The Nintendo Switch had already proved it was not just a cute tablet with detachable controllers by 2019. It was a full-blown gaming buffet: open-world adventures, couch co-op chaos, tactical RPG homework, ghost vacuums, goose crimes, and enough Mario levels to make your thumbs file a complaint with human resources.
This list of the 30 best Nintendo Switch games 2019 focuses on the titles that defined the system by the end of that year. Some launched in 2019, while others were earlier Switch essentials that were still must-play games in 2019. The goal is simple: help players find the best Switch games for solo adventures, family nights, portable sessions, competitive multiplayer, and “I was only going to play for 20 minutes” evenings that mysteriously end at 2 a.m.
How This List Was Chosen
To build this ranking, I weighed critical reception, long-term popularity, genre variety, replay value, performance on Switch, and how well each game fits the console’s hybrid nature. A good Switch game should feel natural both on the TV and in handheld mode. A great Switch game makes you forget you were supposed to fold laundry.
The final list includes Nintendo exclusives, third-party ports, indie darlings, RPG epics, platformers, multiplayer hits, and a few strange little masterpieces that could only become famous in a year when the internet collectively decided that being an annoying goose was a valid lifestyle.
The 30 Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2019
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Even in 2019, Breath of the Wild remained the Switch game to beat. Its open-world design lets players climb almost anything, experiment with physics, cook questionable meals, and get distracted every 12 seconds by something glowing on a hill. The magic is not just its size, but its freedom. You can chase the main quest, hunt shrines, tame horses, or accidentally launch yourself off a mountain with a bomb. It is still one of the best Nintendo Switch games for players who want adventure without a leash.
2. Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey is pure platforming joy with a mustache. Mario’s cap companion, Cappy, lets him capture enemies and objects, turning familiar levels into playgrounds of surprise. One minute you are a Goomba stack; the next, you are a dinosaur. The kingdoms are bright, varied, and packed with Power Moons, making this one of the best Switch games for both casual players and completionists who enjoy searching behind every suspicious rock.
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate earns its name by stuffing nearly everyone into one gloriously chaotic fighting game. Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Sonic, Snake, Cloud, and many more collide in matches where friendship is tested by one well-timed Final Smash. It is approachable enough for parties and deep enough for serious competitors. In 2019, it was easily one of the best Nintendo Switch multiplayer games.
4. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the official game of “I am not competitive” people becoming very competitive. With polished tracks, smooth controls, local multiplayer, online races, and the eternal menace of the blue shell, it remained a must-own Switch title in 2019. It is perfect for families, roommates, parties, and anyone who believes drifting around corners is a personality trait.
5. Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses took a tactical RPG series and added school life, character bonding, political drama, and enough emotional decision-making to make players stare silently at the screen. You play as a professor guiding one of three student houses, training units in the classroom and leading them into turn-based battles. Its branching storylines and memorable cast make it one of the best Nintendo Switch RPGs of 2019.
6. Luigi’s Mansion 3
Luigi’s Mansion 3 gives Nintendo’s most nervous hero a haunted hotel and a vacuum cleaner, which is somehow all the equipment needed for greatness. Each floor has a different theme, from movie sets to museums, and the puzzles are clever without becoming cruel. Gooigi, Luigi’s squishy green partner, adds co-op fun and puzzle variety. It is charming, funny, beautiful, and just spooky enough for players who like Halloween but still sleep with the lights off.
7. Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield brought the mainline Pokémon series fully to Nintendo Switch. The Galar region introduced stadium-style Gym battles, new Pokémon, regional forms, Dynamax battles, and the Wild Area, where Pokémon roam more freely than in traditional routes. Not every longtime fan agreed with every design choice, but the games delivered the familiar thrill of building a team, chasing badges, and becoming Champion.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Link’s Awakening rebuilt the Game Boy classic with a toy-like art style that made Koholint Island look like a tiny diorama. Beneath the adorable visuals is a smart, surreal, and bittersweet Zelda adventure filled with dungeons, strange characters, and memorable music. It is shorter than Breath of the Wild, but its focused design makes it one of the best Nintendo Switch games for players who want classic Zelda structure.
9. Astral Chain
Astral Chain is a stylish action game from PlatinumGames, the studio known for fast, flashy combat. Players control a futuristic police officer linked to a living weapon called a Legion. Battles require positioning, timing, and controlling two characters at once, which sounds like juggling flaming swords but feels fantastic once it clicks. Its cyberpunk world and anime energy gave the Switch one of its most distinctive 2019 exclusives.
10. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition
Dragon Quest XI S is a grand, traditional JRPG polished until it sparkles. It has a heroic story, turn-based battles, charming characters, orchestral music, and a world that invites slow exploration. The Switch version added quality-of-life improvements and extra content, making it one of the best RPG experiences available on the system in 2019.
11. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
Putting The Witcher 3 on Switch felt impossible until it happened. The visuals were understandably scaled back, but the heart of the adventure remained: Geralt hunting monsters, making morally messy choices, and trying to be a responsible father figure in a world determined to be awful. With both major expansions included, this became one of the most impressive Switch ports of 2019.
12. Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2 turns players into level designers, chaos engineers, and occasionally villains. The game includes a full Story Mode, creative tools, online course sharing, and elements from multiple Mario styles. You can build a fair platforming challenge or a level that looks like it was designed by Bowser after drinking espresso. Either way, the replay value is enormous.
13. Tetris 99
Tetris 99 answered the question nobody asked: what if Tetris became a battle royale? The answer was surprisingly brilliant. Ninety-nine players compete at once, sending garbage blocks to rivals until only one player remains. It is fast, tense, addictive, and proof that even one of gaming’s oldest formulas can still learn terrifying new tricks.
14. Cuphead
Cuphead brought its hand-drawn, 1930s cartoon-inspired boss battles to Switch in 2019, along with its cheerful commitment to destroying your confidence. The animation is stunning, the jazz soundtrack is superb, and the difficulty is spicy. It is one of the best Switch games for players who enjoy precision, persistence, and saying, “One more try,” 47 times.
15. Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game is a stealth puzzle game about being a horrible goose in a peaceful village. You steal keys, honk at strangers, drag items into ponds, and generally behave like a feathered neighborhood problem. It became a 2019 sensation because it was funny, clever, approachable, and wonderfully specific. Not every game needs dragons. Sometimes it just needs a goose with an agenda.
16. Baba Is You
Baba Is You is a puzzle game that lets players change the rules by moving words around. “Wall Is Stop” means walls block you. Change the sentence, and suddenly reality negotiates. It is brilliant, brain-bending, and occasionally makes you feel like your skull needs a software update. For puzzle fans, it was one of the smartest Switch games of 2019.
17. Ori and the Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Ori and the Blind Forest arrived on Switch as a gorgeous, emotional platform adventure. Its movement is fluid, its world is painterly, and its difficulty asks for skill without feeling mean-spirited. The game fits handheld play beautifully, especially for players who like Metroidvania exploration mixed with heartfelt storytelling.
18. Divinity: Original Sin II – Definitive Edition
Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the deepest RPGs on Switch. It gives players enormous freedom in character building, dialogue, combat tactics, and problem-solving. You can talk, sneak, fight, teleport, set things on fire, and then realize setting things on fire created three new problems. For strategy-minded RPG fans, it was a major 2019 Switch release.
19. Cadence of Hyrule
Cadence of Hyrule combines the rhythm-based movement of Crypt of the NecroDancer with Zelda characters, music, and exploration. Moving and attacking to the beat sounds strange at first, but the groove quickly takes over. It is creative, catchy, and one of the most interesting Zelda spin-offs on Switch.
20. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a gothic action RPG built for fans of exploration-heavy side-scrollers. It offers a huge castle, character upgrades, secrets, weapon variety, and old-school flavor. The Switch version had performance concerns at launch, but the game’s design and atmosphere still earned it a place among 2019’s notable releases.
21. Yoshi’s Crafted World
Yoshi’s Crafted World looks like it was assembled from cardboard, paper cups, string, and pure happiness. The platforming is gentle, the levels are creative, and the art direction is delightful. It is a great choice for younger players, relaxed sessions, and anyone who wants a game that feels like a sunny afternoon in craft class.
22. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe brought polished 2D Mario platforming to Switch with plenty of levels, local multiplayer, and extra content from New Super Luigi U. It is not the weirdest Mario game, but it is dependable, colorful, and ideal for families. It also proves that four-player Mario is both entertainment and a social experiment.
23. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight remained one of the best indie games on Switch in 2019. Its underground kingdom is beautiful, lonely, dangerous, and packed with secrets. The combat is sharp, the boss fights are memorable, and the exploration rewards curiosity. It is a must-play for fans of atmospheric Metroidvania games.
24. Celeste
Celeste is a precision platformer about climbing a mountain and dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, and very rude spikes. Its controls are excellent, its levels are demanding, and its story gives emotional weight to every jump. The Switch’s portability makes it perfect for short bursts, though “short” may become “one more chapter.”
25. Dead Cells
Dead Cells blends roguelike structure with fast action and Metroidvania-style progression. Every run feels dangerous, but every failure teaches something. Weapons, mutations, and routes keep the game fresh, while the combat stays snappy and satisfying. It is one of the best Switch games for players who like challenge with momentum.
26. Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2 was still a multiplayer favorite in 2019. Its ink-based shooting is colorful, clever, and less grim than many online shooters. Turf War makes territory control easy to understand, while ranked modes add depth. The game’s style, music, and squid-kid attitude make it unmistakably Nintendo.
27. Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler is a love letter to classic JRPGs with modern presentation. Its HD-2D visual style mixes pixel characters with lush lighting and depth effects. The game follows eight protagonists, each with a separate path, and uses a satisfying turn-based battle system built around breaking enemy defenses.
28. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate
Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate offers enormous hunts, deep weapon systems, and more monsters than a fantasy zoo with poor safety standards. It is less streamlined than newer entries, but it rewards patience and mastery. For players who wanted hundreds of hours of cooperative hunting on Switch, this was a treasure chest.
29. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle sounded like a joke until it turned out to be a smart tactical strategy game. It mixes Mario characters, Rabbids nonsense, cover-based combat, and surprisingly thoughtful level design. In 2019, it remained one of the best strategy games for Switch owners who wanted tactics without homework-level seriousness.
30. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a tough, gorgeous 2D platformer with fantastic level design and energetic music. The Switch version added Funky Kong, making the adventure more approachable without losing its bite. It is one of the best choices for players who want old-school platforming polish and do not mind being humbled by penguins.
Best Nintendo Switch Games 2019 by Category
Best Adventure Games
For exploration, Breath of the Wild, Link’s Awakening, Hollow Knight, and Ori and the Blind Forest stand out. Each offers a different flavor: open-world freedom, classic dungeon design, moody underground mystery, and emotional platforming.
Best Multiplayer Games
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, Tetris 99, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe are the strongest picks for multiplayer. Some are competitive, some are cooperative, and some are excellent ways to discover which friend cannot be trusted near a green shell.
Best RPGs
RPG fans were spoiled in 2019. Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Dragon Quest XI S, The Witcher 3, Divinity: Original Sin II, and Octopath Traveler offered hundreds of hours of character building, story, strategy, and exploration.
Best Indie Games
The Switch continued to be an indie powerhouse. Untitled Goose Game, Baba Is You, Celeste, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, and Cuphead proved that smaller games could be just as memorable as giant franchises.
Buying Advice: Which Switch Game Should You Play First?
If you are new to Nintendo Switch, start with Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey. They show off the system’s strengths and remain friendly to many skill levels. If you want a party game, choose Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. If you want a long RPG, go with Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Dragon Quest XI S, or The Witcher 3. If you want something short, funny, and different, Untitled Goose Game is the correct answer, especially if you have ever wanted to ruin a gardener’s afternoon.
For kids and families, Yoshi’s Crafted World, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Luigi’s Mansion 3 are excellent picks. For players who like challenge, Cuphead, Celeste, Dead Cells, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Hollow Knight will provide plenty of satisfying frustration.
Experience Notes: What Playing the Best Nintendo Switch Games in 2019 Felt Like
Playing Nintendo Switch games in 2019 felt like owning a tiny portal to several different gaming moods. There was no single “Switch experience.” Some nights were for sinking into Fire Emblem: Three Houses, promising to play one battle and then spending another hour deciding whether a student should study lances or reason. That game had a sneaky way of turning menu decisions into personal responsibility. Suddenly, you were not just optimizing stats; you were emotionally invested in a teenager’s future, which is a lot to carry while sitting on the couch eating chips.
Then there were the party games. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate made the Switch feel like a social machine. Dock the console, hand out Joy-Con controllers, and the room changed instantly. People who had not played games in years could understand Mario Kart within one lap. Smash was louder, messier, and more chaotic, but that was part of the charm. Nobody needed to know frame data to enjoy launching Kirby into space.
The best part of the Switch in 2019 was how easily it moved between serious and silly. The Witcher 3 let players carry a massive fantasy world in a backpack. Dragon Quest XI S delivered comfort-food RPG storytelling with bright colors and classic battles. Untitled Goose Game, meanwhile, asked a bold artistic question: what if the hero was the problem? It was short, but it became unforgettable because every action had personality. Honking was not just a button; it was a philosophy.
Handheld mode also changed how certain games felt. Celeste became perfect for small bursts of intense platforming. Dead Cells fit quick runs beautifully. Tetris 99 was dangerously easy to start and nearly impossible to stop after one loss. Even big games like Breath of the Wild benefited from portability. Exploring Hyrule while curled up in bed made the world feel personal, almost like a secret map you could unfold whenever real life got boring.
Looking back, 2019 was one of the Switch’s strongest years because it did not rely on one type of player. It welcomed families, RPG fans, speedrunners, platforming perfectionists, Pokémon collectors, strategy nerds, indie lovers, and people who simply wanted Luigi to survive a haunted vacation. The library felt generous. It was not just about having many games; it was about having the right games for different moments. That is why the best Nintendo Switch games of 2019 still matter. They captured the console’s greatest trick: making great games feel available anywhere, anytime, even when you were supposed to be doing something much more responsible.
Conclusion
The 30 best Nintendo Switch games 2019 show why the console became such a phenomenon. Nintendo’s own exclusives were strong, third-party publishers brought ambitious ports, and indie developers found a perfect home for creative ideas. Whether you wanted an epic adventure, a tactical RPG, a multiplayer showdown, a platforming challenge, or a goose-powered comedy crime simulator, the Switch had something worth playing.
If you are building a Switch library, these games remain excellent starting points. Begin with the big pillars like Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, then branch into 2019 standouts such as Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Dragon Quest XI S, Tetris 99, and Untitled Goose Game. Your backlog may grow dangerously large, but at least it will be a very classy problem.
