Best games
Best Nintendo Switch games of 2011
The 15 best Nintendo Switch games released in 2011, ranked from 23,459 critic and player ratings.
The best Nintendo Switch game of 2011 is Portal 2, with a critic score of 95/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2011.
- 15 games are listed on this page, carrying 23,459 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 15
01
A
Portal 2
Sequel to the acclaimed Portal (2007), Portal 2 pits the protagonist of the original game, Chell, and her new robot friend, Wheatley, against more puzzles conceived by GLaDOS, an A.I. with the sole purpose of testing the Portal Gun's mechanics and taking revenge on Chell for the events of Portal. As a result of several interactions and revelations, Chell once again pushes to escape Aperture Science Labs.
95
/100
02
B
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose. Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
94
/100
03
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the first Zelda game created specifically with the Wii in mind. The game makes use of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for sword fighting, with a revised Wii Remote pointing system used for targeting. Skyward Sword is structured very similar to previous Zelda games, as you travel through an overworld in search of temples to visit and once in you solve a series of puzzles before fighting a boss at the end and receive the next bit of plot. The biggest change is that the overworld is more focused on puzzles with only a handful of action.
93
/100
A
Portal 2
Sequel to the acclaimed Portal (2007), Portal 2 pits the protagonist of the original game, Chell, and her new robot friend, Wheatley, against more puzzles conceived by GLaDOS, an A.I. with the sole purpose of testing the Portal Gun's mechanics and taking revenge on Chell for the events of Portal. As a result of several interactions and revelations, Chell once again pushes to escape Aperture Science Labs.
95
/100
02
B
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose. Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
94
/100
03
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the first Zelda game created specifically with the Wii in mind. The game makes use of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for sword fighting, with a revised Wii Remote pointing system used for targeting. Skyward Sword is structured very similar to previous Zelda games, as you travel through an overworld in search of temples to visit and once in you solve a series of puzzles before fighting a boss at the end and receive the next bit of plot. The biggest change is that the overworld is more focused on puzzles with only a handful of action.
93
/100
04
S
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security "home" for all of Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.
91
/100
05
Dark Souls
Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in September 2011 as a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, it is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. It is renowned for its challenging gameplay, intricate level design, and deep lore. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead, embarking on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets of the cursed land of Lordran. Dark Souls is known for its punishing difficulty, requiring players to carefully manage combat, stamina, and resources while navigating hostile environments filled with dangerous enemies and formidable bosses. The game features a unique multiplayer component, allowing players to leave messages for others, summon allies for cooperative play, or invade other players' worlds for PvP combat. The original release of Dark Souls received critical acclaim for its atmospheric world, innovative mechanics, and rewarding gameplay, solidifying its place as a seminal title in the action RPG genre.
91
/100
06
C
Bastion
A hack-and-slash RPG featuring a reactive narrator, various unlockable weapons, weapon upgrades, practice mini-games and optional difficulty modifiers, set in an imaginary world in the aftermath of an uncertain apocalypse, in which the player embodies a teenager with a troubled past as he and the narrator work together to rebuild the world out of a persisting hub called the Bastion.
90
/100
07
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row: The Third is the first Saints Row game that takes place in the city of Steelport. Much like the first two games, the story revolves around the Saints destroying and absorbing three rival gangs, taking over the city in the process. In Saints Row: The Third, these three gangs are the Morningstar, the Luchadores, and the Deckers. Unlike the first two games, these three gangs are all controlled by a criminal organization known as The Syndicate, which the saints must also deal with.
84
/100
08
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
"Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, a heart-warming tale of a young boy named Oliver, who embarks on a journey into a parallel world in an attempt to bring his mother back from the dead. Along the way, Oliver makes new friends and adopts many of the wonderful creatures that inhabit the world, raising them to battle other creatures on his behalf as he takes on formidable enemies. Developed by LEVEL-5 alongside Studio Ghibli, the legendary animation studio, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch combines beautiful animated visuals, masterful storytelling and a sweeping score into an epic role-playing adventure like no other." Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an enhanced version of the Nintendo DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djin that was only released in Japan.
84
/100
09
S
L.A. Noire
83
/100
10
To the Moon
Join Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts as they enter a patient named Johnny's mind on his death bed to grant his final request. Watch, interact, and change the past as Johnny's life unfolds before you and takes you on a magical journey inside one's head that asks the greatest question of all: "What if...?" If you had the chance to relive your life, would you change things? Would you try to achieve some grand goal? Could you find love? Fame? Fortune? Or would you realize that sometimes the past is meant to stay the same. Join Dr. Rosalene and Watts on their journey and travel To The Moon.
83
/100
11
A
Terraria
81
/100
12
Sonic Generations
77
/100
13
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
77
/100
14
B
Kingdom Rush
75
/100
15
DC Universe Online
72
/100
S
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City, the new maximum security "home" for all of Gotham City's thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight.
91
/100
05
Dark Souls
Dark Souls is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Released in September 2011 as a spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls, it is set in a dark, medieval fantasy world. It is renowned for its challenging gameplay, intricate level design, and deep lore. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead, embarking on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets of the cursed land of Lordran. Dark Souls is known for its punishing difficulty, requiring players to carefully manage combat, stamina, and resources while navigating hostile environments filled with dangerous enemies and formidable bosses. The game features a unique multiplayer component, allowing players to leave messages for others, summon allies for cooperative play, or invade other players' worlds for PvP combat. The original release of Dark Souls received critical acclaim for its atmospheric world, innovative mechanics, and rewarding gameplay, solidifying its place as a seminal title in the action RPG genre.
91
/100
06
C
Bastion
A hack-and-slash RPG featuring a reactive narrator, various unlockable weapons, weapon upgrades, practice mini-games and optional difficulty modifiers, set in an imaginary world in the aftermath of an uncertain apocalypse, in which the player embodies a teenager with a troubled past as he and the narrator work together to rebuild the world out of a persisting hub called the Bastion.
90
/100
07
Saints Row: The Third
Saints Row: The Third is the first Saints Row game that takes place in the city of Steelport. Much like the first two games, the story revolves around the Saints destroying and absorbing three rival gangs, taking over the city in the process. In Saints Row: The Third, these three gangs are the Morningstar, the Luchadores, and the Deckers. Unlike the first two games, these three gangs are all controlled by a criminal organization known as The Syndicate, which the saints must also deal with.
84
/100
08
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
"Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, a heart-warming tale of a young boy named Oliver, who embarks on a journey into a parallel world in an attempt to bring his mother back from the dead. Along the way, Oliver makes new friends and adopts many of the wonderful creatures that inhabit the world, raising them to battle other creatures on his behalf as he takes on formidable enemies. Developed by LEVEL-5 alongside Studio Ghibli, the legendary animation studio, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch combines beautiful animated visuals, masterful storytelling and a sweeping score into an epic role-playing adventure like no other." Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an enhanced version of the Nintendo DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djin that was only released in Japan.
84
/100
09
S
L.A. Noire
83
/100
10
To the Moon
Join Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts as they enter a patient named Johnny's mind on his death bed to grant his final request. Watch, interact, and change the past as Johnny's life unfolds before you and takes you on a magical journey inside one's head that asks the greatest question of all: "What if...?" If you had the chance to relive your life, would you change things? Would you try to achieve some grand goal? Could you find love? Fame? Fortune? Or would you realize that sometimes the past is meant to stay the same. Join Dr. Rosalene and Watts on their journey and travel To The Moon.
83
/100
11
A
Terraria
81
/100
12
Sonic Generations
77
/100
13
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
77
/100
14
B
Kingdom Rush
75
/100
15
DC Universe Online
72
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Nintendo Switch game of 2011?
Portal 2 currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 6,104 ratings. It holds a A grade from the Tier community — updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.