2026 has been huge for the Nintendo Switch 2. This year, it really feels like the console has come into its own, with a number of critically acclaimed first-party exclusives, as well as some heavy-hitting third-party titles that were beautifully optimized for the system (such as Resident Evil Requiem).
Yes, the Switch 2’s library already feels surprisingly fleshed-out for a console that’s not even two years old yet, and it’s certainly become my main gaming device in 2026, squeezing more than 800 hours of playtime out of me. And looking back on the year as a whole got me thinking. What have been the best Nintendo Switch 2 games of 2026?
Specifically, I want to look at exclusives here and run through the very best titles that have released since the dawn of the new year. I’ll be ranking my top six picks here, but if you have a different list, make sure to drop it in the comments!
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6. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
Before Yoshi and the Mysterious Book reared its whimsical head, I felt that our green dino was in something of a rut, with releases like Yoshi’s Wooly World and Crafted World failing to evoke the sense of wonder and thrill that the series conjured up in its youth.
But all of that changed with Mysterious Book, which focused a lot more heavily on exploration, seeing Yoshi venture through the pages of the living Encyclopedia, Mr. E., in order to learn about the mysterious creatures that live within his pages.
Thanks to this game’s stellar art direction, the pages come to life, both literally and figuratively speaking. The brilliant blend of beautiful 3D environments and hand-drawn watercolor-style characters results in a massively charming and immersive experience, with stop-motion animation giving each critter distinct, memorable personalities and traits.
It’s not all about the visual style, though. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is a blast from the moment you start playing until the credits roll, with no end of oddities to discover. While the game’s core puzzles are relatively straightforward, tracking down some of the collectibles is a genuine challenge — you’ll have to get creative with creature abilities and regularly stray from the beaten path in order to find secret areas and Smiley Flowers.
While I would’ve liked to have seen some tougher boss battles and a bit more narrative depth from Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, it’s easily my favorite game that the series has produced in over a decade. I’ve still got so many secrets to uncover, and I’m looking forward to diving back in over the holidays.
5. Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort is to the original Nintendo Switch Sports exactly what Wii Sports Resort was to Wii Sports. It brought more sports, more depth, and more replayability to the table, all while maintaining the simplicity that makes this series so beloved to gamers of all ages.
Yes, I felt that the original Nintendo Switch Sports was seriously lacking in single-player content, had an underwhelming selection of events, and had a flawed points system, but all three of those woes were remedied in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. It truly feels like Nintendo took the time to listen to its audience, with a new Island Crown mode adding a competitive single-player edge, a grand total of 12 sports packed in, and the points system applied to both offline and online play, rather than just the latter.
The core experience is great too. Every single sport feels fantastic to play, and I continue to be astonished by just how responsive and accurate motion controls are here.
Some of my highlights include: Table Tennis, which added more strategy and depth with enhanced spin and curve mechanics; Skateboarding, which uses the Switch 2’s mouse controls to great effect for fast-paced racing and explorative segments; and Thumb Wrestling, which somehow made something seemingly mundane feel highly satisfying and exciting to play.
I have a few gripes, mainly the removal of Football (or Soccer) and Chambara at launch, but I’m hoping they’ll be added down the line through some sort of update or DLC. If you want a simple yet exhilarating game to play with family and friends during the upcoming holiday season, this is easily my top recommendation.
4. Splatoon Raiders
I have to say that I was a bit skeptical about Splatoon Raiders when it was first shown off.
I’ve been playing Splatoon since the original dropped on Wii U (yes, I was one of the five people who bought one), and the idea of pivoting away from the iconic Turf War into a more single-player-oriented experience felt like a bold move.
But boy, did it pay off. In our glowing five-star Splatoon Raiders review, we called it “a wonderful solo reinvention of the popular multiplayer series filled with smartly designed missions and endlessly engaging progression systems”.
This third-person looter shooter is jam-packed with content; there’s a vast array of missions to run through with various difficulty levels, more than a hundred weapons to choose from, and even an online co-op mode including gear, weapon parts, and more. Pair that with a stellar progression system, stunning visuals, and intelligent level design, and you’re looking at an exceptional Switch 2 experience.
3. Pokémon Pokopia
I think it’s fair to say that Pokémon Pokopia is the biggest surprise hit of 2026. Of course, the Pokémon name itself is always going to entice a number of players, but not many could’ve foreseen the universal acclaim and social media attention that this spinoff would receive. In fact, Pokopia proved to be such a phenomenon that there were global shortages of the physical edition of the game that even affected me personally.
But when I did get my mitts on Pokémon Pokopia, it gripped me in a way that no ‘cosy’ game has managed to do since my time with Animal Crossing: New Leaf back in 2013. And, in my view, Pokopia takes the Animal Crossing formula and dials it up to 11.
You’ve still got that core duty to assist your fellow villagers by building homes, upgrading infrastructure, and sprucing up your locality, but the individual Pokémon feel so much more distinct and charismatic than Animal Crossing’s residents, and the sheer scale of the world is something to behold. The main story also has a surprisingly dark tone to it, as you take control of Ditto to investigate humanity’s disappearance.
You can spend hundreds of hours in Pokopia building fancy custom houses, filling out the Pokédex, or just interacting with your favorite pocket monsters — it’s the perfect game to relax and unwind with, and now there are even new DLC areas to explore, which we’ve loved so far.
Pokémon Pokopia is the highest-rated Pokémon title in history according to Metacritic, and while I’d personally put a couple of mainline entries ahead of it, I really couldn’t recommend the game enough.
2. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is my most-played game of 2026. I racked up more than 200 hours for my review, and to say it had me hooked would be an understatement. For me, this is the best game the series has produced thus far, with staggering scale, excellent tactical combat, a mesmerizing cast, and a stellar soundtrack to match.
In Fortune’s Weave, you take control of four heroes, known as the Flame Lords, in their mission to win the Heroic Games, and have a wish granted by Divine Sovereign Solel. However, an impending threat is on the horizon, with the land of Dagda thrust into turmoil after the demonic god Balor sews disorder.
Being able to play as all of the Flame Lords and experience their interwoven stories one by one was an absolute joy. Seeing each unique yet interconnected story unfold, recruiting allies, and building the ultimate units has never felt so satisfying, and it all builds to an epic conclusion which makes the time investment feel genuinely rewarding.
Dungeon sections add some welcome variation and keep the experience feeling well-paced; new mechanics like Blaze Arts add even more combat depth, and the map designs are brilliant right across the board (though they reach a real peak towards the back end of the game). The visual upgrade over Fire Emblem: Three Houses is also considerable, and performance is stable even in the busiest moments.
If you played Three Houses and loved that, or if you’re just an RPG fan at all, I think Fortune’s Weave is a true must-play — it’s easily among the best Switch 2 games you can play today, and I firmly stand by the perfect five-star score I bestowed upon it.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
You saw this coming, right? The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an all-time great of gaming, and the Switch 2 remake is pretty much flawless.
Ocarina of Time is a true masterclass in design. A combination of expertly composed music, distinctly crafted domains, and legendary characters helps to imprint a memory of each area you explore in the mind for eternity. Dungeons are exceptionally varied, filled with fun puzzles and grandiose boss battles. And the narrative, though simple, is executed fantastically as the Hero of Time ventures through the world of Hyrule both as a child and as a young adult.
The remake, while staying very faithful to the source material, adds some excellent quality-of-life changes that make the game far more palatable for modern audiences. Manual jumping, button-mapped items, free camera control, and roll-to-sprint make the adventure feel a whole lot smoother. Combat feels far snappier and more impactful too, with steadier movement helping you feel in control during skirmishes.
And the visual reimagining is sensational too — the lighting, the character models, the small details… they all add up to something magical. And you also get a near frame-perfect 60fps gameplay experience here as well — I barely noticed a single drop during my entire playthrough.
As relentless as the flow of time may be, our love for Ocarina of Time is unchanged. As our reviewer, Josephine Watson, said: “Whether you’re an adult or a child, when you boot up the remake, it’s not a game you’ll forget in a hurry”.
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harry.padoan@futurenet.com (Harry Padoan)
