Best games
Best Nintendo Switch games of 2012
The 30 best Nintendo Switch games released in 2012, ranked from 14,683 critic and player ratings.
The best Nintendo Switch game of 2012 is Ōkami HD, with a critic score of 92/100 — 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: 2012.
- 30 games are listed on this page, carrying 14,683 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 30
01
Ōkami HD
Experience the critically acclaimed masterpiece with its renowned Sumi-e ink art style in breathtaking high resolution. Take on the role of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess who inhabits the form of a legendary white wolf, on a quest to defeat Orochi, an eight-headed demon and tyrannical monster responsible for turning the world of Nippon into a ruined wasteland.
92
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
Ōkami HD
Experience the critically acclaimed masterpiece with its renowned Sumi-e ink art style in breathtaking high resolution. Take on the role of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess who inhabits the form of a legendary white wolf, on a quest to defeat Orochi, an eight-headed demon and tyrannical monster responsible for turning the world of Nippon into a ruined wasteland.
92
/100
02
Mark of the Ninja
Mark of the Ninja is a side-scrolling action stealth video game developed by Klei Entertainment and published by Microsoft Studios. It was announced on February 28, 2012 and later released for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade on September 7, 2012. A Microsoft Windows version was released on October 16, 2012. It follows the story of a nameless ninja in the present day, and features a themed conflict between ancient ninja tradition and modern technology. Cutscenes for the game are rendered in Saturday morning cartoon animation style.
91
/100
03
Spelunky
Spelunky (also known as Spelunky HD) is a remake of Spelunky (now known as Spelunky Classic), an open source indie platformer video game created by Derek Yu and originally released as freeware for Microsoft Windows. The player controls a spelunker who explores a series of caves while collecting treasure, saving damsels, fighting enemies and dodging traps. The caves are procedurally generated, making each run through the game unique. Spelunky is one of the first examples of a roguelike-like, borrowing concepts from the roguelike genre, and was the influence for many later roguelike-like games.
90
/100
04
Diablo III
88
/100
05
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
06
Darksiders II
Become Death - The most feared of the legendary Four Horseman. Epic Universe – Unlike anything the player has seen before, delivered in the unique style of Joe Mad. Player Choice & Customization – Customize your experience with varied armor sets, weapons, and skill trees allowing players to create their own Death. Explore a vast open world, complete dozens of side quests and customize your Death with a full leveling system, skill trees and endless equipment combinations. Death is a nimble and agile character capable of incredible acrobatic feats allowing the player to explore the world like never before.
86
/100
07
Torchlight II
Torchlight II features randomly generated dungeons and numerous types of monsters to fight for loot. Torchlight II is an action RPG as its predecessor, but features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. Players are able to customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Additionally, several elements from the first game return, such as pets and fishing. The game features four playable character classes. Each class has 3 skill trees to choose from which enable customization within each class.
86
/100
08
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
09
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
10
S
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: Season One (also known as The Walking Dead: The Game) is an episodic interactive drama graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, the game consists of five episodes, released between April and November 2012. It is available for Android, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is the first of The Walking Dead video game series published by Telltale.
84
/100
11
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
12
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
13
Borderlands 2
81
/100
14
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
15
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
16
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
17
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
18
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
19
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
20
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
21
Nihilumbra
75
/100
22
Deponia
74
/100
23
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
24
The Room
73
/100
25
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
73
/100
26
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
27
King Oddball
71
/100
28
C
Resident Evil 6
67
/100
29
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
30
Little Inferno
65
/100
Diablo III
88
/100
05
A
Hotline Miami
A top-down slasher/shooter with unlockable gameplay-altering masks and weapons, featuring a neon-flavoured electronic aesthetic, in which a hitman receives anonymous calls ordering him to travel to certain residences and crime dens and massacre those within, as he stumbles through unreal visions and inconsistencies without any answers to how, why or who.
86
/100
06
Darksiders II
Become Death - The most feared of the legendary Four Horseman. Epic Universe – Unlike anything the player has seen before, delivered in the unique style of Joe Mad. Player Choice & Customization – Customize your experience with varied armor sets, weapons, and skill trees allowing players to create their own Death. Explore a vast open world, complete dozens of side quests and customize your Death with a full leveling system, skill trees and endless equipment combinations. Death is a nimble and agile character capable of incredible acrobatic feats allowing the player to explore the world like never before.
86
/100
07
Torchlight II
Torchlight II features randomly generated dungeons and numerous types of monsters to fight for loot. Torchlight II is an action RPG as its predecessor, but features overland areas with multiple hub towns, and a longer campaign. Players are able to customize character appearance with choice of sex, face, hair style and hair color. Additionally, several elements from the first game return, such as pets and fishing. The game features four playable character classes. Each class has 3 skill trees to choose from which enable customization within each class.
86
/100
08
Fez
Gomez is a 2D creature living in a 2D world. Or is he? When the existence of a mysterious 3rd dimension is revealed to him, Gomez is sent out on a journey that will take him to the very end of time and space. Use your ability to navigate 3D structures from 4 distinct classic 2D perspectives. Explore a serene and beautiful open-ended world full of secrets, puzzles and hidden treasures. Unearth the mysteries of the past and discover the truth about reality and perception. Change your perspective and look at the world in a different way.
86
/100
09
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
The follow up to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. The main character, Hajime Hinata, a new 'Ultimate' student at Hope's Peak Academy. On their first day, Hajime and all of his classmates are taken on a field trip to the mysterious Jabberwock island by their anthropomorphic rabbit teacher, Usami. Usami explains that on this island the students are to have fun together and become friends to gather Hope Fragments. Usami's field trip does not go as planned when Monokuma appears and begins a new Killing Game. Anyone that wants to leave the island must commit a murder and get away with it. If the murderer is successful, he/she is allowed to leave the island, while everyone else is killed. When a murder occurs, the player investigates. After the investigations, a trial commences to determine who the culprit is.
85
/100
10
S
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead: Season One (also known as The Walking Dead: The Game) is an episodic interactive drama graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, the game consists of five episodes, released between April and November 2012. It is available for Android, iOS, Kindle Fire HDX, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game is the first of The Walking Dead video game series published by Telltale.
84
/100
11
Legend of Grimrock
82
/100
12
Dust: An Elysian Tail
82
/100
13
Borderlands 2
81
/100
14
Game Dev Tycoon
80
/100
15
Chaos on Deponia
80
/100
16
B
Hitman: Absolution
79
/100
17
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
79
/100
18
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
78
/100
19
Thomas Was Alone
77
/100
20
The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav
75
/100
21
Nihilumbra
75
/100
22
Deponia
74
/100
23
They Bleed Pixels
74
/100
24
The Room
73
/100
25
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes
73
/100
26
Double Dragon: Neon
71
/100
27
King Oddball
71
/100
28
C
Resident Evil 6
67
/100
29
Long Live The Queen
67
/100
30
Little Inferno
65
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Nintendo Switch game of 2012?
Ōkami HD currently tops the ranking with a score of 92/100 across 111 ratings. Ranking 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.