| Situation | Pick | Key detail | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo, long adventure | Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Launched with the Switch in 2017; 4.9-star Amazon rating from 9,400 reviews | Choose it when you want one big single-player game to settle into |
| Solo, relaxed | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Crafting system built on collecting materials; an Amazon best-seller | Suits players who like building and collecting at their own pace |
| Solo, handheld | Luigi’s Mansion 3 | Best enjoyed in handheld mode, with motion control and vibration | Pick it if you mostly play with the console in your hands |
| Solo, short | Untitled Goose Game | Short single-player experience | A low-commitment choice for a brief play session |
| Friends on the couch | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Third bestselling game of 2019 in Germany | A proven crowd-pleaser for group play |
| Friends on the couch | Overcooked! 2 | Difficulty changes with the number of connected players; also playable alone | Good when your group size varies from night to night |
| Family | Super Mario Party | Board-game format with Mario characters; online multiplayer added for the first time | Suits a household that likes party-style rounds |
| Family | Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 | Shoppers say they love playing it with family | A family-minded option with sports-style variety |
Figures come from a Yahoo Entertainment roundup of top-rated Switch games and Nintendo Soup’s report on Germany’s 2019 bestseller chart.
The best Nintendo Switch games depend on who is playing: solo players should start with Zelda or Animal Crossing, groups with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Overcooked! 2, and families with Super Mario Party.
If you are weighing the Switch against other platforms, our guide to the best video games to play puts these picks in a wider context.
Playing solo
Solo players do best with long, self-paced games, and the Switch’s handheld mode makes several of them easy to carry. The picks below differ mainly in how much time they ask of you and how active the play is.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Zelda is the natural first stop for a big solo adventure. Breath of the Wild launched alongside the Switch in 2017, and a roundup of top-rated Switch titles notes that Nintendo chose it to accompany the console’s release. The same roundup cites a near-perfect 4.9-star Amazon rating across 9,400 reviews (and counting). It also appears on Germany’s 2019 bestseller list, though without a stated rank.
It suits anyone who wants a single large game rather than many small ones. One limit matters: those rating and sales figures describe Breath of the Wild. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a separate game, so do not read them as scores for it.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the relaxed solo pick. The same roundup describes it as the sequel to 2012’s New Leaf for the 3DS, with a March 20 release, and calls it already a best-seller on Amazon. Its main addition is a crafting system that requires you to collect materials to build furniture.
The game suits players who enjoy gathering and building without a clock pushing them. If you want fast action or a story that drives you forward, the crafting loop may feel slow, so look at a different pick.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the best solo choice if you play mostly with the console in your hands. The roundup says this third installment is best enjoyed via handheld mode, which brings motion control and vibration into play. It also ranked No. 6 on Germany’s 2019 bestseller chart, according to Nintendo Soup. If you prefer to play only with the console fixed in place, weigh that handheld emphasis first.
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey sits on the same German 2019 bestseller list as Breath of the Wild, listed without a rank in the report. Treat that as a sign it was widely bought rather than a ranking. It is a sensible add if you have already worked through the games above and want another Mario title that has proven popular.
Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game is short, and that is the point. The roundup still calls it one of the most delightful games on the platform. It suits anyone who wants a quick, charming break between larger games. It does not suit anyone who wants many hours from a single purchase.
Playing with friends on the couch
Group play works best with games that scale to however many people turn up. The Switch can connect up to eight Joy-Cons for group play, according to the Yahoo roundup. That is a count of controllers, not a promise that every game seats eight players, so check each game’s own limit before inviting a crowd. For more picks built around shared screens, see our list of the best couch co-op games.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the safest group purchase. Nintendo Soup reports it was the third bestselling game of 2019 in Germany and the top-selling Switch game there that year. Right behind it on that chart were New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe at No. 4, Pokemon Sword at No. 5 and Luigi’s Mansion 3 at No. 6.
Those sales describe a specific country and year, so read them as evidence of lasting appeal rather than a global ranking. For a group that just wants a game everyone recognises, it is a strong first buy.
Overcooked! 2
Overcooked! 2 is the better pick when your group changes size. The roundup explains that the difficulty of each level fluctuates depending on how many people are connected. It is ideal for group play, yet the game is no less fun and challenging on your own, which makes it flexible for pairs and for nights when friends cancel. The trade-off is that it rewards cooperation, so groups who prefer to compete may find Mario Kart a better fit.
Playing with kids and family
Family play calls for games that are easy to share and clear about their format. The two titles below are the best supported for households, and the eShop note at the end helps you avoid the wrong rating.
Super Mario Party
Super Mario Party is the strongest family pick for a living room. The roundup calls it the ultimate board game with your favourite Mario characters, and says it switches up the long-running formula while adding online multiplayer for the first time. It also suits pairs who want a light, turn-based game rather than a racer. Because it is a board game, rounds follow a rhythm that mixed-age players can follow. It will not satisfy anyone looking for deep single-player progression.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is described in the roundup through shopper comments: people say they love playing it with family. That is shopper opinion, not a measured result, so treat it as a reasonable option for households who enjoy sports-style variety rather than a guaranteed hit.
Checking ratings on the Nintendo eShop
The Nintendo eShop carries more than family games. Polygon’s 2017 eShop report described a big week of third-party releases, including DOOM, available Nov. 10. It read that as a sign Nintendo was on board with Mature-rated Switch games. When buying digital downloads for children, check each listing’s age rating rather than assuming the platform is all family-friendly.
Choosing between these picks
Start from who will hold the controller most often, then let the format narrow the choice.
- One player, plenty of time: Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the long-form option, while Animal Crossing: New Horizons suits unhurried building and collecting.
- One player, handheld: Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the pick, because it is best enjoyed in handheld mode.
- A group of friends: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for recognisable racing, Overcooked! 2 when the number of players keeps changing.
- A household with children: Super Mario Party or Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, checking ratings on any other eShop purchase.
If you have not yet bought a console and are comparing platforms, our ps5 vs xbox series x comparison covers the alternatives to the Switch.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the best Switch games? | It depends on the player. Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons lead for solo play, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Overcooked! 2 for groups, and Super Mario Party for families. |
| Which Switch games are good for families? | Super Mario Party, a board game with Mario characters, and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which shoppers say they enjoy playing with family. Check age ratings on any eShop download. |
| Which Switch games are best for two players? | Overcooked! 2 scales its difficulty to the number of connected players, and Super Mario Party works as a light board game for pairs. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also suits a pair who want to race. |
| How many Joy-Cons can connect to a Switch? | Up to eight Joy-Cons can connect for group play. That counts controllers, so confirm the player limit on the game you want. |
