What were EdEN’s best Nintendo Switch games of 2025? Come check out part 1 of his list!
If you missed the previous posts for our best games of the year, you can review them right now!
– PS4Blog.net 2025: Ceidz Picks The Best Games Of The Year
– PS4Blog.net 2025: ThaRaven403 Picks The Best Games Of The Year
– PS4Blog.net 2025: EdEN Picks The Best PlayStation Games Of The Year (Part 1)
– PS4Blog.net 2025: EdEN Picks The Best PlayStation Games Of The Year (Part 2)
The Nintendo Switch had a ton of games released in 2025 that offer awesome experiences worth mentioning… which is why it was really hard to narrow things down to find my Nintendo Switch game of the year for 2025. This is why I’ll be mentioning several games that you should also check out. There are so many games worth a mention, that I’ll be splitting this list in two!
And now, wihout further ado:
My Best Nintendo Switch Game Of The Year
SHUTEN ORDER
SHUTEN ORDER takes place in a world steeped in despair and chaos that is 168 days away from its end. How did we get to this point? A religious organization known as Shuten Order emerges from the darkness, yearning for the end of humanity. For some reason, the group manages to gain many followers, and it ends up forming a small nation-state called Shuten. During the festival celebrating its founding… the leader of the Shuten Order is murdered! Soon after this, you wake up with no recollection of what has happened. It’s then that you’re visited by two self-proclaimed angels who have something very important to share: you’re the founder who has been murdered, and have been revived thanks to the might of divine power.
Things didn’t go as planned, so even though you’re alive, the resurrection process was not completed properly. This is why your memories are gone, and your new life has been limited to a measly four days! Since this is certainly bad news, you’ll need to work hard on completing what is being called God’s Trial before your time runs out. The task at hand? To identify and kill the one who murdered you! To not blow your cover, you’ll be given the alias Rei Shimobe, as you become a detective who will be investigating to learn more about the five ministers of the Shuten Order, who are the main suspects. Time is of the essence, which means you won’t be able to investigate all of them as much as you’d like to. The choices you make will have big consequences, and will have an impact on what your future ends up being… or if you even have one at all!
For this Rated M for Mature game, you’ll be taking on a collection of five different experiences that are tied to the five potential suspects. Who are the suspects? The Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Science, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Health. Depending on which route you take, your multi-genre journey will be different. Taking on the Ministry of Security? Then you’ll be playing through a stealth action horror game as you flee from the legendary killer Nephilim while investigating suspect Manji Fushicho, playing from a 3D top-down perspective.
You’re going to investigate the Ministry of Justice? Then you’ll be working on solving a murder that is tied to the wealthy Kukuri family, so that you can expose the killer who is linked to suspect Kishiru Inugami, wrapped in a mystery adventure. As you piece together the evidence collected during your investigation, you’ll be able to get closer to solving the mystery at hand. When focusing on the Ministry of Science, you’ll be taking on a multi-perspective visual novel that offers different points of view over the events presented to you. By making the most of the available flowchart, you’ll have to find a way to survive until the end of a scenario that features multiple chronologically branching routes.
If the Ministry of Education is the one that you’ll be dealing with, then you’ll be presented with… a romance adventure? Your suspect will be Honoka Kokushikan. You’ll be tasked with building connections with three heroines, and must use clues to find them on the school map as you aim to interact with them. By boosting their affection level based on the dialogue choices you make and completing romance events, you’ll be able to unlock the confession phase at night. It’s then that you must pick the right words before your time is up so that you can win them over. Oh, and did I mention that you’ve been poisoned?
The final potential suspect in SHUTEN ORDER is the Ministry of Health, Yugen Ushitora. As if having been murdered and resurrected for only four days was not bad enough, going after the Ministry of Health will place you within a death game that you’ll need to survive while interrogating suspect Yugen Ushitora. This one has escape room adventure gameplay mechanics, so you’ll need to find a way to get out of the locked room as you complete trials and puzzles, for which one wrong move could lead to your end!
My Nintendo Switch Honorable Mentions
OFF
OFF
Cult classic RPG OFF was originally released back in 2008, and remained available only in French until a fan translation to English was officially sanctioned in 2011. The game’s story, atmosphere, and characters have had an impact on the gaming industry, inspiring many developers to work on games that share some elements. This includes games such as Omori, OneShot: World Machine, and Suits: A Business RPG. Another example would be Toby Fox’s Undertale. This is certainly interesting, since now Toby Fox has worked on the new soundtrack for this OFF remaster, giving us a full circle moment of sorts.
In OFF, the main character is known as The Batter. His task? To purify a world that has become haunted by spectres. You’ll be taking on the role of The Controller, the soul that The Batter harbors. Your task? To aid The Batter in this most important of quests. Yes, The Batter is very much aware of being a character controlled by someone else. No, he has no issues with this situation. All he cares about is completing his mission.
For this new take on OFF, we’re getting to experience the definitive version of the cult classic. What’s new for this 2025 expanded release? We’re getting a reworked battle system that offers more depth and strategy, an updated user interface, a new soundtrack, new areas to explore, and even hidden bosses to battle! This does mean there’s a new final boss, which I certainly won’t be spoiling here.
Sunderfolk
Sunderfolk from Dreamhaven and Secret Door brings us a tactical co-op adventure inspired by classic tabletop gaming, now on Nintendo Switch. You’ll be going on a mystical adventure through the dangerous Sunderlands, as you make the most of the skills and abilities of your character and those of your companions, inspired by a deep sense of creativity and camaraderie that will bond the group into a skillful unit. Working together is a must, or else you’ll be struck down by the deadly monsters that are more than ready to destroy you.
As soon as you boot up the game, you’ll be asked to scan a QR code with a mobile device camera to play. That is, once you’ve downloaded the Sunderfolk Controller App on iOS or Android. The game can be played with up to four players who can join the fight by downloading the app and scanning the QR code on the TV screen or on the Nintendo Switch. Yes, the mobile app is very much required to play the game. It reminded me a bit of playing Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on the GameCube while using Game Boy Advance portable consoles… You know, 20+ years ago.
I highly recommend that for your first run – and that of your companions – you do not end up skipping the Prologue, since it includes the tutorial missions that will teach you the basics of Sunderfolk, as you learn what makes Sunderfolk tick. Each of the players will get to pick from one of six available classes: Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger, and Rogue. Each of these will have some strengths and weaknesses to consider, which you’ll need to always keep in mind as you jump into turn-based battle after turn-based battle.
Blade Chimera
Blade Chimera brings us an outstanding Metroidvania you have to play on Nintendo Switch. You’ll be taking on the role of demon hunter Shin, who has no memory of his past. You end up working together with Lux, a demon who can shapeshift into a sword, which is odd considering you’re – as I just mentioned – a demon hunter. Lux is a very versatile companion, since she can attack enemies as well as shield you from incoming damage. She can even act as a platform for you to get to areas that would otherwise be out of reach! She’ll be very useful as you explore the cyberpunk Osaka before you.
As you defeat all the demons and mighty bosses that dare stand in your path, you’ll be rewarded with experience points. Once you’ve obtained enough, you’ll get to level up. This will boost your stats so that you can deal more base damage with your attacks, as well as boost your defense in order for your enemies’ attacks not to punish you as much. You should also search every room in the game so that you can find special items that will increase your max HP and MP.
You’ll get to collect money as you defeat enemies. You can use this money to purchase some useful items to aid you on your journey. These include things such as a Life Elixir that will restore 20 HP, an Energy Drink to restore 20 MP, a handy Miracle Mix that will help cure status ailments, a Turbo Regenerator that you can use to recover 50 HP or a Magic Quencher that will help to restore 50 MP, to name some examples. You can also purchase new weapons for your arsenal or equipment that will boost your stats. There’s also the option of selling stuff for some extra money. And if you need some additional money on top of all that, you can always check back with operators at HQ for any side missions you can take on.
Everhood 2
Sequel Everhood 2 brings us back to this quirky universe for a new adventure. I was definitely not expecting Everhood 2 to be a thing, but I’m here to say this is the sequel we didn’t know we needed. The game builds on the foundation laid by Everhood while expanding and improving on everything it previously did… and then some! It certainly wears its Undertale inspirations on its sleeve – just like Everdhood did – but that’s not a bad thing!
Something to keep in mind is that some of the choices you make in Everhood 2 will affect the outcome of your journey. Your first choice will be picking an answer to a simple question: What do you like the most in games? Your options are Story, Battle and Challenges, Unique Experiences, and Funny Stuff. You’ll then be asked: “How do you prefer your challenges? Your options for this one will be Story Mode, Easy, Medium, and Hard. As expected, this will establish the difficulty setting.
The next question is as follows: Do you talk to every character in a room? Your choices will be Yes, No, and I Don’t Know. Is this questionnaire boring you? Yes, there are more questions for you to answer, but these examples should give you an idea of where things are heading since the questions will start to get a bit more personal. The questionnaire can be as extended as you want it to be. After you’re done answering, your soul’s color will be determined.
Illusion of Itehari
Illusion of Itehari is a new Otome visual novel set in a floating garden city. Up in the sky, you’ll get to live an adventure in the flying city of Itehari. You’ll be placed in the role of Hinagiku, a noble lady from a distinguished family who, given her status, longs for the world beyond the floating city. After turning 18 years old, you find yourself in front of a man named Yashiro. This meeting ends up setting in motion a series of events that drag Hinagiku to experience a reality very different from what has been predicted on the surface of the utopia known as Itehari. Someone was trying to kill you, and it was Yashiro who saved you. Unfortunately, he ends up losing his memory soon after this.
For this new Otome visual novel, there are five potential routes thanks to the five romantic suitors in this game: Yashiro, Tobari, Awayuki, Yori, and Tsuyukua. Want to learn more about them? Then you’ve come to the right place! But before that, a small piece of information about what this game is.
During your time with Illusion of Itehari, along with interacting with the aforementioned romantic suitors, as you progress through each respective story branch, you’ll also get to meet more than a dozen characters who will help to bring the world of Illusion of Itehari to life. There are soldiers, a thief, an archivist, your childhood friend, a peculiar doctor, a young and cheerful Geisha in the entertainment district, the Prime Minister of the Ryuei, the legislative body of Itehari, and even the Great Taiju, who happens to be Itehari’s living god!
Urban Myth Dissolution Center
Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a psycho-detective mystery adventure worth checking out on Nintendo Switch. You’ll be going on an episodic journey as you explore and investigate different urban myths that haunt the internet. Because of this, you’ll be working from the titular Urban Myth Dissolution Center as Azami Fukurai, all under the supervision of Ayumu Meguriya, Level S psychic and Center Director. As you obtain evidence, review social media posts, and collect peculiar items, you’ll be able to get closer and closer to the truth.
What makes Azami so good at this? It seems she has a very special ability that allows her to see ghosts and other peculiar things! When she goes to the Urban Myth Dissolution Center, Center Director Ayumu Meguriya lets her know he has the same power… and then shares a pair of powerful glasses. After Azami dons them, she’ll be able to see everything more clearly, as is usually the case with glasses. Unfortunately, that means she can see the apparitions as clearly as day!
It’s then that the Director lets her know that what she’s seeing is not ghosts but the effects of her clairvoyance ability. What is happening is that Ayumi has the power to see the memories of places, which is enhanced thanks to her new glasses. You’re going to basically be seeing things and people that used to be at a particular spot, which is going to be of great use as you investigate anomalies that are beyond the scope of regular law enforcement.
Wander Stars
Wander Stars is a gorgeous hand-drawn anime-inspired turn-based RPG on Nintendo Switch. This game places you in the role of Ringo, a young martial artist on a journey to find her brother, as well as Wolfe, a mysterious individual who finds himself running from his past. Their missions bring them together as they work toward a common goal: locating all pieces of the Wanderstar Map. The game pays homage to the classic anime from ages past, and is even split into 10 “episodes” for you to play through, which makes for a fun experience, thanks to its old-school-style animated cutscenes and soundtrack.
Since Ringo has been trained in the ways of Kiai – a magical form of martial art and also the universe’s most exciting form of televised entertainment – she’ll be able to combine words that will create specially customized attacks that make for some very interesting turn-based battles. Words are split into different categories, which are shown thanks ot the colors used for each word. Green words are the basic action words, since they stand for things such as punch, kick, block, and item. As expected, these will allow you to, well, punch or kick your opponent, block incoming attacks, or use an item from your stock to aid you.
It’s the red and blue words that spice things up and change how you approach each battle, since red words will act as modifiers and blue words will add an elemental quality to an attack. Words have a weight to them, and actions most certainly have consequences, so you should definitely pay attention to what you say in combat! Using words such as fire or super will make you jump in joy at your mighty power… once, you know, your mighty power is as high as your confidence. The game will balance things out by limiting how you combine words based on your Spirit level. The higher your Spirit level, the more slots you’ll have for placing words, and the more powerful and complex the final output can be.
XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION
While the prequel was a clear homage to the excellent Demon’s Crush from Compile on the TurboGrafx-16, XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION takes one step back and pays homage to the excellent Alien Crush, also on NEC and Hudson Soft’s console. As was the case for the 1988 classic, XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION goes for a more sci-fi experience, with a dash of cyberpunk and a lot of respect for the xenomorphs from the Alien franchise
As was the case last time, you’ll be taking on a three-story-tall pinball table, with different challenges and objectives to complete as you play on each layer. You can play this one by choosing one of four different options: Normal Mode, Ex-Mode, Hardcore Mode, and Crisis Mode. Normal Mode offers a table with classic rules, balanced to challenge you without making you feel overwhelmed. Ex-Mode has new rules and bonus sub-tables, giving you access to the full XENOTILT experience. You’ll get to work on rescuing Ex Survivors, and will then be able to spend your hard-earned Survivor Tokens to hire them for a bonus skill. You could hire G. Graxxen, who will increase max turret ammo by 50.
Another option will be choosing the Hardcore Mode experience. If you go with the Hardcore Mode, the game will considerably bump up the challenge, since the difficulty is increased, and you’ll only have a single ball to play, leaving no room for error! As for Crisis Mode, it will send you into a time attack, so you’ll need to stay alive for as long as possible as you collect time medials and crisis targets.
C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield
C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield brings us an interesting roguelike deckbuilder strategy RPG on Nintendo Switch. What does C.A.R.D.S. Once the intro cutscene is over, you’ll be asked to pick between two deck building styles: Unit-Common Deck Building and Individual Unit Deck Building. For the Unit-Common Deck Building option, all units will use he same deck to progress through a level. When in combat, all units can, therefore, use cards from said deck to fight. This allows for a more casual but still deep gameplay experience. As expected, the Individual Unit Deck Building option will give you a chance to assign each unit its own deck. Thanks to this, every unit will have its own cards to fight against its enemies, allowing you to customize its individual loadouts for a more nuanced tactical take.
The initial stage, known as Skyward Wings, will allow you to learn the basics so that you can get a better idea of how C.A.R.D.S. RPG: The Misty Battlefield handles things. The first step will be to deploy one unit with each trait. Choose wisely, so that you can have a fighting chance against the deadly opponents you’re about to face! As a heads-up, powerful units like your Captain or the Swordsman are more than capable of being placed in the front area of the deployment area. More nimble – but just as valuable – units such as an Archer should be placed in the back, so that they’re not in direct danger but can still attack from a safer distance.
Units will have to move over their allocated movement area during their turn while also taking into consideration which cards they have in their deck. That way, you’ll be able to maximize each unit’s full potential. If you go with the Unit-Common Deck Building option, then each unit will have a unique set of cards to choose from for its subsequent actions. This does not mean that some cards can’t repeat between units.
