Whenever a friend asks me, "What are some fun games on the Switch?" I have to first ask back: What do you mean by "fun"? Is it the kind you want to delete your save and replay after finishing, or the kind you just pick up for a few rounds before bed?

Eventually, I stopped explaining. I just ask directly: "Do you usually play alone, or do you have someone to play with?"

This question really filters the answer. Because the core experience of the Switch boils down to two things: solo enjoyment, or shared fun.

Solo Section: My Own Adventure Log

Let's start with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but I don't need to hype it up again. What I want to talk about is another moment—after defeating the four Divine Beasts, before facing Calamity Ganon, I stood on the hillside opposite Hyrule Castle, looked through every weapon in my inventory one by one, and then turned off the game. It wasn't because I couldn't beat it; it was that I couldn't bear to let that feeling slip away.

This is the hardest thing to replicate in Nintendo game recommendations: it lets you create your own narrative pace in an open world, not just being pushed along by a quest list.

In contrast, I tried Metroid Dread. The controls are indeed crisp, and Samus moves like a knife through butter. But there was one mid-game map where I wandered around for forty minutes and still couldn't find the way. That night, I tossed my Pro controller onto the couch and decided to deal with it tomorrow—later, I checked a guide and found I had missed a hidden block. This game isn't very friendly to people with poor direction sense.

There's also Hollow Knight. Many people say it's a must-play in indie game recommendations, but I'll be honest: its difficulty isn't just "a bit high"; it's "discouraging." I was stuck on the Soul Master's second phase for three days. In between, I played two days of Kirby Star Allies to recover my spirits. If you're a more casual player, be cautious before diving in.

Co-op Section: Games That Really Get People Hooked

When it comes to two-player Switch games, the one I think is safest right now is It Takes Two—ranked first. But the prerequisite is that you need a teammate willing to cooperate. I tried it with a friend who doesn't usually play games. For the first five minutes, she kept asking, "Which button is jump?" Ten minutes later, she was already directing me on how to solve puzzles. The beauty of this game is that its controls aren't overly demanding, but it truly requires two people to "lend a hand."

Another one is Luigi's Mansion 3. This game is very easy to pick up—just suck and blow with the vacuum, and you can have a great time. But there's a small issue: its co-op mode is actually split-screen, with each person looking at their own view, which means communication can be a bit tricky. When I played with my cousin, we often had exchanges like, "Did you suck that up yet?" and "Why can't I get over there?" Fortunately, the boss floor designs are impressive, so these minor annoyances are tolerable.

By the way, here's a cautionary tale: I tried to get someone into gaming with Overcooked! 2, and within ten minutes, someone threw the controller. It's not that it's not fun—it's just too brutal for newcomers. If you want to have a good time playing online with friends, I suggest avoiding these "relationship-breaker" games first.

So How Should You Choose?

If you ask me, I look at two factors.

First: Are you someone who can accept getting stuck? If you don't like using your brain while gaming, or you want to switch games as soon as you hit a roadblock, then stay away from Hollow Knight and Metroid. Stick with the main story of Zelda or play Super Mario Odyssey. The latter has exploration too, but its margin for error is much higher.

Second: Did you buy the Switch for "your own enjoyment" or "to play with others"? If you often have friends over or have kids at home, then party games on the game rankings list are far more practical than solo masterpieces. Here's my personal recommendation list:

  • Solo players (can endure solitude + not afraid of dying) → Hollow Knight, Metroid Dread
  • Solo players (like exploring but don't want to overthink) → Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey
  • Frequent co-op partners (same screen for two) → It Takes Two, Luigi's Mansion 3
  • Party multiplayer → Just go with Mario Party and Just Dance

At the end of the day, Switch game recommendations are really about recommending a way of interacting—how you get along with yourself, and how you get along with others. Figuring that out before buying is more useful than reading a hundred reviews.

If you're still unsure, just browse the game encyclopedia for highly rated titles you've never heard of. Sometimes those underrated gems hit the spot the most.