The Best Single-Player Games On Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch seems to be made for single players. In handheld mode, the Switch can accompany you on solo trips and long commutes, and when docked, it becomes a home console displayed on a TV or another screen.

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The Nintendo Switch has dominated since its launch in 2017, and now we have a vast selection of fantastic games to take on the go.

While there is no shortage of local and online multiplayer games from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to Splatoon 3, the hybrid console curates a portable single-player gaming experience as well. Nintendo and other developers have made a wide selection of phenomenal titles compatible with the Switch. But of all the single-player Switch games, these stand out from the rest.

Updated on December 6, 2024, by PJ Molloy: 2024 is coming to a close, and yet we’re still getting excellent single-player games on Nintendo Switch. If you’re looking for something new to play this holiday season, we’ve updated the list with the latest must-play titles.

Balatro

The Best Deck-Builder On Switch

Often considered the best indie game of 2024, Balatro is a deck-building roguelike with a fascinating spin on the game of poker. The goal is to play the best hands possible to earn points. Between rounds, you can buy Joker and Tarot cards, each with a special ability you can use to multiply your combo or gain power-ups.

Even if you’ve never played poker, Balatro is still a blast. The gameplay is easy to learn, endlessly replayable, and ridiculously fun, with just enough twists and turns to make each run feel fresh and unique. Don’t sleep on this indie gem.

Stray

Explore A Gorgeous Cyberpunk World

In Stray, you control a lost kitten trapped in a robot-infested cyberpunk city. Using your wits, stealth, and platforming skills, you must explore gorgeous open-ended environments, solve puzzles, and survive the many dangers that lurk in the shadows.

Stray instantly hooks you in with its immersive world, powerful story, and gripping cat-inspired gameplay. Plus, it runs surprisingly well for a port of a PlayStation 4 game, minus a few drops in graphical quality. It’s a short game, but well worth it if you want an interesting world to explore.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership

A Grand Comeback

Systems

Released

November 7, 2024

Developer(s)

Acquire

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence

After nine years with no new entry, the plumbers finally returned to the RPG genre in Mario & Luigi: Brothership – their very first home console installment. After being transported to the world of Concordia, the brothers must travel across the ocean and explore different islands to stop a world-ending entity called Glohm.

The turn-based combat you know and love is back and better than ever, with stunning animations and exciting new twists to make each battle an absolute joy. If you’re new to the series or a long-time fan, Brothership is an excellent addition to your collection.

Crow Country

A Throwback To Classic Survival Horror Games

Crow Country

Systems

Released

May 9, 2024

Developer(s)

SFB Games

Publisher(s)

SFB Games

ESRB

m

Want something spooky? Crow Country is a love letter to PS1-era horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The story follows Special Agent Mara Forest, who investigates an abandoned, monster-infested theme park in search of its missing owner. Using a mix of resource management, third-person shooting, and puzzle-solving, you must explore the decrepit park, survive its terrors, and unravel the mystery behind its downfall.

If you like retro survival horror games, you’ll feel right at home here. Crow Country nails the look and feel of ’90s horror titles while adding much-needed quality-of-life updates, such as improved controls and a far superior camera system. Remember to play with the lights off and headphones on for the full experience.

The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom

Play As Princess Zelda In Her Very First Mainline Adventure

Systems

Released

September 26, 2024

Developer(s)

Nintendo
, Grezzo

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+

For decades, Zelda fans have been asking to play as the Princess in a mainline entry, which Nintendo finally delivered with Echoes of Wisdom. This 2D adventure follows Zelda on a quest to save Link after a mysterious void swallows him along with most of Hyrule.

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Echoes of Wisdom stands out from the rest of the series thanks to its titular Echo mechanic, which allows Zelda to make clones of enemies and objects to help with combat and puzzle-solving. It’s a fascinating twist on the Zelda formula, creating plenty of clever, open-ended puzzles and action-packed boss fights.

The Plucky Squire

Switch Between 2D And 3D Worlds In This Charming Zelda-Like

Not in the mood for Zelda? The Plucky Squire offers similar action-adventure gameplay with an exciting twist. You control a storybook character named Jot, who explores the pages of his book from a top-down perspective. The catch? You can leap outside the book to explore the real world in 3D segments.

The gameplay seamlessly blends Zelda-like puzzles and combat with 3D platforming. However, The Plucky Squire’s biggest strength is its incredible charm, thanks to its adorable hand-drawn art style, endearing characters, and clever video game references. Don’t sleep on this indie gem.

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection

Two Mystery Visual Novels In One Bundle

Ace Attorney Investigations Collection made a huge splash among mystery fans by remastering both Miles Edgeworth games, the second of which has been officially localized in English for the first time. The plot follows Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as he investigates a series of interconnected murders involving a phantom thief, a presidential assassination attempt, and much more.

The game puts a spin on the usual Ace Attorney formula by having you investigate crime scenes from a third-person view. As you gather clues and question witnesses, you complete a slew of logic-based puzzles to deduce the facts of the case. Once you pinpoint a suspect, you cross-examine them in fierce debates where you must compare their testimony to the evidence and point out the lies. Overall, this collection is a must-play if you like detective games.

Pizza Tower

A Silly 2D Platformer Inspired By ’90s Cartoons

Systems

Released

January 26, 2023

Developer(s)

Tour De Pizza

Publisher(s)

Tour De Pizza

ESRB

e

Pizza Tower is widely considered among the best 2D platformers on Switch, thanks to its blend of Wario Land-inspired gameplay, delightfully goofy humor, and art style based on ’90s cartoons. Take control of the hapless pizza chef Peppino Spaghetti, who must stop a sentient pizza pie from blowing up his restaurant. If that sounds like your sense of humor, you’ll love what this game has in store.

The gameplay combines high-speed platforming and arcade-style score attack elements. The goal for each level is to get the highest combo possible by consistently pummeling enemies, grabbing collectibles, and finding secrets. Getting the highest rank is no easy feat, making Pizza Tower the ideal platformer for those in need of a challenge.

Cat Quest 3

An Adorable Open-World Action RPG

Have you ever wanted to join a crew of pirate cats? You can in Cat Quest 3. Set in the Purribean, this adorable action RPG follows a sword-wielding kitten on a journey to find a wish-granting treasure called the Northern Star.

The entire ocean is open for you to explore. Take to the sea on your pirate ship, discover new islands, and fire your cannons at any rival ships you encounter. On land, you can search for treasure, explore dungeons, and take on side quests. It’s a short adventure but well worth it for a charming RPG.

The Letter

A Horror Visual Novel Inspired By The Ring

The Letter is a supernatural visual novel inspired by the films The Ring and The Grudge. When real estate agent Isabella Santos finds a primitive chain letter in the haunted Ermengarde Mansion, she and her friends are pursued by a bloodthirsty ghost until they can find a way to break the curse.

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The point of view switches between seven characters, each with complex backstories, motivations, and personal struggles. Whether they live or die is entirely in your hands. Every decision matters, leading to dozens of branching paths and endings. Expertly written and scary beyond belief, The Letter delivers some of the best characters, plot twists, and frights in any video game.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble

The Return Of A Legendary Sega Series

Systems

Released

June 25, 2024

ESRB

E For Everyone

Sega’s Super Monkey Ball series is famous for its arcade-style gameplay, silly sense of humor, and brutal difficulty. Banana Rumble continues this trend while adding exciting new features. You roll AiAi and his friends through maze-like obstacle courses before time runs out. The catch? You tilt the levels to guide the monkeys rather than controlling them directly.

New to the series is the Spin Dash, which grants you an instant burst of speed in whichever direction you’re facing, creating endless possibilities for speedruns. You can even play as Sonic the Hedgehog and many other iconic Sega characters. Give it a try if you like physics-based platforming.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

A Faithful Remake Of A Beloved GameCube RPG

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024)

Systems

Released

May 23, 2024

ESRB

E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has long been celebrated as the best RPG in the series. The Nintendo Switch remake faithfully preserves this GameCube classic while adding quality-of-life improvements and stunning HD visuals.

When Princess Peach goes missing, Mario’s only clue is a treasure map containing the secret to unlocking an ancient underground door. The use of action commands and stylish moves ensures that the turn-based combat is fresh and engaging throughout, and the characters are some of the most charismatic in the series. Overall, it’s a must-play for RPG fans.

Animal Well

A Breathtaking Yet Eerie Metroidvania

Animal Well reinvents the Metroidvania genre by substituting combat for a heavier emphasis on puzzle-solving and exploration. You’re a tiny blob stuck in an eerily gorgeous open world. With no way to attack or defend, you must use your wits to survive the many ghosts, giant animals, and creatures of the night.

This game is proof that sometimes less is more. The pixel graphics are not only stunning but also cleverly used to create a spooky, atmospheric world. The gameplay is simple yet endlessly satisfying as you track down every well-hidden secret and unravel each head-scratching brain teaser.

Killer Frequency

A Spooky Puzzle Game Inspired By Slasher Movies

Killer Frequency is a horror puzzle game inspired by ’80s slasher films. The plot begins with a ruthless killer arriving in the small town of Gallows Creek. When the police mysteriously vanish, late-night radio DJ Forrest Nash must help his listeners avoid a gruesome demise.

Throughout the game, the killer’s victims call into the show. It’s up to you to explore the radio station and solve brain teasers to help them escape the culprit. Your decisions determine who lives and dies, so you’ll need to choose wisely. One of your callers might even be the murderer.

Gnosia

A Single-Player Social Deduction Game

Gnosia adapts the social deduction gameplay popularized by Among Us to a single-player visual novel format. You and 14 NPCs are trapped on a spaceship, and at least one of you is an alien imposter. You must investigate, debate the others, and eventually vote on who the culprit is.

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What makes Gnosia unique from Among Us are its endearing characters, overarching mystery, and RPG mechanics. Every character has stats that determine their ability to lie, debate, and notice when someone else is suspicious. Since the mystery changes each playthrough, Gnosia is endlessly replayable.

Hollow Knight

A Hauntingly Stunning Metroidvania

Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight is one of the best Metroidvanias on Switch. Playing as the Knight, you arrive in Hallownest, a once-thriving kingdom now devastated by the Infection, leaving the majority of its inhabitants as husks of what they once were.

Though desolate, Hallownest is hauntingly beautiful and full of hidden secrets and challenging platforming sections. The bosses are also notoriously difficult, surprisingly so for a game that looks so charming. Christopher Larkin’s masterful score throughout the game is just the cherry on top.

NEO: The World Ends With You

The Long-Awaited Sequel To An Iconic RPG

NEO: The World Ends with You

Systems

Released

July 27, 2021

Developer(s)

Square Enix
, h.a.n.d.

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes

When Rindo Kanade and Tosai “Fret” Furesawa find themselves in the Reapers’ Game, they form the Wicked Twisters to win points and escape. Creatures known as Noise roam the streets of Shibuya, and you must use the power of pins allocated to different buttons on the Switch to defeat them.

NEO: TWEWY is an incredibly stylish Switch game, thanks to its sleek battle system and streetwear influences, which are reflected in the characters’ designs and clothing. If you’re looking for a more modern-style RPG experience, you should definitely give NEO a try.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy

A Collection Of Cozy Mystery Visual Novels

The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy includes the first three games in the series, all enhanced for the Switch. The titular Phoenix Wright is a defense attorney seeking to prove his client’s innocence by finding contradictions in the witnesses’ testimonies, investigating crime scenes, and collecting evidence he can use in court.

These excellent visual novels weave humor into the twist-heavy murder mysteries, keeping you entertained as you unravel the truth behind the crimes. The Switch version is the perfect way to experience the trilogy since you can play it in handheld mode.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

A Groundbreaking Entry In The Series

Systems

Released

January 28, 2022

Publisher(s)

Nintendo
, The Pokemon Company

ESRB

E for Everyone: Mild Fantasy Violence

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a top-tier Pokemon game. It has the classic components of the mainline series, including battling, capturing Pokemon, and exploring the world. At the same time, Arceus diverges from prior titles with its sizeable map divided into open areas called biomes.

Other open-world RPGs on the Switch may have fancier graphics, but the ability to freely explore the world and catch Pokemon without battling adds a new sense of liberation to the series. If you like Pokemon, it’s worth checking out Legends Arceus.

Octopath Traveler 2

A Gorgeous JRPG By Square Enix

Octopath Traveler 2 is a JRPG featuring eight distinct character stories that can be played in any order. While limited to a four-party system, you can customize the party to your liking. Like its predecessor, the game uses Square Enix’s beautiful HD-2D art style, making it one of the best-looking games on Switch.

The sequel preserves the excellent traditional turn-based battle systems from the first game while improving upon the towns and storytelling. Thankfully, it’s a standalone title, so you can dive right in without playing its predecessor.