Nintendo Switch’s Highest-Rated Games of 2024 Are Not What You Would Expect

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the pixelated worlds of Nintendo classics, I must admit that 2024 took me by surprise with its unexpected lineup of top-rated games for the Switch. The usual suspects – Mario, Zelda, and their cohorts – seemed to take a backseat this year, making way for lesser-known developers to shine.

2024 saw some surprising hits among the top-rated Nintendo Switch games, with many coming from less established developers rather than Nintendo’s usual lineup. While Nintendo has traditionally dominated the Switch market with titles like Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 2024 bucked this trend.

According to Metacritic’s ratings, it might surprise you to know that the top-rated Nintendo Switch games in 2024 largely originated from independent studios. Interestingly enough, the highest-rated game of the year on Switch was none other than the Castlevania Dominous Collection. This compilation included three Castlevania games initially launched on Nintendo DS, effectively making it a remastered collection from Konami. Despite being a repackaged version, the Dominous Collection was warmly received and managed to secure an impressive aggregate score of 92/100, earning it the title of the most acclaimed Switch game for that year.

In terms of freshly launched games, Animal Well and Balatro were among those that garnered positive responses on the Nintendo Switch, earning a combined average score of 90/100. Other notable Switch games worth mentioning include Neva with an 89/100, Unicorn Overlord and Lorelai and the Laser Eyes, both scoring 89/100 and 88/100 respectively. Making its way onto Metacritic’s list of top Switch games is Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, with an average review score of 88/100. Other Nintendo titles on the list include The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, scoring 85/100, and Super Mario Party Jamboree, which earned a 82/100.

It may seem unusual that Nintendo hasn’t released many new games for the Switch this year, but it appears they are strategically preparing for the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025. This transition phase towards their next console is also evident in Nintendo’s upcoming early 2025 lineup, which includes titles such as Donkey Kong Country: Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. Only after the official unveiling of the Switch 2 can we expect to learn more about the major games Nintendo has been secretly developing.

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2024-12-26 22:10