If you’re trying to relax by the beach while playing a video game, you don’t want to be stressing about how much battery life you have left or how bright your screen is when the sun is beaming down on you.
If you’re looking for something to play on the plane or while traveling, then this list of Switch games to play while traveling should keep you busy and entertained.
These games should avoid any factors which might disrupt your relaxation; for example, we’ll avoid titles like the newly ported Resident Evil games which are dimly lit (and aren’t appropriately themed for relaxation anyway, unless horror is how you wind down).
Professor Layton DS and 3DS
Having embarked on a beach holiday recently, I found my Nintendo 2DS XL had the best form factor and amazing battery life for taking with me to the pool or beach, and as much as I love my Switch, the DS provides a slight edge in size and scores better in the ‘won’t break the bank if broken’ category. So we’re starting this list off with a popular DS puzzle series.
Puzzle games can be stressful, so lucky for you Professor Layton takes a more relaxed approach to puzzles with a lenient hint coin system – where hint coins can be acquired by tapping the environment when traveling from puzzle to puzzle.
This doesn’t by any means make the Layton games easy, as you can choose if and when you need a bit of extra help.
If you’re frugal and vigilant for where hint coins may be hidden, the limited hint coins provided will be more than enough the cushion you if and when you get really stumped, avoiding some possible holiday frustration.
Professor Layton games also pack in a mysterious and interesting narrative, with Unwound Future being a fan favorite for its stimulating and original puzzles, and is arguably the best game in the amazing first trilogy.
Picross S3
Picross S3 might be one of the best additions to the mainline Picross series (discounting Picross 3D and Picross 3D round 2 which opt for a different style altogether).
If you aren’t familiar with Picross, think color-by-numbers meets sudoku – but less about math and more about patterns and strategy.
After completing a puzzle, the player is rewarded with a colored animated image of whatever they just created, and trying to guess what the image is before its revealed is fun, plus that can also alter how you play if you think you know what the final result should look like.
The new Picross color mode puts a twist on the normal black and white picross, as it gives the player less certainty on where one line of colors ends and another begins, versus the regular notion that between each row there must be a cross, as instead different colors can be placed next to each other without spacing.
Picross S3 also features multiplayer which is surprisingly smooth as puzzle games can often be completely altered when an extra player enters the mix. Why not hand a friend a Joy-Con and tackle some of Picross S3’s puzzles together in the sun?
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
If you’re only planning on playing for around three hours then you might be in luck. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the Switch’s most atmospheric titles and definitely a good one to play outdoors in general if you get the chance.
Breath of the Wild also features some beaches, with Lurelin village being the perfect little sea village to roam around, giving you and Link a much-needed break from Lynel and Hinox hunting.
It is good to note that if you aren’t aware, Breath of the Wild does appear quite dark when it’s raining in-game – so you might need to move into the shade or take a break if this limits your vision too harshly.
Even this doesn’t discourage Breath of the Wild from being one of the best games to play while lounging in sun and the in-game rain should only be temporary unless you’re visiting Prince Sidon and friends in the Zora domain – an area full of fish people that’s always raining and therefore always dark.
Super Mario Odyssey
Ideally, a beach themed Mario game would be fitting for this list, and although Super Mario Sunshine springs to mind, you’ll have a hard time setting up a GameCube on the beach.
Super Mario Odyssey still fits the bill, and the latest 3D Mario game has a very vibrant and colorful aesthetic which looks great on the Switch in handheld and docked mode.
Super Mario Odyssey also has a beach world for you to explore named the Seaside Kingdom which should scratch that summertime itch as you run jump and swim through the world.
Danganronpa 2
Danganronpa 2 is the perfect fit for the beach if you’re a PS Vita owner. The students of Hope’s Peak Academy are on a field trip to a resort on Jabberwock Island, a sunny yet mysterious place.
Jabberwock Island is made up of five islands surrounding one central smaller island and serves as the perfect tropical setting for a dark murder mystery tale, where the students are challenged with murdering one of their peers and covering it up.
Making your argument in the trial has a Phoenix Wright vibe, but with far fewer puns and more weird and wonderful plot twists.
Danganronpa is sure to keep things exciting and tense as it varies from the more relaxed tropical vacations and adventures on this list, providing a narrative full of twists and turns.
These Beach Appropriate Pokémon Games
All mainline Pokémon games feature a beach, but some are just beachier than others, with Sun and Moon particularly favoring summertime as a theme.
Taking place in Alola (seemingly a spinoff of Hawaii with fewer islands), Sun and Moon offer a lot of new Pokémon to discover, with many of them having unique designs that are better than some of the underwhelming designs in previous games.
Sun and Moon weren’t for everyone as they did away with the traditional gym battles, instead opting to have trainers face island challenges which feature battles against ‘Kahunas,’ which fulfill a similar position to gym leaders in the previous games.
If you prefer a more traditional Pokémon experience but with improved graphics, more features, and a bit more content, then the Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire remakes might be more your style.
If you only own a Switch then Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are still likely to provide a great experience, just a less summery one.
Either way, you can’t really go wrong with picking up one of these three different options for an RPG fueled trip to the beach.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The latest Donkey Kong Country game sees you defend Donkey Kong Island against some nasty arctic invaders as you travel through DK Island’s warm climate and defeat icy foes as Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Cranky Kong, and Funky Kong.
Tropical Freeze is one of the Switch’s best platformers, originally releasing on the Wii U then making its way over to the Switch.
On Switch, you can play as a character who is new to Tropical Freeze, Funky Kong. Funky Kong acts somewhat as an easy mode, just like how in 2D Mario platformers Peach often offers a more casual experience with her ability to float.
For example, Funky Kong gets many helpful benefits as he can hover on his surfboard, breathe underwater, roll infinitely, and double jump. These are all features that make Funky Kong somewhat of a powerhouse.
These things and more all make Funky Kong a lot easier to play, too easy for some players. But if you want a really laid back experience or maybe you’ve already completed the game as Donkey Kong, then Funky Kong might be worth trying when you’re relaxing by the beach.
Animal Crossing New Leaf
What better way to spend a relaxing day on an actual beach than to visit a virtual Animal Crossing beach or even better, the beloved Tortimer Island?
Take part in some mini-games on the island to earn tokens, which can be spent in the island shop for unique items, or simply fish and catch bugs at your own pace.
Tortimer Island can provide some great catches that are sure to net you a ton of bells at Re-Tail or Nookling Junction – or help you bulk out your museum collection by handing them over to Blathers.
If you aren’t familiar with them, the Animal Crossing games sync to the real date, adjusting what the world looks like and what holidays and events are coming up – and especially in New Leaf, there are plenty of those.
Assuming you’re at the beach in summer, Animal Crossing New Leaf’s Tortimer Island will actually give your character a tan if you stay there long enough in game, which is a cool feature for those with an eye for detail.
There’s never a bad time to dive back into Animal Crossing, especially with still a short while (at least) to wait for Animal Crossing 2019 on Switch, which we hope to hear more about at E3.
If you’re looking for more titles such as those featured on this list, then you should be in luck when Nintendo releases new entries to some series featured.
Published: May 29, 2019 09:28 am