Post by goldensandslash on Feb 4, 2022 19:33:44 GMT
Our webmaster, one mainstreet52, has recently announced his plans to acquire a Nintendo Switch. But what games to get for it? Well... I went ahead and looked at every game on the Switch that has sold 1 million copies or more (as of February 2022), and am going to share my opinions on each. I'll provide a brief paragraph-long overview on what the game is like, and whether or not I enjoyed it (if I've played it) or think I'd enjoy it (if I haven't). For the games that I haven't played, I have done a lot of research, both looking at text about the game online, and watching gameplay footage that's been uploaded to the internet.
One quick note. I am going through all these games in order, based on number of copies sold. However, this is NOT necessarily a good metric. For one thing, they don't tell you whether or not a game is good. Just that it was marketed effectively. There's probably a ton of underground hits that never get noticed. Secondly, games come out at different times. For a game that has been available since the launch of the Switch (3/3/17), it has had more time to amass big numbers than a game that just recently came out. As such, these numbers aren't really a fair comparison.
But, they're the best we got. So we'll have to stick with them.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 43.35 million copies sold since 4/28/17
My experience: I've played it, but I don't own it.
Mario Kart is the classic racing game that you play at parties. The eighth installment, Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, features hang gliders, motorbikes, and anti-gravity. The game features 32+16 different tracks (the "+16" is DLC). And you can have up to twelve people in a race. Because the Wii U console was a failure, few people got to play this game, so they ported it over to the Switch as "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe". Do I enjoy it? Not particularly, but that's on me more than anything else. I've never been a big fan of Mario Kart. For the majority of the population who does enjoy it, I've heard nothing but good things about the game, so you should pick it up if you enjoy Mario Kart games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 37.62 million copies sold since 3/20/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is not a video game. It has far surpassed that. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, your character is sent to an island, where you can decorate things and customize it and create new things, and so forth. You'll have an island that is completely your own. And you can visit other people's islands too. This is a real-time social-life simulator, which is great when real socialization is impossible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Where it has surpassed the title of "video game" to me is the fact that major events, such as weddings and graduations, have occurred in Animal Crossing in lieu of them being able to happen in the real world. And more than that, major political movements have started due to Animal Crossing. People have been using Animal Crossing to write and distribute pro-democracy literature in China, which is insane. And, of course, the LGBT community has made plenty of pride symbols in this game. The game has become a social phenomenon in ways that few games ever do. This one is a must-have. So why don't I have it? Well, much like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing is a game that I never really got into. In this game, you're able to play as you choose, and there's no real end goal for the player to attempt to achieve. I find that I need more direction than that.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 27.40 million copies sold since 12/17/18
My experience: I own this game.
This is a fighting game in which each player (up to 8 players) can choose a character, and those characters fight each other. That's it. But what makes Smash superior to other fighting games, to me, is two factors. One, the characters you're choosing aren't just OCs created for this purpose. They're video game characters from various Nintendo properties and even other companies too. From Mario to Zelda to Pokémon to Mega Man, everyone is here. The roster features a whopping 89 different characters to choose from, more than any other fighting game that I've ever heard of. Secondly, most fighting games require you to memorize insanely long sequences of button inputs in order to execute your attacks. Smash does not do this. In Smash, there is just one attack button. That's it. And then you execute different moves depending on which direction the analog stick is pointing at the time you press the button (either forward, backward, up, down, or not at all). In addition to the fighting, the game features a single-player campaign called "World of Light", featuring an evil entity that imprisons all the characters and you have to work to free them. It sounds a lot better than it is. But for the fighting/multiplayer aspect, this is a solid game, and I highly recommend it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 25.80 million copies sold since 3/3/17
My experience: I've played this game, but I don't own it.
If you know anything about the The Legend of Zelda video game series... forget about it, because this game is nothing like the others. Unlike other Zelda games, Breath of the Wild is a wide-open game where you can go anywhere and do anything. You will eventually need to defeat Ganon, but beyond that, there's no instruction given to the player at all. However, the amount of detail in this game is stunning. The game features a ridiculously-complicated physics engine and chemistry engine to make literally EVERYTHING possible. If you've ever played a video game before that made you think "Wait, why do I have to do this? Why can't I just do it this way instead?" when confronted with a problem, then Breath of the Wild is the antithesis of that statement. Virtually anything you can think of that looks possible to do in the game is. The game has received widespread acclaim for this. However, much like Animal Crossing, I feel that this is a detriment to me. I tend to appreciate having direction of where to go and what to do.
Pokémon Sword and Shield - 23.90 million copies sold since 11/15/19
My experience: I own Sword version, and I've played Shield version.
What's there to talk about? It's Pokémon. You run around a region capturing monsters, forcing them to battle, leveling them up, collecting gym badges and saving the world from an evil organization, and then trade with your friends to get the Pokémon that you yourself can't get. Standard stuff. New features include Dynamaxing, Pokémon Camp (essentially an area for you to pet and play with your Pokémon, as well as cook for them - just as a little side mode), and the ability to access the PC Storage System remotely (without the need to go to a Pokémon Center). In terms of gameplay, this game is good. I know a lot of people have issues with it (Dexit), but I don't really have any problems. With the gameplay. Unfortunately, the GRAPHICS do leave a lot to be desired. It feels like a 3DS game at times, when you look at how the graphics look. Compared to Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, there really is no comparison. This game looks like garbage. But if you can look past that, then this is a solid game.
Super Mario Odyssey - 23.02 million copies sold since 11/15/19
My experience: I own this game.
So, this is a typical Mario game: Bowser kidnaps Peach, and Mario has to save her. In particular, Bowser is planning a wedding for him and Peach (even though I'm pretty sure there's no way that this could be legally binding, what since the bride can't consent and all). Mario has to travel to various worlds (called "kingdoms") in order to save Peach. You travel in a ship called the Odyssey, and it needs a certain amount of fuel to get from one world to the next. The fuel source is Power Moons, and you can find Power Moons in various locations and get rewarded them for doing various tasks. If played optimally, you can reach the end of the game with as few as 124 moons, but if you explore absolutely everywhere and do everything, there are a total of 880 moons to find, so there's a lot of content in this game. While this is a lot of fun, and creates a lot of content, it does have its downsides too. If you've played Super Mario 64 or Super Mario Sunshine, you may note the similarities, as those games had Power Stars and Shine Sprites, respectively, for Mario to find and collect. But there were far fewer of them. With Super Mario Odyssey, it does feel like there is an abundance of moons, and that it's too easy to get them, making each individual moon not give you the same sense of accomplishment as getting a star in Super Mario 64 does. That said, the game is still a lot of fun. Early on in the game, you meet Cappy, who enables you to possess enemies, bounce off of him to gain extra height, and various other moves. It massively expands Mario's moveset. But, here's the kicker: you are NEVER required to use Cappy during the game at all. So if you're looking for more of a challenge, you can try to beat the game without Cappy.
Super Mario Party - 17.39 million copies sold since 10/5/18
My experience: I own this game.
I love the Mario Party series. You play a board game, with loads of minigames, and try to accumulate coins and stars. The first eight Mario Party games (three on Nintendo 64, four on GameCube, one on Wii) were amazing. But then they added the car gimmick and totally changed how it played for the next two (one on Wii and one on Wii U). And then the games sucked ever since. Well, I'm pleased to say that Super Mario Party is a return to form, and this game features gameplay that is more akin to classic Mario Party than new Mario Party. I still think that the original games were superior to this, but this is better than other recent Mario Party titles. If you can play the original N64 trilogy, or the GameCube games, that's probably more fun.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! - 14.33 million copies sold since 11/16/18
My experience: I played a demo of this game, but not the full game.
This is another Pokémon game. It features the Kanto region, as seen in the original Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. While trainer battles work the same way as in previous installments, the wild encounters are different, featuring gameplay similar to that of Pokémon Go. Note that only the first 151 Pokémon are in this game (including their Mega Evolutions and Alolan Forms, though). But you can transfer any of those Pokémon from Pokémon Go to Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee. So that's a thing. If you have a load of Kanto Pokémon on your phone that you're looking to do something with, go ahead and dump them here instead. I will say that for me personally, I feel that the change to wild battles was too much, and because of that, I didn't enjoy this game very much. If you feel that this is a non-issue for you, though, then go right ahead.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl - 13.97 million copies sold since 11/19/21
My experience: Never played.
This is a Pokémon game, and it's a remake of Diamond/Pearl. It looks solid, but it honestly looks like they didn't change much from the original Diamond/Pearl. So if you already have a perfectly functional copy of Diamond/Pearl, then don't bother. If, however, you've not played Diamond/Pearl before, then this is a solid pick-up.
Ring Fit Adventure - 13.53 million copies sold since 10/18/19
My experience: Never played.
This game comes bundled with some special controllers that you use to play it, it's not played with a traditional controller. It's an RPG where you have to defeat a dragon, but you attack based on how much you're exercising, as tracked by motion-controls. Yeah, this is an exercise simulator. Which, given the closure of gyms and other exercise facilities due to COVID-19, makes this a pretty important game for people to pick up. Sadly, because of that, demand is stupidly high and copies of this end up selling for way too much money, with the game's second-hand market price tag being more expensive than buying a Switch to play it on. If you feel you need to exercise more, and you find this game for a reasonable price, and you have the ability to play it without people around you looking at you weird, then sure, go ahead and buy it. But otherwise? Skip it.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - 12.72 million copies sold since 1/11/19
My experience: I've played it.
New Super Mario Bros. U was a Wii U game that was just a basic Mario platformer. It was given a DLC expansion called New Super Luigi U, which featured much more difficult gameplay. This Switch game combines both of these two onto a single cartridge. It also features two new playable characters, Toadette and Nabbit, which have special abilities to make the game easier. I personally enjoy this game, but I do understand that most people are sick of the 2D platformer genre, and of the New Super Mario Bros. series in particular.
Splatoon 2 - 12.68 million copies sold since 7/21/17
My experience: Never played it.
This game takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting (as well as after the events of Splatoon on Wii U), where you are a kid that can transform into a squid. You and your teammates work to cover as much territory with your ink as possible, while preventing the opposing team from doing the same. There's loads of weapons that you can use to assist in doing so. Additionally, there's a single-player campaign called Hero Mode, where you battle an evil octopus. I can't really comment on this game too much, since I've never played it. I will say that Splatoon 3 is scheduled to come out later this year, and so you might just want to wait for that one instead.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - 11.04 million copies sold since 10/31/19
My experience: Never played it.
This is a follow-up to Luigi's Mansion on GameCube and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on 3DS. In this game, Luigi is invited to a gorgeous hotel, but he finds that the hotel is haunted by ghosts, and so he has to do some good old-fashioned ghost-busting and eliminate the ghosts. The game has several different endings, depending on how much money Luigi collects during his journey. The game looks fun enough to play, and while I never played Dark Moon, I did play and enjoy the original Luigi's Mansion, and this looks like more of the same of that.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars - 9.01 million copies sold since 9/18/20
My experience: I own it.
This is a compilation of Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64, Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube, and Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. While all three of these games are good, the total package did not add any improvements whatsoever to the original games, not even to fix obvious typos. Because of this, you may as well just emulate the original games. Additionally, the version of Super Mario 64 used was the Shindou version which, until this point, was only available in Japan. This version patches the BLJ glitch, which makes the game significantly less enjoyable, especially if you enjoy speedrunning. Super Mario 64 is one of the easiest games to get into speedrunning for, and this version of the game deprives you of that. The other thing about this game is that Nintendo discontinued it and made it impossible to buy on 3/31/21. You can't go to the eShop and download this game anymore. The only way you'll get it is if you find it on the second-hand market, and the prices are a bit on the high side, due to the limited-time release.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - 8.85 million copies sold since 2/12/21
My experience: I own it.
I loved Super Mario 3D World on Wii U, and getting to play it again on the Switch was amazing. It's just your standard "Bowser kidnaps the princess (in this case, it's the Sprixie Princess) and you go rescue them". It is a lot of fun, probably my favorite Mario game. There's four playable characters, each with their own set of abilities: Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach. Mario is the average character, Luigi goes slower but jumps higher, Toad jumps lower but moves faster, and Peach both moves slow and jumps low, but gains the benefit of being able to hover in the air for a short time. It's a fun game. One downside to the Switch version is the lack of the microphone (since the Switch doesn't have a microphone). On the Wii U version, nearly everything in the game could be interacted with by touching it on the touch screen or blowing into the microphone. The microphone interaction has unfortunately been lost here. In addition to Super Mario 3D World, the game also comes with a new campaign called Bowser's Fury. It's a wide-open exploration game where you go around collecting Cat Shines. I've not really enjoyed it, personally. As you may have gathered from these reviews, I prefer games with set objectives and goals, rather than games where the player is given free reign to do whatever they please.
Monster Hunter Rise - 7.70 million copies sold since 3/26/21
My experience: Never played it.
You play as a hunter, and go out to either capture or slay large monsters. Then you earn loot for doing that, and use that to forge weapons and armor in order to capture even more powerful monsters. Since I've not played the game, I can't talk too much about it, but I will say that based on the footage I've seen of it, it does indeed look fun.
Super Mario Maker 2 - 7.15 million copies sold since 6/28/19
My experience: I own it.
This game lets you make your own Mario levels, and play such levels that other players have uploaded to the internet. Given the amount of things you can put into your levels, and the fact that every item interacts with every other item, I can honestly say that there's a lot of content here, and it never gets old... provided, that is, that you like 2D platformers. If you don't, then this one isn't really a good game. Note that unlike the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U, this one does support multiplayer, enabling you to create levels with your friends, or play them together.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 5.49 million copies sold since 9/20/19
My experience: Never played this version, but I own the original version.
This is a remake of a Game Boy game. It seems fun, but it doesn't really add too much that wasn't already present in the original game. Just some quality-of-life improvements to the items and their uses. The one new thing is the ability to craft your own dungeons, which may be enough for you, but it isn't for me. I'm sticking to the Game Boy version.
Mario Party Superstars - 5.43 million copies sold since 10/29/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is another Mario Party game. In this one, it features boards and minigames from throughout the Mario Party series history, rather than having any new content of its own. Because of that, there's not much point in playing it if you can play the original games. The boards and minigames have been redesigned slightly to give some quality-of-life improvements, but not much, really. I also have to take points off because there's not a lot of content. There's only five boards, where as the original Mario Party game from 1998 had eight boards. Just saying. On the other hand, if you've not played the original games, and don't have the means by which to do so, then Mario Party Superstars looks to be a fun gameplay experience for anyone who's into Mario Party.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - 4.00 million copies sold since 11/20/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is a hack-and-slash game with gameplay based on Dynasty Warriors, but with the characters and settings from The Legend of Zelda, primarily Breath of the Wild. There's a lot of playable characters that each play differently, and there's a lot that each can do. There's seemingly a lot of content in this game. Which is fair. But on the other hand, the story is very meh (it involves time travel), and the technical performance and frame rate leave much to be desired.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD - 3.85 million copies sold since 7/16/21
My experience: Never played it, but I own the original version.
This is a remake of a Wii game. 3D Zelda games are often fun, and Skyward Sword is no exception to that. However, the original was designed with motion controls in mind, and while you can use the Switch's motion controls for this, there's also button controls, which are... well... they did the best that they could, given the Switch's button layout. But sometimes you just can't fit the square peg into the round hole. There's also several quality-of-life improvements that I shouldn't be so dismissive of.
Among Us - 3.20 million copies sold since 12/15/20
My experience: I own it.
In this game, a number of players are all placed on the map, and some of them are chosen to be impostors. The impostor team wins by killing everyone and sabotaging critical systems. The rest of the players (crewmates) win by identifying the impostors and voting them out. It's a lot of fun if you can get a large playgroup together. I recommend it.
1-2-Switch - 3.18 million copies sold since 3/3/17
My experience: I don't own it, but I have played it.
This is a game that SHOULD HAVE come bundled with the Switch at launch, and it continues to annoy me that it didn't. It features 28 different minigames, in which you and another player each have to do something without looking at the screen, relying solely on audio, and controller vibrations. The game feels like it was just a proof-of-concept to show off the Switch's controller's HD rumble feature. And in that regard, it succeeds beautifully. However, as a game, this is lacking. There is, however, a way to make literally anything better: add alcohol to it. No, I'm serious. If you're at a party, this makes a decent drinking game. Have people take shots as they win and lose minigames in 1-2-Switch and you end up with a fun experience. It still isn't fun enough to justify the price tag, but if you happen to get the game for cheap somewhere, then you can enjoy using it to get tipsy.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics - 3.14 million copies sold since 6/5/20
My experience: I own it.
This is a collection of various tabletop games from around the world. It's a solid collection, but there are several games that are noticeably excluded. The presentation of these games is also not as good as the original Clubhouse Games on DS. That said, there are fifty-one games here, so you'll be sure to find something that you enjoy. In single-player mode. Because multiplayer mode is... pretty problematic. Only 24 games are playable in 2-player mode without the need to get another controller. If you do get another controller, then you can get up to 40 games. With three players, you can only play 3 games (and each player needs their own controller). And with four players, you can only play 2 games (and each player needs their own controller). That's... pretty pathetic. Luckily, if you have multiple Switches, then all 51 games can be played with multiplayer. But still. I feel like they dropped the ball here.
Paper Mario: The Origami King - 3.12 million copies sold since 7/17/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is the sixth Paper Mario game... and, you know... the Paper Mario games have gone way downhill in recent years. The first two were widely considered to be some of the best RPGs ever. The third one was considered to be acceptable, but not as good as the first two. Then the fourth one was abysmally awful. As was the fifth. And now the sixth. Yeah, I hate this game. Every single thing that I see about it just makes me so angry that I can't possibly be objective here. Don't buy it.
Mario Tennis Aces - 3.06 million copies sold since 7/22/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is literally just a game of tennis, but with Mario characters. Except that there are power-ups that let you do things that, well, wouldn't exactly be fair play in a real-world sports game. Or, indeed, things that wouldn't really obey the laws of physics. Yeah, it's not very realistic, but it doesn't try to be. If you've not played a Mario Tennis game before, I do recommend it. But if you've already played one, you've pretty much played them all. Not much unique here.
Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa Mo Teiban! - 3 million copies sold since 11/19/20
My experience: Never played it.
I don't recall ever saying that I was limiting my list to games that exist in the Americas. This Japan-only game sold 3 million copies, so it has earned a spot on this list. And besides, the Switch isn't region-locked, so if you buy a copy of this game in Japan, you can take it home to America and play it on your American Switch just fine. So how's the game? Well, it's a digital board game, similar to Mario Party. The gameplay is similar to Monopoly. You're trying to buy and sell things in order to acquire the most wealth. It looks fun, but there's a lot of Japanese text that I can't read, so I unfortunately will not be able to play this one.
Kirby Star Allies - 2.93 million copies sold since 3/16/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a basic 2D platformer. Unlike Mario games, Kirby games are made to be cutesy and fun. Whenever I play one, I can't help but feel happy and uplifted. I have no idea if that's the case here as well, but I would imagine so.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2.87 million copies sold since 7/26/19
My experience: Never played it.
I'll be honest. I'm just about the least-qualified person to talk about Fire Emblem. From what I gather, it's a turn-based tactics game, where you place your units and then they interact with the other units. But then it's also an RPG where you forge relationships with different characters? I'll be honest, I don't get it. Some of my friends are really into Fire Emblem, and I can ask them to expand upon this, but for me personally... I just could never get into it. Once I talk with them, I'll be able to better offer my thoughts here.
Minecraft - 2.81 million copies sold since 5/11/17
My experience: Never played it.
If you're a human who is living on Earth, then I assume that you have some familiarity with what Minecraft is. If you look at every version of Minecraft from all the different consoles and platforms that the game has been released on, it has sold a total of 238 million copies. By comparison, the Nintendo Switch console itself has only sold 103.54 million, not even half of Minecraft's sales. So yeah, you already know this game. In case you don't, it's just a massive lego simulator where you build things, and then move around to look at your creations. There's also survival mode, where you have a limited set of tools and need to hide from monsters before they kill you. And, yes, as you've probably learned by now, I dislike games that don't give you clear objectives, so this one isn't exactly my cup of tea.
Metroid Dread - 2.74 million copies sold since 10/8/21
My experience: Never played it.
The Metroid series has been pretty neglected lately. Ever since Metroid Fusion in 2002, we basically haven't gotten a real good Metroid game. Well... our prayers were finally answered with Metroid Dread. You play as Samus Aran, a badass female bounty hunter who goes around fighting space-pirates. What more is there to say? You travel the map, collecting upgrades for your equipment, which allow you to access new areas, and you repeat the process. Dread in particular adds an element of stealth, as you need to hide from robots at various points throughout the game.
New Pokémon Snap - 2.66 million copies sold since 4/30/21
My experience: Never played it.
The original Pokémon Snap on Nintendo 64 was a phenomenal game. It sounds pretty lame - you just get put on an island and have to go around taking pictures of Pokémon. But it's anything but. You're given fruit and smoke balls to throw around and a Poké Flute to play, and all the Pokémon react based on these, enabling you to get better and better photos. The New Pokémon Snap game on Switch does this as well, but brings it into the modern era. While the original game only featured 63 Pokémon, the new one features 234, a substantial upgrade. And it also adds some new features, such as the ability to add filters and edit your photos, along with the ability to share them online. It looks like it'd be a ton of fun to play.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - 2.65 million copies sold since 5/4/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is another 2D platformer, but, in my opinion, the Donkey Kong Country series continues to get better and better, making them stand out from the other 2D platformers. The level design is always top-notch and it is very fun to speedrun the game, and to collect all the collectibles. Though I never played this particular installment, it looks similar enough to Donkey Kong Country Returns (which I have played) that I feel confident in saying that I'd enjoy this.
Arms - 2.38 million copies sold since 6/16/17
My experience: I used to own a copy of this game, but I don't anymore.
This is a game that takes place in a world where everyone has stretchable arms that can extend for a very long length. From there, you do what can only be described as long-range boxing. This is a fighting game with a unique gimmick of having long arms. It doesn't sound like it would work, but it does. And if you get bored of that, there's also modes for basketball and volleyball with long-armed characters.
Mario Golf: Super Rush - 2.26 million copies sold since 6/25/21
My experience: Never played it.
It's just golf, but with Mario characters. Not much to say. You use your various clubs to try and get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. There is a mode called "Speed Golf" as well, in which all players play at the same time, getting in each other's way, and you have to run across the course to get to your ball each time. I mean... if you like golf, then sure, I guess. There is a single-player campaign, but it just looks like more golfing. I don't really feel like I'm missing out by not playing this one.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe - 2.04 million copies sold since 10/30/20
My experience: Never played it.
Pikmin and Pikmin 2 are both beloved GameCube games, and Pikmin 3 on Wii U is also pretty good. This Switch game is a port of Pikmin 3. Despite Pikmin's history of having a lot of good content, I never really got into it. The plot is that you're an alien captain stranded on Earth (which captain it is varies depending on the game). This captain is only 0.75 inches tall, which is really tiny when compared to a human. So you basically explore this planet, interacting with everyday objects that seem gargantuan in size. To aid you, you have an army of plant creatures called Pikmin, which you can command to do things and they'll help you explore. But you need to get as much done during the day as possible, because at night, predators will come out and kill you. You need to ensure that you're safely back in your spaceship before nightfall each night.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - 2 million copies sold since 8/29/17
My experience: Never played it.
I hate this game. If you don't know, the Rabbids are a species from the Ubisoft game "Rayman Raving Rabbids" that became a meme, and then became so popular that they abandoned the Rayman series and just became their own series. This game is a crossover between Mario and the Rabbids. The crossover that literally nobody wanted. Rabbids are annoying rabbit-like creatures that speak gibberish and scream annoyingly. I literally cannot fathom why they became so popular. They do not belong in the Mario series, and gosh-darn-it, this is a hill that I'm willing to die on. In terms of storyline and gameplay, though, how is this game? I have no idea. I know that I said I'd research these games, but I hate this game so freaking much that I refuse to even do the research for it. This game can kiss my ass.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 1.92 million copies sold since 12/1/17
My experience: Never played it.
The Xenoblade Chronicles series is a pair of massively-long RPGs (as well as Xenoblade Chronicles X, which I know literally nothing about). The first game is about 60 hours long, and the second one is about 130. It's pretty nuts. The plot of it is about a boy who can see into the future, but I kinda can't give any further details about it without giving massive spoilers. I will say that I have seen a full playthrough of both games in the series, and I do lament the fact that I never got to experience them first-hand for myself. They do look really amazing, and appear to be some of the greatest games ever made... provided that you're okay with a massive time investment.
Yoshi's Crafted World - 1.84 million copies sold since 3/29/19
My experience: I own it.
This is yet another 2D platformer. Unlike the Mario series, the Yoshi series isn't primarily focusing on getting from one end of the level to the other. I mean, you certainly CAN do that, but that's not the main focus. The Yoshi games are more geared around exploring the level and collecting all the collectibles. This series has always been a favorite of mine. I will say that this particular installment is probably my least-favorite though. In my opinion, they overdid it with the collectibles, and you'll be replaying the same level over and over and over and over again trying to get them all. It's not the most fun experience to constantly redo stuff you just did.
Miitopia - 1.63 million copies sold since 5/21/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is a lifesim game. You make a Mii character, and use it to just... live a life. The twist is that this is a high-fantasy setting, so you'll be a warrior or a mage or whatever. Then it becomes an RPG, with actual combat and the like. But how well you're doing in the lifesim part of the game affects the combat. The more your characters get along with each other, the easier combat is. And by comparison, if they dislike each other, combat becomes very difficult.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - 1.52 million copies sold since 5/29/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is the first Xenoblade Chronicles game. Like the second, this one is quite substantial and is a fairly lengthy RPG. I can't really talk about it without giving spoilers. Sorry.
Octopath Traveler - 1.5 million copies sold since 7/13/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is an RPG that is designed to look like it was made for the Super NES back in the early 90s. It's a unique aesthetic, and the game pulls it off quite well. As far as storyline goes, it takes place in a world that was created by thirteen gods. However, one of the gods turned evil and so the other twelve sealed him in the underworld. The player's party is manipulated into releasing him, and then they have to defeat him. Pretty standard stuff.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - 1.44 million copies sold since 7/13/18
My experience: I own the Wii U version, but not the Switch version.
This is a spinoff of Super Mario 3D World. In Super Mario 3D World, there's a few side levels where you play as Captain Toad, a character who cannot jump. Jumping is very important in the Mario series, and it becomes an interesting game when trying to play without it. It becomes a puzzle game based on spatial awareness, where you have to use your brain to figure out solutions to the levels, rather than just running and jumping through a series of obstacles. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is essentially a full game of these levels. The game exists in a Wii U version, a 3DS version, and a Switch version. Each has some levels that the other versions lack, but the majority of the levels are in all three versions. I will say that I think the Switch version is probably the worst version because of, frankly, a ludicrously bad design decision. In the Switch version, you can play with two people at the same time, and try to work together to reach the goal. The existence of this mode kind of messes everything up. So many puzzles just no longer work as intended as soon as you allow a second playable character. Because now you can activate things remotely by just having one player be in another location. It doesn't work for me. That said, you can always just ignore this and play the courses in single-player mode. If you do that, you'll get the proper experience, and it's a very fun puzzler.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus - 1.42 million copies sold since 1/28/22
My experience: I don't own it yet, but plan to buy it soon.
This is the latest Pokémon game. It takes place in the same region as Diamond and Pearl, but in the distant past. Unique to this game, you don't have to battle wild Pokémon, but can instead sneak up on them and just throw the Poké Balls. Except that Poké Balls are made out of wood, because this is the past. It appears to be quite fun.
Pokkén Tournament DX - 1.38 million copies sold since 9/22/17
My experience: I don't own it, but I've played it.
This is a fighting game, based on Tekken. You choose a character, and then they fight each other. The twist is that all the playable characters are Pokémon! There was an Arcade version and a Wii U version, each of which had different characters that you could play as (most were the same, but there were a few exclusive to each version). The Switch version combines them and gives you all the characters from both versions, along with a few extra characters that are exclusive to the Switch version, thrown in for good measure. There are 23 characters to choose from.
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit - 1.31 million copies sold since 4/20/18
My experience: Never played it.
Have you ever felt like spending eighty dollars on a piece of cardboard? If so, then Nintendo Labo is for you! Okay, that's not fair, but... that's really what this is. You get a bunch of cardboard, and you use it to construct various toys. You're given instructions on how to do so, similar to building legos. Then you can insert your Switch and its controllers into various parts of the toys, and use them to play minigames. There's not much here for adults. This is really just for kids who enjoy building stuff.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain - 1.28 million copies sold since 12/3/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is a minigame collection, with the games testing your skills in memory, logic, math, and analysis. Then you're scored based on how well you do. Multiple people can play together in order to see who has the biggest brain. It sounds like a boring educational game, but it isn't. It's a fun educational game. These "tests" aren't just boring tests like the kind you take in school, but they actually get you to think things through and provide fun brain-teasers.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit - 1.27 million copies sold since 10/16/20
My experience: Never played it.
Unlike most Mario Kart games, in this game, the action happens not on your screen, but in your house. The game comes with a toy racecar, which you control. You build a track in your house, and then the Switch lets you control the car and race around the track, in a form of augmented reality. In my opinion, it's not worth it, since you can accomplish pretty much the same thing with just a toy racecar on its own. No fancy Switch game required.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX - 1.26 million copies sold since 3/6/20
My experience: I played the original version, but not this version.
This is a remake of the 2005 games Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team for DS and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team for GBA. In these games, you play as a human who has been transformed into a Pokémon. Which Pokémon it is depends on the answers you give to a personality quiz. In the game, you are given jobs by various Pokémon and have to complete those jobs by venturing into dungeons. It's mostly just Pokémon from the first three generations, since that was what was in the original games, but the remake also features Mega Evolutions.
WarioWare: Get It Together! - 1.24 million copies sold since 9/10/21
My experience: I own it.
This is my favorite game on Nintendo Switch. The WarioWare games are always a lot of fun. Each one features hundreds of minigames (referred to as "microgames") in which you have four seconds to figure out what you need to do and then do it. It's very heart-pounding and intense. For example, when asked to spin a windmill, you have only four seconds to react to that, and then go do it. After that, it's off to the next microgame. What makes Get It Together unique compared to previous WarioWare games is that there are loads of playable characters, and each one controls differently. Some of them can freely move in any direction, others are limited by gravity, some can shoot projectiles, and so forth. And in this game, not only do you have to react to the microgame, but also the character who you are using, because you never know which of the characters the game will throw at you. Going back to our windmill example, if you have a character who can fly, you can go up to the windmill and spin it directly. Alternatively, if you have a character that can fire projectiles, you can shoot projectiles at the windmill to spin it. The seemingly-endless combinations of characters and microgames give this game a ton of replayability. Even though you'll finish the game within a few hours, you can easily sink several months into this game just trying to find everything. There's a lot of content here.
Astral Chain - 1.08 million copies sold since 8/30/19
My experience: Never played it.
This game takes place in a cyberpunk futuristic world, in which interdimensional creatures have invaded the planet. You work for a police task force that needs protect the remnants of humanity. The twist is that "you" isn't a single character, but a set of twins. You need to control two characters at the same time. And you do standard police work: investigations, exploration, logic puzzles, and, of course, beating the living crap out of every organism that you come across. The game looks fun, and also looks quite expansive. It seems like the type of game that I wouldn't mind giving a try, but I don't want to have to pay for it.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - 1.08 million copies sold since 7/19/19
My experience: Never played it.
This game is a dungeon-crawler. You go through various dungeons in an attempt to save the universe, playing as various Marvel superheroes. I'm not a fan of comic books, personally. And I very much dislike the Marvel movies, so I'm kinda biased against this one. I'll pass.
Game Builder Garage - 1.01 million copies sold since 6/11/21
My experience: I own it.
This is a game where you can do computer programming and make your own games. The game creates a UI that allegedly makes programming easier and more fun and kid-friendly. Speaking as someone who does not do any programming whatsoever, I can say that I found the programming of Game Builder Garage to be intuitive and easy to use. However, I can very easily see actual programmers being annoyed that this is too dumbed-down. Anyways, this is an immensely powerful tool in terms of making your own games. It seems like there's no limit of what you can do. You can make a 2D platformer, a 3D platformer, a shooting game, a puzzle game, a motion-control game, or, well, anything that you can imagine. There's no limit. And you can upload your creations online to share with the world. The downside is that online play features no way to just browse what other people have made. Instead, each upload is given a code that the creator can share with people, and you have to search for a game's code in order to play it. On one hand, I get it, because this is a game that kids can play, and you would get adults uploading stuff that is not age-appropriate. On the other hand, it does make trying to find things to play difficult to do, and the overall package does suffer for it.
Enter the Gungeon - 1 million copies sold since 12/14/17
My experience: Never played it.
This is a 2D dungeon crawler based around acquiring and using firearms. Dungeons in the game are not pre-set and are instead procedurally generated. Looking at it... I honestly have no idea why this is as popular as it is. It doesn't look bad per se, but I don't know how it sold a million copies.
Fitness Boxing - 1 million copies sold since 12/20/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a fitness/exercise game that uses motion controls to train you. Its primary focus, as you can imagine based on the title, is boxing. And it features several music tracks of pop songs that you can listen to as you burn those calories. If you're looking for a workout, sure, you can pick this up, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise - 1 million copies sold since 12/4/20
My experience: Never played it.
This looks to be the same game as Fitness Boxing, except with different songs. That's... not really enough to warrant a whole new game, I don't think. Why wouldn't they just release this as DLC? That seems... like a far superior option.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town - 1 million copies sold since 2/25/21
My experience: Never played it.
The primary thing that you do in this game is live a farm life. You get crops and animals and such, and you have to, well... farm. There's various other things that you can do around town as well, enabling you to form relationships with various characters, but the main focus is on farming. I can see how someone else could be into this game, but it's not for me.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! - 1 million copies sold since 7/19/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a rhythm game where you play the drums. It uses motion-controls, and you just have to play the drums to the beat of whatever song you select. There are also various party games that you can play with these drums, but that's it. It's just drumming. I'd say you can skip it.
Thief Simulator - 1 million copies sold since 5/19/19
My experience: Never played it.
In this game, you work for the mafia and have to go around town committing crimes for your mafia leader. There's several ways to accomplish each task, however, so it's not just a simple matter of going through a checklist. This doesn't look like a good game for me, if I'm being honest. Whether it's a good one for you or not, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I couldn't find much info on this game when I searched for it (probably because the title is very generic), so I'm not too confident in saying anything about it at all.
One quick note. I am going through all these games in order, based on number of copies sold. However, this is NOT necessarily a good metric. For one thing, they don't tell you whether or not a game is good. Just that it was marketed effectively. There's probably a ton of underground hits that never get noticed. Secondly, games come out at different times. For a game that has been available since the launch of the Switch (3/3/17), it has had more time to amass big numbers than a game that just recently came out. As such, these numbers aren't really a fair comparison.
But, they're the best we got. So we'll have to stick with them.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 43.35 million copies sold since 4/28/17
My experience: I've played it, but I don't own it.
Mario Kart is the classic racing game that you play at parties. The eighth installment, Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, features hang gliders, motorbikes, and anti-gravity. The game features 32+16 different tracks (the "+16" is DLC). And you can have up to twelve people in a race. Because the Wii U console was a failure, few people got to play this game, so they ported it over to the Switch as "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe". Do I enjoy it? Not particularly, but that's on me more than anything else. I've never been a big fan of Mario Kart. For the majority of the population who does enjoy it, I've heard nothing but good things about the game, so you should pick it up if you enjoy Mario Kart games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 37.62 million copies sold since 3/20/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is not a video game. It has far surpassed that. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, your character is sent to an island, where you can decorate things and customize it and create new things, and so forth. You'll have an island that is completely your own. And you can visit other people's islands too. This is a real-time social-life simulator, which is great when real socialization is impossible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Where it has surpassed the title of "video game" to me is the fact that major events, such as weddings and graduations, have occurred in Animal Crossing in lieu of them being able to happen in the real world. And more than that, major political movements have started due to Animal Crossing. People have been using Animal Crossing to write and distribute pro-democracy literature in China, which is insane. And, of course, the LGBT community has made plenty of pride symbols in this game. The game has become a social phenomenon in ways that few games ever do. This one is a must-have. So why don't I have it? Well, much like Mario Kart, Animal Crossing is a game that I never really got into. In this game, you're able to play as you choose, and there's no real end goal for the player to attempt to achieve. I find that I need more direction than that.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 27.40 million copies sold since 12/17/18
My experience: I own this game.
This is a fighting game in which each player (up to 8 players) can choose a character, and those characters fight each other. That's it. But what makes Smash superior to other fighting games, to me, is two factors. One, the characters you're choosing aren't just OCs created for this purpose. They're video game characters from various Nintendo properties and even other companies too. From Mario to Zelda to Pokémon to Mega Man, everyone is here. The roster features a whopping 89 different characters to choose from, more than any other fighting game that I've ever heard of. Secondly, most fighting games require you to memorize insanely long sequences of button inputs in order to execute your attacks. Smash does not do this. In Smash, there is just one attack button. That's it. And then you execute different moves depending on which direction the analog stick is pointing at the time you press the button (either forward, backward, up, down, or not at all). In addition to the fighting, the game features a single-player campaign called "World of Light", featuring an evil entity that imprisons all the characters and you have to work to free them. It sounds a lot better than it is. But for the fighting/multiplayer aspect, this is a solid game, and I highly recommend it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - 25.80 million copies sold since 3/3/17
My experience: I've played this game, but I don't own it.
If you know anything about the The Legend of Zelda video game series... forget about it, because this game is nothing like the others. Unlike other Zelda games, Breath of the Wild is a wide-open game where you can go anywhere and do anything. You will eventually need to defeat Ganon, but beyond that, there's no instruction given to the player at all. However, the amount of detail in this game is stunning. The game features a ridiculously-complicated physics engine and chemistry engine to make literally EVERYTHING possible. If you've ever played a video game before that made you think "Wait, why do I have to do this? Why can't I just do it this way instead?" when confronted with a problem, then Breath of the Wild is the antithesis of that statement. Virtually anything you can think of that looks possible to do in the game is. The game has received widespread acclaim for this. However, much like Animal Crossing, I feel that this is a detriment to me. I tend to appreciate having direction of where to go and what to do.
Pokémon Sword and Shield - 23.90 million copies sold since 11/15/19
My experience: I own Sword version, and I've played Shield version.
What's there to talk about? It's Pokémon. You run around a region capturing monsters, forcing them to battle, leveling them up, collecting gym badges and saving the world from an evil organization, and then trade with your friends to get the Pokémon that you yourself can't get. Standard stuff. New features include Dynamaxing, Pokémon Camp (essentially an area for you to pet and play with your Pokémon, as well as cook for them - just as a little side mode), and the ability to access the PC Storage System remotely (without the need to go to a Pokémon Center). In terms of gameplay, this game is good. I know a lot of people have issues with it (Dexit), but I don't really have any problems. With the gameplay. Unfortunately, the GRAPHICS do leave a lot to be desired. It feels like a 3DS game at times, when you look at how the graphics look. Compared to Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, there really is no comparison. This game looks like garbage. But if you can look past that, then this is a solid game.
Super Mario Odyssey - 23.02 million copies sold since 11/15/19
My experience: I own this game.
So, this is a typical Mario game: Bowser kidnaps Peach, and Mario has to save her. In particular, Bowser is planning a wedding for him and Peach (even though I'm pretty sure there's no way that this could be legally binding, what since the bride can't consent and all). Mario has to travel to various worlds (called "kingdoms") in order to save Peach. You travel in a ship called the Odyssey, and it needs a certain amount of fuel to get from one world to the next. The fuel source is Power Moons, and you can find Power Moons in various locations and get rewarded them for doing various tasks. If played optimally, you can reach the end of the game with as few as 124 moons, but if you explore absolutely everywhere and do everything, there are a total of 880 moons to find, so there's a lot of content in this game. While this is a lot of fun, and creates a lot of content, it does have its downsides too. If you've played Super Mario 64 or Super Mario Sunshine, you may note the similarities, as those games had Power Stars and Shine Sprites, respectively, for Mario to find and collect. But there were far fewer of them. With Super Mario Odyssey, it does feel like there is an abundance of moons, and that it's too easy to get them, making each individual moon not give you the same sense of accomplishment as getting a star in Super Mario 64 does. That said, the game is still a lot of fun. Early on in the game, you meet Cappy, who enables you to possess enemies, bounce off of him to gain extra height, and various other moves. It massively expands Mario's moveset. But, here's the kicker: you are NEVER required to use Cappy during the game at all. So if you're looking for more of a challenge, you can try to beat the game without Cappy.
Super Mario Party - 17.39 million copies sold since 10/5/18
My experience: I own this game.
I love the Mario Party series. You play a board game, with loads of minigames, and try to accumulate coins and stars. The first eight Mario Party games (three on Nintendo 64, four on GameCube, one on Wii) were amazing. But then they added the car gimmick and totally changed how it played for the next two (one on Wii and one on Wii U). And then the games sucked ever since. Well, I'm pleased to say that Super Mario Party is a return to form, and this game features gameplay that is more akin to classic Mario Party than new Mario Party. I still think that the original games were superior to this, but this is better than other recent Mario Party titles. If you can play the original N64 trilogy, or the GameCube games, that's probably more fun.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! - 14.33 million copies sold since 11/16/18
My experience: I played a demo of this game, but not the full game.
This is another Pokémon game. It features the Kanto region, as seen in the original Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. While trainer battles work the same way as in previous installments, the wild encounters are different, featuring gameplay similar to that of Pokémon Go. Note that only the first 151 Pokémon are in this game (including their Mega Evolutions and Alolan Forms, though). But you can transfer any of those Pokémon from Pokémon Go to Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee. So that's a thing. If you have a load of Kanto Pokémon on your phone that you're looking to do something with, go ahead and dump them here instead. I will say that for me personally, I feel that the change to wild battles was too much, and because of that, I didn't enjoy this game very much. If you feel that this is a non-issue for you, though, then go right ahead.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl - 13.97 million copies sold since 11/19/21
My experience: Never played.
This is a Pokémon game, and it's a remake of Diamond/Pearl. It looks solid, but it honestly looks like they didn't change much from the original Diamond/Pearl. So if you already have a perfectly functional copy of Diamond/Pearl, then don't bother. If, however, you've not played Diamond/Pearl before, then this is a solid pick-up.
Ring Fit Adventure - 13.53 million copies sold since 10/18/19
My experience: Never played.
This game comes bundled with some special controllers that you use to play it, it's not played with a traditional controller. It's an RPG where you have to defeat a dragon, but you attack based on how much you're exercising, as tracked by motion-controls. Yeah, this is an exercise simulator. Which, given the closure of gyms and other exercise facilities due to COVID-19, makes this a pretty important game for people to pick up. Sadly, because of that, demand is stupidly high and copies of this end up selling for way too much money, with the game's second-hand market price tag being more expensive than buying a Switch to play it on. If you feel you need to exercise more, and you find this game for a reasonable price, and you have the ability to play it without people around you looking at you weird, then sure, go ahead and buy it. But otherwise? Skip it.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe - 12.72 million copies sold since 1/11/19
My experience: I've played it.
New Super Mario Bros. U was a Wii U game that was just a basic Mario platformer. It was given a DLC expansion called New Super Luigi U, which featured much more difficult gameplay. This Switch game combines both of these two onto a single cartridge. It also features two new playable characters, Toadette and Nabbit, which have special abilities to make the game easier. I personally enjoy this game, but I do understand that most people are sick of the 2D platformer genre, and of the New Super Mario Bros. series in particular.
Splatoon 2 - 12.68 million copies sold since 7/21/17
My experience: Never played it.
This game takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting (as well as after the events of Splatoon on Wii U), where you are a kid that can transform into a squid. You and your teammates work to cover as much territory with your ink as possible, while preventing the opposing team from doing the same. There's loads of weapons that you can use to assist in doing so. Additionally, there's a single-player campaign called Hero Mode, where you battle an evil octopus. I can't really comment on this game too much, since I've never played it. I will say that Splatoon 3 is scheduled to come out later this year, and so you might just want to wait for that one instead.
Luigi's Mansion 3 - 11.04 million copies sold since 10/31/19
My experience: Never played it.
This is a follow-up to Luigi's Mansion on GameCube and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on 3DS. In this game, Luigi is invited to a gorgeous hotel, but he finds that the hotel is haunted by ghosts, and so he has to do some good old-fashioned ghost-busting and eliminate the ghosts. The game has several different endings, depending on how much money Luigi collects during his journey. The game looks fun enough to play, and while I never played Dark Moon, I did play and enjoy the original Luigi's Mansion, and this looks like more of the same of that.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars - 9.01 million copies sold since 9/18/20
My experience: I own it.
This is a compilation of Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64, Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube, and Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. While all three of these games are good, the total package did not add any improvements whatsoever to the original games, not even to fix obvious typos. Because of this, you may as well just emulate the original games. Additionally, the version of Super Mario 64 used was the Shindou version which, until this point, was only available in Japan. This version patches the BLJ glitch, which makes the game significantly less enjoyable, especially if you enjoy speedrunning. Super Mario 64 is one of the easiest games to get into speedrunning for, and this version of the game deprives you of that. The other thing about this game is that Nintendo discontinued it and made it impossible to buy on 3/31/21. You can't go to the eShop and download this game anymore. The only way you'll get it is if you find it on the second-hand market, and the prices are a bit on the high side, due to the limited-time release.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - 8.85 million copies sold since 2/12/21
My experience: I own it.
I loved Super Mario 3D World on Wii U, and getting to play it again on the Switch was amazing. It's just your standard "Bowser kidnaps the princess (in this case, it's the Sprixie Princess) and you go rescue them". It is a lot of fun, probably my favorite Mario game. There's four playable characters, each with their own set of abilities: Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach. Mario is the average character, Luigi goes slower but jumps higher, Toad jumps lower but moves faster, and Peach both moves slow and jumps low, but gains the benefit of being able to hover in the air for a short time. It's a fun game. One downside to the Switch version is the lack of the microphone (since the Switch doesn't have a microphone). On the Wii U version, nearly everything in the game could be interacted with by touching it on the touch screen or blowing into the microphone. The microphone interaction has unfortunately been lost here. In addition to Super Mario 3D World, the game also comes with a new campaign called Bowser's Fury. It's a wide-open exploration game where you go around collecting Cat Shines. I've not really enjoyed it, personally. As you may have gathered from these reviews, I prefer games with set objectives and goals, rather than games where the player is given free reign to do whatever they please.
Monster Hunter Rise - 7.70 million copies sold since 3/26/21
My experience: Never played it.
You play as a hunter, and go out to either capture or slay large monsters. Then you earn loot for doing that, and use that to forge weapons and armor in order to capture even more powerful monsters. Since I've not played the game, I can't talk too much about it, but I will say that based on the footage I've seen of it, it does indeed look fun.
Super Mario Maker 2 - 7.15 million copies sold since 6/28/19
My experience: I own it.
This game lets you make your own Mario levels, and play such levels that other players have uploaded to the internet. Given the amount of things you can put into your levels, and the fact that every item interacts with every other item, I can honestly say that there's a lot of content here, and it never gets old... provided, that is, that you like 2D platformers. If you don't, then this one isn't really a good game. Note that unlike the original Super Mario Maker on Wii U, this one does support multiplayer, enabling you to create levels with your friends, or play them together.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 5.49 million copies sold since 9/20/19
My experience: Never played this version, but I own the original version.
This is a remake of a Game Boy game. It seems fun, but it doesn't really add too much that wasn't already present in the original game. Just some quality-of-life improvements to the items and their uses. The one new thing is the ability to craft your own dungeons, which may be enough for you, but it isn't for me. I'm sticking to the Game Boy version.
Mario Party Superstars - 5.43 million copies sold since 10/29/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is another Mario Party game. In this one, it features boards and minigames from throughout the Mario Party series history, rather than having any new content of its own. Because of that, there's not much point in playing it if you can play the original games. The boards and minigames have been redesigned slightly to give some quality-of-life improvements, but not much, really. I also have to take points off because there's not a lot of content. There's only five boards, where as the original Mario Party game from 1998 had eight boards. Just saying. On the other hand, if you've not played the original games, and don't have the means by which to do so, then Mario Party Superstars looks to be a fun gameplay experience for anyone who's into Mario Party.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity - 4.00 million copies sold since 11/20/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is a hack-and-slash game with gameplay based on Dynasty Warriors, but with the characters and settings from The Legend of Zelda, primarily Breath of the Wild. There's a lot of playable characters that each play differently, and there's a lot that each can do. There's seemingly a lot of content in this game. Which is fair. But on the other hand, the story is very meh (it involves time travel), and the technical performance and frame rate leave much to be desired.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD - 3.85 million copies sold since 7/16/21
My experience: Never played it, but I own the original version.
This is a remake of a Wii game. 3D Zelda games are often fun, and Skyward Sword is no exception to that. However, the original was designed with motion controls in mind, and while you can use the Switch's motion controls for this, there's also button controls, which are... well... they did the best that they could, given the Switch's button layout. But sometimes you just can't fit the square peg into the round hole. There's also several quality-of-life improvements that I shouldn't be so dismissive of.
Among Us - 3.20 million copies sold since 12/15/20
My experience: I own it.
In this game, a number of players are all placed on the map, and some of them are chosen to be impostors. The impostor team wins by killing everyone and sabotaging critical systems. The rest of the players (crewmates) win by identifying the impostors and voting them out. It's a lot of fun if you can get a large playgroup together. I recommend it.
1-2-Switch - 3.18 million copies sold since 3/3/17
My experience: I don't own it, but I have played it.
This is a game that SHOULD HAVE come bundled with the Switch at launch, and it continues to annoy me that it didn't. It features 28 different minigames, in which you and another player each have to do something without looking at the screen, relying solely on audio, and controller vibrations. The game feels like it was just a proof-of-concept to show off the Switch's controller's HD rumble feature. And in that regard, it succeeds beautifully. However, as a game, this is lacking. There is, however, a way to make literally anything better: add alcohol to it. No, I'm serious. If you're at a party, this makes a decent drinking game. Have people take shots as they win and lose minigames in 1-2-Switch and you end up with a fun experience. It still isn't fun enough to justify the price tag, but if you happen to get the game for cheap somewhere, then you can enjoy using it to get tipsy.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics - 3.14 million copies sold since 6/5/20
My experience: I own it.
This is a collection of various tabletop games from around the world. It's a solid collection, but there are several games that are noticeably excluded. The presentation of these games is also not as good as the original Clubhouse Games on DS. That said, there are fifty-one games here, so you'll be sure to find something that you enjoy. In single-player mode. Because multiplayer mode is... pretty problematic. Only 24 games are playable in 2-player mode without the need to get another controller. If you do get another controller, then you can get up to 40 games. With three players, you can only play 3 games (and each player needs their own controller). And with four players, you can only play 2 games (and each player needs their own controller). That's... pretty pathetic. Luckily, if you have multiple Switches, then all 51 games can be played with multiplayer. But still. I feel like they dropped the ball here.
Paper Mario: The Origami King - 3.12 million copies sold since 7/17/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is the sixth Paper Mario game... and, you know... the Paper Mario games have gone way downhill in recent years. The first two were widely considered to be some of the best RPGs ever. The third one was considered to be acceptable, but not as good as the first two. Then the fourth one was abysmally awful. As was the fifth. And now the sixth. Yeah, I hate this game. Every single thing that I see about it just makes me so angry that I can't possibly be objective here. Don't buy it.
Mario Tennis Aces - 3.06 million copies sold since 7/22/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is literally just a game of tennis, but with Mario characters. Except that there are power-ups that let you do things that, well, wouldn't exactly be fair play in a real-world sports game. Or, indeed, things that wouldn't really obey the laws of physics. Yeah, it's not very realistic, but it doesn't try to be. If you've not played a Mario Tennis game before, I do recommend it. But if you've already played one, you've pretty much played them all. Not much unique here.
Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa Mo Teiban! - 3 million copies sold since 11/19/20
My experience: Never played it.
I don't recall ever saying that I was limiting my list to games that exist in the Americas. This Japan-only game sold 3 million copies, so it has earned a spot on this list. And besides, the Switch isn't region-locked, so if you buy a copy of this game in Japan, you can take it home to America and play it on your American Switch just fine. So how's the game? Well, it's a digital board game, similar to Mario Party. The gameplay is similar to Monopoly. You're trying to buy and sell things in order to acquire the most wealth. It looks fun, but there's a lot of Japanese text that I can't read, so I unfortunately will not be able to play this one.
Kirby Star Allies - 2.93 million copies sold since 3/16/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a basic 2D platformer. Unlike Mario games, Kirby games are made to be cutesy and fun. Whenever I play one, I can't help but feel happy and uplifted. I have no idea if that's the case here as well, but I would imagine so.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 2.87 million copies sold since 7/26/19
My experience: Never played it.
I'll be honest. I'm just about the least-qualified person to talk about Fire Emblem. From what I gather, it's a turn-based tactics game, where you place your units and then they interact with the other units. But then it's also an RPG where you forge relationships with different characters? I'll be honest, I don't get it. Some of my friends are really into Fire Emblem, and I can ask them to expand upon this, but for me personally... I just could never get into it. Once I talk with them, I'll be able to better offer my thoughts here.
Minecraft - 2.81 million copies sold since 5/11/17
My experience: Never played it.
If you're a human who is living on Earth, then I assume that you have some familiarity with what Minecraft is. If you look at every version of Minecraft from all the different consoles and platforms that the game has been released on, it has sold a total of 238 million copies. By comparison, the Nintendo Switch console itself has only sold 103.54 million, not even half of Minecraft's sales. So yeah, you already know this game. In case you don't, it's just a massive lego simulator where you build things, and then move around to look at your creations. There's also survival mode, where you have a limited set of tools and need to hide from monsters before they kill you. And, yes, as you've probably learned by now, I dislike games that don't give you clear objectives, so this one isn't exactly my cup of tea.
Metroid Dread - 2.74 million copies sold since 10/8/21
My experience: Never played it.
The Metroid series has been pretty neglected lately. Ever since Metroid Fusion in 2002, we basically haven't gotten a real good Metroid game. Well... our prayers were finally answered with Metroid Dread. You play as Samus Aran, a badass female bounty hunter who goes around fighting space-pirates. What more is there to say? You travel the map, collecting upgrades for your equipment, which allow you to access new areas, and you repeat the process. Dread in particular adds an element of stealth, as you need to hide from robots at various points throughout the game.
New Pokémon Snap - 2.66 million copies sold since 4/30/21
My experience: Never played it.
The original Pokémon Snap on Nintendo 64 was a phenomenal game. It sounds pretty lame - you just get put on an island and have to go around taking pictures of Pokémon. But it's anything but. You're given fruit and smoke balls to throw around and a Poké Flute to play, and all the Pokémon react based on these, enabling you to get better and better photos. The New Pokémon Snap game on Switch does this as well, but brings it into the modern era. While the original game only featured 63 Pokémon, the new one features 234, a substantial upgrade. And it also adds some new features, such as the ability to add filters and edit your photos, along with the ability to share them online. It looks like it'd be a ton of fun to play.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - 2.65 million copies sold since 5/4/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is another 2D platformer, but, in my opinion, the Donkey Kong Country series continues to get better and better, making them stand out from the other 2D platformers. The level design is always top-notch and it is very fun to speedrun the game, and to collect all the collectibles. Though I never played this particular installment, it looks similar enough to Donkey Kong Country Returns (which I have played) that I feel confident in saying that I'd enjoy this.
Arms - 2.38 million copies sold since 6/16/17
My experience: I used to own a copy of this game, but I don't anymore.
This is a game that takes place in a world where everyone has stretchable arms that can extend for a very long length. From there, you do what can only be described as long-range boxing. This is a fighting game with a unique gimmick of having long arms. It doesn't sound like it would work, but it does. And if you get bored of that, there's also modes for basketball and volleyball with long-armed characters.
Mario Golf: Super Rush - 2.26 million copies sold since 6/25/21
My experience: Never played it.
It's just golf, but with Mario characters. Not much to say. You use your various clubs to try and get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. There is a mode called "Speed Golf" as well, in which all players play at the same time, getting in each other's way, and you have to run across the course to get to your ball each time. I mean... if you like golf, then sure, I guess. There is a single-player campaign, but it just looks like more golfing. I don't really feel like I'm missing out by not playing this one.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe - 2.04 million copies sold since 10/30/20
My experience: Never played it.
Pikmin and Pikmin 2 are both beloved GameCube games, and Pikmin 3 on Wii U is also pretty good. This Switch game is a port of Pikmin 3. Despite Pikmin's history of having a lot of good content, I never really got into it. The plot is that you're an alien captain stranded on Earth (which captain it is varies depending on the game). This captain is only 0.75 inches tall, which is really tiny when compared to a human. So you basically explore this planet, interacting with everyday objects that seem gargantuan in size. To aid you, you have an army of plant creatures called Pikmin, which you can command to do things and they'll help you explore. But you need to get as much done during the day as possible, because at night, predators will come out and kill you. You need to ensure that you're safely back in your spaceship before nightfall each night.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - 2 million copies sold since 8/29/17
My experience: Never played it.
I hate this game. If you don't know, the Rabbids are a species from the Ubisoft game "Rayman Raving Rabbids" that became a meme, and then became so popular that they abandoned the Rayman series and just became their own series. This game is a crossover between Mario and the Rabbids. The crossover that literally nobody wanted. Rabbids are annoying rabbit-like creatures that speak gibberish and scream annoyingly. I literally cannot fathom why they became so popular. They do not belong in the Mario series, and gosh-darn-it, this is a hill that I'm willing to die on. In terms of storyline and gameplay, though, how is this game? I have no idea. I know that I said I'd research these games, but I hate this game so freaking much that I refuse to even do the research for it. This game can kiss my ass.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - 1.92 million copies sold since 12/1/17
My experience: Never played it.
The Xenoblade Chronicles series is a pair of massively-long RPGs (as well as Xenoblade Chronicles X, which I know literally nothing about). The first game is about 60 hours long, and the second one is about 130. It's pretty nuts. The plot of it is about a boy who can see into the future, but I kinda can't give any further details about it without giving massive spoilers. I will say that I have seen a full playthrough of both games in the series, and I do lament the fact that I never got to experience them first-hand for myself. They do look really amazing, and appear to be some of the greatest games ever made... provided that you're okay with a massive time investment.
Yoshi's Crafted World - 1.84 million copies sold since 3/29/19
My experience: I own it.
This is yet another 2D platformer. Unlike the Mario series, the Yoshi series isn't primarily focusing on getting from one end of the level to the other. I mean, you certainly CAN do that, but that's not the main focus. The Yoshi games are more geared around exploring the level and collecting all the collectibles. This series has always been a favorite of mine. I will say that this particular installment is probably my least-favorite though. In my opinion, they overdid it with the collectibles, and you'll be replaying the same level over and over and over and over again trying to get them all. It's not the most fun experience to constantly redo stuff you just did.
Miitopia - 1.63 million copies sold since 5/21/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is a lifesim game. You make a Mii character, and use it to just... live a life. The twist is that this is a high-fantasy setting, so you'll be a warrior or a mage or whatever. Then it becomes an RPG, with actual combat and the like. But how well you're doing in the lifesim part of the game affects the combat. The more your characters get along with each other, the easier combat is. And by comparison, if they dislike each other, combat becomes very difficult.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition - 1.52 million copies sold since 5/29/20
My experience: Never played it.
This is the first Xenoblade Chronicles game. Like the second, this one is quite substantial and is a fairly lengthy RPG. I can't really talk about it without giving spoilers. Sorry.
Octopath Traveler - 1.5 million copies sold since 7/13/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is an RPG that is designed to look like it was made for the Super NES back in the early 90s. It's a unique aesthetic, and the game pulls it off quite well. As far as storyline goes, it takes place in a world that was created by thirteen gods. However, one of the gods turned evil and so the other twelve sealed him in the underworld. The player's party is manipulated into releasing him, and then they have to defeat him. Pretty standard stuff.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - 1.44 million copies sold since 7/13/18
My experience: I own the Wii U version, but not the Switch version.
This is a spinoff of Super Mario 3D World. In Super Mario 3D World, there's a few side levels where you play as Captain Toad, a character who cannot jump. Jumping is very important in the Mario series, and it becomes an interesting game when trying to play without it. It becomes a puzzle game based on spatial awareness, where you have to use your brain to figure out solutions to the levels, rather than just running and jumping through a series of obstacles. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is essentially a full game of these levels. The game exists in a Wii U version, a 3DS version, and a Switch version. Each has some levels that the other versions lack, but the majority of the levels are in all three versions. I will say that I think the Switch version is probably the worst version because of, frankly, a ludicrously bad design decision. In the Switch version, you can play with two people at the same time, and try to work together to reach the goal. The existence of this mode kind of messes everything up. So many puzzles just no longer work as intended as soon as you allow a second playable character. Because now you can activate things remotely by just having one player be in another location. It doesn't work for me. That said, you can always just ignore this and play the courses in single-player mode. If you do that, you'll get the proper experience, and it's a very fun puzzler.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus - 1.42 million copies sold since 1/28/22
My experience: I don't own it yet, but plan to buy it soon.
This is the latest Pokémon game. It takes place in the same region as Diamond and Pearl, but in the distant past. Unique to this game, you don't have to battle wild Pokémon, but can instead sneak up on them and just throw the Poké Balls. Except that Poké Balls are made out of wood, because this is the past. It appears to be quite fun.
Pokkén Tournament DX - 1.38 million copies sold since 9/22/17
My experience: I don't own it, but I've played it.
This is a fighting game, based on Tekken. You choose a character, and then they fight each other. The twist is that all the playable characters are Pokémon! There was an Arcade version and a Wii U version, each of which had different characters that you could play as (most were the same, but there were a few exclusive to each version). The Switch version combines them and gives you all the characters from both versions, along with a few extra characters that are exclusive to the Switch version, thrown in for good measure. There are 23 characters to choose from.
Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit - 1.31 million copies sold since 4/20/18
My experience: Never played it.
Have you ever felt like spending eighty dollars on a piece of cardboard? If so, then Nintendo Labo is for you! Okay, that's not fair, but... that's really what this is. You get a bunch of cardboard, and you use it to construct various toys. You're given instructions on how to do so, similar to building legos. Then you can insert your Switch and its controllers into various parts of the toys, and use them to play minigames. There's not much here for adults. This is really just for kids who enjoy building stuff.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain - 1.28 million copies sold since 12/3/21
My experience: Never played it.
This is a minigame collection, with the games testing your skills in memory, logic, math, and analysis. Then you're scored based on how well you do. Multiple people can play together in order to see who has the biggest brain. It sounds like a boring educational game, but it isn't. It's a fun educational game. These "tests" aren't just boring tests like the kind you take in school, but they actually get you to think things through and provide fun brain-teasers.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit - 1.27 million copies sold since 10/16/20
My experience: Never played it.
Unlike most Mario Kart games, in this game, the action happens not on your screen, but in your house. The game comes with a toy racecar, which you control. You build a track in your house, and then the Switch lets you control the car and race around the track, in a form of augmented reality. In my opinion, it's not worth it, since you can accomplish pretty much the same thing with just a toy racecar on its own. No fancy Switch game required.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX - 1.26 million copies sold since 3/6/20
My experience: I played the original version, but not this version.
This is a remake of the 2005 games Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team for DS and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team for GBA. In these games, you play as a human who has been transformed into a Pokémon. Which Pokémon it is depends on the answers you give to a personality quiz. In the game, you are given jobs by various Pokémon and have to complete those jobs by venturing into dungeons. It's mostly just Pokémon from the first three generations, since that was what was in the original games, but the remake also features Mega Evolutions.
WarioWare: Get It Together! - 1.24 million copies sold since 9/10/21
My experience: I own it.
This is my favorite game on Nintendo Switch. The WarioWare games are always a lot of fun. Each one features hundreds of minigames (referred to as "microgames") in which you have four seconds to figure out what you need to do and then do it. It's very heart-pounding and intense. For example, when asked to spin a windmill, you have only four seconds to react to that, and then go do it. After that, it's off to the next microgame. What makes Get It Together unique compared to previous WarioWare games is that there are loads of playable characters, and each one controls differently. Some of them can freely move in any direction, others are limited by gravity, some can shoot projectiles, and so forth. And in this game, not only do you have to react to the microgame, but also the character who you are using, because you never know which of the characters the game will throw at you. Going back to our windmill example, if you have a character who can fly, you can go up to the windmill and spin it directly. Alternatively, if you have a character that can fire projectiles, you can shoot projectiles at the windmill to spin it. The seemingly-endless combinations of characters and microgames give this game a ton of replayability. Even though you'll finish the game within a few hours, you can easily sink several months into this game just trying to find everything. There's a lot of content here.
Astral Chain - 1.08 million copies sold since 8/30/19
My experience: Never played it.
This game takes place in a cyberpunk futuristic world, in which interdimensional creatures have invaded the planet. You work for a police task force that needs protect the remnants of humanity. The twist is that "you" isn't a single character, but a set of twins. You need to control two characters at the same time. And you do standard police work: investigations, exploration, logic puzzles, and, of course, beating the living crap out of every organism that you come across. The game looks fun, and also looks quite expansive. It seems like the type of game that I wouldn't mind giving a try, but I don't want to have to pay for it.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - 1.08 million copies sold since 7/19/19
My experience: Never played it.
This game is a dungeon-crawler. You go through various dungeons in an attempt to save the universe, playing as various Marvel superheroes. I'm not a fan of comic books, personally. And I very much dislike the Marvel movies, so I'm kinda biased against this one. I'll pass.
Game Builder Garage - 1.01 million copies sold since 6/11/21
My experience: I own it.
This is a game where you can do computer programming and make your own games. The game creates a UI that allegedly makes programming easier and more fun and kid-friendly. Speaking as someone who does not do any programming whatsoever, I can say that I found the programming of Game Builder Garage to be intuitive and easy to use. However, I can very easily see actual programmers being annoyed that this is too dumbed-down. Anyways, this is an immensely powerful tool in terms of making your own games. It seems like there's no limit of what you can do. You can make a 2D platformer, a 3D platformer, a shooting game, a puzzle game, a motion-control game, or, well, anything that you can imagine. There's no limit. And you can upload your creations online to share with the world. The downside is that online play features no way to just browse what other people have made. Instead, each upload is given a code that the creator can share with people, and you have to search for a game's code in order to play it. On one hand, I get it, because this is a game that kids can play, and you would get adults uploading stuff that is not age-appropriate. On the other hand, it does make trying to find things to play difficult to do, and the overall package does suffer for it.
Enter the Gungeon - 1 million copies sold since 12/14/17
My experience: Never played it.
This is a 2D dungeon crawler based around acquiring and using firearms. Dungeons in the game are not pre-set and are instead procedurally generated. Looking at it... I honestly have no idea why this is as popular as it is. It doesn't look bad per se, but I don't know how it sold a million copies.
Fitness Boxing - 1 million copies sold since 12/20/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a fitness/exercise game that uses motion controls to train you. Its primary focus, as you can imagine based on the title, is boxing. And it features several music tracks of pop songs that you can listen to as you burn those calories. If you're looking for a workout, sure, you can pick this up, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise - 1 million copies sold since 12/4/20
My experience: Never played it.
This looks to be the same game as Fitness Boxing, except with different songs. That's... not really enough to warrant a whole new game, I don't think. Why wouldn't they just release this as DLC? That seems... like a far superior option.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town - 1 million copies sold since 2/25/21
My experience: Never played it.
The primary thing that you do in this game is live a farm life. You get crops and animals and such, and you have to, well... farm. There's various other things that you can do around town as well, enabling you to form relationships with various characters, but the main focus is on farming. I can see how someone else could be into this game, but it's not for me.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! - 1 million copies sold since 7/19/18
My experience: Never played it.
This is a rhythm game where you play the drums. It uses motion-controls, and you just have to play the drums to the beat of whatever song you select. There are also various party games that you can play with these drums, but that's it. It's just drumming. I'd say you can skip it.
Thief Simulator - 1 million copies sold since 5/19/19
My experience: Never played it.
In this game, you work for the mafia and have to go around town committing crimes for your mafia leader. There's several ways to accomplish each task, however, so it's not just a simple matter of going through a checklist. This doesn't look like a good game for me, if I'm being honest. Whether it's a good one for you or not, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I couldn't find much info on this game when I searched for it (probably because the title is very generic), so I'm not too confident in saying anything about it at all.