26 Best Nintendo Switch Exploration Games To Play In 2022

The Nintendo Switch has seen a huge variety of different games since it first launched back in 2017. In fact, it even saw titles that so many people were positive were never going to make it out of their exclusive platforms let alone be playable on mobile. The console continued to provide game after game and cemented itself as one of the greatest platforms that Nintendo has ever created. One of the genres that the Switch does particularly well is exploration games. So, we created a list that outlines the 20 best Nintendo Switch exploration games that you can pick up right now and enjoy.

#26 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

The new game in this franchise has just come out, and some of you might be playing it already, so if you haven’t played Xenoblade Chronicles 2, we’ll give you a little hand here.

In the game, you play as the salvager known as Rex, who gets taken for a loop when he meets the mysterious entity known as Pyrrha, aka the Aegis. She is the key to saving everything…if they can get to the World Tree.

Now, you must go across multiple continents, all of which are on the backs of mighty entities known as Titans, and find allies to help you on your journey, as well as unravel the past itself.

What awaits you at the top of the World Tree? Explore Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and find out.

#25 Portal Knights

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Portal Knights is aiming to be a very simple yet fun kind of adventure and exploration game. In the title you’ll get to be any kind of character you want between a warrior, mage, and a ranger. Once you pick your class you’ll get to choose how you look and then go on a grand adventure.

As you explore you’ll get to go and find all sorts of unique materials and then build just about anything you want within the game with what you have.

And as the name suggests, you’ll be able to go through portals in order to find other worlds and get to explore them too!

#24 Astroneer

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

Astroneer is one of many different kinds of space exploration games where you’ll go to different planets and see what they can offer you. The twist here is that your astronaut will be able to go and terraform the planet into something that they want. So that means if you want to reshape the world to better fit the base you want to make above or below ground, you have that option.

There are 7 planets in the world that you can go and explore, and you’ll have full access to them so you can see what they offer and what you’ll want to change.

The stars await you, what will you do once you get there?

#23 Morphite

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

It’s rare that you hear the words “Atmospheric FPS”, because that’s usually not what people want when it comes to first-person shooters. But for Morphite, things are a bit different, now aren’t they? This is a game where you’ll play as a woman who gets accidentally sent on a mission that’ll take her across the stars and in the process, reveal to herself who she really is.

And what is the mysterious Morphite, what is its connection to the main character?

Again, this is an atmospheric FPS. Sure, you can go and shoot everything around you, but the true purpose is to explore, research, and determine just what your place is amongst the stars.

#22 Saints Row IV: Re-Elected

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Saints Row may be getting a reboot later this year, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t games in the series you can play right now. Saints Row IV: Re-Elected was the last mainline title to come to systems, and it still holds up in a menagerie of ways.

In the games, The Boss is now the President of the United States, but everything goes to heck when an alien force led by the villainous Zenyak takes over and throws much of humanity in a simulation of his own making.

Now, the Prez must bust out of cyberspace, get back the Saints who are still around, and save the world! …if they can.

Oh, and did we mention you get superpowers in the game? Because you do.

#21 No Man’s Sky

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5

At one point in time, No Man’s Sky was touted as THE exploration game to top all others. Mainly because the game was going to be set in an entire universe full of planets that had things to do. Well…it kind of delivered on that front, but it failed on a lot of others.

But then, Hello Games got their act together, and as a result, the game is now much more like what it was meant to be upon launch.

For example, the planets are much more unique, have a variety of life, have lots of quests for you to do, you can play with friends via co-op, and more. It’s taken a while, but No Man’s Sky is now a game that is perfect for exploring.

#20 Green Hell

Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One

The game is played from a first-person perspective either by yourself or with friends online. It is an open-world simulation in which the player has to ensure their survival by collecting raw materials and food. However, the character, Jake Higgins, cannot rely on the accumulation of these essentials alone and will also have to rely on his skills to craft shelter and weapons. What makes this a little bit different from other survival games is the fact that there are other environmental factors that you need to be aware of including a balanced diet and sun exposure which could lead to hallucinations. His entire journey follows his wife who has gone missing after going on a solo trip to a village near the Amazon River. Their only form of communication with one another is through radio, making the entire experience a bit more terrifying.

#19 Immortals Fenyx Rising

Platforms: Stadia, PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Immortals is an action-adventure video game where players can customize the gender, voice, and the appearance of Fenyx using Aphrodite’s Beauty Chair. Eventually Typhon breaks free where Zeus then flees and meets with Prometheus, seeking to secure his help in having to battle with Typhon. Prometheus instead makes a deal with Zeus that if Typhon can be beaten by a mortal, – a human – then he will be freed from his imprisonment. If you can’t already tell, the story follows a less brutal path similar to the older God of War games though with more side stories and optional puzzles.

#18 Terraria

Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS

Terraria is very similar to Minecraft except for the fact that there is a bit more of a defined story as well as a 2D gameplay. There are several different layers of tiles that you can go through in order to find resources that can aid in your journey or that you can craft with. Each world is also procedurally generated and you have a health and mana bar to watch over as you progress. Players can encounter many different types of enemies in Terraria, the occurrence of which depends on several factors including time, location, and random events. The game features an open-ended class system, primarily divided into melee, ranged, magic, and summoner classes. There are also different NPCs that you can encounter throughout the game that can also provide you with more knowledge and dialogue to help you on your journey.

#17 Abzu

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch

In Abzu, the player takes on the role of a random diver in the ocean. After waking up floating on the ocean’s surface, the diver begins exploring the surrounding underwater environments filled with plant and animal life, in addition to uncovering ancient technology and submerged ruins. Much of the game is a journey similar to titles like Flower and Journey. This means that the fun isn’t so much n the narrative or gameplay so much as it is in the environments and animals that you come across. There are also hidden collectibles for the diver to find along the many different areas that can be explored and progressed through.

#16 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch

Dragon’s Dogma is one of the best games you could play if you’d like to experience a roleplaying game in a fantasy world. You can choose between several different vocations and travel in an open world that quite literally moves at its own pace. There are hundreds of characters you can interact with and even some you can recruit to join you on adventures. You can also take advantage of a ‘grab’ button that quite literally lets you grab onto enemies, objects, or NPCs for different reasons, something that a lot of other games don’t really consider. You can climb things and explore places laterally as well as bosses so that you can experience an even more dynamic combat system.

#15 Astroneer

Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4, Switch

Astroneer really gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to a space adventure that really lets you explore the atmosphere around you. It is a sandbox adventure game that allows you to explore open-world planets and terraform them according to how you please. You can craft items to help make the former easier like rovers, generators, solar panels, and more and then can upgrade them according to the resources that you collect via terraforming. You can play with others to complete the objectives on every planet but don’t expect there to be any sort of overarching background storyline. Just try to unlock as many blueprints as you can!

#14 Firewatch

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Switch

While most fans would argue that a walking simulator offers no depth, there really is no game like Firewatch. Players take on the role of Henry who has taken a job in Wyoming as a national park wildfire lookout. It’s played completely in the first person and takes players on a journey including a gripping story and astounding visuals. He is eventually met with companionship in the form of Delilah, a supervisor of his who is not in the same vicinity as Henry. The two build a bond that progresses over the story, leading to the discovery of a horrifying entanglement that defines the rest of the story. Players are still able to roam around and discover items that they can use to their advantage via interactive objects or environments. There are even day and night cycles that coincide with the story in which news areas and items are available to you so that you can discover and explore more. Even after the story is finished, you’re given the option to continue exploring which you might want to consider since the game is absolutely stunning.

#13 Dying Light

Platforms: Linux, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mac, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

With the sequel having been released not too long ago, now would be a great time to get into the handheld version of Dying Light. Utilize your parkour and crafting skills in-game to maneuver through a world full of infected zombies. The parkour is an added element to the game that isn’t normally done in most gameplay but gives more depth to how you run away and find new items. You’re also given the option to craft items as you discover new resources and tools throughout the open-world landscape. There is also a wide array of weapons that you can use in order to switch up the different ways for you to kill zombies. This is especially useful since there is a day and night cycle in which different creatures appear. Good night and good luck!

#12 What Remains of Edith Finch

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS

Exploration-exclusive games are always really interesting because they provide a certain level of depth that isn’t normally found in video games. What Remains of Edith Finch is a great example of this. It’s a first-person experience in which you explore the Finch household which displays a story using secret corridors, hidden messages, and forgotten items. You’ll come across different memorials of the Finch family alongside playable flashbacks that help your progress through the story. The game isn’t all about discovery, though. You’ll still partake in several puzzles and mini-games that help you understand the overall story. This game was presented with many awards for its story and gameplay and if you pick this up for yourself, you’ll be able to understand exactly why.

#11 Starlink: Battle of Atlas

Platforms: PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC

In the wake of games like Skylanders and Disney Infinity, there came Starlink. The game provided players with a controller mount that was then used for physical toy ships to be scanned in and used. The premise follows a mothership called Equinox that is ambushed by the Forgotten Legion and crashes on a nearby planet. This game gave players the chance to play by themselves or online with friends. If you happened to be a Nintendo Switch player, there is an exclusive mode in which characters from the Star Fox series of games appear. This provides a brand new story in which Fox cCloud, Falco Lombardi, Peppy Hare, and Slippy Toad hunt down Wolf O’Donnell.

#10 Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition

Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch

Developed by Heart Machine, Hyper Light Drifter is a 2D roleplaying game that mimics gameplay similar to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Players control the Drifter, a character that has the power to utilize long-forgotten technologies to help the people in his city against an unknown illness. There is no dialogue so that players can focus instead on the story and general character development. You take control of an energy sword that requires batteries to power up which can be found as you progress through the story. You’ll face increasingly difficult monsters and enemies that will test your skills and hone your tactics to succeed. Hyper Light Drifter won many awards including the Independent Games Festival award for Excellence in Visual Art which can really only be experienced on your own.

#9 Assassins Creed: The Rebel Collection

The Assassin’s Creed: Rebel Collection houses two of the lesser popular games from the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue. Black Flag follows the story of Edward Kenway as a pirate who visits areas such as Havana, Kingston, and Nassau. This was the first game in the series to involve ship battles which became a staple in later games. Rogue follows the story of Shay Cormac as an assassin set in the North Atlantic ocean. You also have the chance to participate in naval battles as well as swim through rivers to search for collectibles and other items. Both games are set in the third person and provide an open world that simply wasn’t available in the games that came out prior.

#8 Hollow Knight

Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One

If you’re a fan of games that implement Metroidvania gameplay, then you’ll enjoy Hollow Knight. It’s a brutal 2D sidescroller in which you take on the role of an insect-like knight who must defeat his enemies with the help of his sword. Most of the enemies are hostile bugs that each have their own powers and abilities that you must learn to maneuver around. You can learn new skills as well as magical powers that you can use to your advantage. The game offers a deep story that is masqueraded behind fun gameplay and gripping visuals. The game also offers players their preference on how they want to play the game since it’s completely nonlinear. Considering that, there is a lot of replay value behind the game that has helped it earn many awards.

#7 Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Platforms: Switch

This installment to the Pokemon franchise has been one of the most innovative in a very long time. The game takes players to the ancient region of Hisui which just so happens what later becomes Sinnoh in the Diamond and Pearl games. Players will be met with a completely new telling of the Pokemon games in which people or only discovering how to capture and use them to help better their world. It offers an open-world design that differs from other games in that objectives are not defined by the number of gym badges you earn. In fact, there are no gyms and instead, you will be faced with leaders of different areas you visit as well as Pokemon who rule over sacred locations. Even fighting again your enemies and other Pokemon has been completely revisited with a real-time strategy approach as opposed to a turn-based one. The game set a new bar for future Pokemon games and has quickly become a favorite among fans and newcomers alike.

#6 Subnautica: Below Zero

Platforms: Pac, PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Subnautica was a game that defined itself on underwater survival. It’s sequel, Below Zero, follows players as they explore an underwater world from a first-person perspective. There is an overarching story, but you must follow it alongside making sure that you have the resources that you need to stay alive. You can collect materials, to help your survival rate while also using them to create living amenities like beds and other furniture even though the game doesn’t track fatigue levels. There is a day and night cycle as well as a dynamic weather system that affects both visibility and the rate of your normal survivability. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can play the game in different difficulty modes so that you can test your skills in the tense underwater atmosphere.

#5 Metroid Dread

Platforms: Switch

The latest installment to the Metroid franchise is set immediately after the events of 2002’s Metroid Fusion. Players take on the iconic role of Samus Aran as she investigates a mysterious transmission on the planet ZDR. The game retains its original side-scrolling gameplay from the original installments while still letting players do free roam attacks against enemies like in Samus Returns. Interestingly, the game follows a bit of a horror approach with more fear-based gameplay. The game is reported to have been in conception since the early 2000’s with even a demo being submitted and rejected long before the game took its official name. The game is still very much a Metroid game with players having to retrace their steps after acquiring new items in order to progress through the story and fight against their enemies.

#4 Minecraft

Platform: PC, Mac, Linus

Although the platforms above are limited, Minecraft is known for having versions created exclusively for the platforms that it releases on. The original game was a PC exclusive that launched in 2011 as nothing more than a mining simulator with very few, if any, objectives. Now, it’s become one of the biggest titles in the world and has been used to teach programming to your students. Minecraft puts you in a randomly generated world where you and other players can collect resources and craft items in order to complete your own personal objectives or take part in the underlying story to defeat the Enderdragon. There are many different aspects to the game including resource hunting, crafting, fighting, and building which is part of what makes the game so diverse and open to many different types of players. Many spin-offs have also been created as part of the fandom but none of them compare to the original game.

#3 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Switch

I remember being in high school when this game came out and being so excited that I and most of my friends took that Friday off from school just to play it at our separate homes. You play as the Dragonborn who must train in order to stop the dragon Alduin from unleashing chaos across Tamriel. There are plenty of quests to take advantage of as well as an intense character creation system and a herd of mods you could install on PC for the most elite experience. This game is also among the few in history to be released for just about every platform available since its release so if that isn’t a testament to its greatness, then I don’t know what is. Craft weapons, steal from villagers, and shout at dragons in this RPG adventure that has carved a space for itself in the fantasy genre.

#2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Another one of my personal favorites on this list, Witcher 3 follows the story of Geralt of Rivia as he travels through different cities in search of his lost adoptive daughter, Ciri. Of course, there is far more to unpack than what I just explained but the depths that this game goes through to really put yourself in the world that CD Projekt Red created is absolutely incredible. You are given quests that contain NPC and dialogue options that have never been displayed in a game while also not shying away from the harsh reality of being alive during the period of time in which the game is portraying. It also helps that there is a lot of content to take from in the form of the original Polish novels but I would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fantasy roleplay.

#1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Platforms: Switch

Breath of the Wild took the entire world by storm when it was released on the launch of the Nintendo Switch. It is easily the largest Zelda game to date and featured many new elements that completely redefined the series for several people. You play as Link who has been awoken after 100 years and is faced with a Hyrule that is plagued by evil. The Castle of Hyrule has been possessed by the spirit of the Calamity Ganon and Link must travel across the land to find different champions and earn their aid in destroying Ganon. This is the first game in the series to include a completely voiced cast though Link himself still remains mute. Players are able to acquire several different weapons that are all based on their hardness which results in your constantly having to look for new resources and rely on your abilities. The landscape is also incredibly vast and features a lot of explorable secrets that play out as story elements and side quests that will leave you roaming around for hours.