Five Essential Nintendo Switch Games You should Play on the Nintendo Switch 2 (Part 4)

With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025. Nintendo are currently riding the wave that was the success of the Nintendo Switch. Releasing a sequel console that not only upgrades the original switch but is also backwards compatible.

In this blog I will be talking about five of the best and most essential Nintendo switch games that you can get right now and play on your Nintendo Switch 2.

1) The Legend of Zelda Links Awakening HD

After washing up on a mysterious beach from a shipwreck. Our protagonist Link wakes up to find he has been transported to the strange island of Koholint. Unfamiliar to his new surroundings Link must uncover the mystery of this dream like world he has never seen before. On his adventure link will make friends with the locals of Koholint including a girl named Marin who seems to have a keen interest in Link and an unusual power in her voice when she sings aloud. Link must enter 10 different dungeons, each with different themes, gimmicks and challenges that will truly test your skills in puzzle and problem solving.

The Legend of Zelda Links Awakening HD is a top down or 2D style Zelda game. Originally released in 1993 on the Gameboy. Links Awakening HD is a full built from the ground up remake of the iconic gameboy game for the Nintendo Switch. the best thing about this remake is that it stays true to the art style of the original game but also feels fresh as it re-imagines that art style in a modern way, creating a Toy like chibi style that while controversial for some fans has become a very unique art style that really works with the themes and tones of Links Awakening. It really is a beautiful game as this game really feels expressionate and the world feels very playful and alive.

My favourite thing about this game is it's unique story. This game is the sequel to A Link To The Past. A Link To The Past is considered the quintessential Zelda game for some fans of the series as it is the game that set the standard for the classic Zelda Formula. Links Awakening however somewhat became more of an experimental game, taking the formula of A Link To The Past and flipping it on it's head by making a more avante garde story focused game with fleshed out characters and a more challenging world to explore. In a way this game was the Majoras's Mask counterpart to A link To The Past. One notable thing about this game was the strange inclusion of Super Mario Characters being put in the game, for example there are Chain Chomps and Goombas. Adding to the weirdness of this games lore and story.

I highly recommend this game for its short but sweet playthrough time. I will say that this game isn't one of the easiest Zelda games, you will lose your hearts very quickly in this games if you arn't skilled. The game also does not hold you hand so some of the quests, meaning you have to literally talk to every NPC to complete this games story. Often people will get stuck when trying to progres the games story. The first Hour of the game often leads to new players not knowning what to do.

Aside all that though. This is a very enjoyable Zelda game and a personal favourite of mine within the Top Down 2D Zelda games.

2) Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu and Eevee

Lets head back to 1998. When two of the greatest and most iconic games ever were released, sparking a huge phenomenon across the world where players would catch, collect, battle, train and trade up to 150 different monsters. All on a pocket sized device known as the Gameboy. The two games I am of course taking about are Pokemon Red and blue.

In 2016 Nintendo create yet again a new phenomenal craze, Pokemon Go. The Mobile game that made you get up and go outside for a walk.

Now flash forward to the year 2018. Nintendo and Gamefreak decide it is finally time to remake Pokemon red and blue......well kinda, Not exactly. Basically this game was a hybrid pokemon game that mixed the best of Pokemon Red and Blue with Pokemon Go. Not only this but this game had a remixed version of the original story from red and blue which was a nice change so you are not playing the exact same game as the original versions.

The pokemon encounters in this game are where the Pokemon Go gameplay shines. This is where you use motion controls to emulate the feeling of throwing a pokeball. Interestingly you play this game with one joycon in docked mode which reminds me of playing Nintendo Wii games like Wii Play.

This game sticks to the 8 gym leader and elite four formula that mainline pokemon games are known for. This is great as it really helps with the nostalgia of the original games and delivers what any fan of the original games is looking for. I would have liked a true remake however with wild encounters being more based on actual battles. But the Pokemon Go style gameplay is fine to, especially for newer fans who may have never played a mainline pokemon game and only Pokemon Go.

I think overall this game hits the right spots when you want to get that nostalgia fix from the original games. I do however think this game woud have been better as a true remake of the original games without the Pokemon Go hybrid gimmick. I;m also not a huge fan that game locks you into having either Pikachu or Eevee as your starter pokemon depending on which version of the game you pick up, Give me Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle anyday.

I do recommend this game purely for the fact that it is one of the better pokemon games on Nintendo Switch, go play it.

3) Astral Chain

Released in 2019 Astral chain is a Detective action adventure game developed by Platinum games and published by Nintendo. Astral chain takes place in a futuristic Neo Tokyo that is on the brink of a national pandemic caused by a virus that is seeping through interdimensional rifts across Tokyo. You play as an elite super detective who becomes astral chained to a monster from the rift dimension known as a Chimera. Chimera are deadly alien like monsters with different abilities. Each Detective is chained to their own chimera and is neurologically linked, meaning that the detective and chimera become one. In this game you will face superhuman villains and solve mysteries throughout the 40 hour long story.

This game is known for being one of the most visually impressive games on Nintendo Switch. With the use of Neon visuals and mind melting set pieces. This game becomes a literal masterpiece when it comes to world building. Inspired by Anime's such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira, Ghost in the Shell and even popular western movies like Blade Runner. Astral Chain really is an over the top but intelligent piece of eastern media. Its honestly a spectacle of a game with some of the coolest moments in an action game you can experience. Another way to describe this game is if you enjoy games like Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising, Devil may Cry and even games like the Batman Arkham games when they go full detective mode, then this game is right up your alley.

Weirdly this game actually reminds me of some Zelda games. Despite not looking anything like a Zelda game. This game has you exploring puzzle solving dungeons where you will find a new ability that helps progress exploration throughout the game. The way the game is structured really represents that of the The legend of Zelda games.

Another think that is awesome in this game is it's futuristic techno house music style soundtrack that also blends the atmosphere you would expect Neo tokyo world. Honestly its a really good soundtrack and I would even say it's a great listen outside of playing the game.

I highly recommend this game for being a great action adventure game. its the best game platinum have released through Nintendo publishing. Go play it

4) Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door HD

Originally Released in 2004 for the Nintendo Gamecube. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door HD is a 2024 built from the ground up remake of the original game. Spanning around 40 hours of story playthrough time. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is one of the greatest JRPG's ever made. Taking place in the rough areas of The Mushroom Kingdom known as Rougeport. The Thousand Year door sees Paper Mario adventure through an 8 chapter story where he must collect the Crystal stars to open the Thousand year door in hopes of saving a captured Princess Peach who purchases a treasure map that promises fortune behind the Thousand Year Door.

Paper Mario is Nintendo's flagship mario RPG franchise and is easily the best of the Mario RPG franchises that are currently around. Paper Mario has become a cult classic franchise that has gained a large following from Nintendo fans because of it's unique gameplay, comedic stories and outside of the box art style that resembles Origami and 2D cut out art.

One thing that really helps this game is its great cast of characters who really keep this games story interesting. Each chapter introduced a new character to your party, Telling a new story about that character and also new gameplay mechanics that each new character brings to the table through unique abilities in battles and in the overworld. Paper Mario also comes with his own unique abilities as he can turn into paper origami to help traverse the world. For example he can turn into a paper airplane to glide across distances to reach areas he wouldn't be able to on foot.

overall this game is a great remake of a Nintendo classic from the Nintendo Gamecube, built entirely for the Nintendo Switch. My only gripe with this game is it's pacing, The first ten hours of this game are much slower than the rest of the game. This is because there is a massive amount of plot build up and dialogue to get through. Battles in the first ten hours of the game are also much less intense and ofcourse move sets are basic which is to be expected, There is a lot of room for customization though throughout the game, so you can play the game however you wish.

5) Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Pikmin 3 deluxe is a 2020 remaster of a real-time strategy game that was originally released for the Nintendo Wii U in 2013. The game takes place within a miniature world where everything is gigantic. In this game you play as a trio of characters called Alph, Brittany and Charlie. Three space explorers from the planet Koppai who crash land on an unknown planet named PNF-404. Our adventures story is that they have been deployed from Planet Koppai to search for a new planet that can be used as a food source to turn around a famine that has become a huge problem on Koppai due to overpopulation. The aim of this game is to find parts across Planet PNF-404 that will repair the spaceship so that the trio can return home. PNF-404 is the perfect planet that can be scouted for resources to take home, but it also the home to many gigantic and dangerous creatures. To get around the perils of Planet PNF-404. The trio join forces with the Planet's inhabitants known as Pikmin. Small plant like creatures that spawn from capsules that grow from plants.

Pikmin must be pluck from the ground and are super friendly and loyal creatures that like to work in large numbers. When they are together they become a mighty force that can take down the largest of challenges Pikmin also come in many different shapes and sizes. For example you can find Red Pikmin who are unaffected by fire or Blue Pikmin who can swim in deep water no problem. The different types of pikmin make this game really fun as throughout the game the world will open up more and more so that you can explore more of the world as you will have the different types to open up new areas you could not explore before. Yes this is backtracking but it works for this game due to the real time gameplay.

The main crux of this game is that each level takes place during a new day cycle. This means you only have a certain amount of time to beat each level as you can only adventure during daylight hours in Pikmin 3. Think the gameplay of Majora's Mask and how that game has a timeline for each cycle. Pikmin 3 is very similar as you have to plan a strategy each time you play through a level. The more you play, the more you can accomplish and the bigger the enemies you can take down. This also creates a Dark Souls like gameplay where you will run into Boss fights that are extremely difficult until you are prepared with the correct Pikmin Army.

I would also really recommend this game for the fact that it is one of the best Multiplayer games on Nintendo Switch. This game allows couch co-op as each level requires you to play as each of the characters at some point. This becomes a lot easier to manage when you are playing through the story of the game with a friend.

I really recommend this game. It is arguably the best of the Pikmin series purely because it is so accessible as a multiplayer game. The deluxe version of this game also consists of upgrades such as a longer story mode as there is an Epilogue and Prologue added to the game that was not in the original version of the game on the Wii U and includes all the DLC that was available for the Wii U version of the game. Finally the game also re-introduces the Piklopedia from Pikmin 2, an in game list, description and facts entry about the creatures, fungi's and plants that can be found within the Pikmin universe.

Go play this game. It is super fun.

Conclusion

Those were five Nintendo Switch games that you should play on or replay on your Nintendo Switch 2. There is a huge selection of Nintendo Switch games out there. The original switch in my eyes is the greatest games console of all time and the Nintendo Switch 2 has a huge legacy to live up to. I honestly think that The original Nintendo Switches catalog of games is second to none and really should not be forgotten about now the Nintendo Switch 2 is here. Nintendo games historically have been polished to the point that Nintendo have their own formula for their games and it works over and over again. I highly recommend you play the games I have mentioned if you haven't already, which is kind of concerning as if you are reading this now, I would have expected you to have played them by now. Ah well better late than never.

Thanks for reading make sure you check my Youtube Channel Switchbored. - https://www.youtube.com/@Switchbored

I will see you for the next post

Sam