Nintendo struck a rich vein of gold with the Nintendo Switch. The little hybrid system has proven to be popular among both fans and newcomers. The social aspect of multiplayer action and mobility from the console have proven to be desirable traits in a console, and that has been demonstrated by the system’s sales figures since launch.
The Switch has also been a great platform for popular past generation games. The mobile function of the Switch allows players to experience console gaming anywhere, since they can take it on the go. Therefore, it’s made the concept of retreading fun memories or even experiencing older games for the first time easier than ever. Of all the games that have come to the Nintendo eShop and/or packaged as a tiny cartridge, there are a few gems from the past that every gaming fan should experience.
10 Turok
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was a wild introduction to the Nintendo 64 upon its release in 1997. While the polygonal graphics might not hold up today, the game was cutting edge for its time and received critical praise for its gameplay and presentation. The game was a first-person shooter where players controlled the hero to defend Earth from evil forces seeking its destruction.
As the game involved a time-traveling element, naturally dinosaurs were part of Turok’s hostile world. Most 90s kids will never forget the thrill of gunning down raptors fresh off the hype of the Jurassic Park movies.
9 Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition
During the Xbox 360 and PS3 era, the developer People Can Fly introduced us to Grayson Hunt and his profanity-laden, raucous journey to get some good ol’ fashioned revenge. The game featured fast-paced first-person shooting action akin to games like Doom (2016) or the Unreal Tournament franchise.
Bulletstorm prided itself on the number of ways one could eliminate the opposition. If you wanted, you could kick an enemy into a meat-eating plant and watch the poor sap be devoured! The game is currently not available for the Switch, but will be this fall. Bulletstorm: Duke of Switch Edition will feature Duke Nukem, famous for his own set of games.
8 L.A. Noire
L.A. Noire was another great title from the past generation. The game follows a detective in Los Angeles shortly after World War II. The Rockstar-published game features a litany of cases where players must investigate the crimes, make decisions, and eliminate any opposition.
The game was multi-faceted with an intriguing story to boot. How much of the story behind each case that was unveiled was dependent on how thorough the player was in searching for clues.
7 Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Wii U largely flew under the radar. The console wasn’t well-received and suffered for it commercially. Many didn’t have the opportunity to play some of the Wii U’s fantastic first-party games. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was one such game.
Fans of the platforming genre will be right at home here. The game brings along many familiar gameplay features and settings from past Donkey Kong adventures, but it also ramps up the chaos and offers a challenge for players. Some of the more fast-paced moments add the perfect level of intensity to keep players engaged.
6 Devil May Cry
Capcom spearheaded the hack n’ slash genre with Devil May Cry on the PlayStation 2 clear back in 2001. Aside from a bit of cheesy dialogue, the game largely holds up to this day, being a fast, frenetic, and fun action title.
The half-demon hero, Dante, is all about style as he gracefully eliminates the forces of the underworld. Players can upgrade his firearms, swords, and abilities as they progress adding to the challenge. It’s the perfect game to have in your back pocket while on the go, with individual chapters suitable for short bursts of play.
5 Contra Anniversary Collection
The 8-bit and 16-bit eras brought us some of the best side-scrolling adventures that will stand the test of time. Konami’s Contra Anniversary Collection brings together all the best Contra games from those eras.
Grab a buddy and run-and-gun you way through hordes of tanks, aliens, you name it! The shooting and platforming elements of these games collide to make a satisfying and nostalgic experience.
4 Slender: The Arrival
Horror fans are constantly seeking the next thrill on home consoles. While this may be old news to that crowd, it’s worth checking this one out if you have even the slightest interest in horror entertainment. There’s no fighting, attacking, or platforming required here. Players must simply locate various objects to progress through each level all while avoiding the haunting Slender Man.
So, here’s what you do. Go camping out in the woods, bring your Switch with you, and flip on Slender: The Arrival. It’s likely to cause paranoia and a bit of jumping at the slightest sounds out there in the dark just beyond your tent.
3 Final Fantasy VII
The remake of one of the most popular Japanese RPGs is heading to the PS4 next Spring. If players want to relive the original experience, or play it for the first time to see what all the fuss is about, Final Fantasy VII is out now on Nintendo Switch. While the graphics are vastly outdated and a bit clunky, this adventure will grip you as you learn about each of the characters in Cloud’s crew.
This rebel group is out to fight Shinra, an evil corporation bent on monopolizing the world’s best energy source. While the turn-based battles are a jarring change from the modern action-oriented RPGs we have today, it’s quite addicting and the story will keep players engaged for hours on end.
2 Dark Souls Remastered
FromSoftware is famous for the punishing action RPG games that they develop. Dark Souls was one of the titles to help kickstart this trend. The game is not heavily focused on the narrative. Instead, the developers built a world containing lore that players can find to provide background and insight into the game’s setting.
The game heavily relies on melee combat as its primary mechanic. Players will have to strategically attack, defend, and utilize magic to defeat enemies. The world is rich and is beckoning players to explore its darkest corners.
1 Doom Trilogy
It’s always hard to pick just one Doom experience. So, let’s lump the entire trilogy of Doom, Doom II, and Doom 3 together. These id Software classics were just released on Nintendo Switch at QuakeCon a couple of weeks ago. The labyrinthine levels of the original Doom are still relevant to this day for fans of the first-person shooting genre.
In a way, Doom (alongside Wolfenstein 3D) helped usher in the FPS genre as we know it. Doom 3 was ahead of its time in the graphics department. The team over at id Software worked heavily on developing dynamic lighting and shadow effects that helped pioneer modern game design. These lighting and shadow effects were employed brilliantly within Doom 3’s setting, striking terror in the hearts of players with a more horror-focused take on the grisly franchise.