the excessive backtracking, among other things.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2024
• Studio: Intelligent Systems/Nintendo

31. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Nintendo has re-released many Wii U games on the Switch – including the relatively unspectacular Super Mario 3D World. The new game mode Bowser’s Fury is an exciting feature, however. A mini open-world Mario, so to speak. For this reason alone, it’s worth buying the new edition.

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Nintendo/1-Up Studio

30. Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Alright, this is the last Mario RPG on the list. Trust me. Fans of the Mario & Luigi games have had to wait almost ten years for a new spin-off. And Brothership delivers exactly what you’d expect from a game in that series. You control Mario and Luigi at the same time, both when exploring the game world and in the turn-based battles. The story set in a foreign kingdom is well told, even if it is a little too long.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2024
• Studio: Nintendo/1-Up Studio

29. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

In this historic Legend of Zelda game, you control the princess herself instead of Link for the first time. She isn’t armed with a sword, but a magic staff, using it to duplicate enemies and objects. This forces you to think outside the box when it comes to puzzles and battles. Mind you, those constant jerks when exploring the game world are somewhat annoying.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2024
• Studio: Grezzo/Nintendo

28. Luigi’s Mansion 3

Mario’s brother returns as a ghost hunter in Luigi’s Mansion 3. Armed with a vacuum cleaner, the scaredy-cat sneaks through a huge hotel full of supernatural creatures. The slow gameplay is a matter of taste, but one thing’s clear: it’s one of the most beautiful Switch games ever.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Next Level Games/Nintendo

27. Pokémon Legends Arceus

Let’s be honest, the Pokémon game series has been in a nosedive for several years now. Luckily, this spin-off is one of the few bright spots on the horizon. It’s the first game in the series in which you can explore an open world and catch free-roaming Pokémon. Admittedly, the game sometimes looks very… mediocre. But hey, still worlds better than the disgusting Scarlet and Violet. And most importantly, the gameplay loop is addictive and provides a breath of fresh air with various new features.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: Game Freak

26. Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition

Developer studio Monolith Soft is bringing a heavily remastered version of the Wii classic to the Switch – including new story content. The role-playing game impresses with extensive worlds and a very unusual story – game areas are located on gigantic titans, forever frozen during a battle. A warning up front: the MMO-inspired combat system is a matter of taste – you’ll either love it or hate it.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Monolith Soft

25. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

The Gameboy classic gets a second life on the Switch with an extensive remake. In terms of content, the game’s very close to the original. For a change, you don’t have to rescue the princess, but have to escape from a strange island as Link. A wonderful retro adventure with a fresh touch, marred only by annoying stutters.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Grezzo/Nintendo

24. Nintendo Labo

Nintendo Labo is one of those products that could only come from Nintendo and could only work on the Switch. Using various cardboard sets, you can make gadgets to fit your Joy-Con controllers. You use these to control various mini-games. Fishing rods, mini pianos and even a robot suit can be made from the prefabricated sets. With Toy-Con Garage mode, you can even program functions of your own and bring them to life with your own materials. A wonderfully quirky concept that’s particularly exciting for young Nintendo fans.

• Genre: minigames
• Release year: 2018
• Studio: Nintendo

23. Ring Fit Adventure

Anything I said about Nintendo Labo also applies to Ring Fit Adventure: the idea could only come from Nintendo and only works on the Switch. You place one Joy-Con controller in the supplied fitness ring and the other in a thigh strap. With this setup, you can sometimes complete very strenuous fitness exercises – either as part of a surprisingly sophisticated story or in regular fitness mode.

• Genre: fitness
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Nintendo

22. Splatoon 2

Shooters à la Nintendo: you use colourful paint instead of lead bullets. The gameplay follows on from the first Wii U title and offers more game options, a new single-player campaign and additional downloadable story content. An all-round successful package, but one that’s trumped in every respect by its successor Splatoon 3.

• Genre: shooter
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Nintendo

21. Bayonetta 3

Pure chaos – that’s how you can describe the action-packed fighting and shooting gameplay with the mercurial witch. The game is bursting with style, coolness and kitsch, and isn’t afraid to show bare skin from time to time. Just a shame that the technical implementation can’t quite keep up with the high ambitions of the game.

• Genre: Hack and Slash
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: PlatinumGames

20. Metroid Prime Remastered

If you haven’t played the original on the Gamecube, you should definitely catch up on the remastered Switch version. You have to survive on a strange planet full of hostile aliens and space pirates. Bounty hunter Samus Aran’s first 3D title is still one of the best Nintendo games of all time – despite the sometimes frustrating and overly cryptic hints for progressing.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Retro Studios/Nintendo

19. Super Mario Maker 2

Part two of Super Mario Maker does everything better than the original. You can create your own Mario levels or play crazy (!) creations by other people. A virtually endless 2D Mario game.

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Nintendo

18. Xenoblade Chronicles 2

The second game in the series remains true to the principle behind the original. An MMO-inspired combat system? Check – including various new features! Massive rideable titans to walk around with and explore large game areas? Check – the open world is even bigger! The new gacha mechanics and bumpy story are the subject of controversial debate among fans.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Monolith Soft

17. Tetris 99

The classic game bar none, reinterpreted here as a battle royale with 99 players. A simple yet ingenious and unique implementation of the tried-and-tested game principle.

• Genre: puzzle
• Release year: 2019
• Studio: Arika/Nintendo

16. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Who would’ve thought that a crossover between Mario and Ubisoft’s crazy rabbits with strategy gameplay à la Xcom would work well? In many respects, part one is even better than its successor Sparks of Hope (40th place). Partly because the game areas are full of loving references to Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Ubisoft

15. Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 does everything better than Splatoon 2. The principle of splattering paint remains the same and is enhanced by new moves. You’ll squirt your stuff either in the new story mode or in online multiplayer matches. You can also expect new and expanded game modes (including a card game), new weapon types and an excellent roguelike mode. Although it costs extra, it’s definitely worth it.

• Genre: shooter
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: Nintendo

14. Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

Following the success of the Famicom Detective Club remakes (43rd place), Nintendo decided to continue the story of their young master detective. The result: Nintendo’s first 18+ game. A disturbing crime adventure that feels much fresher than the NES classic remakes – even if the murder plot takes a while to get going. Gamers who stick with it will be rewarded with an incredibly exciting and shocking finale.

• Genre: adventure
• Release year: 2024
• Studio: Mages/Nintendo

13. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

For many, this is the game of the first COVID lockdowns and a welcome escape from the grim reality of 2020. You move to an island, decorate your house and make friends with the animal inhabitants. No stress, no goals, no pressure. Just relaxation, handicrafts, collecting bugs, fishing and meeting up with friends. It’s just a shame that Nintendo no longer supports the game with new content.

• Genre: life sim
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Nintendo

12. Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Compared to the first Fire Emblem on the list (Engage, 39th place), Three Houses offers far more story and gameplay elements. When you’re not fighting enemy armies in turn-based battles (this time without the weapon triangle system), you teach as a professor at a military academy. The life sim part is reminiscent of the Persona games and gives the characters additional depth. You also develop fighting skills at school.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2020
• Studio: Intelligent Systems/Kou Shibusawa/Nintendo

11. Kirby and the Forgotten Land

The first fully fledged 3D Kirby game is a cuddly masterpiece that was just slightly too easy. In a post-apocalyptic world (yes, you read that right), the round hero hops and floats through lovingly designed platforming levels full of secrets. Kirby sucks in enemies as usual then inherits certain characteristics of the devoured creatures. Kirby can even swallow large objects such as cars. Bon appétit!

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: HAL Laboratory/Nintendo

10. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition

A new edition of the underrated Wii U role-playing game. The game runs sharper and smoother on the Switch – new story content is also available. In this Xenoblade Chronicles spin-off, you explore an alien planet and fight equally massive monsters in a huge open world. After many hours, you unlock a mech that suddenly makes the game play completely differently. An adventure full of surprises and goosebump moments.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2025
• Studio: Monolith Soft

09. Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The fourth and final Xenoblade on our list. You’re trapped in an eternal war where artificially spawned warriors with a lifespan of ten years go into battle. The combat system of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is based on the MMO roots of its predecessors and supplemented by new twists. The world is significantly larger than in part two (but not as gigantic as in the X spin-off). A must for JRPG fans.

• Genre: role-playing game
• Release year: 2022
• Studio: Monolith Soft

08. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As the name suggests, the Switch spin-off of Super Smash Bros. is the ultimate game in the series. All (!) characters that have ever appeared in a Smash game have made it into the line-up. On top of that, there are numerous new additions from the Nintendo universe and third-party games. Whether in story mode, online or with friends on the sofa, it doesn’t get much better than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

• Genre: fighting
• Release year: 2018
• Studio: Sora Ltd. /Bandai Namco/Nintendo

07. Pikmin 4

The fourth game is the best and most beautiful entry in the series. Its stressful and addictive real-time strategy gameplay with the little plant creatures has been perfected and enhanced with exciting new features (such as cute dog Oatchi). As part of a rescue unit, you crash-land on an alien planet and have to explore large levels as well as fight dangerous enemies alongside your Pikmin army.

• Genre: strategy
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Nintendo

06. Metroid Dread

An excellent 2.5D side-scrolling adventure with bounty hunter Samus Aran. Metroidvanias are now a dime a dozen. Still, Metroid Dread stands out from the crowd with its ingenious level design, perfect controls and exciting stealth mechanics in the fight against killer robots. The game makes it clear why the subgenre is called what it is – Samus is still the queen of Metroidvanias.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2021
• Studio: MercurySteam/Nintendo

05. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Similar to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (8th place), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is also the ultimate Mario Kart. The Deluxe version is hardly comparable to the original Wii U release. With all the additional content, the fun racer comprises an incredible 96 tracks and 48 playable characters. There are also dozens of kart and bike variations. The gameplay is as fun as ever, the anti-gravity makes for exciting track designs and the multiplayer is wonderfully chaotic.

• Genre: racing game
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Nintendo

04. Super Mario Bros. Wonder

The New Super Mario Bros. games were solid, but still only simple 2D Mario games that didn’t dare to try anything new. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the opposite of this conservative gameplay philosophy. Wonder Flowers grant you absolutely insane special effects in every level, which either have an influence on the environment or on Mario. In short, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the best – if not the best – 2D Mario game ever.

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Nintendo

03. Super Mario Odyssey

On the Switch, the chubby plumber shines both in 2D and the third dimension. In Super Mario Odyssey, the Nintendo mascot visits plenty realms far removed from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom. Along for the ride: magical headgear Cappy. Using him, Mario can take control of enemies and other NPCs (dinosaurs, goombas, frogs and many more). The result of this world tour is an incredibly varied adventure filled with countless clever game mechanics.

• Genre: platformer
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Nintendo

02. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

This is what a sequel to one of the best games of all time should look like! The game world of Tears of the Kingdom feels familiar yet new. The kingdom of Hyrule has changed since Link’s last adventure in Breath of the Wild, with floating islands in the sky and a dark underground world, among other things. In terms of gameplay, the sequel doesn’t reinvent the open-world wheel of Breath of the Wild, but adds fresh tools that give you even more freedom to explore the gigantic game world. Using Link’s new skills, you can create weapons, vehicles, aeroplanes and other infernal machines to defeat enemies or solve puzzles. In many ways, Tears of the Kingdom is the ultimate sandbox game that lets you experiment with a great deal of freedom and without major restrictions.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2023
• Studio: Nintendo

01. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

It was a close race, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild lands in first place on our top 50, just ahead of its successor Tears of the Kingdom. Yes, Tears of the Kingdom offers a larger game world, more gameplay mechanics and a more epic story. But if I could only recommend one of the two titles, I’d still choose Breath of the Wild. Why? Well, it offers a more focused gameplay experience – you don’t have to bother with tinkering, you can just enjoy the open world. What’s more, Breath of the Wild both revolutionised the Legend of Zelda game series with its completely open gameplay and had a lasting impact on the open-world genre as a whole. It’s one of those rare gaming milestones, like Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time or GTA III. In short, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the best games of all time and a timeless classic.

• Genre: action-adventure
• Release year: 2017
• Studio: Nintendo

How we voted

Four members of the editorial team voted on this top 50 list: Phil, Cassie, Simon and me. We rated the exclusive Switch games according to three categories on a scale of 1 to 10:

• Quality: how good is a game from our perspective? A mini-review, so to speak, where we award points without comment.
• The it factor: how important was a title to gaming culture, the scene or the community? Have you missed something if you haven’t played it? Would you tell a friend: «Hey, you absolutely have to play this!»? A great game won’t necessarily have a big it factor.
• Exclusivity and uniqueness: how unique is this Switch game? Is it also available on other (= older) platforms? Are similar games/experiences also available on other (= current) platforms? Can you only get this gaming experience on the Switch? The more exclusive/unique, the higher the score.

Scores from individual members were added together using a weighted formula. Quality makes up 50 per cent of the overall score, the it factor 30 per cent and exclusivity & uniqueness 20 per cent.

Only exclusive games were included in the selection. A game is considered exclusive if it isn’t available outside of Nintendo’s platform. This doesn’t include ports of Wii U games for the Switch.

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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