Even when the system launched, the Nintendo Switch was clearly the weakest console of the generation. While the best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games were pushing graphics to the limit, Nintendo was more focused on delivering fun experiences you could play on your TV or in handheld mode. Despite its lack of raw power, which the Switch 2 addresses to some degree, it hasn’t stopped the system from delivering amazing open-world games with vast landscapes to explore. Sure, they may not have the best graphics, but the simple fact that such massive experiences are playable on the Switch makes them technical marvels. These aren’t watered-down experiences where it counts, which is the fun factor, so let’s list off the best open-world games for the Switch you should be playing.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
94%
4.5/5
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 3
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
May 12, 2023
Where else could we start than with the sequel to the game that reinvented what open-world games could be after years of stagnation? Breath of the Wild was, if you’ll excuse the pun, a breath of fresh air in how it encouraged natural exploration and rewarded the player’s creativity. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doubles down on that design ethos, but more than doubles the size of Hyrule. In addition to dozens of smaller sky islands to explore, there’s an entire underground world that is far more deadly than the overworld. If that wasn’t enough, the ability to design and build nearly any mechanical object you could think of with the new powers opened the game up to amazing, hilarious, and inspiring creations. Of all the worlds we’ve explored, this is one we still find ourselves wanting to return to.
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Pokémon Scarlet
72%
3.5/5
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure
Developer
Game Freak
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
November 18, 2022
We first got a taste of what an open-world Pokémon game could be with Legends: Arceus, but that felt more like a test run for Scarlet and Violet. We would be remiss to not mention that this game does not run well. Frame rates chug and textures are poor. There’s no excuse for those faults, but we can’t say that we still didn’t love our time adventuring around and encountering Pokémon in the field. Seeing all the new and iconic monsters roaming around like real creatures has been a dream of all Pokémon fans for years, and this game finally brings it to life. There isn’t as much interactivity to be found here as some other games, but there are plenty of biomes to explore and the sense of adventure has never been greater. The DLCs also add new areas to test your skills in.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition
98%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks, Xbox Game Studios
Release
November 11, 2021
When the Switch was originally shown off, Skyrim was the “big” third-party game revealed for it. Sure, this is technically an Xbox 360 and PS3 game, but it holds up as one of the most influential open-world games ever made. The fact that the entire region of Skyrim can be taken on the go was novel at first but felt so right once we actually got our hands on it. There is a main quest here involving dragons and ancient powers, but so much of what makes Skyrim great is found off the main path. You can join the thieves guild and work your way up the ranks, explore the various caves and dungeons, or learn crafting to build and sell armor and weapons. The world is as deep as it is vast, making it well worth revisiting on the Switch even if you’ve played it elsewhere.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
94%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
CD Projekt RED
Publisher
WB Games, cdp.pl, Spike Chunsoft, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
May 19, 2015
Alongside Skyrim, The Witcher 3 was a title that raised the bar for open-world games at the time of its release. It doesn’t try to do a bit of everything like Skyrim, but is a much deeper and narrative-driven experience. The main story is lengthy and filled with complex characters in a world that feels incredibly real despite the existence of magic and monsters. Even the side quests, of which there are hundreds of hours worth, deliver compelling stories with questions that challenge your morals with tough questions that don’t have clean answers. Plus, you could even argue that buying the game just to play the card game Gwent is worth it. It might look a little crunchy on the Switch, but the world of The Witcher 3 is still one of a kind.
Minecraft
81%
Platforms
Amazon Fire TV, PlayStation 4, Windows Phone, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Simulator, Adventure
Developer
Mojang Studios
Publisher
Mojang Studios
Release
December 19, 2016
It almost feels like cheating to put Minecraft on this list, but no one can deny that the open-world nature of the game is part of what makes its popularity so enduring. The blocky art style means the Switch isn’t losing out when it comes to visuals compared to other platforms, and in fact has a leg-up over most since you can take your experience on the go. Unlike other open-world games, each time you start a new world in Minecraft it is randomly generated to keep that sense of exploration and discovery feeling new. Or, you can settle on a world and completely reshape it to be whatever you want. It is the ultimate sandbox experience that makes its world the canvas for your creativity.
No Man's Sky: Nintendo Switch Edition
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Adventure, Indie
Developer
Hello Games
Publisher
Hello Games
Release
October 07, 2022
Why settle for an open-world game when you can have an entire universe to explore? The story of No Man’s Sky‘s redemption is well documented at this point so there’s little need to even talk about the poor state the game launched in when it has more than lived up to its initial promise in the years since. Today, No Man’s Sky is a game that allows you to live out all your most ambitious sci-fi dreams. You can cruise around looking for planets to explore, build bases, go on quests, and so much more. Somehow, the game continues to get bigger and bigger as its developer continues to support the game to this day with massive (free) expansions that have kept its community happy and thriving.
Red Dead Redemption
62%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Double Eleven
Publisher
Rockstar Games
Release
August 17, 2023
If sci-fi isn’t your thing, why not go to the Old West? We would say that Red Dead Redemption 2 is technically the better open-world Western game, but Switch owners only have access to the first. Still, that isn’t a huge compromise because Red Dead Redemption is still a phenomenal game on the level of any other Rockstar game. You have a wide swath of land to explore in early 1900s America and Mexico filled with bandits, towns, wildlife, and a cast of characters you will grow to love over the long tale. Some people may be sad that GTA 5 never came to Switch, but Red Dead Redemption shouldn’t be overlooked just because it doesn’t have cars and machine guns. This is a game that really pulls you into its world and lets you enjoy every detail.
