BEST NINTENDO SWITCH ADVENTURE GAMES (THAT AREN'T ZELDA)

The adventure genre of gaming, particularly the action-adventure genre, has started to dominate the industry. This is largely thanks to improvements in gaming hardware that have allowed developers to create more immersive experiences than ever before. Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series has been one of, if not the most influential franchise in the history of the adventure genre.

Unsurprisingly, the iconic The Legend of Zelda series returned on the Nintendo Switch with Breath of the Wild, and the game's sequel set the world on fire once again! With most people already having experienced Tears of the Kingdom in its entirety, anyone who wants to visit somewhere else instead of Hyrule can try out the best adventure games on the Nintendo Switch to fulfill this fantasy.

Updated on June 8th, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: The Nintendo Switch is finally at the tail end of its run after making up for the massive failure of the Wii U and turning Nintendo into a hardware and software powerhouse once again. This console is one of the most innovative designs seen in the video game industry, combining the best of portable and home console gaming to make for a spectacular device. With a wealth of amazing titles populating this console after Nintendo finally decided to relax their terms when it comes to third-party support, it's easy to see why this platform is flooded with a wealth of amazing adventure games that are perfect for fans of The Legend of Zelda. With that in mind, more such adventure games have been added to this list in its latest update.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

Metascore: 74

There aren't a lot of games that let players put themselves in the shoes of Princess Peach. This character, who's been unfairly shoehorned into the role of a typical damsel in distress over and over again, finally got her time to shine with the advent of Princess Peach: Showtime!, a unique action-adventure title that lets Peach transform in each stage to complete challenges with a suite of unique abilities.

The variety in this title's gameplay, coupled with some stellar music, makes it clear why Princess Peach: Showtime! is a great modern title that Nintendo Switch fans can check out. While the dated nature of the Switch does hold some aspects of this game back, it's barely noticeable with the classic Nintendo polish in effect..

Tunic

Metascore: 85

Tunic came out of nowhere and showed the magic of indie gaming once again, with a focus on adventure gameplay and Soulslike combat. However, the biggest achievement of Tunic is channeling the retro magic of past titles where players used physical manuals to figure out things in the game world. This is a statement that has been used to describe Tunic time and time again, and it's easy to see why this is the case.

Players need to hone their puzzle-solving skills by trying to make heads or tails of a unique language that they only know bits and pieces of, all while dealing with many tough enemies. This combination of gameplay loops keeps Tunic fresh and engaging, especially with the charming art style elevating the game's quality in its best moments.

Eastward

Metascore: 82

An excellent action RPG with two protagonists who each sport unique abilities, it's easy to see why Eastward is an indie darling that players love. The charming art style and excellent characterization of John & Sam make the story a joy to play through with these likable characters at the helm.

Featuring a hefty dose of exploration and puzzle-solving that's in line with what most people would expect from the Zelda games, it's easy to see why Eastward is a perfect recommendation for players who love this series. The game's slow pace can be tough to deal with at times, but it's all worth it to see Eastward shine during its brightest moments.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - The Final Season

Metascore: 80

The first season of Telltale's The Walking Dead was a massive success, pushing the company to the mainstream and opening the floodgates for them to churn out a wealth of adventure games that adapt other IPs. While the first season was an excellent and emotional ride, most people felt like the second and third seasons missed the mark.

Thankfully, Telltale learned from their mistakes for the final season, which wrapped up Clementine's story on a pretty satisfactory note. AJ serves as a great companion whom Clementine has to groom over the course of four lengthy and engaging episodes that are pretty emotional in their own right.

Life Is Strange: True Colors

Metascore: 78

Life is Strange is one of Square Enix's most profitable IPs during the time they acquired a wealth of Western IPs. Unlike most other games published by this company, Life is Strange was given the breathing room it needed to become a unique and beloved adventure game series.

Life is Strange: True Colors features a riveting protagonist in the form of Alex Chen, a unique setting that breathes new life into the IP, and excellent writing to make this story-driven title hit home in the best way possible. It's a no-brainer for anyone who remotely enjoyed the narratives of previous Life is Strange games.

Sonic Frontiers

Metascore: 69

Many people were absolutely salivating for a good 3D Sonic game, with the hedgehog's reputation being hacked down with each and every bad Sonic game released in the modern era. While Sonic Frontiers may not be perfect, many people feel like it's a return to form for Sega's beloved mascot.

The open world of this game is pretty fun, and the platforming challenges are a blast... even though these levels feel rather disconnected at times. Regardless, Sonic fans can't get enough of this brilliant game, and it seems that the future of the blue hedgehog is fairly bright for now.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Metascore: 85

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an open-world RPG that immerses players in a vast and intricate dark fantasy world. Players take on the role of Geralt of Rivia, a skilled monster hunter on a quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri. Along the way, players will explore sprawling cities, treacherous mountains, and haunted forests, encountering a diverse cast of characters and creatures.

The Witcher 3's main storyline is supplemented by countless side quests and activities, ensuring that players always have something to do. The game's narrative and characters are expertly crafted, drawing players into the amazing adventure presented by this game and making them feel like they are a part of Geralt's story.

Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age

Metascore: 91

Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes Of An Elusive Age is a classic RPG that pays homage to the genre's roots while also introducing modern gameplay mechanics. The game follows a young hero on a quest to save the world from destruction... so basically, it's like most JRPGs when it comes to the stakes.

Players will explore a beautiful world full of memorable characters and charming monsters, which really lends to the sense of adventure in DQ11. The game's turn-based combat system is easy to learn but offers plenty of depth making each encounter in this title worthwhile... especially with the series abandoning random encounters!

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Metascore: 89

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a massive and ambitious RPG that takes players on a journey through massive awe-inspiring worlds. It's easy to see why the developers behind this game's world design helped in the development of Breath of the Wild, so it's pretty clear that the sense of adventure in this game is going to be off the charts.

The game's combat system is fast-paced and engaging, requiring players to think strategically and react quickly to changing circumstances. All of this, coupled with the game's epic narrative, makes for a great JRPG that will take players on the ride of a lifetime.

Monster Hunter Rise

Metascore: 88

Monster Hunter Rise is an action-packed RPG that tasks players with hunting down massive monsters and using these skills to upgrade their gear. As a hunter, players embark on several quests to become stronger, exploring different unique biomes in the process.

The game's combat system is deep and rewarding, with players having to carefully choose their weapons and equipment to best take on each monster. Teaming up with friends and exploring the game world while hunting down gigantic monsters is a ton of fun and shows why this series was so successful. That said, Rise does not have expansive areas to explore since the focus is squarely on its combat.

Minecraft

Metascore: 86

Minecraft is a sandbox game that gives players the freedom to create, explore, and fight in a vast and procedurally-generated landscape. Players can mine resources, build structures, and interact with a variety of flora & fauna.

The game's endless possibilities and infinite replayability make it a great title to get lost in. Whether players want to build an elaborate castle or explore deep underground caves, Minecraft provides endless opportunities for adventure and creativity.

Pokemon Sword & Shield

Metascore: 80

One issue that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has invertedly dealt Nintendo is that fans want a Breath of the Wild-style open world in many of Nintendo's other IPs now, particularly Pokemon. So, when Sword & Shield was released and had a very similar structure to previous games in the series, many fans were disappointed.

Despite this, Sword and Shield still thoroughly deserves a spot on this list as - although it failed to reinvent the series in a way that fans hoped - it still provided a visually stunning modernization of the classic Pokemon formula.

Metroid Dread

Metascore: 88

Metroid Dread was released in October 2021 and garnered the opposite reaction from fans as the aforementioned Pokémon Sword and Shield, in the sense that Metroid fans were delighted to play a modern entry in the series that stuck to the franchise's roots.

Along with classic side-scrolling gameplay, Metroid Dread also incorporates newer elements of the series, such as the melee attack and free aim that were introduced in 2017's Metroid: Samus Returns.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

Metascore: 80

Paper Mario: The Origami King was developed by Intelligent Systems and released in July 2020 exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Like every game in the Paper Mario series, fans were hoping that The Origami King would reach the sky-high quality of the franchise's first game and were disappointed that it fell short.

Still, The Origami King is another solid entry in the long-running Paper Mario franchise and is well worth playing for fans of Mario or the RPG genre in general.

Hades

Metascore: 93

Hades was released in September 2020 and immediately turned heads with the way it seamlessly blends multiple genres together, including action-adventure, action-RPG, dungeon crawler, and roguelike. As the name suggests, the game's story and lore are based on Greek mythology, with the protagonist being Zagreus, the son of Hades.

The quality of roguelike games is heavily dependent on their gameplay mechanics, which is what makes Hades one of the genre's very best releases, as the game's excellent combat makes fighting through numerous rooms of enemies and bosses a joy.

Death's Door

Metascore: 89

Death's Door is an excellent choice for fans of The Legend of Zelda's top-down perspective days, as Acid Nerve's game is clearly inspired by titles like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

Death's Door is simple in terms of gameplay mechanics and combat but thoroughly ambitious in terms of its visuals, level structure, and boss design which collectively helped make the game one of 2021's most memorable adventures.

What Remains Of Edith Finch

Metascore: 88

What Remains of Edith Finch has become a cornerstone of the so-called "walking simulator" genre, a style of game that tends to feature minimal gameplay mechanics and limited exploration but a rich and fleshed-out story.

As the title suggests, What Remains of Edith Finch requires players to delve into the history of the Finch family and investigate why the family's members always seem to die in odd ways. The game's narrative received an outpouring of praise from fans and critics, so there was little surprise when the game won the Best Narrative award from The Game Awards 2017.

SteamWorld Dig 2

Metascore: 88

SteamWorld Dig 2 was initially released in September 2017 on Switch, PC, PS4, and PS Vita before coming to 3DS, Xbox One, and even Stadia. The game requires players to explore undiscovered mines with the help of numerous abilities, to obtain resources that can be traded in the game's hub world.

SteamWorld Dig 2 opts not to have procedurally generated areas, a bold decision that pays off as the game's levels are wonderfully designed and meticulously crafted in a way that only hand-made areas can be.

Astral Chain

Metascore: 87

2019's Astral Chain was developed by PlatinumGames, a studio that is continuously growing in notoriety thanks to consistently high-quality hack-and-slash releases such as Bayonetta, MadWorld, and Nier: Automata. PlatinumGames' track record clearly isn't going noticed, as Astro Chain's director Takahisa Taura thanked fans for the game surpassing 1 million sales.

Astral Chain is set in a dystopian future and puts players in control of a detective from a special police force who is fighting to defend humanity against an invasion.

Axiom Verge

Metascore: 84

Axiom Verge is a side-scrolling adventure game with a well-crafted Metroidvania structure. The game was initially released on PlayStation 4 in 2015 before coming to almost every modern console under the sun until finally reaching the Nintendo Switch in October 2017, receiving a Metascore of 87 and a User Score of 8.4.

The critically acclaimed indie game was made by Thomas Happ of Thomas Happ Games, and the sequel is just as good as the original.

2023-04-21T02:45:10Z dg43tfdfdgfd