Summary
- The Switch can handle top action games despite power limitations.
- Notable Switch action titles include Hollow Knight, Shovel Knight, and Bayonetta.
- Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are top-rated Switch action games.
The Nintendo Switch has been around for a long time, and over the years, more games have been released for it. Nintendo consoles often have a strong suit of action games within their library of titles, despite Switch being less powerful than its industry counterparts, such as Xbox and PlayStation, which can handle more graphically intense titles in the genre.
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Games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and the latest Monster Hunter: Wilds are all titles that do not run on the Nintendo Switch due to power limitations. Nevertheless, the Nintendo Switch can still handle some of the best action games. The console's first and third-party lineups are some of the finest.
10 Hollow Knight
Critically Acclaimed Action-Adventure
Hollow Knight
- Released
- February 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
- Genre(s)
- Metroidvania
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux
Critically acclaimed action-adventure game Hollow Knight has players exploring the vast world of the Hallownest in a glorious 2D adventure. It features some of the best action gameplay, such as seeing Hollow Knight fight a host of creepy enemies using his sword and abilities to traverse the darkness. Once Hollow Knight is defeated, players must fight their corpses to recover their lost treasure in a unique action gameplay mechanic.
The game also features some of the best art, animation, and music in gaming, making the action-adventure platformer one of the greatest games on the Switch.
9 Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
Retro Action Brilliance
Shovel Knight
- Released
- June 26, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Yacht Club Games
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is one of the best 2D action-adventure platformers on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo consoles in general. Shovel Knight features non-stop-action gameplay, all with an 8-bit classic retro aesthetic.
Treasure Trove includes all the content released in the Shovel Knight series, including the original base game, DLC, and stories based on Plague Knight, King Knight, and other characters in the Shovel universe. The game also includes challenge modes, co-op, and new game+ + features.
8 Bayonetta 2
Brutal Combat Excellence
Bayonetta 2
- Released
- October 24, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Platinum Games
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Action
- Platform(s)
- Switch, Nintendo Wii U
First released on the Wii U in 2014, Bayonetta 2, over a decade later, still stands as one of the best action games on Nintendo consoles. The Nintendo Switch breathes new life into Bayonetta 2, with players able to enjoy the series' classic nonstop action with great graphics and stunning cutscenes.
Put simply, Bayonetta never looked better than on the Switch. The Switch is the best place to play this masterclass in action gameplay.
7 Castlevania Dominus Collection
A 2D Action Legacy
Castlevania Dominus Collection
- Released
- August 27, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Action, Platformer, Metroidvania
- Platform(s)
- Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Castlevania Dominus Collection is a Castlevania fan's dream compilation of classic games in a single package. Featuring three titles - Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin and Castlevania Order of Ecclesia, the collection is an excellent homage to these original games, brought to life on the Switch in high definition.
The package also includes a redesign of the Castlevania arcade game Haunted Castle. While the collection does not include a remake or remaster of these games, the action of the originals is still excellent, standing toe to toe with the best 2D action-adventure games.
6 Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Bold and Divisive Action Platformer
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Released
- October 20, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Platform(s)
- Switch
Potentially a contentious pick for this article, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a bit like chalk or cheese; you either love it or you really dislike it. Wonder flipped the idea of a 2D Mario platform on its head by adding a simple plant - the Wonder Flower, which could transform platforming courses into a whole concoction of different things, from a charging bull rush to a spacewalking level.
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The game also added an elephant power-up and hilarious talking flowers that added to the wackiness of the game. While the game divided much of the Mario community, it is still a great action game, willing to take chances on the decade-old formula of Mario 2D platforming.
5 Hades
Best Roguelike Action Game on the Switch
Hades
- Released
- September 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Publisher(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Roguelite
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC
With a 93 on Metacritic, Hades is one of the generation's best roguelike action games and arguably of all time. A dungeon crawler at its heart, Hades tells the story of the prince of the underworld who traverses the depths of hell to escape the clutches of Hades himself. Critically acclaimed for a reason, Hades features superb roguelike action gameplay that has players wielding a whole range of god-like weapons to deliver epic damage at breakneck speed to foes. Hades is the best roguelike action role-playing game on the Switch.
4 Metroid Prime Remastered
Timeless Action Classic
Metroid Prime Remastered
- Released
- February 8, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo, Retro Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Metroidvania
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
Samus made her return to Nintendo consoles with Metroid Prime Remastered in 2023. A remaster of the classic first entry into the Prime series, released in 2002, Prime Remastered gained critical acclaim from critics as a brilliant modern-day remaster. The game featured updated graphics, improved sound, and other quality-of-life features like enhanced controls that made Prime suit a modern-day gaming audience. Nothing else needs to be said about Metroid Prime Remastered than that it is a faithful remaster of an action classic with a new coat of paint and grease under the wheels.
3 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Action-Packed Exploration
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Released
- May 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Adventure, Action, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Coming in two slots below its predecessor on this list, Tears of the Kingdom expanded upon Breath of the Wild action gameplay, introducing new rune abilities and mechanics, such as fusing weapons with objects for added durability. The game also included new areas to explore, both underground and far into the sky. Tears of the Kingdom is just as competent as its precursor in action despite being ranked slightly lower by reviewers.
2 Super Mario Odyssey
Best 3D Action-Adventure Mario Game
Super Mario Odyssey
- Released
- October 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
- Platform(s)
- Switch
The Mario series has always been filled with action, whether stomping on a Goombas head or spinning Bowser by his tail in Mario 64. Super Mario Odyssey is easily one of the best action games on the Nintendo Switch, as one of the franchise's most well-regarded 3D action-adventure games. The game introduced a range of kingdoms Mario must explore based on planet Earth. Odyssey also introduced Cappy, a cap that Mario can throw on foes to control them, as one of the series' most novel action mechanics. Like the 3D-action adventure games that came before it, Odyssey was a console seller as one of the best action games on the Switch.
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Open-World Action Masterpiece
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Released
- March 3, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Wii U, Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild found its success as the first true open-world game in the series' history. Breath of the Wild combined nonstop exploration with top-tier action-adventure gameplay to give players an immersive Hyrule experience that improved on the series' core action mechanics in nearly every way.
Players could battle new and returning enemies with various equipable weapons, including swords, bows, and spears, all susceptible to shattering. Rune abilities such as remote bombs and statis were also introduced to fight foes and tackle puzzles. Breath of the Wild has some of the best action in the series, and on the Nintendo Switch, it is one of the best open-world action games of all time.
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