TheNintendo Switchhad one of thestrongest launch lineupsin gaming history, with a mix of big-budget masterpieces, quirky experimental games, and fan-favorite franchises making their debut on the hybrid console.
Some of these titles pushed the hardware to its limits, showcasing just how well the system could handle massive open worlds and fast-paced action, while others embraced the console’s unique features, proving that local multiplayer was alive and well in the era of online gaming.
Nintendo has always loved its tech demo-style games.Wii Sportsintroduced motion controls,Nintendolandshowed off the Wii U’s GamePad, and1-2-Switchwas supposed to be the same for the Joy-Con. Instead of focusing on the screen, this collection of mini-games asked players to rely on movement, sound, and even eye contact.
From milking imaginary cows to having a Wild West-style quickdraw,1-2-Switchwas a bizarre experience that leaned heavily into the novelty of HD Rumble. Some mini-games, like the one where players had to guess how many marbles were “inside” their controller, showed off just how precise the Joy-Con’s haptic feedback could be. Others, like the baby-soothing game, left players wondering if Nintendo had gone just a little too far into experimental territory.
Despite its quirks,1-2-Switchdid something important—it showed that the Joy-Con could do a lot more than just being a pair of buttons and sticks. It didn’t quite have the staying power ofWii Sports, but as a proof of concept for Nintendo’s new controller technology, it played its part in making the Switch launch a memorable one.
Square Enix’s Tokyo RPG Factory had one mission—to recapture the magic of classic turn-based RPGs.I Am Setsunawas the studio’s first attempt, blendingChrono Trigger-style combat with a somber, snow-covered world that never stopped feeling melancholic. The game was already available on other platforms before the Switch launched, but having a fully-fledged,old-school JRPGavailable on the go was a huge deal for longtime fans of the genre.
The story followed Setsuna, a young woman destined for sacrifice to appease the monsters terrorizing her world. With a minimalist art style and a soundtrack composed almost entirely of piano music, the game leaned heavily into its themes of loss and inevitability. The battle system borrowed heavily fromChrono Trigger, with combo attacks and positioning-based strategies making every encounter feel dynamic.
While it wasn’t perfect—some players found the difficulty spikes frustrating, and the environments felt a little too repetitive—I Am Setsunahelped fill a gap in the Switch’s lineup.
Few franchises have been around as long asBomberman, and even fewer have made as many comebacks. After years of dormancy,Super Bomberman Rbrought the explosive multiplayer chaos back, making it one of the first party-friendly games available on the Switch.
At its core, it was classicBomberman—drop bombs, blow up obstacles, and try to trap opponents in fiery explosions. But this time, there was a fully voiced story mode, complete with cartoonishly over-the-top villains, animated cutscenes, andco-op gameplay. The multiplayer supported up to eight players, making it a perfect fit for the Switch’s portable nature.
The game launched with some rough edges, including sluggish movement and questionable online connectivity, but Konami continued to refine it with updates, eventually turning it into a solid entry in the franchise. More importantly, it reminded everyone whyBombermanwas so fun in the first place.
Nintendo didn’t just launch the Switch with big-budget games; it also highlighted smaller, more experimental titles.Snipperclipswas one of them, apuzzle gamethat revolved around cutting paper characters into different shapes to solve creative challenges.
The game encouraged cooperation (and occasional frustration) as players tried to figure out how to rotate, snip, and stack their characters in just the right way to complete each task. Some puzzles required precision, like cutting each other into gears to turn a mechanism, while others were just pure silliness, like shaping characters into basketball hoops to dunk a ball.
It was one of the best showcases of how fun local multiplayer could be on the Switch. The Joy-Con’s simplicity made it easy for anyone to pick up and play, and the sheer absurdity of some of the solutions made it impossible not to laugh.
The Switch didn’t have a newF-Zerogame at launch, butFast RMXwas the next best thing. This high-speed futuristic racer from Shin’en Multimedia took everything great aboutFast Racing NEOon the Wii U and cranked it up.
The game was blisteringly fast, with smooth 60FPS gameplaythat made every race feel like an adrenaline rush. The unique phase-shifting mechanic added a layer of strategy, forcing players to match their vehicle’s energy field to the color of boost pads on the track. Miss the timing, and you’d slow down just enough to lose your lead.
With its sleek visuals, local and online multiplayer, and pulse-pounding soundtrack,Fast RMXwas the perfect way to scratch the high-speed racing itch. It was also one of the earliest examples of a third-party game that really took advantage of the Switch’s power, proving that indie developers could deliver technical showpieces on the new hardware.
Every Nintendo console since the Wii has had aJust Dancegame, and the Switch was no exception.Just Dance 2017brought the party straight to launch day, using the Joy-Con’s motion controls to track dance moves with surprising accuracy.
With over 40 songs at launch and more available through the Just Dance Unlimited subscription, the game had plenty of variety, from modern pop hits to classic dance anthems. The ability to play anywhere, thanks to the Switch’s portability, meant that impromptu dance battles could happen just about anywhere.
It wasn’t the most groundbreaking entry in the series, but it was exactly whatJust Danceneeded to be—an easy, fun, pick-up-and-play game that made great use of the Switch’s unique features.
No launch title in modern gaming history has been as monumental asThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This wasn’t just another entry in the franchise; it was a complete reinvention, breaking free from traditional Zelda formulas and delivering one of themost immersive open worldsever created.
Hyrule was vast, unpredictable, and full of secrets. Players could climb mountains, surf down sand dunes on shields, and discover shrines hidden in the most unexpected places. The physics-based interactions allowed for countless creative solutions to puzzles, and the game’s freedom meant that no two players had the same journey.
It was the perfect game to launch a new console with. Not only did it show what the Switch was capable of, but it also reminded everyone whyZeldawas one of gaming’s greatest franchises. Even years later, it remains one of the best games on the system—and one of the best of all time.
