25 Best New Nintendo Switch Video Games Of 2021

2020 was quite the eventful year, to say the least. None of us could have predicted that the entire world would be enduring a health pandemic outbreak. As a result of this virus, several video game projects were pushed back into 2021 which means that some of those anticipated releases that were supposed to come out in 2020 will instead help fill out 2021. We’re expecting a packed year filled with games. As a result, check out some of the current most anticipated video games releasing on the Nintendo Switch.

Disclaimer Update: Bayonetta 3, Evil Dead The Game, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel, Metroid Prime 4, and Hollow Knight Silksong were removed due to delays.

#25 Hot Wheels Unleashed

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC
Release Date: September 30, 2021

Come on, we all played with Hot Wheels growing up, and now we have a racing game based on them. This title, in particular, focuses on building up the tracks just like how you would at home. You can get creative with different track ideas and items but afterward, the game transitions into a traditional racer. Here you’ll barrel around the course and attempt to compete against other racers using some iconic different toy cars. This does come from a pretty solid development team as well. Developers Milestone brought this game out and they are pretty notable for their line of racing video game titles such as WRC and MotoGP.

#24 Shin Megami Tensei V

Platform: Switch
Release Date: November 12, 2021

If you don’t know Shin Megami Tensei, then chances are you know of its series that sparked off from this IP, Persona. This latest installment is being developed over at Atlus, and it has quite a few players hyped. It’s a long-running RPG series after initially getting its start back in 1987. This new video game title has players eager for its release. This is still a turn-based JRPG with players having to use different demons as a means to battle against other hostile enemies. Fortunately, these games are also standalone, so you won’t have to go through the long line of backlog titles to play this game when it launches this November.

#23 No More Heroes 3

Platforms: NS
Release: August 27, 2021

Set two years after the events of Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes comes to No More Heroes III. The video game retains the hack-and-slash the series has been known for a while, featuring our protagonist Travis Touchdown. However, it seems that a new threat has emerged, leaving Travis to stop an alien invasion and save humanity. Players will be tossed back into the role of Travis Touchdown as he attempts to stop the evil Prince FU and his alien crew from taking over Earth. If you played the past games, you could expect some of the iconic tech to make a return like the Beam Katana and some new wrestling moves when laying the smackdown on your enemies.

#22 Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Platforms: Wii U, NS, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
Release: October 28, 2021

The Fatal Frame survival horror franchise has been around for quite a few years now. First released back in 2001, the franchise has seen installments up until 2014. That particular final game released is Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water and was made for the Nintendo Wii U. Like with the past installments, the game is centered around hostile ghosts that could be captured or fought off through the use of a special camera. With the Nintendo Wii U, the Gamepad was used as the camera. The reception was mixed, but again only those on the Nintendo Wii U could play this game. A few years later, the game is being ported over to multiple platforms, including the Nintendo Switch. It’ll come with updated visuals and costumes, which may give this installment a second chance.

#21 Eastward

Platforms: NS, PC
Release: September 16, 2021

Eastward is an adventure RPG that comes from indie developer Pixpil. Set in a more top-down perspective, players will follow a journey of a hardworking miner named John, who comes across a mysterious young girl named Sam. In a desperate flight to escape their life of living underground, the duo makes a break to the surface. During their journey, players will venture to different locations using the railway system. However, players will have to swap between the two characters to fight off enemies and solve environmental puzzles. This heartwarming adventure is filled with some wacky characters and some genuinely charming visuals. Players can currently pick this game up today.

#20 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Platforms: NS
Release: November 11, 2021

There have been some genuinely incredible Star Wars video games released over the years. However, one of the titles that continue to get highlighted years after release is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This is an RPG that was narrative-driven and adapted to the choices you made throughout the game. It had players deciding whether they would become the great Jedi hero or an evil Sith conqueror. Fans, to this day, still comments about this game for the ending, and it’s one we’ll refrain from spoiling if you haven’t played this game yet. But, again, there’s a reason why this game continues to get talked about, and fortunately, this November, a port is coming to the Nintendo Switch platform. With that said, you don’t want to confuse this game with the upcoming remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. While we’re waiting on more details to surface online for the remake, you can likely get through this game port well before the remake launches into the marketplace.

#19 Big Rumble Boxing Creed Champions

Platform: Switch PC PS4 Xbox One
Release Date: September 3, 2021

It’s been a good while now since we had the likes of Fight Night hitting the marketplace for boxing fans. Fortunately, if you’re craving something new to scratch that boxing video game sports itch, then we have Big Rumble Boxing: Creed Champions. Yeah, it’s a Rocky Balboa IP video game, so you won’t have a roster full of boxing athletes you would see duke it out in the ring today, but that doesn’t mean the roster will be lacking either. There are plenty of iconic fighters from the Rocky franchise you’ll battle against, such as Clubber Lang. Likewise, you can expect some multiplayer gameplay with this arcade-style boxing title.

#18 Dying Light: Platinum Edition

Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS
Release: October 19, 2021 NS

There’s a big focus on the upcoming sequel to Dying Light right now, but if you missed out on the initial installment, you’re in luck. Nintendo Switch players will receive Dying Light: Platinum Edition this year. This edition brings out the base game, the DLC, new quarantine zones, and additional game modes. Overall, this is an open-world zombie game where players are investigating an area while surviving the hostile creatures during the day and night. There’s a big focus around parkour as well, which will come in handy at night. During the evening hours, you’ll find that the zombies are incredibly hostile, which means having to sprint out of danger, vault over obstacles, or climb to safety. With Dying Light 2 Stay Human coming out on February 4, 2022, you should have plenty of time to get through the first installment.

#17 Diablo II: Resurrected

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC
Release Date: September 23, 2021

While some fans may be waiting to get their hands on a copy of Diablo IV, some fans might get started back into the iconic installment of Diablo II. Diablo II came out back in 2000, so it’s a pretty dated video game title by today’s standards. Now, years later, we have Diablo II: Resurrected available for players. This is the same game as the original title, but now we have some revamps in the visuals along with the audio. Players will get 3D models, 4K graphic resolutions, and 7.1 Dolby Surround sound. Not only is that a pretty big selling point for veteran fans, but the fact that this remaster edition would even allow save files to be imported from the original Diablo II video game campaign is a nice touch. Furthermore, we will have network functions here so you can connect with friends online.

#16 Persona 5 Strikers

Platform: Switch PC PS4
Release Date: February 22, 2021

While Persona 5 is still exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, we have Persona 5 Strikers that we can pick up and play on the Nintendo Switch platform. It’s a game that takes place just under a year from Persona 5’s events, so you’ll still have the cast of characters from Persona 5 here, but the gameplay is different. Instead of the turn-based RPG combat, we’re going through a game in an action RPG experience. Players are actively running around and dealing with attacks on enemies in real-time. It’s currently available to pick up and play right now which so far, the reception for this title has been pretty positive. With that said, it does seem amiss not to have the Persona 5 available on more platforms like the Nintendo Switch to give players the ability to experience this popular RPG.

#15 Samurai Warriors 5

Platform: Switch PS4 PC Xbox One
Release Date: July 27, 2021

If you’re a fan of the Samurai Warriors series, there’s a brand new entry available this year. Samurai Warriors 5 is another hack and slash game that is set to be a reboot for the series. There’s a new storyline and visual changes, so this might appeal to a broader audience, especially if they are unfamiliar with the previous installments. With that said, one downfall some veteran players may have is that this game has shrunk down the roster to just under thirty playable characters. Nevertheless, this installment may spark new fans into the franchise, especially since we haven’t seen a new installment for the IP in several years. If you enjoy hack-and-slash gameplay, then this is a game worth checking out. You might be persuaded to go back and check out previous installments.

#14 Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Platform: NS
Release Date: November 19, 2021

Pokemon games are always going to be a big hit when they launch. One of the games with plenty of players eager to try out is Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. These games are remakes of the 2006 release of Diamond and Pearl. As a result, we’re getting 3D gameplay, whereas the original installments were developed to be 2D. Hopefully, this should be a pretty faithful remake from the development team as there’s plenty of fans out there from those earlier video game releases. After all, this is coming from a different development team; ICLA is the primary developer behind the project. Meanwhile, Game Freak, who typically handles the Pokemon games, is currently busy with a brand new Pokemon game called Pokemon Legends: Arceus, so this might give fans something to go through while they wait for that next mainline installment to come out in 2022.

#13 Miitopia

Platform: Switch
Release Date: May 21, 2021

Miitopia is an RPG that gives players the ability to dive into the game with your customized Mii character. Now, this is a remastered video game release. If you recall, Miitopia launched back in 2017 worldwide with the Nintendo 3DS. Overall, players will have a video game narrative where our Mii can pick out a class and head into battle, seeking to stop an evil Dark Lord that has the power to steal the faces from Miis while possessing creatures around the land. When this title was released initially, the game was generally well-received by critics. However, if you haven’t played this game before, then there is a demo available for players to try out.

#12 Bravely Default 2

Platforms: NS
Release: February 26, 2021

Bravely Default was released back in 2012 as a traditional RPG title, and it was a massive hit. The reception and response from this game caused the development studio to bring out a sequel known as Bravely Second: End Layer, released worldwide in 2016. Now fast forward a few years later, and we get the surprise announcement of another installment to this much-beloved franchise. While it’s titled Bravely Default 2, this RPG will be a standalone installment. Gamers would venture into a new story and cast of characters, while the mechanics will likely remain the same. If you played this franchise already, then you know what to expect from this installment. However, if you’re entirely new, this game is still a great way to dive into the IP. There’s even a demo available to give players a look into the gameplay.

#11 New Pokemon Snap

Platforms: NS
Release: April 30, 2021

The Nintendo 64 had a few iconic video game titles available on the platform, and one of those gems was Pokemon Snap. It was a different kind of Pokemon game as players took the role of a photographer. Using a special vehicle on rails, players were tasked with going to different places around the world and snapping photos of Pokemon in the wild. It was all in an effort to build up more information about Pokemon, and through different tools, players could attempt to get a Pokemon out into the open to get a photograph. Since its release, there have been several rumors that another installment would be coming out, but there was never any official announcement over the past few video game console generations. Luckily that’s changed as New Pokemon Snap was unveiled for the Nintendo Switch and is now available. The game will be the same as you might remember it from the Nintendo 64 release. Players will once again use a camera to snap photos of Pokemon in their natural habitat.

#10 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Platform: Switch PC
Release Date: July 9, 2021

Monster Hunter games have a pretty hardcore following, but on the Nintendo 3DS, the series had a slightly different video game take for players to try out, which was Monster Hunter Stories. It was quite a bit lighter compared to the series with a more animated cartoon-like visual. Now we have a sequel available for players to pick up. This time around, players are going through a journey to solve the sudden disappearance of Rathalos from around the world. Again, it’s a spin-off to the Monster Hunter series, so you can expect more of the same gameplay elements from the 2016 release of Monster Hunter Stories. That’s not a bad thing, as the first installment was pretty well received. This is a turn-based RPG combat game as well, so it’s certainly not like the intense action RPG combat you might be used to with this franchise.

#9 Hitman 3

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC Stadia
Release Date: 20 January 2021

Hitman’s final installment to the latest trilogy is out right now. With Hitman 3, players are once again stepping into the role of Agent 47, having to take out a variety of high-profile targets. Of course, to do so, players will have to stay under the radar. This means changing into costumes, blending into the crowd, taking out guards, hiding bodies, and quickly getting out of the area when the target is finally eliminated. Now, this is a game capable of running on the Nintendo Switch through the cloud, so you’ll need an internet connection to play this game. If that’s not a deal-breaker, then this is a game well worth checking out.

#8 Knockout City

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC
Release Date: May 21, 2021

Who’s ready for a good old game of dodgeball? That’s what we’re getting with Knockout City, a free Nintendo Switch multiplayer game. It’s a futuristic and action-packed game of dodgeball where players work in teams as you run around the different levels, such as bustling cities and attempting to get the opposing players out. The game might look enticing for new players with the different types of characters and balls that can be used in the map. If you want more multiplayer team-based video games to try out that is not quite the norm, Knockout City might be a game worth checking into. This allows up to eight players to join in on the fun and you can’t beat free so give this game a download and try it out today.

#7 Subnautica: Below Zero

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC
Release Date: May 14, 2021

Subnautica was a colossal survival video game hit, and it wasn’t long after that the developers opted to bring out a new installment. Subnautica: Below Zero acts very much like the first Subnautica game. This is still a survival title where you’re out to gather resources while battling against different alien hostiles. But with that said, there’s a new environment hazard here, and it’s frigid temperatures. Likewise, while the first installment was more aimed at being an underwater experience, this video game sequel will provide some landmasses for players to explore around. Meanwhile, the narrative in this installment is a protagonist searching for clues to what happened to their sister who seemingly went missing after a mysterious incident happened at the planet research station.

#6 Mario Golf Super Rush

Platform: Switch
Release Date: June 25, 2021

Mario is no stranger to popping up in different sports games, and this year we received Mario Golf Super Rush. This is a new Mario golf video game where we are going through different courses as one of the iconic characters from the Mario franchise. While golf, in general, can be a pretty lengthy game, this is more of an arcade-style video game experience. There are even game modes here that allow players to continuously play with players rushing to their golf balls in an attempt to reach the hole first. That alone will speed the golf game up considerably, but it will also make the gameplay pretty chaotic as well. If you’re not much of a sports fan, you can’t go wrong with Nintendo’s take on them.

#5 Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Platform: Switch
Release Date: February 12, 2021

Super Mario video games, in general, are a big hit, but when Nintendo launches a console that doesn’t sell all that well, some of those exclusive video games could use a remaster release. That’s what we sort of have here with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury. The Super Mario 3D World was an excellent Mario experience on the Nintendo Wii U, and it’s been brought over to the Nintendo Switch. However, you have an additional pack-in game here as well with Bowser’s Fury. Here we have a more open-world platform game to go through that blends some elements between the latest mainline Super Mario Odyssey title with the already mentioned Super Mario 3D World. Both games are well worth playing, especially if you didn’t own the Nintendo Wii U and could not try out Super Mario 3D World when it initially launched.

#4 Little Nightmares 2

Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS
Release: February 11, 2021

If you enjoyed Tarsier Studio’s Little Nightmares, then you may have been holding out hope that a sequel would be in the works. The development team kept it a secret until Gamescom 2019 where it was unveiled that Little Nightmares 2 would be releasing in 2020, but it would eventually get delayed into 2021. Now the game is finally available, and the reception has been rather great. It’s the same kind of gameplay experience from the first installment but with new environments, antagonists, and puzzles to solve. These games also bring out a very creepy atmosphere, so if you’re after something new to play this Halloween season, don’t pass up on Little Nightmares 2. Meanwhile, in this installment, we have a new character to go along with our previous protagonist, Six, but we’re not going to spoil things. This is one unsettling game, and it will keep you playing until you reach the end.

#3 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Platform: Switch
Release Date: July 16, 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is not a brand new game. This title came out back in 2011 for the Nintendo Wii, and now we have an official HD remaster release. It’s exactly like the original release, and there’s nothing taken away from this gameplay experience. Players will find that there’s the ability to replicate the Wii motion controls through the joy-cons, but if you were not much of a fan when it comes to motion controls, then the control scheme’s traditional style is here as well. Overall it’s a solid Zelda title. You get the nice bump up in terms of the HD visuals and even 60 frames per second gameplay. So give this one a try whether you already played through it in 2011 or if you’re entirely new to this installment. It’s likely not going to top The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for you, but you’ll still get some solid gameplay experience here.

#2 Metroid Dread

Platforms: NS
Release: October 8, 2021

Metroid fans have been waiting on two games to come out into the marketplace. First, we knew that another Metroid Prime video game was being developed along with a new 2D Metroid game called Metroid Dread. While it’s been a minute since we’ve seen anything for Metroid Prime, Metroid Dread should tie players over. This game was initially meant to launch back on the Nintendo DS but was shelved until the developers could adequately deliver the content they had in mind. Now, years later, the game surfaced once again, this time for the Nintendo Switch. This game is set after the events of Metroid Fusion, where the Galactic Federation learns that X parasites have surfaced on the planet SR388. Sending in their EMMI robots to take care of them, they soon discovered that the robots went offline. Now Samus Aran ventures into the planet searching for what happened to the EMMI robots, if there are X parasites, and what secrets this planet may hold. If you enjoyed the classic side-scrolling 2D Metroid games, then this should be a title you’ll want to pick up at launch.

#1 Monster Hunter Rise

Platform: Switch
Release Date: March 26, 2021

Another Monster Hunter game hits our list, and it’s Monster Hunter Rise. This is more of a traditional Monster Hunter game than our earlier point of Monster Hunter Stories 2. Here you’re going out to different battles against a variety of monsters as an action RPG. Ultimately that means having the right gear and knowing what loot you’ll receive when you successfully take out a monster. However, this game changes up because there is a grappling system to allow players the ability to scale new heights, hence the title name Rise. Like Monster Hunter World, Monster Hunter Rise also drops players into zones rather than being an extensive, seamlessly open-world experience.

Bonus Games

Maneater

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PS4 Xbox One PC
Release Date: May 25, 2021

Within Maneater, players take the role of a shark going after different prey. Now when you start, you’re just a little shark, trying to eat and level up to a larger grown shark. Leveling up is done by simply chomping down on other smaller animals. Soon after, you’ll be large enough to take on some incredible enemy battles to even humans. This game has been around for a good while now on a variety of platforms, including the Nintendo Switch.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Platform: Switch PS5 XSX|S PC Xbox One PS4
Release Date: March 11, 2021

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time follows Neo Cortext and Nefarious Tropy as they manage to escape imprisonment from the end of time and space. Meanwhile, their escape allowed all sorts of heinous enemies to flee, which left Crash to once again and save the day. This is still a platformer, but you can expect Crash to sport a few new abilities by using some new supernatural masks you’ll be able to uncover throughout the game. Furthermore, the levels are far bigger this time around, and you can expect the game to throw players into other characters like Neo Cortex for specific levels.