The Switch was popular from the drop in 2017, and not just because of the allure of a new system. It actually had a system-selling game that people still enjoy playing and will probably be jazzed about playing on the Switch 2, aka The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
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Thanks to that game and many others, the Switch quickly became a popular system for many developers to create and port their content to. One thing that the Switch didn’t really become known for, though, was first-person games. There are a few, and some even have multiplayer, so let’s go through and rank the best ones according to options, how well they run on Switch, and their overall quality.
8 GoldenEye 007
A N64 Classic Returns
GoldenEye 007
- Released
- August 25, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- Multiplayer: Four Players Online
GoldenEye 007 was a multiplayer dream when it came out on the N64 as a masterclass lesson in how to create a good Bond game. The single-player was good too as a faithful adaptation of the movie with expanded scenes, but multiplayer is what drove this into a slumber party classic in the 90s.
The Switch version is free to those who have Nintendo Online and the N64 library, where they can engage with up to four people in matches. Admittedly, it’s not as good as it used to be, but nostalgia is a powerful thing.
7 Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Fighting Nazis With Body Armor
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
- Released
- July 26, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- MachineGames, Arkane Studios
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
- Multiplayer: Two Players Online
Wolfenstein: Youngblood is the last major game in the series, for now, which starred B.J. Blazkowicz’s teenage daughters, Jessie and Zofia, who got power armor to fight against the Nazis.
While it can be played in single-player, the game is best experienced in co-op with both sisters at play, bouncing quips off each other like a night at an improv scene. The Switch version chugs a bit but it is serviceable to enjoy a bizarre story and some solid Nazi killing action with some inventive weapons.
6 Prodeus
A 90s Throwback
Prodeus
- Released
- September 23, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bounding Box Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Multiplayer: Four Players Online
Prodeus is a throwback to the old-school Wolfenstein and Doom games with pixel art not seen in a shooter since the 90s PC days. Up to four players can join in on the fun during the campaign, which is rare to see in a retro throwback like this.
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Compared to the more AAA budget games , Prodeus worked on a lower scale, meaning that it didn’t have to use a lot of the Switch’s power to look good online and offline, which helps it stand out.
5 Overwatch 2
Slowly Turning Into Fortnite
Overwatch 2
- Released
- August 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Multiplayer: Various Modes
Overwatch 2 has kind of become Fortnite with its recent run of skins, including a collaboration with Street Fighter 6. That said, the Overwatch series has always prided itself on coming up with cool new skins to reward players and keep them coming back.
It is a free-to-play game after all, and there’s no better way to incentivize players than with custom threads. Thanks to the stylized art design, Overwatch 2 looks and runs pretty well online with the main mode featuring five versus five teams, but there are plenty of other modes to dive into, too.
4 Payday 2
Rob Banks For Days
Payday 2
- Released
- August 13, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Overkill Software
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Multiplayer: Four Players Online
What Payday 2 lacks in skins, it more than makes up for in its central heist mode. Even Grand Theft Auto Online has not reached the heights of robbing banks and shooting at cops online. Players can experience it with four friends or strangers online, and even though it’s not as good as other consoles, the Switch version is a viable option. The controls may take some getting used to, but such is the life of a thief: trial and error.
3 Dying Light: Definitive Edition
A Parkour Apocalypse
Dying Light: Definitive Edition
- Released
- October 19, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Multiplayer: Four Players Online
Dying Light: Definitive Edition is a brutal game that emphasizes parkour and melee combat compared to the gunplay of other first-person games. These zombie mutants will not wander around like old men, akin to the Resident Evil games.
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They are hungry and want to kill, be it with their teeth or bare hands. That’s why the four-player online option is the best way to experience the campaign, as it makes things easier but still pretty intense.
2 Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection
Play It Your Way
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection
- Released
- March 14, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Aspyr
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
- Multiplayer: Various Modes
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collection contains the first two games that came to a Nintendo console for the first time in 2024 after debuting on the PS2 and Xbox. Players can go through the campaigns in two-player split-screen, or they can go into big matches for a 32v32 online game.
The big battles are fun, but playing with just one friend through the campaigns is what helped these two games become legendary. The collection doesn’t add a lot to the games, and they don’t look as good as modern shooters, but that’s just how good these Star Wars games are, be it in third-person or first-person.
1 Borderlands Legendary Collection
Three Games To Loot
- Developer: Gearbox
- Publisher: 2K
- Released: May 29, 2020
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Switch
- Games: Borderlands, Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
- Multiplayer: Two Players Local/Four Online
Borderlands Legendary Collection is a package deal often on sale on Switch, which contains Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. All three Borderlands games support two players locally for split-screen co-op and four players online.
Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition would be a good recommendation too, but because it’s such a bigger game, it only supports two players online for Switch owners. That’s why this collection is the best bang for anyone’s buck, with plenty of co-op first-person action and loot for days.
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