Feature: 8 Games That Defined The Switch Generation – Nintendo Life

GuestGuestLogin | Sign UpNintendo LifeGuestLogin or Sign UpAn era’s endA lot has changed in video gaming since Switch launched in 2017. Beyond all Nintendo’s handheld hybrid switching, we now live in a world where a Nintendo game on mobile is a fairly normal occurrence and both Microsoft and Sony publish games on Nintendo’s console. Crazy.As we await official word on the next generation of Nintendo hardware, it’s got us thinking back on the current cycle and the games that defined the era for Switch owners.The following eight games — one for each year, though not one from each year — represent experiences that we feel define the Switch and this past generation in mostly (though not exclusively) positive ways.These aren’t just the best games, remember, but games that we feel captured the zeitgeist on Switch somehow. Games that, when we look back in 10, 20, 30 years, will make us think of Nintendo’s first little handheld hybrid and the fun we had with it.Let’s get the obvious one out of the way, a game that’s not a Switch exclusive but is undeniably a generation-definer.Breath of the Wild transformed Zelda in a way you probably didn’t imagine possible having spent nearly two decades doing things in a fairly similar style. It proved once again that reinvention doesn’t mean ejecting the core of the series, but rather rediscovering and finding new ways to emphasise the core that was there from the beginning.BOTW made us feel wonder and awe once more while exploring Hyrule.Here representing the epic indies and sprawling Metroidvanias, Hollow Knight epitomises the indie explosion we’ve enjoyed on Nintendo’s platform.Again, the seeds of this were germinating in the Wii U era, earlier even, but from Nintendo’s perspective, it’s the Switch era where independent developers have had the opportunity to flourish on an incredibly popular platform with a Nintendo that seems to finally understand their importance and the positive effect supporting smaller teams on your platform can have.The eShop is a very different place now to the early days, and it’s easier than ever for great games to get lost, but games large and small from indie devs have played a huge part in the success of Switch, and the success of this game, in particular, has elevated its long-awaited sequel to meme-level status.During the COVID-19 pandemic, most people reading this will have turned to video games to offer relief in trying times, and if there were a poster game for 2020-21 cosy comfort, this is it.For Nintendo and anyone who took solace from this game, its March 2020 release timing was a happy accident. When we look back on the Switch in the decades to come, though, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will remain a defining memory of the system and the period. Talkshows were hosted in it, for goodness’ sake.We debated for a good long time about including another influential life sim that means the world to millions of people, and for a time Stardew Valley was also on this list. Ultimately it was the closest of calls, but in the interest of variety, it gave way to make room for something else. Still, if there were a ninth entry here, it’d be Stardew.”I feel like I could work on it for the rest of my life”Another indie darling, but also repping the roguelikes (see also: Dead Cells, Balatro, and hundreds more) and the various games honed and toned in early access elsewhere before arriving fully formed on Switch, it’s hard to believe that this is turning five this year. But there’s also something so elegant and compulsive about Supergiant’s fourth game that it has a timeless quality. Hades has always existed, no?So many games from smaller teams have grabbed us over the last eight years, but few offer this level of refinement and class. Roll on the sequel.You might argue (and some among us did!) that Fortnite is played more on other platforms. However, a list of generation-defining games in the Switch era felt incomplete without acknowledging not only the rise of free-to-play games over the past decade but also the intense popularity of the Battle Royale. A Tetris 99 might go down especially well around these parts, but Fortnite has been king of its category for longer than many expected.Some players have mixed feelings about both F2P and BR, especially given the latter’s prevalence from the late 2010s until fairly recently, but as with all genres there are great and terrible examples. And, unholy as it is, the number of them that gets, say, Mariah Carey, Spider-Man, and Harry Kane into the same game is one.For all its insane crossovers, try-hard irreverence, and the slurry of freemium pap it inspired — from currency systems to mechanics to UI and general presentation — the fact remains that beneath all that is an exceptionally well-crafted, fun, nail-biting video game that anyone with a Switch can play with their friends, whatever console they’re on.Oof, controversial! As we said in the introduction, not every entry here is just about being the very best (like no one ever…, oh you know the drill) and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet showcases some weaknesses of this generation, as well as positives.And there are positives. As part of the first wave of mainline Pokémon games designed for the TV, Scarvi’s open world is a promising indication of where the series could go next. It’s got a great roster of monsters, a good story, and interesting new mechanics to play with.But few games disappointed fans more from a performance standpoint than this pair of flagship Switch titles; Sword and Shield felt like a modestly successful test run but these turned out far worse. A poorly optimised port that’s been downgraded from a platform with far more power is one thing, but a first-party-published game built specifically for the hardware? This one represents the many frame skippers we’ve encountered over the last eight years.It’s games like Witcher 3 that make you forget you’re playing on a tablet with components designed a decade ago when you fire up your Switch.That’s not to say it’s perfect. We’re all well aware of the caveats that come with any Switch port these days, and the normalisation of PS5-level visuals on your TV as the generation has progressed means that it’s tougher than ever to go back if you’ve played it elsewhere.But let’s not forget that this set the standard and showed others what a talented team could accomplish with Nintendo’s old mobile chipset. Witcher 3 was THE impossible port of the generation, proving to all that most anything is possible and Switch owners needn’t feel short-changed. Remarkable.With one foot in the previous generation and representing the Wii U ports that have helped support the Switch since the beginning (and the system’s best-seller, to boot), the last entry is a game that just won’t die.There’s a reason there are 64.27 million copies (to date) of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe out there: it’s the biggest and best entry. Sure, some of us like a little more Double Dash in our karting, but it’s impossible to deny the Switch version’s comprehensive brilliance and cross-generational appeal.A game that can be enjoyed equally by both the very young and very old is a special thing and something of a Nintendo speciality, and MK8D is the quintessential Switch multiplayer experience. Cheers, Wii U! No idea how they’ll top this one.An impressive roster, there! We tried to work in as many genres as possible given our self-imposed limit, but you know we like a list and our exhaustive genre best ofs and Top 50 Switch games will showcase many of your favourites missing above, and highlight even further the breadth of this console’s library.Let us know below if there are any gen-defining winners you’d swap in! ‘Everyone is here’ Smash Bros., perhaps? What about a VN? Does the zaniness of LABO’s cardboard earn a spot on your list? Undertale? One of the other many incredible role-playing games which made Switch an RPG machine? Is Minecraft forever your cross-gen monster? Do you know how many Xenoblades are on Switch?!?As the industry at large continues to struggle with dramatic changes wrought by the pandemic and layoffs across the board, with fantastic developers having to shield themselves from the spurting snake oil of Web 3.0 and NFTs and AI on top of everything else, it’s easy to look back and focus on the bad. For anybody playing games in the last eight years, though — especially on Switch — it’s been an incredibly rich and varied generation.Here’s to the next, whenever it may come!The very best Switch games everEverything about the “Switch successor”About Gavin LaneGavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy.Comments 117How about the first mainline 3D Kirby happening? I thought that was a huge moment for Switch.Pikmin 4, Metroid Prime 4, and RPG Paper Mario (even though it was a remake) finally happening after so long were pretty Switch defining as well.Also, Mario Odyssey was a huge miss not to put on this list, and a 2D Mario that wasn’t a part of the “New” sub-series was insane considering it’s been since Gameboy.Fun article to make you feel nostalgic about the current Nintendo console generation. Crazy to think about all that’s happened!I don’t know if it defined the generation but also really crazy that 2D Metroid finally got a brand new entry after like 17 years!Oh dear. I would have gone Mario Odyssey in the first year. Then put TOTK on its year instead of what else is there. Mario Odyssey was the only Mario 3d platform game the switch got, which in my opinion for eights years there should have another and that’s Nintendos bad. Ok Bowsers fury was a tiny taster. Then TOTK took BOTW and took it up a notch and should be on the list. No the best choices Nintendo Life 🤣.I guess there are a few different titles that could sit in that slot with Hollow Knight. Shovel Knight came to mind first for me, but it could all be a mater of perspective and personal experience.The others I think I mostly agree with. Maybe could go either way on the impossible port with like Doom. There is no question that BotW, MK8D and AC:NH are titles that very much define the generation. It’s been a long and healthy lifecycle for this system.My choice is Animal Crossing New Horizons, the BEST Animal Crossing game I have ever played for being more The Sims style and less antics from GameCube era.LOVE IT!Gotta throw in Ring Fit Adventure.I’ve gotta say I really disagree with this list@Purgatorium Good call, that should also be on the list.Oh, I think they should have also added Labo. That was definitely a Switch thing.I appreciate the way this list was constructed. I think you all really did create a list that defines the generation for better and worse and should be proud of it!My list of console Definers:1. Mario + Rabbids – held the candle for Mario RPGs and the out of the gate “expect the unexpected” from the console2. night in the Woods – an indie masterpiece that is hard to go back to, but altered the trajectory of my life and understanding of story telling3. A Hat in Time – showing the Indie studios could compete with Nintendo itself at their own game. I’ve been meaning to revisit it4. Persona 5: Royal – switch owners need not do without! The one represents the “and also the switch gets one!” When as a Nintendo fan I am so used to being left behind5. Undertale – For the same reason that you all used Hades. Timeless and independent gaming bliss6. Fire Emblem: Three Houses – my most played Switch game! Nintendo brought a classic franchise back, and while for most people that was Awakening, this was my first dive in and was blown away.7. Breath of the Wild – I do not like this game. But I can’t deny that so much of the systems identity is tied to it, and also that it may have single handedly saved Nintendo. It also represents my personal growth, and that it’s okay to let go of things that meant so much to me in the past, because time marches on.8. Emio: the Smiling Man – it is unfathomable that Nintendo would create a full length anime visual novel game that would also become my GOTY. Also that it would be so murderful! Nintendo took a huge risk on this and potentially added another series of must play Nintendo titles to their growing repertoire, and that’s why I’m still a fanhonestly i don’t think i’ll ever understand why hollow knight is so beloved. gorgeous artstyle and everything but i can’t remember the last time a game so deeply and fundamentally misunderstood why its inspirations (super metroid being an obvious one) were such incredible experiences to begin with.rest of the list is pretty solid, would add smash ultimate because of the whole “celebration of games” theme and also mario wonder simply because it really is that good.Definitely missing defining games like:Mario Odyssey
Super Smash Bros, Ultimate
Xenoblade Chronicles Series
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Monster Hunter Rise
Dragon Quest XII’d say Smash Bros Ultimate made much more noise than Pokemon, honestiy…And even though BotW set the standard, Zelda TotK is THE impossible game that runs perfectly fine on Switch, so it could also be here. It’s such an incredible technical achievement.Metroid Dread, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Fire Emblem TH and Pikmin 4 also defined the Nintendo generation for me. Fantastic games that brought those series to a new level.@ManaOwls MHR should definitely be on there considering its success and limited time Switch exclusivityHow can Mario Odyssey not be on the list.I never played Hollow Knight or Hades, are those really on Switch?god I hated Hollow Knight.
I generally enjoy Metroidvanias. And the combat in this one is entertaining enough, but the rest of the game feels so empty and unappealing.My personal 8 Switch definers are,1, Breath of the Wild2, Mario Odyssey3, Pikmin 44, Pokémon S/V5, Fire Emblem Three Houses6, Xenoblade Chronicles 37, Splatoon 38, Bayonetta 4@ManaOwls The Thousand year door is a GameCube era-defining game just like Metroid Prime.Yeah I don’t think that this list is accurate at all, other than ACNH, MK8DX, and BOTW. The rest don’t belong on a list about defining the Switch’s legacyLots of love for Mario Odyssey being posted Well done Nintendoers 😊I wouldn’t put Hades or Pokémon ScVi on this list, because something needs to make way for Smash Bros Ultimate.EVERYONE IS HERE FFS!!!How long did we follow the drip of DLC? Felt like the end of an era when that came to an end. And it is the third highest selling game.The other game I’d put in the final slot… might think this one over for a bit, but right now I’m thinking Mario Odyssey fits best – Cappy, Jump Up Superstar, and the jump-rope game, are pretty iconic. Or Ring Fit Adventure.Interesting list, I’m not sure I’d have personally included the two Wii U ports that pertain mostly to Nintendos previous gen (and are hardly even remasters at that).That said, a list is a list and I can get behind what you were going for with the choices.For me it would personally be:I actually tried to NOT to make this list Nintendo exclusive – but honestly speaking, that is why I buy Nintendo systems. 3rd party ports are still impressive, but I will almost always pick the console where the 3rd party game performs the smoothest (regardless of the unique factor of portability for say, Witcher 3 or Skyrim).BLAZBLUE CENTRALFICTION, UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r], Danganronpa, CORPSE PARTY (2021), NieR:Automata The End of YoRHa Edition, Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition, Crypt of the NecroDancer, Phantom Breaker Battleground Overdrive, BIOHAZARD REVELATIONS, Super Mario Odyssey, MARVEL VS CAPCOM COLLECTION, Phantom Breaker: Omnia, Fate/stay night REMASTERED.Now that the Switch era is basically near its end, y’all should repost the Best Nintendo Consoles list from 2018.Good list although I feel like something should have represented NSO since that has been such a big part of this generation.I don’t think both Hollow Knight and Hades needed to be on the list — they both really just represent Nintendo being an indie machine.My personal tweak:I feel like a lot of comments are people who read this list imagining it to be a best games of the generation list.I think that they basically nailed the list, though the argument for Tetris 99/Mario 35/Smash are valid as all heck.Also I love to see two Hollow Knight h8rs in the comments! Put me down as a third BB!!!@HugoGED You’re right. I took it out. All the others were very defining games/ moments for the Switch though.The list definitely feels incomplete without Xenoblade series which has truly bloomed on Switch between the fantastic new entries and meatily enriched comebacks alike. By now, the franchise is pretty much Nintendo’s own Final Fantasy and a collection of some of the richest experiences across the board in the genre’s history. And for all of Fortnite’s popularity, I’d argue Warframe may be a better representative of Switch freemiums – an authentic, spectacular, evergrowing and masterfully ported game making full use of the system’s gyro controls (best regards to the similar feature in DualShock 4 and DualSense and all five developers who seem to remember it exists) and continuously optimized to this day – even the gradually increasing filesize has been reduced several times over the years!Optionally, one could also give a shoutout to Civilization 6 (whose arrival and success on Switch reportedly influenced the developers’ vision of the franchise itself) and one of the oldies few people honestly expected anywhere Gen 9, like Gothic or the Baldur’s Gate pack. Specific examples of former hardware competitors tapping into a Nintendo console for extra revenue (from Microsoft’s Cuphead and Ori to Sony’s Lego Horizon) sound milestone-y, too. Heck, might as well even humorously wrap the thing up with mentioning Night Trap – that game the execs of bygone days once publicly ruled out of any Nintendo library whatsoever. 😄This is the first I’ve heard of any of these games. They must have sprung up over night.Well i feel like you cannot argue with BotW, Hollow Knight, Animal Crossing (especially given AC’s release alongside the pandemic!) and Hades.But Fortnite, Witcher 3, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokemon Scarlet… I wouldn’t pick any of those personally.Pokemon especially I have found to be a huge disappointment on Switch.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a port. The DLC content, whilst impressive in volume, was diabolical in its quality.It’s hard to put into words the pure buzz of excitement Super Smash Bros. Ultimate generated both pre release and well into its DLC.The Booster Course Pass came respectfully close but there was a fair element of predictability there. With Ultimate especially, it felt like almost anyone was on the table. Banjo?! Steve?!! SORA for crying out loud?!!
That game will hold a very special place in my heart for being the first I followed from reveal to release (and then some), it also helped me get to know people at my new school.
For those reasons, Smash Ultimate is the game that defined the Switch generation for me This is a nice article and a good listPersonally I would have stretched to 10, added Mario Odyssey and MHRise… the former being an amazingly innovative 3D platformer, and the latter being a great showpiece for ‘Switch (timed) exclusivity’@ScalenePowers But A Hat in Time and Undertale were released before the Nintendo switch generation .-.Also, by the time Persona 5 was ported to Switch, almost every JRPG was already coming to the console, and then the Nintendo Switch ended up not receiving Persona 3 Reload. So…I don’t think a late port of a re-release of a PS3 game really defined the console.Not really sure if these games defined the Switch…. Why the Witcher 3? People who wanted that game probably have them kn devices which play the game better right?Mario Odyssey not being here is flat out insane. And Fortnite being here as something that would define the switch is also insane.EDIT : that sounded super harsh. That’s just me stating my thoughts as I read the article I hope that didn’t come across as aggressive towards the writer of the article.Still though. No Mario Odyssey which is a game that was a complete u turn after years of linear Mario and turned out to be exactly what people wanted and very much defines the beginning of the console.And Fortnite is a game that defines the generation but certainly not especially the switch.Where is AAA clock?The peak example of Switch ShovelwareI would swap out Witcher III for Doom 2016 btw. For the same reasons described for the Witcher. Doom set the standard a lot earlier.”8 Games That Defined The Switch Generation”Why just 8?This list leaves a lot to be desired.You could easily have made a list of 20 Games That Defined The Switch Generation.Just 8 games and one find 4 games one can play anywhere else:How can they then define the Switch Generation?Breath of the Wild. Yes, of course, but you could atleast mention Tears of the Kingdom, wich might be the best game ever made.
Also worth noting that Breath of the Wild was a Wii U game that turned into a Switch game and was realeased on both consoles.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – sure. But not that few had played this one to death on the Wii U before it came out on Switch.No Mario platformers? Seriously?Metroid Dread?Luigis Mansion 3?Pikmin 4?Splatoon 2?
Splatoon 3?The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom?Why not make room in the list for atleast one remarkable remake?What about the “99” games?All excellent games.Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – the 3rd most sold game on Switch.Ring Fit Adventure – the 11th most sold game on Switch.Nintendo Switch Sports – the 15th most sold game on Switch.Mario Party?@nocdaes I would agree, the quality of the Mario Kart 8 DLC was appalling.Fun concept but I disagree with this list. Also another game that I’m not seeing mentioned here on the list or in the comments is Astral Chain.@koekiemonster Yeah, very few people are going to look back at the Switch in 15 years time and think “The Witcher 3!” Seems kind of crazy to include that and leave out the likes of Super Mario Odyssey which was so important for the Switch’s early years and Super Smash Bros Ultimate, of which it’s character updates were such a major and exciting part of the Switch generation.”8 Games That Defined The Switch Generation”Of the 8 games there are only 2 Switch exlusive games:How is this possible?Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.Really?Nintendo life gave it 7/10.
The user score is at the time of writing 7,2/10.Metacritic:
Pokemon Scarlet 72/100. User score 3,4/10.
Pokemon Violet 71/100. User score 4/10.In a list of only 8 games that defined the Switch generation, this is one of them?I had a lot of defining moments. The Switch era is awesome. Hopefully the next will be too.To me, the games that defined Switch will always ve Mario Odyssey (which is, in my opinion, the best 3D Mario, even a tiny bit better than Galaxy 1 and 2) and Smash Ultimate.@LofotenThe article is talking about the Switch ‘generation’, not the Switch ‘videogame system’. In videogame terms a generation is a technology cycle that encompasses multiples consoles. Back in the day Gamecube and ps2 were the in the same gen, and likewise the SNES and Genesis/Megadrive. What is more, the eight generation of videogame consoles is widely accepted to include both the Wii U and Switch.In short, this is a list of the most defining games of the past decade…that can be played on Switch. According to the team at Nintendo Life of course, I too would swap some games, but the intention of the list is clear.To me the joy of the Switch is it catered for so many different tastes. It has 3rd party, it has indies, it has retro, and perhaps the greatest collection of Nintendo titles ever.You can’t talk about the Switch without noting it has the greatest collection of RPGs ever either. I don’t think you can define this system with just 8, 10, 20, or 50 games.If I had to pick the 10 most important games my list would look very different:10. Omori (Best Indie game that didn’t have console ports already)9. Doom Eternal (Proved bad ports were just lazy devs)8. Mario Kart 8 DX (Proved Wii U games had life on Switch)7. Pokemon Unite (Best free game)6. Bravely Default 2 (Best JRPG ever made)5. Pokemon SwSh (Proved the franchise could be a AAA adventure)4. Splatoon 2 (Proved that paid online could work)3. AC:NH (Huge audience)2. Smash Ultimate (Best fighting game ever made)1. LoZ:BotW (Best ARPG ever made including TotK)As a bonus the most damaging game to the Switch’s legacy is every Pixel art Roguelike Metroidvania.We’re really including the dogs*** port of Witcher 3 as example of what can be done on switch when Monolith have been flexing their muscles for the past 8 years.My list:BotwSplatoon 2Xenoblade 1Xenoblade 3HadesMario kart Dragon quest xiSmash Ultimate@Yomerodes
“The article is talking about the Switch ‘generation’, not the Switch ‘videogame system’. In videogame terms a generation is a technology cycle that encompasses multiples consoles. Back in the day Gamecube and ps2 were the in the same gen, and likewise the SNES and Genesis/Megadrive. What is more, the eight generation of videogame consoles is widely accepted to include both the Wii U and Switch.In short, this is a list of the most defining games of the past decade…that can be played on Switch. According to the team at Nintendo Life of course, I too would swap some games, but the intention of the list is clear.”Nowhere did I claim the list should only be Switch exclusive games. I just find it rather curious that there are only 2 out of 8 games on the list that are Switch exclusives.To quote Nintendo lifes own definition of the list:
“games that we feel captured the zeitgeist on Switch somehow. Games that, when we look back in 10, 20, 30 years, will make us think of Nintendo’s first little handheld hybrid and the fun we had with it.”Where’s Super Mario Odyssey?And Mario Party Superstars?Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?Seriously, why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet but not Mario Odyssey or Smash Bros. Ultimate?No Mario Odyssey, Metroid Dread, or Three Houses? Or Smash Ultimate!? I’d certainly argue them over Pokemon ScarVi, Hades, and Fortnite, and I say this as the biggest ScarVi apologist out there.There are many games that I will think of when I look back at the Switch era. Playing Mario Kart 8, Smash and Pokemon with my closest friends. The countless hours I sank into Monster Hunter Rise. Even though I wasn’t personally huge on them, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were amazing in games and technical feats.But for me the single game that defined the generation was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, not because it was my most played or favorite game on Switch (Monster Hunter Rise holds both of those titles for me personally). Rather, Skyrim was the game that showed that we were seeing a much different Nintendo from what we had before. Nintendo was embracing and actively working with 3rd parties and 3rd party studios brought a ton of great games to the platform.I think when I look back at the Switch, I am going to remember that feeling of thinking that “I would never expect X game to be playable on a Nintendo system, let alone a handheld, yet here it is.”I’m shocked to not see Smash Ultimate on here. The character reveals were unmatched when it comes to hype. I’ll never forget the Joker reveal.Not mentioning DOOM, which was the original “impossible port” for Switch, and Ultra Street Fighter II, as the proof that third party games could sell, and sell very well on the system, is blasphemy.Yeah I think Smash is a better rep over Hollow Knight to represent the Switch’s lifespan because so much of being a Nintendo fan from 2018-2021 was speculating about Smash. While there are a lot of great Metroidvanias that came to Switch, there are a lot of great Metroidvanias on a bunch of consoles. I think Hades edges in a spot just because of how prolific the roguelike has become as a genre in recent years, in large part due to how well this game meshes with the Switch’s portability.Shin Megami Tensei V / Vengeance is up there on my list. The game was announced with the Switch and is what pushed me to get the console. The game may not be for everyone, but I liked it a lot, and the Vengeance upgrade makes it even betterDoom 2016 and Doom Eternal are wonders on the Switch as well. The people at Panic Button are wizards when it comes to these ports, and if Doom: the Dark Ages has a chance on Switch 2, I seriously hope they are on board with that port as well@Lofoten so six (!!!) of the 8 are playable somewhere else…. :/@Friendly I agree. I couldn’t believe it when it was announced for Switch, and then for it to be a great version…completely changed my perception of what the system was capable of. Witcher 3 was great but it was Doom that made me think anything was possible going forwardsI agree that The Witcher 3 is the impossible port, but I would argue that the DooM(2016) and DooM Eternal are just as important. I would knock off Pokemon V&S as they give absolutely nothing defining the Switch era. I repeat they give ZERO defining elements to the Switch I feel like this list really does a disservice to the console when you load it up with a bunch of random ports and indies.How about the rebirth of Metroid and Pikmin? Kirby’s foray into 3D? Mario freakin Odyssey? Fire Emblem going full ambitious with Three Houses?Mario OdysseyMario Kart 8Smash UltimateSplatoon 2/3Zelda BOTW/TOTKAnimal Crossing New HorizonFire Emblem Three HousesKirby and the Forgotten LandHonorable Mentions to Mario Maker 2, Mario Wonder, and Luigi’s Mansion 3.Best library of any console, past or present.Mario Odyssey and Celeste (for me personally) are missing here.The game sitting at third place for my most played is Sky. I basically treated it like the digital equivalent of a daily walk for around a year, so that’ll always be firmly attached to my memories of the Switch.Beyond that, I feel like this list needs a jrpg rep aside from Pokemon. Unfortunately, the most popular ones generally ended up being my least favorite, so not really sure what to recommend there. Maybe Octopath Traveler? Having another big company show that a game doesn’t have to be a high-end graphics showcase to be beautiful was a big vote of confidence for the Switch.And yeah, you could throw Smash Ultimate on just because its “Everyone Is Here!” tagline proved as true for the Switch itself as for the game. Anything and everything that has any reason to be on Switch is there, whether we like it or not.@fenlix yeah that was my list of games that defined my switch experienceFor me I couldnt pick a list, the thing that stands out to me the most with Switch are the impossible ports we received – Witcher 3, Doom, Crysis amongst many others – I’ll definitely have fond memories of this little machine in years to comeMaking this kind of list and putting fortnite on it feels like rage bait.Making this list and leaving off Odyssey is simple madness.Maybe I’m the only one, but I think the future of the Pokemon franchise would be much better off if it followed on Arceus’ footsteps, not SV’sBesides, Odyssey could be considered the best 3D Mario so far, so it could be the way to goYeah, my list would be 70% different, so your list achieved its goal: people sharing their views and maybe their lists. There is no right or wrong hereDefine define !?
(Maybe it’s me and my english, but…)
All great games, but to define a console, for me it has to be tied to it through special features or game experiences which you can’t really recreate on other platforms !?
Zelda BotW definitely should be at no.1 for how revolutionary it was for Zelda, but it also came out on WiiU , same goes for MK8 and Smash Bros. Most of the other games can be played elsewhere.
Animal Crossing was a phenomenon during
C-19, that was quite something, but the game itself was just a better installment of something we played before.
Mario Odyssee and Zelda pushed their series to new horizons, but for me the defining thing about the switch was it’s whole concept which seperats it from the bunch ! Playing the same stuff at home and on the go was defining ! Getting one of the best games ever (botw) and that’s on a handheld !
…and coming from the WiiU the amound of good games, old and new, was amazing !So it should be something in the line of 1,2,switch (or like Wii Sports for Wii or Mario Maker for the WiiU)”Switch'” defines itself ! It’s the full package !It’s way more than just 8 games.Great picks, but I’d add a few more: Celeste, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Fire Emblem Three Houses, Metroid Dread, and Super Mario Odyssey.@Anachronism Sky? Do you mean No Man’s Sky?@gcunit Nah, Sky is a platforming MMO from the makers of Journey. Really beautiful game with a short “main quest” and a still-growing pile of side content. I’d like to try No Man’s Sky, but last I checked the Switch version is missing some key features. Maybe I’ll get my chance next generation.If I had to pick 8 games, I’d go BoTW, Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing, TTYD Remake, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade 2 and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. I have only played 2 of these in any significant capacity, but I think they’re all pretty synonymous with the highs (and some of the lows) of the Switch.Hard to boil it down to 8, but it’s fun to try!Switch 2 announcement on 1/17/25Really enjoyed Arceus but very disappointed with Scarlet. I made the mistake of buying Scarlet without taking reviews seriously. Surely it can’t run THAT bad. Well it did and I am very wary of the next Pokemon game.I’d argue that Snipperclips or Overcooked should be on the list, because they showed the awesome party play you can do right out of the box, with the joycon as two separate controllers.No other console focusses on couch coop or party play, only the Switch does, and it does so greatly@Anachronism Ah, so you mean Sky: Children of the Light? I tried that but found it a very stop-starty at the beginning and like I was just on a rail ride, so dropped it quickly. Nice to hear you enjoyed it though. Maybe I should revisit it.If I have to narrow down a library of hundreds of great games down to just 8:2017 – Breath of the Wild2018 – Super Smash Bros Ultimate2019 – Fire Emblem Three Houses2020 – Animal Crossing New Horizons2021 – Metroid Dread2022 – Xenoblade Chronicles 32023 – Super Mario Bros Wonder2024 – Echoes of WisdomEveryone saying Mario Wonder or Metroid Dread, where do those games stand not in context of other games in their own series? I found both to be quite boring, despite the occasional moments of “oh, that’s slightly different from previous entries, but worse”That list should be longer, and Dead Cells should 100% be on it. That game has consistently grown WITH the Switch with content updates galore, and it- along with Holliw Knight and so many others- was a HUGE part of the indie boom that hit when the Switch really started to take off. Dead Cells was a game changing part of that and it continues to be a high-watermark for indie games as a whole, and for a bonafide Switch success story. One of the greats- just my two cents!How could Smash Bros not be on this list. Remember all the new character reveals that went on for years. Some characters that most people thought would be impossible to add to the roster. Some of those reveals were the best part of Nintendo Directs over the years. I still get a kick out of watching reaction videos to new characters being added.Yikes! A list of mostly ports…
Wheres Mario Odyssey??
Zelda Tears?
Splatoon 3?
Mario Wonder.. Metroid Dread..
Im sure theres plenty more…..If you’re going to include indies then you absolutely have to include Stardew Valley. That game singlehandedly propelled two different subgenres into the mainstream, inspiring an endless barrage of cozy and farm sim games onto the Switch ecosystem.What a terrible list, I must have a hundred switch games but only two of your eight. Games that really define the Switch experience should really be only available on Switch or Wii U (botw). So many amazing games left off like FE and Metroid.Metroid Dread, Mario Odyssey, Smash bros ulimate and Fire emblem three houses are definite switch games for me+1 vote for Smash Bros, Splatoon, Mario Odyssey and Metroid Dread.@Daggot Shovel Knight came out for 3DS long before Switch, so I wouldn’t say it helped define the system.Super Smash Bros. Ultimate deserves to be on this list. Come on, it is Ultimate. Special. Everyone is here! The character reveal trailers. The absolute glut of content. 2018 was practically the Year of Smash in all but name. I’m perplexed at its absence here.@gcunit It’s definitely the kind of game that opens up and challenges you a bit more once you get further in, though I’d still say most of its areas are more like wide pathways than full-on sandboxes. That just happens to be right up my alley, though. I like wide linear or semi-linear worlds more than fully open or fully linear ones, and it feels like those are a lot less common than they used to be.I wouldn’t have included games which are on other platformsPretty terrible list considering only 2 of these games originated on Switch. The people who write for this site always have the most baffling terrible opinions on just about everything.@Dev1024 Seriously. The hype was unreal and continued years until Sora.Much more deserving than crappy ports of Fortnite and Witcher 3.My eyes are hurting.@Res462 Ah, ok.This topic is way too subjective. While there’s plenty of games that many will agree upon however I believe each individual has games that defined it for them. It’s like when they do those “top 10 best guitar players of all time” pieces. All they do is whack the beehive.I think Celeste would be a better choice than Hollow Knight as an “indie darling”Weird list imo. BOTW and New Horizons, but the rest I don’t personally agree with.In terms of defining the switch generation (which is the article header)…Definitely Doom/Witcher 3 in terms of amazing, bordering on impossible, ports.Definitely Animal Crossing for pandemic gaming.I think TotK / BotW in terms of peak Nintendo in this generation (which makes me lean to TotK over BotW).Remasters probably deserve a mention, in which case Metroid prime or Links awakening.Maybe a worthwhile mention would be breaking down of barriers between Microsoft / Sony / Nintendo which would for my mind be best summed up with Portal, or perhaps goldeneye.Mario Kart 8 is probably the game of the generation. It’s sold from beginning to end.And sure pick an indie title or two to best represent that area.Otherwise I’m out. Can’t think of many other themes that define the switch generation uniquely.Great discussion generating article though. How do people think switch will be remembered??@LadyCharlie hey me too! So weird, everyone sings it’s praises, I love metroidvanias, and I just couldn’t get through it for similar reasons.An underappreciated lil metroidvanias that I love on switch is gatoroboto.Tetris 99 is one I would have included in this.@nocdaes this is the best take I’ve seen so far.
All those ports like Fortnite, Witcher, Arkham, barely crossed my radar.I’d swap in SSBU for the extended hype, maybe a Splatoon 2 or 3 (whichever was more impactful?) , and swap Pokémon for an rpg like DQXI, Xenoblade, FE 3 houses, or one of the HD-2D games.Also, as one who’s tried neither, I thought Dead Cells was more impactful than Hades but no?@Manxman64 nobody talks about Celeste anymore like they do for HK. It was my 2nd or 3rd game on the switch and I’ve never gone back to it after that first run@KrustyKoopa I want to argue with you because I love HK but I don’t see why people like Metroid so much so I guess I’m the inverse of your position.I do love Fusion, and Dread and Zero Mission were fine. Super I didn’t much care for and that’s what everyone loves. Sometimes a beloved game just doesn’t strike the right chord with you.Good read thank youI would have had different picks but so would many others? It’s an individual game journalist’s piece.Anyhoo, Odyssey, Smash Ultimate deserve their recognitionI am not sure people actually read the article, people are just listed their favourite games. I have seen Pikmin 4 and Hat in time mentioned, hardly era definingWhat a generationFortnite, Hollow Knight and Hades shouldn’t be on this list at all, though. Replace them with FE Three Houses, Super Smash Ultimate and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and you’ve got yourself a real definitive list.How could Mario Odyssey and Wonder not make the list? Shoot, I think Tears of the Kingdom is the better of the two Zelda’s as well.I wouldn’t have stuck to the “one for each year, though not one from each year” and gone for at the very least a top 10 (a top 20 would’ve been practically perfect in my opinion) as there are several games that could and at least some of them should’ve been added according to most of us like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Pikmin 4, Prime 4, at least one of the Mario RPGs, Metroid Dread, Mario Odyssey, Doom Eternal, Ring Fit Adventure, Mario + Rabbids, Persona 5 Royal, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Emio, Smash Ultimate, Mario Wonder, at least one Xenoblade Chronicles, Monster Hunter Rise, Dragon Quest XI, Prime Remastered, Legends: Arceus, Marvel vs. Capcom, at least one Mario Party, Shin Megami Tensei V, Snipperclips, Overcooked, Dead Cells, Stardew Valley, Tetris 99 etc. as others mentioned, but I still appreciate the sentiment of the list as a reminder of what a wild ride Switch has been – can’t wait to see what games the successor will bring!Fortnight? Surely you can’t be serious? Show CommentsLeave A CommentHold on there, you need to login to post a comment…Nintendo Breaks Silence On ‘Switch 2’ Image And Video LeaksThe “official” announcement will take place this fiscal yearIs This Our Best Look Yet At ‘Switch 2’?Update: Genki had a visit from Nintendo’s lawyers, it’s claimedRumour: New ‘Switch 2’ Photos Show Off A Very Legit-Looking Joy-ConBlack and blue, not white and goldDigital Foundry Weighs In On ‘Switch 2’ Motherboard – Just How Powerful Is It?Expect lots of PS4 portsZelda: Breath Of The Wild Tops Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Games Of All TimeOf course it does! 28Poll Are There Any Good Lord Of The Rings Games On Nintendo Consoles? 27News Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Estimated File Size Update 26Poll Box Art Brawl – Duel: Klonoa: Empire of Dreams (GBA) 101Rumour Switch Virtual Console Was Apparently Nintendo’s “Original Plan” 33News Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Spotted In The WildNews Nintendo Breaks Silence On ‘Switch 2’ Image And Video LeaksNews Is This Our Best Look Yet At ‘Switch 2’?Rumour New ‘Switch 2’ Photos Show Off A Very Legit-Looking Joy-ConNews Digital Foundry Weighs In On ‘Switch 2’ Motherboard – Just How Powerful …News Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Tops Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Games Of All TimeNews Switch’s First ‘Rebootless Update’ Of 2025 Is Now Live, Here Are The Det…Rumour New ‘Switch 2’ Leak Suggests Console Will Require A 60W ChargerReview Freedom Wars Remastered (Switch) – A Fair Reprieve For One Of PS Vita’s …Feature 8 Games That Defined The Switch GenerationNews Nintendo and Lego Are Collaborating On A New Game Boy SetPopular Right NowShow More Join 1,468,177 people following Nintendo Life:© 2025 Hookshot Media, partner of IGN Entertainment | Hosted by 44 Bytes | AdChoices | Do Not Sell My Personal Information

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