The Switch has had a breakout year in its debut. While its library is still relatively small, there’s still plenty to catch up on for those who will find Nintendo’s newest device under the tree this year. CGMagazine’s Kenneth Shepard makes your Holiday shopping easier with some suggestions that are sure to please anyone on your list, even if that someone is you.
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odyssey puts a spin on Mario’s usual antics by taking him out of the Mushroom Kingdom and into several different worlds with different themes and challenges. Guided by his sentient hat Cappy, Mario is off to rescue Peach as he chases Bowser on a worldwide scale.
Why They’ll Love It: Odyssey’s puzzle-centric design makes it both a new direction for the platformer series and a good fit for the Switch’s portable capabilities. It encourages experimentation and gives you a break between each trial and error, which makes it easy to pick up and play, and with the Switch that’s easier than ever.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
In the biggest and most expansive version of Hyrule to date, Link finds himself awoken a century after a catastrophe destroyed the home he once protected.
Why They’ll Love It: Right out the gate, Breath of the Wild was a showcase in what the Switch was capable of. A handheld that didn’t have to compromise its vision to create memorable, console-quality experiences that players could take on the go. Breath of the Wild brings an engaging, expressive open world to handhelds with a polish that is a testament to Nintendo’s craftsmanship.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Bethesda’s expansive RPG has been given new life several times since it launched originally in 2011. With its latest port to the Switch, Bethesda has given fans a brand new way to play that can only be found with the portability of Nintendo’s console.
Why They’ll Love It: Odds are, most people have played Skyrim to some extent as part of its various re-releases in the past six years, but playing the game on Switch opens up an accessibility that might have been lost to whoever you’re buying for initially. Playing Skyrim on the go makes it easier to grind away at the game’s seemingly endless content flow.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe brings all of the original game’s content to one convenient cartridge, along with brand new racers, modes, and features to give people who never played the original a reason to double dip.
Why They’ll Love It: Because of the portable nature of the Switch, local multiplayer is hard to come by without needing more than one console. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the games that circumvents this by letting players use the two Joy-Cons as two separate controllers, letting two people play on one system. Plus with all the additional content not seen on the Wii U version of the game, this is the definitive place to play Mario Kart 8.
Splatoon 2
A kid-friendly shooter with mechanics based around area control and paint, Splatoon 2 is perfect for the online shooter fan who’s unwrapping a Switch this holiday season.
Why They’ll Love It: When it comes to online multiplayer games, you can’t do much better on the Switch than Splatoon 2. While it may not be built for local play, Splatoon 2 has more content than the original that can keep the online-centric player on your list happy.
Still unsure about what to get that special someone this Holiday season? For more suggestions, check out the CGMagazine Buyers Guide – Best of 2017 Edition, available for pre-order now, in print and digital formats. Get yours here.
EDITORS NOTE: Retail versions of these games were provided to CGMagazine by the publisher for the purposes of review. You can find additional information about CGMagazine’s ethics and review policies and procedures here.
Liked this article and want to read more like it? Check out more of Kenneth Shepard’s reviews, such as Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Episode 2, and find out why Kenneth thinks Danganronpa V3’s ending makes a polarizing case for letting the series go!
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