Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games in 2026 (So Far): 14 Picks Worth Your Time

Updated September 29, 2026. The best Nintendo Switch 2 games right now are a mix of Nintendo exclusives and surprisingly strong third-party ports. If you want the short version: start with Donkey Kong Bananza, the Switch 2 Edition of Tears of the Kingdom and Hades II, then pick from this year's standouts, including Pokémon Pokopia, Resident Evil Requiem, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition. Below are 14 picks, all already released on Switch 2, with critic scores attributed to Metacritic as checked today.

How we picked these Switch 2 games

Every game on this list is already out on Nintendo Switch 2 as of September 29, 2026. We skipped anything that is only announced, and we skipped original Switch games that merely run on the new console through backward compatibility unless they received a dedicated Switch 2 Edition.

Scores come from Metacritic and refer to the Switch 2 version where Metacritic lists one separately. Several multiplatform games score differently per platform, so we note that where it matters. A high score is a starting point, not a verdict: we also weigh how well each game suits a hybrid console you will often play handheld.

The list covers games released in 2025 as well as 2026. The Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025, and some of its best games are from that first year, so leaving them out would make the list less useful to anyone who just bought the console.

The 14 best Switch 2 games at a glance

Metacritic scores as displayed on September 29, 2026. Scores can shift as more reviews are added.

Nintendo exclusives you should play first

1. Donkey Kong Bananza

Genre: 3D platformer. Released: July 17, 2025. Metacritic: 91 from 143 critic reviews.

This is the game that best shows what Nintendo built the Switch 2 for. You explore a large underground world as Donkey Kong with Pauline, and almost everything around you can be smashed. DK can tear chunks out of the terrain and throw them, which turns levels into playgrounds rather than fixed obstacle courses. Critics compared its sense of exploration to Super Mario Odyssey. The main complaints from players are camera trouble while digging and some repetition in the loop.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Genre: Open-world action-adventure. Released: June 5, 2025. Metacritic: 95.

If you skipped Tears of the Kingdom on the original Switch because of the frame rate, this is the version to play. The Switch 2 Edition adds a higher resolution, higher frame rates, HDR support and faster loading, plus the Zelda Notes companion service for finding shrines and Koroks and sharing Autobuild blueprints. Owners of the original game can buy an upgrade pack instead of the full game. Breath of the Wild got the same treatment and scores 94.

3. Pokémon Pokopia

Genre: Life sim and building. Released: March 5, 2026. Metacritic: 89 from 116 critic reviews.

Pokopia is not a traditional Pokémon RPG. You play as a Ditto rebuilding a desolate world: gather resources, craft, and build habitats that attract Pokémon back across five areas. Reviewers repeatedly compared it to Animal Crossing and Minecraft. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Nintendo, and it is available only on Switch 2. The main critical knock is that some building quests feel rigid and repetitive.

4. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

Genre: Tactical RPG. Released: September 17, 2026. Metacritic: 89 from 77 critic reviews.

The newest game on this list, and a strong one. Intelligent Systems sends four heroes through interconnected timelines to stop the demon god Balor, mixing grid-based tactical battles with city exploration, dungeon crawling and a tournament called the Heroic Games. Critics say it combines the strengths of Three Houses and Engage. Be aware that some reviewers found Normal difficulty too easy and the free-time activities too long, so series veterans should consider a harder setting.

5. Mario Kart World

Genre: Kart racing. Released: June 5, 2025. Metacritic: 86 from 132 critic reviews.

The Switch 2 launch game connects its courses into one open world, supports up to 24 racers, and adds Knockout Tour, a mode of back-to-back races with elimination checkpoints. It is the default pick for couch and online multiplayer. It is also the most divisive game here with players: the user score sits at 7.0, with complaints about the sparse open world and the intermission tracks between Grand Prix races. Critics were far kinder.

6. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Genre: First-person adventure. Released: December 4, 2025. Metacritic: 78 from 126 critic reviews.

Retro Studios' long-awaited sequel is the lowest-scoring pick here, and reviews were split. Some critics called it the closest the series has felt to the original Metroid Prime; others said it adds little new. We include it because boss design and presentation were widely praised and it is still one of the few big first-person Nintendo adventures. Go in expecting a polished, fairly traditional Prime game.

Best third-party games on Switch 2

7. Hades II

Genre: Action roguelike. Released: September 25, 2025. Metacritic: 95.

Supergiant's sequel puts you in control of Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld, fighting the Titan of Time. Critics praised the fast, varied combat and a larger world than the original. Short runs make it one of the best handheld games on the console. Read more on our Hades II game hub.

8. Hollow Knight: Silksong

Genre: Metroidvania. Released: September 4, 2025. Metacritic: 91 on Switch 2 from 21 critic reviews.

You play as Hornet, climbing a new kingdom ruled by silk and song. It is hard, and some players dislike boss fights that lean on spawning enemies, but it is one of the best-reviewed games of the generation on any platform. Our Hollow Knight: Silksong hub collects our guides.

9. Resident Evil Requiem

Genre: Survival horror. Released: February 27, 2026. Metacritic: 90 on Switch 2 from 21 critic reviews.

Capcom's latest mainline Resident Evil launched on Switch 2 alongside other platforms. It splits play between FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, whose sections lean into slower survival horror, and Leon S. Kennedy, whose sections lean into action. That mix keeps a long campaign from feeling monotonous.

10. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition

Genre: Open-world action RPG. Released: August 28, 2026. Metacritic: 90 from 51 critic reviews.

The Switch 2 version bundles the base game with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion plus extra weapons, armor and Torrent skins. Critics note it targets 30fps and has some visual compromises versus other platforms, so if you already own a PS5 or a capable PC, that remains the better way to play. If the Switch 2 is your main console, this is a genuine must-own. See our Elden Ring hub for more.

11. Onimusha: Way of the Sword

Genre: Action adventure. Released: September 4, 2026. Metacritic: 90 on Switch 2 from 18 critic reviews.

Capcom's samurai revival is built around counter-based sword combat, which reviewers singled out as its biggest strength. Interestingly, the Switch 2 version currently scores higher on Metacritic than the PS5 version (85), though it has far fewer reviews. Common criticisms are repetitive side activities and recycled bosses.

12. Pragmata

Genre: Sci-fi action adventure. Released: April 17, 2026. Metacritic: 89 on Switch 2 from 24 critic reviews.

You control Hugh and the android girl Diana at the same time on a lunar facility run by a rogue AI: Hugh moves and shoots while Diana hacks. That hack-and-shoot combat is what critics praised most. It is one of the more original new games on the console this year.

13. Mina the Hollower

Genre: Top-down action-adventure. Released: May 29, 2026. Metacritic: 90 on PC from 69 critic reviews.

From Yacht Club Games, the Shovel Knight studio, Mina mixes burrowing, whip combat and exploration in a pixel-art world that critics compared to classic Zelda. Some players dislike the lack of a detailed map and its Soulslike elements, though difficulty modifiers are available.

14. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

Genre: Open-world action RPG. Released: June 5, 2025. Metacritic: 85.

A launch-day port that includes Update 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion. It is the complete version of a huge RPG, playable handheld. Our Cyberpunk 2077 hub has more.

Which Switch 2 game should you buy first?

• You want one showcase game: Donkey Kong Bananza.
• You play with family or friends on the couch: Mario Kart World.
• You want something relaxing: Pokémon Pokopia.
• You mostly play handheld in short sessions: Hades II.
• You want a long strategy RPG: Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave.
• You want big third-party games without a PS5 or PC: Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, Resident Evil Requiem or Onimusha.
• You already own Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 1: buy the upgrade pack rather than the full game.

Our advice is the same as always: wait for reviews rather than buying on trailers, and check whether a third-party game on Switch 2 is also cheaper on a platform you already own.

Honorable mentions

These also score well on Switch 2 but did not make the main 14: Breath of the Wild – Switch 2 Edition, Split Fiction (also covered on our Split Fiction hub), Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Street Fighter 6, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park, and Kirby Air Riders.

Coming soon to Switch 2 (officially dated)

Only titles with an official release date are listed. Everything else is "2026" or "2027" at best, so we left it out.

• October 16, 2026: Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4 remakes (digital; Capcom lists physical versions for January 29, 2027).
• October 22, 2026: Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, a Switch 2 exclusive with 12 motion-controlled sports on Wuhu Island.
• December 4, 2026: Monster Hunter Wilds, with cross-play. Capcom says the Ascendance expansion follows on Switch 2 in 2027.
• December 10, 2026: Professor Layton and the New World of Steam (also on Switch 1, PS5 and PC).
• January 28, 2027: Metroid Ravenous, a new 2D Metroid exclusive to Switch 2.
• February 25, 2027: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – Definitive Edition.

For everything landing next month across all platforms, see our October 2026 release calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources checked on September 29, 2026 against Metacritic, Nintendo's official sites and news posts, Capcom investor relations and Nintendo Life.