Beautiful Desolation is a deep, intelligent, puzzle adventure presented with a unique isometric view. It's an easy recommendation to sci-fi fans who prefer narrative over action, but the Switch is not the best way to explore this apocalyptic world.
The Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection offers three intense, challenging, and mostly thrilling Ryu Hayabusa games for the price of one. Three may be one too many, but this is still a good deal for those seeking visceral, violent, video-game action.
Saviors of Sapphire Wings / Stranger of Sword City Revisited carry aspects of their age with them, but this bundle of two somewhat obscure RPGs still provides a deep, detailed, dungeon-crawling experience that is well-suited to the Switch handheld.
Rise Eterna is good enough to give tactical RPG fans something to enjoy while they await big studio releases, but its lack of difficulty and unfortunate UI issues will prevent other gamers from playing through to its unsatisfying ending.
Maneater certainly gives players a different point-of-view on the action/RPG genre. Taking a shark from its violent beginnings to an inevitable battle for vengeance makes for a unique gaming journey. Unfortunately, its nice visuals and sly sense of humor aren't enough to break up the monotony of undersea survival.
Knight Squad 2 improves upon the original with new features, a nice layer of visual polish, and a much-needed online multiplayer component. The arcade party action is otherwise the same as in the original, however, which could disappoint those who have to buy the game again to get these enhancements.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is massive. It's massively fun and massively rewarding. Fans of JRPGs can get delightfully lost in its deep story, its numerous characters, and its battle system that provides a ridiculous amount of options for customization. Just make sure you've played Trails of Cold Steel III (and have at least read up on I and II).
With its unique visuals, clever environmental puzzles, and non-violent gameplay, El Hijo is a welcome entry in the somewhat overlooked stealth/puzzle genre. If you don't buy into the gameplay before the repetition sets in, however, it can become an adventure that's easily abandoned.
Although the improv gameplay of What the Dub?! is somewhat basic and repetitive, it presents numerous opportunities for MST3K-style hilarity. You don't need to be a fan of movies to enjoy this party game; you just need to be quick-witted (or have funny friends).
With its medieval setting and alchemy-based combat system, Black Legend looks and plays quite a bit differently from most turn-based strategy games available on the Switch. Its repetitive settings and battles, however, will likely turn away those used to a greater degree of variety and fun.
Despite a couple shortcomings with the story and extraneous elements, Bravely Default II is a rock-solid JRPG that will appeal to anyone with a love of world exploration, character management, and turn-based combat.
Knight's Retreat is a clever puzzle game based around the movements of chess pieces. There are 80 levels to keep players challenged, but its basic visuals and redundant gameplay may turn away chess and puzzle dilettantes.
Castle Kong gives Donkey Kong a colorful visual refresh and an extreme challenge bump, but otherwise sticks closely to the formula that made it a legend. Fans of classic arcade games will enjoy it, and will be thankful they don't have to drop another quarter with each frustrated restart.
Undermine is a clever rogue-lite with plenty of pixel art charm. The gameplay and design elements come together to create a fun, addictive experience that'll appeal to action arcade gamers and RPG fans alike.
Tadpole Treble Encore is a charming rhythm game that's easy to play through, but difficult to 100% complete. An included level editor extends its life span, but its whimsical gameplay and music may take care of that on their own.
Although it occasionally gets bogged down under its own ambition, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy is consistently surprising and fun. It may lack the melodrama and heroics of most JRPGs, but it still offers a lengthy campaign full of compelling combat and exploration.
The puzzles in Iris.Fall can sometimes be momentum killers, and they will likely cause some players to leave the game unfinished despite its short duration. However, those who stick with it will be rewarded with an experience that never ceases to visually delight (and reward) the player.
Crystal Ortha offers a breezy adventure that breaks from the norm just enough to please grizzled fans of JRPGs. It looks and feels right home on the Switch, but it's easier to enjoy in short, handheld gaming sessions as opposed to long hours in front of your TV.
You may not think a game based on forklift operation could be all that entertaining. With the right group of friends working either cooperatively or competitively, however, you'll get some fun out of What the Fork. Just be sure to avoid having to work alone.
Electro Ride: The Neon Racing suffers from touchy controls and an overall lack of depth. It's not amongst the best racing options available for the Switch, but it does contain a couple of unique elements that may appeal to gamers looking for something a little different.