The Nintendo Switch will be an astounding seven years old in March, which is kind of hard to believe. Its longevity and its popularity means it has one of the best, if not the best, libraries of games in history. With so many incredible games to choose from, we turned to the members of the NVC cast, past and present, to come up with Switch hidden gem recommendations. There’s almost certainly something in this article you’ll love.
Logan Plant
Game List
- The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
- Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
- The Touryst
- Paper Mario: The Origami King
- Mario Tennis Aces
- Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido
Everyone knows the name Phoenix Wright, but for some reason no one seems to pay attention to the other entries in the Ace Attorney series that don’t bear his name. It’s why two out of three games in the upcoming so-called “Apollo Justice Trilogy” don’t even feature poor Apollo’s name in the title. So it’s a shame that the best game in Capcom’s long-running legal drama series is so criminally overlooked.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles takes place over 100 years in the past during Japan’s Meiji era, where themes like globalization and rampant technological innovation are the backdrop for the story. The plot centers on rookie lawyer (and Phoenix Wright ancestor, because of course) Ryunosuke Naruhodo, who travels to the UK to solve mysteries alongside world-famous detective Herlock Sholmes (Yes, that’s spelled correctly).
Herlock is laugh-out-loud funny, and the overall scenario penned by series creator Shu Takumi is one of the most bonkers, twist-heavy stories I’ve ever seen in a video game. I’ve been playing Ace Attorney since I was 11 years old and at this point I usually feel like I can predict what’s going to happen. But the reveals near the end of The Great Ace Attorney left me absolutely stunned. The pair of games housed in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles contain some of the best cases in the entire series, and if you’ve never tried an Ace Attorney game before, you owe it to yourself to pick this collection up to see the franchise at its very greatest.
Also, I have to give a shoutout to my guy Captain Toad. Similar to Luigi’s Mansion, there’s something undeniably charming about a cowardly character thrown into a situation where they’re forced to be the hero. That’s exactly what happens to the lovably pathetic Captain Toad in Treasure Tracker. This often-overlooked Wii U port is a collection of wonderfully clever puzzle boxes stuffed with collectibles, secrets, and optional objectives. It’s really unlike anything else set in the Mushroom Kingdom and there’s a crazy amount of content here for a title Nintendo only charges 40 bucks for. You should jump at the chance to play this one… Even if Captain Toad can’t.
Peer Schneider
Game List
- The Making of Karateka
- Moving Out 2
- Diablo III: Eternal Collection
- Horizon Chase Turbo
- Return of the Obra Dinn
- Advance Wars 1 + 2
- Steamworld Dig 2
- Pocky & Rocky Reshrined
- Live A Live [Remake]
- Luigi’s Mansion 3
Switch’s library has gotten so big, it’s tough to just narrow things down to a list of great games that aren’t talked about enough. For example, do Switch owners know about the glory of Vampire Survivors? Or is it overlooked because it arrived late? Should I recommend Tricky Towers as the ultimate family versus game – or would that be irresponsible because it could lead to fights and possibly, divorce? Picross? You thought I’d recommend Picross? Never heard of it.
So, instead, I assembled a list of 10 games that few Switch owners – at least in my circle of friends and followers – talk about. These aren’t the absolute best games on the system. You already know these. These are games you keep ignoring because they don’t star Mario or Link or they’re now a little old and you think they might not hold up. But I also picked some games that play to the strength of Switch as a portable and couch-co-op/party machine.
First of all: the brand-new Making of Karateka is such a wonderful labor of love, I wrote a mini-review here. Next up is a trio of four-player co-op games that are impossible to quit: Moving Out 2 is hilarious couch co-op mayhem that has you work together (poorly) to move and smash stuff, Diablo III – especially with four players with their own Switches sitting in the same room – is roleplaying multiplayer bliss, and Horizon Chase Turbo (sequel is now out, but doesn’t quite capture the magic) is an ode to the Top Gear (soon to be rebranded Top Racing) 16-bit racers, music and all. Super-fun to play with friends and try to unlock new tracks and get medals. If you want even more Switch co-op recommendations, I made a Best Switch Co-Op games list on IGN Playlist for you.
Return of the Obra Dinn is one of the most unique experiences I’ve played in my entire gaming life. The less you know about it, the better. It’s an adventure game that relies entirely on you puzzling out a mystery through observation and investigation. I’m sure you’ve heard someone tell you it’s great. Just play it.
Wargroove 2 is out and I’m looking forward to playing (the first one’s great), but I was a bit surprised by how muted the reception of Advance Wars 1 + 2 was. It’s such a great way to revisit these two turn-based strategy games. Lots of missions, some beautiful new character animations, kick-ass music. If you love Fire Emblem’s battles (and not necessarily the town-building), give it a shot. The perfect on-the-plane game featuring airplanes, where you can just play a mission or two in between watching bad in-flight entertainment action movies that have all the plane scenes edited out.
Steamworld Dig 2 is one of the best metroidvanias of the last decade. If you’ve finished all the Metroids and Hollow Knight, this one’s next on the menu. Then there are two classic remakes that stand out based on the amount of love and care put into updating them from their 16-bit originals: Live A Live (I dedicated Issue 1 of my Forgotten Gems column to it) and Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. Amidst the growing swell of up-res rereleases, these are two examples of obscure game resurrections made by people who really care.
And last: Luigi’s Mansion 3. It’s still one of the best-looking games on the system – and it’s unfortunately one of the least-discovered Mario-themed games in Switch’s big lineup. Next Level Games clearly demonstrated here that it belongs in the Nintendo family of star developers. Clever puzzles, beautiful locations, incredible character animations (seriously), and even online and off-line co-op. If you’ve held off because the first two games didn’t click (I’m with you!), give this one a shot.
Seth Macy
- Axiom Verge 2
- Boomerang X
- Panzer Paladin
- Loop Hero
- Arcade Paradise
Axiom Verge 2 is not only one of my favorite games on Switch, it’s one of my favorite games of the last 10 years. I don’t know exactly what it was about it that grabbed my attention so aggressively, but when I started playing it all my free time in the following days was spent parked in front of the TV. I played every evening until I beat it, a couple hours at a time, and it was by sheer self-discipline that I didn’t just spend the entirety of a single night making my way through its story. It’s not particularly long – I think I spent about 10 hours from beginning to end – but I loved everything about it. It’s weird because I own the original Axiom Verge on cartridge but I never actually got around to playing it.
The reason I started Axiom Verge 2 was primarily because I was impatiently waiting for Metroid Dread’s release later that year and wanted to play a Metroidvania. I’m super glad I did, because its resemblance to Dread is at its most superficial, and Dread (another of my favorite games) was different enough that I didn’t feel like playing one game diluted my experience with the other. Seriously, I liked it so much more than I expected, and I’d put my level of enjoyment right up there with Dread. But they’re both very different games – I just enjoyed them both at an equal level, sort of how I love Metroid Prime and Flight Simulator.
The other games I listed off should also be checked out, but I want to give some special love to Boomerang X. I had such a great time playing it I actually asked our reviews team if I could formalize my thoughts into a review. It’s hard to describe, but the movement has a very Metroid-Prime feel to it, and the gameplay itself is clever and challenging. Absolutely check that one out.
Jada Griffin
- Ape Out
- Aerial Knights Never Yield
- Astral Chain
- Another Crab’s Treasure
I took a AAAA approach to my suggestions partially because I enjoy alliteration but mostly because all these games have captivated me with their gameplay and music. Some of them have simpler themes or stories but they have enough there to keep you wanting to play more. Ape Out is a fantastic top-down action game that has you attempting to escape a building after breaking out of captivity, grabbing enemies to use as weapons, shields or just to toss into the wall where they explode into a pool of blood.
As you progress and destroy things the game’s audio ramps up to match your actions, so the more destructive and faster you move, the faster the beat goes. And grabbing a guy with a machine gun and using him to riddle his buddies with bullets never gets old. I’ve talked about Aerial Knights Never Yield many times before but this fast-paced, side-scrolling platformer just oozes style, from the main character to the music and the Anime-esque story it tells. It’s relatively short but honestly, that’s what makes it great, and the replayability of going for faster times on each stage is as compelling as it is enjoyable. Plus, the higher difficulties and bonus stages are sure to challenge the reflexes of even the best players out there.
Speaking of Anime-style games, Astral Chain from Platinum reallys needs its own anime. Second, even if that never comes to fruition, the story and fast-paced, flashy action associated with Devil May Cry and Bayonetta is on full display here. Yes, this is by a bigger developer compared to the other hidden gems I talked about earlier, but it’s often overlooked so I’m spreading the word about Astral Chain. Oh also, it’s soundtrack rips.
Finally, I have one recommendation that’s not out yet. After playing the demo, Aggro Crab’s Another Crab’s Treasure has already captivated me with its adorable art style, Soulslike combat, and fantastic soundtrack. Swapping out your shell for various other objects found at the bottom of the sea – like soda cans, shot glasses, and Ice cream cones – is as wonderful as it is effective. Each gives unique special abilities like area-of-effect freeze spells or homing bubbles, so is a fantastic way to encourage players to experiment with different shells. And if Soulslikes have been something you have a hard time getting into, there are a suite of accessibility options to make life easier.
The Full List From This Week’s Show:
- Jada’s Picks: Ape Out, Another Crab’s Treasure, Astral Chain
- Reb’s Picks: Everhood, Minit, Moon (STOKED FOR STRAY CHILDREN), OneShot, TOEM, Heaven’s Vault, Gorogoa, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Chants of Sennaar, shoutout to my column btw
- Seth’s Picks: Axiom Verge 2, Boomerang X, Panzer Paladin, Loop Hero, Arcade Paradise
- Tom’s Picks:: Obra Dinn, Far: Lone Sails/Changing Tides, Tinykin, Valkyria Chronicles 1+4, A Monster’s Expedition, Towerfall, Yoku’s Island Express, Battle Chef Brigade, The Adventure Pals, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Wilmot’s Warehouse, SpiritFarer, Lonely Mountains Downhill, Crosscode, Hypnospace Outlaw, Monster Train, (…..Hollow Knight)
- Producer Red: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, The Case of the Golden Idol, Return of the Obra Dinn, Celeste, Strange Horticulture, Dregde, Inscryption, SteamWorld Dig 2, Katana Zero, Eastward, Horace
That is an astonishing wealth of games to choose from. Of course, we also want to know what you think. What games on Switch aren’t getting the love they deserve, or which ones are you just super hyped about? Hit the comments and let us know your Switch hidden gems.
