Summary
It’s nice to see that, in recent times, Xbox and Nintendo have been on more good terms than in the past. Banjo and Kazooie have appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and quite a few old-school Rare games have appeared on Switch Online.
More Xbox exclusives have come over to the platform as well, and with Xbox’s acquisition of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, a lot of Xbox games are technically available. Sadly, Activision Blizzard doesn’t put a huge amount of their games on the Switch due to its low horsepower, but there’s still plenty of stellar Xbox titles on the system.
Any game now owned by Xbox will count here. That means if the game is available for purchase on the Nintendo eShop, some of the revenue must be going to Microsoft.
8Banjo-Kazooie
One Of The Greatest 3D Platformers Ever Made
The two most well-remembered Rare games on the Nintendo 64 would be GoldenEye 007 andBanjo-Kazooie. The first Banjo game still holds up today in its loveable characters, level design, platforming, and even graphics if you’re playing on Xbox Series X in 4K HDR.
On the Nintendo Switch, you can play an emulated N64 version via Switch Online, and it’s a blast as well, although not as good-looking; you also might want to use save states, as you lose your Note progress when you die, unlike the Xbox version. The controls are pretty good here, which can’t be said about every Rare N64 game on Switch.
7Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2
The Best Portable Tony Hawk Experience
Releasing after every other version, the Switch port ofTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2was worth the wait. It runs super smooth and plays great on the Switch, and the game itself isthe best possible remake you could ask for; the original two titles are updated for modern standards, and new gameplay elements from later Tony Hawk games were nicely added.
It doesn’t break the game either, as you could say about Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, and it fits these old levels like a glove. The one downside has to be the removal of Spider-Man, but that’s about it.
6Doom
An Essential On Every Device
One game that’s amazing no matter what platform you play it on, whether it’s a phone, digital camera, calculator, or a Switch, isDoom. It’s available to play on almost everything these days, and with it being such a classic, timeless title, why wouldn’t it?
Playing good old Knee Deep in the Dead is still so much fun blasting away hordes of zombies and other enemies, andthe genius level designby John Romero still holds up. The Switch port is great as it should be, considering it’s such an old game, and there’s add-on support so you can play a vast amount of other Doom campaigns to spice up the experience.
5Doom 2016
The Best Modern Bethesda Title On Switch
A great early Switch title that showcased what the Switch was capable of was Doom 2016; playing this amazing, graphically impressive title on a handheld was jaw-dropping at the time. Later, Bethesda also released Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus and Doom Eternal on the Switch, but those ports were more compromised compared to Doom 2016.
This game looked and ran great, and while it only featured the campaign, most people didn’t like the multiplayer in Doom 2016 anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal. Doom 2016 remains one of thebest FPS games to play on the Switch, a testament to how great id Software nailed this fantastic reboot.
4Battletoads In Battlemaniacs
A Great SNES Beat-‘Em-Up
Debatably, the bestBattletoadsgame, Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, is what the original game should have been; instead of being a gimmick game where every level is something different, Battlemaniacs is an actual true beat-‘em-up with gimmick parts that spice up the gameplay. Now, you can delve into and enjoy the beat-‘em-up elements, and it’s a lot of fun.
It’s still hard, though, but notas brutal as the NES game; Battlemaniacs and the arcade game are the two best titles in the series, and you can argue for either one. The arcade game’s the most fun, but objectively, Battlemaniacs is the more well-rounded beat-‘em-up.
3Pentiment
Perfect For Switch
Obsidian Entertainment is known for stellar RPG titles, and when you have the same director as arguably the greatest Fallout game ever made, New Vegas, you know you’re in for a treat.Pentimentis an incredible 2D RPG with the same level of quality and replayability expected from Obsidian.
It’s also perfect for the Switch, as 2D RPGs or smaller-scale ones are great for portable play and tend to run pretty well. The Switch hasdozens of amazing RPGs to play, and Pentiment has to be a must-check-out one in its library.
2The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Not A Simple Port
One of the first games revealed on the Nintendo Switch was the Switch port ofSkyrim; playing this game portably was a big deal, and it runs fantastic. Skyrim actually works great as a portable title, as you’re able to play on and off again while doing your activities out in the real world.
Playing for large sessions at home can feel like a grind, but not so much portably. To boot, there’s Switch-exclusive content, an aspect rarely seen in Switch ports, so you can find Zelda gear, which just puts the cherry on top of this incredible release.
1Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
A Legacy Sequel Done Right
Whenever a sequel comes out decades after the previous one in a legacy franchise, it rarely turns out well, whether it’s in movies or video games.Crash Bandicoot 4is one of the rare examples that not only matches the legacy of the previous games but arguably exceeds it; it’s a true sequel, following in the footsteps of Crash 3 with standout platforming gameplay, but even tougher this time.
Toys for Bob didn’t mess around with the difficulty, as it should be, following the tough legacy of prior titles. The Switch port runs great, considering it’s not that intensive of a game, but sadly, this was one of the last new Activision titles released on the platform.
