The Nintendo Switch brought about a new evolution in gaming with its hybrid format. You can game on the go or in the comfort of your living room on a nice television screen. Even though every game has these two options, some titles work better in the docked while others prefer portable mode.
The games below are more enjoyable if you put the Switch in its dock and sit on the couch during a play session. For the most part, they either play more comfortably using the pro controller, or they run smoother, making for an overall better gameplay experience.
9 Metroid Dread
Before Metroid Dread, it had been a long while since Samus Aran had a proper Metroid adventure. The game had a lot to live up to, and it hit all the marks of what you expect from a classic Metroid game.
It plays and runs as smoothly as butter, and the haunting atmosphere simultaneously encourages exploration while showcasing the scarier side of the cosmos. We only recommend playing in docked mode because of how precise you want the controls to be when facing some of the game's difficult bosses. The Pro Controller is your friend here.
8 The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Unlike Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword focuses on big dungeons and a more guided adventure instead of the sprawling open world of its sequel. This Nintendo Switch re-release updates the visuals and adds numerous quality-of-life improvements.
If you want to experience the game the way it was made, you are better off playing it in docked mode, using the Joy-Cons to use the motion controls. Though the game is playable in portable mode using the analog sticks, this was not an option in the original version.
7 Super Mario Party
People have a lot of feelings about the Mario Party Series. The element of luck and the ability to stab other players in the back is enough to destroy friendships. The game is made for multiplayer. Going it alone is almost like playing Monopoly by yourself.
Considering this, Super Mario Party, or any Mario Party, is best played in docked mode to share this game with friends or enemies. While we joke about the game's ability to ruin relationships, the gameplay is intuitive enough for almost anyone to join in, regardless of their skill level.
6 Nintendo Switch Sports
The original Wii Sports proved the effectiveness of Nintendo's motion control technology and made the Wii a legendary success. With the Wii, everybody in the family could join in and understand the rules easily as long as they were familiar with the sports packaged in with the game. Nintendo Switch Sports did not have to prove the same thing.
To enjoy this game at all, you almost have to play in docked mode. There is even a special peripheral to play the soccer mode standing up with the joy-con strapped to your leg. While you can play this game with a Switch Lite, you still need to detach the Joy-Cons.
5 Super Smash Bros Ultimate
It is difficult to imagine what more Nintendo could do with the series after Super Smash Bros Ultimate. It includes just about everything featured in the series up to this point and more. The appeal of this game has always been the incredible multiplayer mode, and it has never been so balanced and customizable as in this 2018 entry.
While you can always play multiplayer on the Switch using the stand and the two Joy-Cons, playing in docked mode and with a proper controller will be the most comfortable. There are even controllers designed just like the Nintendo GameCube's original setup you can use.
4 Wolfenstein: The New Colossus
It is novel to see quality first-person shooters like Doom and Wolfenstein on this handheld console. As fun as it is to take games like this on the go, it is always better and more cinematic to play these titles in the comfort of your living room. Wolfenstein: The New Colossus is especially notable because its story takes place in a dystopian alternate history where the Nazis won World War II.
Dramatic and poignant cutscenes break up the action and tell a heartwrenching tale, and you are better off watching these on your TV screen and not while on a bus ride to work.
3 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is so absurdly popular that it's almost difficult to believe it is an enhanced re-release of a Wii U game. Originally made for the Wii U, and with the main focus being multiplayer action, you will want to play it in docked mode.
This generation has a lot of kart racers using characters from popular IPs, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stands head and shoulders above all of them in both sales and content. The game continues living with an impressive DLC expansion bringing 48 new tracks to the package.
2 Splatoon 3
Splatoon is one of the few new IPs from Nintendo introduced on the Wii U that became a mainstay. Splatoon 3, released in 2022, does all it can to build upon its predecessors and please longtime fans of the series.
The competitive nature of the multiplayer means you will want to play it in the best environment possible, so playing in docked mode is the way to go. After all, you are more likely to win using a Pro Controller than the less precise joy-con analog sticks.
1 Bayonetta 3
Games like Bayonetta require a smooth frame rate and precise, responsive controls. You need to be able to rely on whatever inputs you make. Playing on a bus ride or somewhere less comfortable puts you at a disadvantage.
Also, consider just how bombastic and wild Bayonetta 3 is. You should experience its ridiculous setpieces and larger-than-life characters on a big screen and not on the Switch's small display, even if the visuals suffer from the Switch's limited technical capabilities.