The Nintendo Switch 2 has now been out for over a year. Fans who weren’t on the Mario Kart World train weren’t ready to buy the system on day one—but now the library is warming up, helped in great part by next month’s The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.
It’s still early in the console’s lifecycle, but some classic titles have hit shelves in year one, and we highly recommend that you make a spot for them in your library. It’s easy to miss good games in the flurry of new releases, but the good news is that picking up a game a few months after release may mean getting it for a better price. Many games on this list are discounted right now, so you can build up your library and save money at the same time.
As someone who played the original Final Fantasy VII, I am deeply impressed by how Square Enix has translated this classic for modern audiences. All the story moments and character interactions you love are there, but fleshed out in a way that makes everything feel much more real. I loved learning more about the other members of Avalanche in this remake, and Barret’s performance is so good it makes an already incredible character even better.
There’s also plenty of new content to enjoy here, from story additions to side quests, and being able to take it on the go is a major bonus. I recommend you play with headphones, because the new score is also gorgeous. With Final Fantasy VII: Revelation on the horizon, there’s no better time to grab this and catch up on one of the greatest RPGs of all time.
Resident Evil needs no introduction, considering the role it’s played in establishing survival horror as a genre. That said, Requiem is top-of-the-class in every way, from story to gameplay. I’ve enjoyed most of the previous entries in the series, but Requiem‘s story was especially rewarding for me as a fan who’s invested in the franchise long-term. The balance of gameplay between Grace and Leon also allows players to experience different gameplay styles, making it feel constantly fresh.
Like many of Nintendo’s recent physical games, this one contains a game key-card instead of a cartridge with the game on it. When you insert it into your Switch 2, it will download the game onto your console, so make sure you have plenty of memory ready to go.
Pokémon Pokopia was released back in March, but the game has been such a success for Nintendo that there hasn’t been a sale yet. Even though we prefer to recommend discounted products, this one is on the list because it’s terrific and should be in anyone’s library who enjoys Pokémon.
Pokopia is what you get if you smash Pokémon, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing together, and the results are delightful in a way that only Nintendo can produce. I think this is a very smart mashup of Nintendo’s existing franchises and a truly magical game, and I highly recommend it. If the price is too steep for you and you haven’t taken the plunge on buying a Switch 2 yet, the Switch 2: Choose Your Own Game Bundle saves you $30 and comes with a game of your choice; Pokopia is one of the options.
The Madden series has been a hit ever since it launched for video game consoles in 1990, and 36 years later, it’s still going strong. Some gamers complain that it’s more of the same every year, but the sales tell the story—it ranks annually among the top sellers without fail, so EA keeps them coming.
I am not a Madden player myself, but I do know Madden 27 introduced the Persona Engine, an AI-driven system that makes your athletes react in more complex ways than they ever have before and introduces new depth to the experience. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Madden and haven’t been back for a while, this one is worth coming back for.
Dragon Warrior (later known as Dragon Quest) was the first role-playing game I ever played on my Nintendo Entertainment System, and I was deeply fascinated by both the story and the gameplay. Exploring a medieval world, fighting in turn-based battles, and leveling up my party was a fun new experience and planted the seeds for a lifelong love of RPGs.
This HD 2D remaster combines pixel art and 3D graphics to give both games new life and make them more palatable for a modern audience, and it achieves that goal admirably. On top of that, getting two full RPGs for $35 is an absolute steal. Whether you want to experience them in a new way or for the very first time, I highly recommend adding this one to your collection.
I don’t have anything against Donkey Kong games, but they really aren’t on my radar—that is, until my podcast co-host raved about Donkey Kong Bananza being the best thing he’s played on the Switch 2 since the console’s been released. That’s big praise, so I set out to check it out myself and quickly learned why he felt that way.
Bananza‘s gameplay loop is all about the delights of using brute force, and it never gets old. It’s a surprise that the first Donkey Kong game developed in-house by Nintendo in 20 years is also the console’s first true must-have game, but I can see exactly why people feel this way (and I agree with them). Don’t sleep on this one.
Cyberpunk 2077 hit some roadblocks when it came out in 2020, resulting in a lot of gamers passing it up entirely. That’s a discredit to everything CD Projekt Red has put into the project since, but with the speed of new releases, a lot of folks never looked back, which is why I think it’s worth revisiting it in the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
In addition to a 40-hour main storyline in the vivid world of Night City where you get to play with tons of weapons and vehicles, you’ve got plentiful side quests, all the DLC, and the Phantom Liberty expansion. Also, it has Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba. In the same game. Need I say more?
Hades is a masterpiece that spawned thousands of clones, leading many folks to believe that Hades II might not have the chops to live up to it. Here comes a very, very hot take: Hades II not only lives up to it, but exceeds its predecessor. Despite combining a highly addictive mechanics system with a beautifully written story and top-tier voice acting and music, Supergiant did it even better the second go, layering new mechanics and deepening its lore in a way I found deeply satisfying.
Hades II was very much overshadowed last year, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was winning every award conceivable (which it deserved). If you missed out on it in all the flurry, I can’t urge you enough to go back—it’s well worth your time.
Yes, there are two Final Fantasy VII games on this list. That’s because they’re both great, and they’re both on sale. Rebirth continues the storyline of Remake Intergrade, bringing Cloud and company out into the big, wide world outside Midgar. This part of the original game felt really epic as things opened up, but it’s ten times that feeling in the remake.
This entry in the series also introduces new characters, including Zack Fair, who is very important to the storyline. I don’t agree with every choice made for the remake, but I still think it’s a stellar effort at translating the original for a modern audience and is fully enjoyable. Also, at $35, it’s a great deal.
Splatoon games are what I think of as pure fun, and Splatoon Raiders delivers on that belief. You’ll team up with Deep Cut (Shiver, Frye, and Big Man) to explore the mysterious Spirhalite Islands. The action shooter delivers colorful characters, mechanics that are easy to pick up, and a ton of customizable weapons and gear.
This Splatoon was built for single-player focus, so be aware of that if you’re used to playing the series co-op. There is also a 4-player PVE co-op mode, but there’s no option to go up against other players. That said, if you enjoy side-by-side co-op as opposed to versus, Splatoon Raiders will be a perfect fit for you.
