Get into the action with the best action games on the Nintendo Switch
- jul
- 21
The Nintendo Switch has plenty of awesome adventure games for you to play through. From games best played with friends to journeys through different worlds, there are a variety of different adventure games sure to pique your interest. Of all of them, Super Mario Odyssey rises to the top of the pack delivering the best Mario game that has ever been released with tons of worlds to explore, and hours to spend stomping on Goombas.
Best Overall: Super Mario Odyssey
When it comes to Nintendo games, there are few characters or franchises that are as well known as Mario. He appears all over the place, but his platforming adventures have been with gamers now for more than 30 thirty years. Super Mario Odyssey is the next big chapter in Mario's adventures, and it delivers a stellar experience that provides the gameplay you already love with a massive amount of new content.
Super Mario Odyssey starts with the same old story; Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser, who intends to marry her. This time, however, you have a new partner in Cappy, and King Koopa has also captured his sister. Cappy is the major new change to Mario's gameplay; by throwing him at enemies, you can possess them and their abilities to Mario's benefit. It means that you can take control of Goombas, frogs, and even a T-Rex. You'll also end up using Cappy as a weapon instead of just stomping enemies, and as a jumping pad during gameplay.
Super Mario Odyssey is massive. There are more than 16 different worlds to explore, and even after you finish the main campaign, there are new levels to unlock. Players do this by collecting power moons. While some moons are easy to find, getting some of them can be pesky. With over 500 moons in the game, there is a lot of replayability in trying to hunt down every one. One of the best parts of the game is that it never attempts to make itself more serious, or more difficult than it needs to be. It is great for kids and adults alike.
Pros:
- Cappy adds new features to gameplay
- Tons of worlds to unlock and explore
- Hundreds of moons to collect adds replayability to every level
Cons:
- Camera angles aren't always ideal
Best Overall
Super Mario Odyssey
Bowser has Princess Peach; it's time to rescue her
Super Mario Odyssey delivers a stellar platforming experience and adds new features that make the game more fun than ever.
Best with Friends: Super Smash Brothers
Super Smash Bros is what happens when you build a game around all of your favorite video game characters smashing each other to smithereens. It's a button-mashing, better-with-friends, explosion of chaos and fun. Smash Bros Ultimate has more content in one package than the franchise has ever managed before.
Controls in Smash have always been pretty simple, and that trend continues. You use the control stick and two buttons to move and launch attacks. Each character gets access to special moves that can be triggered, but the basics don't change from character to character. You can jump in and start having fun even if you're never played a single moment of Smash before. No health bars in Smash ever show up; instead, a percentile shows above your character. The higher this number goes, the more likely it is that you can be KO'd.
There are 108 different maps in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate; there really is a level that will delight any player. Along with so many levels, there are also a whopping 74 different characters to choose from when playing. You'll need to unlock most of the playable characters by gaming with the initial 11 characters that are available at the start.
Pros:
- More than 50 different characters to play
- Tons of gameplay options
- Easy for new players to jump in
Cons:
- Fight can be frustrating until you learn the controls
Best with Friends
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
It's an all-out brawl
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate pits dozens of video game characters against each other to fight to be the last one standing!
Best Platformer: Cuphead
Combining a nostalgia-fueled 1930s animation style with breakneck boss battles, Cuphead is a platformer unlike any other. To begin with, Cuphead is just plain hard from beginning to end. There is no learning curve here, and you may curse the game more than a few times as you play.
Cuphead starts with graphics that look like a love letter to Max Fleisher's art style of 1930s animation. Bright watercolor backgrounds, big eyes, juddery movements make it almost as fun to watch as it is to play. Along with the graphics, you get an excellent score to cement in the atmosphere of the game with jazz, ragtime, and big band music showing up at different points of gameplay.
Now, when we say Cuphead is hard, it is with a capital H. We're not kidding in the least. There are no save points during levels, no way to regain lost health, and with levels that can take over an hour to beat, it is not messing around. Boss battles constantly happen, along with streams of enemies. And if you thought opting into co-op mode with a friend would make it a bit easier, you are sorely mistaken.
Pros:
- Iconic 1930s art style
- Screen stays focused even with dozens of enemies
- Fantastic score
Cons:
- This game is HARD
Best Platformer
Cuphead
Boss battle central
Cuphead brings back all the nostalgia of classic platformers with endless boss battles, an amazing 1930s art design, and a difficulty that is not going to be everyone's cup of tea.
Best Pickup Play: Overcooked 2
In Overcooked 2, you and up to 3 more friends can all play as chefs in the same kitchen. Your goal is to prepare and serve the dishes that the Unbread are asking for. Along with many of the dishes from the first game, there are nine new recipes you'll need to master and a variety of small gameplay tweaks that make a big difference. The throw option makes it easier to get food started, or on the burner.
The dishes you need to make will appear in the upper right corner of your screen, and once you serve a dish, another one will appear. Many dishes require several steps, and some ingredients can be used on multiple food items. Likewise, not every component will need to be cooked, which means you'll need to keep an eye on the orders and communicate with your team members to ensure that nobody makes the wrong item.
If making the food wasn't crazy enough, the levels are just as chaotic. Some of them require you to use portals to get around, run along moving walkways, or deal with other chaos. At times, you might feel like Overcooked 2 is more of a platformer than a quick-play game, but it never gets less fun.
Pros:
- New throw option eliminates wasted time
- Ridiculous new levels to complete
- Nine recipes to master
Cons:
- Co-op is still superior to the single-player mode
Best Pickup Play
Overcooked 2
Let's get cooking
Overcooked 2 delivers a fun and frantic kitchen game. Whether you're going it solo, or with a team, it's time to get cooking.
Best Relaxing Play: Yoshi's Crafted World
Yoshi's Crafted World takes a different gambit when it comes to delivering a fun platformer that anyone can enjoy. With adorable graphics, an outfit system, and a play style that is never so difficult that you want to throw your controller across the room in frustration, it is a fun experience. You'll see items that look handcrafted like signs, and it's clear that many background items are hung in place with string. It adds to the cuteness factor and plays into the personality of Yoshi games.
One of the more amusing features of this game is the outfit system. There are 170 different costumes that you'll use in-game currency to purchase through gachapon capsule machines. You never get handed duplicate outfits; there is always something new to try on. Aside from being adorable, the costumes give you armor, protection players from any dangers Yoshi might face. So, if you're looking for the most challenging way to play, feel free to collect outfits...just don't put them on.
It's very easy to roll through the 40 levels that are part of the game, even when you try to up the ante. The real fun in Yoshis' Crafted World is going back to find the collectibles hidden throughout each level. Each level hides 20 red coins, along with several smiley flowers. You'll also be able to pick up specific missions that send you back to the level to find hyper-specific items. If you're a completionist, you can expect to play most levels at least 2-3 times before you manage to get that sweet 100% score.
Pros:
- 40 levels to play and explore
- Adorable graphics
- Fun, low-key gameplay
Cons:
- You'll have to replay levels for 100% status
- Gameplay becomes repetitive
Best for Collectibles
Yoshi's Crafted World
Cute and crafted adventure with Yoshi
Yoshi's Crafted World delivers a fun, easy to play platformer filled with adorable outfits, and collectibles to snag.
Bottom line
Nintendo has managed to amass a remarkable number of adventure games that you can take advantage of. These are the best adventure games available today on Nintendo Switch. With more to come, who knows what's in store for Nintendo! While every game here delivers fun, one does rise above the rest to deliver the most excellent experience possible.
Super Mario Odyssey is the next great Mario game. With the world and characters you already love, features like Cappy add new aspects to gameplay. Even once you finish the campaign, there is more to see, explore, unlock, and enjoy. If you want the best adventure on the Nintendo Switch, this is the one to play.