Welcome to Nintendo Switch Games: The Ultimate Guide for 2025! As the Nintendo Switch continues to dominate the gaming world with its versatile hybrid design, 2025 promises an exciting lineup of games that cater to every type of player.
From action-packed adventures and family-friendly fun to immersive RPGs and innovative indies, the Switch’s library is richer than ever. This guide is your one-stop resource for navigating the best titles of the year, offering insights into must-play releases, hidden gems, and upcoming blockbusters.
Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or new to the Switch, we’ll help you discover games that match your style, with detailed reviews, gameplay highlights, and tips to enhance your experience.
Get ready to dive into the vibrant world of Nintendo Switch gaming and uncover the titles that will define 2025. Let’s explore the ultimate gaming adventure together!
The Nintendo Switch’s unique ability to switch between handheld and TV modes makes it a favorite for gamers on the go or at home. From action-packed adventures to family-friendly titles, the Switch’s game library is packed with variety.
Popular titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have set the standard for quality, while new releases in 2025 keep the momentum going.
For gamers searching for “Nintendo Switch games near me” or “best Switch games 2025,” this guide highlights top picks and regional insights to enhance your gaming experience.
Here’s a curated list of must-play Switch games, including new releases and timeless classics:
| Game Title | Genre | Release Year | Why Play? |
| The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Action-Adventure | 2023 | Stunning visuals, creative gameplay, and hours of exploration. |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Racing | 2017 | Family-friendly, addictive multiplayer, and vibrant tracks. |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Fighting | 2018 | Iconic characters, competitive gameplay, and robust online modes. |
| Pokémon Legends: Z-A | Action RPG | 2025 | Innovative Pokémon gameplay and a fresh take on the series. |
| Super Mario Odyssey | 3D Platformer | 2017 | Innovative platforming and charming visuals. |
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Action-Adventure | 2017 | Timeless gameplay and a breathtaking world. |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | 2D Platformer | 2023 | Creative levels and cooperative multiplayer. |
| Splatoon 3 | Third-Person Shooter | 2022 | Unique shooter mechanics and vibrant style. |
| Donkey Kong Country Returns HD | 2D Platformer | 2025 | Nostalgic gameplay with modern polish. |
| Metroid Prime Remastered | Action-Adventure | 2023 | Stunning visuals and tight gameplay. |
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a 2023 action-adventure game for Nintendo Switch, where players control Link as he searches for Princess Zelda and faces the threat of Ganondorf to save Hyrule. Expanding on its predecessor’s open-world format, the game features a vast, explorable Hyrule with new sky islands and a mysterious underground region. Link is equipped with innovative new abilities like Ultrahand, Fuse, Ascend, Recall, and Autobuild, allowing for creative puzzle-solving and vehicle construction. Praised for its depth, story, and gameplay freedom, it’s acclaimed as one of the finest open-world experiences ever made
Why Play? Stunning visuals, creative gameplay, and hours of exploration.
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Year: 2023
Available in: USA, UK, Japan, Australia, and more.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a kart racing game for Nintendo Switch, featuring iconic Nintendo characters racing on 48 diverse tracks. The game supports up to 4-player split-screen local multiplayer, 8-player wireless, and 12-player online races. It includes all prior DLC, new characters from series like Splatoon, and improved visuals. Key features are anti-gravity racing, customizable vehicles, and new accessibility options such as smart steering. Its revamped Battle Mode offers five different modes across eight dedicated arenas, enhancing both competitive and casual play.
Why Play? Family-friendly, addictive multiplayer, and vibrant tracks.
Genre: Racing
Release Year: 2017
Available in: Worldwide.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fast-paced crossover fighting game for Nintendo Switch, featuring the largest roster in the series 89 playable fighters from Nintendo and third-party franchises. The game offers multiple modes, including classic battles, multi-stage tournaments, and a robust single-player Adventure Mode called World of Light. Players battle on dynamic stages using unique moves and items to knock rivals out of the arena, while collecting Spirits to enhance fighters and unlock new strategies. With stage morphing, online play, and up to eight-player local matches, Ultimate delivers deep, accessible multiplayer fun for all skill levels
Why Play? Iconic characters, competitive gameplay, and robust online modes.
Genre: Fighting
Release Year: 2018
Available in: Global markets.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an upcoming action RPG set entirely in Lumiose City, part of the Kalos region, known from Pokémon X and Y. Released on October 16, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, the game features real-time Pokémon battles where trainers and Pokémon move dynamically, a first for the series. Players explore “wild zones,” areas within the urban city designed for Pokémon to coexist with humans. At night, battle zones activate, hosting the competitive Z-A Royale where trainers start at rank Z and aim to reach rank A for a special wish. The story revolves around an urban redevelopment led by Quasartico Inc. and includes new gameplay elements like Mega Evolution and side quests with characters from Pokémon X/Y
Why Play? Innovative Pokémon gameplay and a fresh take on the series.
Genre: Action RPG
Release Year: 2025
Available in: Worldwide (upcoming).
Super Mario Odyssey is a 3D platform game released in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch. Players control Mario as he travels across 14 different worlds, called kingdoms, to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, who plans to forcibly marry her. Mario is accompanied by Cappy, a sentient hat that can capture enemies and objects, giving Mario unique abilities needed to solve puzzles and progress. The game features open-ended, exploration-style gameplay, reminiscent of Super Mario 64, and includes both classic Mario moves and new mechanics involving Cappy. It also has multiplayer and virtual reality support. Critically acclaimed, Super Mario Odyssey has sold over 29 million copies, making it one of the best-selling Switch games.
Why Play? Innovative platforming and charming visuals.
Genre: 3D Platformer
Release Year: 2017
Available in: Global regions.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an acclaimed 2017 action-adventure game developed by Nintendo, set in the open world of Hyrule. Players control Link, who awakens from a 100-year slumber to a devastated Hyrule threatened by Calamity Ganon. The game encourages nonlinear exploration, experimentation with a detailed physics and chemistry engine, and creative problem-solving. Players gather resources, solve puzzles, tame four divine beasts, and ultimately confront Ganon to restore peace. Known for its immersive world, emergent gameplay, and freedom of playstyle, it is widely regarded as one of the greatest and best-selling video games of all time.
Why Play? Timeless gameplay and a breathtaking world.
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Year: 2017
Available in: Worldwide.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a 2023 side-scrolling platform game for Nintendo Switch, marking the first traditional 2D Mario since 2012. Players control Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toads, Yoshis, and more, journeying through the vibrant Flower Kingdom to stop Bowser, who merges with a castle using the magical Wonder Flower. The game introduces unique power-ups like transforming into an elephant, bubble attacks, and a drill hat. The Wonder Flower triggers bizarre, fun effects in levels, changing gameplay and visuals dynamically. It supports up to 12 local players and offers both challenge and joyful creativity, earning critical acclaim as a fresh yet classic Mario experience.
Why Play? Creative levels and cooperative multiplayer.
Genre: 2D Platformer
Release Year: 2023
Available in: Global markets.
Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter game developed by Nintendo, released in 2022. The game is set five years after Splatoon 2 in the Splatlands, a desert region inhabited by Inklings and Octolings. Players engage in fast-paced online multiplayer battles, where two teams of four compete to cover the map with ink or complete other objectives like Clam Blitz, Tower Control, and Rainmaker. Players can switch between humanoid and swim forms for different movement abilities. The single-player campaign, Return of the Mammalians, features a story about mutated Octarians and a quest to find the missing Craig Cuttlefish. The game adds new weapons, abilities like Squid Roll and Squid Surge, and an updated spawning system.
Why Play? Unique shooter mechanics and vibrant style.
Genre: Third-Person Shooter
Release Year: 2022
Available in: Worldwide.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a remastered platformer where players control Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong to recover their stolen bananas from the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe on Donkey Kong Island. The game features 80 levels spread across nine worlds, each ending with a challenging boss fight. It retains classic gameplay elements like swinging on vines, mine cart rides, and collecting bananas, while introducing new mechanics and silhouette-themed stages. The HD version enhances visuals, includes extra levels from the 3DS release, and offers Modern and Original difficulty modes. It supports single-player and local co-op, with Diddy Kong assisting Donkey Kong using his jetpack.
Why Play? Nostalgic gameplay with modern polish.
Genre: 2D Platformer
Release Year: 2025
Available in: Global regions.
Metroid Prime Remastered is a critically acclaimed action-adventure game originally developed by Retro Studios, now enhanced with high-definition visuals and modernized controls for the Nintendo Switch. Players assume the role of the intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran, exploring the mysterious planet Tallon IV to uncover secrets, solve puzzles, and defeat powerful enemies. The game features first-person perspective gameplay with some third-person elements in Morph Ball mode. Players collect upgrades and use various visors to navigate and combat threats, including the dangerous Phazon substance. Remastered for modern audiences, it offers improved graphics, sound, and more intuitive controls while preserving the original’s atmospheric exploration and challenging combat.
Why Play? Stunning visuals and tight gameplay.
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Year: 2023
Available in: Worldwide.
No matter where you are, finding the best deals on Nintendo Switch games is easy with these tips:
The Switch’s appeal lies in its portability, family-friendly games, and robust online services like Nintendo Switch Online, which offers classic retro games and multiplayer features. Whether you’re a casual gamer in Toronto or a hardcore fan in Seoul, the Switch caters to all playstyles.
To optimize your search for Nintendo Switch games:
The Nintendo Switch remains a powerhouse in 2025, with a diverse game library that caters to gamers worldwide. Whether you’re battling in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in Chicago, exploring Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in Tokyo, or racing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Sydney, there’s a game for every player. Use this guide to find the best titles and deals in your region, and level up your gaming experience today!
Looking for more gaming tips or local deals? Search “Nintendo Switch games near me” or visit Nintendo’s official website for the latest updates.
