2025 was a big year for gaming, and that includes gaming hardware. Nintendo launched its Switch 2 console in June, and since then, numerous Switch 2 titles and noteworthy updates for original Switch games have launched. These include brand-new Nintendo experiences like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, as well as some belated but welcome third-party titles, including Cyberpunk 2077 and Divinity: Original Sin 2. Even classics like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild got some new life on the upgraded console.

If you’re considering buying a console, or you’re getting one for someone else, there are 11 games that we think are a must-buy for any Switch 2 owner.

Image: Nintendo

So what if Mario Kart World comes in the box with the $499 Switch 2 bundle? It’s still so easy to recommend because few other games match the briskness at which it just lets you get going and have fun. The latest entry in Nintendo’s top-selling racing franchise adds many new characters, an open-world single-player mode, unique interconnected courses, and a lot more.

Image: Team Cherry

One of the best ways to play the original Hollow Knight was on a Nintendo Switch, so it’s no surprise that the Switch 2 is a great way to enjoy the long-awaited sequel, Silksong. The side-scrolling action exploration game looks fantastic, and its gorgeous animations are easier to appreciate thanks to the console’s 120Hz refresh rate screen.

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Before Larian Studios made Baldur’s Gate 3, it was best known for its *Divinity *series. The developers recently announced a reboot of the RPG franchise, but for now, the closest thing to *BG3 *that Switch 2 owners can experience right now is Divinity: Original Sin 2, a fantastic RPG that first launched in late 2017. It just got a free Switch 2 update that enhances visuals and reduces slowdown, and I highly recommend playing it.

Image: Nintendo

The team that developed Super Mario Odyssey clearly had a ball with its most recent game, Donkey Kong Bananza. It’s just as ambitious in terms of level design, giving Donkey Kong several unique powers of transformation. But it’s significantly more destructive, letting him demolish everything in sight with his fists or punch through the ground to get around obstacles.

Image: CD Projekt Red

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

You know Nintendo did something right with the Switch 2 when the graphics showcase Cyberpunk 2077 shows up as a launch game. The first-person-shooter-meets-RPG plays well on the system, especially when you use the Joy-Con 2 in mouse mode, which makes it feel a bit like the PC version. This version of the game includes the excellent Phantom Liberty DLC that adds even more action, plus Idris Elba.

After nearly a decade in development, the first new Metroid Prime game in nearly 20 years is now available for the Switch 2. It runs at glorious 4K on the new hardware (or up to 120 frames per second in 1080p), but beyond looks, it’s great to be back in Samus Aran’s butt-kicking boots again. This time, she’s got the Vi-O-La motorcycle for getting around the desert terrain that connects the main dungeons. The story and exploration may not have the same magic as the original Prime, but its best parts are still worth paying the price of admission to experience.

Image: Nintendo

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 was already a fun game on the original Switch, but it’s even better with the free Switch 2 update. With faster loading speeds and better-looking visuals, you owe it to yourself to make a splashy mess in its fun single-player campaign and online multiplayer modes.

Image: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The release of the Switch 2 made old things new again. For example, the original Switch launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has never looked or played better than it does in the new Switch 2 Edition, which costs $10 if you own the Switch game or $70 by itself (the upgrade is free if you have Switch Online + Expansion Pack). Faster frame rates, speedier loading times, better visuals, and a GPS-style mobile app feature make this one feel like a breath of fresh air.

Image: Rockstar Games

Red Dead Redemption

Rockstar Games’ open-world Western was late to hit the original Switch, but the new (and free) Switch 2 update makes it shine in some surprising ways. Not only does it boost the visuals and performance thanks to the new console’s more powerful specs, it adds a PC-like mouse mode to make it much easier to aim (and more fun to play).

Image: Hello Games

No Man’s Sky

If you’ve never played No Man’s Sky, can we switch brains so I can experience it again for the first time? The space exploration game with an infinite universe (made possible via procedural generation that makes each player’s experience unique) is one of gaming’s biggest success stories in recent years. The developers pile on numerous substantive updates each year, making this an excellent game to play, whether you want to chill or engage in building a space empire. Oh, and the Switch 2 update is free for those who own the base game.

Image: Epic Games

Fortnite

*Fortnite *is the only game on this list that’s free to play, but that doesn’t make it one that you should pass up. Epic Games’ battle royale-style shooter is a cultural juggernaut that includes characters representing a huge array of fandoms. The Switch 2 port makes it feel like an entirely different game than the original Switch version. You can drop in as a character from Dragon Ball Z, lock and load as your favorite family member from The Simpsons, or assume the role of Sabrina Carpenter or Kim Kardashian, to name some of the literally dozens of tie-ins that are fun to see in-game.

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

• Cameron Faulkner