The Nintendo Switch\u2019s success should come as no surprise. It\u2019s an incredibly convenient and well-crafted console, capable of both being a standard home entertainment system and acting as a handheld for when you\u2019re on the go. With that in mind, it shouldn\u2019t be shocking that there are a wealth of great gaming experiences to choose from if you pick up a Switch in 2021. Not all Nintendo Switch games are created equal, but the best of them are some of the greatest games you\u2019ll ever play. Here are our top 10 favourite Nintendo Switch games in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Breath of the Wild <\/i>is simultaneously a huge departure from its franchise\u2019s conventions and a return to what made the original The Legend of Zelda <\/i>great. Its freeform, open-ended exploration makes each discovery a delight, and it forgoes the usual overabundance of items in favour of just a few, each of which can affect multiple situations and puzzles in different ways. We\u2019re only just starting to see the influence Breath of the Wild <\/i>is having on the gaming sphere, but it\u2019s a landmark game for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite years of stopgap releases \u2013 Super Mario 3D World<\/i>, New Super Mario Bros. U<\/i>, et cetera \u2013 Super Mario Odyssey <\/i>represents an instant return to form for everyone\u2019s favourite plumber. It\u2019s a classic 3D Mario <\/i>adventure, but the formula\u2019s been shaken up a little; instead of searching for a single star at the conclusion of a lengthy course, you\u2019re now hunting for Moons, which are dotted about each stage and can be collected by completing mini-challenges. This change has revitalised the franchise, and we\u2019re excited to see where it goes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is an unwritten law that every household with a Nintendo console must also have a copy of Mario Kart<\/i>. The Switch iteration of the classic kart racer comes complete with a staggering number of courses, characters, and karts to choose from. This is the definitive version of Mario Kart<\/i>, and although many might prefer different instalments to this one, it\u2019s hard to argue with the immediacy and joyousness of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe<\/i>. Just don\u2019t play it with friends if you\u2019re hoping to stay away from arguments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s something truly magical about being able to play From Software\u2019s genre-defining masterpiece on a handheld console. Dark Souls: Remastered <\/i>isn\u2019t at its best on the Switch; frame rates occasionally wobble, and you\u2019re not going to get the kind of graphical fidelity you could enjoy on next-gen platforms. Despite this, Dark Souls: Remastered <\/i>must be experienced at least once, and the Switch\u2019s convenience is the perfect way to navigate its treacherous dungeons and emotionally involving world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The original Pokemon Snap <\/i>is a classic, but there was definitely room for improvement. Happily, New Pokemon Snap <\/i>has implemented a lot of the changes we would have asked for back in the N64 days. The number of courses, number of \u2018mon to snap, and storyline have all been expanded, but at its core, New Pokemon Snap <\/i>is still the classic rail shooter-come-photography sim we all knew and loved. Pick this one up if you want something a little more slow-paced, but still thrilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we\u2019re going to have to wait a little longer for an honest-to-goodness 2D Metroid <\/i>game on the Switch, Hollow Knight <\/i>is the next best thing. It marries the complex exploratory gameplay of Nintendo\u2019s venerated series with the storytelling and emotional punch of Dark Souls<\/i>, making for a truly special experience. Hollow Knight <\/i>is also an embarrassment of riches; just when you think it\u2019s done, it keeps going for another few hours, and it pulls this trick more than once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Persona 5 Strikers <\/i>is in a somewhat strange position. It\u2019s a direct sequel to a game you can\u2019t actually get on the Switch, but it finds itself on Nintendo\u2019s console nevertheless. If you did play Persona 5 <\/i>on PS4 or PC \u2013 and if you want to carry the group\u2019s next adventure around with you \u2013 then Persona 5 Strikers <\/i>is an excellent proposition on the Switch. Don\u2019t let Koei Tecmo\u2019s name fool you; this isn\u2019t a Dynasty Warriors <\/i>spinoff. Instead, it\u2019s a fully-fledged action RPG starring some of the most lovable characters in RPG history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, it\u2019s a little less content-rich than its predecessors, but Animal Crossing: New Horizons <\/i>offers the same ultra-relaxing gameplay you\u2019ve come to expect from the franchise. This time around, it\u2019s all about Nook\u2019s tropical island paradise, and there\u2019s plenty to do there including shopping, shaping and sculpting your island, and chatting to the local residents. Think of New Horizons <\/i>more as a place to live rather than a game; it\u2019s an ongoing experience that sucks you in and keeps you playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supergiant\u2019s action-RPG-roguelike hybrid pulls off the impossible: integrating narrative into randomised gameplay and making it feel completely natural. You are Zagreus, rebellious son of Hades, who has pledged to escape the titular underworld in order to find his mother. Thing is, the pesky place keeps shifting around you. The moment-to-moment gameplay is satisfying enough, but it\u2019s in the world and characters of Greek mythology that Hades <\/i>truly comes alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone is here,\u201d said Sakurai, and he wasn\u2019t kidding. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate <\/i>boasts character inclusions from franchises as iconic as Mario<\/i>, Zelda<\/i>, and Metroid<\/i>, but they\u2019re joined by top-class third party offerings such as Final Fantasy VII<\/i>\u2019s Cloud and Sephiroth, Tekken<\/i>\u2019s Kazuya, and Banjo-Kazooie<\/i>\u2019s\u2026well\u2026Banjo and Kazooie. Smash <\/i>is an ultra-fast, ultra-technical fighter that rewards mastery, but it\u2019s also insanely accessible thanks to the sheer number of modes and options on offer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Nintendo Switch\u2019s success should come as no surprise. It\u2019s an incredibly convenient and well-crafted console, capable of both being a standard home entertainment system and acting as a handheld for when you\u2019re on the go. With that in mind, it shouldn\u2019t be shocking that there are a wealth of great gaming experiences to choose … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6191,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-videogames"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6189"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. <\/b>Super Mario Odyssey<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. <\/b>Mario Kart 8 Deluxe<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. <\/b>Dark Souls: Remastered<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. <\/b>New Pokemon Snap<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. <\/b>Hollow Knight<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. <\/b>Persona 5 Strikers<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. <\/b>Animal Crossing: New Horizons<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. <\/b>Hades<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. <\/b>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n