Nintendo has been on the cutting edge of consoles for as long as they’ve been in business, shifting the industry time and time again with consoles like the SNES, 3DS, Wii, and now the Nintendo Switch. Being a console you can play while at home or on the go, the Nintendo Switch is focused on uncompromised gaming no matter where you are.
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Of course, games need to be optimized for the console’s docked and undocked modes to work properly. That can come at the cost of absurdly large file sizes, unfortunately. Ranging as high as almost 60 gigabytes, here are the Nintendo Switch titles that take up the most space on your memory card.
Updated November 16, 2024 by Jacqueline Zalace: The Nintendo Switch is capable of running some seriously large games. If you are looking to push the limits of your Switch, we’ve go you covered. In this update, we’ve added even more Switch games with the largest file sizes.
25
Persona 5 Royal – 14.2 GB
Somewhat of an honorable mention on this list, we have Persona 5 Royal. This game needs no introduction; we all know the beloved Phantom Thieves led by Joker. If you aren’t familiar with this game, you are looking at an absolutely massive JRPG set in modern-day Tokyo.
Compared to many games on this list, the small file size is quite impressive considering how much content is in the game. If you are looking to just go through the main story, this will take you around 100 hours, and that’s not even considering all the side content in the game.
24
Fortnite – 15 GB
We all know Fortnite, but did you also know that it takes up 20 GB of space on the Nintendo Switch? For the amount of content available in Fortnite, it may seem relatively low. Growing from a humble battle royale game to a multi-game platform like Roblox, Fortnite has something for everyone.
If the typical battle royale format doesn’t interest you, don’t worry! Dive into a Lego survival world, or take a break in Fornite Festival and play songs by Billie Eilish or Weezer.
23
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – 16.3 GB
- Released
-
May 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Havok
- ESRB
-
Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- How Long To Beat
-
59 Hours
- X|S Optimized
-
n/a
- Metascore
-
96
- Steam Deck Compatibility
-
n/a
- OpenCritic Rating
-
Mighty
- Cross Save
-
N/A
- Cross-Platform Play
-
N/A
After several years, the sequel Breath of the Wild finally launched, with a vast world to explore. Compared to other games on our list, 16.3 GB isn’t the biggest, but it’s still a hefty file size.
Interestingly, the first game in the series only clocked in at 128kB. This is incredibly tiny compared to Tears of the Kingdom, showing just how far the franchise has come since 1986. The Legend of Zelda is still going strong after all this time, with no sign of decline.
22
Fire Emblem Engage – 16.6 GB
- Released
-
January 20, 2023
- Platform(s)
-
Switch
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Engine
-
Unity
- ESRB
-
T for Teen due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- How Long To Beat
-
40 Hours
Next, we have Fire Emblem Engage. This is the seventeenth game in the franchise, launched early in 2023. While not as popular as Fire Emblem: Three Houses, it’s nearly five GB larger than this entry in the franchise from 2019.
Like The Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem has roots in the 90s. The first game in the franchise, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, was available on the Switch for a short time and only required 26 MB of space.
21
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy – 17.7 GB
The Nintendo Switch is an excellent console for launching trilogies and game collections on; just look at Capcom’s Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy or the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. The first Ultimate Ninja Storm game was released in 2008 to a generally positive reception, with the following games in the series considered some of the best Naruto games by fans.
The entire collection includes Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst, taking up a whopping 17.7 GB just to run. The fourth game in the series takes up 13.2 GB on its own, with advanced graphics and DLC content taking up even more space than the last game.
20
Observer – 18 GB
Fans of horror (particularly psychological horror) will no doubt know and perhaps already love this game. Observer has a strong cyberpunk feel, reaping the benefits of Unreal Engine 4 and an excellent art style and aesthetic.
The attention to detail and overall cohesion makes almost every screenshot look engaging. Aesthetics often come at the price of space, however, and that space is a sizeable 18 GB in order to run on the Switch. Another reason to get the next size up in SD cards.
19
SD Gundam Battle Alliance – 18.3 GB
SD Gundam Battle Alliance is based on the figures in the classic Gundam series. In this franchise, you can find games, manga, anime, and model kits dedicated to the wide range of content. In SD Gundam Battle Alliance, you will be able to unlock mobile suits, using them to battle against tough enemies.
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If you are a fan of Warriors-type games, then SD Gundam Battle Alliance is worth a try. The games are similar, but rather than focusing on huge waves of enemies, SD Gundam Battle Alliance focuses a bit more on combat skills and combos.
18
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – 18.4 GB
Though Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has been around since 2017, it only got a Switch launch in 2019. This dark fantasy/action-adventure game is chock-full of content and interesting references that can be overlooked during a first playthrough, naturally justifying a second one.
Not only has it won over a dozen awards, but it also has a unique death mechanic, excellent sound design, and acts as a unique and extensively-researched depiction of psychosis. This combat-heavy game is well worth the 18.4 GB, especially at its affordable price.
17
Monster Hunter Rise – 19.8 GB
With how big Monster Hunter Rise feels, it’s surprising that this game isn’t further up our list. Launched originally on Nintendo Switch, Monster Hunter Rise follows the format of previous Monster Hunter games; prepare in the village/town hub, hunt monsters, and upgrade your gear.
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Since launch, Monster Hunter Rise has also seen the release of DLC, bringing new monsters, quests, items, and story to play through. With how much content is available in the game, the 19.8 GB file size is well worth it.
16
MLB The Show 22 – 19.9 GB
Sports games on the Nintendo Switch are usually pretty big. In fact, the largest game on the Switch is an NBA game. With this in mind, it makes sense that MLB The Show 22 has made it on our list.
In this recent MLB game, we see an expanded March to October game mode, giving you more content to play through. Overall, fans of baseball will find this a worthy investment in both time and storage space.
15
South Park: The Fractured But Whole – 20.1 GB
A game all about comedy and zany satire, South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a newer entry in South Park’s series of video games, with the Nintendo Switch version being launched in 2018. Players control the New Kid as they become entangled in rival superhero factions fighting to create their own franchises.
The game does a great job of expanding the fictional universe while adding classic references to the show that started it all, but the sheer size of South Park, its characters, and its content will take up a “whole” lot of space on your Switch console.
14
Wolfenstein: Youngblood – 20.9 GB
Critics and fans agree that Wolfenstein: Youngblood is the weakest Wolfenstein entry in the series, supporting unengaging characters, a weak plot, and mechanical changes that ruin gunfights.
It also takes up a significant portion of your memory card. On the Switch, this subpar game takes a whopping 20.9 GB just to install, not including potential save file bloat or downloadable content. Considering how large this game is, Youngblood simply isn’t worth the space needed to run it.
13
DC Universe Online – 21.3 GB
Judging DC Universe Online by its own merits leaves a lot to be desired. The game features a bland story with dated graphics from the seventh generation of consoles.
As a port to the Switch, however, this is a phenomenal port. The game plays exceptionally well on the Switch’s controls and runs at a solid framerate. Fans of DC Universe Online will most certainly appreciate the fantastic port job here, if they can afford to sacrifice 20.3 GB of space to play this dated MMO. Still, as a free game, it’s worth a try.
12
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – 21.7 GB
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has the feel of a classic JPRG. If you’re a fan of the Suikoden franchise, then you’ll be pleased to know that Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is often thought as a spiritual successor, especially since it was created by the same person.
As an iconic JRPG with over 100 playable characters, it makes sense that the game takes up a hefty portion of space. Thankfully, the 21.7 GB download is filled with engaging content that will leave you revisiting the Suikoden franchise.
11
DOOM – 22 GB
Id Software’s reboot of Doom is a masterclass in design. The game gets the adrenaline pumping with its metal soundtrack and brilliantly designed levels. This game was over 50 gigabytes on the PC and console versions, so it is no surprise that it would take up plenty of space on the Switch.
Doom 2016 takes 22 gigabytes of space to run on the Switch, but the game makes no compromises. It looks great, plays incredibly well—docked or not—and has all of the features you would expect. While large, it is definitely worth the memory card space.
10
GTA Trilogy – 22.7 GB
It’s been roughly two decades since Rockstar rocked the gaming world with its 3D renditions of the esteemed Grand Theft Auto series. These PS2 classics redefined—and indeed helped define—sandbox gaming. While the once grand, cinematic romps may seem a bit crude now, they still offer dozens of hours of laugh-out-loud fun gameplay, and take up ample space to boot.
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Thanks to efforts by Grove Street Games to compile and spruce up the titles—Switch gamers can enjoy GTA’s best of the best, with three of the strongest titles in the franchise. Even when disregarding inevitable bouts of messing around and causing trouble, burning through GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas can take around 30 hours.
9
Tsukihime: A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon – 23 GB
Does the art style of Tsukihime: A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon look familiar? If you are a fan of the Fate franchise (or Melty Blood!), you’ll be happy to know that this is made by the same developer; Type-Moon. Tuskihime originally launched in 2000 in Japan, but since then, the game received a remake.
Launching in 2021 in Japan and 2024 for the rest of the world, we can now play Tsukihime: A Piece Of Blue Glass Moon directly on the Switch! Of course, you’ll need to have 23 GB of space if you are looking to dive in.
8
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – 23.7 GB
Resident Evil 4 was famous for its various versions across multiple consoles, ranging from the GameCube to the motion-based Wii. No matter the platform, the game ran incredibly well. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is in the same boat.
Visually, this might be the most stunning Switch game currently on the market. It runs at 1080p docked, has little performance drops, and the motion controls are surprisingly good. Its only con is the absurd 23.7 GB installation requirement. If you can afford that space on that memory card, the game makes up for it in spades.
7
L.A. Noire – 27.5 GB
L.A. Noire is Rockstar’s crime thriller. Like with most of their titles, the port to the Switch is masterfully done. It looks just as good as the Xbox 360 version with tight controls and solid performance.
For some reason, L.A. Noire takes up more space than the Xbox and PlayStation variants, coming in at a whopping 27.5 Gigabytes. For comparison, the Xbox One backward compatible version is only 17.09 GB. With that said, those who want to play as a detective in a story-driven game will not be disappointed.
6
Apex Legends – 29.6 GB
While one’s play can be cut abruptly short in this punishing Battle Royale, the game itself is anything but small. This one-and-done FPS is an adrenaline-fueled romp that will have your palms sweating from the moment you leap from a soaring aircraft, as you scramble to gather any goodies you can find to unleash on foes.
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