Nintendo Switch had another great year for games, here are our top 14 best Switch games of 2018!
Picking out a new gaming console is one thing, but deciding which games to play on the system is another entirely. If you’re reading this, presumably it means you already have a Nintendo Switch console or picked it as your big holiday purchase/gift. The next step is to choose some great Switch games to go along with your Nintendo console.
That’s where Walmart Canada can help. We’ve gone through the game selection on Walmart.ca and selected our 14 best Nintendo Switch games that arrived in 2018. Here they are!
Best Switch Games of 2018
1. Super Mario Party
2. Starlink: Battle For Atlas
3. Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee!
4. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
5. Dark Souls Remastered
6. LEGO DC Super-Villains
7. Sonic Mania Plus
8. Just Dance 2019
9. Mario Tennis Aces
10. Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country
11. The World Ends with You: Final Remix
12. Diablo III: Eternal Collection
13. Octopath Traveler
14. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
1 Super Mario Party – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: E]
Metacritic Score: 76 | Super Mario Party Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Couch co-op for up to four players is the backbone of the game.
- Super Mario Party features an astonishing 80 brand new mini-games to play through.
- Plenty of unlockables to keep you coming back for more.
If couch co-op gaming is what led to you to grab a Nintendo Switch in the first place, then Super Mario Party is a strong addition to your gaming library. The title features four-player mini-game action that’s sure to lead to some serious bragging rights or tense friendships. Whatever the end result, you’ll have a heap of fun getting there.
2 Starlink: Battle For Atlas – Ubisoft [ESRB Rating: E10+]
Metacritic Score: 74 | Starlink: Battle For Atlas Trailer
Why this game is great:
- The Nintendo Switch version features Star Fox’s own Fox McCloud as an exclusive pilot.
- Starlink has some of the greatest space combat in gaming so far.
- The in-game world is so large that it feels like you are exploring several galaxies.
Anyone that said the toy-to-life genre was dead probably hasn’t played Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Ubisoft has managed to create one of the most engaging sci-fi titles in recent memory with Starlink, a game combining real-life toys and thrilling gameplay. Nintendo Switch owners get an amazing exclusive too—Fox McCloud is exclusive to the Switch version of the game. That is more than incentive enough for any Star Fox fan looking for a very different take on space combat.
3 Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! / Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee! – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: E]
Metacritic Score: 81 | Pokémon Let’s Go Trailer
Why this game is great:
- A complete reimagining of the original Pokémon adventure in the Kanto region.
- Allows players to connect with Pokémon GO on their mobile device, and transfer over Pokémon to this game.
- The first major Pokémon game to arrive on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch owners have been clamouring for a Pokémon title since the console launch in 2017, and while we haven’t had to wait all that long, now we finally have two. Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon Let’s Go, Eevee! are retellings of the Game Boy classic Pokémon: Yellow Version. They’ve also been designed to seamlessly integrate with the super-popular mobile game sensation, Pokémon GO. For serious Pokémon Trainers, you can take your Pokémon Let’s Go gaming to the next level with the Poké Ball Plus. This wireless controller lets you feel like a real Pokémon Trainer as you use natural throwing motions to capture Pokémon all throughout the Kanto region!
4 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: E10+]
Metacritic Score: NA | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Features a total of 74 fighters consisting of Nintendo all-stars and iconic guest characters.
- An exciting single-player campaign called World of Light for anyone that would rather brawl solo.
- Supports up to eight players duking it out at once.
When it comes to the greatest crossover of all time, The Avengers doesn’t have anything on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The game features iconic playable characters from throughout gaming history, such as Mario, Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man, and believe it or not, more than 70 others. If that weren’t enough, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also supports eight-player matches.
Without sounding too cliché, there’s a lot of value in Ultimate. Plus, it features Inklings as playable characters for the first time, and they’re just splat-tacular!
You might also like: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Interview with Nintendo’s Andrew Collins
5 Dark Souls Remastered – Bandai Namco [ESRB Rating: M]
Metacritic Score: 83 | Dark Souls Remastered Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Dark Souls has incredibly challenging gameplay that keeps you hooked.
- This is a favourite gaming series made portable thanks to the handheld nature of Nintendo Switch.
- This remaster also includes the Artorias of the Abyss DLC free-of-charge
Dark Souls, a term that has become a representation of all that is challenging and slightly infuriating in the world of gaming, is unquestionably one of the most demanding games ever created. With Dark Souls Remastered, available now on Switch, Nintendo gamers can kickstart discussions about whether Dark Souls is the ‘Dark Souls’ of the Dark Souls franchise. Give it a moment, it makes sense.
6 LEGO DC Super-Villains – WB Games [ESRB Rating: E10+]
Metacritic Score: 75 | LEGO DC Super-Villains Trailer
Why this game is great:
- There are plenty of fan-fan-favourite DC villains to play as.
- The collectable and quality nature of LEGO games remains firmly in place with a DC Comics twist on it all.
- You can create your very own super-villain to cause havoc with
Sometimes it’s good to be bad. At least, that’s what I’d imagine the cast of LEGO DC Super-Villains would tell you if they weren’t digital moulded-plastic beings. If you’ve yet to jump into a LEGO video game, this is the perfect opportunity to have fun while getting into heaps of trouble. You are a bad guy, after all.
7 Sonic Mania Plus – SEGA [ESRB Rating: E]
Metacritic Score: 91 | Sonic Mania Plus Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Fast-paced and frantic as ever, Sonic Mania Plus is a wonderful throwback to the origins of the Blue Blur.
- Plenty of characters that makes playing through the adventure multiple times a joy.
- Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel are playable in this
very Plus version of Sonic Mania
There’s nothing quite like the rose-tinted rush of an old-school video game, especially when it’s reimagined and given a fresh coat of paint. Sonic Mania Plus features a number of remixed classic levels and gameplay to create the ultimate retro Sonic the Hedgehog experience. This 90s throwback game has received universal praise, with top critics agreeing it’s the best Sonic game to come along since the 16-bit originals.
Plus, you can play as Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel, both of whom are welcome changeups from Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.
8 Just Dance 2019 – Ubisoft [ESRB Rating: E]
Metacritic Score: 73 | Just Dance 2019 Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Shaking your groove thang to hit songs has never been easier than it is in Just Dance 2019.
- A total of 40 tunes to get funky to are featured here.
- Allows you to dance with several other players to share in the excitement (and embarrassment).
Anyone eager enough to pursue the art of ‘busting a move’ should shimmy on over to Just Dance 2019 for Nintendo Switch. Now you can break out into spontaneous dance in the comfort of your own home without those uncomfortable stares. Plus, you get the reinforcement of in-game praise and applause that accompanies a flawlessly-executed routine.
9 Mario Tennis Aces – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: E]
Metacritic Score: 75 | Mario Tennis Aces Trailer
Why this game is great:
- One of the best party games found on any console.
- An entire single-player mode that is equal parts fun and challenging.
- Free content is added regularly, ensuring that you get more bang for your buck.
Jumping into a round of tennis with Mario and co. is about as happy-go-lucky as you’d expect. The game features 16 fan-favourite Nintendo characters including the usual suspects like Mario and Peach, plus fun newcomers including Chain Chomp. Better yet, Mario Tennis Aces is constantly updated with new playable characters for free. Already Nintendo has added Blooper, Koopa Troopa, Birdo, and a bunch more.
Free DLC characters is a pretty ace concept if you ask me.
10 Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: T]
Metacritic Score: 81 | Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Trailer
Why this game is great:
- A prequel to Xenoblade Chronicles 2 that fills in more backstory.
- Features a number of characters from the series’ past, including Shulk.
- The gameplay mechanics are some of the most intuitive in the franchise.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 panned out to be a JRPG fan’s perfect storm on the Nintendo Switch, with an engaging narrative and wonderful mechanics that hooks you in for hours. If that sounds good, then Torna, a meaty prequel to the main narrative, is the perfect place to start. Fans of the original should, of course, also check out this game to gain insight into the tragic events that doomed this kingdom.
11 The World Ends With You: Final Remix – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: T]
Metacritic Score: 77 | The World Ends With You: Final Remix Trailer
Why this game is great:
- A very unique personality and style that makes it feel like anything else on the market.
- Plenty of crazy combat that ties into the rhythm of the in-game music.
- Features two-player co-op on the Nintendo Switch.
You’d be forgiven for believing that The World Ends With You: Final Remix, at least aesthetically, resembles a Final Fantasy game. With that said, this Square Enix series has a unique style and personality all to its own. It’s an action role-playing game that features two-player co-op on the Nintendo Switch.
Sounds pretty cool, right? That’s because it is.
12 Diablo III: Eternal Collection – Blizzard [ESRB Rating: M]
Metacritic Score: 87 | Diablo III: Eternal Collection Trailer
Why this game is great:
- The thrill and grind of Diablo III made portable with Nintendo Switch.
- Every expansion for the original game included as part of the Eternal Collection.
- The Nintendo Switch version features exclusive gear and items based on The Legend of Zelda.
Before its announcement, critics probably thought that it would be a cold day in… well, you know, before Blizzard’s Diablo III ever released on Nintendo Switch. Now that the holidays are upon us and the weather is getting noticeably colder, it looks like they were partially right. As a bonus, the Switch version of the Eternal Collection also comes with an armour set that lets you take on the appearance of The Legend of Zelda’s dark lord, Ganondorf.
13 Octopath Traveler – Nintendo [ESRB Rating: T]
Metacritic Score: 83 | Octopath Traveler Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Features some of the best use of pixel graphics to create an endearing and beautiful landscape.
- Eight playable characters ensure that there are plenty of stories to be told and played through.
- A trademark JRPG that features all the bells and whistles that fans of the genre will adore.
I’ve never quite seen anything visually like the Nintendo Switch-exclusive Octopath Traveler. It has a beautiful HD-2D art style mixing 2D pixel art and stunning CG. With a masterclass developer like Square Enix behind the title, it was always going to be a hit. Suffice it to say, RPG gamers won’t want to miss out on this one.
14 Sid Meier’s Civilization VI – 2K Games [ESRB Rating: E10+]
Metacritic Score: 87 | Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Trailer
Why this game is great:
- Competitive and engaging turn-based strategy that can consume your attention for countless hours.
- A flawless Nintendo Switch port of Civilization VI.
- Four pieces of bonus DLC are included for free.
Continuing the tradition of hit third-party games getting ported to Nintendo Switch, along comes Sid Meier’s Civilization VI. This turn-based strategy game lets you become famous historical rulers like Genghis Khan, Gandhi, Cleopatra, or Teddy Roosevelt and live out your conquering dreams. The Nintendo Switch version benefits from receiving the latest updates and four pieces of bonus DLC adding new civilizations, leaders, and scenario. So take charge, and lead your civilization to glory through diplomacy, or domination.
That wraps up Walmart Canada’s list of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2018. With the holidays almost here, there’s a chance you may be wrapping up a few of them yourself!
See also: Best Gaming Laptops of 2018 – Available at Walmart Canada
