The Switch is starting to become my favorite console of all time—playing a full-fledged Zelda game in my bed, tucked into my covers is something I never, ever thought would be possible. And then moving from the bed to the bathroom while still playing that same Zelda game almost brought tears to my eyes the first time I did it.
Alright, I might be revealing more information than you wanted to hear, but you gotta admit everyone was impressed the first time they tried this too. Now every day I bring my Switch in my backpack just so I can get the best use of my free time by knocking out a few levels of Crash Bandicoot or getting a few races in Mario Kart 8.
But I think I've praised the Switch as a console enough for one list (though I'd love to do it more), so instead, we're going to be talking about the games. Any true gamer knows it's the games that make a console, because without the games the console would just be a $300 dollar paperweight. Thankfully, the Switch is a great console that comes with a fantastic roster of great games.
Today, however, we're going to be trying our best to stay away from the triple-A releases like Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, because if you own a Switch and seriously haven't played these yet... what are you doing? So, today in this list we're gonna highlight the underappreciated games that deserve a second look while criticizing the games that we believe are overrated.
30 Overrated: Pokémon Quest
This game is everywhere, and to be honest, it’s not bad, well... for a mobile game. Now, with a lot of the games on this list, they may be overrated but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth your time, especially since Pokémon Quest is free.
The game has a terrific art style, but it’s so much of a grind fest that it makes it more enjoyable to play on a mobile device.
Definitely give the game a try, since you're not losing out on any money either way, but the game’s appeal grows pretty thin after playing for like a week.
29 Worth A Second Look: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Probably the most recommended underrated game on the Switch when the console made its debut. I could feel every gamer collectively eye roll when this game was first announced, but all of that was only before we got to see any gameplay.
Mario + Rabbids is an easier to learn X-Com type strategy game that features the aesthetics from both the Mario and the Rabbids universe.
This game definitely made the Rabbids a lot less annoying and a lot more fun—because who doesn’t like a Rabbid dressed as Peach that takes selfies?
28 Overrated: Yooka-Laylee
Man, it really hurts to put this one on this list! Yooka-Laylee was going to be the game to rekindle all the amazing Rare games of the 90s, and in a way, it did do that. But the game almost feels like a reskin of Banjo-Kazooie.
If you’re looking to get a fix of nostalgia and relive those iconic Rare games then definitely give this game a try.
The game isn’t that overrated as fans truly appreciate it for what it is, but the game does feel like a bit of a disappointment regardless.
27 Worth A Second Look: Golf Story
This game is a perfect appetizer for the next Mother game, which is still happening... right, Nintendo? Well, regardless if that game becomes the next Half-Life 3 as we continue to anticipate it more and more, Golf Story is a beautiful game that you should check out, especially if you're a fan of Earthbound games or even the old school Mario Golf games.
The game goes on sale frequently, as I got my copy for $5 bucks and it was well worth it as I sunk almost 20 hours into it during my first week. Definitely a game worth checking out.
26 Overrated: Rocket League
Take this one with a HUGE grain of salt, as Rocket League is one of my favorite games on my PC and it’s one of my most played on Switch. But it’s hard to recommend one of the worst versions of the game, as it’s 30 fps and hiccups a ton.
Playing the game on portable mode for the first time was fun, but I just can't overlook the LAG!
The game itself is great and I’d recommend picking it up on one of your consoles, but on Switch it’s a little messy.
25 Worth A Second Look: Ikaruga
Ikaruga is a phenomenal game, yet most people would probably scratch their heads when hearing it mentioned or just looking at it. The game is probably one of the best bullet-type games ever created and is easily one of the best games to drop on the Switch this year.
Ikaruga has been one of the most underrated games since it dropped on the Gamecube back in 2001.
If you like a fun arcade shooter that is sometimes so crazily difficult that it may entice you to throw your Switch into a wall, then this is your game.
24 Overrated: NBA 2K18
Allow me to say that I’m not really big on sports games unless they begin with the words Mario or SSX (or NBA Street). But as a huge basketball fan, I came into NBA 2K18 with an open mind, and I still found the game just as lackluster as I thought with my last 2K purchase.
If you like sports games, then you’ll love this game. But if you're not into the games, then don’t expect this one to win you over.
Playing 2K anywhere is pretty fun, but this is a game I’d wait to go on sale.
23 Worth A Second Look: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Yes, this game has gotten a lot of attention, but its Switch release is just so great that. First off, the fact that this game is even a thing still blows my mind.
Secondly, the fact that it came to every console including the Switch is even more amazing.
Hey, I’m just saying, Crash Bandicoot to Smash Ultimate? I mean, it’s probably the closest we'll ever be to that happening, but in the meantime, do yourself a favor and pick this one up now as it’s one of the Switch’s best games.
22 Overrated: L.A. Noire
Don’t get me wrong, this game is actually a good port, and boy do I love my ports on Switch, as Doom, and even the newest Wolfenstein game blew my minds seeing that they could run on this console in portable mode. But my problem with L.A. Noire is actually with the game itself.
L.A. Noire was a fantastic game, and way ahead of its time when it released in 2011, but it didn’t really age as well as I would've liked. Unlike other old Rockstar games which are still fun to play like Red Dead and GTA IV, L.A. Noire feels pretty dated.
21 Worth A Second Look: Arms
This game looked kind of terrible when I first saw it; like, it was one of the moments where I was scratching my head as to what Nintendo was doing. But this game is a heck of a good time and is probably one of the best fighting games on the Switch.
It might be a game worth waiting for a sale, but honestly at any price Arms still feels like a game that's pretty much worth it. This game is best played with friends as I’ve had one too many good nights playing this one with my college buddies.
20 Overrated: 1-2 Switch
Well since we looked at an early title for the Switch that was underrated, it’s only fair that we look at one that is overrated—although calling this game overrated is giving it a little too much credit, as it’s just not good really at all.
What really hurts this game is it’s absurd initial $50 dollar price point, and the game still goes for that at GameStop!
What we have here is the Switch’s Wii Sports, a game that is fun, addictive and also has a free price point kind of vibe.
19 Worth A Second Look: Celeste
Here’s a game that I’ve only sunken a few hours into currently but I couldn’t have a list like this without mentioning this one, if only based on critical praise alone. Celeste is not only one of the best indie games of the year, but one of the best games of the year, so I hear.
The game goes for $20 bucks and I’ve been told that the Switch is one of the best consoles to play it on. Even I gotta get my life together and finally put in the time that this game deserves.
18 Overrated: Kirby Star Allies
This is another game that really hurts to put on this list as I was anticipating this one pretty hard for this year, but the game definitely fell a bit short. The main story is actually a treat to play and a whole lot of fun, but its price point is where I personally get disappointed.
The game was pretty short, and there wasn’t too much content after the main story to justify its $60 dollar price point. It’s honestly a really good game, and if you’re a Kirby fan you probably already picked it up. But if you’re not, wait for it to go on sale.
17 Worth A Second Look: Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania is the best Sonic game to come out since Sonic Adventure 2, and to be honest, it probably slays that game in terms of gameplay, level design, and everything else. This isn’t a port or a remaster, but instead a new Sonic game that blends the old graphics/level design with an entirely new game to deliver to us something truly masterful.
I never thought I’d be using the word “masterful” for a Sonic game, but this is an amazing platforming game. The music is on point, the levels are pure eye candy, and the game feels better than even some of the best 2D Sonic games.
16 Overrated: WWE 2K18
Yup, another sports game, and another one brought to us by the fine people at 2K sports. 2K is a great video game company giving us games like the Borderlands franchise, Civilization, and X-Com.
But they messed up with NBA 2K18, specifically with the Switch release which may go down as one of the worst ports ever.
The amount of bugs in this game literally makes it unplayable making this one game that we wouldn’t even recommend you’d get on sale.
15 Worth A Second Look: Furi
This game is a gem. You play a mysterious samurai who now has to escape from prison, and the only thing in your way are some of best-designed bosses I've seen in any game.
And don’t even get me started on the music in this game!
The game is easy to learn as the combos are pretty simple, but the bosses are sure to even give Dark Souls players some trouble. This is truly a game that deserves WAY more attention.
14 Overrated: Resident Evil Revelations Collection
So I’m not the biggest Resident Evil fan, only playing the 4th one growing up and recently playing 7. Though some might consider the 7th installment of the series to be a rip-off of Kojima’s Silent Hill P.T., I really enjoyed the game for what it was.
The Resident Evil: Revelations games try to recapture the feeling of the old games while also trying to deliver a new experience. I know I said this a few times, but the game isn’t that bad, and the port is pretty decent. But this game falls short compared to other recent Resident Evil efforts.
13 Worth A Second Look: The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
It might be a bit weird to feature one of the biggest games of all time in the underrated section, but I do truly feel that this game is underrated for the Switch. Before actually buying myself a Switch, I had been conflicted between picking up a VR headset and Nintendo's newest console. I’m not even the biggest fan of the game, but I liked it enough to realize that playing it through both of these mediums would be a ton of fun. And trust me, being able to play Skyrim anywhere is a crazy amount of fun and is underappreciated.
12 Overrated: Lego City Undercover
Having never played Lego City Undercover prior to getting my Switch, I was always under the assumption that this game was amazing. I mean, it mixed Legos with the same mechanics that we see in Grand Theft Auto—it's basically just printing cash.
But even being someone who grew up with Lego games, this game is really just OK. I haven’t really enjoyed the newest versions of the Lego games, with a few exceptions here and there, so maybe this game just isn’t meant to appeal to an older crowd.
11 Worth A Second Look: Inside/Limbo
We’re gonna group these two together, not only because of their similar style/getting made by the same studio. But they also bundle these two on the Nintendo eShop, so we feel like we have more than enough right to group these two games here. Plus, if you enjoy one of these games you’re sure to enjoy the other.
There’s not much to say about these indie legends that hasn’t already been said, but the games offer some of the best puzzle/platforming in any game, period. Personally, I prefer Limbo a little more, but both are outstanding.