THIS year has been exceptional for Nintendo, with an amazing lineup of games coming to Switch.
Here are our top ten Switch games released in 2022 so you can see what you’ve missed out on.
Scarlet and Violet are Nintendo’s latest releases.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Legends: Arceus was a refreshing change of pace for Pokémon players, who were used to the same slop year after year.
With a focus on catching over battling, and Pokémon, which could be seen out in the wild, it was the kind of Pokémon game players had dreamt of.
Finally, the series’ world felt real for the first time, and fans were hopeful for the first time in a long time.
Triangle Strategy
Paying homage to ‘90s-style turn-based RPGs, Triangle Strategy is a beautiful 2.5D pixel art strategy game.
As warring countries fight for power and the region’s most valuable asset, its salt, Triangle Strategy features multiple endings depending on who you side with.
The strategic combat and difficult decisions blend together for a surprisingly gripping game.
Kirby & The Forgotten Land
Another series that has suffered from being stale, Kirby & The Forgotten Land showed that Nintendo is still capable of taking risks.
Mouthful mode gave Kirby a whole new set of abilities to use, and the hub town gave a fun group of minigames to play with friends.
With the ability to play coop throughout your adventure, Kirby is fun for friends and family.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Bringing all the classic Fire Emblem characters that you have bonded with over the series and bringing them to a place with no permadeath was a smart decision.
In Fire Emblem Warriors, you journey with your favourite team of heroes into a world with large maps and forts to take down and defend.
Particularly fun with friends, as you strategise on the best ways to protect your land.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
We’re convinced that not a single person who has played Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has criticism about the game.
Played out in a huge open world, with a vast number of missions to complete, and hundreds of hours of gameplay.
There are 19 heroes to recruit and play with, making you want to play just one more quest.
Splatoon 3
Splatoon 3 didn’t reinvent the wheel, but the series has such a solid base of great shooter gameplay, that it’s hard to go wrong.
Introducing new weapons, special abilities, and three-way turf wars gave even more strategic options for play.
While the multiplayer is where Splatoon 3 really shines, the single-player has also been praised as the series’ best.
Trails from Zero
If you’ve played any of the Trails of Cold Steel games, then you will know just how well Trails games tell a story.
Trails from Zero is a prequel to the turn-based RPG series that tells a new story about Lloyd, a well-intentioned detective.
While given the simple task of improving the police’s reputation in the town, he soon gets wrapped into the seedy underbelly of corruption.
Chaos; Head Noah
Steins; Gate is a well-renowned anime and game series, and despite coming from the same series, Chaos; Head Noah seems to have been overlooked.
More rooted in the horror genre of games compared to sci-fi, you play as a shut-in who prefers the world of games to real people.
He’s then thrown into the real world as he finds himself at the centre of a serial killer case, he has to solve or fall under suspicion.
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 is one of the best action games of the year on any platform and is a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
The world is bigger than ever before, with a huge number of secrets, extra challenges, and levels to find.
The Rodin boss fight is a particular highlight, and not for the faint of heart.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
While Scarlet and Violet suffer from performance issues, many will find they don’t hamper their enjoyment particularly on handheld.
Set for the first time in a completely open world, you choose the path you want to take on the road to champion.
Giving more ways to battle than ever before, and a more fleshed out co-op mode, it’s a huge step forward for the series.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
