We don’t know about you fellow gamers out there but ever since we’ve been socially and morally obligated to stay home, we’ve put our violent games away (the kind where you shoot monsters up or gourge them out in brutal ways). Is this a sign that we’re looking for an escape into the peaceful outdoors? Maybe. Is this also a sign that we want to do menial things again through soothing Nintendo Switch games like gardening, having face-to-face interaction and exploring the land bareback on a horse? Well, yeah.
While it’s been three years since the Nintendo Switch launched and took out a chunk of our pay checks, we’ve decided to dedicate this article with some editor-approved games to help you while time away. Some are cute and mindless (shade: 80% of the Tinder population) and some are a little more adult. Have fun!
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Abzu
Ride different animals like whales, turtles and sharks or watch the game in breathtaking first person mode while you perch on an underwater cliff. Abzu is all about deep sea exploration with an infinite breath meter that is worth playing for hours on end.
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Picture this: you’re on an island filled with friendly anthromophic animals that you can converse with, and that our friends is just one part of the fun. There’s no end game or plot so you can spend hours doing pastoral activities like gardening, harvesting fruits or fishing or you can do what we do, decorating our houses and listening to its soothing soundtrack.
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Firewatch
Firewatch is like camping in real life because you get to explore a forest, watch a sunset or cook over a fire. Except that you’re a divorcee who talks to a mysterious woman over a walkie-talkie in a bid to shed his bitter past.
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Gris
A hidden gem that launched quietly on the internet, Gris is an exploration game that doesn’t contain deadly traps or dangerous creatures. What it does contain though is a soothing soundtrack, lateral thinking puzzles and a poignant and heartfelt storyline revolving around a girl trying to find her place in the world.
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Luigi’s Mansion 3
Everybody’s favourite mustachio-ed plumber now has a graphical update alongside the cute and sometimes zany characters in his world. While the gameplay is so simple that even your four-year old brother can finish it, hardcore afficionados might want to take their time to hunt for collectibles. Trust us, we’ve been trying for 36 hours.
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Sonic Mania
Sonic hasn’t really had a good rep since V1 of its movie poster debut and the launch of its game had us feeling frankly, nonchalant. But what’s great about it as we found out, was that it took everything we loved about the OG version and updated it into a seamless modern interpretation that feels and controls so good.
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Splatoon 2
The concept of Splatoon is like a classic shooter game but instead of blowing your opponent’s guts and brains out, you shoot them with paint. Bonus points go to you if you shoot your environment too.
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Stardew Valley
The once indie-flash game has finally made its debut on the Switch but its gameplay is still similar and that’s a good thing. Go on an agricultural endeavour like growing your own tomatoes or corn and set forth into the city to sell them. Once you get really good, you can travel there in a…. hot air balloon!
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The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of the Wild
The greatest franchise that can only be rivalled by the Final Fantasy series was launched on the Switch in 2017 but three years later, its graphics are still pretty solid. Whether you’re following bizarre cooking recipes to gain stats, going on dungeon challenges or just goofing off in the field, it looks as good on the Switch’s screen as it does on a bigger one.
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Untitled Goose Game
It’s a lovely day to be a goose who goes around his village wrecking things and having a good time. Steal your owner’s mail, upset construction work and take a dump in someone’s garden all in the name of bizarre but satisfying animal fun.
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