The first quarter of the year is here, and there are already a lot of amazing games launching on Switch, with more to come. Even seven years later, it continues to get great exclusives, ports, and new games. I’ve compiled a list of the best Switch games of 2024 so far, covering a variety of genres that Sean and myself have played. As always, this list is in no particular order, I’ve mixed in new releases and ports of older games that play great on the Switch. Stay tuned for more Switch gaming coverage in the near future, highlighting specific genres and special content.
The best Nintendo Switch games of 2024 so far
Unicorn Overlord
When I reviewed Unicorn Overlord, I mentioned that I felt it was too early to say if it was my favorite strategy RPG, but it was definitely one of them. I loved the gameplay, music, visuals, and story. Vanillaware never misses a beat, and Unicorn Overlord feels great in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch. This is essential. If you’re not sure if it’s right for you, get a demo. This is worth it.
Princess Peach: It’s show time!
Like Bayonetta Origins, Princess Peach: Showtime! didn’t make the best first impression in the demo. It opens up and is more fun than I expected, with the usual feel-good style you’d expect. While it’s definitely aimed at a younger audience, Princess Peach: Show Time! ” has good replay value and looks great on an OLED screen in handheld mode. I just hope it gets some updates to improve some performance and skip some cutscenes when replaying the game. Another aspect that I haven’t seen mentioned much is the game’s excellent soundtrack. Hopefully Nintendo will release it on disc or streaming in the future.
repentance
Pentiment is a wonderful experience from start to finish on the Nintendo Switch, with gorgeous visuals on the OLED screen. If you’ve skipped it before on PC and Xbox, now’s the time to correct your mistake and play one of the greatest games of the past few years. It may not be for everyone, but Obsidian’s historical narrative-driven gameplay is a must-have. Hopefully it gets touchscreen support in a future update, because other than that I have no complaints.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
When it launched on Switch earlier this year, Sean said Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was an amazing entry in both the Prince of Persia series and the Metroidvania genre. He also praised how good it felt during the long run. I agree with him. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown feels great to play and may be my favorite new game in the genre. If you’re not sure, try the demo. It feels super good on Switch.
Soul Hunter: Marked for Death II
Whether you’re new to the series or not, Soul Hunters: Marked for Death II is a must-have for fans of horror and adventure games. It has a few minor issues that hold it back from being perfect, but it’s easily one of the best games of 2024 so far, and it’s great to play in handheld mode on the Switch. I can’t wait to see what the team does next.
Shiron the Wanderer: The Mysterious Dungeon of Snake Island
The first time I tried a Shiren the Wanderer game was the fifth game on the PS Vita a few years ago. Since then, we’ve seen ports, but it finally received a brand new entry in Stoneman the Wanderer: Mystery Dungeon of Snake Island, which is currently exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. Stoneman the Wanderer: Mystery Dungeon of Snake Island is not only a fantastic game, but it’s incredible how well this game represents the series even in 2024. Shiron the Wanderer: Mystery Dungeon of Snake Island is a beautifully designed mystery dungeon game and role-playing game.
Night Born II System: Celes
We don’t see too many fighting games coming to Switch alongside other platforms, but UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys: Celes is the best in every way. Not only does its aesthetics match the scaling and brilliant colors on OLED in handheld mode, but the gameplay continues to amaze me. UNI2 is a game that made me use the stickless controller more on the Switch, but I also enjoy playing it with my 8BitDo controller. I love everything UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes has to offer, from the gameplay to the online and music. This is a winner.
Snufkin: The Melody of Moominvalley
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley manages to almost perfectly blend a diverse cast, gorgeous visuals, and stunning audio throughout its roughly four-hour runtime. Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley isn’t for everyone, but I really enjoyed the relaxed exploration and simple puzzles. Even for newcomers to the brand, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a nice relaxing experience that serves as a break from the more complex role-playing games that have been released recently.
Balatero
I feel like I’ve written more about balatero than anything else lately, but it’s just so damn good. If you somehow missed my 5/5 Switch review, LocalThunk interview, and this week’s Steam Deck feature (which included it), Balatro is pure bliss, but I shouldn’t let you get hung up on it. Just don’t buy it. Believe me. Save yourself. Now I’m cooking and going back for another run.
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Digital Eclipse set the bar extremely high when it came to making Karate Cards, but Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story shows that the team is capable of over-delivering and surpassing the excellence of the original version. Given that Jeff Minter’s career has come to an end, I hope Digital Eclipse will release a second version focusing on his later games, including mobile games. Until then, if you care about gaming history or like Jeff Minter’s games, “Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story” will be an essential release in 2024.
bonus
Splatoon 3 sub-order
Since this is part of a DLC bundle, I’m including it as a bonus. Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass Wave 2 – Side Order (the name is a bit of a mouthful) is a great roguelite mode that got me back into playing Splatoon 3 regularly after giving up on it a while ago. While it may not hit the highs set by past game expansions, it’s exactly the kind of DLC content I’d like to see from the Splatoon series. I hope this mode is included in the next game as well. The team has nailed everything here, and if it does add more content via free updates, it would be perfect. If you own Splatoon 3, this is definitely worth picking up.
That’s it for the best Switch games of 2024 so far. If you haven’t read about Steam Deck and Mobile Platforms, check it out here and here. If you’ve played any games on Switch this year that you think I should include or want us to try, let us know in the comments below. thanks for reading.