The best Nintendo Switch games for newcomers (Image: NINTENDO)
If you were lucky enough to receive a Nintendo Switch this Christmas, then you’ll be wanting some equally brilliant games to go with it.
With the January sales about to begin, Express Online has picked out some of the very best games the Nintendo Switch has to offer.
From Super Mario Maker 2 to Hades, Super Mario 3D Collection to Animal Crossing, these are the games every Nintendo Switch owner must buy.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars…
The Nintendo Switch collection contains emulated versions of iconic 3D platformer Super Mario 64, the criminally underrated Super Mario Sunshine, and arguably the finest 3D platformer ever made in Super Mario Galaxy.
Whichever game is your favourite – and they’re honestly all pretty special – this collection is absolutely overflowing with quality action and superb game design.
The only drawback is that Super Mario 3D All-Stars is only available until the end of March, so you’d better hurry if you want to nab this awesome collection of classics.
Hades…
Almost certain to top a few game of the year lists, Hades is an roguelike action game with almost endless replay value thanks to its randomly laid out dungeons and steady reward system.
You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, who attempts to escape the Underworld with the help of the gods. While the action is slick and satisfying, it’s the characters and storytelling that really takes this to the next level.
Hades on Nintendo Switch (Image: NINTENDO)
Super Mario Maker 2…
One of my favourite games on the Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Maker 2 lets wannabe game designers create their very own Super Mario levels, using tools and assets from pretty much every generation of 2D Mario.
The sequel to the Wii U original also features a story mode that adds structure and serves as inspiration for future creations, as well as the ability to play co-operatively with fellow Super Mario fans.
Animal Crossing New Horizons…
Coming along at the perfect time in 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons captured the hearts, minds, and lives of long-time fans and newcomers alike.
While the latest entry only introduces a handful of new mechanics, it doubles down and improves on so many of the older aspects. So much so that fans will be absolutely giddy by the end of the first day.
A game that lets you escape to a tropical paradise is THE perfect release for the coronavirus lockdown, and a must-have for all Nintendo Switch owners.
51 Worldwide Games…
As the name suggests, 51 Worldwide Games features a boatload of classic games from across the world. This includes popular card games like Texas Hold’em and Blackjack; board games such as Chess and Backgammon; and old favourites like Four-in-a-row (Connect 4), Yacht Dice (Yahtzee) and Dominoes.
There are also a few toy-based distractions like Slot Cars, Toy Football and Toy Boxing, not to mention Wii-style mini games like Bowling, Darts and a Shooting Gallery.
Whether you want to revisit a childhood favourite or discover something new, 51 Worldwide Games has something for everybody.
Animal Crossing New Horizons on Nintendo Switch (Image: NINTENDO)
Super Smash Bros Ultimate…
With the release of Super Smash Bros Ultimate on Switch, Nintendo has given itself a big problem: where exactly does the series go next?
It’s hard to imagine anything bigger, better and more definitive that Super Smash Bros Ultimate, which well and truly lives up to its name.
The size of the roster, the number of stages, the endless Easter eggs, the cameos, the wonderful World of Light mode, the multiplayer, the post release DLC, Super Smash Bros Ultimate is the game that keeps on giving.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild…
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild may have been a Nintendo Switch launch title, but it’s arguably yet to be bettered. Nintendo promised to shake things up for the latest Zelda adventure, and boy did they deliver.
Taking place in a gorgeous open world with endless secrets to discover, Breath of the Wild gives players complete freedom to carve their own adventure. With some of the series’ most inventive puzzles and best boss battles, this is a truly must-have release.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons update detailed by Nintendo
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe…
Mario Kart 8 was a stone-cold classic when it released back in 2014, and it’s even better now. The action is timeless, the visuals are dazzling and the sheer versatility of the Nintendo Switch ensures Mario Kart 8 Deluxe fulfils its potential as a multiplayer classic.
Mario Kart 8 may have originated on the Wii U, but it was made for the Nintendo Switch and should be in everybody’s game collection.
Super Mario Odyssey…
In a series with so many high points – the aforementioned Super Mario Galaxy, Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, to name but a few – Nintendo somehow managed to raise the bar to lofty new heights with the unbelievably inventive Super Mario Odyssey.
Indeed, the only downside to Super Mario Odyssey is that Nintendo hasn’t followed up with any post-release DLC.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Odyssey is a voyage every Nintendo Switch owner should take.
