Best Offline Nintendo Switch Games

The Nintendo Switch is a handy and innovative little system that allows players to take their games with them everywhere they go. As such, many of the games that have been released for the Switch have been specifically designed so that they don’t require an internet connection in order to be enjoyed.

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While video games have become largely focused on internet connectivity in the past decade, offline, single-player games are just as important to have available on a console’s library. Not everyone has access to high-speed internet, but that should not be an issue when it comes to the best offline Switch games.

Updated October 12, 2023 by Mark Sammut: The article has been updated with each offline Nintendo Switch game‘s specifications.

If they exist, links to the games’ Amazon pages are included; however, please do check the Nintendo eShop as, on occasion, digital copies could be cheaper.

The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

All things considered, the Nintendo Switch has had a fairly quiet 2023, especially in relation to exclusives. While maybe not delivering quantity, the console has at least provided quality. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe and Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp are both good-to-great remakes in their own right, while Fire Emblem Engage is another confident strategy RPG in a franchise packed to the brim with them. At this point in its life, the Switch does not need system sellers, and these titles suffice as solid additions to an already vast library.

However, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is another beast entirely. Breath of the Wild‘s sequel somehow does the impossible and arguably improves upon what many consider to be the best single-player Switch game, even though it cannot hope to feel as groundbreaking as its predecessor. TOTK finds Link going on another expansive journey across Hyrule, this time in search of the missing Zelda. Furthermore, he also needs to explore floating islands and a massive underground world. Gameplay-wise, the 2023 release fundamentally plays the same as BOTW, just with a few new mechanics such as a fuse system that rewards creativity.

Pikmin 4

Nintendo took its time with Pikmin 4, and that patience paid off. The sequel builds beautifully on its predecessors’ brilliant foundations, crafting arguably the most enjoyable entry in the series so far. As always, players must navigate an alien planet while leading Pikmin, small entities that come in a wide range of colors signaling their unique powers and uses.

While the core experience is not far removed from Pikmin 3, the 2023 release fine-tunes enough elements to feel like its own beast, all the while adding a few neat mechanics that largely complement the central gameplay loop. Visually, Pikmin 4 is among the best looking games on the Switch.

Persona 5 Royal

After existing as a PlayStation exclusive for a couple of years, Persona 5 Royal is now available across a spectrum of platforms, including the Nintendo Switch. Combining dungeon crawling with turn-based combat and social sim sections, Atlus’ JRPG delivers a lengthy and engrossing story alongside enjoyable gameplay.

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As the Phantom Thieves, players dive into people’s subconsciousness to trigger a change of heart; while inside these mental palaces, the heroes encounter Persona, which they can battle or recruit. P5R is absolutely overflowing with content, making it one of the best single-player Switch games.

Kirby And The Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land drops HAL’s iconic mascot in his first proper 3D adventure, and it was worth the wait. Living the isekai dream, Kirby is sent flying to another world, one filled with the broken remnants of a bygone civilization. Naturally, Kirby goes on a wild and colorful adventure as he tries to make his way back home, all the while taking on some impressive threats.

Regardless of whether someone has experienced every Kirby game or is looking for an entry point into the franchise, The Forgotten Land is a must-play Switch title.

Hollow Knight

Those who have yet to play through Hollow Knight are missing out on one of the best action platformers we’ve seen in the last decade. The talented Team Cherry put a lot of work into this visually beautiful title and its hard-as-nails gameplay fits well with its dark and doom-stricken aesthetic. For those that enjoy the lore of it all, there’s an underlying story that’s actually quite interesting and all the characters are a treat to interact with.

Hollow Knight holds no punches and is quite the challenge for those that are unfamiliar with platformers or Metroidvanias. But it’s the perfect portable release, a great choice for players that are looking for something fun and engaging while offline.

Jack Jeanne

Visual novels are fairly common and even popular, but they are undeniably niche. Jack Jeanne is a top contender for the best visual novel on the Nintendo Switch, and it is also among the most accessible examples since it is more interactive than the typical entry in the genre. In pursuit of her dream of stepping on stage, Kisa accepts an offer to join an all-male school; however, she has to pretend to be a boy and also earn the leading role in the year’s final performance.

Besides the typical dialogue-heavy story sections that are the bread and butter of visual novels, Jack Jeanne incorporates rhythm sections that are tied to Kisa’s singing and dancing training. As an otome game, romance is a central part of the overall story, although these routes are still secondary to Kisa’s personal journey. Jack Jeanne is gorgeous and well-written.

Hades

Another fantastic indie release, Hades is one of the best roguelikes to enter the genre. Like Hollow Knight, it has its moments of difficulty, but dedicated players will find themselves progressing further and further through the game with each subsequent run. Hades has an incredibly addictive combat system going for it, but where it truly shines is in its story and character design.

Aside from the fun of finding new weapons, upgrading skills, and trying to escape the underworld, Zagreus will meet a colorful cast of godly characters that make the world of Hades feel truly alive. There are tons of voice lines and interactions, with players still discovering new NPC lore long after the game was released.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition

Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the RPG world by storm, but the 2023 game is not coming to the Nintendo Switch. Fortunately for owners of the latter console, the developer’s previous masterpiece, Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition, is available on the hardware, and it is a fantastic overall experience. Even though it might not seem like the best fit for a controller, the game is a surprisingly smooth ride on consoles, and the Switch version runs pretty well for the most part.

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Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the complete package, although its challenging combat might put off newcomers to turn-based tactical RPGs. Larian emphasizes player choice, and while someone’s decisions might not impact the central questline all that greatly, they have wide ramifications in other parts of the campaign.

Stardew Valley

Although there are a lot of exciting games featured on this list, sometimes players simply want to relax. Thankfully, there are a lot of great games available for the Nintendo Switch that are relaxing and pretty therapeutic. Stardew Valley is a fantastic example, and it’s filled to the brim with content, allowing players to sink hours upon hours into the unique farming simulator.

There is so much to see and do in Stardew Valley and each aspect of the game should appeal to a specific type of player. Fighting monsters, tending to crops, decorating, crafting, and building NPC relationships are just some of the things that gamers can do in the expansive world of Stardew Valley.

Ori And The Blind Forest

Players who enjoy the Metroidvania style of game will definitely want to check out Ori and the Blind Forest. Perhaps one of the most visually stunning releases of the last decade, Ori is a challenging platformer that features a gorgeous visual style that is an absolute treat for the eyes. A touching and heart-wrenching story, the gameplay adds an immense sense of danger to Ori’s quest and will keep players enthralled as they try to solve platforming puzzles to progress through each zone.

All tied together by a fantastic soundtrack, Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the best games to have around when players are lacking an Internet connection and want to be engrossed in a truly entertaining single-player experience.

New Pokemon Snap

Pokemon Snap surprised quite a few people when it was released for the N64 back in 1999. Gone was the idea of catching Pokemon, with players now expected to capture all the little critters on camera instead. Despite the change in philosophy, however, the game was a huge success, with many players calling for a sequel. More than two decades later, one finally arrived.

New Pokemon Snap builds upon everything that made the original game so great, with more courses, more Pokemon, and some interesting new mechanics to keep things feeling fresh. There are limited online components, but the core mechanics are geared towards single-player action and offer a fun and relaxing time to those willing to check the game out.

Metroid Dread

Like many of the other all-time greats of gaming, the Metroid series has suffered long spells on the sidelines since first breaking onto the scene more than three and a half decades ago. When it does rear its helmet-covered head though, fans can generally expect a fantastic experience, whether that be in two dimensions or three. Metroid Dread is an example of the former, and, depending on who one asks, possibly the best 2D Metroid game of all time.

Other than the ill-fated spin-off game, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, the franchise has always been geared towards a single-player experience, and that is once again the case with Dread. Players couldn’t play the game with a friend or loved one even if they wanted to, which actually plays into some of its core themes quite nicely. At its core, Dread is a game that seeks to invoke feelings of isolation, and the single-player setting works incredibly well in that respect.

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Nintendo does love a good gimmick and wasted no time in forcing the Wii’s motion controls down players’ throats following the system’s release. While the Mario series was largely spared from the motion-controlled massacre, sadly, the same cannot be said of Zelda. Skyward Sword, though a great game in many ways, was so heavily defined by the capabilities of the Wii MotionPlus technology, that playing it without motion controls was simply impossible.

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For those who like flailing their arms around wildly like a malfunctioning helicopter or that robot from Lost in Space, this probably wasn’t such a bad thing. For anyone who just wanted to enjoy another great Zelda game, however, it made the title pretty inaccessible. Thankfully, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD allows players to choose between motion controls and a more traditional control scheme, providing anti-motion control players with the opportunity to finally enjoy the title after almost a decade of waiting.

Bayonetta 3

PlatinumGames’ Bayonetta 3 was one of the Nintendo Switch’s headlining exclusives of 2022. The hack and slash title served as something of a conclusion to the eponymous Umbra Witch’s run, although a prequel called Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon was released on March 17, 2023.

Bayonetta 3 is the easiest and most accessible entry in the trilogy, which could be off-putting to long-time fans. That said, the gameplay is fantastic, offering both style and substance. While a bit all over the place, the story is ambitious and has a couple of great moments.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

With entries on every system from the N64 to the Switch, Paper Mario is an RPG series through and through, so it never needs any kind of internet connection to be enjoyed. In fact, there’s no online connectivity at all; just pure, unadulterated, single-player goodness.

The newest addition to the Paper Mario series, The Origami King, came a little out of left field, with very few people seeing it coming. Even though some fans were cautious of it because of Sticker Star and Color Splash‘s poor reputation, the end product is actually a great game that can be enjoyed by just about anyone.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Any of the Xenoblade Chronicles JRPGs rank among the best offline switch games, but the 2022 entry gets the nod due to recency bias and the fact it is more accessible than the second entry. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 introduces a world defined by a seemingly eternal conflict between two nations, both of which utilize young soldiers who are expected to die within a decade. Due to a strange turn of events, two squads who were once enemies find themselves having to work together.

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3 offers potentially more than a hundred hours of content, and a significant portion of that playtime revolves around the main storyline. The combat gradually expands as the campaign progresses, adding mechanic upon mechanic to create a complex and satisfying system.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

The younger brother of the ever-popular Super Mario began his journey through his own independent adventures in the GameCube launch title Luigi’s Mansion. Becoming a cult classic for being such an unorthodox game for the Mario franchise, Luigi’s Mansion garnered a ton of dedicated fans.

When the series returned on the 3DS with Dark Moon, there was quite a bit of disappointment due to the drastic design and atmosphere changes. While Luigi’s Mansion 3 is more similar to Dark Moon than the first, it brought back enough from the series’ roots while adding that modern Nintendo polish to create a charmingly spooky experience.

Metroid Prime Remastered

Metroid Prime was a masterpiece when it debuted in 2002, and age has done nothing to change this fact. Randomly released in early 2023, Metroid Prime Remastered gives the GameCube classic a predictable graphical makeover, which largely serves to reinforce the original’s brilliant and timeless visual design. More importantly, the Switch version incorporates modern dual-analog controls that are a better fit for a first-person shooter, although fans who prefer the old ways can pick the classic setup.

The new controls change the gameplay’s feel quite a bit, so veterans who have played Metroid Prime to death can enjoy a somewhat fresh experience. Meanwhile, newcomers can just jump into one of the greatest Nintendo games of all time without having to deal with a learning curve.

The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

The Switch has been quite the remake machine, with games like Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee, and the Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy. With that in mind, a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening feels right at home on the console.

Obviously, the game had to be rebuilt from the ground up as it was originally a GameBoy title, and the end results are simply gorgeous. This is largely the same Link’s Awakening it has always been, but in a much more digestible form for modern gamers. Zelda games have never required an internet connection to enjoy, and the same applies here.

Pokemon Legends Arceus

Switch owners have their pick of traditional Pokemon games, but the console’s projects have generally divided audiences. While only a spin-off, Pokemon Legends Arceus is arguably the franchise’s strongest title on Nintendo’s system, and it offers an experience that is comparable enough to Scarlet & Violet to scratch a similar itch.

Focus on open-world gameplay, Legends Arceus pushes combat to the side in favor of exploration, a mix that pays off. That said, turn-based battles are still part of the package.

Super Mario Odyssey

Though there are a few online functions attached to Super Mario Odyssey – most notably the time trial-inspired, Luigi’s Balloon World – the crux of the experience is centered around classic single-player action. It is technically possible to play with a second person controlling Cappy, although this is more of a gimmick than anything else.

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The game itself features an array of vibrant sandbox kingdoms for Mario to explore with his brand-new capture ability, which allows him to take control of enemies and other characters that would usually be NPCs. There’s a ton to do in every single kingdom, players can easily spend well over 100 hours in the game.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Fire Emblem: Three Houses features a small amount of online content in the form of travelers, but, overall, they’re not even close to required in order to enjoy the game. As with most of the other Fire Emblem games, the real fun can be found in single-player offline gameplay and Three Houses is one of the best examples of this.

Three Houses allows players to complete every single battle at their own pace, explore the monastery, and enjoy their support conversations with other units – all without any online connection. There is a ton of fun to be had with the game, and completing every possible route can take anywhere from 200 to 300 hours.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

Perhaps one of the few saving graces for the Wii U – what with it being a pretty colossal failure in terms of sales – is that most of its standout titles have at least been given a new lease on life on the Nintendo Switch. One of these games is the strangely wonderful Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE.

Now rebranded as Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore, this enhanced version comes bundled with all of its downloadable content, brand-new content from games like Persona 5 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and some much-needed quality-of-life improvements to make it one of the best RPGs on the system.

Octopath Traveler 2

Octopath Traveler is for those people who miss ’90s turn-based JRPGs, particularly ones developed by Square. Both games in the series tell eight standalone stories, with each arc revolving around one party member. While the characters tag along for each other’s missions, they do not play narrative roles in any tale but their own. Although this can be off-putting, Octopath Traveler 2 expands the character’s banter, so they do at least come across as a party rather than a collection of strangers.

A feast for the eyes, Octopath Traveler 2 utilizes a 2.5D art style that skirts the line between retro and modern. The combat system might not hold too many surprises for turn-based veterans, but it is polished and deep.

Undertale

Undertale is a completely solo/offline experience that everybody should try at least once. It’s one of the most impressive indie games ever created and has an incredible soundtrack, unique game mechanics, and some genuinely hilarious moments that will have players in stitches.

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The story-based game is an RPG with some massive twists that completely change how players think about the genre. While Undertale isn’t one of the 100-hour experiences like some other RPGs, it doesn’t have to be. The game is incredibly powerful in a small, 10-15 hour package.

Cadence Of Hyrule

The Legend of Zelda x Crypt of the Necrodancer title Cadence of Hyrule is a fantastic indie game that cannot be played online in any way. That doesn’t matter in the slightest though, as the title is fantastic without the need for any online content.

The game is set in Hyrule and has all of the usual characters and enemies that players would expect from a Zelda title. Unlike a traditional Zelda game, however, it’s rhythm-based, with players attacking on the beats of a fantastic soundtrack composed of classic Zelda music. It’s not at all a traditional Zelda game, but it’s a blast nonetheless.

Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age – Definitive Edition

Dragon Quest 11 S is considered by many to be one of the best JRPGs of all time and with very good reason. Thanks to its great story and gameplay – the latter of which features numerous quality-of-life improvements over other JRPGs – there’s little reason to doubt that conclusion.

The Switch version of the game features many enhancements over the original title. The main story alone should keep players busy for at least forty hours, with endgame content taking total playtime up towards the 100-hour mark. It’s a fantastic game to try out, and the Switch is hands down the best place to play it.

Celeste

Those who are yet to experience Celeste are seriously missing out and owe it to themselves to right this wrong as soon as physically possible. The masterfully crafted indie platformer features a scalable difficulty, which is very necessary for this super intense game.

It’s a game that requires a lot of patience and skill, as making it through to the end is in no way an easy task. Beyond the great gameplay, the title also features an introspective story and a stunning art style. There is a lot to love about Celeste, and all of it can be loved completely offline.

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