When the Nintendo Switch hit shelves in 2017, it was clear that the console was a return to form for Nintendo after the disappointing Wii U. The Nintendo Switch wasn’t just received well from a critical standpoint, but from a sales perspective too, as the Switch is currently the 12th highest-selling console ever.
Despite this success, 2020 was always going to be a tough year for Nintendo due to the release of the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It was therefore essential that Nintendo offered a strong catalog of games this year, to ensure that the console didn’t slip behind its competitors. Thankfully for Switch owners, Nintendo didn’t disappoint as they provided their players with an excellent array of new titles in 2020, as shown by these titles and their Metacritic scores.
10 Heroes Of Hammerwatch – Ultimate Edition (85)
The sequel to Hammerwatch, Crackshell’s Heroes of Hammerwatch initially released in 2018 on PC. The roguelite was well-received upon release, with praise being directed to its excellent leveling mechanics and enjoyable co-op.
The Ultimate Edition Switch port was released in July of this year and featured all of the DLC content such as Moon Temple and Witch Hunter.
9 Huntdown (86)
A throwback to the days of Contra and Metal Slug, Easy Trigger Games’ Huntdown is a 16-bit shoot em’ up that puts players in the shoes of a bounty hunter who is tasked with taking down criminal gangs and organizations alone or with a co-op partner.
The game was praised for its stunning art style and animations, much of which was hand-drawn.
8 Streets Of Rage 4 (86)
Nintendo was seemingly feeling very nostalgic in 2020, as Streets of Rage 4 is the third game in a row that was clearly influenced by retro titles from the NES and Sega Genesis era. This inspiration doesn’t come as much as a surprise though, as the original Streets of Rage released in 1991.
Streets of Rage 4 doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel and sticks to tried and tested mechanics from the beat em’ up genre. The game does offer some innovations to its predecessors though, including a new combo system that allows players to juggle enemies for potentially massive point scores.
7 Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition (87)
The nostalgia train hasn’t stopped yet, as Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition is a point and click adventure that takes players back to when Sierra and LucasArts were dominating the gaming industry with series’ like Kings Quest and Monkey Island. One jarring difference with Kentucky Route Zero though, is that it ditches puzzle-solving and focuses almost entirely on story-telling.
The crowdfunded game is separated into five acts, the first of which was released in 2013, and the fifth and final act was released in January of this year, coinciding with the TV Edition release on consoles.
6 Super Mega Baseball 3 (87)
Despite the sports genre being one of the most successful in the gaming industry, most sports are dominated by one series of games. This is largely due to the huge licensing fees that publishers must pay to use official branding. The future of licensed games is suddenly looking sketchy though, as EA paying £40 million to David Beckham for his likeness to appear in FIFA may have backfired. Super-agent Mino Riola has claimed that around 300 current players may take legal action against EA, likely feeling that Beckham’s £40 million ($53,381,800) is a sign that they’re being short-changed.
This is relevant to Super Mega Baseball 3 as the game provides a beacon of hope for the sports genre if the David Beckham situation sparks wide-spread trouble for EA and 2K. The unlicensed game has been a huge success, providing one of the most enjoyable sporting experiences released this year and proving that gameplay will always be the key factor of any sports game.
5 A Short Hike (88)
Adam Robinson-Yu’s indie adventure A Short Hike is another game on this list that was released previously on other systems before coming to the Nintendo Switch this year.
The open-world game puts players in control of an anthropomorphic bird as they search for golden feathers. Along with its impressive Metascore, A Short Hike won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and Audience Award at the Independent Games Festival awards.
4 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (89)
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is an expanded remaster of Xenoblade Chronicles which was originally released in 2010 on the Nintendo Wii.
The original game received a huge Metascore of 92, and this year’s Definitive Edition remaster was unlucky not to reach the elusive 90 mark itself. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a fantastic remaster with huge improvements to the visuals and soundtrack, while also adding a new epilogue scenario.
3 Animal Crossing: New Horizons (90)
In a difficult year with many countries going into lockdown, Animal Crossing: New Horizons provided the perfect escape. The loveable life simulator offers hundreds of hours of gameplay as players build a tropical paradise in their image.
Along with receiving Metacritic’s ‘Must Play’ tag, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2020.
2 Ori And The Will Of The Wisps (93)
Microsoft and Sony have had opposing strategies in recent years. Whereas Sony has focused on providing exclusive titles, Microsoft has opted for the consumer-friendly approach of offering their games on multiple systems. Nintendo Switch users benefited greatly from this in September, as Microsoft Studios’ Ori and the Will of the Wisps came to the system just over four years after its initial release.
Keeping with this lists’ recurring theme of retro-inspired games, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a fantastic 2D platformer that takes heavy influence from Castlevania and Super Metroid.
1 Hades (93)
With a Metascore of 93, Hades ties Ori and the Will of the Wisps for first place. The roguelite action-RPG has received tons of plaudits this year for its wonderful storytelling and postgame content that will keep fans busy for many hours to come.
Hades is currently in a head to head battle with Animal Crossing: New Horizons as both games are nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards. The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima are being tipped for the award, although there is no clear favorite this year and it wouldn’t be too surprising if Hades could take the crown.
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