Best games
Best Nintendo Switch games of 2021
The 44 best Nintendo Switch games released in 2021, ranked from 11,297 critic and player ratings.
The best Nintendo Switch game of 2021 is Unpacking, 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: 2021.
- 44 games are listed on this page, carrying 11,297 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 44
01
Unpacking
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
92
/100
02
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is an enhanced edition of the original role-playing game developed and published by ZA/UM. It retains the core gameplay and narrative while adding full voice acting, new quests, additional endings, and other narrative revisions.
91
/100
03
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
The Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury game features the same lively co-op gameplay, creative levels and power-ups as the original game, but with added improvements. In the Super Mario 3D World part of the game, characters move faster and the dash powers up more quickly. Both adventures support the newly added Snapshot Mode, pause the action to get the perfect shot, apply filters, and decorate with stamps!
91
/100
Unpacking
Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
92
/100
02
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is an enhanced edition of the original role-playing game developed and published by ZA/UM. It retains the core gameplay and narrative while adding full voice acting, new quests, additional endings, and other narrative revisions.
91
/100
03
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
The Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury game features the same lively co-op gameplay, creative levels and power-ups as the original game, but with added improvements. In the Super Mario 3D World part of the game, characters move faster and the dash powers up more quickly. Both adventures support the newly added Snapshot Mode, pause the action to get the perfect shot, apply filters, and decorate with stamps!
91
/100
04
Disco Elysium: Final Cut
90
/100
05
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
89
/100
06
A
It Takes Two
Embark on the craziest journey of your life in It Takes Two, a genre-bending platform adventure created purely for co-op. Invite a friend to join for free with Friend’s Pass and work together across a huge variety of gleefully disruptive gameplay challenges. Play as the clashing couple Cody and May, two humans turned into dolls by a magic spell. Together, trapped in a fantastical world where the unpredictable hides around every corner, they are reluctantly challenged with saving their fractured relationship.
88
/100
07
Monster Hunter Rise
Rise to the challenge and join the hunt! In Monster Hunter Rise, the latest installment in the award-winning and top-selling Monster Hunter series, you’ll become a hunter, explore brand new maps and use a variety of weapons to take down fearsome monsters as part of an all-new storyline.
87
/100
08
Death's Door
Death's Door is an action-adventure game developed by Acid Nerve and published by Devolver Digital. Released in 2021, it follows a crow reaper tasked with collecting souls in a mysterious, atmospheric world. The game features exploration, fast-paced combat, and puzzle-solving.
87
/100
09
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Ender Lilies is a dark fantasy 2D Action RPG about unraveling the mysteries of a nation destroyed by a cataclysmic event. The fallen Kingdom of End is a tragic and beautiful world featuring a majestic castle, submerged forests and forbidden underground areas. On this sorrowful journey, encounter horrific enemies against whom a moment of inattention could be fatal. By releasing foes from their undying curse, you may gain their strength. Overcome the hardships of your journey and uncover the truth with the aid of the fallen knights.
86
/100
10
Loop Hero
The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos. Wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero.
85
/100
11
Life is Strange: True Colors
84
/100
12
Unpacking
84
/100
13
Metroid Dread
84
/100
14
A
Resident Evil: Village
83
/100
15
Hitman 3
83
/100
16
Road 96
83
/100
17
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
82
/100
18
Inscryption
82
/100
19
Little Nightmares II
82
/100
20
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
82
/100
21
Knockout City
82
/100
22
A
Alan Wake Remastered
82
/100
23
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
81
/100
24
A
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
81
/100
25
Diablo II: Resurrected
80
/100
26
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition
80
/100
27
B
Subnautica: Below Zero
80
/100
28
The Artful Escape
80
/100
29
Eastward
80
/100
30
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
31
Black Book
78
/100
32
Rain on Your Parade
78
/100
33
FIFA 22
76
/100
34
Omno
76
/100
35
Pokémon Unite
75
/100
36
Lake
73
/100
37
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl
73
/100
38
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
73
/100
39
Maquette
70
/100
40
Oddworld: Soulstorm
70
/100
41
Twelve Minutes
69
/100
42
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
69
/100
43
Poppy Playtime
66
/100
44
Bright Memory: Infinite
65
/100
Disco Elysium: Final Cut
90
/100
05
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
89
/100
06
A
It Takes Two
Embark on the craziest journey of your life in It Takes Two, a genre-bending platform adventure created purely for co-op. Invite a friend to join for free with Friend’s Pass and work together across a huge variety of gleefully disruptive gameplay challenges. Play as the clashing couple Cody and May, two humans turned into dolls by a magic spell. Together, trapped in a fantastical world where the unpredictable hides around every corner, they are reluctantly challenged with saving their fractured relationship.
88
/100
07
Monster Hunter Rise
Rise to the challenge and join the hunt! In Monster Hunter Rise, the latest installment in the award-winning and top-selling Monster Hunter series, you’ll become a hunter, explore brand new maps and use a variety of weapons to take down fearsome monsters as part of an all-new storyline.
87
/100
08
Death's Door
Death's Door is an action-adventure game developed by Acid Nerve and published by Devolver Digital. Released in 2021, it follows a crow reaper tasked with collecting souls in a mysterious, atmospheric world. The game features exploration, fast-paced combat, and puzzle-solving.
87
/100
09
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
Ender Lilies is a dark fantasy 2D Action RPG about unraveling the mysteries of a nation destroyed by a cataclysmic event. The fallen Kingdom of End is a tragic and beautiful world featuring a majestic castle, submerged forests and forbidden underground areas. On this sorrowful journey, encounter horrific enemies against whom a moment of inattention could be fatal. By releasing foes from their undying curse, you may gain their strength. Overcome the hardships of your journey and uncover the truth with the aid of the fallen knights.
86
/100
10
Loop Hero
The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos. Wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero.
85
/100
11
Life is Strange: True Colors
84
/100
12
Unpacking
84
/100
13
Metroid Dread
84
/100
14
A
Resident Evil: Village
83
/100
15
Hitman 3
83
/100
16
Road 96
83
/100
17
Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!
82
/100
18
Inscryption
82
/100
19
Little Nightmares II
82
/100
20
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
82
/100
21
Knockout City
82
/100
22
A
Alan Wake Remastered
82
/100
23
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
81
/100
24
A
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
81
/100
25
Diablo II: Resurrected
80
/100
26
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition
80
/100
27
B
Subnautica: Below Zero
80
/100
28
The Artful Escape
80
/100
29
Eastward
80
/100
30
Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk
78
/100
31
Black Book
78
/100
32
Rain on Your Parade
78
/100
33
FIFA 22
76
/100
34
Omno
76
/100
35
Pokémon Unite
75
/100
36
Lake
73
/100
37
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Shining Pearl
73
/100
38
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
73
/100
39
Maquette
70
/100
40
Oddworld: Soulstorm
70
/100
41
Twelve Minutes
69
/100
42
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
69
/100
43
Poppy Playtime
66
/100
44
Bright Memory: Infinite
65
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Nintendo Switch game of 2021?
Unpacking currently tops the ranking with a score of 92/100 across 233 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.