Open world games are a dime a dozen in modern gaming, and the Nintendo Switch has some of the finest examples in the genre. From modern-day classics to reimaginings of classic Nintendo franchises, the Switch is host to a plentiful bounty of open-world adventures.

Switch gamers have access to some of the best open worlds in gaming in, quite literally, the palm of their hand. The novelty of having access to console-scale worlds on a handheld device hasn't quite rubbed off yet, here are the best open-world games on the Nintendo Switch.

Updated March 25, 2024 By Matthew McKeown: An open land before you, an inventory filled with collected tatt and a mighty steed that will take you wherever you want, just part and parcel of playing an open world game. They all do something different and unique, but there are those familiar things that keep us all coming back to them again and again.

Having your own personal playground at your fingertips is always good for a few cathartic hours. Whether that’s completing quests, slaying great foes, or just bumbling around being an agent of chaos, there’s pretty much something for everyone. So if you’re in the market for a big sandbox to save or destroy, here’s an updated look at the best Open World games on the Nintendo Switch.

31 Unicorn Overlord

From the minds behind 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim comes Unicorn Overlord, a tactical RPG in a brilliantly drawn fantasy art style. Embark on an adventure to regain your royal reign with a cast of unique characters that you’ll need to ally yourself with in order to secure your kingdom.

There’s a massive vibrant land to explore and you’ll need to use the terrain of this world to your advantage as you position your troops. There’s over 60 unique troops ranging from normal lads in armor to Elves, Angels, and even huge beasts that will tear apart enemy formations. Master diplomacy, plan your rise to power, and leave none standing in your wake as you make your way to the top.

Unicorn Overlord is a huge enjoyable time sink, so don’t go into it expecting a generic and fast fantasy RPG. You’re going to be there for a while.

30 Kingdom Come Deliverance

An unexpected port of a game that took the gaming community by storm with its uniqueness, Kingdom Come Deliverance has finally made the jump to the Nintendo Switch. Avenge your parent's death as Henry, the son of a Blacksmith and survivor of an attack on his village that saw all his friends and family slaughtered.

Join the resistance against the invasion as you explore and thrive on a massive map set in Medieval Europe. Each storybeat can be solved in your own way and combat is unique and tricky to master but satisfying once you do. Plus, there are plenty of perks, skills, and upgrades for your gear to unlock as Henry works his way up the proverbial Medieval ladder of life.

Kingdom Come Deliverance is a historically accurate game. So expect a lot of medieval grime and unexpectedly educational moments.

29 Passing By: A Tailwind Journey

Travel through the open blue skies to floating islands filled with quirky characters and brain-teasing puzzles in Passing By: A Tailwind Journey from Studio Windsocke. You play as Curly, a red hood-wearing woman and aspiring Balloonist who delivers the mail.

One day a mysterious letter comes in and what follows is an adventure into the unknown. Manage the intricacies of your Airship as you travel between islands, manage and collect resources to keep your boat afloat, and solve puzzles as you progress through this wholesome world that’s full of these airborne archipelagos.

Your Airship can be fully customized with attachments and whimsical colors that meet all tastes.

28 Pentiment

A hand illustrated Medieval mystery game from Obsidian Entertainment, Pentiment dives right into the accurate odd art of that old period in history. In a time of religious and political upheaval, you follow the steps of Andreas Maler, an artist who becomes immersed in murder, intrigue, and scandal.

Set in the Bavarian Alps, Pentiment is absolutely gorgeous and its animation has this great comic strip aesthetic to it that you can easily become immersed in. The tale constantly twists and turns, plus there are multiple ways events can play out. So it’s always worth stepping back into the shoddy shoes of Andreas to see how different the story can get.

Pentiment got a lot of positive reviews on a number of platforms, so it comes highly recommended by critics.

27 Haven

A romantic game from The Game Bakers that follows two lovers lost on a planet in far-flung space, Haven is an anime-inspired survival game that will hit you right in the heart hard. A brilliant and vibrant action RPG, Haven is a story-rich experience that’s worth checking out.

You play as Yu and Kay, who left behind everything to start fresh in a far-off world. However, the planet is filled with monsters, but they’re not too difficult to deal with when the pair work together. Your ship needs to be fixed, your home needs to be made more cozy and there are recipes to learn to spice up your evenings. It’s a heartwarming tale that will hook you right from the start and it went down well with a lot of critics.

A nice touch in Haven is that both the couple's genders can be changed in the beginning.

26 Tunic

An adorable Zelda-esque game that puts you in the boots of a cute Fox warrior who has to explore the land, recover ancient powers, and defeat horrible and tough monsters. It’s a surprisingly challenging isometric game whose art style is an absolute highlight.

Combat is tight and technical, the world is sprawling and filled with plenty of unique areas to keep things fresh and there are some pretty big boss fights to sink your teeth into. There are plenty of secrets to find and a soundtrack from Lifeformed that will get stuck in your head for hours afterward.

25 Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen

A critically acclaimed classic that brought a lot of great game mechanics to the table, Dragon’s Dogma is a solid action RPG worth checking out. You play as the Arisen, fresh off a Dragon attack you set off on a quest for vengeance and glory.

There are nine unique classes to dig into and three different starter classes that can all be subclassed and customized to your heart's content as you go along. To keep you company as you delve into dungeons there’s a unique Pawn system that allows the summoning of other player-created NPCs. Plus, there’s a sequel.

There’s also a Dragons Dogma animated show that roughly covers the plot of the game.

24 Dying Light

So far there has been no better blend of Parkour and Zombies than Dying Light. Stuck in a city that’s besieged by the undead and other viral mutants, you play as Crane, an agent of the GRE who’s been sent into the quarantine zone around Harran.

Crane is undercover and through the help from local survivors he plans on finding Kadir Suleiman, a political figure turned rogue dictator who has important information on the viral epidemic. Complete tons of quests, craft powerful melee weapons and outrun the incredibly terrifying Volatiles that roam the streets when the sun goes down.

Dying Light would have a less-than-successful sequel, but the DLC of the original is worth checking out as it closes out Crane's story in a very odd way.

23 Red Dead Redemption

A rootin-tootin open-world western that took the world by storm when it first launched. Followed up by a fantastic sequel, Red Dead Redemption is a must-play for anyone looking for a great Wild West experience from Rockstar Games. Though the port does have a few bugbears, the overall experience is still enjoyable.

You play as John Marston, an ex-bandit who’s trying to go straight but has been tasked by the Pinkerton Agency with taking down his old crew. What follows is a harrowing tale of redemption, heartbreak, and a lot of gunfights and horseback riding across the early days of the United States. Highly recommended for a slow-burner that you can lose hours into.

Unfortunately, the online component of Red Dead Redemption on the Nintendo Switch is no longer available.

22 Pikmin 4

The latest in a fan-favorite series, Pikmin 4 brilliantly recaptures the beauty, brutality, and charm of leading an army of incredibly tiny minions in a big hostile world. Olimar and crew are back, but this time things are different as everyone is much more prepared.

Joining them on their adventures are a bunch of brand-new Pikmin. Including some elemental and even flying types, there’s also an adorable alien canine companion that’s both packhorse and battering ram as well as a larger crew of characters that you can Hot-Swap between on the fly. Whether you’re a returning fan or a first-timer, Pikmin 4 has something for everyone.

Pikmin 4 brings back the classic "Remaining-Days" Timer. Though you can operate at night now, you only have a finite amount of time to get things done before the game ends, so plan ahead.

21 Tears Of The Kingdom

Following up several years after the events of Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom follows Link and Zelda dealing with the aftermath of the first game as well as accidentally awakening an evil mummy beneath Hyrule Castle. What follows is a grand adventure across an absolutely massive playground that spans both above and below ground.

There’s an almost endless amount of possibility in Tears of The Kingdom and Nintendo really pushed the boat out with this one. There are new bosses, dungeons, and a bunch of brand-new mechanics to play around with including the ability to fuse objects onto weapons or construct all sorts of nightmarish machines to solve puzzles, win fights, or just cause chaos. The only thing that’s stopping you is your imagination.

We have plenty of guides on how to build the wildest and weirdest machines in Tears of The Kingdom (Available Here).

20 Super Mario RPG

A faithful remake and remodel of a classic open-world Super Mario game, Super Mario RPG has Mario and friends taking on the Smith Gang after the sundering of the Star Road. There’s an incredibly large land of adventures waiting that’s filled with twisting forests, dangerous caves, pristine islands, and more.

Combat is turn-based and timing is crucial as fast reactions on certain Action Commands grant extra damage and over time allow for special Party Triple Movies to pop off. And it’s needed as there are some tricky fights ahead of you. If you’re looking for a slow-burning RPG filled with nostalgia to get lost in, this is one for you.

19 Octopath Traveller 2

A follow-up to the incredibly successful first Octopath game, Octopath Traveller 2 follows eight travelers from different regions as they deal with life in the land of Solistia. A busy era that’s filled with the creation of new technologies and horrendous wars.

Featuring a gorgeous pixelated style and a huge fully explorable world that changes throughout its day-to-night cycle, the biggest bonus to the game itself is how each path you tread as these characters can be as unique as you make it. Plus, each traveler can be customized as much as or as little as you like. It’s your adventure, play it how you want.

18 Bramble The Mountain King

A grim adventure game inspired by Nordic myth and legends, Bramble The Mountain King is a visually stunning game that throws you deep into the dark side of fairy tales. Giants and creatures out of every fable stalk the lands and it’s up to you to save your sister and survive these wilds.

Deeply unsettling at times with its imagery but incredibly inventive with how it portrays these classic creatures and characters, Bramble The Mountain King is always pushing you forward to find the next fantastical set piece. Though there are many traps and terrible creatures lurking in the darkness, all you need to do is master your ‘Spark of Courage’ to light your way through the gloom.

Bramble The Mountain King is best played with the lights off as it makes its dark world more immersive and spooky.

17 Saints Row IV

The fourth and very popular installment in a series that's now sadly dead, Saints Row IV took the titular Saints Gang into the weirdest and best direction the series has ever seen. Trapped within a Virtual World the Saints have to escape, overthrow their Alien Overlords, and make it back to Earth. Not the simplest of jobs.

This time around though you have Super Powers that come in a range of flavors from Super Speed, Giant Jumps, Super Strength, Energy Blasts, and much more. There's also a ton of odd and useful weapons, great set-pieces and of course plenty of Keith David.

The Super Powers may make getting around a lot easier but don't forget to use some of the weird and wacky vehicles.

16 Dredge

An Eldritch adventure on the open sea, Dredge is an open-world indie game that's gone down a storm. Set sail on haunted waters as the Skipper of a small and rickety fishing boat. Skim the oceans of their mutated bounty and try to get to the bottom of the nightmarish mystery at the heart of this game.

The ocean is full of twisted fish and treasure to dredge up that can be sold for a tidy profit and then funneled into upgrades for your boat. Plus, the game is regularly updated with new content such as boat customization and more fish, so there are plenty of great reasons to sail these spooky seas.

15 Stardew Valley

A cozy farm management game, Stardew Valley was a huge hit when it launched. Featuring a large explorable map, NPC's to meet and even marry, plus a dungeon filled with creatures, there's a lot to do outside of just rebuilding your Grandfathers' farm.

Whether that's tending to the farm, creating your own business, wooing the township, or digging into some of the deeper mechanics of the game, Stardew Valley can certainly keep you busy. It garnered a lot of praise from critics and it's a go-to relaxing game for many. If you like something slow-paced, then Stardew Valley comes with a hearty recommendation.

Co-Op Stardew Valley is highly recommended as you can get so much more done when you have a helping hand or two on the farm.

14 Hyper Light Drifter

A fast souls-like hack-n-slash experience with a lot of style, Hyper Light Drifter provides a challenging adventure to those who check it out. You play as a lone wanderer who seeks forgotten knowledge and lost technology. But in your way are all sorts of mechanical menaces, difficult dungeons, and brutal boss fights.

So popular that it got a sequel, Hyper Light Drifter is best played with a controller as some sections will definitely leave you with a white-knuckled grip on the handheld. There are plenty of absolutely gorgeous levels to go through and the soundtrack is great for letting your mind drift along with the game.

13 L.A. Noire

Grab your hat and get in the car Detective, there's been another murder in the Hollywood Hills and starlet-filled streets of Los Angeles. Set in the 50s, L.A. Noire broke a lot of new ground in facial capture technology at the time and it still stands up, somewhat. This thrilling detective noir game puts you in the role of Cole Phelps. An ex-marine turned cop that climbs the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Experience everything from a beat cop patrol to Arson, Murder, and the fast-moving drug-fueled world of Vice in this star-studded story from Rockstar Games. With the crime-filled streets now at your portable fingertips, there's never been a better time to check out this absolute classic open-world game.

If you're looking for more cases to solve, L.A. Noire has plenty of themed DLC crimes for Cole Phelps to chew through.

12 Don’t Starve

A hardcore open-world survival game with multiplayer for those with masochistic friends, Don't Starve is a great handheld choice. Oozing style and an almost Tim Burton-esque aesthetic, it's a simple goal but there are a lot of layers and unique mechanics to dig into to keep things fresh.

There's a colorful cast of characters and each of them comes with their own unique abilities and benefits with some drastically changing your playstyle altogether. The game continues to get support, tweaks, and updates and it's always a good time with friends. If you crave a challenging open-world survival game, Don't Starve should be on your list.