The Nintendo Switch is one of the most versatile and exciting consoles on the planet. One of its best features is that you don’t need a fully-loaded bank account to start gaming on Nintendo’s hybrid handheld console. Thanks to the rich library of excellent free video games, gamers can play some exceptional titles on a $0 budget.
Whether you’re craving battle royale, racing, or strategy, you can find free Nintendo Switch games to scratch the itch on the Nintendo eShop. Plenty of them are multiplayer games with options for crossplay, which means you can always play with friends. Other titles don’t require consistent internet connections, so you can play while on-the-go. Most don’t require a Nintendo Switch online subscription either, so you won’t have to spend any money to play games as soon as you unbox your Switch or Switch Lite.
Read on for our top 10 picks (and a few bonus games, too), and head to our Nintendo Switch page to get your hands on more titles and accessories for this outstanding console. It is important to note that most of these games include optional microtransactions to customize your character and add new features, but, again, you don’t have to spend any money to enjoy these titles.
Check out these 10 best free Nintendo Switch games to get started:
1. Fortnite
Epic Games’ Fortnite is one of the biggest games around, and for good reason. It’s a fast, frantic battle-royale game that you can play with friends on every platform (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and mobile), and it features incredible crossovers with Marvel, Star Wars, and DC Comics. Fortnite is truly a force like no other. And if you want some more shooter options, be sure to try out first-person battle royale game Apex Legends and hero-shooter Paladins (yes, both are also free).
2. Rocket League
Rocket League is another competitive game based in a battle arena, but it’s a very different beast. This is a bold, fast-paced title where teams play soccer (in most game modes) using rocket-powered cars. The action is never-ending, you can customize your cars, and the crossplay support lets you hit the field in style with all your friends.
3. Asphalt 9: Legends
If you’re hunting motor-based mayhem, this stunning arcade racing game will tick all your boxes. Asphalt 9: Legends packs in more than 70 cars, 80 global tracks, and in-depth car customization. With more than 800 races and multiplayer action, you’ll never get bored. Even better, it has a new control scheme designed exclusively for the Switch. Also, while there’s a new game in the Asphalt series in the works, there’s still no release date as of this writing (April 2023).
4. Fallout Shelter
This console spin-off is a more sedate experience than mainline games in the series, which have grown into first-person shooter/action RPG hybrids. Fallout Shelter is an absorbing, hilarious strategy title where players build and manage one of Fallout’s famous vaults. You’ll grow an underground ecosystem where you’ll have to keep dwellers happy and fight deadly threats from the wasteland.
5. Pokémon Quest
There are few things more quintessentially Nintendo than Pokémon games, and this gripping title sends players on expeditions across the all-new Tumblecube Island in a slick new art style. You’ll build up your base camp, beat wild Pokémon, and train your creatures to win tougher battles in Pokémon Quest. And if you need more from this franchise, you can always check out Pokémon Sword and Shield, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus on the Switch. You can also scroll down to see another Pokémon entry on our list.
6. Super Kirby Clash
Super Kirby Clash is another free title that centers on a much-loved Nintendo character. This action-packed game tasks players with traveling through the Dream Kingdom to fight monsters in teams of four Kirbies. You can play with AI or with your friends, and gameplay is a lock to please fans of the popular Monster Hunter series. Bear in mind that you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to get the most out of this title. As a bonus pick with Monster Hunter vibes, you may want to check out Dauntless.
7. Warframe
The super-popular Warframe is an open-world game that brings a big-budget, AAA feel to the Switch. It’s a third-person shooter with RPG elements where players wage war while wearing super-powered suits. You can customize your gear and find new weapons, fight in space, and sign up for extermination, stealth, and rescue missions. Here’s a tip: while single-player is certainly fun, this game truly excels in co-op.
8. Tetris 99
Didn’t think the battle royale craze could work in a classic puzzle game like Tetris? Think again. Tetris 99 pits 100 players against each other, and the fastest player wins. If you can’t get enough of battle royale, then you may want to check out PAC-MAN 99, which brings the format to another classic game. Remember that you’ll need a Switch Online membership to play both of those games in their multiplayer modes. Also, keep an eye out for the rotating events that allow you to use your in-game coins to purchase themes depicting different Nintendo franchises, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Luigi’s Mansion.
9. Brawlhalla
This hilarious fighting game pits up to eight players in combat across all of the major platforms (console, PC, and mobile). In Brawlhalla, you can fight with an exciting cast of characters alongside famous faces like Kung Fu Panda and Rayman in this free title that may remind you a bit of Nintendo’s beloved Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
10. Arena of Valor
If you’re a fan of League of Legends or DOTA 2, then you’ll love Arena of Valor. It’s an engaging MOBA with crowd-pleasing 5v5 gameplay, a growing roster of heroes, and all of the key gameplay you’d expect. And if you need more free MOBA action, be sure to also check out Smite.
11. Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a cross-platform first-person shooter (FPS) known for its entertaining battle royale style. Like many other popular shooters, Apex features entertaining, detail-rich map designs with thrilling gunfights, but the gameplay is where it really stands apart.
Apex is a hero-style shooter, where you choose from the available “legends” based on their abilities. They’re broken down into different gameplay styles—offensive, defensive, support, and recon—and they all have their own benefits and “ultimate” moves. For example, Lifeline provides healing with her D.O.C. drone as well as an ultimate where she calls in a care package filled with support items.
If you’re looking for a colorful, fast-paced FPS with some of the best movement in gaming, Apex Legends is hard to beat.
12. Pokemon Unite
When you want to play a fun, straightforward, cooperative MOBA game with your whole crew, Pokemon Unite is a popular choice. Learning the game mechanics is quick and intuitive, which is a plus for a game that’s rated E for everyone.
One of the many benefits of this game is that you can play it on your Nintendo Switch or on a compatible smartphone, so you’ll have no trouble getting a team together to earn points, upgrade holographic outfits, and fight in some truly epic battles.
13. Fall Guys
Like other free-to-play games, Fall Guys mixes it up with new seasons that offer new ways to play the game. And in Season 3 (Sunken Secrets, players travel to the underwater ruins of the Blunderdome for some ridiculous obstacle courses, mini games, and competitive challenges. This game is appropriate and entertaining for all ages.
Every so often, Fall Guys integrates cosmetics from popular culture touchstones like Spongebob Squarepants, Ultraman, and even The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, so you can make your “bean” look exactly how you want.
