Best Nintendo Switch games for grown-ups

22.11.2023 - 19:47 / polygon.com / Best / Best Nintendo / Nintendo

The Nintendo Switch is known for its robust library of first-party games that prioritize fun and cooperative experiences for audiences of all ages. But what about games for grown-ups? Sure, it’s fun and all to somersault around as a mustachioed plumber who can transform into an elephant, but sometimes all you want is something a little more… challenging; more adult, for lack of a better word.

We pooled together our braintrust of gaming connoisseurs to find the best games on the Nintendo Switch for players looking beyond the plethora of family fun-for-all titles the console has to offer. From turn-based strategy games and ruthless roguelikes to fourth-wall-breaking horror and more, we’ve pulled together a list of only the best of the best.

13 Sentinels dares to blend hard sci-fi visual novels, real-time military strategy, and a mandatory in-game wiki into one sprawling narrative about how societies can collapse and rebuild. To appreciate its narrative — which threads together Evangelion, Terminator, Stranger Things, the works of Tarkovsky, and an abundance of hard-to-find retro anime — you’ll simply have needed enough time on this planet to experience all the reference material.

13 Sentinels continues Vanillaware’s legacy of beautifully drawn, shamelessly pervy art. So it’s for adults in practically every meaning of the phrase. Don’t be surprised to see, within minutes, naked teenagers piloting mechs to fend off mass death. Or teachers and scientists wearing skintight latex suits. The fan service is unavoidable and for some, that might be reason to go with another option on this list. But remember that artists like Vanillaware can have exceptional talent while indulging in the comically tasteless. Just ask Carl Barks, the writer and artist of the original Donald Duck stories who in his later years pivoted to sexy cartoon duck paintings. —Chris Plante

Few games on the Nintendo Switch merit the description of “adult” as much as Blasphemous, the debut title from Spanish developer The Game Kitchen. This Metroidvania action-adventure is set in a gothic medieval world populated by demonic creatures, ruthless warrior zealots, and hapless commoners plagued by otherworldly misfortune. As the “Penitent One,” the last of a masked order of knights, players battle across the land of Cvstodia on a journey for revenge and absolution rife with esoteric symbolism and heavy religious overtones. It’s a hell of an action game, filled with deadly challenges, grotesque lumbering boss battles, and a wealth of hidden secrets. If you’re looking for something that will test your skill and concentration like a good FromSoftware game, Blasphemous is a blast. —Toussaint Egan

Polygon’s #2 game of the year 2022 is also one of the