The Nintendo Switch has quickly become the talk of the town in video games, with its handy portable feature and its wide selection of games from all different genres. Of course, being a Nintendo console it’s perfect for multiplayer and splitscreen play. Luckily, there’s plenty of options on the system for you and friends. Here are our picks for the very best splitscreen games on Nintendo Switch.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Mario Kart 8
That old staple of multiplayer ecstasy keeps on keeping on, with the definitive splitscreen Switch experience. Whether you’re tackling the Grand Prix or flinging green shells at one another in battle mode, there’s simply no better local multiplayer racing game on the market.
Though an entirely new Mario Kart game would have been appreciated, Mario Kart 8 was a spectacular entry that didn’t get much traction on the Wii U, a console that could be generously described as perpetually stuck in the pit lane. Repackaging it, ironing out the kinks, throwing in a couple of extra characters and items, and including every single DLC right on the cartridge is a blessing; it finally receives the recognition it deserves.
The local multiplayer is versatile and accessible – you don’t even have to buy a second controller to experience it with a friend, though the Joy-Con motion control is obviously not the most desirable option, and probably best reserved for the person who always crashes into walls but has a good laugh anyway.
It’s pretty straightforward: if you own a Switch, and you want a go-to for parties with your pals, Mario Kart 8 is a must-have. And even if you only ever intend on playing by yourself (because mankind is dirty and beneath you, perhaps), it’s still pretty much an automatic purchase. It’s just that damned good.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Rocket League
It can be tough explaining games to the layman, speaking in simple terms that they’ll understand. Fortunately, Rocket League is straightforward: “It’s soccer with cars.” You explain, thrusting the controller into their trembling hands, “Just drive, Nana.”
The frenetic style of a Rocket League match makes for an uproariously good time, with vehicles whizzing all over the place in a madcap attempt at securing the ball. That may seem like an excessive amount of adjectives for one sentence, but this is a game that deserves it, and if you’ve never ventured onto the pitch, do yourself a favor and rectify that ASAP.
Admittedly, the Switch version is not quite as pristine as its contemporaries, but that was to be expected, and the fact that you can play with two people in splitscreen handheld mode (presumably people with very good eyesight) is remarkable. It shines when docked, of course – allowing for four players to jump in at once, with a lot less squinting at the splitscreen, to boot.
Plus, those Mario cars are totes adorbs, and sure to make cross-platform rivals jealous.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Arms
Nintendo’s newest IP on Switch hasn’t quite hit the world with as much force as you’d expect, but Arms is still a fun fighting game with a surprising amount of depth, and one of the few instances where the motion controls feel necessary and intuitive, instead of superfluous.
You could consider it the modern reimagining of Wii Sports’ boxing, if you’d like, but Arms’ tactical undercurrents create a game of chess that punishes players for blindly swinging their fists in a frenzy (plus, they’ll just look plain silly doing it). Which of the custom arms best suits the opponent? What style are you hoping to play; fast and bitey, or hold your ground like a defensive powerhouse? When to grab, and when to block? Just what is Helix’s deal, and why does he make me feel so uncomfortable? These are some of the questions you’ll be asking yourself before you even hit the arena floor, and once you’re in the fray, the back and forth continues.
Arms’ basics are simple enough to grapple with, preventing new players from being overwhelmed. But in the hands of a master (a one-man Army, if you will), the fighting system reveals its complex and fascinating metagame, and quickly becomes quite the compelling game. Get two players together in splitscreen multiplayer, and you’re sure to settle a rivalry or two.
Our personal favorite is Twintelle, because she’s everything we ever aspire to be in life: intelligent, sassy, and with a booty that just won’t quit.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Fire Emblem Warriors
A lot can be happening at once in a single session of Fire Emblem Warriorson Switch. Enemy reinforcements capturing a base here, one of your allies is on the threshold of death over there. Why is Lissa out in a field in the middle of nowhere milling about? DAMMIT CORDELIA STOP FLYING OVER ARCHERS.
If this sounds familiar, then having a comrade on-side to help you shoulder the load can be a huge relief. The Warriors games are a curious mix of complexity – delegating your troops while trying to put out spot fires and tackle sub-missions on the fly – and overwhelming simplicity – press the button and juggle fifty soldiers in the air at one time. As such, it is well suited to a multiplayer splitscreen mode, with one person acting as the bossypants general, roaring out commands, while the other plays the enviable role of blunt object.
The framerate holds up surprisingly well in splitscreen on Switch, so long as you adjust the visual settings from ‘quality’ to ‘performance’ beforehand. There are fewer onscreen enemies as a trade-off, but considering the purpose of most of those enemies is to pose zero threat whatsoever, it’s not a great loss. As always, Frederick remains the superior choice of character for any situation. So mighty is he, even running causes damage to foes foolish enough to cross his path. Oh Frederick… He’s so strong, and stoic, and with a booty that just won’t quit.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Resident Evil Revelations 2
Because fending off hordes of the undead is just that much more fun with a friend.
Though ultimately outclassed by its predecessor, Revelations 2 does have a splitscreen co-op campaign to its name, and it is rather hilarious when it begins to dawn on you what that entails. Gun-toting badasses Claire Redfield and Barry Burton may both be present as playable characters, but they appear at alternating times. This leaves player 2 relegated to the far less appealing support characters of Moira and Natalia, who are adept with a crowbar and mystical powers of perception, respectively. This is all well and good until zombies get on the scene, at which point they are best served fleeing for dear life.
This queer power play may lead to moments of great tension and exasperation if you happen to be the lesser member of the duo, but it can be absolutely side-splitting if you’re one of the lead characters actually capable of fending for themselves. Sucks to be you, little psychic girl.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Minecraft
It’s Minecraft. It’s Yourcraft. It’s Lovecraft, if you’re creative enough. The sprawling sandbox and limitless potential of this game have led to it becoming a cultural phenomenon, and it has found the perfect home on the Nintendo Switch. A portable paradise in your pocket, it’s the ideal opportunity to show off your inner genius by constructing elaborate buildings and fantastical items that would make the commoners gasp in awe.
So why not get yourself a commoner to revel in your glory? Like its other console brethren, Minecraft merrily supports local splitscreen multiplayer, giving you a chance to have some wholesome family time with the little ones. Dazzle them as you cobble together a patchwork house made of sand, furnished with a few dancing flowers and a bemused pig roaming the halls. Lament as they then surpass your efforts, recreating a perfect replica of the Eiffel Tower, complete with working elevators and French buskers dotting the base.
This is when you pluck the Switch from its dock and fling it across the room in a furious rage. Isn’t gaming fun?
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Lego City Undercover
At last, a Switch game that fits the criteria not only of open world splitscreen multiplayer, but that long-standing demand for a Grand Theft Auto clone that is accessible to all ages. Add some Lego, swap out some hookers, and you’ve got this curious little project here.
Lego City Undercover is another Switch port from the frowny face library of the Wii U, and it is filled with fun content and secrets to discover. Playing the role of Chase McCain, Lego City’s finest police officer, kids of all ages will love wall jumping and swinging across poles in search of the next clue.
Though the Wii U original was devoid of a multiplayer mode, a staple in Lego titles, this shortcoming was thankfully rectified in the port on Nintendo Switch. Teamwork makes the dream work, as they say.
Best Splitscreen Switch Games
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last month or so, Marvel has been a hot topic, particularly now that the latest Avengers movie has shocked the world by [Infinity War spoiler] and [Infinity War spoiler] and even [Murder, She Wrote spoiler].
So if Chase McCain didn’t pique your interest (why wouldn’t he, though? He’s dreamy), perchance the robust roster of Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 might? It’s your standard Lego game fare, and doesn’t deviate particularly from the same formula it’s been trotting out for years, but you know what? It works. It’s just as much of a hoot as ever taking the reigns of Captain America, Black Panther and their various superbuddies and tackling each new obstacle alongside your teammate.
Alas, Wolverine and his X-Men cronies are painfully absent, but you can create reasonable facsimiles of them with the robust custom character creator. If you’re feeling particularly saucy, you can even pull off a passable Howard the Duck! Now there’s a real hero.
There are just a few of the best splitscreen games on Nintendo Switch, so make sure to grab a friend and buckle up. If there are any other splitscreen Switch games you think deserve a shoutout, comment down below with them.
Published: May 8, 2018 01:59 pm