By now, you've likely made a decision about whether or not a Nintendo Switch purchase is in your immediate future. On one hand, you'll enjoy nearly a year's worth of titles if you pull the trigger during the holiday season. On the other hand, that's a really long way off.
Diehard gamers, Nintendo fanboys, and early adopters quickly pounced on the first wave of pre-order units. Yes, much like the notoriously difficult to find NES Classic Edition, Nintendo has yet another product released in limited quantities, frustrating fans and pleasing shady resellers. Fortunately, Nintendo Switch software is not at all difficult to come by, with the launch games available for pre-order from several major online retailers, including Amazon and Walmart.
Nintendo and its third-party partners have a varied mix of titles available at launch, so you won't suffer an extended drought as you await Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, NBA 2K18, Sonic Mania, Splatoon 2, and other 2017 releases. In all, more than a dozen indie and major titles will be ready for the Nintendo Switch's March 3 retail debut. Still, Nintendo has a handful of essential games that you should play, as they demonstrate the hybrid console/portable's potential in numerous ways.
Although the following games are my recommended launch day titles, please note that more titles are set to drop in March, such as Farming Simulator and Has-Been Heroes. In addition, the Nintendo Switch is a region-free device, so you may be able to pick up overseas titles before they hit American shelves, thus expanding the launch window library. Provided that the games have an English language option or you speak the appropriate foreign tongue, that is.
But now's the time to focus on the big day. These are the five most interesting Nintendo Switch launch games that you should buy.
1-2-Switch
$49.99
Sure, 1-2-Switch has all the markings of a Wii Sports-like pack-in game that showcases the new controller tech, but don't let its exclusion from the Switch package cause you to overlook a good time with the homies. Nintendo knows local, multiplayer fun, and 1-2-Switch looks very much like an enjoyable launch day party game. In fact, several mini-games, including the cow-milking, gun-slinging, and dance-based contests, boast face-to-face play that encourages you to directly engage other players instead of staring at the Switch's screen. We can use some more humanity in our interactive entertainment, yeah?
Just Dance 2017
$59.99
A Just Dance game is damn near guaranteed for any modern video game console, so it should be no surprise that one is headed to the Nintendo Switch. This newest entry in the rhythm game series boasts five game modes and more than 40 hot tracks, including Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Hatsune Miku's "PoPiPo," and Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now." Your purchase also comes with a free, three-month subscription to Just Dance Unlimited, a streaming service that expands the game's music catalog.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
$59.99
With Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda makes the leap into the open-world gameplay structure that has framed big-budget games the last two console generations. In it, you control an amnesiac Link who is set on a collision course with the vile Calamity Ganon after a mysterious voice awakes the hero from a century-long sleep. As you explore the massive Hyrule kingdom, you'll discover weapons, battle hulking monsters, and scale mountains as you tackle missions in any order that you like.
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
$24.99
Platforming excellence comes to the Nintendo Switch courtesy of Yacht Club Games' Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. This downloadable package includes the original Shovel Knight, one of 2014's top titles, as well as all the previously released DLC and the new Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment. If you long for some retro, 2D goodness, this is your game.
Super Bomberman R
$49.99
The mad bomber's impending return was one of the biggest surprises to come out of Nintendo's January 2017 Switch game showcase. After causing chaos on mobile for nearly a decade, the explosive hero returns to consoles in a new game that boasts 50 stages (some with multiple play levels), eight-player local and online competition, and a story mode featuring an "all-star" voice acting cast. Overall, Super Bomberman R looks to retain the simple, but incredibly tense, magic that made the series one of the best multiplayer experiences in gaming history.