For a varied place to start, check out The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom for creative puzzle-solving, Mario & Luigi: Brothership for an island-hopping RPG, or Super Mario Party Jamboree for group play. This is a curated selection, not an official ranking: Nintendo’s year-end roundup calls its picks a “small sample of highlights.” Each game below was released for Nintendo Switch in 2024; choose by the kind of play you want.
Which 2024 Switch game fits what you want to play?
| If you want… | Try | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
| Creative puzzles and combat | The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | Zelda creates and reuses echoes of objects and monsters. |
| An island-hopping RPG | Mario & Luigi: Brothership | Explore Concordia and use cooperative moves in exploration and turn-based battles. |
| A party game for a group | Super Mario Party Jamboree | New and returning boards, a large minigame selection, and an online mode for up to 20 players. |
| A classic-style fantasy RPG | DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake | A modernized retelling of the chronological beginning of the Erdrick Trilogy storyline. |
| Rolling platforming and multiplayer | Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble | More than 200 stages, co-op Adventure Mode, and online matches. |
| Relaxed underwater discovery | Endless Ocean Luminous | Explore the Veiled Sea alone or dive online with others. |
| More options from Nintendo’s roundup | See its year-end highlights | The roundup offers additional Switch releases beyond the six described in detail here. |
Six games with distinct ways to play
1. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
This Zelda-led adventure puts problem-solving at the center. Strange rifts threaten Hyrule, and Zelda uses the Tri Rod to create echoes—copies of things in the environment, including water blocks, beds, rocks, and monsters. Reproduce them to reach high places, bridge gaps, or fight enemies; the range of tools lets you look for your own way through a challenge. Nintendo announced September 26, 2024 as its Switch release date. Nintendo’s announcement describes the game and its release.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Mario Kart™ World (Nintendo Switch 2) | $79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time | Buy on Amazon |
2. Mario & Luigi: Brothership
For an RPG built around the brothers working together, Brothership sends Mario and Luigi island-hopping across Concordia. Bros. Moves help them pass obstacles during exploration, while Bros. Attacks bring them together in dynamic, turn-based combat. Nintendo announced a November 7, 2024 launch for Switch. Nintendo’s announcement confirms the setting, mechanics, and date.
3. Super Mario Party Jamboree
Choose this for board-game-style competition with friends or family. Set at an island resort, it includes five new boards and two returning boards. Nintendo announced over 110 minigames, describing that as the largest selection in the series to date. Its online Koopathlon mode supports up to 20 players, according to the announcement; that figure applies to the mode, not every way of playing. The Switch launch was October 17, 2024. Nintendo’s feature announcement has the board, minigame, and online details.
#1 Best Overall
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
4. DRAGON QUEST III HD-2D Remake
This is a retelling of the original Dragon Quest III, with HD-2D visuals, an expanded narrative, exploration, and modernized turn-based battles. Its story is the chronological beginning of the Erdrick Trilogy, making it a natural option if you want a classic fantasy RPG presented for a new generation. Nintendo announced its Switch release for November 14, 2024. Nintendo’s announcement details the remake and launch date.
5. Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
For quick, obstacle-filled stages and multiplayer, this new series entry offers more than 200 stages, character customization, and a co-op Adventure Mode. Nintendo also announced online matches for up to 16 players. The game launched on Switch June 25, 2024. These stage and player counts are Nintendo’s stated features, not independent measures of length or online activity. Nintendo’s announcement covers the modes and release date.
Rank #2
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
6. Endless Ocean Luminous
If you would rather explore than race or battle, Endless Ocean Luminous takes you underwater in the Veiled Sea. Explore solo or join online dives with up to 30 players; Nintendo says the game features more than 500 species of marine life. It launched for Switch on May 2, 2024. The player and species counts are publisher-stated features. Nintendo’s announcement describes the setting, modes, and features.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.More 2024 Switch releases to browse
Nintendo’s year-end roundup includes a broader sample of 2024 Switch highlights than the six games profiled above. It is a useful way to continue browsing, but it is not a ranked top ten or an endorsement that one game is objectively better than another. See Nintendo’s 2024 roundup for its additional picks.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Become the Hero of Time and save Hyrule from darkness
- Venture into dungeons, solve puzzles, and travel across time in two different eras to restore balance to the land
- A classic tale, reborn for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, featuring voiced cutscenes, expanded dialogue, symphonic orchestral music, visuals built from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2, and more
- Play Link’s in-game ocarina by humming or singing into the Nintendo Switch 2 system microphone
Rank #4
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
Rank #3
- Race from one course to another through interconnected paths that span the world
- Traverse mountains, forests, cities, and more—with shifting weather patterns and a day/night cycle
- Ride on rails, jump off walls, skim across water, and more as you race for the finish line
- Take on the adrenaline-packed Knockout Tour—a fierce 24-driver elimination mode
- Explore courses at your own pace and wander the world to discover fun surprises in Free Roam
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
