Best Nintendo Switch games of 2024

The Switch has had some amazing games to play in 2024.

Dave Aubrey | Dec 31, 2024

Super Mario Party Jamboree / Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch is still thriving against all odds. We genuinely thought we’d be writing a best games list for the Nintendo Switch 2 by now, but nope. We still haven’t had an official announcement for the latest Nintendo console, so we’re still playing games on our Nintendo Switch from 2017 instead.

That’s no bad thing, though. We thought the Nintendo Switch was done after The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launched, but the console had another year and a half worth of games left in it. Sure, it certainly has the vibe that Nintendo is winding down support for this console, but you can’t deny that the Switch has had some amazing games to play in 2024.

These are the top ten Nintendo Switch games of 2024, in no particular order.

Unicorn Overlord

Unicorn Overlord / Sega

Unicorn Overlord is a fantastic blend of RPG tactics and social elements as you manage over 60 unique characters in your army, feed them, and equip them with gear, before sending them into deadly battles. The way battles play out depends entirely on how you’ve prepared your team, forcing players to put more consideration into the bonds between characters. It’s a unique take on JRPG tactics and a brilliant game to play on Nintendo Switch.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club

The cover art of Emio The Smiling Man, featuring the Utsugi agency staff and a man with a paper bag on his head

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club / Nintendo

Famicom Detective Club finally has a new entry after many years, and this visual novel has an ending that blew away the dozen or so people who actually saw it. You shouldn’t miss out on Emio - The Smiling Man.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door / Nintendo

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has been celebrated as the best Mario RPG by fans for years, and when you play it, it’s easy to see why. The residents of Rogueport are all distinct and memorable, as are all of the characters who join Mario’s party. This is one of the most memorable RPGs from my childhood, and playing this remake made me feel incredibly justified. It’s still great, and you should play Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

The lead character in Lost Crown crouching on the ground with a scimitar in his left hand

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown / Ubisoft

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was built with the Nintendo Switch in mind, and it shows. This game runs at a flawless 60fps on Nintendo Switch, which absolutely elevates every other facet of the gameplay. This is genuinely a huge achievement, and is a fantastic metroidvania entry into the long-dormant Prince of Persia series.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Zelda in Echoes of Wisdom, holding a Mysterious Sword key item

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom / Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom finally puts Princess Zelda herself into the role of protagonist as she explores the land of Hyrule. She’s not strictly a swordfighter herself, though, so she uses the power of Tri to summon items and monsters into the world to solve puzzles, ascend to high places, and defeat powerful monsters. This is a unique and refreshing take on the 2D Zelda formula that everyone should try.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection

AAI screenshot. Edgeworth standing on a stage talking with Gumshoe as forensic scientists examine the scene.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection / Capcom

Miles Edgeworth’s Nintendo DS game collection has finally been brought to the West, and fully localized for the first time. Prosecutor Edgeworth is the polar opposite of the bumbling lawyer Phoenix Wright, and he analyzes crime scenes in intense detail to figure out who the culprit is. This Ace Attorney side story shouldn’t be missed.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Super Mario Party Jamboree / Nintendo

You already know what Mario Party is good for: four-player party sessions with friends and, for our older readers, a few drinks. It’s been a few years since the last new Mario Party game, and Super Mario Party Jamboree is absolutely going to be the highlight of this year’s New Year’s party. If you have a place in your life for more Mario Party, then of course you should get Super Mario Party Jamboree.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake / Square Enix

Dragon Quest is one of the biggest RPG franchises in the world, and Dragon Quest III is often considered to be one of the very best. Whether or not this remake does everything fans wanted is up for debate, but it’s a fantastic part of the Dragon Quest story, and if you play this, you shouldn’t miss out on the upcoming Dragon Quest I+II HD-2D Remake.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition / Nintendo

If you’ve played it, then you know. Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is a collection of hundreds of small challenges inspired by dozens of classic NES games. You might not be a professional speedrunner, but can you set a new record in a seven second game segment? You just might be able to. And hey, even if you’re not the best in the world, you could always be better than your friends.

Fantasian: Neo Dimension

Fantasian Neo Dimension / Square Enix

Fantasian: Neo Dimension is the latest JRPG from the father of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi. The PS1 Final Fantasy classics were made with pre-rendered backgrounds, and Fantasian uses photographs of hand-made dioramas for its backgrounds. The visual style is totally unique as a result, while still feeling authentic to those classic games Sakaguchi is best known for.

Published Dec 31, 2024

DAVE AUBREY

Dave Aubrey is an award-nominated (losing) video games journalist based in the UK with more than ten years of experience in the industry. A bald man known for obnoxious takes, Dave is correct more often than people would like, and will rap on command.