10. "The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+"
Like "Shovel Knight," the "Binding of Isaac" games are an homage to an era of gaming that's long passed. You play as young Isaac, who's dealing with some pretty serious personal demons that manifest in the form of actual demons. The long and short is that it's a top-down shooting game, but that's really underselling the level of depth in this game. If you haven't already played it on one of the many other platforms it's on, scooping it on the Switch is a solid choice.
Price: $39.99
9. "Thumper"
It's hard to put into words what "Thumper" is. It's a rhythm-based game where you control a "space beetle." Weirder still, you're controlling that "space beetle" on a trip through "the hellish void." The end goal? "Confront a maniacal giant head from the future."
In reality, what that means is you're blasting enemies and avoiding obstacles, all to the ever-pulsating beat. The game defies genres — so much so that it coined its own, dubbed "rhythm hell" (a combination of "rhythm" and "bullet-hell" — playing to the beat while micromanaging a trillion dangers). It's beautiful and punchy and relentlessly difficult.
Price: $19.99
8. "Fast RMX"
Similar to "Snipperclips," the futuristic arcade-style racing game "Fast RMX" provides a much-needed alternative to "Zelda." On a console otherwise bereft of high-speed racing games, "Fast RMX" stands out as a great racer that evokes nostalgia for the days of "F-Zero" on the SNES, "Wipeout" on the original PlayStation, and even some light touches of "Mario Kart" thrown in for good measure. It's also a stark graphical showcase for the notably tiny Switch console.
Price: $19.99
7. "Puyo Puyo Tetris"
Who doesn't like "Tetris?" Monsters don't like "Tetris," that's who. It's just as much of a delight as it was when it first debuted over 30 years ago.
The twist with "Puyo Puyo Tetris," however, is that you don't just get "Tetris" — you also get "Puyo Puyo," a delightful puzzle game in its own right. Even more fascinating, in "Puyo Puyo Tetris" you can play a mash-up of both that introduces a level of craziness never experienced in either game before.
While the price is a bit on the high side, "Puyo Puyo Tetris" is a delightful and addictive game that beyond makes up for its high price with endless gameplay.
Price: $39.99
6. "Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment" / "Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove"
When "Shovel Knight" originally launched in 2014, it received wide acclaim for being a ridiculously fun update to a formula popularized in the 16-bit era by games like "Castlevania." Since that initial launch, the game has spawned countless ports — it's on everything, from the Nintendo Wii U to Amazon's Fire TV — and even a few sequels.
On the Switch, you have two different options for "Shovel Knight" — the $9.99 standalone sequel, named "Specter of Torment," or the $24.99 bundle, which includes the original "Shovel Knight," as well as "Plague of Shadows" and "Specter of Torment." Both are good options, though if you've played "Shovel Knight" before, you're probably just looking for the new sequel.
Price(s): $9.99 / $24.99
5. "Snipperclips"
Aside from having a goofy name, "Snipperclips" is a charming two-player game that utilizes the Nintendo Switch gamepad — the "Joy-Con" — in a smart way.
Each player gets one Joy-Con, and you use them as miniature gamepads (held sideways) to control one of two aggressively-silly characters on screen. You can "cut" each of the two characters into various shapes, which can then be used to solve whatever puzzle is in front of you. I've found it to be the perfect foil to the hours-long single-player experience in "Breath of the Wild" — quick bursts of fun co-op gameplay as compared to lengthy play sessions, alone, in "Breath of the Wild."
Perhaps best of all, it's just $19.99.
Price: $19.99
4. "Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers"
The "Street Fighter" series is, in many ways, the fighting game. You might've played "Mortal Kombat" or "Tekken" over the years, but if you've ever played a fighting game, it was almost certainly "Street Fighter." More directly, the specific entry in that series that you probably played was "Street Fighter II." It's one of the most popular fighting games ever made, and turned Ken, Chun-Li, and Ryu into household names.
"Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers" is the most fully-featured version of the much-iterated "Street Fighter II" games, with a massive list of fighters and beautiful high-resolution graphics. Perhaps craziest of all, it re-imagines Ken and Ryu into "evil" versions of themselves.
Price: $39.99
3. "Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition"
"Minecraft" is this generation's Super Mario. It's an international phenomenon. Unless you've been living on the moon, you probably already know these things.
It's on computers, phones, tablets, and game consoles — including the Switch as of pretty recently. It's at your local mall, occupying kiosks with plushies and T-shirts. There's a semiannual convention ("MineCon") and an education initiative that's got it in schools (MinecraftEDU).
But why is it so popular? Think of "Minecraft" as virtual LEGO.
It's a system for fitting pieces together to create something — sometimes amazing somethings — from nothing. "Minecraft" provides endless building blocks and a blank canvas. It's up to you to create something incredible, or silly, or referential, or whatever, using the tools it provides. The tools are blessedly user-friendly, as are the systems for employing those tools.
Price: $39.99
2. "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe"
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you should own "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe." No equivocations. No caveats.
Like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," you're looking at a must-own game here for any Nintendo Switch owner. It's a ridiculously good game, alone or with friends. It's literally the best entry in a series composed of great games. There are no truly bad "Mario Kart" games, so that this one stands out says a lot about how good it is. There are dozens of courses, a fantastic new mode that beyond delivers on fan expectations, and a robust online multiplayer mode. I have literally nothing negative to say about "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe," except that Nintendo could've thrown owners a bone and offered some form of discount if you bought the game already on Wii U. But Nintendo knows you'll buy it at $60, so Nintendo is charging $60. Such is capitalism.
Price: $59.99
1. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild"
"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is one of the best games I've played in years.
Much of the setup for "Breath of the Wild" happened 100 years in the past. The game supposes that you (Link) and Princess Zelda — the longtime heroine of the series — failed in a major battle against longtime antagonist Ganon. There's far more to the story than that, but it's much more exciting to discover on your own. Discovery is at the heart of everything in "Breath of the Wild" — it's a massive open world full of secrets waiting to be discovered. Simply put: If you own any game on the Switch, this is the one to buy.
Price: $59.99