Sometimes, the absolute best part of a game is when it lets you just forget. Forget the main plot entirely, ignore the urgent quest marker, and sink hours upon hours into something completely, wonderfully different.
10 Great Multi-Platform Games (That Are Best Played On The Nintendo Switch)
Those looking for multi-platform games have mountains worth choosing from, but some of them just play better on the Nintendo Switch.
From entire, perfectly recreated arcade cabinets tucked away in dusty corners to classic shooters hidden in plain sight, these are the games where playing another game inside of them becomes a glorious highlight all on its own.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Aloha Arcade Fever
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
- Released
- February 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
The Yakuza series has always been a time machine. And its latest entry, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, continues that brilliant tradition with some serious Hawaiian style. Amidst the bonkers side stories and brutal street brawls, you can just stumble into a SEGA arcade and lose yourself in a sea of fully playable classics. You get this perfect hit of neon-soaked nostalgia, a wonderful little break from all the fistfights. Whether you're chasing the high score on OutRun or pumping imaginary quarters into Virtua Fighter, the distractions feel almost as fleshed-out as the main questline.
And what makes it so special is the hilarious tonal whiplash. One minute, Majima is tangled up in some seriously heavy mafia politics; the next, he's a teenager again, mastering combos on a virtual arcade cabinet. That duality - a gritty crime drama spliced with carefree gaming sessions - has always been the series' secret sauce.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
A Village Within a Village
Animal Crossing: New Leaf
- Released
- June 9, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EAD
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- Platform(s)
- 3DS
Animal Crossing is already a game about simple, cozy pleasures. But New Leaf's inclusion of fortune cookies that unlock actual, playable retro Nintendo games? That just pushes the charm into the stratosphere. Cashing in your play coins for a chance to get an NES cartridge of Excitebike or Donkey Kong turns your already perfect little town into your own personal arcade.
And these aren't some stripped-down, gimmicky versions either; these are the full classics, which gives them some serious staying power. It just fits so perfectly within the game's core loop of collecting and decorating. And there's this wonderful, strangely meta feeling that comes from booting up a console inside another console, all while your animal neighbors are wandering around, chatting about turnips.
Homefront: The Revolution
Resistance Comes With Minigames
Homefront: The Revolution
- Released
- May 17, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Dambuster Studios
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Homefront: The Revolution is mostly remembered for its ambitious but slightly wobbly open world. But its most surprising, most brilliant feature is tucked away in its safehouses. Because in those safehouses, you can find a fully playable arcade cabinet of TimeSplitters 2, one of the most beloved and brilliant console shooters of all time. An entire, classic FPS, just preserved inside another game.
5 Best Open-World Games Set In Alternate History Cities
Alternate history versions of famous cities are always fun to explore. In these open-world games, players can explore a new take on classic settings.
At first, it just feels like a cool Easter egg. And then you realize the sheer scale of it. It turns the underground hideouts into something more than just rest stops; they become these little pockets of escapism for both you and the fictional rebels. It's an oddly perfect fit. Even in a grim dystopia, people find a way to play.
Lost Judgement
Schoolyard Distractions
Lost Judgement
- Released
- September 21, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- PS5
Yagami’s detective work will often take him deep into the world of Japanese high school subcultures, and it's there that you stumble upon an absolute treasure trove of playable distractions. There's even a boxing club side-activity, which practically plays like its own separate, fully-fledged fighting game.
But what stands out most is the full-on SEGA arcade machines that let you play classic Sega titles like Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown, Motor Raid, and Homing Attack UFO Catchers. These layers of interactivity make the world of Yokohama feel so much more alive, and they give you the chance to unwind between the heavy narrative beats. Another great reminder that a detective can solve a murder case and still have time for a few rounds of pinball.
Shenmue 2
Virtually Living the Dream
Shenmue 2
- Released
- November 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Sega
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, Sega Dreamcast, Xbox (Original), Xbox One
Long before in-game arcades became a common thing, Shenmue 2 was just filling its streets with them. And they were all SEGA classics. Dropping into an arcade in bustling Hong Kong to play Hang-On or Space Harrier felt absolutely revolutionary at the time, blurring the line between a video game and a lived-in simulation in a way that nothing else had.
And these weren’t just throwaway diversions, either. Losing your hard-earned money on capsule toy machines or chasing a high score in between sessions of Ryo’s epic quest for revenge made the world feel so much more authentic. Shenmue 2 made wasting time into an art form, and it still feels charmingly, wonderfully ahead of its era.
Doom Eternal
Hell Comes With Retro Rewards
DOOM Eternal
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
- Developer(s)
- id Software
- Platform(s)
- Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
Doom Eternal is about one thing: ripping and tearing. But tucked away inside the Doom Slayer’s giant floating Fortress of Doom is a quirky little detail: a retro PC setup. And on that PC, you can unlock and play the original Doom and Doom 2. It's such a perfect, brilliant nod to the franchise's history.
And the contrast is just wonderful. After you've just cleared an arena filled with hellspawn using a ridiculous arsenal of futuristic weaponry, retreating to your virtual bedroom to play a chunky, pixelated shooter from the '90s feels cozy. Oddly cozy. It's a celebration of the series' past, and a clever little palate cleanser in a campaign that otherwise never lets up.
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Numbers Station Nostalgia
Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Released
- November 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
No one expected this 2010 COD game to hide one of gaming’s most unexpected treasures in plain sight. On the main menu, players can actually break free from the interrogation chair they’re strapped to, walk over to an old computer terminal, and access a fully playable version of the classic text adventure, Zork. Yes, really.
For a series built entirely on bombastic, cinematic firefights, the sudden shift to slowly typing out commands like open mailbox feels wonderfully surreal. And it works perfectly as a Cold War-era Easter egg, aligning with the campaign's themes of secrecy and hidden knowledge. It's a safe bet to say that plenty of players spent just as much time exploring the dungeons of Zork in text form as they did storming enemy compounds with an assault rifle.
8 Call Of Duty Games With Underappreciated Single-Player Campaigns
Although contemporary Call of Duty titles are mostly known for their multiplayer content, some COD games have underrated singleplayer campaigns.