The Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games (So Far)

Today marks exactly 6 months since the launch of the Switch 2, and in that time, Nintendo’s newest console has gotten off to an incredibly strong start. From a purely commercial perspective, the Switch 2 is on track to outpace several of the best-selling consoles, including its predecessor, which is no doubt helped by some of the best games for the platform. Many of the Switch 2’s best titles so far are simply improved versions of games available on the original Nintendo Switch, but the impressive horsepower under the hood of the Switch 2 transforms these experiences into something new and exciting, not to mention befitting of their quality. To celebrate 6 months on the market, as well as the launch of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, let’s take a look at the best Switch 2 games so far.

• Release Date — August 28, 2025
• Developer — HAL Laboratory
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action, Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 83% (Generally Favorable)

The Kirby games have always stood apart from some of the more traditional Nintendo first-party franchises, thanks to an almost direct blend of Mario-style platforming and Zelda-style adventuring and combat. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is no different, as it leverages the semi-open world structure of Super Mario Odyssey along with the freedom and exploration of Breath of the Wild, standing as arguably the best game in the entire Kirby franchise as a result. The Switch 2 edition of this unmissable classic looks and runs better on the hardware and includes the new Star-Crossed World content, making it an ideal version to grab for anyone who missed it the first time around.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — CD Projekt RED
• Publisher — CD Projekt RED
• Genre — Action RPG, FPS
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)

When Cyberpunk 2077 was revealed as one of the launch titles for the Switch 2, anyone with memory of how the game fared at launch on the likes of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was understandably skeptical. But, to CD Projekt RED’s credit, not only does Cyberpunk 2077 run great on the Switch 2, the ability to seamlessly swap between standard controls and mouse aiming (facilitated by the Switch 2’s Joy Cons) makes it one of the absolute best console ports of the title. Much like how The Witcher 3‘s Switch port was akin to a feat of sorcery, Cyberpunk 2077‘s Switch 2 port is a stunning technical achievement that cements itself as a must-have for any Switch 2 owner.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Publisher — Sega
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Beat ’em Up
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)

The Yakuza games had only just started to make their way over to the Nintendo Switch by the time we were all preparing for the Switch 2’s launch, which made a port of one of the series’ best games, Yakuza 0, a no-brainer. On the Switch 2, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut is one of the system’s best beat ’em ups and one of its best open-world games, and it also helped carve a path for Switch 2 ports of the equally great Yakuza Kiwami and Kiwami 2. And as much as the newer RPG-style Yakuza/Like a Dragon games are fantastic, there’s no substitute for the hard-hitting real-time combat that the series’ first six entries were built on, which is on full display in Yakuza 0.

• Release Date — October 30, 2025
• Developer — Square Enix, Artdink, Team Asano
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)

The Nintendo Switch version of last year’s Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was a fine enough port, but it struggled to maintain the same consistent performance and visual fidelity of its PlayStation, Xbox, and PC counterparts. Thankfully, this year’s Dragon Quest I & II remakes have the benefit of launching on the Switch and Switch 2 simultaneously, and the Switch 2 versions of these reimagined classic JRPGs are every bit as great as they are on other platforms. When you factor in the ability to take these games on the go, you could argue that the Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is the best way to experience these timeless titles, giving the console yet another unmissable JRPG in its growing library.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Racing
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)

A new Nintendo console and new Mario Kart game practically go hand-in-hand, which is probably why Nintendo decided to package Mario Kart World with special bundle editions of the Switch 2. But even if you passed on Mario Kart World to just pick up the new console, it’s worth going back and making the purchase separately, because Mario Kart World is yet another fantastic entry in the series. The new free-roam mode isn’t quite as robust as some might’ve anticipated (Mario Kart Forza, this is not), but the bread-and-butter racing gameplay and multiplayer battle modes are as strong as they’ve ever been, and the game is a distinct visual step-up from Mario Kart 8.

• Release Date — September 30, 2025
• Developer — Square Enix Creative Studio 3
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Genre — TRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)

From the moment it was announced, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles was set to be a must-have title on the Switch 2, concurrent with it being one of the first major third-party games to reveal that it would even have a separate Switch 2 version. Thanks to a free upgrade, players can enjoy the Switch version of this Final Fantasy Tactics remaster with improved visual fidelity and more consistent performance on the Switch 2, where it’s easily one of the system’s best RPGs and most essential turn-based tactics games. All these years later, Final Fantasy Tactics still holds up as one of Square Enix’s all-time greatest titles, and having the ability to play a remastered version and the unaltered original on a single cartridge is a real blessing.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Genre — Fighting
• Review Aggregate Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)

Compared to the launch of the original Nintendo Switch, the Switch 2 came out of the gate with plenty of incredible third-party support. And to date, most of the third-party ports to the Switch 2 have been great, underscoring the improved technical performance of the unit compared to the original Switch (where third-party ports were sometimes hit-or-miss). Street Fighter 6 is a great example of a Switch 2 launch game that shines on the console, with Capcom squeezing everything it can out of the handheld’s power to deliver a portable experience that mostly stacks up against its counterparts on other platforms. It doesn’t hurt that Street Fighter 6 is the best the series has been in over a decade.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Hazelight Studios
• Publisher — Electronic Arts
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)

Another of the Switch 2’s most impressive launch games is Split Fiction, which has an incredible port to the console that loses very little in translation. Aside from its technical performance on the Switch 2, Split Fiction is one of the most memorable and inventive co-op games ever created, pushing the envelope of what’s possible in interactive media on a moment-to-moment basis. That alone would make it worth picking up on any platform, but that you can easily share the game between a Switch 2 and a standard Nintendo Switch (for free, no less) makes it an essential game to pick up that favors accessibility and ease-of-access as much as it delivers incredible gameplay.

• Release Date — December 4, 2025
• Developer — Retro Studios
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Metroidvania, FPS
• Review Aggregate Score — 81% (Generally Favorable)

It only just released this week, but already it’s becoming apparent that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is yet another unmissable first-party Nintendo game for the Switch 2. Since it was first officially revealed, we’ve known that there would be both original Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 versions of Metroid Prime 4, but what we didn’t know was how visually stunning and technically impressive the Switch 2 version would be. It’s not a stretch to say that Metroid Prime 4 is one of the most beautiful games of 2025, which is due as much to its incredible art direction as it is the game’s ability to squeeze every ounce of power out of the Switch 2. The open-world areas are a little uninspired and there are some narrative issues, but otherwise, Metroid Prime 4 is a fantastic return that was worth the 18-year wait.

• Release Date — September 19, 2025
• Developer — Nihon Falcom
• Publisher — Gung Ho
• Genre — JRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)

It’s surprising that there aren’t more people talking about this year’s remake of Trails in the Sky, because when it comes right down to it, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is easily one of the year’s best JRPGs. That its Switch 2 version is one of the best ways to play it is just the icing on the cake. Role-playing games have traditionally had strong showings on Nintendo hardware dating all the way back to the NES, so to see the Switch 2 continue that tradition with some of the best new games in the genre is a great sign. The Legend of Heroes/Trails series is one of the best in the genre and is criminally underplayed compared to the likes of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, so hopefully the strong showing of the first game’s remake means we’ll be getting more.

• Release Date — July 17, 2025
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)

If you discount all the original Nintendo Switch games with Switch 2 upgrades, Donkey Kong Bananza is hands-down the best first-party title on Nintendo’s new console. Not only is it a great new entry in Nintendo’s oldest franchise, it’s a fantastic action-adventure and platforming game on par with Super Mario Odyssey, which many of Donkey Kong Bananza‘s key staff happened to work on. That they’ve since added plenty of new and worthwhile content to Bananza post-launch only strengthens its position as the must-have game for Switch 2 owners.

• Release Date — September 4, 2025
• Developer — Team Cherry
• Publisher — Team Cherry
• Genre — Metroidvania, Soulslike
• Review Aggregate Score — 91% (Universal Acclaim)

The Switch 2 version of Hollow Knight: Silksong is virtually identical to both its Nintendo Switch version and the versions on all other platforms, but that in no way diminishes the game’s place as one of 2025’s best and a must-play Metroidvania. It’s not very often that a game preceded by so much hype actually delivers upon those promises at release. Somehow, Hollow Knight: Silksong actually managed to surpass most players’ pre-release expectations, delivering an experience that’s equal parts brilliant, hauntingly beautiful, innovative, and challenging. It’s obvious that Team Cherry put a ton of passion and care into crafting Silksong, and no Switch 2 library is complete without it.

• Release Date — September 25, 2025
• Developer — Supergiant Games
• Publisher — Supergiant Games
• Genre — Action Roguelike
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)

Along with Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II is an essential pick-up for any Switch 2 owner, much like how both Hollow Knight and Hades were two of the most essential indie games for the original Nintendo Switch. While Silksong might be the better “sequel” in comparison to its predecessor, it’s still hard to deny that Hades II is a practically perfect action roguelike in terms of its balance, progression, randomization, and mechanics. And as of right now, Hades 2 is exclusive to the Switch 2 as far as console ports go, giving Nintendo’s new console an edge that other platforms simply don’t have.

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)

Funny that the original Nintendo Switch’s killer app at launch is also one of the Switch 2’s must-have games. But such is the power of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the most successful game in the entire Zelda franchise. Breath of the Wild was already a visually impressive game that got the most out of the original Switch’s hardware, but on Switch 2, the experience can best be described as revelatory. Getting to adventure around an open-world rendition of Hyrule in 4K at 60 FPS (when docked) is something that players have been dreaming of (or making happen via emulation) since Breath of the Wild originally launched, and now the Switch 2 upgrade is making that happen. It’d easily top the list of the best Switch 2 games were it not for its sequel…

• Release Date — June 5, 2025
• Developer — Nintendo EPD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 95% (Universal Acclaim)

The fact that Nintendo EPD was able to get a game as technically impressive and complex as Tears of the Kingdom running on the then-6-year-old Switch was practically a miracle. So it comes as no surprise, then, that one of the first priorities for the Switch 2 launch lineup was to release an upgraded version of the game that takes advantage of the unit’s more powerful hardware. Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 2 is how the game was ultimately meant to be played, looking and running flawlessly and still delivering one of the most boundless and enjoyable Zelda adventures since the glory days of the original or Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64.