With the Nintendo Switch 2 now approaching its second year out in the wild, we’ve had plenty of time to check out the biggest games that have made it largely attractive for the average gamer. Overall, we’d say we’re quite impressed by Nintendo’s first-party efforts and a fair number of third-party releases, but coming up with a solid list of the best Switch 2 games to play right now hasn’t been easy.
This is positive, actually, as the big ‘problem’ is that, so far, many developers have taken the ports and upgrades very seriously, pushing the hardware to its limits in many cases and making good use of its hybrid form factor and the extra control options. Thus, reducing our current favourite Switch 2 games to just 10 entries has been tricky to say the least. We’d love to include more notable picks, but we really don’t want it to become a chore to read through.
Needless to say, we’ll keep this list up-to-date with the hottest Switch 2 video games releasing in 2026 and beyond, but we can confidently say that even its limited launch-era lineup has made us hopeful about the console’s future and its surprising capabilities to punch above its weight.
This article will rotate games in and out and isn’t meant to represent our top 10 all-time favourite games on the system, but to encourage discovery based on our impressions and time with recent native releases.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launched without a Nintendo Switch 2 edition last year, but after an annoyingly long wait, it’s finally arrived. Hitting resolution as high as 1440p while docked and sticking to 60 FPS most of the time, it levels up the fun racing experience that felt quite limited on the first Switch.
It’s also the best “kart racing” game on Switch 2 at the time of writing in terms of options and a good selection of traditional circuits. Whereas Mario Kart World bet too many chips on a half-baked open world and the fantastic Knockout Tour mode, the latest Sonic Racing sticks to what the series has always done best, and the “CrossWorlds” gimmick that mixes and matches different levels is good enough to keep things fresh as you obtain new kart parts and clear all of its challenges solo or with other players.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade (its definitive version first released on PC and current-gen consoles) is remarkable and by far one of the cleanest and sharpest third-party AAA ports on Nintendo’s new system. Yes, it was originally on PS4 and thus isn’t a full-blown current-gen title, but remains a cutting-edge looker which can get hectic quite often. Throughout it all, the framerate remains rock-solid and locked to 30, at least if you’re docked, with the handheld mode only dropping frames in certain areas (and it’s masked well in any case by the VRR display).
The game itself controls well no matter which mode you choose (full real-time combat or command-based), and comes with all the QoL updates and improvements added since 2020 and with the Intergrade upgrade. That also includes the DLC starring Yuffie, which is better played after the core FF7 story. In case you were wondering, this is part 1 of a planned trilogy, with Rebirth also making its jump to Switch 2 in 2026 if delays don’t happen. No spoilers, but this Remake trilogy isn’t really a remake, so replaying the original (or experiencing it for the first time) is still encouraged!
Star Wars Outlaws
If Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 (learn about it below) was the console’s first impossible port and a great sign of good things to come from third-party developers, then Star Wars Outlaws marked the second time a massive current-gen open-world experience was successfully ported to Nintendo’s little brave machine. The most shocking bit is that Ubisoft Massive didn’t have to sacrifice the base-level ray tracing features to make it run smoothly (at 30 FPS) and markedly better than on any of the handheld PCs in the market.
The game itself, which lets us embrace the scoundrel fantasy in a galaxy far, far away, already wowed us last year, but after a number of substantial updates to rework a few systems and better deliver on combat and stealth (plus two pretty decent expansions), it easily sits among the best Star Wars games in recent memory. Whether you’re speeding through the Dune Sea on Tatooine, winning several Sabacc rounds at a cantina, or taking on entire fighter squadrons inside an asteroid field, Outlaws impresses with a highly detailed (and always fun) simulation of living a dangerous life in the Star Wars universe.
Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red’s long-awaited future-set RPG was a hard sell back in 2020 due to its many technical issues and some half-baked systems. Almost five years later, it’s easily one of the best RPGs ever. Cyberpunk 2077’s Nintendo Switch 2 port – complete with the current-gen-exclusive Phantom Liberty expansion – sounded like crazy talk at first, but now that it’s here and we’ve played it, we’re super impressed. It just feels illegal to play, like it shouldn’t be possible, yet here we are. Considering the size of Nintendo’s new console versus handheld PCs like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, this is the best and most painless way to enjoy Night City on the go.
As long as you’re okay with 30/40 FPS caps (depending on which graphical mode you choose) and some hiccups while traversing the Dogtown area of the map, Cyberpunk 2077 is the most impressive piece of software you can install on your Switch 2 at the moment of writing. This isn’t a greatly dialled-down version of the gorgeous-looking RPG. By and large, it looks roughly the same even without ray tracing and running at much lower resolutions. It also plays fine because it’s not an extremely fast-paced title. Moreover, it’s the most feature-complete Switch 2 game we’ve come across at launch, packing gyro and mouse controls, touchscreen options, and even cross-save support.
Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon Pokopia has been crushing it, and with very good reason: It really feels like the best first-party Switch 2 release so far by a lot. Familiar but surprising. Easy to pick up but full of depth and options. Creativity-oriented but also welcoming. It expertly mixes the best of games like Minecraft with more relaxed, cozy heavy hitters like the latest Animal Crossing.
Before you even get to the endgame’s extra areas and its amazing multiplayer options, Pokopia is full of wonder and discovery and ways to improve the world however you please. The Pokémon you meet come from across all generations so far, and with a more mature storyline than you’d expect as the cherry on top, we could even say it’s among the top Pokémon games ever.
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem hasn’t disappointed. Quite the opposite if you ask us. But what about its Switch 2 port? Surely Capcom bit too much, right? Nope, you’d be wrong to think it’s a misfire. It’s actually quite impressive and one of the best third-party Switch 2 releases so far. If you can’t play the latest Resident Evil anywhere else, you’ll be getting a notable experience on Nintendo’s hybrid console too.
The trick here comes from the console’s unique DLSS support which has allowed it to take on games that would be too much under normal circumstances. Taking a 540p native output and reconstructing it to 1080p pays off, and even when the frames per second go down for too long, the handheld-mode VRR is strong enough to mask much of the sluggishness. It’s not a perfect translation by any means, and there are some levels which can get a bit rough, but otherwise, you’re getting the full RE Requiem ride with no major cuts to its presentation.
Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption’s Switch 1 port in 2023 (which arrived alongside other ports for modern consoles) was a success, but after Switch 2’s launch, we were left wondering if we’d get the patch or native version that could make it truly sing. It’s now finally arrived for all current-gen consoles, and the modern classic has never looked or played better.
Following the resolution bump and raised FPS cap, Red Dead Redemption has gained a second life, looking better than lots of later games (this one’s from 2010!). It also plays smoother, which isn’t a total surprise considering how shooting-heavy it is. Moreover, mouse controls have been added to the Switch 2 release, and all of the upgrades are available at no extra cost if you already had the original Switch release. More of this, please, and get working on porting Red Dead Redemption 2 now.
Fallout 4
Following a not-so-great (but now perfectly fine) Skyrim port, expectations for Bethesda’s Fallout 4 on Switch 2 weren’t very high, but we were happy to be wrong. Returning to the Boston wasteland has never felt more captivating. Both docked and on the go, this is a remarkable port which hits various FPS targets and adjusts its graphical presentation realistically while making good use of Switch 2’s power. With DLSS support on the horizon, it’ll only get better.
Perhaps its biggest shortcomings versus the Skyrim port are the absence of mouse controls or unique features tailor-made for Nintendo’s console, at least for now. Regardless, I’ve been having a great time with this one while laying on bed, working away on my different camps and clearing all sorts of mutant-infested dungeons. My backlog is side-eyeing Fallout 4, but what can I say? Bethesda Game Studios’ RPGs feel like a perfect fit for the Switch 2 so far.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
The Switch 2 Edition of Hollow Knight: Silksong, one of 2025’s most celebrated (and long-awaited) games, is a tremendous success. Metroidvania lovers know it’s a must-play, but if you still haven’t made the jump or decided which version to get, grabbing its Switch 2 native version is a smart play… as long as you can endure brutal difficulty and more dungeons than anyone expected.
Whether you’re playing in portable or docked mode, the game can sacrifice some of its resolution output to hit 120 FPS. On the hybrid console’s own VRR-capable screen, it’s amazing to see running so smoothly, and since it’s a game that often asks for quick reflexes and split-second decisions, every extra frame counts. If you’re good with 60, you’ll get the sharpest 2D graphics you can currently get on this console. In any case, Silksong is both gorgeous and a marvellous piece of game design.
Donkey Kong Bananza
In the absence of a new 3D Mario (for now), Donkey Kong Bananza has quickly set a gold standard for new Nintendo-developed platformers on Switch 2. It’s big, loud, consistently inventive, and cheerful in ways that even Nintendo often fails to completely capture. Old-school game design can feel fresh with the right ideas behind it, and Bananza is the living proof of that.
Sure, this ‘collectathon’ adventure is often on the ‘too easy’ side of the scale, but when you take into account who the main target is and where the game’s strengths lie, resisting everything it confidently does is hard. From start to finish, this is one of the most rewarding first-party games of 2025, and one we’ll be playing (or replaying) for a long time as we seek to extract all ores and fossils from its almost fully destructible levels.
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