The Best Third-Party Games On The Nintendo Switch

Highlights

• Nintendo Switch boasts a broad range of third-party titles beyond its first-party and indie selections.
• Games like
  DOOM Eternal
  and
  No Man’s Sky
  shine on the Switch with top-notch gameplay and portability.
• From
  Persona 5 Royal
  to
  Sonic Mania
  , the Switch offers a diverse array of acclaimed third-party games.

Nintendo is known for its vast array of solid first-party games. The Nintendo Switch is also known for having a deep library of indies to take on the go. But what isn’t spotlighted as much as those two points is the amount of third-party support the Switch has gotten since its launch in 2017.

With the help of some major companies, Nintendo has been able to build a solid catalog of high-quality AA or AAA games on the Switch that aren’t just Nintendo-made. While there are quite a few options for players to choose from, only a small handful stand out as must-plays.

Updated on April 5, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: If there’s one thing that Nintendo Switch has absolutely nailed, it’s the decision to finally allow third-party publishers to release games on their console at a level that was simply unprecedented. The sheer amount of titles released on this hybrid console is truly mind-boggling, with most people finding it hard to believe that some of the most graphically-intensive and high-profile IPs around have made their way on the Nintendo Switch. This list has been updated to include some more of the best third-party Switch games.

1 DOOM Eternal

Metascore: 80

The FPS action of DOOM‘s reboot was something else, and it’s easy to see why players wanted to enjoy a sequel that would let them enjoy more of this title’s impressive gameplay. DOOM Eternal certainly upped the ante for this title, even if some people felt like the gameplay was unnecessarily convoluted in some instances.

What really makes DOOM Eternal such a massive achievement is how smoothly it works on the Nintendo Switch. The gameplay doesn’t feel like it’s being held back by the lower graphical and processing power of the Switch, which is a massive achievement in its own right.

2 No Man’s Sky

Metascore: 85

No Man’s Sky is a game that went through a lot of strife before finally achieving the level of excellence most people expected from this title. Tighter procedurally generated systems, gameplay improvements, and the addition of new features have helped this game stand out as one of the best space exploration games players can check out.

Enjoying this title on the Switch is a dream come true. After all, most people would love the idea of exploring planets on the go, which is accommodated by the Switch’s portable nature.

3 Two Point Hospital

Metascore: 85

Based on the 1997 hit simulator Theme Hospital and many other simulation games, Two Point Hospital puts players in the position of running their own hospital. Players can take on a handful of different starting scenarios as the primary goal is to build different rooms that will help satisfy the needs of the patients that will be staying there.

Players will also need to tackle made-up diseases and how to cure them by hiring the right staff to get to the bottom of them.

4 Portal Companion Collection

Metascore: 95

Commonly talked about as being among the best puzzle games in history, the Portal franchise came to the Nintendo Switch in 2022 with both games bundled together under the name Portal Companion Collection. The first-person platform puzzler tasks players with navigating a series of tests using a Portal gun.

While the most talked about parts of these third-party Switch games are their single-player campaigns, players can pick up the game at any time and take on the co-op mode with a friend either with split-screen multiplayer or through different devices locally and online.

5 Shin Megami Tensei 5

Metascore: 84

Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch is Shin Megami Tensei 5, the fifth game in the Atlus series that has been about focusing on fighting demons and recruiting them to battle alongside the main player in a turn-based combat system.

In search of their high school friends, the main character of SMT5 fuses with a being known as Aogami to gain powers to survive in an alternative reality Tokyo known as Da’at that has collapsed thanks to the war between angels and demons. It is while traveling this land that the player learns what is happening in the world and uses their powers to fight back.

6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Metascore: 85

The Witcher has become a multimedia franchise thanks to the work done on the video game series. The most beloved entry of the trilogy, and the highest-selling, is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The monster slayer Geralt of Rivia returns as he searches for his adopted daughter as she attempts to escape the Wild Hunt, a group of ghostly warriors from a parallel dimension.

The Witcher 3 is an action RPG that revolves around fighting monsters and completing quests to help enhance Geralt’s abilities.

7 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps

Metascore: 93

Metroidvanias have been popular lately, especially on the Switch. However, there are plenty of great third-party games in the genre to check out as well. That includes a game originally published by Xbox Games Studios, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, developed by Moon Studios.

This sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest continues the game’s narrative while also enhancing graphics and combat. Players explore the world as the guardian spirit Ori, while they solve puzzles and gain abilities on their journey.

8 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Metascore: 88

After being a PlayStation exclusive for many years, 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim arrived on the Switch and joined the system’s deep JRPG library. The Vanillaware game is about high school students who have been thrust into a war that they must fight in using mechas.

One of the best third-party Switch games, 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim combines side-scrolling navigation of areas with epic battles that use a real-time strategy format that allows for unique approaches for every encounter. There are also multiple branches that the story can go down depending on decisions made by the player during the experience.

9 Sid Meier’s Civilization 6

Metascore: 86

When it comes to turn-based strategy games, there is none more iconic than Civilization. The most recent title in the series, Civilization 6, still holds up even five years after its initial release. The main format is to develop society from scratch and build up an early settlement enough to become a world power.

Along with new civilizations, the sixth installment saw the introduction of districts, which are needed to build a bunch of specific types of buildings.

10 Katamari Damacy Reroll

Metascore: 87

When it comes to truly unique video game franchises, Katamari is among the weirder experiences to play out there. However, they are also a ton of fun, and Katamari Damacy Reroll reintroduces the story that got it started.

Gamers play as a prince who is looking to rebuild the world that has accidentally been destroyed by the King of All Cosmos. The goal of the game is to roll a ball that can pick up objects around a level and make the ball big enough to recreate the stars.

11 Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age

Metascore: 85

One of the most highly-regarded RPG series of all time, Final Fantasy, has a few entries out on the Nintendo Switch. However, the one port that seems to be a must-get for fans is Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age.

This version offers both the original game that was released on the PlayStation 2, as well as an expansion called the International Zodiac Job System that was first released in Japan. Final Fantasy 12 features the Active Dimension Battle system as well as a “gambit” system that helps players program character actions at specific moments.

12 Dragon Ball FighterZ

Metascore: 87

Fighting game fans have likely played a ton of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Switch. However, there are many other fighting experiences to give a shot on the device. A solid one to try is Dragon Ball FighterZ. The game takes place between the “Universe 6” and “Future Tanks” arcs of the Dragon Ball Super manga and anime.

Dragon Ball FighterZ revolves around using a team of three fighters and unique assist abilities to take on another player or AI.

13 Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition

Metascore: 84

Platformers are a major part of the Nintendo Switch’s library. A 2D platformer that tends to get a lot of love from fans of the genre is Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition from Ubisoft. A sequel to Rayman Origins, this game takes place 100 years after the events of its predecessor.

Rayman and friends must rescue the ten princesses that have been captured by the Bubble Dreamer’s nightmares. Rayman Legends can be played with up to four players and features well over 120 levels that include new and old levels.

14 Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

Metascore: 87

Final Fantasy is one of the most beloved franchises out there. While fans love the stories and gameplay that these experiences provide, the games are also known for their incredible music. To celebrate the incredible score of the series, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line was released as a third-party Switch game.

The fifth entry in this spin-off series, Final Bar Line is a rhythm game mixed with an RPG. Similar to the regular games, the player is in charge of controlling a party of players in battle sequences against foes. The battles consist of rhythm gameplay that will require single or multiple inputs be played at once for specific notes.

15 Octopath Traveler 2

Metascore: 85

Square Enix has plenty of RPGs that it has released on the Nintendo Switch, and while it isn’t a Switch timed-exclusive like its predecessor, Octopath Traveler 2 is still a solid follow-up to its 2018 entry that tells a story with a brand-new set of characters.

As with the first game, Octopath Traveler 2 has a narrative that is told from eight different perspectives. These stories begin as separate tales but collide as news of an evil organization spreads. This group is looking to bring eternal darkness to the land of Solistia, the main world in which the game’s events take place.

16 Diablo 3: Eternal Collection

Metascore: 88

As fans eagerly await the eventual release of Diablo 4, it’s always nice to go back to previous entries in the franchise to re-experience what makes the games so special. The Switch has one version of Diablo on it with Diablo 3: Eternal Collection. The top-down hack-and-slash once again puts players in a position to pick their class and join the fight against the Lord of Terror Diablo.

This version of the game automatically comes with the two expansion packs that were released after it first came out.

17 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2

Metascore: 89

When thinking about skateboarding video games, one of the most famous is easily Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. And while it has been years since a completely new entry was released, the latest release came in 2020 as a remake called Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2.

Released on Nintendo Switch in 2021, this version of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater features maps and tricks from the original two releases of the classic skateboarding franchise as well as later entries in the franchise. The gameplay loop revolves around getting high scores and collecting objects on each map to advance through the game.

18 Persona 5 Royal

Metascore: 95

Considering its rave reception upon its release, it took a while for Persona 5 Royal to come out on other platforms. Now, it puts itself among the best third-party games on Switch, bringing the story of the Phantom Thieves to a new audience.

Persona 5 Royal focuses on a transfer student named Joker who, after a dream that spoke of a doomed future, teams up with other students to help fight back against corruption using newfound powerful versions of themselves that are called Personas.

Metascore: 84

Bethesda is known for its open-world western RPGs, which can reel players in for hundreds of hours. The best-known of these titles is their 2011 hit The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Players are about to be killed for illegally crossing the border into Skyrim when Alduin the World-Eater destroys the town they are in.

As the legendary Dragonborn, the player must complete quests that will help them reach the goal of slaying the dragon that threatens to destroy the world. Of course, along the way, there are side quests to complete, mysteries to solve, and guilds to join in Skyrim.

20 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Metascore: 86

What would it be like to have the power to revert someone’s death by going four minutes back in time? The puzzle adventure game Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective answers this question. As a recently departed individual who is trying to find their identity, players are tasked with helping the people who might figure out their identity.

Players will be placed in situations where they have a limited amount of time to figure out what objects can be controlled that could change the fate of an individual who has recently died. The main story of Ghost Trick is known for its many twists and turns, which is what makes its port to Nintendo Switch all the more exciting.