Top Nintendo Switch Games 2023

Guacamelee isn’t only pretty to look at, it’s also a hell of a lot of fun to play. Its Metroidvania inspiration is undoubtedly strong, and yet it does so much to help it stand apart, not the least of which by providing gamers with a deceivingly deep combat system and a two-world polarity system that simply makes the experience more dynamic. Sure, Guacamelee may be short – too short, in fact – but this gripe is, in the end, a compliment to its quality. It left me wanting more. Guacamelee is one of Vita’s best games, a top echelon PSN game for PS3, and DrinkBox Studios’ best effort to date. More, please.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is pure over-the-top driving entertainment. The cars and environments are gorgeous, the crashes are spectacular, and the new Autolog feature breathes new life into the time-honored tradition of video game competition among friends. The single-player races can become somewhat repetitive and there are some presentation issues, but overall, Hot Pursuit is a blast. If you’re looking for a high-octane racer that grabs on tight but doesn’t take itself too seriously, give this one a shot.

Platform – ”’PS2”’

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the first new entry in the mainline Animal Crossing series for almost eight years and the first entry to be playable on the Nintendo Switch. As such, it’s familiar and fresh, deftly combining the old enjoyable parts of the series with some much-needed improvements and far greater depth than we’ve seen before.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the fighting series’ debut on the Nintendo Switch, introducing new characters, play styles, and an excellent single-player campaign to the long-running franchise.

Between the accessible auto combos, homing attacks, and simplified command inputs, Dragon Ball FighterZ is an inviting gateway into the world of fighting games for newcomers — whether you’re a Dragon Ball fan or not. Those easy controls can open the door to some spammy behavior, but just as often it’s satisfying in a way that does right by the Dragon Ball name. Dragon Ball FighterZ has enough depth and complexity to glow as brilliantly as a Super Saiyan.

This is a must-play for fans of games like Hollow Knight and the Castlevanias of yore, with challenging bosses and a superb sense of personality. It one-ups the first game in most meaningful ways.

Nintendo's Pikmin 4 builds upon the franchise’s quirky strategy formula to deliver new mechanics that make you feel even more like an interplanetary explorer.

In Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios has taken an excellent foundation and made even more out of it. Its many new elements expand on and add to the first game’s fun without bogging it down or becoming overcomplicated. And that’s really the best praise you can give a sequel - it stays true to the spirit of the original, doubles down on what made it great, and gives you more stake in the world and options to navigate it. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an excellent heartfelt follow-up that pushes the series to new heights.

Nintendo Labo for the Switch is a series of DIY cardboard accessories that makes building and learning a magical, fun experience.