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Originally released all the way back in 2017, the Nintendo Switch is now over six years old, and it’s definitely starting to show its age. While the OLED model certainly provided a much-needed refresh, the Nintendo Switch is very clearly an outdated video game system, and one that’s possibly on its way out as rumors of a successor continue to swirl. But that doesn’t mean that the Switch is dead and buried just yet. It’s quite the opposite, in fact.
2023 has managed to be one of the best years in the Nintendo Switch’s long lifespan, delivering a near-perfect swan song for the beloved handheld hybrid. It feels as though Nintendo has pulled all of its resources together to give the Switch a triumphant send-off, with Zelda, Mario, Metroid, and Pikmin all delivering excellent installments this year, and that’s not even mentioning the slew of great third-party games that also found their home on the Nintendo Switch this year.
The 10 Best Video Games Villains of 2023
Part of any great game is the villain players have to contend with, and with the high quality of games in 2023 came an equal amount of great villains.
Dave the Diver
Read Game Rant’s Dave the Diver Review
Though it only got ported to the Nintendo Switch at the end of October, Dave the Diver has quickly become one of the console’s best games. With a core gameplay loop that sees players dive into an ever-changing ocean during the day, hunt fish and other sea creatures, and then return to land at night to run a sushi restaurant, Dave the Diver is perfectly suited to short hour-long play sessions, making it an ideal game for Nintendo’s handheld hybrid.
Dave the Diver
Dave the Diver puts players into the shoes of a deep-sea diver whose in charge of a sushi restaurant.
- Released
- June 28, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Mintrocket
- Publisher(s)
- Mintrocket
- Genre(s)
- Simulation , Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 23 Hours
Disney Illusion Island
Read Game Rant’s Disney Illusion Island Review
Currently a Nintendo Switch exclusive, Disney Illusion Island is one of the best family games of the entire year, acting as the perfect introduction to the Metroidvania genre for young audiences. Disney Illusion Island sees up to four players take control of Mickey Mouse and the rest of the cartoon gang as they run, swing, climb, and explore a variety of different levels, each one just as colorful and vibrant as the cartoons it’s adapting. Genuinely fun for the whole family, Disney Illusion Island feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch.
Disney Illusion Island
Disney Illusion Island is a Switch exclusive that follows Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Minnie as they investigate the island of Monoth. The 2D platformer has multiple playable characters, 4-player co-op, and hand-drawn animation.
- Released
- July 28, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Dlala Studios
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Dredge
Another nautical-themed Switch game, Dredge is not only one of the best Switch games of the year, but one of the best Indie games of 2023 full-stop. Dredge sees players explore a vast ocean, catch some fish, and bring them back to the mainland to sell, using the proceeds for boat upgrades that in turn let players go further out to sea. But the further players venture from shore, the stranger Dredge‘s ocean gets. A strangely addictive blend of cozy fishing and Lovecraftian horror, Dredge is undoubtedly one of the Switch’s best games this year.
Dredge
Dredge is a single-player fishing adventure game developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17.
- Released
- March 31, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Black Salt Games
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
- Metascore
- 81
Metroid Prime Remastered
After years of rumors and leaks, Metroid Prime Remastered was finally announced and released earlier this year on Nintendo Switch, and it somehow lived up to the hype. Far more than just a remaster, Metroid Prime makes some major graphical and technical improvements to the 2002 original, making it truly feel like a game that was always meant to be released in the 2020s. The only downside of Metroid Prime Remastered is that fans don’t now have immediate access to its two sequels, though it would make sense that Nintendo has them in the works somewhere.
Metroid Prime Remastered
Originally released in 2002 on the GameCube, Nintendo’s Metroid Prime has been remastered for the Nintendo Switch. Shifting the franchise from 2D to 3D, Metroid Prime was a game-changer for both the Metroidvania and first-person shooter genres, and it would go on to spawn multiple sequels.
- Released
- February 8, 2023
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- FPS , Metroidvania
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 14 Hours
Octopath Traveler 2
Read Game Rant’s Octopath Traveler 2 Review
Released back in February, Octopath Traveler 2 has ended up being one of the most underrated Indie games of the year, but it’s managed to remain quite popular on the Nintendo Switch. Just like its predecessor, Octopath Traveler 2 gives fans eight playable characters to choose from, each with their own unique skill set, motivations, and story, and the highlight of the entire experience is once again finding out how all these journeys interweave.
Octopath Traveler 2
The next installment in the Octopath Traveler series sees eight new adventurers setting out across the lands of Solistia to make their mark on the world. Developer Square Enix and Acquire unveil new and exciting 2D and 3D visuals for this expansive traditional RPG.
- Franchise
- Octopath Traveler
- Released
- February 24, 2023
- ESRB
- Rated T for Teen for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, and Use of Alcohol and Tobacco.
- How Long To Beat
- 60 Hours
- Metascore
- 84
The 10 Best RPGs of 2023
Perhaps no other gaming genre shone more brightly in 2023 than RPGs, with the year’s Game of the Year winner in tow to prove it.
Pikmin 4
Read Game Rant’s Pikmin 4 Review
A game almost a decade in the making, Pikmin 4 is very much a real thing, and it’s just waiting to be played on the Nintendo Switch. While its core gameplay loop remains essentially unchanged from previous Pikmin entries, Pikmin 4 is by far the most accessible entry in franchise history, both in terms of controls and difficulty. Pikmin 4 also makes some fun additions and improvements over prior entries, such as new Pikmin types, a new Night Expeditions mission type, and the ability to customize the player character for the first time in the series. Cozy, calm, and engaging, Pikmin 4 is an ideal Nintendo Switch game, showing that this franchise is far from dead.
Pikmin 4
Pikmin 4 is the latest installment in Nintendo’s real-time strategy puzzle series. The game sees players take on the role of a Rescue Corps rookie as they explore a strange and unusual planet with the help of their fellow Rescue Corps team members, their loyal space pup Oatchi, and, of course, the titular Pikmin.
- Released
- July 21, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle , Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 17 Hours
Sea of Stars
Read Game Rant’s Sea of Stars Review
The winner of The Game Awards 2023’s Best Indie Game category, Sea of Stars feels like it was tailor-made for the Nintendo Switch. Technically set in the same universe as 2018’s The Messenger – another excellent Switch game – Sea of Stars is a throwback RPG, very much inspired by classic retro titles like Chrono Trigger. From great turn-based combat to a gorgeous pixel art style to great character writing, Sea of Stars is one of the best games of 2023.
Sea of Stars
Set in the same world as 2018’s The Messenger, Sabotage Studio’s Sea of Stars is an RPG that takes inspiration from Japanese classics like Chrono Trigger. Featuring a dynamic turn-based combat system and platforming-based exploration, Sea of Stars is an ambitious and gorgeous addition to the role-playing genre.
- Released
- August 29, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Sabotage
- Publisher(s)
- Sabotage
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language
- How Long To Beat
- 28 Hours
- Metascore
- 87
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The first mainline 2D Mario game in just over a decade, Super Mario Bros. Wonder was just the triumphant return to form that fans have been desperate for. Though its gameplay will be familiar to anyone who’s ever played a Mario game before, Super Mario Bros. Wonder‘s core Wonder Flower gimmick does a lot to make the game feel like a wholly new experience, and the addition of four-player co-op helps to make Wonder feel like this big next step for the franchise. There’s no doubt that Super Mario Bros. Wonder is now considered one of the best games on Nintendo Switch, right alongside Super Mario Odyssey and Bowser’s Fury.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
A return to the franchise’s 2D side-scrolling roots, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a Nintendo Switch exclusive. Supporting up to four-player co-op and featuring playable characters like Princess Peach and Luigi, Super Mario Bros. Wonder revamps a classic formula with fresh twists, including a mechanic called Wonder Effects that cause stages to come alive.
- Released
- October 20, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Super Mario RPG
Nintendo doesn’t often do full remakes, but when it does, it usually knocks them out of the park. A full remake of the SNES 1996 underrated classic, Super Mario RPG looks beautiful and plays wonderfully. While Super Mario RPG‘s turn-based gameplay won’t be for everyone, the game’s whimsically odd tone should be enough to draw in any Super Mario fans, and this remake does a great job of making it all feel suitably accessible and engaging.
Super Mario RPG
A remake of 1996’s Legend of the Seven Stars, Super Mario RPG revamps the franchise’s first role-playing game to make it as accessible as possible for a modern audience. The game utilizes a turn-based combat system reminiscent of old-school JRPGs, one that allows three characters to form a party. Outside of fights, Super Mario RPG features platforming, puzzles, and a more involved story than a traditional Mario game.
- Released
- November 17, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
A game that needs absolutely no introduction, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been widely regarded as one of the best games of 2023, and that legacy already seems firmly cemented. Taking the groundwork of its already-phenomenal predecessor, Tears of the Kingdom improves and adds upon the original in almost every way, breaking new ground for the open-world genre once again, this time with its Zonai abilities. Because of the ability to freely ascend through platforms, the ability to fuse weapons, and the ability to build any contraption or vehicle players can think of, there’s truly no other game out there like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
- Released
- May 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- ESRB
- Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
- How Long To Beat
- 59 Hours
- Metascore
- 96
