The Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017

The Nintendo Switch has had a colossal debut. After all, it sold over 10 million units in just nine months. The console that was once known as the NX launched with Zelda and followed it up with a trio of Mario games. If that wasn’t enough the likes of Doom, Skyrim, and Rocket League graced it as well as a steady flow of indie games too. Here are our favourite Switch games of 2017.

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Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey has you playing as, well, Mario. You're out to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, which is pretty much what you'd expect from a Mario game. It’s a familiar situation that’s played out since Nintendo’s foray into gaming. However the beauty of this platforming game is in its execution. It’s not often that we come across a game that is so friendly to new players and experienced ones alike. It's a game that has the perfect blend of level design, art, and music. It rewards you just for exploring the surroundings and not playing it the conventional way.

If you’ve been wondering what the Mario fuss is all about, this is the game for you to check out. The Switch is already among Nintendo’s most popular consoles of all time, and Super Mario Odyssey is only going to take it to new heights.

Price: Rs. 4,369 ($60 on the Nintendo eShop)

Super Mario Odyssey Review

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
The setup for Mario + Rabbids begins with a short video that shows how Ubisoft’s Rabbids accidentally invade the Mushroom Kingdom and wreak havoc using an invention they stole, which can combine any two objects into a weird new creation. They end up combining themselves with everyday objects and Nintendo items, creating some helpful copies of Mario and his friends, alongside an assortment of bad guys, leaving you to restore peace to the Mushroom Kingdom as Mario and his friends in this exemplary strategy role-playing game.

Gorgeous presentation and thoughtful design make Mario + Rabbids a great game to play at home or on the go, looking good on a big screen or the Switch’s own display. It helps that the Switch naturally lends itself to genres that don’t require long-periods of constant attention, such as turn-based combat. You can easily get through a level or two when you’re travelling or during your lunch break at work. All in all, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is a fantastic addition to the Switch line-up, and it’s also a great strategy game that brings fresh ideas to the genre.

Price: Rs. 3,499 ($60 on the Nintendo eShop)

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle's Creative Director on How It Was Made for the Nintendo Switch

Sonic Mania
After years of clamouring from fans, Sega has finally released a 2D Sonic game akin to the classics from the days of the Sega Mega Drive. The graphics and art are intentionally retro in Sonic Mania. It looks like a fan’s tribute to the good Sonic games of the 90s, right from the moment you fire it up. Everything about Sonic Mania evokes nostalgia, from the art, to the music, and even the way Sonic responds to the controls. From its stages to character animations Sonic Mania gets a lot of things right. For once, we have a Sonic game that does justice to the iconic character and the franchise.

Price: $20 on the Nintendo eShop (around Rs. 1,300)

Sonic Mania Review

Puyo Puyo Tetris
This puzzle game merges gameplay from Puyo Puyo and Tetris. While the latter needs no explanation, the former has you matching four or more circular blobs of the same colour - it's a bit like Candy Crush Saga. There’s an entertaining story mode and frantic multiplayer options like Big Bang Mode and Party Mode to name a few. All of its modes are consistently enjoyable and there is little in terms of variance between them, but you’re guaranteed entertainment regardless of what you choose. The colourful presentation, apt music, and easy to understand rules make Puyo Puyo Tetris fun throughout. All in all, a solid entry in the Switch’s library that’s truly accessible to everyone.

Price: $40 on the Nintendo eShop (around Rs. 2,600)

Puyo Puyo Tetris Nintendo Switch Review

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
There have been better open-world games this year such as Assassin's Creed Origins and Horizon Zero Dawn, but outside of Skyrim (that’s been remastered on everything short of an abacus), Breath of the Wild is the only option on the Switch. Set in a post-post-apocalyptic world of Hyrule, you don the role of the series' hero Link, as you piece together what happened in your absence, and quell an ancient threat looming over the land. Multiple patches post-launch, and welcome amiibo support, have made its padding and inconsistency in combat less of a pain, giving its freedom in traversal and overall strategies a chance to shine.

Price: Rs. 4,690 ($60 on the Nintendo eShop)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review

2017 is almost over but there are still a number of Switch games on the horizon such as SteamWorld Heist: Ultimate Edition and Battle Chasers: Nightwar. And 2018 seems to carry on where 2017 left of with Bayonetta 3 and Pokemon to name a few, so Switch owners don't have to worry about the library of games, at least for now.

What are your favourite Switch games of 2017? Let us know via the comments.

Want to know which are Gadgets 360's top 10 games across platforms? We discussed that on Transition, our weekly gaming and pop culture podcast. You can listen to it via Apple Podcasts or RSS or just listen to this episode by hitting the play button below.