Nintendo Switch games of the year – Pocket Tactics Awards 2024

Our list of the best Switch games of the year highlights each of the Pocket Tactics team’s favorite games that they’ve spent many, many hours with over the past year. It proves that despite being on the cusp of a new console, Nintendo never slows down.

If you’re curious about the best mobile games of the year, we’ve managed to pick out eight of the best. Spoiler alert, it contains absolute bangers full of spooks, husbandos, and Greek gods.

Here are our picks for the best Nintendo Switch games of 2024:

Golden Sun – Ruby’s pick, Editor

There were a lot of great new games this year, but the release I played more than all the rest was Golden Sun on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. There’s a reason the Game Boy Advance game from way back in 2001 earned the Metacritic Must-Play badge and sits at an outstanding score of 91, and it still holds up today.

You take on the role of a young boy who must use powerful weapons and psynergy to save the world from dastardly villains. It sounds like typical RPG happenings on the surface, but I love the way you can use different types of magic to solve puzzles and defeat enemies, and the story is sure to pull you in right from the start.

Sonic X Shadow Generations – Kayleigh’s pick, Deputy Editor

2024 was a solid year for Nintendo Switch releases, with various Mario games, a new Zelda game, and titles such as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (more on that from my colleague), but for me, it truly was the year of Shadow. Sonic X Shadow Generations is everything I wanted and more from a new Sonic game. Not only did it let me roll back the years with a Generations remaster, but it finally gave me a brand new Shadow the Hedgehog campaign.

Shadow is my favorite Sonic character, and I’m a huge advocate of his 2005 game, so being able to go on another adventure with him is nothing short of a joy. The levels are fantastic, the story is enthralling (and equally heartbreaking, poor Maria), and the gameplay is as enjoyable as ever. It fills me with hope for the future of the series; perhaps an entire game dedicated to Shadow is in the pipeline. Or, at the very least, Sonic Team is gearing up to offer us even more experiences with other characters. Big the Cat fishing game when?

Little Kitty, Big City – Tilly’s pick, Guides Editor

As an obsessive mom to a sweet little black kitty, I was sold on Little Kitty, Big City as soon as I caught my first glimpse of it. This delightful little platformer truly feels like a playground full of paw-sibilities, seeing you take control of the titular little kitty in a comparatively big city as you attempt to find your way home.

While it’s simple and not entirely purr-fect, it oozes charm from whisker to tail, inviting you to embrace your inner mischievous feline as you befriend the local critters, collect shinies to exchange for adorable hats, and more. Reminiscent of a laid-back PS2-era platformer, it’s a chill time suitable for all audiences, from kittens to cool cats like us. If you’re not sold yet, be sure to check out our full Little Kitty, Big City review, and head over to our Little Kitty, Big City interview to hear all about the game’s inspirations, challenges, and how my own little kitty might’ve been the mastermind behind it all.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – Connor’s pick, Hardware Editor

I’d been waiting for a Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Switch port since Nintendo’s handheld first arrived in 2017, and this year, the gaming giant finally delivered. It’s everything I hoped it would be, with all the charming dialogue, gripping boss battles, and visual panache of the original, plus a few quality-of-life improvements and a bit of post-game content thrown in for good measure. With that in mind, it’s no wonder I gave the game a 9/10 in my Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door review.

There’s just something about Paper Mario TTYD that stands out from the long list of Mario’s turn-based escapades. It’s a magic that Nintendo hasn’t been able to recapture since, despite its best efforts, and has inspired countless copycats in the years since. If you’re looking for a game to keep your brain busy and your funny bone tickled in 2025, it’s worth spending some time with Paper Mario and his wafer-thin friends.

Mediterranea Inferno – Daz’s pick, Staff Writer

We’re very strict about giving out perfect scores here at Pocket Tactics, but one such game that earned the 10/10 accolade is Mediterranea Inferno. I’ve never felt such visceral emotions from a videogame before, which you can definitely tell if you’ve read our Mediterranea Inferno review. This visual novel game is unlike anything I’ve ever played before and I imagine I won’t play anything like it again until the solo developer, Lorenzo Redaelli, releases a new game.

The story follows three queer Italian men in their early twenties, meeting up again for the first time post-COVID and trying to remember how to be friends again. It’s a twisted narrative full of morally grey characters facing external pressure and insecurities, and attempting to navigate the European queer scene. This game is an absolute must-play, especially for those of us with similar life experiences, as it really forces you to look in the mirror and assess what really matters in your life.

Yakuza Kiwami – Holly’s pick, Staff Writer

2024 fulfilled a wish I’ve had since 2017 – Yakuza on Nintendo Switch. Yakuza Kiwami graced the handheld at long last and lets you dive into Kamurocho as everyone’s favorite protagonist Kiryu wherever you are, and discover all the secrets of the city’s underbelly.

On top of beating up shmucks while wearing a snazzy suit, you can play hours of Pocket Circuit, win (and lose) on UFO claw machines, sing your heart out at karaoke, rescue people in silly side quests down every alley, and of course – square off with Goro Majima any time and any place. For a full list of activities, read my glowing Yakuza Kiwami review here. Rest assured, this is an excellent addition to the Switch’s library, and I implore everyone to sample the series at least once.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
– Verna’s pick, Staff Writer

Even going against the weighty grain of nostalgia, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown might be one of the best games in the franchise. We get to go back to Prince of Persia’s 2D platforming roots with a hugely enjoyable Metroidvania and a brand-new protagonist, with beautiful, colorful scenery, an intriguing narrative, and combat that’s undeniably fun. The Lost Crown has an expansive map with plenty of environmental puzzles that test both the verticality of the game and the new abilities you pick up on your travels.

It plays wonderfully on the Nintendo Switch, the highly stylized visuals make each movement crisp and clear, even if you’re zipping through the air on a charged Athra Surge, and above all, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown just had me coming back for more. It’s a great addition to a well-loved franchise, and it feels like Ubisoft finally gave Prince of Persia the right kind of attention after so many years of mild to moderate disappointment. Check out our Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown review for more of our thoughts.

Wild Bastards – Sam’s pick, Staff Writer

A spiritual successor to 2020’s Void Bastards, the brilliantly titled Wild Bastards doesn’t hold back when it comes to zany action thrills, oddball characters, and eye-popping visuals. Navigating through Wild Bastards’ roguelike FPS game adventure is often laced with scenery straight out of those cursed The Beatles animated movies from back in the day, or what I happen to see when I’ve had too many cans of Monster.

Across the game’s sprawling array of planets, encountering each of the 13 outlaws feels like I’m putting together my own Guardians of the Galaxy, although each member of this ragtag squad probably wants to leave my guts strewn across the deepest depths of the intergalactic frontier. Wild Bastards’ gunfights, enticing risk-reward gameplay, and love for the shooter genre make it an absolute gem that any Nintendo Switch owner needs to own.

That’s it for our picks of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2024! Did your favorite make the list? If not, maybe you’ll find it on our list of the best Nintendo Switch games overall.