Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

Celeste

Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

Celeste is one of the finest platformers to release in recent years, and certainly one of the best games to come out on the Switch in this early part of 2018. It’s is a brutal but rewarding platformer that challenges players to think three steps in timing their jumps and dashes, and it also manages to tell a compelling narrative along the way, too.

Be warned, though, you’re going to die a lot throughout the campaign. Luckily, Celeste has an instant respawn system that has you straight back in the action immediately, and that makes it one of those gaming experiences that’ll have you caught in a “one more try” spiral over and over again.

The platforming is very satisfying and no death feels frustratingly cheap. On the contrary, it’s a skill-based platformer in which every section feels doable as long as you’ve got the talent to pull it off.

Celeste’s 10-hour campaign features a surprisingly engaging story that touches on tough themes like depression and anxiety, woven cleverly into the dynamic between each character. After you’re done, you can get tackle the b-side levels, which are even tougher. There are plenty of collectables for the completionists out there too.

Owlboy

Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

Owlboy is similar to Celeste in a lot of ways; it’s a pixelated platformer that embraces verticle level design. It’s also really, really good. One of the indie darlings of 2016/2017, Owlboy made its way over to Switch earlier this year.

Unlike Celeste, Owlboy’s Otus is more capable of mixing it up in combat, so gameplay isn’t just about platforming. Otus will recruit allies during his adventure that will assist him in combat in different ways, utilizing different weapons and techniques.

In terms of story, just like Celeste, there’s a narrative here that’s much deeper than at first glance when you read in between the lines.

The Switch has become a haven for indie platformers, and anyone that’s a fan of classic 2D Nintendo games like Kid Icarus should definitely give Owlboy a look.

Bayonetta 1 & 2

Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

The Switch really has benefitted from some great ports to get them through this first quarter, and Bayonetta is another example of that.

Not much needs to be said about one of the classic action games from the previous generation. In preparation for Bayonetta 3, both Bayonetta 1 and 2, were released for the Switch back in February of 2018.

Both games are all about mixing it up with demons – either blowing them to smithereens with guns or just by kicking them right in their evil face in the most flashy, sexual, and over the top way as possible. You can equip a number of absurd weapons, all at once, and just have a blast tearing up swaths of baddies.

If you’re looking for something with a little bit more AAA flavor than the rest of the games on this list, you can’t go too wrong with the Bayonetta Switch combo pack.

Night in the Woods

Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

Another mega-hit indie came to Switch in this first quarter, Night in the Woods was actually our indie game of the year last year. It’s a terrific story-driven adventure game that follows a Mae, an anamorphic Cat, as she unravels a mystery that reveals some pretty dark stuff about her home town.

Saying anymore about the story would ruin all of the fun of the game, but if you want to get a little more detail without spoiling much, check out our review from last year. Its story and characters are superbly written, and after completion, you’ll willingly throw yourself down the rabbit hole, reading up on fan theories and takes on the plot.

Darkest Dungeon

Top 5 Best Switch Games of Q1 2018

And here we arrive at yet another quality indie Switch port; Darkest Dungeon is a turn-based RPG for the strategy buffs out there. You’ll need to micromanage a group of up to 25 members (with up to 15 character classes) through a series of treacherous areas and dungeons.

In addition to bringing the right party composition, members can be afflicted with stress and/or revolve, affecting their ability to be successful in combat. You’ll need to make sure you’re spreading the work around and not relying on someone so much that you break them down physically and mentally. Each character needs to be kept fed, healthy, and their morale in good spirits, your party is sure to fall apart facing the nightmare ahead.

If you’re looking for a deep and challenging strategy RPG that’s dripping with a tense and frightening atmosphere, Darkest Dungeon is a fine choice.