The Nintendo Switch has had a lot of success in the nearly six years since its release. The console-handheld hybrid has been on the market since 2017, and a slew of fantastic games from first- and third-party developers have launched over the course of the system’s life cycle. Recently, heavy hitters such as Metroid Dread, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land have boosted the system’s appeal, while a healthy list of upcoming Switch games continue to drum up excitement.
There are plenty of incredible games to enjoy on the Switch right now. But which ones should you check out? These are the best Nintendo Switch games (including free-to-play titles) for 2023.
Action
Neon White
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Bayonetta 3
Hades
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Calamity
Dead Cells
Luigi's Mansion 3
RPG
Metroid Prime Remastered
Sea of Stars
Those looking for a throwback RPG more similar to Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG than to Baldur’s Gate 3, Dragon Age: Origins, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will love Sea of Stars. A prequel story set in The Messenger’s universe, it tells the story of two Children of the Solstice who will combine the powers of the sun and moon to perform Eclipse Magic, the only force capable of fending off the monstrous creations of the evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.
Fire Emblem Engage
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
Dark Souls: Remastered
Monster Hunter Rise
Ring Fit Adventure
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Undertale
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Double Pack
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Hollow Knight
Strategy
Pikmin 4
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Platformer
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
Super Mario Maker 2
Yoshi's Crafted World
Super Mario Odyssey
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Celeste
Shooter
Metroid Dread
New Pokémon Snap
Splatoon 3
Cuphead
Fortnite
Driving
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Rocket League
Simulation
Stardew Valley
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Party
Overcooked! 2
Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Everyone was nervous about how Nintendo was going to follow-up Breath of the Wild, but Tears of the Kingdom delivered an evolution of that game’s open world and mechanics that made the previous entry feel like a beta. Not only do players have two new open worlds to explore with the Sky Islands and underground Depths, but systems like Fuse and Ultrahand ask players to embrace their creativity to solve puzzles and traverse around the open world.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Fighting
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Sandbox
Minecraft
Puzzle
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