The Nintendo Switch is the ideal platform to play role-playing games (RPGs). When traveling to work, school, or something else, players can open up the Switch and play. In today's world, RPGs are rich, diverse, and have deep stories and other fleshed-out mechanics, so having these worlds on the go is always fun.

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Bringing the hit game Skyrim over to the platform, the Switch became a bigger deal. Now, gamers don't have to go home on their respective platform to play these big games. With the Switch, they can pop in and pop out and still be engaged. Much like Skyrim, these games are big and robust and push the Switch to deliver a great experience.

Updated on February 5, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: The Nintendo Switch may be on its last legs right now, but that shouldn't take away from the wealth of experiences it has to offer. There are games across a wealth of genres that fans can check out on this hybrid console, with many games in the RPG genre being quite worthwhile for players to check out. Fans who want to check out great role-playing games on the Switch will find Skyrim to be an easy recommendation, but most players have probably already checked it out. Thankfully, there are many other RPGs in the same vein that'll be perfect for players who want to get lost in a grand adventure.

20 Octopath Traveler

An Excellent JRPG Featuring Eight Playable Characters In A Grand Adventure

A party of characters gathered around a campfire at night
Octopath Traveler
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JRPG
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Released
July 13, 2018
Developer(s)
Square Enix
Platform(s)
Xbox One, Switch, PC, Stadia
Genre(s)
JRPG

This RPG game is a quirky one to play as it features eight travelers with eight separate stories to be told throughout the game, and fans of Skyrim would be advised to give it a go. It was developed by Square Enix in association with Acquire and was released in 2018.

It's a captivating fantasy world like nothing seen before on this platform, featuring stunning combat, and the individual storylines are captivating as the player discovers the glorious world of Orsterra. Fans gave it generally good reviews on its release, and it continues to be popular on the Nintendo Switch to this day.

19 Dark Souls

A Tough As Nails Action RPG With Many Fantasy Creatures, Including Dragons That Can Wreck Unsuspecting Players

Dragon, Ashen One
Dark Souls
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Action RPG
Soulslike
Adventure
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Released
September 22, 2011
Developer(s)
From Software
Genre(s)
Action RPG, Soulslike, Adventure

Funnily enough, this game was released the same year as Skyrim but has always lived in its shadow, but fans should check it out if they want a similar type of game. Sequels and remasters have followed, but nothing compares to the original.

Dragon-based games are still all the rage and this game was one of the first ones to burst onto the scene, alongside Skyrim. The game is played from the third-person perspective, and the aim is to fight enemies whilst exploring different environments. To progress, the player must battle bosses while interacting with other characters.

18 Bravely Default 2

A Classic JRPG With A Robust Job System And A Wonderful Adventure To Boot

A green crystal floating around a group of people in Bravely Default 2
Bravely Default 2
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JRPG
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Released
February 26, 2021
Platform(s)
Switch, PC
Developer
Claytechworks
Genre(s)
JRPG

From the makers of Octopath Traveller, this game is another that features the kind of content that fans of Skyrim would appreciate. It's set on a continent called Excillant which is divided into five different kingdoms. It was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2021 and has been a massive success ever since.

Bravely Default 2 is the third game in the Bravely series, but features a new story and all new characters. There are four main characters to follow in the game, a young sailor called Seth, a princess called Gloria, a traveling scholar called Elvis, and Adelle, who is a mercenary. The aim of the game is to retrieve the crystals of the four elements, and once the player gets into the game, there's no going back from there.

The game is stunning when it features turn-based battles and also features an updated variant of what is known as the 'Brave Point' system. This allows for the collection of different asterisks to change the job class of a character.

17 Pokemon Legends: Arceus

A Huge Shift In The Established Pokemon Formula That Ended Up Working Out Pretty Well

pokemon trainer with her pokemon
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
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Released
January 28, 2022
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Platform(s)
Nintendo Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Action

A massive departure from older Pokemon games which would be played with a top-down view and because the tech was limited, gameplay would also be limited. However, as games became more and more advanced so did Pokemon. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is evidence of that as it provided players with a vast space to explore. This style of open-world gameplay is quite similar to that of Skyrim, though on a smaller scale.

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Pokemon Legends: Arceus has what made Pokemon great plus more and that allows players to get fully involved with the world they're engaging, plus giving players more freedom in what they do from how they catch the Pokemon to how they interact makes up for the perfect Pokemon game in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

16 Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

Capcom's Action RPG Is Full To The Brim With Amazing Combat Encounters And A Fun Adventure

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Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
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Action RPG
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Released
April 23, 2013
Developer(s)
Capcom
Genre(s)
Action RPG

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is the perfect game for players who want more Skyrim, featuring all the freedom and choices that Skyrim gives players Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a great addition for players to have in their game catalog. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen offers the same excitement that Skyrim does for players from the combat to how the players build their character. Players will note how deep almost all the mechanics are, which gives them the freedom to play Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen how they want to.

On top of that, this lengthy game is highly replayable. Players can finish up one story as one class and start another by doing things differently which gives players an incentive to keep on playing. If players are traveling, they'll notice how quickly Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen sucks them in because of massive and engaging the world is.

15 Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age

A Great, Experimental Final Fantasy Adventure That Implements Everything Square Enix Learned From Final Fantasy 11

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Final Fantasy 12
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JRPG
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Released
October 31, 2006
Developer(s)
Square Enix
Platform(s)
PS4, PS2, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Genre(s)
JRPG

One of the many things that have made the Switch a success story is that it allows players to go out in the world and keep these rich games on them almost at all times. Final Fantasy 12: Zodiac Age does just that and then some, by giving players this whole world that is open and so many things to do, and the best part is it's all balanced, so players won't feel overwhelmed.

The world is so massive in Final Fantasy 12: Zodiac Age that players will surely get lost in it and that's the best part because while players are exploring they'll discover so much which can make playing while traveling even more enjoyable. What makes Final Fantasy 12: Zodiac Age one of the better RPGs on the Switch is that it gives players challenges in everything and that the learning curve sticks out in the combat. While combat can be difficult, players will learn it quickly allowing them to progress more which can make everything easier on the player.

14 Dying Light

A Fun Action RPG With A Great Movement System That Makes Exploration A Blast

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Dying Light
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Open-World
Survival Horror
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Released
January 27, 2015
Developer(s)
Techland
Genre(s)
Open-World, Survival Horror

This zombie-free running-first-person game has quite a lot going for it. It has a deep and intriguing story along with mechanics that complement gameplay quite well. Dying Light can be hard at the start, however, as players level up things become much easier. With so much content, players will be spending countless hours in Dying Light and a story that the player can be connected to on a personal level gives this game the advantage of keeping players engaged longer.

Players will find enjoyment in many aspects of Dying Light like the day and night mechanic. There is a lot that players can do in this open-world game, so players can feel like they're accomplishing things that impact the world rather than the story which in the end makes Dying Light a great RPG game for the Switch.

13 Castle Crashers

A Fun Co-op Hack-And-Slash Game That's Pretty Engaging With Friends

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Castle Crashers
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Hack and Slash
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Released
August 27, 2008
Platform(s)
PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Developer
The Behemoth
Genre(s)
Hack and Slash

While not as open as the other games discussed in this article, Castle Crashers is the whole package, and it shows that games don't need massive or overly complicated to appeal to players but rather simple and fun. Castle Crashers has many fun elements to it and if players are playing with friends, the game gets even more interesting because each character that the players select has their own abilities, and that makes things a lot more personal because now each player is bringing something different to the fight which in turn can make things easier.

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The great thing about Castle Crasher is how simple it is which gives the game a better reason for players to play it with friends that's the part where Castle Crashers shines the most because it shows off how simple gameplay mechanics can make Castle Crashers seem overly complicated when in reality it's not and that surprise will drive players to play it alone or with friends.

12 Stardew Valley

A Cozy Farming Simulation Where Players Can Form Bonds With Various Residents In The Eponymous Town

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Stardew Valley
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RPG
Simulation
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Released
February 26, 2016
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Platform(s)
PC, Xbox One, Android, iOS, PS4, Switch
Genre(s)
RPG, Simulation

Unlike most other recommended RPGs, Stardew Valley teaches players about farming and goes into detail about it. Players set up and maintain the farm that their grandfather gave to them. People can expand their farms by going to different regions and growing crops according to that new region.

Stardew Valley doesn't have much action in it, but even without that, it has a very deep relationship system that players can use with NPCs in the world. Much like Skyrim, Stardew Valley's world is engaging and ongoing. It's a great game for players to have on them for long trips.

11 Child Of Light

An Interesting, Poetic RPG That Doesn't Overstay Its Welcome

Aurora in Child of Light
Child of Light
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Released
April 30, 2014
Developer(s)
Ubisoft Montreal
Genre(s)
RPG

This platformer-style RPG has a lot of heart. Child of Light isn't as long as many others in the genre, but it does have the replayability factor. Players can upgrade other things and experiment with play styles, even the combat can add some time to gameplay.

The active-time battle system makes the fighting challenging. When upgrading the characters' stats, the game gets easier to play and, in turn, the battle system becomes more fluid. Child of Light is special in many ways, not just its rhyming dialogue.