There are quite a few differences between the original Nintendo Switch and the newly released Nintendo Switch Lite. The Switch Lite is smaller, doesn't have removable Joy-Cons, and it's strictly portable and won't connect to another display. One major advantage it has is the fact that there is now a D-pad built into the controls.
On the original Nintendo Switch, there were buttons that worked similarly to a D-pad, but anyone who has played any type of platformer that requires a D-Pad will know that it's just not the same. That means there are some games that are easier and more fun to play on the Switch Lite because of the new D-pad.
10 Aegis Defenders
Aegis Defenders is a 2D platforming-style game that was released on the Nintendo Switch and other consoles in 2018. In this game, players control a team of characters. These characters are Ruinhunters who recently discovered a weapon known as the Aegis and have to stop it from falling into the wrong hands.
This game has a lot of tower defense elements in each section of the game, meaning that players have to stop enemies from reaching their base. Controls are done through the D-pad buttons and although this works fine on the Switch, it's even better on the Switch Lite since there's a real D-pad.
9 Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to the Wii U's Super Mario Maker. In this game, players are able to create their own levels in any style of Super Mario game they could imagine. Players can share their levels and even play the levels that other players have worked to create.
Some of the levels that people make in this game can be tough. They involve really precise jumps and moves in order to make it through the obstacles and past the enemies, so it's important to hit the right buttons at exactly the right moment. Having the D-pad on the Switch Lite makes these precise moves easier than ever.
8 Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight is a 2D side-scrolling platformer game that was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Prior to this, ti was released on other consoles in 2017 and already had quite a following of people who loved this retro-style platformer.
The game has multiple different campaigns that the player can go through. Each campaign has its own unique storyline, giving players a reason to sink a lot of time into this game. The fact that it's a platformer-style game means that being precise with your moves is key.
7 Celeste
Celeste is a platformer-style game that was originally made over the course of four days at a game jam before being turned into the full game that was released in 2018. This game follows the main character, Madeline, as she climbs up to the peak of Celeste Mountain.
Although that sounds simple, Celeste can be a pretty challenging game. Luckily, playing this indie game on the Nintendo Switch Lite gives the player a little bit of an advantage. The D-pad makes it easier for players to get every jump, dash, and move exactly right.
6 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a game that was originally released on the Wii U in 2014 before being added to the Nintendo Switch's library of games in 2018. This game is the sixth main game in the Donkey Kong franchise and has our title character travel through several different islands to defeat the Snowmads.
Since this game was originally released on the Wii U, many players became used to playing it with the Wii U's gamepad. This means that people got used to controlling the character with a real D-pad and playing it on the Switch took some getting used to. Luckily, the Switch Lite takes care of that problem.
5 Sonic Mania Plus
Sonic Mania is a game that was released on several different platforms in 2017. The following year, Sonic Mania Plus was released and added more characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise to this game.
This platformer game is a throwback to the Sonic the Hedgehog games that were popular back in the 1990s. Because this game is so similar to those, it's definitely more comfortable and familiar to play with the D-pad. Although it's playable on the Switch, having the real D-pad of the Switch Lite is a far superior experience.
4 Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania-style game that was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2018. This game is one that was partially funded through the gaming community on Kickstarter back in 2014.
This game follows a knight who is traveling through the abandoned kingdom of Hallownest. This 2D Metroidvania game is really fun and challenging and pulls players in who want to discover all the secrets of Hallownest. This game got a lot of fans on the Nintendo Switch and other platforms, but playing it with the Switch Lite's D-pad makes it even better.
3 Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler was released in 2018 on the Nintendo Switch and quickly became one of the most popular games on the platform. This turn-based roleplaying game combines Super NES-style character designs with high definition backgrounds and effects for a really unique art style. The art style of this game isn't all that draws people in,t hough.
This game features turn-based battles in which the players can use the different abilities and weapons that each character possesses to try to defeat the enemies that they face throughout the fictional world of Osterra. Being able to use the D-pad to quickly select an option from the list during each turn is so much easier on the Switch Lite.
2 Mortal Kombat 11
Mortal Kombat 11 is the 11th main game in the Mortal Kombat series and was released in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch and other game consoles. This game is like others in the Mortal Kombat franchise in that it's a pretty brutal fighting game.
This game is like other fighting games in that the player needs to be really precise with their inputs. Pressing the buttons just slightly wrong can mean the difference between landing a perfect fatality and getting completely torn down by the opponent.
1 Cadence of Hyrule
The Nintendo Switch is definitely no stranger to games from the Zelda franchise. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild launched with the console and other games like Link's Awakening have since been added to the console.
This game is a rhythm-based game and has a pretty unique mechanic that forces players and enemies to only be able to move on the beat. This means that every move that the player makes needs to be super precise. Playing with the Switch Lite's D-pad makes this easier than ever.