Skip to main content

The best split-screen Switch games

The cast of Super Mario Party Jamboree.
Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch introduced many innovations when it was released, with the most prominent being the ability to play the console as a handheld or docked in a TV. What isn’t talked about as often is how amazing the Joy-Con controllers are for enabling split-screen play. Thanks to each one being able to function as a full controller, you can start playing the best Switch games with a friend without investing in more hardware. With such a deep library of games, many of which are multiplayer, you have an overwhelming number of options for the best split-screen games. If you’ve got a partner ready to play, we’ll help you pick the best split-screen games you can play today.

There aren’t a ton of upcoming Switch games left, but you should still browse that list for more options while we wait for the Switch 2.

Recommended Videos

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
85%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Racing, Arcade
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 7
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
April 28, 2017
Judging by how many copies of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have been sold, odds are that there are only about 6 of you out there who don’t own it yet. If that’s you, there’s absolutely no reason to put it off any longer. This is hands-down the best game in the series and one of the best racing games of all time. The simple idea of drifting around tracks and collecting various items to hinder other racers or give yourself an edge is perfected in this latest entry. Sure, there’s still the Blue Shell to deal with, but that’s a small price to pay for such a polished racer. With the expansion packs adding even more courses, plus all the racers and karts to pick from, there’s no limit to how many hours you and a friend can spend racing through these wonderfully realized courses.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
80%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Omega Force
Publisher
Nintendo, Koei Tecmo
Release
November 19, 2020

Traditional Zelda games are all single-player adventures. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity isn’t a normal Zelda title, but a Musou game in a Zelda wrapping. For those unaware, Musou games were made famous by the Dynasty Warrior series a

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Super Mario Party Jamboree
82%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Card & Board Game
Developer
NDCube
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 17, 2024
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch
nd feature massive battles where you mow down hundreds of enemies. This game uses that same formula but allows you and a friend to carve through Ganon’s evil forces with characters like Link, Zelda, Impa, the four champions, and many more in this prequel to Breath of the Wild. The amount of content in this game is frankly staggering, so if you fall in love with the thrill of thrashing hundreds of enemies with crazy attacks, doing it with a friend is even sweeter.[/dt_media]

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Super Mario Party Jamboree
82%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Card & Board Game
Developer
NDCube
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 17, 2024
Really, you could pick any Mario Party game on the Switch and have a great split-screen experience, but Mario Party Jamboree is both the latest and greatest one. As always, this entry plays out like a board game with minigames punctuating every turn. There are seven different boards to pick from that all have their own look and twist on the end goal of rolling your die to reach the star, including a few classic ones from the older titles. This entry has over 110 different minigames that can appear so no two matches will be the same and you never play the same one too often. You could technically play this game alone with the AI, but this game begs to be played with a group of four people in the same room together. You may end up getting a little heated when someone steals a star out from under you, but that’s all part of the fun.
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
87%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Platform
Developer
Sora, Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
December 07, 2018
Fighting games have always been a little bit intimidating for casual players until Super Smash Bros. hit the scene. While you can pick the best character and master their moves over time, it isn’t required to have fun and still be competitive in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The real joy in this game is the same as digging through a chest of your favorite toys and making them fight to see who would win. Only in this case, the roster is comprised of all the biggest icons in gaming in a crossover so impressive that even Fortnite can’t compete. Everyone who likes games will find a character they like, or at the very least recognize, and want to fight with a friend. You don’t just have to do one-on-one battles in split-screen, either. There’s a whole host of modes and custom match types you can make to spice things up.
Super Smash Bros. is coming to Nintendo Switch!

Luigi's Mansion 3

Luigi's Mansion 3
83%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Next Level Games
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 31, 2019
Luigi is back in the spotlight once more with Luigi’s Mansion 3, and this time you can bring a partner in to join the ghost-busting fun as the goopy Gooigi. This time around Luigi is exploring a haunted hotel where every floor has a different theme (and different haunts) to explore. Each floor is its own challenge full of ghosts to catch, puzzles to solve, treasure to collect, and eventually a boss to overcome. Nothing is especially hard, or even all that scary, making this an excellent game for younger kids to play together or as one of their first games with a more seasoned gamer showing them the ropes. The second player as Gooigi is required for some puzzles, but also has their own abilities like slipping through gaps and walking on spikes without taking damage. It is a charming and delightful co-op experience for all ages best played side-by-side.
Luigi's Mansion 3 (Working Title) - Announcement Trailer - Nintendo Switch

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder
89%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 10
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 20, 2023
This is technically the third Mario game on the list, but the only one that is a traditional 2D platformer. Like the last few 2D games, you can jump through Super Mario Bros. Wonder with up to four players all on a single Switch. The roster this time is massive, including 12 total characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and multiple types of Toads and Yoshis. The goal of each stage is still to reach the end, but now there are new Wonder Flowers that alter the game in strange and unexpected ways. Nintendo makes playing together just as easy and fun as can be by not allowing players to accidentally block one another. You can never go wrong with a traditional platformer for some split-screen fun, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder shows that Nintendo’s plumber is still the king.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder - Nintendo Direct 6.21.2023

Pokkén Tournament DX

Pokkén Tournament DX
80%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Arcade
Developer
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher
Nintendo of America, Nintendo of Europe, Nintendo
Release
September 22, 2017
The latest Pokemon games can only be played with friends online, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to battle your favorite monsters from the same couch. Instead of a turn-based RPG, Pokken Tournament DX reimagines Pokemon battles as a more traditional fighting game. There are 21 Pokemon to choose from as fighters, plus assists to call in for extra attack options. Fighting games got their start in local competitions and that is where they are at their best today. This isn’t the most mechanically complex fighter so you don’t have to memorize overly complex button combinations to see your favorite Pokemon pull off their classic moves. It is deeper than Smash, but still approachable enough to be a great game to bring out for some friendly matches with friends.
Get Ready for Pokkén Tournament!
Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…
The best puzzle games on Switch
best-single-player-nintendo-switch-games

It's no secret that the Nintendo Switch isn't the most powerful console on the market. There are still plenty of Switch games with great graphics, but the best Switch games tend to focus more on style and gameplay than anything else. Puzzle games already have a massive appeal, but the Switch might be the most popular place to play them. Since you can play the system on the TV or in handheld mode, you can take your puzzles on the go to challenge your brain whenever and wherever you are. Puzzle games come in a ton of different forms that test your mental skills in different ways. If you are looking to keep your mind sharp with the best puzzle games on the Switch, these are the ones to play.

If you are looking for the best puzzle games on PS5, we have a list for that, too!

Read more
The best puzzle games on PS5
An upside-down level in manifold garden.,

Most of the best PS5 games include puzzle elements, but they aren't typically the main focus. These usually amount to a simple logic or physics obstacle used to break up the pacing and not actually cause you to sit and think for a few minutes to solve. Those of us who love a good head-scratcher are forced to find games where puzzle solving is the focus, and thankfully the PS5 has some of the most creative and challenging puzzle games ever made. These games play with space, language, perspective, and logic in ways that will force you to really flex your brain muscles to solve. In many ways, puzzle games are among the hardest video games ever made, but overcoming them comes down to pure intelligence rather than skill. If you need a new mental challenge, here are the best puzzle games on PS5.

If you have already managed to outsmart all of our picks, check to see what new puzzle games are coming in our list of upcoming PS5 games.

Read more
The best Roguelikes on PS5
The spelunky characters near lava and treasure.

As great as the best single-player games are, they all must come to an end. Sure, you can replay them and maybe get a secret ending, but they will essentially be the same experience as before. Roguelikes (and Roguelites) are games that are designed to be endlessly replayable. Each one approaches things a bit differently, but the most common element they all share is some level of random generation. This could be in the levels, enemies, items, and more, with most opting to randomize almost everything. That makes every run a new challenge that you can never fully predict. These games are some of the most addictive and best PS5 games you can play, but it is also a genre flooded with less-than-great options. We've sunk hundreds of hours into Roguelikes to pick out the best ones you can play on PS5 today.

Hades

Read more