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Another Code: Recollection Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Another Code: Recollection‘s biggest addition to the original DS and Wii experiences, besides the slick new graphics and fully explorable 3D environs, is its all-new navigation and puzzle aids.
With the obtuse nature of some puzzles now a triviality should you find yourself stumped, there are now no difficulty spikes or annoying moments to hold you back from a two-part tale that’s worth diving into for fans of slow-burn point-and-click titles.
The pacing could have done with some more work, but this collection of cult classics is as good a return to Ashley’s world as fans could have hoped for.
ARMS Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
The core fighting mechanics of ARMS are easy to grasp — especially when you’re using the pleasantly intuitive motion controls — but they showcase the kind of depth which rewards dedicated players.
Mixing up light and charged punches with your dashes and leaps allows you to create an almost balletic style of play, but add in grabs, stuns, and features unique to each stage and you’ve got a truly formidable foundation to build on. The lure of collecting Arms will keep you glued to your console even if you only choose to play solo, but Arms also proves its worth online, and for those who want to take things to the next level, Ranked Matches provide the ideal means of proving your skill.
In the scheme of things, Arms might not have made much of a dent in the hallowed canon of Nintendo IP, but it deserves a second look if it flew under your radar.
Astral Chain Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
With its amazing visuals, fantastic presentation, varied gameplay, and deep, rewarding combat, Astral Chain is one of PlatinumGames’ most accomplished titles. It mixes detective work with exhilarating battle sequences that are inventive, challenging and — perhaps most importantly — breathtakingly cool.
The complexity of the game’s myriad systems may prove intimidating for some players, but the inclusion of a co-op play and the ability to automate many of the mechanics via the ‘Unchained’ mode means that even complete newcomers can still enjoy the ride.
Astral Chain isn’t just one of the Switch’s standout hits, it’s one of Platinum’s best video games.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a delightfully stylish origin tale that sees young Bayo take her first steps on the road to becoming the badass Umbra witch we all know and love. This is a graphically stunning fairy tale with plenty in the way of atmosphere and charm. However, long-term Bayo fans beware, it’s also a game that’s aimed squarely at a young/casual audience, introducing plenty of fun puzzle and combat mechanics but never really evolving them to a point where they become in any way challenging. Repetition creeps in later in the game and, although it ends with some bombastic sequences and a few nice shoutouts to the main series, it feels like a little more challenge and experimentation in puzzles and combat could have made this one absolutely essential for all ages.
Bayonetta 3 Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Bayonetta 3 cranks up the chaos, improves the combat, polishes the level design, and adds a ton of new mechanics to the mix, making for the very best entry in this storied series to date.
PlatinumGames absolutely nailed it this time around, carefully layering on more ways to engage enemies, piling on the OTT gameplay sequences, and giving us multiple protagonists without upsetting the balance of what makes these games amongst the very best examples of their genre.
With solid performance in docked and handheld modes, impressive visuals, non-stop action, and a hugely replayable campaign that’s a joy from start to finish, this really is a huge celebration of everything we love about Bayonetta, an action all-timer and one of the highlights of Switch’s impressive library.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain Switch
$20.99 (-30%)
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a fun little romp which doesn’t have ideas above its station and presents its brain-teasers in a more lighthearted, rowdier manner than Dr. Kawashima’s friendly but sterile style.
This isn’t the kind of marriage between gameplay and (for lack of a better term) ‘work’ that you’ll find in Ring Fit Adventure, but it’s a greatly enjoyable and budget-friendly way to keep up the little pitter-patter of grey matter for all ages.
BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! Switch eShop
$6.99 (-30%)
Bigger and more fully featured than ever, BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! marks a high point in this quirky puzzle-platformer series. It’s not perfect — the stripped-back aesthetic and lethargic physics won’t be everyone’s cup of tea — but fans of co-op puzzlers, in particular, should investigate Qbby and Qucy’s most recent adventure pronto.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Special Episode Bundle
$32.18 (-30%)
A beautiful little game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a winner whether you’re after puzzling or jump button-less platforming. With beautiful visuals and an upbeat soundtrack, it’s a real gem; a wonderful and gorgeous 3D platform puzzler fit for all ages, and one which you should definitely experience if you’re yet to.
The two-player co-op Nintendo added makes this offering even tastier with Toadette joining the Captain, and there’s even a nice little nugget of DLC for once you’ve polished off the main game.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics Switch
$27.99 (-30%)
Compilation games like Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics always have a variety of hits and misses depending on your own personal taste, but there’s a wide enough variety of board, card and action games here that you’re sure to find a number that will appeal to you.
Everything’s presented with charm and warmth (terribly-written cutscenes aside) and there’s an enormous amount of content on offer, whether you plan on playing solo or with others. The perfect game for if you’re stuck indoors with the family? Quite possibly.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a fine way to play the 2010 original, but it’s also lacking any real reason for fans to double-dip beyond waggle-free controls. It’s less of a remaster and more of a port, to be honest, which would be all well and good if it wasn’t being sold at such a premium.
There’s plenty of fun to be had, but we can’t help but walk away from it with a slightly sour taste in our mouths. Our advice? Grab the superior Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze instead.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
After beginning life on Wii U in 2014, we were treated to a ‘Deluxe’ port on Switch just four years later. Not the longest hiatus, but we couldn’t wait to replay one of the best platformers we’ve ever encountered and the Switch version plays like an absolute dream.
Looking better than Donkey Kong ever has, veteran DKC composer David Wise returned with this sequel and caused us to have several ‘moments’ during our first playthrough. It was a glistening cherry on a cake so deliciously sweet we worried we’d lose a foot.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze isn’t just a great platformer, it’s one of the great platformers. Even if Donkey Kong isn’t normally your thing, you owe it to yourself to give Tropical Freeze a go; it’s totally bananas in the very best of ways.
Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club Switch
$34.99 (-30%)
Pre-launch, Emio – The Smiling Man was hyped up a little too much in terms of how dark in tone the whole thing is. This is still silly, kooky stuff, just like its Famicom Detective Club predecessors. The sometimes frustrating core mechanics also haven’t seen any refinement this time around, which is a shame.
And so it’s left to some top-notch writing to save the day, which it just about does. Once this troubling and intriguing story has its hooks in you (remember there are three demos to try if you’re unsure), it’s hard to put down. And that, at the end of the day, is all Tantei Club fans will be looking for.
Endless Ocean: Luminous Switch
$34.99 (-30%)
Endless Ocean: Luminous attempts to revive a niche Wii franchise as an online exploration experience, and fails miserably in the process. In comparison to the likes of Subnautica, this is an empty, cold, and boring ocean space to explore, devoid of any real reason to play beyond its generally relaxing ambience and the opportunity to learn some facts about underwater animals.
Even taken on those terms, it’s weak, its online play is basic and bland, and its story does little to engage beyond teaching you the ropes. It didn’t need to be this boring, but it is.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a thoroughly entertaining mash-up of Musou mayhem, strategy, and relationship-building aspects that should more than satisfy fans of both the franchises involved here. It improves upon its 2017 predecessor in several ways, most notably in providing a far more engaging story featuring a narrative that’s ripe for several replays.
With impressively solid performance on Switch and an action-packed campaign that’ll see you blasting your way through tens of thousands of foes for a good 30 hours in a single playthrough, this is right up there with the very best Warriors titles that developer Omega Force has ever served up.
Fire Emblem Engage + Expansion Pass
$62.98 (-30%)
Fire Emblem Engage is a stellar entry in this storied franchise, but it’s also one that takes a noticeably different stance than its most recent predecessor. It’s all about the combat this time around, at the expense of the relationships and romance that made Three Houses such a fan favourite, so if you’re looking for that social element here, you’re bound to be left feeling at least a tad disappointed.
However, for those jonesing to get down and dirty with some sweet turn-based tactical action — action that’s embedded in a satisfyingly OTT, beautifully presented anime narrative — this is a very fine example of the genre.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses + Expansion Pass
$59.49 (-30%)
As soon as Switch launched it seemed like the perfect console for Fire Emblem. Portability and strategy games are a marriage made in heaven, but being able to throw the battle on the big screen in HD gives Three Houses a scope that wasn’t possible on the diminutive 3DS.
Three Houses added new strings to the series’ bow, with the Garegg Mach Monastery providing a Hogwarts-style academy to explore as you build those ever-important relationships with the Black Eagles, Blue Lions, and Golden Deer. It’s clearer than ever before that the key to the franchise is its ability to evoke feelings for your units through canny writing and charismatic characters; Three Houses created the perfect environment to foster and develop the students in your chosen house.
Indeed, the huge number of options open to you, not to mention the alternatives closed off with each choice you make, makes Three Houses a daunting prospect, but it excels in forging a vital and worthwhile experience whichever house you pick or route you take. And, thankfully, you don’t need to buy another game to go back and travel the road not taken. Take that, Fates!
And if that’s still not enough for you, there’s always DLC. Did somebody say four houses?
Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer Switch
$34.99 (-30%)
The awful music aside, Fitness Boxing 3 brings some much-needed variety to what could have been another by-the-numbers release with new songs and not much else.
The Sit Fit Boxing and Mitt Drills modes give options to those who want to be less or more active respectively, and the extra trainer options are ideal for players who like to pretend they’re dealing with an actual person.
And even better, because Mitt Drills isn’t rhythm-based, you can put your headphones on and listen to your own tunes.
Game Builder Garage Switch
$20.99 (-30%)
Game Builder Garage is a frighteningly powerful game creation tool dragged down by a few limiting factors. The lack of an object creation tool (and pyramids) means that most games are going to look like they were made in a game creation suite, but the sheer scope of what’s possible helps to take the sting out of the tail.
This will actually teach you how to make games, the tutorials that lead you through are by and large excellent, and the inclusion of USB mouse support is a godsend. We’re probably unable to even conceive of half of what Switch owners will be able to create using this software, but we’re certain this is helping propagate the next generation of game developers.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity + Expansion Pass
$55.98 (-30%)
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity uses the Dynasty Warriors format, but borrows a layer of Breath of the Wild’s polished presentation and story, which elevates it in our eyes.
Boasting a large cast of familiar characters — each with their own movesets and weapons — it gives you the chance to fight the Calamity 100 years before the events of BOTW. Performance could be better in some parts (dramatically better on occasion), but frame rate drops didn’t affect our enjoyment of this Hylian hack-and-slasher.
This would be a good option for people who have exhausted BOTW and TOTK but still want to spend quality time in that world. Teaming up with the Four Champions is a treat, and while Age of Calamity is obviously riding on Breath of the Wild’s coattails, we enjoyed our time with this quasi-prequel adventure.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
A hack-and-slash take on the Zelda universe originally released on the Wii U before receiving a ‘Legends’ 3DS port and arriving on Switch in 2018, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition — like many a Musou — is a great time-sink if you fancy giving the grey matter a rest and whooping the behinds of hundreds of moblins at once.
There are dozens — if not hundreds — of hours of content here, all crammed with affectionate nods to the wider series, with familiar characters and the first (and hopefully not last) appearance of Linkle, a girl who believes she is the reincarnation of the series’ hero.
Though bloated in places, Hyrule Warriors balances the Zelda and Dynasty Warriors elements well. Group all of that with stellar presentation and impressive portable gameplay, and Omega Force and Team Ninja did an excellent job of doing something new (and weird) with a classic Nintendo property.
Kirby Fighters 2 Switch eShop
$13.99 (-30%)
Given that it arrived with practically zero fanfare, Kirby Fighters 2 is a surprisingly brilliant Smash Bros.-style platform fighter spin-off that simplifies its big brother’s control system but still offers a healthy amount of depth with its 22-character roster.
Its Story mode, in particular, is a clever and compelling way to make each battle feel important, and that mode alone lasts long enough to make it worthwhile for solo and co-op gamers looking for a meaty Kirby experience. Scrappy, but in a good way.
Kirby’s Dream Buffet Switch eShop
$10.49 (-30%)
Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a colourful and chaotic slice of slapstick party game action that serves up a nice range of modes to play either offline, in online ranked matches, and with friends in split-screen or local play modes.
This is an easy, breezy game to jump into, perfect for beginners and young gamers, with plenty of courses, lots of unlockable goodies, and a budget price point to boot, making for one delicious treat that we’re gonna be digging into for some time to come.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a fantastic remaster of one of our favourite Kirby adventures. With slick new visuals, some meaningful gameplay tweaks, and two excellent new modes to dig into, this is a big, loud, colourful celebration of all things Kirby that should delight new and returning players alike.
Magalor’s Epilogue is a surprisingly chunky addition to the core action that gives the campaign a nice boost, whilst Merry Magoland ensures that you and your pals are kept busy with plenty of minigames, missions, and online challenges to best once you’re done with the main story mode.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a great big colourful joyride of an adventure for our little pink pal.
This first fully three-dimensional mainline entry in the franchise is bursting at the seams with fun and inventiveness, managing to transpose everything we know and love about past Kirby games to this all-new arena whilst adding plenty of delightful new aspects as it goes.
Mouthful Mode is daftly entertaining, each and every level is packed full of secrets and dripping in wonderful detail, and there are enough side activities, collectibles, and co-op fun here to keep you entertained and coming back for more for a good long while.
Whether you’re playing on Switch 1 or via the excellent Star-Crossed World expansion on Switch 2 (with upgraded visuals and 60fps performance to boot), this comes highly recommended if you’re looking for a fun platformer to play with kids.
Kirby Star Allies Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Kirby Star Allies is a fun, relaxing game that does a good job of showing off what makes the main Kirby series so great.
The slow pace, diverse powers, beautiful environments, adorable enemy designs, and light difficulty ensure that this is an enjoyable ride from start to finish. But with that being said, there’s a lingering sense that HAL was a little too keen to play this one safe, and the lack of new ideas may come as a disappointment to series veterans.
It’s not the Mario Odyssey or Breath Of The Wild of the Kirby series, then, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad game. If you’ve never played a Kirby game before, this is a fantastic place to jump in, but long-time fans will find little to get their pulses racing.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is Luigi’s Mansion 2 with a fancy HD lick of paint. Surprise! It looks great, and the new models, animations, and revamped visuals make for a game that’s close to the glorious Luigi’s Mansion 3 in how modern and swish it all is. It also controls much nicer thanks to the second stick on the Switch.
It’s just a shame we haven’t got any added extras, then, or any new means to save mid-mission, added content, or bonuses. This is 100% the best way to play the game as of 2024, there’s no doubt, but it would have been nice to get something a little extra, especially given the price point. Maybe we’ll get a Deluxe edition someday.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 + Multiplayer Pack Set
$48.98 (-30%)
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is not only a graphical powerhouse and showcase for Next Level Games’ unrivalled mastery of video game animation but also an immense helping of spooky fun.
The amount of care and consideration poured into every facet of the game is abundantly clear, and it all results in one of the most enjoyable and attractive Switch titles, and the undisputed high point of an underappreciated series.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Mario & Luigi: Brothership takes this long-running RPG series to new heights in a high-seas adventure that’s packed full of top-notch combat, inventive variety, a positive and thoughtful story, and lots of signature comedy from the dynamic duo themselves.
This is a big game, packed full of surprises and fun, and the all-new Battle Plug system, alongside lots of flashy specials, a fittingly emotive art style, and a world that’s brimming with puzzles and challenges, make for a must-play in our book. We hope this series is back for good with this one.
Mario Golf: Super Rush Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Mario Golf: Super Rush is a game that in many respects hits its marks. Golf Adventure has plenty of charm and offers a fun way to learn various mechanics and unlock courses. Away from that solo endeavour there are decent options and customisation for multiplayer games, local or online, button controls or motion-based swinging.
It’s not a premium effort, however, with a nagging feeling of corners cut and, at times, an absence of creativity. However, many players should get a good amount of fun out of this one, both solo and with friends. This ain’t the Masters, but for Mario Golf fans it is a solid par.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Booster Course Pass
$59.48 (-30%)
Mario Kart 8 delivered a huge amount of racing goodness right out of the box on Wii U and was only a proper Battle Mode away from being top of the class. The big twist this time around was the introduction of ‘anti-gravity’ sections which allow tracks to bend and twist on themselves in surprising ways, making it possible to collide with other racers and gain a small speed boost, adding a welcome layer of tactical play.
And then Mario Kart 8 Deluxe repackaged the original on Switch and added in that excellent (and sorely missed) Battle Mode for good measure, making it the pinnacle of the entire series; a fast, attractive, sublimely playable romp which has to rank as one of the best racing games of all time; the definitive Mario Kart experience, content-rich and a delightful feast of comedic, cartoonish karting action.
Switch’s best-selling game continually raises a smile and, occasionally, induces that trademark Mario Kart rage as shells strike and positions are lost. It’s addictive, unifying, unfiltered fun that draws in anyone daring enough to take up the wheel.
And the addition of 48 more courses with the awkwardly named Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC? Well, that’s just more icing on an already-grand cake, isn’t it? Essential.
Mario Party Superstars Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Mario Party Superstars is a love letter to the parties some of us remember attending two decades earlier. A disappointingly slim selection of boards takes the shine off things somewhat, but it was hard to argue that this was the best Mario Party had been in over a decade.
While there aren’t many new ideas here — surprise, surprise — we much preferred to have all these classic ideas intact rather than potentially tainting them with unwanted, unnecessary inclusions only added for the sake of being new.
The lack of DLC boards was utterly baffling, but this is how you do a compilation of minigames, and with online play, there are even more opportunities to claim victory. Grab a can of Tango and a fistful of 10p Freddos — it’s time to party like it’s 1999.
Mario Strikers: Battle League Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Mario Strikers: Battle League is a masterclass in competitive game design. What it lacks in options is more than made up by just how much fun the game is, and it’s absolutely gorgeous to boot. Post-launch updates brought along content which you could argue should have been there from the start, but the game it played from kick-off was a beautiful one.
If arcade sport action isn’t your bag, it’ll likely do nothing to sway your opinion, but if you have even a passing interest in this kind of caper, Mario Strikers: Battle League is one of the best sports games on Switch.
Mario Tennis Aces Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
We’re used to seeing Wii U games transfer to Switch, but for Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash to have moved across without a substantial makeover would have been disastrous. Mario Tennis Aces, wonderfully, is anything but that – it’s a superb arcade sports game that’s generous with its suite of player options and only occasionally guilty of being a little cheap in its Adventure Mode.
The presentation is spot on, and the core tennis action is absorbing whether you’re trading simple strokes or firing off special shots. Some animations and voiceovers are identical to Ultra Smash’s, but everything around them has been overhauled and rebuilt to reach quite splendid heights.
This is something of a Switch Port Plus, then – not quite a whole new experience, but so improved as to be near unrecognisable.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Mario vs Donkey Kong serves up a slick return to the 2004 GBA adventure that finds fresh fun in cooperative play. Yep, the new co-op mode really is the star of the show this time out and, alongside two new worlds, ‘Plus’ versions of each level, a Time Attack mode, and fancy new looks and sounds, there’s plenty to dig into and enjoy with a core puzzle/platforming setup that has aged quite well.
Just be aware that, if you’re a more seasoned player looking for platforming challenges, this game finds its strengths as an experience for younger gamers or as a co-op title to enjoy with your kids. Taken as such, it absolutely earns a recommendation.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
If Switch 1 is your only means of playing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, you’re not going to have quite the same experience, but if you’re not looking to upgrade anytime soon and you’re keen to jump into Samus’ latest adventure, it’s well worth picking up, as there’s a fantastic game to be had.
The game runs just as smoothly as it does in the Switch 2’s quality mode. Impressively, it simultaneously feels like it’s pushing the old hardware to its absolute limit, and yet manages to run at 60fps without breaking a sweat.
Just keep your visual expectations in check after seeing all that delicious Switch 2 Edition footage.
Metroid Prime Remastered Switch
$27.99 (-30%)
With Metroid Prime Remastered, the seemingly impossible was achieved: a masterpiece was made even better.
The minor issues we had with the motion controls and the occasional visual hiccup pale in comparison to the enhancements that were made in this 2023 overhaul. The visual improvements are extensive, right through to the tiny details, and it all comes together to create one of the best-looking games on Switch, remaster or not.
The new twin-stick control setup works flawlessly for both veterans and newcomers, too, but if you’re itching to go back to the original GameCube controls, that option is there. With an expanded gallery feature to round things out, Metroid Prime Remastered felt like a new benchmark in how older games can be thoughtfully revitalised for the modern age.
Metroid Dread Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Metroid Dread was a triumphant return for both Samus Aran and developer MercurySteam. This is a hugely entertaining and exquisitely designed entry that was slicker than anything we’ve seen from the series so far.
With a bunch of fantastic new abilities, super tense and enjoyable stealth sections, plenty of great big boss fights, and a story that long-time fans will definitely enjoy, we can’t really see how this one could have been improved. Pixel nostalgia and genre impact aside, there’s a very strong argument that 2D Metroid has never been better.
Miitopia Switch
$34.99 (-30%)
Miitopia is a weird old game, that’s for sure. If from what you’ve read you think you’d enjoy seeing King King Dedede [sic] encouraging our former video producer Zion Grassl to marry his daughter Kazooie over our former video producer Jon Cartwright, then you’re bound to have a good time with this.
It’s very much the type of game in which you get out as much as you put in; if you’re not into injecting a copy of Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash into the role of a genie then you might want to think twice, or at least give the free demo a whirl. Whimsy and madcap situations aplenty, this is a crossover that could rival Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, provided you’re willing to put the effort in.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is an impressive package, offering madcap multiplayer and glimpses of the outrageous invention that was to come in Super Mario Odyssey.
It’s a top-drawer 2D entry and arguably the best of the ‘New’ branch whether you play on Wii U or Switch, although ageing visuals and the irritation of being kicked back to the world map after every death stand out as things that could have been finessed in this Deluxe version.
Still, with New Super Luigi U included, this is a very fine 2D Mario (and Luigi) package, even if Wonder makes everything that came before look a little staid and static.
Nintendo Switch Sports Switch
$27.99 (-30%)
Nintendo Switch Sports is a charming but bare-bones offering. It’s not a bad game by any stretch but it lacks an awful lot of what would make for a solid recommendation.
Online play is the best option on offer with unlockable customisations and a predictably broader pool of players, but its limited scope means you’ll be doing the same thing time after time. Local play is hobbled by a lack of any unlockables whatsoever, and with such limited options to change up how each sport plays out, solo play is a slog.
There is fun to be had here, and the addition of Basketball and Golf via updates flesh out the overall package, but it’s more in the vein of the occasional 30-minute play sessions with friends than anything with major long-term appeal. Nintendo Switch Sports is fine, then, but little more than that.
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Switch
$20.99 (-30%)
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition doesn’t make a great first impression. It’s a downgrade in many ways to NES Remix and there’s not as much variety or effort put into the challenges, nor any graphical tweaks to speak of this time around.
However, stick with it, get into the competitive mindset, and start collecting up all the pins, icons, and top-ranked times on offer, and you may find yourself fully entertained. It’s a slight thing, purely speed-focused, but we expect that’ll suit plenty of folk who want a competitive outlet to display their old-school skills.
And hey, it also doubles as a handy overview of some iconic Nintendo gaming moments and mechanics.
Paper Mario: The Origami King Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Paper Mario: The Origami King tried to do something different with its combat system and, to be honest, we weren’t really feeling it. That doesn’t mean the rest of the game isn’t thoroughly entertaining, however, and while the puzzle-based battles weren’t quite what a new Paper Mario game needed, they aren’t so awful that everything else shouldn’t be experienced as a result.
It might not be the new Thousand-Year Door that fans were hoping for, but it’s still one of the funniest games in the series and it’s got a truly likeable companion character. Combat is far from ideal in this entry, but the fact that we recommend the game regardless should speak volumes.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
For years, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has been held as the best Mario RPG of all time, and the Switch remake proves it has earned that title.
This is a fantastic RPG adventure, whether you’re a Mario fan or not, with some best-in-class combat and brilliant writing. A fresh new localisation, beautifully enhanced visuals, and new quality-of-life features help iron out a few little creases to make this the definitive way to play a GameCube classic.
Part Time UFO Switch eShop
$6.29 (-30%)
Part Time UFO has the charm of a Kirby game, the physics-based chaos of World of Goo and the compelling claw machine mechanics of Nintendo Badge Arcade and this Switch port of the mobile original builds on top of that already impressive stack by adding a co-op mode that betters Snipperclips and chucks in an infinite mode that provides the sort of quick-fix joy that hasn’t been seen since Paper Plane on DSiWare.
It may be a game about picking things up, but the real challenge will come when you try to put it down. Boom. Seriously, this is a real gem – be sure to grab it.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Visually, Pikmin 3 Deluxe doesn’t push the boat out much further than the original Wii U version. In most respects, it’s a simple, tidy port of the same great game we first played back in 2013.
Where its changes lie are in its revamped control system and the addition of a new Side Stories mode. Neither is transformative enough to warrant double dipping if you’re perfectly happy with your Wii U copy, but if you’re one of the vast majority who don’t have a Wii U copy, this Switch update is unquestionably the best way to play Pikmin 3.
Pikmin 4 Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Pikmin 4 is a sumptuous strategy adventure that serves up tons of fun for returning fans of the franchise whilst also adding lots to entice new players into giving it a try.
Oatchi is the star of the show in our eyes, a very good boy who is woven cleverly into the core of the puzzle action. Series-best dungeons, a hugely inventive overworld, night missions, Dandori battles, and post-credit goodies only sweeten the deal.
Yes, the co-op is disappointing, and the campaign’s not gonna be challenging enough for some diehard fans — and my word the opening hours are talk-talk-talk — but overall Nintendo nailed it here, serving up a magical Pikmin adventure tailor-made for Switch.
Princess Peach: Showtime! Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Princess Peach: Showtime! sees Nintendo finally give everyone’s favourite imaginary princess the rollicking adventure she deserves.
We had expected a rather throwaway offering here, a bunch of minigames and Mario-lite platforming maybe, but what we’ve got is one of the better kid-focused games on Switch. There’s creativity, style, and fun to spare here, with levels packed full of secrets, cool outfits, and enough new mechanics to ensure nothing ever outstays its welcome.
Come for the fashion, stay for the boss battles, slo-mo bullet dodges, and cardboard horse chases. Besides a few niggling performance issues, this is Nintendo on rather cracking form. Encore!
Splatoon 3 + Expansion Pass
$59.48 (-30%)
Splatoon 3 is more of the same, but refined to borderline mechanical perfection.
It’s the most fun we’ve had with an online shooter in years, and for series veterans it makes Splatoon 2 feel entirely redundant for all but its unique single-player content. The developers solved every problem the Splatoon community was bleating on about, and then fixed some more that we didn’t even realise were problems.
There’s nothing revolutionary about it compared to its predecessors, and it’s perhaps missing a Big New Idea™ that you might have expected, but Splatoon 3 is arguably the pinnacle of the series – and the pinnacle of team shooters on Switch.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is, quite simply, the best 2D Mario game since Super Mario World in our opinion; the slickest, sharpest, and smartest that two-dimensional Mario has felt since 1991.
In its Wonder Flowers, badges, and online aspects, it serves up an endlessly inventive and impressive platforming adventure that will utterly hook you. From its myriad animation details to its infectious anything-could-happen spirit, it’s got charm up the wazoo.
A refinement of a well-established formula, it doesn’t totally upend the 2D tea table, but with local co-op and online fun adding to the replayability factor, this feels like 2D Mario with its mojo back. Super Mario Wonder is one of the very best platformers we’ve played.
Super Mario Galaxy Switch eShop
$27.99 (-30%)
Super Mario Galaxy still feels incredible. However, it’s worth pointing out that the gyro controls used for the pointer in this Switch remaster aren’t as effective as the original Wii Sensor Bar – you’ll find yourself constantly recentring with a tap of ‘R’.
Minor camera annoyances are also more noticeable now after 15+ years of refinement in the platforming genre, but this is a nitpick. Galaxy remains one of Nintendo’s greatest achievements, and it’s never looked better.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Switch eShop
$27.99 (-30%)
How do you follow up a game like Mario Galaxy? Well, with its direct sequel, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo refined and expanded upon the original’s outrageous gravity-based gameplay. The result is one of the finest 3D platformers of all time, one that constantly pushes you down surprising and thrilling new paths.
After its exclusion from Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Galaxy 2’s arrival on Switch was very, very welcome, and despite some minor control irritations, it translates well. A must-play.
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Switch
$48.99 (-30%)
There’s no question about it: Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 are two of the most sublime games ever created. With gameplay that subverts expectations and scenarios that wouldn’t be possible if not for the creative freedom of the cosmos, they represent the Mario series at its absolute best. They look better than ever in HD, boast small yet welcome additions, and expand upon the narrative with new storybook pages.
Gyro aiming simply isn’t as effective as the Wii pointer, however, and you’ll be recentring the onscreen cursor a lot. Very minor issues with the camera are also a bit more noticeable now than they were in 2007, but the fact that Nintendo managed to pull off some utterly ridiculous sequences without the camera going haywire remains a remarkable feat.
These games command a high price on Switch, to be sure, but you’ll be playing them for the rest of your life. If you’ve never blasted into the final frontier with Mario, you’re in for a treat.
Super Mario Maker 2 Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Super Mario Maker 2 took everything you loved about Super Mario Maker and turned it up to 11.
It added more of everything: the Super Mario 3D World style, enemies, gizmos, power-ups, vertical levels, the Story Mode having an actual story, multiplayer, and more (including slopes, of course). The list of additions is truly massive.
There are a few small issues here and there — the online is still hilariously obtuse in a way only Nintendo could make it, and the slight awkwardness of button-based building is disappointing after how natural it felt on the Wii U GamePad (Switch 2 Mouse Mode update, please) — but they’re overwhelmingly dwarfed by the sheer joy and unbridled freedom on offer.
Free updates and tweaks to the formula evolved the experience over time, much like the original, with Ninji Speedruns and various new elements — like the ability to create world maps — added to this expansive, essential Mario toybox.
Super Mario Odyssey Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
There’s an argument to be made that Mario 64 never got a ‘true’ sequel until this game: Sunshine’s FLUDD muddied the waters with its feature set; the Galaxy games eschewed large playgrounds for impeccably crafted planetoids designed around specific ideas; 3D Land and 3D World were deliberately contained with linear design to introduce 2D Mario players to the third dimension.
Super Mario Odyssey promised a return to the ‘sandbox’ style players had been pining for since 1996, and it delivered. Cappy’s capture abilities keep things fresh in a game which blends all sorts of ideas and art styles into an improbably coherent, compelling whole.
It really shouldn’t work, but New Donk City’s human inhabitants co-exist happily with anthropomorphic cutlery, colourful sombrero-wearing skeletons, and the big-eyed Mushroom Kingdom clan thanks solely to the developers’ impeccable execution. The mechanical mastery here is breathtaking, with so many distractions to discover. We don’t envy the designers who have to come up with Mario’s next game, but Mario Odyssey proves that absolutely anything is possible.
An utterly remarkable entry in this most celebrated of series, then. The best Switch Mario game is an essential purchase whether you like Mario or not.
Super Mario Party Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
After years of Mario Party games having a somewhat sterile feel, that wasn’t the case with Super Mario Party, the Switch’s first Mario Party outing.
This wasn’t a cash grab with Mario’s face on the front; this was a well-constructed and beautifully realised Mario Party game which takes the series right back to its roots, but without being a straightforward rehash.
There were a few interesting ideas that felt a little bit underdeveloped — such as the overhyped Challenge mode — but on the whole Super Mario Party was a true return to form after it felt like the series was sagging on Wii, Wii U, and (3)DS.
Super Mario Party Jamboree Switch
$41.99 (-30%)
Super Mario Party Jamboree is a fantastic entry in the franchise that focuses on improving the core mechanics and experience, making for a more involving board game in the process, whilst also polishing everything to a slick sheen.
Online aspects and modern stuff like the game’s battle pass and collectibles are woven in smoothly, and the various new modes all have their place in a package that also delivers the goods in terms of minigame quality.
For our money, Jamboree is the best Mario Party to date. So if your invite didn’t come through, this is the party to crash. And the laboriously named Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV (seriously, two ‘Jamborees’?!) adds a whole load more ice in the cooler for an even bigger, better shindig.
