Gaming News Nintendo Switch: 15 games to give as gifts this Christmas to everyone (and even the kids!)
The Christmas holidays are just around the corner and your loved ones, owners of a Nintendo Switch, are video game fans? Here is a list of 15 games offered at the end of the year, for adults but also for children!
Zelda Tears of the Kingdom: the best Nintendo Switch game of the year
Of course, if there was only one Nintendo Switch game on sale this year it would be: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. In the competition for Game of the Year, this sequel to Breath of the Wild ultimately lost to Baldur’s Gate 3. At the Game Awards, it was able to console itself with the trophy for the best action/D-game adventure of the year. Tears of the Kingdom offers crazy freedom, incredible attention to detail and tons of things to do. Definitely one of the games to give as a gift for Christmas.
Buy Zelda Tears of the Kingdom on Amazon
An FPS monument with Metroid Prime Remastered
While it’s undeniable that Nintendo allocates a significant budget to remasters and remakes of its old games, we can’t blame them for moving too quickly. This is proven by the quality of Metroid Prime: Remastered, released earlier this year. This remastered version brings one of the greatest games in history up to date 20 years later. Metroid Prime is the representation of Nintendo’s masterpiece. Already innovating with the Metroid series (which gave its name to a subgenre of video games), Big N showed its creativity by moving its 2D license to 3D and opting for a first-person FPS view. A more than successful bet that we can discover today with Metroid Prime Remastered.
Fire Emblem Three Houses: one of the references of the genre on Switch
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is probably the best game in the saga developed by Intelligent Systems. In a turn-based game, you advance multiple units (like in chess) around a grid-like arena. This episode, like the previous ones, shines in its tactical aspect, but stands out in its management aspect. As a teacher, the player also has to manage his schedule at the academy. Courses for students, additional activities and side missions… Colossal content multiplied by the different scenarios that the game offers depending on your choices. The benchmark of the genre on the Nintendo Switch.
Buy Fire Emblem: Three Houses for Nintendo Switch at Micromania
Octopath Traveler 2: one of the best JRPGs of 2023
Octopath Traveler 2 is also a turn-based game, but is very different from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. In a pixel aesthetic reminiscent of games from the 90s, but in high definition, Octopath Traveler 2 offers an excellent adventure. It is not necessary to have played the first game to follow the stories (not so independent) of the eight characters in the game. Every plot is fascinating, the combat and customization system shines with its depth, and the art direction is breathtaking.
- Also available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.
Pre-order Octopath Traveler II for Nintendo Switch on Amazon
Bayonetta 3: The Queen of Battle on Nintendo Switch
Bayonetta 3 is, in fact, the game that can appeal to those who are unfamiliar with Beat’em Up, a game genre in which the player has to fend off waves of enemies using only the strength of his arms. The third installment of Bayonetta is probably the best representative of the genre on the Nintendo Switch. Various collisions come into question; an ambitious scenario; but above all, gameplay that is still as fluid and entertaining as ever, which will certainly appeal to action fans.
Super Mario Odyssey: the essence of Nintendo
In keeping with the excellent games presented above, Super Mario Odyssey also has its place under the tree. Long before Super Mario Bros. Wonder, this 3D episode symbolizes Nintendo’s creativity with constantly renewed gameplay: Mario, equipped with his Cappy hat, can imitate the abilities of the person he threw it at. He will then use this talent in situations that are as varied as they are different. A fun and addictive way to play that makes Odyssey one of the best games in the series and on the Nintendo Switch as a whole!
Monster Hunter Rise: the gateway to the license
Monster Hunter Rise was chosen to represent the game with a mix of action and role-playing. This new installment of Monster Hunter is perfect for anyone who wants to get into the saga before Monster Hunter Wilds, which promises to renew the genre. The reason for this is less challenging challenge, increasingly colossal customization and gameplay that still stands the test of time.
- Also available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.
Buy Monster Hunter Rise for Nintendo Switch on Amazon
Divinity Original Sin 2: Before Baldur’s Gate 3
Divinity: Original Sin 2 can serve players who want an experience close to Baldur’s Gate 3. It is probably this game that is most similar to the one chosen as title of the year 2023, and for good reason: it is the same development studio and the same type of games. Divinity: Original Sin 2 only differs from BG 3 in a few marginal features. DOS 2 is the perfect game to immerse yourself in Larian Studio’s expertise.
- Also available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.
Our comparison of the Switch and PC versions of Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition
Ghost Trick: Investigate your own death
Ghost Trick: Ghost Detective, a Nintendo DS classic, returned to Nintendo Switch this year. A title aimed at investigation fans as the player must investigate his own death. A strange adventure for players far away from adrenaline-filled games. For those curious who are unfamiliar with the genre, don’t panic: the levels only offer one solution per level and you simply have to start over to find the answer.
- Also available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.
Ring Fit: exercise with video games!
To combine business with pleasure when it comes to video games, Ring Fit is the perfect title for you! With its accessories, Ring Fit offers a motivating sporting challenge in a colorful hero fantasy universe. Multiple exercises and mini-games engage 99% of the body, create a dream body by designing personal training sessions and take care of your health. Under the Christmas tree, Ring Fit can be the perfect opportunity to make good resolutions…but after the holidays, of course!
Buy Ring Fit Adventure for Nintendo Switch on Amazon
But we can also imagine the following:
- Metroid Dread –
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze –
- Luigi’s Villa 3 –
- Nintendo Switch Sport
See Nintendo Switch OLED on Amazon
What is there to offer for children?
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: Nintendo’s best-selling game, timeless
It is impossible not to mention Mario Kart 8 Deluxe when it comes to making a gift under the Christmas tree, especially for children. The racing game is Nintendo’s best-selling game and continues to sell in droves (57 million units!!) six years after its release. In question is the very comprehensive content with 48 races (plus 48 more with the additional package), local multiplayer mode and accessibility for the whole family thanks to the automatic driving mode. A must have for everyone on the console!
Buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Amazon
Super Mario Bros. Wonder – The best in the series in almost fifteen years
The same goes for Super Mario Bros. Miracle: it’s impossible not to mention the winner of the Family Game of the Year award at the Game Awards 2023. It can be enjoyed alone or with others, is for adults and children, and is simply the best episode of the series in 14 years. Enough to rediscover the 2D platform game in an excellent way with a more than addictive title!
Buy Super Mario Bros. Wonder on Nintendo Switch at Amazon
Link’s Awakening: The ultimate accessible Zelda
If the latest Zelda games may not be recommended for children under twelve, there are other solutions to help them appreciate the license. Originally released in 1993, Link’s Awakening has been updated with a cutesy aesthetic. It’s probably the most accessible Zelda experience on Nintendo Switch and can rightly be criticized for its low overall difficulty. A great gift for Christmas!
Kirby and the Forgotten World: the open world for children
Kirby is the ultimate license to offer to children. The first episode was released in 1992 and was developed by Nintendo as a response to arcade games. Masahiro Sakurai wanted to create something simpler and so the first Kirby was created. It remained the license’s best-selling game for 30 years… before being dethroned by Kirby and the Forgotten World. It is possible to convert the test into three dimensions. It also offers varied and fast-paced gameplay that may lack challenge: perfect for anyone entering the world of video games.
Pre-order Kirby and the Forgotten World on Amazon
Pokémon Scarlet/Purple: the open-world Pokémon style
We conclude this sufficiently long list of recommendations as logically as we began. Obviously, Pokémon, with its colorful world and series-specific philosophy, is the ideal saga for children. If we had to choose one for Nintendo Switch, it would be logical that we should prefer Pokémon Scarlet / Purple. The open world offered by Game Freak is not lacking in technical flaws, but it manages to freshen up its formula with gameplay that is still just as fun. And if completing the Paldéa Pokédex isn’t enough to satisfy the player’s thirst for adventure, there’s always the DLC that adds another ten hours to the journey.
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