Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild are two of the best games you should acquire if you own a Nintendo Switch, but other than that, you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy a constant stream of mobile gaming.
Great games can be found in abundance on the Switch’s digital eShop, with many of them available for very little money. We’ve really selected 10 games that we adore that are all available for £17/US$20 or less each, ranging from indie favorites to multi-million dollar blockbusters. Many of the games that are listed here are also frequently on sale, so keep an eye out and you might be able to get some of them for even less money.
10 A Short Hike
A Short Hike is a contemporary classic that you can finish in a single happy afternoon. It is exactly what it sounds like. You take on the role of Claire, an anthropomorphic bird who is trying to acquire cell phone connection on an island by hiking to the top of a mountain. Very millennial, that.
As an open-world exploration game, A Short Hike presents a multitude of distractions along the route, many of which are best explored on your own, even though completing the primary mission won’t take too long. A Short Hike is a truly unique little game that fits in perfectly on the Switch thanks to its charming pixelated visual style, entertaining flying and climbing controls, and laid-back approach to open-world architecture.
Where to buy
9 Limbo
Limbo Play Switch games don’t always have to be adorable and pleasant; in fact, some of them are very scary. As you awaken in a pitch-black wilderness, you will guide a small child as he makes his way through… and soon comes upon a huge spider, thorny obstacles, and confusing challenges.
Limbo exudes atmosphere despite its monochromatic color palette, and the environmental puzzles keep getting more fascinating until the unforgettable conclusion. Start with Inside, the similar successor to Playdead, which is available on Switch but costs twice as much. After playing it, you’ll probably be inspired to buy the next game.
Where to buy
8 Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Or, Color by Book: The Activity. Playing as a tiny dog named after your favorite cuisine, you take on the role of Chicory, the titular artist, who is intended to use a magical paintbrush. This is a wonderful top-down adventure game. It’s up to you to get over terrible self-doubt and bring back the brightness that the world has lost.
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a highly polished retro Zelda-clone that constantly offers entertaining riddles, outrageous characters to ally with, and unexpectedly unforgettable boss battles. All of this is housed beneath a painting mechanism that seamlessly integrates with the Switch’s touchscreen. Stay for the genuinely moving themes about creativity and imposter syndrome, and come for the coloring in.
7 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Have fun
As the venerable Star Wars role-playing game by Bioware is being remastered for contemporary consoles, this is the ideal moment to either re-experience the original or fall in love with its amazing tale for the first time. You take on the role of the Jedi Order’s final hope as the Republic is on the verge of succumbing to the Sith, thousands of years before the events of the Star Wars movies.
A major component of the KOTOR experience is Bioware’s renowned choice-based gameplay, which lets you shape the kind of Jedi you want to be. Any lover of Star Wars should play this game, even though the turn-based combat is dated. Thankfully, the incredibly reliable Switch port is the best method available for doing so.
6 The Ramp
It’s a great moment to be a skateboarding game enthusiast, and while if OlliOlli World is currently our favorite game in the category, you can still have a lot of fun on four wheels for less than five dollars. Skateboarding game The Ramp is unabashedly simplistic.
There aren’t any objectives, achievements to strive for, or equipment to be unlocked. The Ramp, which its creator refers to as a “digital toy,” is entirely focused on obtaining the zen-like flow state that is the primary attraction of real-life skating. Only you and a half-pipe are present. Aim to avoid falling on your face.
Where to buy
5 TOEM
The only things to do in the game Play TOEM are help people and take pictures. And we adore it. Having only a point-and-shoot camera, you must navigate a sequence of exquisitely hand-drawn, diorama-like stages in TOEM, a deserving winner of the Debut Game prize at the 2022 BAFTA Games awards. There is a spectacular conclusion, but we dare not reveal it.
You’ll run into a variety of quirky personalities along the route, most of them have problems that need to be solved. Fortunately, most of the time, the solution is to show them your expertly framed pictures. Even though TOEM is a delightfully lighthearted and friendly game, it’s also a completionist’s paradise, so there will probably be plenty of obstacles left for you to conquer before the credits roll. The Switch OLED’s display does a fantastic job displaying the black and white images.
Where to buy
4 Final Fantasy VII
Is selling still necessary in this case? (I really like the Switch version.)
Where to purchase
3 Death’s Door
We are delighted to repeat our glowing reviews of Death’s Door that we have already posted on this excellent website. In this game, which is an action-adventure game similar to Zelda, you take on the role of a crow that harvests souls for a living. However, a particularly unpleasant day at work sets you on a perilous quest into a bizarre fantasy world where you must battle creatures that have discovered a means to elude death.
When we initially played Death’s Door on the Xbox, we were enthralled with its challenging but fair gameplay, clever worldbuilding, and sardonic sense of humor. But if you haven’t already, play it on Switch; it’s a great portable game.
Where to buy
2 Quake
The first-person shooter, or FPS, first appeared in video games in 1996. Quake is the game that first popularized full 3D shooting and graphics in the genre, though it’s not quite as retro as Doom. This updated version of the game runs really well on the Switch. This version of the game includes both of the original expansion packs in addition to two new ones created by MachineGames’ Wolfenstein: The New Order team. You can also experience this gothic, time-traveling adventure in local or online cooperative play. Four players can play splitscreen cooperatively on the same couch if competitive multiplayer is more your style. Up to eight players can be supported on a dedicated server.
Where to buy
Click here to purchase Quake in the eShop (UK) | US
1 Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight may be added to the list of must-play 2D platformers for the Switch, which also includes Shovel Knight and Sonic Mania. This small independent gem may be unknown to you, but it’s garnering praise from critics and playing well on the play-anywhere device.In this quick-paced, side-scrolling horror game, you’ll be exploring underground caves and a Metroid-style network of connected locations. The appeal of exploration and compelling battle go hand in hand, and the pleasant ambiance and well-drawn graphics captivate you. It’s challenging, but it pays off handsomely.