The 28 Best Nintendo Switch Games to Play in 2022

Get your splat on this September when Splatoon 3 blasts onto Nintendo Switch. The third entry in Nintendo’s popular action shooter has it all: Turf War online multiplayer, Return of the Mammalians story mode and the next iteration of the Salmon Run co-op wave battles.

Bayonetta returns in an all-new stylish action game for Nintendo Switch on October 28, 2022. The titular Umber Witch faces off against a new evil using her signature pistols and time-slowing Witch Time power, plus her all-new Demon Masquerade ability to directly control giant monsters in larger-than-life battles.

Widely regarded as one of the best Switch games ever made, Breath of the Wild delivers a huge open world to explore, brain-teasing puzzles and combat that’s simple for young gamers, yet deep enough for veteran fans.

In this biggest LEGO Star Wars game ever, you and your family can play through video game adaptations of all nine episodes, including the original, prequel and sequel Star Wars trilogies. The Skywalker Saga combines inviting gameplay suitable for all ages along with classic Star Wars scenes infused with signature LEGO video game humour.

The much-anticipated follow up to Fire Emblem Warriors arrives June 24 for Nintendo Switch. This epic adventure is set in the same world as Fire Emblem: Three Houses where Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude must save a war-torn Fódlan. Expect large-scale battles, action-packed combat and controllable heroes that can unleash devastating combos.

With its 32 Mario-themed tracks, four-player racing action and the return of Battle Mode, this game gives you and your family near endless fun. All the fan-favourite characters from the Wii U version are back like Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach, plus the Splatoon Inklings appear as all-new guests.

Nintendo’s super-charged soccer-like sports series returns with a new entry on Nintendo Switch coming June 10. There are no rules in the five-on-five Strike mode where you can tackle opponents, use power-ups and pull off game-scoring Hyper Strikes. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad and other famous Super Mario characters round out Battle League’s all-star roster.

The Wii phenomenon makes its way to Nintendo Switch on April 29. Nintendo Switch Sports will get your whole family moving with events like Soccer, Volleyball, Bowling, Tennis, Badminton, and Chambara (Swordplay)—all with intuitive and precise motion controls using the Switch’s Joy-Con controller.

For the first time ever, PlayStation Studios’ critically acclaimed baseball series is hitting Nintendo Switch. MLB The Show 22 includes modes for everyone, from the Road to the Show baseball RPG experience to the Diamond Dynasty fantasy card-collection mode.

No need to choose between gaming and fitness—Ring Fit Adventure combines both into a fun and active role-playing game the whole family will enjoy. It features Custom Workouts that lets you combine exercises into a routine and minigames to target specific muscle groups.

Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach are once again teaming up with the Rabbids in this highly anticipated follow-up to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Sparks of Hope, which releases on October 20, 2022, brings back the hilarious Rabbid Luigi and Rabbid Peach, plus new friends including Rabbid Rosalina and Spark companions that make their series debut.

Play as different heroes throughout the ages in this remake of the classic Super Nintendo turn-based RPG. Live a Live will have you travel to historic Edo Japan, the Wild West, present day and the near future all featuring new characters, new enemies and unique HD-2D visual styles. 

The thrilling next chapter in the Xenoblade series battles its way onto Nintendo Switch. This latest entry focuses on Noah and Mio, members of the opposing nations of Keves and Agnus, and together you’ll engage in real-time action RPG combat on the field, plus explore a deep character class progression system to truly customize your team.

Sprigatito the cat, Fuecoco the croc or Quaxly the duckling—who will you choose as your starter when Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet arrives on Nintendo Switch this November? The newest chapter in the Pokémon series is taking an evolutionary step with its first ever fully open world to explore while discovering plenty of new Pokémon, characters and secrets along your journey.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set to open new doors for the popular franchise by fusing action with RPG elements. For the first time ever, Pokémon Trainers will set out to survey and research Pokémon in their natural habitat and complete the first-ever Pokédex for the Hisui region—how exciting!

Tactical RPG fans won’t want to miss Triangle Strategy from the producer of Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler. This gorgeous game blends HD-2D visuals with 3D environments and has a superb story featuring over 20 playable characters where control of the Serenoa realm is at stake.

Metroid Dread is one of the best action games available on Nintendo Switch yet. Its combination of incredible graphics, buttery-smooth gameplay and stunning boss battles make it a must-play action-platforming title. But be aware it has a stiff challenge, so it might be best suited for older, more experienced gamers.

Explore 18 kingdoms as Mario and his new pal Cappy, a sentient hat that lets you take control of enemies, like Koopa Troopas and even a T-Rex. You can also play two-player co-op with one person controlling Mario while the other is Cappy and assist each other along the entire journey.

Nintendo’s powerful and cute pink puffball, Kirby, stars in his first full 3D platforming adventure. In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, you’ll float off on an exciting and intriguing quest to explore a mysterious world where nature has taken over civilization. Its two-player co-op mode let’s one person play as Kirby while the other controls the spear-wielding Bandana Waddle Dee!

Minecraft is one of the most popular kids’ games on the planet. Young builders can unleash their creativity to create anything from simple houses to elaborate castles and even entire worlds.

Who’s got the sharpest brain in the family? You can find out when the whole family puts their gray matter to the test in Big Brain Academy. This game lets you go brain-to-brain with friends or family in frantic tests focused on math, reading, memorization, shapes and more.

Nintendo’s four-player virtual board game series is back, this time with over 100 minigames where the whole family will be climbing, racing or balancing their way to victory. Fan-favourite Super Mario characters make their return including Luigi, Peach, Wario, Yoshi, Birdo and, of course, the famous plumber himself, Mario.

Featuring eight-player local play and four-player online battles, this game will bring out the family’s competitive spirit every weekend during game night. It has a huge cast of famous Nintendo characters children adore, like Mario, Peach, Kirby, Pikachu and more.

If you’re looking for the best kid-friendly game, it’s hard to top what New Horizons offers. As a new villager on a deserted island, your kiddo can start their own town and have a blast doing leisurely activities like fishing for the biggest catch, creating their dream garden, or participating in seasonal events with fellow villagers.

This unique role-playing simulation game combines stylish RPG combat with the ability to farm and tame monsters. You can also take time out of your adventure to enjoy the finer things in life, such as cooking, crafting and fishing, plus forge friendships that may even lead to marriage and a family.

This compilation of classic Disney video games combines the 16-Bit console versions of Aladdin, The Lion King and The Jungle Book into one exciting package. Each game includes custom filter options to represent retro CRT TVs, plus the new rewind feature lets you instantly wind back time to retry difficult areas.

Celebrating the legacy of one of gaming’s most iconic game series, the Wonder Boy Collection combines four of the very best Wonder Boy games in one awesome collection. You get the original 1986 arcade game, Wonder Boy in Monster Land (1987), Wonder Boy in Monster World (1991) and Monster World IV (1994). All four titles include modern enhancements like filters and shaders, a rewind button, save feature, plus a beautiful art gallery.

The Capcom Fighting Collection is an anthology of 10 classic competitive games, faithfully reproduced to play just like they did in the arcades. It includes all five titles from the Darkstalkers series, Hyper Street Fighter II, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo and Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix. And you get Red Earth, a fantasy 2D fighting game, appearing for the first time on home consoles.