5 Underrated Nintendo Switch Games You Don't Want To Miss Out On
If you ask anyone what the best game for the Nintendo Switch is, they'll likely tell you it's "The Legend of Zelda" or perhaps even "Mario Kart." But maybe you've played those titles already, or they're just not your cup of tea or are still too expensive. That doesn't mean it's time to chuck your good ol' Switch out the window. It just means you need to broaden your horizons with some other games on the platform.
The Nintendo Switch library is massive, and the store is flooded with games that are often on sale. Some of these games cost just a few dollars, and many are mobile game ports that aren't that exciting for most players. However, real gems can be found amidst the pile of less-than-thrilling titles if you dig hard enough.
The problem is that if you are to dig for those gems yourself, you'll be sacrificing time and money — most games don't come with a demo, after all. This is why we're here. Here are some of the games that we've played ourselves. These titles have earned our stamp of approval, and yet, they're often underrated and less popular than the true Nintendo staples.
Spirit of the North
"Spirit of the North" is a beautiful game that might remind you of "Journey." While "Journey" is still unavailable on the Switch, it's a beautiful title where words don't matter, but emotions and experiences do. The same thing is true when it comes to "Spirit of the North."
"Spirit of the North" is set in a breathtaking world strongly influenced by Nordic landscapes and mythology, especially Iceland. The landscapes are gorgeous, and the soundtrack only enhances their beauty, creating a masterful gaming experience that's difficult to find.
In the game, you play as a fox imbued with a magical spirit's power. You have to navigate your way through various lands and obstacles. Your goal is to help restore the balance to the environment and purify it of corrupted grounds and restless spirits.
The unique thing about "Spirit of the North" (and "Journey," for that matter) is that the game has zero dialogue or narration. You explore the world it's set in without being force-fed any information, drawing your own conclusions, solving puzzles, and learning the story through trial and error and images shown in the game itself. It's a one-of-a-kind experience that you shouldn't overlook if these types of hauntingly beautiful games are to your liking.
Rayman Legends Definitive Edition
This game you will often find on sale in the Nintendo Switch store, but even if it's not discounted, it's worth every penny. However, be mindful that this is not a new game — the original version was released on multiple platforms in 2013, and then the enhanced Switch port hit the shelves in 2017.
In this adventure platformer, you play the titular character Rayman. You are sent on a quest to explore all the worlds available in the game and save "Teensies," which are tiny little creatures captured by evil forces. There are also mini-games and various pieces of bonus content, as well as rotating daily and weekly special levels that you can compete in against other players.
The game relies on music and rhythm to create some of the most fun levels in a platformer game. In those levels, you have to sync up your actions to match the song's rhythm playing in the background. There's a lot of variety between all the levels, many challenges, and a lot of replayability, making this a solid game all around.
Trine
"Trine" is a series of four games, the latest of which is "Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince." All four are available on the Switch, and they're usually pretty cheap, with sales occurring throughout the year. "Trine" is a 2.5D game, meaning that the characters and environments appear to be 3D, but the gameplay is mainly based on old-school side-scrolling. The third game transitions to 3D gameplay, but the fourth title brings it back to 2.5D.
If you enjoy fantasy, you're almost bound to enjoy "Trine." The story begins with three distinct characters — Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight, and Zoya the Thief (essentially a hunter type of character), who are brought together by a mystical artifact known as the Trine, thanks to which they all have their own skills and spells that they can use.
While skill is required to get through some of the more fast-paced levels, many of the challenges in "Trine" involve puzzles, and the way to solve them is to use each character's unique abilities. For example, Amadeus can conjure boxes and platforms, making for interesting gameplay.
You can play "Trine" by yourself and switch between characters as needed — it's hard, if not impossible, to complete the game with just one hero. The game has beautiful art, music, and a great sense of adventure that will make you binge it until you complete it.
Thumper
"Thumper" is like "Guitar Hero" on steroids, and it's a single-player game available on the Nintendo Switch. This 2016 title provides unique gameplay that's entirely rhythm-based but action-packed, addictive, and — let's be real — pretty frustrating at times. That's all part of the fun, though.
In "Thumper," it's all about rhythm and meticulous timing. The worlds blend into each other and look like a track set in a psychedelic environment that's hard to define. You play as a space beetle that needs to go through each level without getting destroyed. Each level speeds up more and more until you're flying through them at an insane pace, struggling to avoid obstacles that only increase in volume with each level. Occasionally, boss levels crop up, and those are even harder.
The entirety of the game is centered around the intense electronic soundtrack and visual and audio cues. The first few times you try to play this, you'll likely fail miserably — but once you get into the flow, you'll probably keep going and going until your head is spinning. It's hard to put this game down, even though it's unassuming.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
If you're into co-op, you'll like "Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime" — and even if you'd rather play alone, you're still likely to enjoy it. It sends you on an adventure through dozens of colorful, "Adventure Time"-esque levels set in space. The two main characters must cooperate to rescue stranded space bunnies and other critters, defeat evil forces, and save the galaxy.
The spaceship your characters call their home is a round ship with many stations, each with its unique role. You run from one station to the next, sometimes in a frantic rush, to steer the ship away from hordes of enemies, handle the weapons, operate the shields, and control other systems. Items picked up along the way help you choose which part of your ship to temporarily upgrade — because once you move on to the next, even harder level, your ship is reset back to zero.
While the main focus of this cute, creative, and engaging title is multiplayer, it's entirely possible to play by yourself. It's pretty challenging, though, because two characters are still needed, so you'll have to learn how to seamlessly jump between them to target enemies and steer the ship in the right direction.