Summary
The original Nintendo Switch is one of the most successful consoles in the industry, resetting many expectations of a traditional video game and achieving commercial success matched by few peers. Although its innovative hardware played a major role, much of its popularity comes from thevast game library that attracted fansseeking exclusives and players interested in strong partner support.
Therefore, the games most important to the Nintendo Switch’s success are not necessarily the system’s overall best, but rather those that showed the platform’s potential. While the great majority were developed by Nintendo itself, stronger third-party backing than on previous hardware was equally critical for the Switch to demonstrate its strengths.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battledelivered an unexpected, highly positive surprise on the Switch, pairingNintendo’s iconic characters with Ubisoft’s Rabbidsin a tactical proposal that felt both deep and accessible. The game confirmed the console’s capacity to host creative cross-company collaborations and showed other publishers they could craft innovative, commercially successful exclusives for the platform.
Moreover, the game’s critical and commercial success owed much to its XCOM-style approach, a genre until then rarely explored by Nintendo.Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battlereinforced the idea that alliances between major publishers can yield distinct experiences, encouraging fresh concepts, nurturing developer confidence, and further enriching the Switch catalogue with varied, exclusive titles for a global audience eager to test new strategic frontiers.
Ring Fit Adventureoffers another striking example of Nintendo’s ability to innovate through hardware, delivering an interactive fitness experience that blends classic RPG elementswith exercise and sports mechanics. By presenting a unique concept that resonated especially during pandemic isolation, the game significantly widened the Switch audience, appealing to consumers seeking fun, effective ways to stay active within the comfort of home routines.
This success further cemented the Switch as a platform able to reach diverse market segments, reinforcing Nintendo’s longstanding “Blue Ocean” approach. Combining a dedicated accessory with gameplay that remained entertaining yet physically rewarding,Ring Fit Adventurebecame essential in driving the console beyond its traditional gaming base, proving that fitness and entertainment can thrive together on a single device globally.
Splatoon 2proved fundamental during the Switch’s first year, demonstrating Nintendo’s commitment to a robust,persistent online multiplayer experience. Featuring a unique art style and gameplay that merged combat with territory control through ink, the title quickly captured a broad audience, engaging newcomers and dedicated players alike while securing an active community from launch that remained loyal across regular content drops.
The game helped justify the value of the Nintendo Switch Online service by delivering frequent content such as Splatfest events and constant updates that kept players engaged over the long term. Consequently,Splatoon 2not only reinforced a fresh Nintendo intellectual property but also established the platform as a viable, competitive option for enduring and engaging online experiences worldwide audiences.
One of the Wii U’s biggest issues was the lack of third-party support, so some uncertainty lingered when the Switch launched. The arrival ofDoom (2016)in 2017 marked a genuine technical milestone, proving through Bethesda’s optimization efforts that demanding titles from other platforms could be brought to Nintendo’s portable console without sacrificing the series’ trademark speed and visceral impact.
Even thoughDoomran in lower settings than its counterparts, the port let players enjoy the franchise’s frenetic action anywhere, establishing it as a well-executed adaptation. As a true turning point for the console, the game helped dispel the perception that the Switch existed solely for Nintendo titles and demonstrated that ambitious third-party projects could thrive on the system long-term.
Stardew Valleyranks among the most popular indie games ever made, blending traditional farming-simulator mechanics with an engaging cast of characters, and it helped establish theSwitch as a premier venue for independent developers. By diversifying the console’s library with high-quality titles that carried more accessible price points than many big releases, the game directly supported the platform’s commercial appeal.
Indie games thus gave the Switch a sturdier catalogue, often delivering experiences that AAA titles left uncovered within their gameplay loops. Coupled with the console’s hybrid format, these qualities granted smaller releases a unique charm, allowing many of them to shine both on a television and during shorter sessions at home or on commutes wherever players happened to be daily.
WhileDoomsomewhat opened the doors of the Nintendo Switch to the ambitious ports the console would see over its lifespan, it wasThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntthat confirmed thesystem’s ability to host strong third-party releases. Bringing one of the genre’s most expansive and dense RPGs to the hybrid’s modest hardware in fully playable form, complete with DLC, stood as an impressive achievement.
At the same time,The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwas never meant to be the definitive version on the Switch, and its graphical and technical constraints compared with other platforms were clear, yet this edition delivered the full adventure of Geralt in portable form, allowing play anywhere. The port therefore underscored the console’s capacity to run games that once seemed impossible on its hardware.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsproved crucial in cementing the image of the Nintendo Switch as a console for all audiences, and its accessible premise dramatically expanded the platform’s user base by attracting casual players and new consumers. Launched when many people needed engaging ways to pass time during the pandemic, the game’s timing further contributed to its strong commercial success.
Wide customization options, a relaxed tempo, and social mechanics made New Horizons a distinctive experience, especially since it could be enjoyed at a different pace, requiring no hour-long sessions but rather short bursts throughout the day. These traits, combined with itsvisual charm and steady sense of progress, rendered the game ideal for brief, cozy play sessions at home or on the go.
Although the Wii U never matched the popularity of the Nintendo Switch, it did receive strong games such asMario Kart 8, whose enhanced version,Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, later became the Switch’s top-selling title, demonstrating the franchise’s enduring appeal. This release showcased the system’s capacity to offer nonstop, energetic competition locally and online, capturing players through its smooth gameplay while highlighting the strengths of cooperative racing on a single screen.
Beyond its phenomenal commercial success, unusual for a remaster, the game fit perfectly within the Switch’s hybrid concept, making it simple to share the thrill even with people unfamiliar with video games. Its gentle learning curve and universal appeal, combined with Joy-Con support, further boosted its popularity and underscored how accessible racing could elevate party play on the platform for families.
Released only a few months after the Nintendo Switch reached the market worldwide,Super Mario Odysseyreiterated that developers were pushing the hardware’s limits for first-party titles, signaling confidence in the system’s future. The game displayedNintendo’s mastery of 3D platform design, providing stages that begged to be explored and inventive gameplay that further refined concepts introduced by previous entries.
The arrival ofSuper Mario OdysseyandThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildduring the console’s early months became the two most important Switch launches because they previewed a robust library. These high-quality releases proved Nintendo had no interest in repeating the Wii U’s missteps, when relevant games took far too long to appear again for eager fans worldwide.
Although the game also launched on the Wii U, most of its marketing centered on the Switch edition, makingThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildthe platform’s first major system seller when it debuted beside the new console. The release also framed Nintendo’s vision for the hardware, presenting extensive freedom and a vast world for exploration to players worldwide.
Even though Breath of the Wild differed radically from earlier entries and broke many series conventions, its changes met with strong approval and set a quality benchmark that future first-party titles had to reach on the Switch. Its popularity and polished gameplay rapidly propelled early console sales, cementing the hardware as a commercial success globally.
