It’s hard to believe that it’s been a full three months since the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. The console is, surprisingly, already filled with an impressive lineup of games, too.

Of course, it helps that the Switch 2 is not only backward compatible with the original Nintendo Switch but also enhances some of its games.

As we head to the Holiday season, where Nintendo will release its biggest games of the year in Kirby Air Riders and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the Nintendo Switch 2 will surely be one of the hottest gift ideas of the year.

However, many have warned that picking up a game console so early in its life isn’t always a wise decision. More often than not, it’s lacking enough games. I’d argue that’s not the case here, and the best Switch games are more than capable of proving my point.

Here are some of the highest-rated Nintendo Switch 2 games as judged by critics.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

I’m still not sure how they were able to pull this game off on the original Switch’s hardware.

By 2023, it was definitely showing its age, continuing to fall behind other modern gaming consoles. Most third-party developers had completely abandoned ship at this point, but Nintendo was able to get the most out of their little console.

In many ways, Tears of the Kingdom is a celebration of gaming’s biggest trends. Its world is eerily reminiscent of Eden Ring, and it borrows so much from the burgeoning crafting and survival genres.

Yet despite ultimately being a hodgepodge of ideas, everything comes together, as if it’s all neatly wrapped and topped with a bow. Best of all, it runs like a dream on the Switch 2 hardware.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Tears of the Kingdom isn’t the only original Switch Zelda game to get new life on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Breath of the Wild was the game that was in dire need of a facelift. Don’t get me wrong; it looked absolutely fantastic in March of 2017. In March of 2025, though, it’s certainly long in the tooth.

Booting the game up for the first time on the Switch 2 and taking those first steps to explore Hyrule is something I’ll never forget. It’s a true work of art to see how much better this game looks.

Sure, gameplay-wise, it’s more or less the same game from eight years ago, but hey, it was a pretty good game back then, and it’s still a fantastic game today.

Donkey Kong Bananza

After the breakout success of Super Mario Odyssey, one of, if not the, best 3D platformer ever made, it was hard to see how Nintendo would top itself.

Odyssey addresses every concern I have from past Mario games, giving players an unprecedented amount of freedom. Then along came Donkey Kong Bananza and showed us what’s really up.

While Mario Odyssey hinted at a true open-world platforming experience, Bananza delivers it in spades. There’s so much fun to be had venturing off the beaten path and exploring for the sake of exploring.

Sure, you’ll find some hidden goodies and collectibles, which gives you the dopamine rush that makes these games great, but most of the fun to be had here is just aimless exploring and controlling DK and Pauline. It feels a lot like how we spent hours as kids exploring the castle courtyard in Super Mario 64.

Split Fiction

It’s still hard to believe that It Takes Two, the co-op platformer made by the guy who ranted at The Game Awards, won Game of the Year in 2021. That’s the beauty of the modern era of gaming, though: the best titles are coming from the most unexpected places.

To be perfectly honest, in any other year, Split Fiction would be a shoo-in for Game of the Year; it’s just going against some real heavy hitters, including the previously mentioned Donkey Kong Bananza.

Split Fiction takes the co-op platformer and kicks it up a notch. There are so many ideas and genres being thrown at you, all of which blend seamlessly together. You’re never being overburdened or confused. In many ways, this feels like the quintessential Nintendo game: always throwing new ideas at the player and, somehow, they all work so well.

Mario Kart World

Yes, Mario Kart World is not without controversy; that $80 price tag still feels awkward in the eyes of many.

If you can look past that, or you picked up the Switch 2 bundle that came with Mario Kart World for $50, then you’re in for a real treat.

It took me a while to get used to the open-world design here. Not that I’m not happy it exists, but how the races work: it’s not three laps, but traveling from one course to another. I can see why people don’t like it, but once it grows on you, it allows the 24-player races to feel a little less chaotic.

The real start of the show, though, is the Knockout Tour. It’s without a doubt the best Battle Royale I have ever played.

Deltarune

Following the massive success of 2015’s Undertale, one of the best RPGs ever made, Toby Fox has been hard at work on Deltarune, his episodic RPG experience.

Finally, after seven years, we’re four chapters in with one more to go.

While waiting for every chapter, including the upcoming fifth, which hopefully releases next year, has been difficult, at least each entry has been worth it. Deltarune proves that Undertale was no fluke, and that these are some of the very best the indie world and gaming as a whole can offer.

Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut

It’s pretty remarkable to see how popular the Yakuza series has become over the years. It began way back in 2005 for the PS2 as what felt like a pretty generic beat ’em up.

Over time, though, they’ve morphed into something more. Something that can only be described as a celebration of everything that makes video games great.

Now we’re at the point where the Nintendo Switch 2 launches with the timed exclusive release of Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, featuring new cutscenes, English voiceover, and more.

At its heart, though, it’s still the same game that features an emotional, impactful main narrative that’s supplemented by some of the wildest, craziest, and funniest side quests you’ll ever see in a video game.

Here’s all you need to know: there’s a side quest that lets you obtain a chicken by throwing three strikes in a row in bowling. Said chicken can then be a manager for your real estate empire. Seriously!

Cyberpunk 2077

There’s been a lot of talk about third-party games running poorly on the Switch 2. Ironically, the one that runs well is the game that had one of the worst launches of all time.

Cyberpunk 2077 continues to be one of the best stories in video games. The way CD Projekt RED has revived the game from its deathbed after its disastrous release in 2020 should be studied by every developer.

Now, they’ve brought their futuristic sci-fi RPG to the Nintendo Switch 2, allowing players to explore Night City wherever they are. Sure, you could have done that before with a Steam Deck or a similar device, but there’s something about the comfort of the Switch 2 that can’t be beat.

Plus, not everyone can afford such a device; some people are only buying a Switch 2, so to see them be able to play one of the best games of the decade, and also to see it perform well, is a delight.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

It may not be Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, but this is still a pure, old-school Tony Hawk experience.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the changes in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, but honestly, I feel like they worked out in the end. There’s something about the arcade style of gameplay over the quasi-open-world experience that I prefer in these games. It feels like there’s more pressure on me to get things done, but in a good way.

I’m encouraged to perfect my runs and improve at the game, and that’s where these games have always succeeded.

The highlight of these two entries in the series remains the soundtrack, which features new songs, and the over-the-top stages.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

It’s hard to say if there was a Nintendo mascot that needed a rebranding more than Kirby. Not that there’s anything wrong with Kirby; I love Kirby! However, the games were starting to get a certain stigma around them of being overly accessible and lacking any real challenge.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land took that accusation to heart. It’s an excellent platformer that combines the trademark features of the Kirby franchise (swallowing up superpowers to progress through a stage and solve puzzles) with a more action/adventure feel than ever before.

The boss battles were a pleasant surprise, not just in terms of how they felt, but also how difficult they were at times.

The Switch 2 Edition also offers more than a facelift, as it now comes complete with several hours of new gameplay.