Nintendo Switch has had one heck of a ride since its March 2017 launch. The hybrid handheld, with its colorful Joy-Cons and technical limitations compared to its competition (this is Nintendo, after all), didn’t exactly set the gaming world alight at first. Lack of killer apps at launch (beyond The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was also available on Wii U for the four owners of that ill-fated system) really hurt it.
However, Switch has certainly proven itself as a system to reckon with since. Animal Crossing: New Horizons and similarly relaxing titles have been just the tonic many gamers have needed during these tough times, so it’s not just about the huge exclusives. In fact, there are some real hidden gems on the console too. To celebrate this fact, here are some Switch titles (exclusive and otherwise) that deserve far more attention.
10 Killer Queen Black
BumbleBear Games’ intriguing strategy title Killer Queen came to Switch and PC last year in the form of Killer Queen Black. This cutesy RTS sees teams of players competing for victory over the opposing bees, with the members taking the roles of different ‘classes’ of critter, Drones or the single Queen, with different abilities.
Matches are won in one of three different ways: an Economic, Military or Snail Victory. The first is achieved when Workers have collected enough berries to fill their hive’s slots. Alternatively, Snail Victories are won when a player manages to ride the snail on the stage to the other team’s goal without being disturbed. Finally, the opposing queen can be killed three times by attacks for a Military Victory. Each unit can contribute to some of their causes but not all, so coordination is crucial in this chaotic RTS.
9 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Now, it’s no secret that Mario has tried his hand at just about everything over the course of his long career. Nintendo’s main man has appeared in countless spin-offs. He’s made obscure cameo appearances that even his biggest fans probably didn’t know about. One thing we never thought we’d see him doing, however, was wielding a gun and blasting at Ubisoft’s iconic Rabbids in a turn-based strategy title.
While Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle looks a little silly and throwaway (the Rabbids are known for their minigame compilations, after all), it’s a surprisingly solid genre entry and has a lot of creative mechanics. It won’t be the biggest challenge genre fans ever experience, but to disregard it as a silly, simplistic experience (which many did) is to do it a great disservice. This one is among the hidden gems of the Switch’s early line-up.
8 Starlink: Battle For Atlas
When a title is subject to an enormous drop in price relatively early in its lifespan, it doesn’t exactly tend to be a good omen. This was the case with Starlink: Battle For Atlas, an unfortunate casualty of the toys-to-life situation.
Starlink saw a release on every major system in 2018 (and PC the following April), but the Switch version was notable for its exclusive Star Fox content. Dedicated franchise fans were keen to jump into this futuristic spacefaring shooter (which shares a lot of elements with the Star Fox series), but lots of gamers were scared away by its initial high price and lackluster reception. These days, though, it’s definitely worth taking a trip around the Atlas system, gimmicky ships or no gimmicky ships.
7 Darkwood
Nintendo Switch isn’t the natural home of survival horror titles, true enough. Generally speaking, the genre has better representation elsewhere. As a result, smaller-scale horror experiences are often passed over when they do hit the eShop.
One brilliant example is Darkwood, which launched for current-gen consoles in May 2019. Its top-down perspective and visual style has been seen an awful lot in the industry lately, but Darkwood has an atmosphere all its own and offers an experience to match. Set in a mysterious Polish forest, the game allows the player to explore during the day, gathering the resources required to survive the onslaught of hideous creatures that come out at night. You’ll soon find yourself getting sucked into its intriguing, grisly story.
6 Daemon X Machina
Speaking of niche offerings for the Nintendo Switch, shooters in general are a little tough to come by. As important as these games are to the industry, Nintendo has never really wanted to embrace them. This was what game some console fans hope for Daemon X Machina, which was (briefly) a system exclusive.
Marvelous’ mech battler revolves around the concept of a battle between humans and machines, after a mysterious power released by a moon’s collision with the planet upsets the balance. Daemon X Machina had a very modest impact on launch, after offering an early demo that proved a little uninspiring. The team took criticism on board, though!
5 Wargroove
Don’t get an Advance Wars fan started on the franchise. Intelligent System’s bright, bold, deceptively deep RTS series (Famicom Wars in Japan) is one Nintendo property that absolutely needs to make a comeback, as those who fondly remember it will never tire of telling you. Ever.
Chucklefish’s Wargroove was channelling Advance Wars’ spirit from the off, which is why the community flocked to it. From its mechanics to its band-together-to-save-the-realm-from-a-great-threat storyline, this indie effort is the closest we’re going to get to a new Advance Wars any time soon. Very well received by the faithful, but failed to make quite the impact it deserved on any system.
4 Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Here’s another of Nintendo’s many Mushroom Kingdom spin-offs. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker originally launched for the Wii U in 2014, giving the titular character his first real protagonist role, fleshing out the stages he starred in from Super Mario 3D World.
Ported to Switch (and 3DS) in 2018, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker sported expanded content and co-op options. There’s more to this one than meets the eye, in terms of replay value and secrets to collect, but the port just couldn’t compete with the high caliber of Switch exclusives that were available by this point.
3 Akane
The Switch doesn’t have the graphical grunt of its competitors, there’s no denying that. One huge benefit it does have over other systems, though, is its portability. Owners around the world have found the docked and handheld options to be a huge asset when it comes to versatile gaming sessions.
For playing on the go, bite-sized experiences are ideal. This is where Akane shines. In CubicGames’ stylish, futuristic slasher, there’s just one stage, one young heroine with a katana and gun, and infinite amounts of angry Yakuza enemies to dispatch. Seamlessly transitioning between your firearm and blade, utilizing special techniques to avoid grim deaths and earning new unlockables by completing bonus objectives is endlessly satisfying, and its budget price is very tempting.
2 ARMS
When Nintendo ventures into unfamiliar genres, they certainly make their own marks upon them. The Super Smash Bros. series is far from your conventional fighting game and ARMS was really something special.
In this madcap fighter, players battle using their character’s extendible arms. Different loadouts can be equipped to add elemental properties and so on, and the cast’s unique abilities are great fun too. It’s another title that looks incredibly silly, but has a surprising amount of depth. Sadly, it’s been all but forgotten on its own merits since the Switch’s early days (though Min Min’s launch in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate gave it a bit of a renaissance).
1 Blasphemous
Finally, we have a darn punishing Metroidvania that may have gotten a little lost among the many quality genre entries we’ve seen of late. The Game Kitchen’s Blasphemous is a Kickstarter success story from 2017, an atmospheric jaunt through the mysterious and terrifying land of Cvstodia.
Blasphemous is defined by its stunning visuals, unique equipment system (rosary beads, relics and more can be found and equipped) and one-of-a-kind art style. It has many parallels to Dark Souls; a 2D take on the concept that will grip those who enjoy going out of their way and examining items to learn more about the world. Gory, grotesque and unforgettable, with an expansive free update named The Stir Of Dawn to dive into now!
NEXT: 10 Best Games Of The Metroidvania Revival
