Publisher: Whitethorn Games / Developer: Balloon Studios
Release Date: 9th Apr 2024 (USA) / 9th Apr 2024 (UK/EU)
£15.74 (-30% off) £22.49
It looks like The Witness and it plays a bit like StreetPass Garden, but Botany Manor blooms into something that’s not only entirely its own, but also something quite special. Don’t let its cosy aesthetics fool you — Botany Manor is packed with nicely challenging, well-designed puzzles, and isn’t afraid to tackle heavy subjects, too.
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom
Release Date: 16th May 2025 (USA) / 16th May 2025 (UK/EU)
£22.74 (-35% off) £34.99
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 brings an incredibly strong roster of classic arcade fighters to Nintendo Switch in one of the best compendiums of its work to date.
This is top-notch fare, a slew of incredible games, some appearing for the first time since their original releases, replete with rollback netcode for online play, tons of unlockables, Japanese versions of all eight titles, and modern training modes to catch you up to speed.
With both Power Stones, an unbeatable Capcom vs SNK double bill and Project Justice leading the charge, there’s really very little to complain about here. Excellent stuff.
Capcom has loads on sale, so check out the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle, Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics, and Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection if you like brawling.
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Nerial
Release Date: 2nd Jun 2022 (USA) / 2nd Jun 2022 (UK/EU)
£3.59 (-80% off) £17.99
Card Shark is the kind of game that at first blush seems like it just won’t work. Lots of dialogue bookended by brief, simplistic minigame sequences seems like it would make for an experience that would lose its lustre quickly, yet we couldn’t put it down.
Witty writing, high-stakes gameplay, and a gorgeous art style all come together here to make for a game that’s well-executed and unique in its appeal. If you’re looking to try something awesome that notably bucks most modern gaming trends, Card Shark is absolutely something we’d recommend, well worth your time and money.
Publisher: SEGA / Developer: Studio Zero
Release Date: 7th Jul 2020 (USA) / 7th Jul 2020 (UK/EU)
£8.99 (-80% off) £44.99
Catherine: Full Body is a fantastic revamp of a bona fide cult classic. With an excellent new character and several new endings slickly inserted into an already highly entertaining narrative – not to mention a slew of fun new modes – this is the definitive version of an outstanding game.
If you’ve never played Catherine before, then you’re in for an absolute treat, and if you have, we’d say there’s enough new content here to make it worth diving in all over again.
Publisher: Finji / Developer: Finji
Release Date: 15th Dec 2021 (USA) / 15th Dec 2021 (UK/EU)
£8.54 (-50% off) £17.09
As an adventure game, Chicory: A Colorful Tale is quite sincerely up there with the very best of the genre.
There’s plenty to see and do and a full completion run will probably take you 25-30 hours. The characters and their travails are rich and likeable, the game’s sense of humour is generally inspired, and it’s all very sweet without being sugary-twee and talking down to the player. It’s also an affecting little tearjerker that will definitely strike a chord if you make art, and almost certainly will even if you don’t – so long as you’re capable of pretty basic empathy.
Chicory is simple to play but impressively long and complex, with perfect controls, performance and visuals. Throw yourself into painting the world and you’ll be left with a game that’s very much your own and speaks to you directly – a beautiful marriage of mechanics, themes and visuals.
Publisher: ININ Games / Developer: Westone
Release Date: 14th Dec 2021 (USA) / 30th Nov 2021 (UK/EU)
£2.69 (-70% off) £8.99
Clockwork Aquario was a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait. An obvious labour of love, this ill-fated arcade gem has been improbably recovered, restored, and reassembled, and it never feels like anything less than a carefully unearthed treasure that’s been polished until it shines.
It won’t take long to beat — and it shouldn’t, because a good 30-year-old arcade platformer is supposed to be short and sweet — but what the game lacks in length it more than makes up for in entertainment and raw creativity, with stages pitting you against everything from mechanical flying fish to a gigantic egg-dropping robo-penguin.
It’s the sort of game you come back to again and again because you want to rather than have to, and we feel lucky to have it.
Publisher: CD Projekt Red / Developer: CD Projekt Red
Release Date: 5th Jun 2025 (USA) / 5th Jun 2025 (UK/EU)
£34.49 (-43% off) £59.99
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition was a remarkable launch-day port for Switch 2. CD Projekt Red’s deep, diverse, and tangible world is fully realised with impressive performance for such a low-powered device.
If you’ve not taken your first steps into Night City already, or you’re a long-time player with a portable-play itch that needs scratching, you’re in for a serious treat, choom.
Publisher: Nexon / Developer: MINTROCKET
Release Date: 26th Oct 2023 (USA) / 25th Oct 2023 (UK/EU)
£10.19 (-40% off) £16.99
In 2023, a year dominated by titanic, big-budget releases like Tears of the Kingdom and Mario Wonder, off-the-wall roguelike Dave The Diver stepped up to the plate and knocked the ball clear of the park with a heaving swing.
Its charming animations and writing supplement a mechanically dense experience that never stops dangling a new carrot to chase. You owe it to yourself to pick up this outstandingly funny, enthralling, and weird gem.
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Acid Nerve
Release Date: 23rd Nov 2021 (USA) / 23rd Nov 2021 (UK/EU)
£4.49 (-75% off) £17.99
Death’s Door is a modern classic, utilising old gameplay ideas in a new setting to make for a short and sweet experience you won’t want to miss. The snappy combat, rewarding exploration, and relaxing music will stick with you once you’ve finished, and while it may not have anything ‘new’ to offer, Death’s Door is so high quality that you’ll hardly have time to think about its lack of innovation.
Any fans of Zelda or Soulslike games will adore this – Acid Nerve has crafted an experience that’s absolutely worth your time and money.
Publisher: Playtonic Friends / Developer: Fabraz
Release Date: 14th Apr 2022 (USA) / 14th Apr 2022 (UK/EU)
£2.99 (-40% off) £4.99
Demon Turf: Neon Splash is a much better game than its predecessor thanks to the complete removal of the underwhelming combat. Not only that, but the experience feels more focused and streamlined without the requirement of a hub world or mandatory collectibles. This is Demon Turf at its best, and we sincerely hope to see more of the same in a true sequel later down the line.
Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment / Developer: LEAP Game Studios
Release Date: 20th Jun 2024 (USA) / 20th Jun 2024 (UK/EU)
£6.74 (-50% off) £13.49
An attractive art style, strong combat system, and meaningful player choices make Dicefolk a brilliant addition to the library, as it manages to feel fresh without getting too far away from the core ideas that make these sorts of games so addictive and popular.
Dicefolk is a good entry point to the genre, in fact; approachable without being patronising and it’s tons of fun once you get a grasp of its various quirks.
Publisher: AdHoc Studio / Developer: AdHoc Studio
Release Date: 28th Jan 2026 (USA) / 29th Jan 2026 (UK/EU)
£19.99 (-20% off) £24.99
Thanks to the sublime writing, fantastic voiceovers, and a level of animation you’d usually expect from a big-budget streaming series, Dispatch is the kind of superhero drama that draws you in with the sexy characters and funny one-liners, and hooks you until the bitter end with the potential of its ever-changing arcs.
The lack of visual censorship removal options on Switch is a strange one, and some will undoubtedly find things lacking in the gameplay department, but we’re already gearing up for a potential ‘season 2’. It won’t be for everyone, but if it clicks, it really clicks. Is it too soon for a ‘rewatch’?
Publisher: PQube / Developer: Stone Lantern Games
Release Date: 18th Aug 2020 (USA) / 18th Aug 2020 (UK/EU)
£1.99 (-75% off) £7.99
Evergate is a wonderfully designed puzzle/platformer that starts off strong and goes from strength to strength over the course of its campaign. Every new world you encounter here adds a new twist to proceedings, gradually becoming more complex as it layers mechanics on top of one each other, enabling you to experiment and come up with your own unique ways to bound across its intricate levels.
Speed-running here, for us, feels like it was tacked on for no real reason but, besides this one little misstep, this really is an essential purchase for puzzle/platforming fans and a standout example of its genre on Switch.
Publisher: Shin’en Multimedia / Developer: Shin’en Multimedia
Release Date: 5th Jun 2025 (USA) / 5th Jun 2025 (UK/EU)
£9.44 (-30% off) £13.49
Fast Fusion may not have the most comprehensive collection of tracks, but it’s easily the most accomplished entry in Shin’en Multimedia’s series so far. The new jump ability adds a new layer of strategy to the gameplay, while experimenting with the fusion mechanic to find the perfect vehicle is a joy.
The occasional grinding to save up money can be a momentary drag, but if you’re after something a bit more ‘hardcore’ than Mario Kart World, Fast Fusion is a no-brainer, and an absolute must-buy.
Fast RMX is also on sale, and looks particularly fetching on Switch 2 using the new Handheld Boost Mode.
Publisher: Blitworks / Developer: Seba Games Dev
Release Date: 26th Sep 2019 (USA) / 26th Sep 2019 (UK/EU)
£8.99 (-50% off) £17.99
Fight’N Rage is one of the must-own action games on Nintendo’s console. Its surprisingly deep and satisfyingly weighty combat engine, combined with three strong and varied player characters and a host of cleverly-designed enemies, elevates it above the usual button-mashing experience perhaps expected of entries in this genre.
It’s got an excellent arcade mode that branches off in various directions as you make your way to the final boss battle, as well as a ton of unlockable modes and extras to keep you coming back for more. Whether you’re a learned fan of old-school beat ’em ups or you just like pummelling the life out of mutant punk pussycats and monkeys dressed as Bruce Lee, you owe it to yourself to experience what Sebastian Garcia has created here; it’s easily one of the best beat’em ups we’ve played.
Publisher: Humble Bundle / Developer: HopFrog
Release Date: 30th Jul 2019 (USA) / 30th Jul 2019 (UK/EU)
£6.29 (-65% off) £17.99
Every now and then, a game comes along that captures our hearts and reminds us why we love the medium in the first place. Forager features wonderfully designed crafting mechanics, addictive progression systems and more charm than you can possibly handle. Although it has very minor drawbacks, there’s enough good stuff present here for us to confidently recommend adding Forager to your collection.
Publisher: Cellar Door Games / Developer: Cellar Door Games
Release Date: 6th Nov 2018 (USA) / 6th Nov 2018 (UK/EU)
£1.49 (-90% off) £14.99
Full Metal Furies is an impressive fusion of genres from Cellar Door Games, the makers of Rogue Legacy. A beat ‘em up brawler at heart, we wish more developers would invest such considerable effort into this sort of puzzle design in action games, and coupling that with the deep RPG systems, punchy co-op gameplay, and memorable writing makes for an experience that no Switch owner will want to be without.
We can’t recommend this release enough; put in the time to explore the different tactics required with each character and you’ll find a much deeper, more replayable experience than a typical brawler.
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom
Release Date: 30th Jun 2023 (USA) / 30th Jun 2023 (UK/EU)
£8.24 (-67% off) £24.98
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was one of the best games on Nintendo DS. Now it is one of the best games on Nintendo Switch. If you’re a fan of Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, AI: The Somnium Files, or just of having a good dang time with a brilliant story and stunning art, then why are you still here? Go and get the game. Now. Go!!!!
Publisher: Super Rare Originals / Developer: Medallion Games
Release Date: 10th Feb 2022 (USA) / 10th Feb 2022 (UK/EU)
£2.99 (-75% off) £11.99
Grapple Dog is one of the most refreshingly unfussy platformers we’ve seen in a long time. The central mechanic (other than, well, being a dog) is the titular grapple which allows you to traverse the game’s perfectly-sized levels using said hook to swing from ceilings, build momentum, attach to enemies and Donkey Kong Country-style cannons, and generally add a whole layer of mechanical complexity while maintaining extremely simple three-button controls.
It isn’t quite perfect, but developer Medallion does precisely what it sets out to do: deliver an unpretentious platformer that’s a hell of a lot of fun to play.
The sequel, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines, is also discounted.
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Nomada Studio
Release Date: 13th Dec 2018 (USA) / 13th Dec 2018 (UK/EU)
£2.49 (-83% off) £14.49
We’re very careful when we use this word, but Gris is a masterpiece. Its jaw-dropping visual style and heart-wrenching score combine for one of the most emotional pieces of interactive art you’ll ever play.
It may be too short for some, its puzzles may be on the simple side and the lack of any real challenge may not be to everyone’s taste, but this is a game focused more on fragility than ability and as long as you’re willing to go along for the ride, it’s one that will stick with you for a very long time indeed.
Publisher: 505 Games / Developer: Paul Helman
Release Date: 21st Oct 2020 (USA) / 21st Oct 2020 (UK/EU)
£4.39 (-60% off) £10.99
Horace is something very special — the only vaguely negative thing we can say about it is the fact that there are so many spectacularly brilliant indie games on Switch already vying for your attention that we fear Horace may fall somewhat by the wayside.
If you have any interest in superb level design, excellent storytelling, terrific art, evocative music, great characters, hilarious situations and emotional gut punches, Horace is a no-brainer. It’s moving without being manipulative, clever without being smug, and nostalgic without being a lazy rehash. It’s a platformer, but it’s so much more than that.
So yes, Horace is another indie masterpiece, and every gamer who enjoys quality experiences should play it; a masterpiece that owes so much to its medium, but has the strength, creativity and identity to stand alone as something very, very special. Buy this.
Publisher: Coffee Stain Studios / Developer: Easy Trigger
Release Date: 12th May 2020 (USA) / 12th May 2020 (UK/EU)
£3.59 (-80% off) £17.99
Huntdown is a delightfully detailed and expertly crafted throwback to old-school run ‘n’ gun arcade shooters.
The 16-bit graphical style is immaculately recreated whilst adding lots of modern bells and whistles to proceedings, including a fantastic soundtrack and audio design, optional CRT filter, and an arsenal of heavy-duty weapons that chew scenery and enemies to pieces as your bounty hunter makes their way from boss fight to excellent boss fight.
The flow of levels may be quite repetitive but the moment-to-moment gameplay, overall sense of fun that comes from the level of carnage you can dish out, surprising amount of hammy spoken dialogue, and constant pop-culture references all combine to make this one an easy recommendation, and another excellent addition to the Switch’s action catalogue.
See Also
Gavin first wrote for Nintendo Life in 2018 before joining the site full-time the following year, rising through the ranks to become Editor. He can currently be found squashed beneath a Switch backlog the size of Normandy.