In a year where new consoles were coming out, Nintendo still managed to stay relevant with the Switch’s lineup. Most of these exclusives are actually ports or remasters so there aren’t that many hardcore games on the scale of something like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey.
Remasters are always good to have around though for a new generation of gamers that missed the first boat. It should also be mentioned that some of these also came out on PC, but were exclusive to the Switch in terms of the console race. Either way, these were the essentials to play on the handheld crossbreed this year.
10 Super Mario Bros. 35 (74)
No one could have ever guessed the original Mario game would work as a Battle Royale game. Some people thought the same thing of Tetris but just look at Tetris 99 now. Both games are fine examples of turning a small idea into a multiplayer sensation. It won’t have the staying power of Fortnite, but it will be a near game to dive in and out of until next March.
9 Super Punch Patrol (75)
This smaller game may have escaped a lot of people. It’s cheap, short, and there’s not much to this brawler. That is to say it doesn’t change up the classic formula. That’s okay though because quick games are also valuable on the Switch plus the paper and pen art style is visually distinct. For those looking for a good co-op game, this is a fine choice.
8 Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (78)
This was not Breath of the Wild 2 that some fans hoped it would be. Instead it was a prequel to that game and a sequel to the last Hyrule Warriors. It’s more of the same Dynasty Warriors action as one would expect but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was a genuine surprise and a good game to play with someone on the couch.
7 Vitamin Connection (80)
Vitamin Connection is like a puzzle shooter. Players use both sides of their controller to play with this vitamin duo entering the bloodstream. Their goal is to rid their family of nasty viruses. The visual style is clean and distinct and it has a catchy poppy soundtrack too. It can be enjoyed alone although it is heavily suggested by the game itself to play with a friend.
6 Paper Mario: The Origami King (80)
This was not the return to form some fans were hoping for in the Paper Mario franchise. Fans have been wanting a proper RPG experience since the GameCube. That said, it was received much better than the last game on Wii U, Color Splash. It’s bright and colorful, is visually striking, has catchy songs, and comedic moments that all made it a delight to play.
5 Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore (81)
This score is one point higher than the Wii U original, which is just a funny note to start on. Not much is really new as this is basically a port. Nintendo didn’t even help put English voices in it which is something fans missed over the original.
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Even though not much has changed, it’s hard to deny Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore a spot on this list especially for those that missed it the first time around.
4 Super Mario 3D All-Stars (82)
Some fans were not pleased with this release. It didn’t contain every game they wanted, like Super Mario Galaxy 2, and not much was even changed for this collection. With that knowledge in mind $60 was a lot to ask for for some people. However, it’s hard to deny the magic of jumping back into one of these classics easily on the Switch for pick up and go sessions of nostalgia.
3 Pikmin 3 Deluxe (85)
Unlike Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore which scored higher than its original Wii U release, this game scored lower. The difference is only by two points though.
This is another straight port with not much changing between versions which is why it might have reviewed lower. Whatever the case, it’s always nice to see a good game get a second chance on a more popular console.
2 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (89)
A lot has changed between the original Wii release and this game, but also a lot hasn’t. The graphics are perhaps the most notable thing in the game along with some UI enhancements. This will easily take upwards of eighty plus hours which is daunting to say the least but fans know that that time goes by quickly thanks to the pacing. There’s always something new around the corner to renew interest.
1 Animal Crossing: New Horizons (90)
If there is one game that defined this year year, especially because of the pandemic, it’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Everyone got into this thing, even celebrities like Elijah Wood. It was the right game at the right time to bring on those good vibes. It still has some quality of life things that need fixing but by and large this is the best entry yet for new and old fans.