With barely two years on the market, Nintendo's portable-home console hybrid has already seen a healthy and robust lineup of games from just about all sides. From the tried-and-true franchises from the big N themselves, to big-name AAA titles from third parties, and even a steady stream of indie releases, there's no shortage of hits. This is a huge contrast to Nintendo's previous console, the Wii U, which struggled to crank out notable releases on even a monthly basis. However, since the console's still in its youth, not to mention is a touch underpowered compared to the juggernauts of say, PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, the lineup could still be stronger. Switch could certainly still do with some more heavy hitters from major third and second parties, as most of their offerings to this point have been ports or remakes. These may be of quality, but many have been played out already and some are lacking new content.

Still, with the huge clutter of games permeating the Switch library, there are bound to be plenty of hidden gems that get lost in the shuffle, too. This is especially true on the indie front, as these smaller releases don't typically receive the hype their AAA counterparts do. With that said, let's attempt to dive into the depths of the heavily-populated library of the Switch, and highlight some of these stellar titles your average Switch player likely missed. To balance things out, we'll also look at some overrated and overhyped games that aren't as neat as the sales (or diehard fans) might claim, or that don't quite live up to the name of the franchise.

25 Lame: Splatoon 2

via: amazon.com

While the first Splatoon broke new ground as far as FPS/shooters go, the highly anticipated sequel felt a bit too much in the realm of “more of the same.” Sure, the campaign mode was more fleshed out, and we got the inclusion of an enjoyable survival mode, but at the end of the day, this follow-up for Switch failed to really take this neat ink-shooting concept to the next level.

In addition, you still had some oddities carried over from the first entry, like the restrictive timed events, lack of split screen, and (still) a pretty mediocre solo experience. Though Splatoon 2 can be fun, Overwatch did the “colorful, quirky shooter” thing better than this.

24 Lame: Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!/Eevee!

via: ign.com

Take away the hype that naturally comes with the Pokémon brand name and you're left with a pretty dull, shallow, and repetitive experience here. The game tries to capitalize on the massive success of Pokémon Go while at least lightly drawing from the more complex RPG games like Gold and Silver.

But being a console game, the Pokémon GO novelty of actually walking the streets on your mobile device and nabbing Pokémon with AR functionality is lost here. At the same time, the RPG elements are very light, and the game just feels cheap and uninteresting as a result.

23 Great Game No One Played: Has Been Heroes

via: allertonave.com

There has been quite the interesting influx in “rogue-like” or “rogue-lite” style games of late – it's been a Renaissance really, as this genre is a very old one. The style essentially revolves around random dungeon and monster generations along with the always-maddening “instadeath.”

Has Been Heroes can be particularly maddening and enduring, but in an endlessly addictive, enticing kind of way. The game basically requires you to shuffle around a trio of heroes and rock various spells as a marching gaggle of baddies saunter your way. The game contains a seemingly endless amount of replay value, along with frequent perishing.

22 Lame: 1-2-Switch

via: studybreaks.com

For a game that was supposed to wow first-time Switch users and leave a lasting impression, 1-2-Switch is a pretty odd and lackluster experience to get the job done. Right off the bat, the game essentially requires multiple players to even milk a bit of enjoyment out of it.

Even with a companion, the core gameplay is very surface level and feels more akin to a glorified demo to showcase the Joy-Con than a fleshed-out game. Sure, the novelty of playing a minigame involving chomping your teeth to eat a sandwich or milking a cow is amusing at first, but it wears off rather quickly.

21 Lame: Super Mario Odyssey

via: wccftech.com

Before you grab your pitchforks, I'm not necessarily pinning Super Mario Odyssey as “lame” on its own merit, but in the context of the high standards of Mario titles, and the massive hype generated, it falls a touch flat. The game certainly dazzles with pretty aesthetics and epic open worlds, but these environments pale in comparison to Breath of the Wild.

The actual gameplay of nabbing power moons is somewhat novel with the sheer amount of them scattered about, but this can play out like a glorified scavenger hunt. It begins to grow a bit tiresome and can tend to feel like a chore after finding a few hundred of these suckers. For the best selling game on Switch, this feels just “alright” when it should feel “incredible.”

20 Great Game No One Played: Fast RMX

via: ign.com

With a console slim on great racing titles outside of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which is a spruced-up port, it's a bit baffling that F-Zero has yet to make an appearance on Switch. Well, for the time being, this little-known futuristic racer from Shin'en Multimedia certainly fills the role well.

The game plays great and runs at a smooth 60 FPS, which looks quite pretty on a large 1080p set. The racer revolves around a concept of color-coded lanes that you'll need to match your car with, keeping you on your toes. There's an impressive amount of content too, and even split-screen multiplayer with up to 4 players!

19 Lame: Kirby Star Allies

via: wired.co.uk

This latest entry in the platforming series featuring our favorite adorable pink puffball feels like one big session of “meh.” There are certainly bright spots, and the game holds some of that nostalgic side-scrolling feel from the Kirby titles of yesteryear, but this game in particular feels overly easy to the point where the gameplay can feel boring and pointless.

The simultaneous multiplayer is a neat inclusion in some respects, though things tend to get hectic and chaotic to a level that it can be hard to focus on your own character.

18 Lame: Minecraft: Story Mode

via destructoid.com

It's a bit ironic that one of the most open-world sandbox games in Minecraft has been given a spinoff, story-based game that's about as linear and restrictive in actual gameplay as can be. Obviously, the name Minecraft alone is going to drive up hype and generate sales, but is it warranted in the case of Minecraft: Story Mode?

Perhaps if you're into the Telltale brand of “choose your own adventure,” but it pretty much boils down to “point and click to get slightly different results.” Many find this sort of experience limiting and bland, even when a game actually presents a decent story and memorable cast of characters, like this one does.

17 Great Game No One Played: Overcooked 2

via: amazon.com

At least by the meek standards of indie success stories, Overcooked 2 has become a relatively well-known multiplayer gem, yet its lack of visibility is still apparent compared to the massive hype-machine of Nintendo's own games.

It's a shame, though, as this quirky party game can stand right there with the best of them. Even with the crowded market of enjoyable couch co-op games on Switch, Overcooked 2 stands out with its uniquely addictive gameplay that heavily emphasizes cooperation. It has plenty of meaty content, and even a pretty solid online mode on the side!

16 Lame: Nintendo Labo

I'm not sure who at Nintendo headquarters thought this was a good idea, but most of (at least the core) audience of Switch users were scratching their heads at this. And who could blame them? The Labo Variety Kit costs the same as a fully fleshed out game, but what you're given is basically cardboard pieces constructed to resemble objects for use in some very basic minigames.

The whole concept just comes across as cheap and gimmicky. The ironic thing is, you've got the major risk of these lousy toys being destroyed by small children; the primary audience of these things.

15 Lame: Sonic Forces

via: nintendo.co.uk

This game strikes me as particularly odd as it came out at roughly the same time as the far more enjoyable Sonic Mania. Many Sonic fans were getting swept up in the hype of having an epic 3D Sonic title that just might return to the glory days of Sonic Adventure, only to find yet another in a series of flubs for the blue hedgehog in the 3D realm.

The game rolls with the mostly pointless, insignificant concept of assembling your own custom avatars equipped with a variety of random weapons and abilities. It also tries to ride this weird line of having cutting-edge 3D action while falling back to more retro 2D stages. The bummer is that it doesn't really pull off either of these styles too well.

14 Great Game No One Played: Hyrule Warriors

via: imore.com

At least from the standards of hugely-hyped Nintendo titles, Hyrule Warriors stands as probably one of the most under-appreciated and overlooked games for their consoles in recent years. This Zelda game is pretty surface level in one sense as it resorts to some over-the-top action and button-mashing, hack 'n' slash gameplay.

The Switch version is also enhanced with DLC and slicker graphics. This obviously looks a bit low-brow when compared to the sophisticated, epic Breath of the Wild, which tends to overshadow it. But when judging it on its own merit, it's actually a very fun and exciting experience. While it was a Wii U port, many missed this thanks to poor sales of the console.

13 Lame: Pokkén Tournament DX

via: polygon.com

Speaking of Wii U ports, this arena fighter from Nintendo feels far less necessary and more uninteresting than our previous entry. The game does sport a handful of new characters and modes, but they don't really make the game feel like much of a new experience, which is already pretty straightforward.

There is both split-screen multiplayer and online functionality, but they're pretty bare-bones and spotty. At the end of the day, Pokkén Tournament DX just comes off like an average fighter that gets more of a pass because of its Pokémon overlay.

12 Great Game No One Played: Puyo Puyo Tetris

via: amazon.com

It's strange that this game has received as little buzz as it has. Maybe it's because at its core, it's rather straightforward and somewhat “old hat,” considering the age of both Tetris and Puyo Puyo. Still, the latest version of these timeless classics is possibly one of the most robust puzzle packages ever, and an underrated multiplayer party experience for Switch.

The pick-up-and-play style meshes perfectly with the handheld sensibilities of Switch, and the online play is actually pretty solid. The sheer amount and variety of game modes, and the clever meshing of these two iconic puzzle games, creates an experience that's as entertaining as it is enduring.

11 Lame: Rocket League

via: rocketleague.com

Ok, so the added Nintendo flair like the Mario cars are pretty neat, and this type of game does lend itself to portability, but as a game, I just never quite saw the hype in this one. Sure, it's a clever and well-executed melding of driving and soccer and makes for a game that's easy to get into.

Yet, for my money, the somewhat bland and repetitive gameplay doesn't necessarily warrant this hype as one of the biggest go-tos for esports in history. There are also some issues with lag on the Switch version in particular, which isn't good considering this title's emphasis on online gameplay.

10 Great Game No One Played: SteamWorld Dig 2

via: store.steampowered.com

The relatively short campaign mode aside, SteamWorld Dig 2 might be one of the best indie titles for the Switch. It takes a little bit of Metroidvania-style action and grinding, and fuses it with a Terraria-like emphasis on exploration and mining in a large, colorful 2D landscape.

The game builds on the foundations of this surprise indie hit for the Wii U and fleshes out the gameplay to make for a more enduring experience. This truly is a hidden gem that needs to be harvested with the theoretical pickaxe of Switch owners.

9 Lame: ARMS

via: polygon.com

Credit where credit is due – at least ARMS is a brand new IP with a relatively innovative concept, but there aren't many redeeming elements outside of this. This game just feels like some weird throwaway project for the Wii to show off the motion plus, but ended up on the Switch.

Sure, the Switch has motion controls as well, but they typically aren't the focus. ARMS returns to that in-your-face concept of “3D motion controls!” in an era where most just don't care much about them anymore. While the motion elements work well, they can get a bit tiresome. Get past this gimmick, and you've essentially got a pretty basic brawler.

8 Great Game No One Played: Vostok Inc.

via: trueachievements.com

Ok, so Vostok Inc. certainly isn't perfect. In fact, it can be rather repetitive as much of the gameplay revolves around mashing buttons to purchase endless upgrades. Regardless, this quirky indie shooter-meets-sim proves to be an addictive and enduring experience that really left an impression on me.

The gameplay uses an amusing sci-fi premise that heavily spoofs the excesses of greedy corporatism and plays this out by forcing you to expand your corporate empire intergalactically. You'll be building settlements on countless planets, which net you increased cash-flow to put towards beefier weaponry that's satisfying to wield.

7 Lame: LEGO City Undercover

via: medium.com

The colorful, child-like nature of the LEGO brand fits right in with Nintendo's own colorful cast of characters. So naturally, this game received more hype and success than its PS4 and Xbox One counterparts. However, is there any substance to go along with the quirky style and iconic LEGO branding?

Well, not exactly. While LEGO City Undercover manages to be a competent open-world action adventure game, it feels like “GTA Lite;” not just in its content, but its quality as well. It certainly doesn't help that the games experience a few technical issues and occasional frame rate drops.

6 Great Game No One Played: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

via: digitaltrends.com

For a game featuring Mario, this light-hearted Ubisoft strategy title somewhat fell under the radar for many a Switch gamer. Maybe it's partly because of the annoyingly repellent nature of the screaming Rabbids, or the fact that it gets lost in the shuffle between heavy hitters like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.

Yet, despite a somewhat rocky learning curve, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle manages to be an enjoyable, interesting strategy game. It balances simplicity and complexity quite nicely, utilizing an easy-to-grasp cover system and it gives you an assortment of satisfying abilities to knock out your foes.