It’s hard to find a console that’s seen a better launch than the Nintendo Switch 2.
There has been plenty of great first-party support, headlined by Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. Beyond that though, the Switch 2 has had an equally impressive third-party lineup, which is why we’re here today.
Still, the supply of Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive games is admittedly limited despite its high quality. Thankfully, not only has Nintendo ensured backward compatibility with the original Switch lineup, but we’ve also seen third-party games receive the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade treatment. This comes in all shapes and sizes, ranging from improved graphics, frame rate, load times, and mouse controls via the Switch 2’s Joy-Cons.
That’s why, for the purpose of our list, we’re only including third-party games that either have dedicated Switch 2 releases or received Switch 2 upgrades. After all, you just bought a Nintendo Switch 2, so we want to highlight games that are made for your brand new Switch 2!
With the holiday season on the horizon and people looking to justify their Switch 2 purchases, it’s a good time to dive in and review the ten best third-party games available for the Nintendo Switch 2.
10 Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster
A Traditional JRPG Experience
Despite not being as high on Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster as others, I still enjoyed my time with it. Bravely Default remains an underrated and underappreciated JRPG that, while not always aging well today, proves that these traditional, old-school Final Fantasy games still have a place in the marketplace.
Of course, it helps when a game like Expedition 33 comes along and proves that people still enjoy turn-based combat, compared to the real-time action seen in Final Fantasy XVI, but my point still stands.
Square Enix honestly had their work cut out for them, as Bravely Default is a DS game remade and remastered for the Nintendo Switch 2. For that alone, they deserve all the praise in the world.
With a new generation experiencing Bravely Default, as well as the success of Octopath Traveler, I hope that Square Enix gives these old-school JRPGs some more love moving forward. A console like Nintendo Switch 2 is in a prime position to take advantage of it. It’s my favorite way to play these types of games, a fact that was only reinforced while playing through the Flying Fairy HD Remaster.
9 Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut
Kiryu And Majima Available On The Go
For now, the only way to play the best version of Yakuza 0 is to play it on Nintendo Switch 2.
The prequel to the now widely popular Yakuza series, which ironically serves as the recommended starting point for newcomers to the franchise, feels like a once-in-a-lifetime video game. For the Yakuza franchise, it was Tuesday.
Yakuza 0 strikes a delicate balance between hard-hitting, serious moments alongside some of the most off-the-wall and hilarious humor you’ll ever see in a video game. One minute you’re dealing with important plot development that fleshes out either Kazuma Kiryu’s or Goro Majima’s character, backed by great writing and strong performances from its voice cast, and then the next you’re winning a chicken from a game of bowling that can manage your real estate empire.
The Director’s Cut features new cutscenes, an improved frame rate and resolution, English voiceovers, and very welcome quality of life improvements that make this the best way to play Yakuza 0.
8 Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
An Iconic Classic Finally Remade
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
-
- Released
- September 30, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Fantasy Violence, Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Language, Drug Reference
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- PC Release Date
- September 30, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- September 30, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- September 30, 2025
- Nintendo Switch Release Date
- September 30, 2025
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- September 30, 2025
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is arguably a perfect remaster of a nearly perfect game.
It nails the look and feel of the original, gives it some very welcome upgrades, and deserves a seat at the table among the year’s best.
In terms of new content, Ivalice Chronicles admittedly doesn’t offer much here. However, the quality of life improvements make this, like the Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, the preferred way to play. Our reviewer attempted to revisit the original PlayStation 1 release but couldn’t; the remake had spoiled them.
As for the game itself, Final Fantasy Tactics is a masterpiece, combining its tactical strategy gameplay, challenging encounters, and an incredible story that isn’t afraid to tackle serious, hard-hitting themes that still have plenty of relevance today.
7 Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition
Fight On Like It’s 1991
-
- Released
- June 2, 2023
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Engine
- RE Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, & Xbox Series X|S
- PC Release Date
- June 2, 2023
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- June 2, 2023
- PS5 Release Date
- June 2, 2023
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- Metascore
- 92
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS4, PS5, & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
2023’s Street Fighter 6 marked a return to form for the series after the disappointment that was Street Fighter 5. Of course, that’s what happens when, at the end of the day, your game works out of the gate, and you fill it with enough content that fans will be busy for the foreseeable future.
The Years 1-2 Fighters Edition comes included with the game’s post-launch content, releasing alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 itself. Capcom didn’t phone in the Switch 2 port either; the same enjoyable experience we know and love is here, introducing a brand-new audience to a great entry in the legendary fighting game franchise.
Was it disappointing to see Street Fighter 6 launch two years after its debut on a Nintendo console? Sure, but then again, you know what they say: good things come to those who wait. Rather than release a poor, shoddy port on the original Switch, Capcom takes full advantage of the Switch 2 hardware to give Nintendo fans the fighting game they deserve.
There’s even a worthwhile single-player campaign, too!
6 Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
One Of Gaming’s Greatest Comeback Stories
-
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps, xbox, pc
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Cyberpunk
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- PC Release Date
- December 10, 2020
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 15, 2022
- PS5 Release Date
- February 15, 2022
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- Metascore
- 75
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Five years ago, Cyberpunk 2077 barely worked on any platform. Now it’s showing third-party developers how it’s done on Nintendo Switch 2.
The Ultimate Edition includes everything you’d need to catch up on what everyone’s been playing over the past few years, or fall in love with Cyberpunk all over again. The base game, Phantom Liberty expansion, and every update are all here and accounted for.
There’s still the elephant in the room when it comes to the Switch 2’s hardware falling behind its PS5, Xbox Series, and PC competitors. That doesn’t stop Cyberpunk 2077 from delivering a full-fledged, no-shortcuts-taken, authentic version of Night City that everyone has had the joy of experiencing over the years.
For far too long, Nintendo fans have been missing out on incredible third-party games; it’s something that’s been an issue ever since the days of the Nintendo Wii. CD Projekt RED proves that doesn’t have to be the case anymore. Not only can you deliver an incredible, no-compromises experience on Nintendo Switch 2, but people will come and buy it.
5 Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
Another Solid Remake For The Switch 2
Let’s not beat around the bush here: there are quite a few re-releases and remakes that make up the Switch 2’s third-party lineup. Heck, if you include games like Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, alongside the Switch 2 enhancements we’ve seen, then the same can be true for its first-party lineup as well.
That’s not to say this is a bad thing, especially when the remakes are as good as Ivalice Chronicles and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.
The heart and soul of Trails in the Sky is still on full display here, but it no longer has to do the heavy lifting of carrying the game by itself. Thanks to beautiful graphics and presentation, along with a fantastic mix of turn-based and real-time action, we can safely say that Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a quintessential JRPG.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more well-rounded game; here’s hoping 1st Chapter’s success can give the Trails in the Sky IP more mainstream success, as well as open the door for more remakes down the road.
4 Deltarune
A Worthy Successor To Undertale
You know a game’s good when it’s not even fully out yet and ranks among the best games of the year. Then again, did we expect anything different from Toby Fox’s follow-up to Undertale?
On the surface, there are a lot of similarities between Deltarune and Undertale. Both utilize the same art style, both utilize the same combat (turn-based combined with bullet hell), and both stress the importance of interacting in and exploring its overworld.
In reality, Deltatune feels like a far more fleshed-out experience compared to Undertale. That’s not to sell Undertale short; it’s an incredible game that everyone should experience. Deltarune just has so much to discover, so many ideas it wants to explore, and so much it wants to say. It’s been agonizing waiting for the chapters to release over the years, but it’s always been worth the wait.
At the time of writing, Chapter 5 is set to release in the second half of 2026, and you better believe that we’ll be there with bells on.
3 Split Fiction
Co-Op Goodness
As much as I loved my Nintendo Switch, there’s no denying it was frustrating to miss out on some great multiplatform games from talented third-party developers. One of those was It Takes Two, the award-winning co-op-centric platformer from Hazelight Studios.
Thankfully, its sequel, Split Fiction, did make its way to the Nintendo Switch 2, which means it’s finally time for the House of Mario to get in on this co-op goodness.
While it lacks some of the magic that made It Takes Two so special, Split Fiction does an excellent job of blending genres and locales into one cohesive package. Seamlessly transitioning between its sci-fi and fantasy settings never gets old, and the constant introduction of new mechanics and ideas feels very Nintendo-esque, especially since Split Fiction can pull this feat off well.
Hazlelight is no longer an underdog studio that’s delivering sleeper hits. Instead, we expect big things from them, and Split Fiction delivers.
2 Hollow Knight: Silksong
Well Worth The Wait
I don’t know how Team Cherry did it, but Hollow Knight: Silksong lives up to the hype.
This is a massive achievement that, despite all the frustration, delays, and radio silence during its development cycle, delivers on all fronts. I mean, it’s more Hollow Knight, and that’s always a good thing, right?
Sure, people complained about Silksong being a little harder than anticipated, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. We all had plenty of time to hone our Metroidvania and Soulslike skills, provided we weren’t busy making clown suit memes on the internet.
At the end of the day, Silksong is a celebration of what makes Hollow Knight so great, taking a well-deserved victory lap by pushing not just the genre forward, but also asking more from its players. Defeating each boss, discovering every secret, and finishing this game is an incredibly rewarding accomplishment.
1 Hades 2
A Perfect Sequel
Everything I just said about Hollow Knight: Silksong also applies to Hades 2.
Supergiant Games had already proved itself as one of the best developers in the indie space. With Hades 2, they’ve established that they’re one of the best developers in the industry, period.
This is a case where bigger is indeed sometimes better. The original Hades was one of 2020’s best games. The sequel makes it look like it’s still in Early Access. Hades 2 delivers more of everything: more world-building, more characters, more enemies, more everything.
Best of all, everything is polished to an immaculate shine, refusing to fall beneath the weight of its ambition. As someone who played most of his Hades adventure on the Nintendo Switch, seeing the sequel look better than ever on Switch 2 is a dream come true. One of the best indie games of all time has its worthy successor in Hades 2.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
