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GamingNintendoNintendo SwitchNintendo GamesLocal Multiplayer

What are the best shared/split-screen co-op games for the Nintendo Switch?

23

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Considered

214

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Recs.

Dec 20, 2023

Last
Updated

23 Games Considered

Best shared/split-screen co-op games for the Nintendo Switch	Price	Genre	Co-Op
-- Shovel Knight	$24.99	Action, Platformer	2 Player Local
-- Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime	$14.99	Shooter, Platformer	4 Player Local
-- TowerFall Ascension	$14.99	-	-
-- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	$59.99	Racing, Sports	-
-- Resident Evil: Revelations 2	$19.99	Survival Horror, Third-Person Shooter	2 Player Online / 2 Player Local

Shovel Knight

Top Pro

Pretty fun risk versus reward system

In each stage, there are multiple checkpoints you can revive at if you die. The twist is that you can destroy the checkpoints for extra treasure. Doing this also means you’ll have to start from the beginning of the stage if you die. It’s a pretty cool way to increase difficulty and add tension to a playthrough, especially because it’s never forced on you. See More

Top Con

Can be frustrating

While Shovel Knight captures a lot of SNES era’s good parts, it also brings back some of the bad parts. It's mostly the hidden enemies that attack you as soon as you approach their hiding spots, causing you to take needless damage or even die. This adds a really tedious trial and error aspect that forces you to memorize all enemy placements just so you can beat a stage. In addition to dealing with the enemies, the timing of jumps or using special skills at the right moment adds to the frustration. Press the button too early or too late and you'll end up back at the start of a platforming section or worse, dead. See More

Specs

Genre:Action, Platformer

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Top Pro

A unique experience

Shovel Knight has 2D pixel art, a simple gameplay, and a retro feel. It stands out in an era dominated by 3D titles with super detailed graphics and convoluted gameplay because of its influences from classics like Zelda, Castlevania, Duck Tales, and even Super Mario Bros. It’s not just trying to cash in on the nostalgia of older players because it’s a game that can be enjoyed by anyone thanks to its polish. See More

Top Pro

Feels great to play

Shovel Knight has very colorful pixelated graphics, a decent chiptune soundtrack, excellent 8-bit sound effects, and the controls feel really fluid and responsive. So whether you’re just running through a castle, shoveling away at gems in a tunnel, or even jumping on a dragon’s head, Shovel Knight is a blast to play. See More

Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime

Top Con

Co-op is local only

Unfortunately, online co-op is not an option. However, forcing the players to be side by side aids in coordination and makes for a more personal experience. See More

Top Pro

Designed specifically for co-op

This isn’t a single player game with a co-op mode. It was designed completely with co-op in mind. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Shooter, Platformer

Co-Op:4 Player Local

Top Con

The game is short

The main campaign is fairly short, and there aren’t any side modes to speak of. See More

Top Pro

Teamwork is demanded

As offense, movement and defense are entirely separate stations, you simply cannot beat the game alone in co-op mode, regardless of any single player's skill level. This holds true especially in harder difficulties where constant communication and coordination is critical. See More

Top Pro

Adorable aesthetic

Both the story and art style are beautiful and playful, encouraging a fun atmosphere even in difficult or complicated scenarios. The soundtrack carries you along with a light but fast-paced beat to maintain the balance between fun and focus. See More

Top Pro

Gameplay focuses on relying on the other player

Much like a good marriage the game focuses on having each player rely on the other in ties of need. This makes for an experience that when executed properly shows how much of a team two people can be. See More

Top Pro

Catchy techno soundtrack

Lovers has a very interesting and catchy soundtrack that goes great with its retro, neon-based aesthetic. See More

TowerFall Ascension

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Top Pro

Accessible to beginners and young players

Despite having a very high skill ceiling and 48 tracks to master, MK8DX makes it less intimidating for beginners by including the "Smart steering" and "Auto acceleration" options. The former option automatically prevents collision with walls and the latter option glues your foot to the gas pedal. These two options used in tandem basically auto-drive your kart while still giving you control over the on-screen action. This gives you comfortable training wheels to learn the ins and outs of the game while also allowing really young players to enjoy the game without feeling too frustrated. See More

Top Con

only two players can play on your tv when you play with friends

ExuberantAdgilisDeda's Experience

Love this game play it all the time with sibling this and super smash bros are great games. See More

Specs

Genre:Racing, Sports

Top Pro

Fun battle modes

Other than MK8DX's 3 main racing modes, there are also 5 battle modes, focusing on battles in arena-like tracks. There's the Balloon Battle, where you have to pop or steal your opponent's balloons, Renegade Roundup, where racers are split into teams of cops and robbers, Bob-omb Blast, where you throw bombs at other racers to get points, Coin Runners, where you try to collect the most coins to win, and Shine Thief, where you have to hold a star for 20 seconds to win, but your opponents can steal it away from you. These 5 modes can be a great distraction when you get tired of regular races, keeping the game fresh for a long time. See More

Top Con

Unlockables might not feel that exciting

Every character (except Golden Mario) and race track is unlocked from the beginning, leaving you to only unlock new kart parts. While these are very good for improving/adjusting your kart's performance and looks, you probably won't ever use the vast majority of the parts. This can cause unlocking them feel pointless and tedious, making it really disappointing for players looking for a more meaningful progression system. See More

Top Pro

Excellent variety of player to pick from

Including all the Mario players and more. See More

Top Pro

Entertaining kart racing gameplay

Every race in MK8DX is a fast-paced battle for first place. You drive at high-speeds, drift to gain speed boosts, fly off ramps, and collect mystery boxes that give you random power ups. It can be one-use weapons to set back your opponents. Or it can be one-use items that boost you in some way. For example, if you get a banana peel, you can drop it on the track, so anyone who drives on top of it spins out, setting you further ahead of them. Or if you get Bullet Bill, you can transform into a massive bullet, gaining increased speed, automatically steering through the track, and knocking out any opponent you touch. This is very useful for catching up to other racers, especially because the effect's duration increases the closer you are to last place. The end result is a very enjoyable gameplay that is equal parts strategy and skillful driving. It can be very easy to spend hours playing and not notice the passage of time. See More

Top Pro

Excellent variety of race tracks

MK8DX features 48 unique race tracks, including tracks running through a haunted mansion, an airport, a medieval castle, and even outer space. Each track also has a completely different layout, providing its own set of twists, turns, loops, and shortcuts for you to enjoy and master. As a result, there's enough variety to keep gameplay fresh and exciting for a long time. See More

Resident Evil: Revelations 2

Top Pro

Entertaining episodic story

Episode-style games are still catching on fairly quickly. It's a great way to keep people entertained and keep the content flowing. See More

Top Con

Lack of detail in the visual design

One of the more plain looking Resident Evil games, the graphics are not really going to wow anyone. See More

Specs

Genre:Survival Horror, Third-Person Shooter

Co-Op:2 Player Online / 2 Player Local

Top Pro

Great variety

Revelations 2's episodic structure means that players switch between different characters with unique play styles. Additionally, each episode sees players exploring different locations, with a lot of cool gameplay variety. See More

Top Pro

The return of classic characters

Revelations 2 brings back characters like Claire and Barry, who have been missing from the Resident Evil series for years. Their absence has been disappointing, so it's great to see them returning. See More

Top Pro

Thoughtful gameplay

Revelations 2 uses its horror theme to encourage thoughtful play. Ammo is scarce, so players need to be thoughtful about inventory management. Players will have to solve puzzles to get through some of the encounters. Sometimes, it is wiser to sneak past enemies than shoot them. See More

Top Pro

The campaign isn't the only draw to the game, Raid Mode adds dozens of hours of content for you to play

Raid mode is back, and it's so much better than the first game. Raid Mode is a run-and-gun game that can be played either solo or cooperatively with a friend; you get to blast your way through enemies in short stages and upgrade your equipment on your way. You also level up in Raid Mode - you obtain a set amount of skill points and can use them to customize your character in order to make your Raid Mode experience more fulfilling. You can also unlock several characters to play as you go through the episodes of the campaign and earn achievements. See More

Top Pro

One of the strongest Resident Evil game in the series

RE: Revelations 2 is an excellent installment in the series. It has a very solid, engaging plot and memorable characters that keep you motivated throughout the story. See More

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

Top Pro

Addictive gameplay that keeps you entertained

Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ is very easy to pick up and play with each playthrough lasting about 30 minutes on average. It’s just really fun shooting enemies, collecting treasures, and dropping the occasional bomb, making it really hard to stop playing. One playthrough will turn into ten and many hours will have passed before you know it. See More

Top Con

Can be really disgusting

While on the surface Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ looks very cute and colorful, it actually has some pretty gruesome details within it. Blood, various bodily fluids, excrement, disfigured flesh, umbilical cords, and many more things that can make your stomach churn. See More

Specs

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Top Pro

Very creepy themes

Binding of Isaac is a story about insanity, religious fanaticism, ritual sacrifices, and even worship of the devil. Once you start paying attention to the various details, it can be genuinely terrifying and dark. See More

Top Con

Randomness can be really frustrating

You can have really bad luck in some playthroughs like finding very few keys, bombs, or coins, causing you to miss out on a lot of potential upgrades. There can also be times when the upgrades you find are bad. In both cases, a playthrough becomes unbearably hard and you probably won’t get very far. It’s very annoying when this happens multiple times in a row. See More

Top Pro

Character upgrades are really fun

One of the best parts about Binding of Isaac is collecting upgrades and watching your character evolve. This can be nuances in the physical appearance of your character, adding a cute hat, changing its skin tone to green, or even lodging a rock into its skull. It can also be modifications to the way your tear bullets look and shoot, changing their color, speed, firing arc, or even turning them into a massive laser. It’s just really cool seeing your character turn into something entirely different by the end of a playthrough. See More

Top Pro

Incredible amounts of content for a low price

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ has all the content of the previous releases and even new content. As a result there are tons of unlockable items, secrets, bosses, power-ups, hidden characters, challenges, and item combinations. There’s just so much to do and try out you’ll be entertained for dozens of hours, adding up to more hours you can spend in a lot of fullprice games. See More

Top Pro

Great replay value

The levels in Binding of Isaac are randomly generated. They will have different layouts, monster combinations, upgrades, secrets, and bosses each time you start a new playthrough. You can even change characters to mix up the playstyle, swapping to a really fast but fragile character or a very durable but weak character. As a result, no two playthroughs will ever feel the same, allowing you to replay the game countless times without getting tired of it. See More

Overcooked

Top Pro

Play happens on a single screen

Everything in Overcooked happens on a single screen, meaning you won't have to deal with annoying split-screen modes where you view is limited. See More

Top Con

No online multiplayer

Local multiplayer only. Can't play with friends online. See More

Specs

Genre:Cooking / Simulation

Co-Op:4 Player Local

Top Pro

Lots of scenarios that require different strategies

Some levels in Overcooked are dynamic and greatly adapt the way you have to play in order to successfully complete a level. For example, at one point you and your partner(s) will be split up across multiple moving trucks and it requires quite some strategy to create meals together. See More

Top Con

Can be incredibly frustrating

Trying to work at such a fast pace with so much mayhem going on at once can wear on you after a while. There's a lot to keep track of at once, and it's easy for things to spiral out of control as your mistakes pile up. If your group isn't doing well and you're running out of time, you might find yourself losing your patience with your team and yelling at them. This might not be the game for you if you don't have a team that's willing to be patient and cooperative with each other, even when you're not doing so well during a particular round. See More

Top Pro

Requires close cooperation

There is a lot of task handoff and delegation so it's not just multiple players doing the same thing, but requires actual strategizing, communication, and cooperation. Working together and communicating with your friends through couch co-op or online play is a constant stream of laughter and excited shouting as you mess up, learn, and hopefully get things done. See More

Top Pro

Fast and frantic cooking action

Overcooked is really fast-paced and keeps you on your toes. You play as a chef in a crazy kitchen with a ton of things going on all at once, with you mixing, preparing, and cooking in between the chaos of moving platforms and environmental obstacles. There's a time limit constantly ticking down at the bottom of the screen; finishing your tasks on time or ahead of schedule earns you a better score in the end. It's such a manic yet well-done mix of many different genres and ideas that all come together in the best ways. See More

Top Pro

Simple to pick up and learn

Overcooked is easy to figure out right from the get-go. The recipes for each dish are familiar even if you're not much of a chef, so you can remember which raw ingredients you need as you make your way around the kitchen and work with your co-op partner(s). Once you play a few rounds, you should have a good handle on things, helping you focus on getting everything done as quickly as possible from there on out. See More

Enter the Gungeon

Top Con

Co-op feels tacked on

Co-op in the game is only local (no online co-op at all), which limits who you can pay with. On top of this the way one has to go about starting a co-op game feels a bit unintuitive, which can be frustrating. Stages can also feel cramped when in co-op mode, meaning players bump into walls and objects too much. See More

Top Pro

Easily stay in the action of the game

There are a few small features in the game that add up to making sure the player is never too distracted or pulled out of the action. Things like once a stage is cleared and all coins dropped by your fallen foes will be magnetically pulled to you, just to make sure time is not wasted running around picking up currency. Another is that each map has numerous teleporter nodes, which makes for fast and easy travel. And lastly there is a quick start in the main menu that allows the player to jump right back into the action the next time they start up the game. All these things add up to an ease of use that makes sure the player is never too distracted by the un-fun elements of play. See More

Hap sias's Experience

Great roguelike bullet hell. Game will get gradually difficult and it's pretty hard in the end but you will feel of complishment when you advance in the game. Pixel artstyle is gorgeous. Game is very playable with just joy-cons. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Roguelike

Co-Op:Single Player

Top Con

High difficulty

The game can be difficult, especially when first starting out. This may mean a lot of deaths and a feeling of no progressions due to having to start over a lot. While the game is not unmanageable for players who enjoy the games genres, it may be a bit of a turn off for newcomers. See More

Top Pro

Gameplay is balanced well

Often in a roguelite game there can be the chance of getting delt a bum hand on any particular run, luckily Enter the Gungeon does not suffer from this issue as there is a good balance of the gunplay mechanics that sees any death by you as your own fault of not playing to your max ability. Never is it some cheap shot or some item that was not able to be picked up this run, it is just your skill and awareness of wht is being shot at you that matters the most. See More

Top Pro

Satisfying replayability

Thanks to the roguelite aspects of the game, there is randomly generated levels, which means fresh gameplay each time the game is played. There is also 4 different characters available in the game, each of which has a different boss fight at the end of the game as well as different characteristics while being used. This also makes for a good bit of replayability for those that would like to see all the different bosses in the game as well as experience the different type of gameplay for each character. See More

Top Pro

Cool collection aspect

There are 190 guns available in the game that the player can collect through purchasing them in an in-game shop as they progress through the game. Most likely this will take multiple playthroughs with all four of the available characters, which means tons of playtime for those that like to collect everything in a game. See More

Top Pro

Unique tone

The game is often silly with many humorous elements such as every character is based around being a bullet, that in turn own guns and fire other bullets. There is no mistaking that the game is about shooting, and the game is somewhat 4th wall breaking by taking advantage of this fact and hilariously throwing it into the players face. See More

Top Pro

SHMUP like gameplay

A lot of the shooting elements in this game revolve around SHMUP like mechanics. Players will need to doge a juke many bullets on screen at ones. Luckily there is a roll capability that allows the player to doge when in a precarious position. This roll feature though is not just some way to make the game easier but is a tool to be used as the game is specifically designed to need this roll in certain places. See More

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

Specs

Genre:Open World / Super Hero

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Controller Support:Full

Blur

Fast RMX

Top Pro

Intense racing action thanks to blistering speeds

Fast RMX is built around simply driving fast, and that sheer sense of speed is translated incredibly well into the gameplay. The background scenery whips past you as you're picking up power orbs, hitting boost zones, and dodging hazards. Maneuvering around the tracks, taking tight corners, and overtaking opponents all happens at such a fast speed that it's hard not to enjoy. Hitting a ramp with full boost just in time to overtake an opponent is awesome. Everything just moves so fast resulting in some pretty intense racing action. See More

Top Con

All vehicles play the same

There are 15 vehicles to choose from, each with their own stats, but they all pretty much play exactly the same. The minor stat differences between the individual vehicles don't have enough variance to effect the gameplay. Each vehicle controls and acts in a similar manner, with the only difference being the physical appearance. See More

Specs

Genre:Arcade, Racing, Sports

Co-Op:4 Player Local / 4 Player Online

Top Pro

Great split-screen multiplayer

You can play with up to 4 players in split screen mode. You'll be able to select the track, number of laps, and the vehicle speed. A really nice addition to the multiplayer mode is the option to turn the AI vehicles off. That way you can just enjoy the racing action with your friends and not have to deal with any computer controlled racers. See More

Top Con

Some annoying track hazards

While some tracks feature hazards and obstacles that are easy to plan around such as careful jumps and rotating blades, some are fairly obnoxious in their presentation. It can feel super cheap when you wreck due to a random boulder or asteroid hitting you. This can be especially devastating in Hero mode, where you only get one life. See More

Top Pro

Enjoyable selection of tracks

There are around 30 race tracks, all of them with their own unique aesthetic. No two tracks will play out in the same way either, as each one features its own distinct style and hazards. One has you zipping around a rain forest during an intense storm. Another has you racing in a futuristic city in the sky with insane jumps. There's even a desert with raging sandstorms that will roll over the track. From futuristic cities to natural landscapes, it has a little bit of everything. See More

Top Con

Overlypunishing Hero mode

In Hero mode, you only get one life. If you crash or make a single mistake (such as falling off the edge by accident), you will have to restart the entire race. Also, you must come in first place to advance. See More

Top Pro

Interesting racing mechanics add a fun challenge

There are a couple of interesting game play mechanics that add a fun challenge to the racing genre. First is the power orbs. Trying to collect them all as you zip around the tracks can add a nice little challenge as you'll have to maneuver just right. They can be used to give you a boost of speed when no boost zone is nearby. This allows you to recover easily from crashes, overtake tricky opponents, and get boosts of speed on-demand. Knowing when and how to use them adds a fun layer to racing. The second is the blue and orange boost zones themselves. You can phase shift your vehicle to blue or orange to take advantage of these zones. Shifting color to take full advantage of each boost while also keeping an eye on your driving provides a pretty unique challenge not often seen in other racing games. See More

Overcooked 2

Top Pro

Hilariously fun couch and online co-op for up to four players

Playing Overcooked 2 with friends is the best. There's so much going on at once in the kitchen, with barriers moving in your way, hazards popping up like cars in the middle of the road separating the two halves of your area, and ingredients, dishes, and half-prepared dishes to move from one place to another. Working together and communicating with your friends through couch co-op or online play is a constant stream of laughter and excited shouting as you mess up, learn, and hopefully get things done. If you don't have anyone to play with, then you can hop online for matchmaking instead. See More

Top Con

Single-player isn't as fun as co-op

If you only want to play alone, then Overcooked 2 might not be the best game to pick. All the fast-paced fun from co-op mostly comes from communicating with your team and trying to pull off your task together before the time runs out. You control two characters at once while playing alone, but this still lacks the team-based chaos that makes the game so addicting. You could instead go online for matchmaking, though you might get paired with people who don't want to talk or work as an actual team. See More

Specs

Genre:Simulation, Action, Platformer

Co-Op:2-4 Player Local / 2-4 Player Online

Top Pro

Simple to pick up and learn

Whether you played the first Overcooked or not, Overcooked 2 is easy to figure out right from the get-go. The recipes for each dish are familiar even if you're not much of a chef, so you can remember which raw ingredients you need as you make your way around the kitchen and work with your co-op partner(s). Once you play a few rounds, you should have a good handle on things, helping you focus on getting everything done as quickly as possible from there on out. See More

Top Con

Can be incredibly frustrating

Trying to work at such a fast pace with so many obstacles and general mayhem going on at once can wear on you after a while. There's a lot to keep track of at once, and it's easy for things to spiral out of control as your mistakes pile up. If your group isn't doing well and you're running out of time, you might find yourself losing your patience with your team and yelling at them. This might not be the game for you if you don't have a team that's willing to be patient and cooperative with each other, even when you're not doing so well during a particular round. See More

Top Pro

Fast and frantic cooking action

Overcooked 2 is really fast-paced and keeps you on your toes. You play as a chef in a crazy kitchen with a ton of things going on all at once, with you mixing, preparing, and cooking in between the chaos of moving platforms and environmental obstacles. There's a time limit constantly ticking down at the bottom of the screen; finishing your tasks on time or ahead of schedule earns you a better score in the end. Tossing ingredients to your teammates across the kitchen, or across the moving platforms or obstacles like bodies of water, is a fresh new addition in this game that wasn't in the first Overcooked, making things even faster this time around. It's such a manic yet well-done mix of many different genres and ideas that all come together in the best ways. See More

Top Con

The controls are a bit sluggish

There's something about the controls that feels heavy and deliberate, and not necessarily in a good way. The feeling goes against the fast-paced nature of the gameplay that demands you in one place and then the next. If you played the first Overcooked, you may notice the difference right away. This change shouldn't be too much of a hassle, though it's still noticeable. See More

Mario Tennis Aces

Top Pro

Couch co-op with a friend is tons of fun

Playing with a friend right beside you makes the game much more enjoyable. Reacting to each other in real-time is just better than playing against a computer opponent. There's no online co-op -- only multiplayer matches against random people -- meaning you'll have to be in the same room together to play. See More

Top Con

Very wide skill gap between experienced and inexperienced players

Mario Tennis Aces can be unwelcoming to new players. While playing co-op or online, it's tough to catch up with everyone else who knows how to time their power shots with the meter. If you don't pick up on this mechanic fairly quickly, you may feel like you're getting left behind. You don't necessarily have to use the mechanic if you and a friend agree not to, but this sadly makes matches pretty dull. Running against computer opponents is a good way to get your feet wet before moving up to other levels of play. See More

Specs

Co-Op:2 Player Couch

Top Pro

You can compete against others online in multiplayer

When you run out of single-player content to enjoy, you can hop online to play against random opponents. The main game mode is the tournaments you can play, which rewards you with special characters if you score well. Online connectivity is good too, especially with the choice to drop out of matches beforehand against players who have bad connections. Playing online is a really great way to test your skills and improve your play, since anyone you get matched with is an actual player who has their own strengths and weaknesses. See More

Top Con

Limited gameplay options for solo players

If you're the type who prefers to game alone, then Mario Tennis Aces might not be for you. There's only one single-player mode, while the rest of the game is mostly dedicated to co-op and online play. The solo mode is also extremely short, clocking in at around four hours. Aside from that, there really isn't much else for you to do. See More

Top Pro

Solid roster of Nintendo characters to play as

There's a good variety of characters you can play as. If you're familiar with first party Nintendo games, then you'll see a lot of familiar faces here, like Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Luigi, Peach, and of course Mario. Everyone has their own playing styles, with bigger characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong favoring hard-hitting power shots, and others like Yoshi and Mario that have a more balanced approach. You can go with whichever style or character you prefer, practicing with them until you master everything. Getting to see all of these characters together in one game is great for fanservice as well. See More

Top Con

Certain characters are locked behind online tournaments

The primary way to unlock new characters is to win tournaments, but this isn't entirely fair. They're only available for a limited amount of time, with the rewards changing from tournament to tournament. Even though some of these characters are in the actual game as opponents in the single-player adventure mode, you can't get access to them unless you unlock them through these tournaments. If you don't like playing online, or if you don't have the means to pay for Nintendo's online service once it's implemented later on in 2018, then you're basically out of luck. See More

Top Pro

Intense and engaging tennis matches

Mario Tennis Aces is incredibly addicting to play. Matches are fast-paced and exciting, with one particular mechanic that keeps things unpredictable. Every time you successfully hit the tennis ball to your opponent's end of the court, you build up a power meter that you can use in a couple of different ways. When you want to quickly finish off a match, you can slow down time and take aim at a vulnerable corner of your opponent's court for an instant win. Or, if they try to do that to you, you can instead expend some of your power meter to quickly reach the ball and hit it back. Things can get pretty tricky when you both use up your power meters at the same time, leading to some satisfying wins. See More

Top Con

Single-player adventure mode is pretty difficult

The game's adventure mode makes up for its short length with some real difficulty. It's a rough introduction to the gameplay, as some of the matches and bosses are really hard. There's plenty of variety to things, like courts that have certain hazards in your way and uneven terrain such as tall grass, as well as inventive boss designs like a giant squid that shoots out tennis ball-shaped blobs of ink. But all of these things can get quite overwhelming, especially if you're using the single-player mode to get better at the game. See More

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition

Top Pro

Upscaled visuals plus all DLC content from the original

As an upgrade from the existing Hyrule Warriors, the Definitive Edition has an improved resolution and framerate, plus all the bonus content. Everything runs smoothly at 1080p and 60 FPS, with brighter colors for maps, characters, and enemies. All the DLC content is here from the start as well, meaning you get the whole package from the original Hyrule Warriors along with the added characters, maps, and more. If you didn't get the chance to play Hyrule Warriors on the Wii U or 3DS, this is a great time to jump in. See More

Top Con

Hardly any new content exclusive to this Definitive Edition

If you already played Hyrule Warriors on the Wii U or 3DS, there isn't much of a reason to pick up this new version. The upscaled visuals are nice, but there isn't much here compared to the existing game, especially if you shelled out money for all the DLC before. At most, characters like Zelda have new costumes from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which isn't much of an incentive by itself. So if you played the original and you're on the fence about buying this version, you might want to hold off for a price drop first. See More

Specs

Genre:Action, Adventure, Fighting, Hack-and-Slash

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Top Pro

Satisfying hack-and-slash combat against dense packs of enemies

Taking out huge packs of enemies in Hyrule Warriors is incredibly satisfying. Even though your foes outnumber you, you have powerful, flashy attacks to lift them in the air and take them down, dozens at a time. Slashing through everyone with spinning attacks with gigantic swords, for example, never gets old, especially while playing as one of your favorite characters from The Legend of Zelda games. Clearing out maps of all the enemies makes you feel powerful and gives you a great sense of accomplishment. See More

Top Con

Splitscreen for co-op makes it hard to see the map

The vertical split across the middle of the screen makes it hard to see what's going on during co-op play. Since there are tons of enemies on the screen at any one time, having that density packed into a smaller portion of your TV or handheld screen is inconvenient. You'll probably still have a great time with co-op, despite the setback. See More

Top Pro

You get to play as several characters from The Legend of Zelda series

Hyrule Warriors has a good roster of characters to play as, each of them from The Legend of Zelda games. Aside from the most well-known characters like Zelda and Link, fans of the series get to enjoy plenty of other familiar faces. You can play as Ganondorf, the main antagonist from the series, as well as other characters like Sheik, Princess Ruto, Yuga, Volga, and many more. Even if you're not a diehard fan of the series, you can still enjoy the sheer variety of characters and all their different fighting styles. See More

Top Pro

Two players can co-op the whole game together

You can team up with a friend to play all of the story content and more. The splitscreen co-op is local only, but you get to play the whole game together, making some of the more challenging missions more manageable. Playing co-op on docked mode through the TV is probably best, since the handheld is a bit too small to see everything clearly with the screen cut in half. See More

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Top Pro

Modernized feel to age old classic platformer action

The look and feel of Tropical Freeze is very reminiscent of the original Donkey Kong Country game for the SNES, offering plenty of nostalgia. The 2D view and traditional platformer play is in-tact, with modern updates like polished graphics, cinematic camera angles, and tight, responsive controls. Everything feels familiar while still improving on the old school ideas. Anyone who loves retro gaming will probably enjoy Tropical Freeze. See More

Top Con

Optional bonus rooms are boring

The optional areas in the game are pointless and boring. They're pretty much a single room with a bunch of floating platforms with bananas on them. All you have to do is reach all of the bananas to "complete" the bonus area. Compared to the huge, creative levels in the rest of the game, these are way too flat and repetitive in design. Thankfully, unless you're going for 100% completion, you can avoid these rooms altogether. See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer

Co-Op:2 Player Local

Top Pro

Creative level design

A lot of thought and effort went into the level design in Tropical Freeze. The massive side-scrolling forests, jungles, mines, underwater zones, and many other locations are filled with spectacles that naturally fit into the gameplay. There are gigantic sea monsters following your every move with platforming obstacles, intriguing animal-like creatures who float around as possible pillars and ledges for you to grab onto, and parts of the environment that come crashing down unexpectedly that you have to react to in time. Each of the platforms you encounter are way more than simple, random blocks sticking in the field, helping you feel like you're traversing actual living, breathing locations. See More

Top Pro

Challenging platformer gameplay

Platforming is a challenge without feeling cheap. The game will push you sometimes, especially with all the moving parts in each levels where you have to quickly adapt to new obstacles. As you run up to a gap of some kind or a wall you have to scale, you might see the solution as you approach, only for the environment to suddenly change on-the-fly. That ledge you thought you could reach is now too high, or the stones you're standing on start to move, or the camera might even shift to cut off your usual side view of the level. The difficulty is fair since it encourages you to think on your feet, meaning you naturally get better as you keep trying to get the timings down just right. See More

Puyo Puyo Tetris

Top Pro

Two strategic, classic games in one

This game combines the fun and strategy of Tetris and Puyo Puyo together. In Tetris, shapes drop from the top of the screen at varying speeds. You can rotate these shapes around to form lines at the bottom of the screen. When a line is formed, it clears out space on your screen, which allows you more room for more matches. Tetris is a beloved classic that has stood the test of time. Puyo Puyo is a color matching game. Colored pieces fall from the top of the screen onto a tile-based board. By matching four pieces of the same color in rows or columns, all the matched pieces will disappear (called "popping") which gives you more room for more matches. The real fun in Puyo Puyo comes from making strategic matches that cause large amounts of tiles on your screen to pop and cause a chain reaction of matches (called "chaining"). Whether it's the shape-matching of Tetris, or the color-matching of Puyo Puyo, both games offer a lot of room for strategy. Getting both games (not to mention the dozen different game modes) in one package is a great deal. See More

Top Con

Tetris is slowed down

In order to be balanced with the speed of Puyo Puyo, the Tetris game has lots of artificial delays in pieces dropping which prevents you from playing as quick as you are capable. This can be frustrating to some, especially experienced Tetris players. See More

Specs

Top Pro

Level skip for tricky puzzles

A handy level skip keeps adventure mode fun without being frustrating. If you're ever stuck on a certain level for way too long, you can just skip over it and keep progressing to watch the story play out. See More

Top Con

Has some balance issues

When you go head to head with another player, one of you will be playing Tetris and one will be playing Puyo Puyo. Not only does each game feature different mechanics, but there are some overpowered tactics (on both sides) which can send way too many trash pieces onto your opponent's board. Some more tuning is definitely needed. See More

Top Pro

Great online experience

The online community for this game is very friendly and welcoming of new players. Finding quick matches with others is also quick and easy due to the rather large pool of players who actively play this game. See More

Top Con

Unfair matchmaking in online mode

There is no organized skill ladder, and all online matches are completely random. This can lead to some very unfair games at times, especially when skilled, experienced players are matched up against new players. See More

Top Pro

Fast and frantic competitive play

The smooth mix of Tetris versus Puyo Puyo really lends itself well to competitive play. Getting matches on your side and sending your friend trash pieces (while they do the same to you) is a great way to blend the two games into some frantic head to head action. Scrambling to outplay your friends is made even more interesting by the fact that you're playing two completely separate games side by side. In some modes, your boards will even swap at random meaning you'll have to pay attention to the action on both boards at the same time. See More

Top Con

Story mode will not appeal to all

The characters in the story mode are from the Puyo Puyo anime. Unless you're a fan of the show and its characters, you probably won't get much entertainment out of it. See More

Top Pro

Very interesting gameplay premise

Putting the shape-matching nature of Tetris head to head with the color-matching style of Puyo Puyo sounds weird, but it works. One player will be playing Tetris, while the other is playing Puyo Puyo. The goal is to make as many matches as fast as you can, which will send trash pieces to your friend's board. The seamless blend of two different games combined with over a dozen different modes results in matches that play out in extremely interesting and creative ways. See More

Top Pro

Tons of game modes

There are training modes that teach you how to play, a story mode where you can watch an adventure play out, and even a free mode where you choose the rules. Some interesting multiplayer modes include: a mode where your boards swap at random, a mode where you both play the same game, and a mode where one player plays Tetris while the other plays Puyo Puyo. In total, there are six challenge modes, five arcade modes, three lesson modes, and also an adventure mode with a hundred stages. Regardless of your play style, you'll easily be able to find an exciting mode that suits your tastes. See More

Pokkén Tournament DX

Top Pro

The gameplay changes itself up in cool ways

Playing matches feels dynamic thanks to the ways the game constantly changes things up. There are two different "modes" during every battle: field mode where you play in a 3D view with full directional control of your Pokémon, and duel mode where you play in a traditional 2D view. Starting off in field mode lets you gauge your opponent's style to make out any patterns, while duel mode opens up more skills and combos for you to punish your foe. This constant switching between field mode and duel mode is a great way to make sure gameplay doesn't get stale, as you have to adjust your playstyle on the fly with each change. See More

Top Con

Bland voice acting

The voice acting in this game is pretty unremarkable. Everyone sounds so stilted and robotic, with no emotion whatsoever. If it grates on your nerves too much, there's an option to turn the voices off altogether. See More

Specs

Co-Op:2 Player Local / 2-3 Player Online

Top Pro

Local and online multiplayer makes the game more fun

All the excitement and dynamic gameplay from single-player gets amped up while playing against a friend through co-op or against another player online. This is a ton of fun to play with someone sitting right beside you via splitscreen co-op for some friendly competition. Connecting online to face off against random players is great for challenging yourself and reaching that next level of expert play. With the ability to play on the go with the handheld dock, this is a pretty good game for co-op when you're away from home. See More

Top Con

Not many incentives to pick this up if you have the original

If you already own the Wii U version of Pokkén Tournament, then this DX port might not be worth another purchase. Sure, there are a few more characters, ranked online matches, 3v3 team battles, and quality of life improvements to the controls for local co-op, but this may not be enough for some players. For anyone on the fence about picking this up at full price, you can get away with waiting for a price drop without missing out on much. See More

Top Pro

Great for Pokémon fans

Pokkén Tournament DX is a fine game to pick up if you're into the Pokémon anime and video games. The range of available fighters spans across the many generations of different Pokémon, going all the way back to the original GameBoy games with long-time favorites like Pikachu and Charizard. This is perfect for fans of the series who maybe don't normally play fighting games, since you get the chance to try something new. See More

Top Pro

Simple to pick up and play

It's really easy to learn how to play Pokkén Tournament DX. New players who aren't familiar with fighting games should be able to get the hang of the controls in no time. You don't have to memorize long strings of complex combos or anything like that; the basics are enough for you to get by without worrying. The tutorial is straight-forward as well, gradually teaching you the ropes without overwhelming you. This is a great game for anyone looking to get started with the fighting genre, or even for veterans who want to figure out the more high-level gameplay styles at their own pace. See More

Super Bomberman R

Top Pro

It has a charming story mode

While it's clearly no RPG, Super Bomberman R has a delightful story mode that supports drop in co-op play if you want to play with someone else. The cartoon characters and ridiculous antics make it quite fun to play, and interestingly enough, it has a decent variety of missions. You won't be stuck killing X amount of enemies every level, which definitely breaks the routine of monotonous, repetitive quests in these types of games. See More

Top Con

The controls feel unresponsive online

When you're playing online, there's a decent amount of lag when inputting an order to your character. Konami has released a "significant upgrade" for Bomberman in order to combat this, and there are plans to further improve upon the issue. See More

Specs

Genre:Action, Puzzle, Party, Multiplayer

Top Pro

Multiplayer has a lot of options available

Super Bomberman R offers a few options for multiplayer. Up to 4 people can play on the portable screen, or up to 8 on a TV. Even if you've got no one to play with, there's an online play option for the first time in the Bomberman series. See More

Top Con

The screen is too small for 4 person multiplayer

The Nintendo Switch, while convenient in a ton of ways, simply has a small screen. 4 people huddling around the 6.2 inch screen would make this unplayable for many people. See More

Top Pro

Easy to just play a couple of games thanks to how quick they are

Super Bomberman R has an average game time of under 2 minutes. This makes it perfect if you and your friends just want to hop on and blow each other up for a little while. See More

Kirby Star Allies

Top Pro

Cute and colorful 3D visuals

The art style looks amazing with pleasing colors and 3D models that make the platforming levels vibrant and cheerful. All the pinks, blues, and yellows brighten up the environments. The round shapes of the cutesy characters and the world are and interesting with a lot of pop, like 3D illustrations in a book. Everything is great to look at, keeping the game plenty of fun to play with the amazing visuals. See More

Top Con

Co-op with the AI characters can make things too easy

The computer-controlled co-op allies always know exactly what to do, taking a lot of the challenge and possibly fun out of the game. When you're playing with actual friends, you're all figuring things out together and learning along the way. Unfortunately it's not the same experience with the computer, since they're programmed to execute the right solutions to each of the platforming puzzles and boss fights. This sadly makes everything way too easy when you can rely on the AI allies to basically play the game for you. See More

Specs

Genre:Platformer

Co-Op:4 Player Local

Top Pro

Great for kids and family to play

Kirby Star Allies is simple but entertaining enough for anyone to enjoy, especially kids. The family-friendly gameplay, kid-friendly art style, and Kirby's cute design are pretty enticing for younger ages. With the couch co-op mode, parents can also play this game with their kids for game nights. The controls are easy and straight-forward, so if you're looking to get your kids or even older family members into gaming for the first time, this is a solid stepping stone. It's an accessible game that people of all ages can pick up and enjoy. See More

Top Con

The levels are repetitive for most of the game

For the most part, once you figure out how to get past the obstacles in certain levels, you'll know how to clear several more worlds. The same types of challenges pop up again and again, like knowing when to eat a fire enemy to melt past chunks of ice, or eating a flying enemy to close a gap that you can't normally jump across. Thankfully things start to change up once you get to the final levels that are more varied and challenging. Still, you might find yourself bored by the samey levels, especially if you're used to more complex games. See More

Top Pro

Four player couch co-op makes the game a lot more fun

Playing Kirby Star Allies through the co-op mode with up to four players helps to give the game more life. Working together to solve platforming challenges and take out enemies makes everything unpredictable in a good way, since your friends might suddenly figure out a helpful trick or find a path forward that you hadn't spotted before. Coordinating to make sure no one eats the enemy you have your eye on can be funny if one of your friends eats the monster anyway and you have to improvise. Playing with friends makes things more dynamic and fun than playing alone. See More

Top Con

No online multiplayer

It's a shame that you can't connect online to play co-op. This would have been a nice feature for anyone who isn't able to get together with friends or family but still wants to play the game with other people. The devs so far have made no announcements about wanting to implement online multiplayer. See More

Top Pro

Kirby can eat enemies to use their special abilities

You can make Kirby eat enemies and then use their skills as his own, constantly changing up how you play. Whenever you see a monster whose skills you want to use for yourself, you have to jump along the level and avoid any obstacles in your way to get close enough and eat it. Eating a monster with a sword and hat gives Kirby the sword to use and the hat to wear, while eating a fire monster lets Kirby hold a fireball in his hand to shoot out like magic. It's a neat way to change your playstyle on-the-fly, keeping things fresh and new. See More

Top Pro

Cool platforming gameplay that keeps you engaged

The platforming gameplay in Kirby Star Allies is great with some neat puzzle-like strategy in each level. You progress through each colorful map from left to right while battling enemies and figuring out the little environmental puzzles in your way, like chunks of ice cubes that you have to melt through, or dodging projectiles that shoot at you as you jump from place to place. You can also team up with your AI allies or co-op friends to pull off friend abilities where you merge your powers together to take out a bunch of enemies and obstacles in your way all at once. The strategy and teamwork aspects help you stay engaged as you figure out the mini-puzzles in each level. See More

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