History Platform / NintendoSwitch

Meanwhile, despite an initially slow and painful start, the [=3DS=] had managed to maintain Nintendo's hold on the portable gaming market and keep them afloat. While it wouldn't go on to sell as much as any of their other handhelds, it still defeated the Platform/PlaystationVita in a CurbStompBattle and proved that dedicated gaming handhelds still had their place despite {{mobile phone game}}s gaining dominance in the 2010s.

With their home console dying and their portable console, well, not necessarily ''thriving'', but still doing far more than just surviving, Nintendo had a lot to think about going forward. One of the biggest concerns was their whole development pipeline. Since the Platform/GameBoy, the development environments behind their handhelds and home consoles were vastly different, meaning the handheld and home console teams couldn't really share any tips or tricks. While this was fine in a pre-HD world, HD development was proving to be quite the expensive endeavor, so it was decided that they needed to make sure their next pair of consoles at least shared the same development platform in order to streamline things. That way, it would be easier to continue making the experiences that both Eastern and Western players wanted; after all, dedicated handhelds and smartphone games dominated Japan, while in the West, there was a preference for home consoles and [=PCs=]. Sure, it would be great if they could have a single device that could do both in order to streamline things even further for both themselves and other developers who would like to target both markets at once with reduced dev costs, but surely mobile technology hasn't advanced quickly enough to allow such an endeavor, right?

The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo's seventh home gaming console, released worldwide on March 3, 2017. The console was first announced in March 2015 by Creator/SatoruIwata, just months before his death, as a means to quell rumors that Nintendo was exiting the console business after the failure of the Wii U and recently announced plans to start making smartphone games. Simply referred to as [[WorkingTitle codename]] "NX", with was simply stated to be a "brand-new concept" that would exist as a third pillar to the Wii U and [=3DS=].[[note]][[HistoryRepeats Similar statements]] were made for what the DS was to Platform/NintendoGameCube and the Platform/GameBoyAdvance, and similarly enough, the GBA was quietly discontinued in the face of the DS's success. The key difference is that Nintendo was clearly hedging their bets in the latter case, as the GBA line was still doing incredibly well in sales and could serve as a backup plan if the DS flopped. The same could not be said for the Wii U, and indeed, that system was officially discontinued mere months before the Switch's launch.[[/note]] After over a year of silence, rumors and speculation, on October 20, 2016, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uik5fgIaI the console was officially revealed]] as a "hybrid" device, consisting of a touchscreen monitor and detachable controllers known as Joy-Con, that can smoothly [[MeaningfulName switch]] between TV Mode (using a docking station for the monitor) and portable play (boasting both a Handheld Mode with the controllers attached, and a Tabletop Mode with the controllers detached and the monitor propped up with an integrated kickstand). Meanwhile, the Joy-Con, though normally used vertically in pairs as a split controller or placed in a grip, can be turned horizontally and used individually, allowing many games to have instant out-of-the-box two person multiplayer.[[note]]When held horizontally, players gain access to the SL and SR buttons, but lose access to the L/R and ZL/ZR buttons, making it something of a mini-[[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] controller.[[/note]] And if you aren't fond of the Joy-Con, just like the Wii and Wii U, you can grab a more traditional "Pro Controller" that can be used in Tabletop and TV modes.

The Nintendo Switch, to put it bluntly, [[HesBack was an overnight success]]. It sold 2.74 million units by the end of its first month to become the best launch for any Nintendo system to-date, and would proceed to spend each subsequent year beating the lifetime sales of at least one of its predecessors. Nintendo themselves predicted before the system's launch that the Switch could sell as much as the Wii by the end of its lifecycle, something that it would accomplish in its fifth year. The system has sold 141.32 million units as of March 2024, making it the third highest-selling console of all time behind the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/PlayStation2, with Nintendo now anticipating it to outsell the former by the end of March 2025. This overwhelming success carried over to their software, as nearly every Nintendo franchise that made an appearance on the system -- from niche series like ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' to established big-sellers like ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' -- would break franchise records to become among the best-selling (if not ''the'' best-selling) entries in their franchises, with ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' in particular not only doing so by ridiculous margins, but becoming among the Top 20 best-selling games of all-time.

In September 2018, after a year-and-a-half of free online play, Nintendo introduced their first paid online service in Platform/NintendoSwitchOnline, introduced . In addition to continued access to online play, players got cloud saves, exclusive games and avatars, and (replacing the role of the Platform/VirtualConsole) a downloadable library of classic titles. While only Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem titles were available, other Nintendo (and Creator/{{Sega}}) systems would be made available as part of both the base tier and an eventual "Expansion Pack" tier, the latter also granting access to the paid DLC of select games for no extra charge. See the page on this service for more details on its features as well as the list of games available for it.

In September 2019, in addition to quietly releasing a new V2 revision of the Switch that incorporates a more power-efficient chipset and improved build quality to address some of physical Joy-Con issues present in launch version, Nintendo released an entirely new model called the Nintendo Switch Lite. Positioned as a $200USD budget alternative to the $300 base model, the Lite lacks TV-Out and has the controls integrated with the system (albeit with HD Rumble and the IR Camera removed, and the split D-pad swapped out for a standard one), acting purely as a dedicated handheld, though external Joy-Con can still be paired for multiplayer and any games that require individual Joy-Con use, such as ''VideoGame/OneTwoSwitch'' or ''VideoGame/NintendoSwitchSports''. This was followed in October 2021 with the OLED model, positioned as a $350 premium option with more storage memory, a bigger kickstand, improved speakers, a magnesium alloy case, and a larger OLED screen. While the OLED can be used with the old dock, it also comes with a revised one that features a dedicated wired LAN port, which the standard Switch model can also use.

As an aside, due to its hybrid nature, the Switch follows the lead of Nintendo's previous handhelds in using Game Cards, a proprietary type of ROM cartridge based on the SD Card (flash memory) format, as its physical media instead of optical discs. Also in following the lead of (most of) their handhelds, the Switch is first Nintendo home console system to be region-free, something Nintendo themselves noted during the Switch's launch presentation. There is a quirk of the hardware is less interesting or beneficial than these, though: "Joy-Con drift", where the Joy-Con control sticks start outputting inappropriate movement due to dust and debris entering its internals; the only real workaround is to either buy new Joy-Cons or send them in for free repair.[[note]]Though Nintendo would never officially recognize Joy-Con drift as a issue in order to avoid legal issues, the problem became widespread enough that various Nintendo branches slowly adopted official policies to repair Joy-Cons free-of-charge starting in 2019, though its European branches wouldn't do so until 2023.[[/note]]

The Platform/WiiU put Creator/{{Nintendo}} in a rough spot; it followed up Nintendo's [[Platform/{{Wii}} best-selling home console]] by being their worst-selling one, and became the company's biggest flop since the Platform/VirtualBoy. There were many reasons for this, but one of the more commonly cited ones was that its [=GamePad=] tablet controller failed to capture people's attention like the motion controls did for the Wii. However, most Wii U owners agreed that the [=GamePad=] had one good feature going for it: Off-TV Play. While games with second-screen features[[note]]which send separate images to the TV and [=GamePad=] screens to serve different gameplay purposes, like the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/Nintendo3DS[[/note]] didn't catch on, most games for the system did not require a television to be played, as they could be played on the [=GamePad=] screen. While this gave players the ability to enjoy their Wii U games even when a TV was unavailable, it lacked the versatility and flexibility of a true portable system since the [=GamePad=] was ultimately still tethered to the console.

Meanwhile, despite an initially slow and painful start, the [=3DS=] had managed to maintain Nintendo's hold on the portable gaming market and keep them afloat. While not selling as well as the [=DS=], it still defeated the Platform/PlaystationVita in a CurbStompBattle and proved that dedicated devices still had their place despite {{mobile phone game}}s gaining dominance in the 2010s.

With their home console dying and their portable console... not necessarily ''thriving'', but still doing far more than just surviving, Nintendo had a lot to think about going forward, especially since they had a third thing on their mind: bridging the gap between Eastern and Western players. In Japan, playing on-the-go is more popular, with dedicated handhelds and smartphone games dominating the region, while in the West, audiences would rather stay home and play on their home consoles and [=PCs=]. Naturally, this meant developers had no easy way to leverage both markets either; porting down games to handhelds was damn near impossible unless you deliberately targeted that lower-end hardware in mind, while porting up games to consoles would require reworking gameplay for form factors that lack a touch screen. And while you could make a game for both, the expense in doing so could be prohibitively expensive thanks to HD development rapidly increasing production costs; trying to keep up a steady stream of games for two disparate pieces of hardware was one of the reasons Sony struggled with the Vita, and even Nintendo was starting to feel the pain despite the 3DS outputting at a lower resolution than Sony's offering.

So, to summarize, Nintendo had:
# The Wii U as a poor-selling home console whose agreed-upon best aspect was that it didn't require a television to be used.
# The [=3DS=] as a decent-selling portable system that retained Nintendo's crown as the uncontested ruler of handheld gaming.
# And a continued desire to cater to those wanted to play on-the-go ''and'' those who play at home, but keep costs down in a post-HD world.

The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo's seventh home gaming console which was released worldwide on March 3, 2017. The console was first announced in March 2015 by Creator/SatoruIwata, just months before his death, as a means to quell rumors that Nintendo was exiting the console business after the failure of the Wii U and recently announced plans to start making smartphone games. It was given the [[WorkingTitle codename]] "NX" and with the promise that it would be a "brand-new concept". After over a year of silence, rumors and speculation, on October 20, 2016, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5uik5fgIaI the console was officially revealed]] as a hybrid between a set-top console and a portable handheld, consisting of a tablet-like touchscreen monitor, a dock and two detachable controllers. Put the touchscreen monitor into the dock for TV play; remove it to [[MeaningfulName switch]] it from a home console into a portable console. Nintendo initially claimed that the Switch would act as a "third pillar" to the Wii U and [=3DS=], [[FlipFlopOfGod only to then]] announce the Wii U's discontinuation not too long afterward.[[note]][[HistoryRepeats Similar statements]] were made for what the DS was to Platform/NintendoGameCube and the Platform/GameBoyAdvance, and similarly enough, the GBA was quietly discontinued in the late 2000s in the face of the DS's success. The key difference is that Nintendo was clearly hedging their bets in the latter case, as the GBA line was still doing incredibly well in sales and could serve as a backup plan if the DS flopped. The same could not be said for the Wii U.[[/note]]

The original 2017 Nintendo Switch comes with four components: the Switch itself, essentially a 6.2-inch touchscreen tablet; a TV dock which connects to an external display using HDMI and has several USB ports; and two "Joy-Con" controllers. All of these can be mixed-and-matched to the player's needs, resulting in a large variety of configurations.
* The Switch has three modes of operation. It can be played in '''TV Mode''' if it is hooked up to its charging dock, with the Joy-Cons in your hands (either individually or while connected to a [[https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/joy-con-grip-105703/ Grip]] to transform them into a standard controller). It can be played in '''Handheld Mode''' with the Joy-Cons attached to the sides of the tablet, functioning as a standard handheld console. And it can be played in '''Tabletop Mode''' by making use of an integrated kickstand: the tablet becomes its own portable monitor in these situations, and the Joy-Cons are detached. The Switch changes seamlessly between all three modes; you don't have to suspend play to pick the Switch up out of the dock, put it back in again, or attach and detach the controllers (fat-fingering a button during these procedures notwithstanding).
* Joy-Cons use Bluetooth connectivity for all interaction, meaning there are no rules about where they need to be in relation to the Switch. You can play TV Mode with them attached to the tablet while it is in the dock (though this might make it difficult to see the TV screen); and the only real difference between Handheld mode and Tabletop mode is whether the Joy-Cons are attached to the tablet.
* There is also a traditional "Pro Controller," very similar to the [=Xbox=] and [=DualShock=] controllers in design, which can be used in Tabletop and TV modes.
* The Switch supports up to eight individual Joy-Cons and/or Pro Controllers. Joy-Cons each have a control stick, four face buttons and two shoulder buttons -- the same buttons found on the old [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] controller. Though normally used vertically in pairs, any Joy-Con can be turned horizontally and used individually[[note]]Each Joy-Con has two sets of shoulder buttons, one for horizontal use and the other for vertical use[[/note]], allowing some games to support up to eight players at a time.
* Lastly, if you don't have a flat surface for Tabletop mode or a TV to plug the dock into, the Switch can form a local network with up to seven other Switches.

Like the DS and [=3DS=], the Switch stores physical copies of games on Game Cards, a proprietary type of ROM cartridge based on the SD Card (flash memory) format; continuing a tradition for handhelds, but breaking the three-generation streak of Nintendo's home consoles storing games on optical discs. As a result, the Switch is technically the first cartridge-based home console since the Platform/Nintendo64 twenty-one years prior. It is also the first Nintendo home console system to be [[MediaNotes/RegionCoding region-free]], something Nintendo themselves noted during the Switch's launch presentation.

The Switch has another first in the form of introducing Nintendo's first paid online infrastructure. After online play being free for the first year-and-a-half of the console's life, Platform/NintendoSwitchOnline was introduced in September 2018. For only US$20 a year (or US$35 for up to eight users via family membership), you can gain access to online play, cloud saves, exclusive games and avatars, and a downloadable library of NES and SNES titles playable via MediaNotes/{{emulation}}. A higher paid tier known as the "Expansion Pack" was released in October 2021 where, for $50 a year ($80 for a family plan), users get additional access to Platform/Nintendo64 and Platform/SegaGenesis games, as well as the paid DLC of select games such as ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe'' for no extra charge. Finally, subscribing to NSO also gives access to exclusive items on Nintendo's online store, mainly wireless Bluetooth controllers for the individual retro systems granted by the service. In February 2023, Platform/GameBoy and Platform/GameBoyColor titles were made available to all subscribers while Platform/GameBoyAdvance titles were made exclusive to the "Expansion Pack" tier. See the page on this service for more details on its features as well as the list of games available for it.

A commonly criticized quirk of the hardware is "Joy-Con drift", where the Joy-Con control sticks start outputting inappropriate movement due to dust and debris entering its internals; the only real workaround is to either buy new Joy-Cons or send them in for free repair.[[note]]Though Nintendo would never officially recognize Joy-Con drift as a issue in order to avoid legal issues, the problem became widespread enough that various Nintendo branches slowly adopted official policies to repair Joy-Cons free-of-charge starting in 2019, though its European branches wouldn't do so until 2023.[[/note]]

Regardless of these struggles, the Switch became an overnight success, selling 2.74 million units by the end of its first month [[HesBack (making it the best launch for any Nintendo system to-date)]]. The console would outsell the Wii U's entire lifetime in less than a year, followed by the [=GameCube=] and Nintendo 64 the following year, the SNES in its third year, and the NES in its fourth. Nintendo themselves predicted before the system's launch that the Switch could sell as much as the Wii by the end of its life cycle, and the Switch did just that in its fifth year. As of March 2023, the Switch has sold 141.32 million units, making it the third highest selling console of all time behind the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/PlayStation2. This overwhelming success carried over to their software, with nearly every Nintendo franchise that made an appearance on the system undergoing a giant NewbieBoom as they broke franchise records; ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' in particular would not only surpass the sales of past entries to become the best-selling games of their respective franchises by ridiculous margins, but also become among the Top 20 best-selling games of all-time, while games like ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' and ''[[VideoGame/Splatoon3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' and ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', and ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' all became the best-selling entries in their respective franchises.

One year after release, Nintendo would try to increase that success by innovating the system even further with ''VideoGame/NintendoLabo'', a series of DIY development kits for the Switch that consists of gaming software and cardboard cutouts that can be assembled into accessories called Toy-Cons. Releasing on April 20, 2018, the first sets were released: the "Variety Kit" and the "Robot Kit". The "Vehicle Kit" would be released in September and Labo "VR Kit" the following April.

On September 20, 2019, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch Lite, an entry-level, budget alternative to the original (costing $200USD vs. $300USD). The Lite foregoes the core feature of its older sibling, its hybrid nature, to serve purely as a handheld console. In addition to lacking TV-out, the controls are integrated with the system, so any games within the Switch library that require individual Joy-Con use, such as ''VideoGame/OneTwoSwitch'' or ''VideoGame/NintendoSwitchSports'', require external Joy-Cons to be connected to the system; HD Rumble and the IR Camera are also removed, and the split D-pad is swapped out for a standard one, so those missing features also require external controllers. Alongside the Switch Lite, Nintendo also quietly released a revised version of the original Switch that incorporates a more power-efficient chipset, thus increasing battery life and reducing heat output, in addition to improved build quality to address physical Joy-Con issues present in some builds of the previous batches of the Switch.

On October 8, 2021, Nintendo released the Nintendo Switch (OLED model), positioned as a $350USD premium option in the Nintendo Switch family. As the name suggests, this version of the system boasts a larger 7-inch OLED screen, a bigger kickstand, a magnesium alloy case, 64GB of built-in memory, and improved onboard speakers for better sound quality in handheld/tabletop mode. A revised dock released alongside the OLED model that has a dedicated wired LAN port in place of the USB 3.0 port of the previous revision; the original dock could only utilize a wired network connection via an USB-to-Ethernet adapter. The new dock can be used with previous models of the standard Switch; likewise, the Switch OLED model can also use the previous models' docks.

Oddly enough, while the popularity of the Switch would [[FollowTheLeader inspire similar products]], it didn't come in the form of their competitors in the console space, who have since settled into their own comfortable niches. Instead, the Switch (as well as Creator/{{Valve}}'s Steam Deck and [=ASUS' ROG=] Ally) resulted in the resurgence of the handheld [=PC=] market and its restructure into offering devices that act as alternatives to gaming laptops.

* For the first time ever on a Nintendo home system, and for the first time on a Nintendo handheld system since the original Platform/NintendoDS, games are region-free.

Regardless of these struggles, the Switch became an overnight success, selling 2.74 million units by the end of its first month [[HesBack (making it the best launch for any Nintendo system to-date)]]. The console would outsell the Wii U's entire lifetime in less than a year, followed by the [=GameCube=] and Nintendo 64 the following year, the SNES in its third year, and the NES in its fourth. Nintendo themselves predicted before the system's launch that the Switch could sell as much as the Wii by the end of its life cycle, and the Switch did just that in its fifth year. As of March 2023, the Switch has sold 141.32 million units, making it the third highest selling console of all time behind the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/PlayStation2. This overwhelming success carried over to their software, with nearly every Nintendo franchise that made an appearance on the system undergoing a giant NewbieBoom as they broke franchise records; ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' in particular would not only surpass the sales of past entries to become the best-selling games of their respective franchises by ridiculous margins, but also become among the Top 20 best-selling games of all-time, while games like ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' and ''[[VideoGame/Splatoon3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' and ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'', and ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' all became the best-selling entries in their respective franchises.

The Switch has another first in the form of introducing Nintendo's first paid online infrastructure. After online play being free for the first year-and-a-half of the console's life, Nintendo Switch Online was introduced in September 2018. For only US$20 a year (or US$35 for up to eight users via family membership), you can gain access to online play, cloud saves, exclusive games and avatars, and a downloadable library of NES and SNES titles playable via MediaNotes/{{emulation}}. A higher paid tier known as the "Expansion Pack" was released in October 2021 where, for $50 a year ($80 for a family plan), users get additional access to Platform/Nintendo64 and Platform/SegaGenesis games, as well as the paid DLC of select games such as ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe'' for no extra charge. Finally, subscribing to NSO also gives access to exclusive items on Nintendo's online store, mainly wireless Bluetooth controllers for the individual retro systems granted by the service. In February 2023, Platform/GameBoy and Platform/GameBoyColor titles were made available to all subscribers while Platform/GameBoyAdvance titles were made exclusive to the "Expansion Pack" tier.

Despite its low entry fee, NSO has been heavily criticized for its inconsistent utilization of cloud saves (some games with heavy multiplayer components like the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series lack the feature to prevent cheating), poor implementation of basic features such as voice chat (a separate phone app is required and it only works with friends), the drip-feed nature of the retro libraries (the various apps can sometimes go months on end without any new games being added, while also missing obvious first-party titles), and the infamously poor peer-to-peer netcode of games such as ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' that make users question what they're truly paying for. The Expansion Pack tier has its own share of controversy thanks to its steep price point, which puts it in the same cost ballpark as Sony and Microsoft's online services without comparable consumer value. Not helping is that the [=N64=] app has seen several issues concerning emulation -- most of which had been solved by unofficial, open-source N64 emulators years prior -- with some titles initially running worse than they did on the Wii's Platform/VirtualConsole, and a few even having quirks that can crash the app altogether. Speaking of quirks, a commonly criticized one of the hardware is "Joy-Con drift", where the Joy-Con control sticks start outputting inappropriate movement due to dust and debris entering its internals; the only real workaround is to either buy new Joy-Cons or send them in for free repair.[[note]]Though Nintendo would never officially recognize Joy-Con drift as a issue in order to avoid legal issues, the problem became widespread enough that various Nintendo branches slowly adopted official policies to repair Joy-Cons free-of-charge starting in 2019, though its European branches wouldn't do so until 2023.[[/note]]

!!Nintendo Switch Online
!!! Base Subscription
[[folder:NES Games]]
'''NOTE:''' Games with an asterisk (*) also have a "Special" version which start you near the end of the game, usually with the best equipment. A double asterisk (**) denotes games that have two separate "Special" versions.

* ''VideoGame/AdventuresOfLolo''
* ''VideoGame/AtlantisNoNazo'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/BalloonFight''
* ''Baseball''
* ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster''*
* ''VideoGame/CityConnection''
* ''VideoGame/CluCluLand'' (replaced with ''Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Clu Clu Land'' in Japan)
* ''VideoGame/{{Crystalis}}''
* ''DAIVA Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''VideoGame/DevilWorld''
* ''VideoGame/DigDug II''
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong''
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongJunior''
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong3''
* ''VideoGame/DoubleDragon''
** ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonII: The Revenge''
* ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings''
* ''Eliminator Boat Duel''
* ''VideoGame/{{Excitebike}}''
** ''VS. Excitebike'' (originally for the Famicom Disk System)
* ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Famicom Wars]]'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight''** (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins''*
* ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}''**
* ''VideoGame/IceClimber''
* ''Ice Hockey''
* ''VideoGame/TheImmortal'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/JourneyToSilius''
* ''VideoGame/JoyMechFight'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''VideoGame/KidIcarus1986''*
* ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure''*
* ''[[VideoGame/SuperChinese Kung Fu Heroes]]''
* ''VideoGame/KunioKun'':
** ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom''
** ''VideoGame/SuperDodgeball''
** ''Downtown Nekketsu March: Super-Awesome Field Day!'' (has text in Japanese only)
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI''*
** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''*
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Mappy}} Mappy Land]]''
* ''VideoGame/Metroid1''**
* ''[[VideoGame/BombJack Mighty Bomb Jack]]''*
* ''VideoGame/TheMysteriousMurasameCastle''
* ''[[VideoGame/TheTowerOfBabel Mystery Tower]]''
* ''NES Open Golf Tournament'' (has a Japan-only Special version)
* ''VideoGame/Nightshade1992'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden''*
* ''Ninja [=JaJaMaru=]-kun''
* ''VideoGame/Pinball1984''
* ''VideoGame/ProWrestling''
* ''VideoGame/{{Pronty}}''
* ''VideoGame/PunchOut''
* ''VideoGame/RCProAm''
* ''Route-16 Turbo'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/{{Rygar}}''
* ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheNinja'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/SnakeRattleNRoll''
* ''Smash Ping Pong'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/SolomonsKey''
** ''Fire 'n Ice''
* ''VideoGame/SpecialCyberneticAttackTeam'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/StarSoldier''*
* ''VideoGame/StarTropics'' (West only)
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/DrMario''*
** ''VideoGame/MarioBros''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''*
** ''VideoGame/WariosWoods''
** ''VideoGame/WreckingCrew''
** ''VideoGame/{{Yoshi}}''
* ''Soccer''
* ''VideoGame/TecmoBowl''
* ''Tennis''
* ''Tsuppari Oozumou'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/TwinBee''*
* ''VideoGame/ViceProjectDoom''
* ''Volleyball''
* ''VideoGame/{{Xevious}}''
* ''VideoGame/YieArKungFu'' (Japan only)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:SNES Games]]
'''NOTE:''' Games with an asterisk (*) also have a "Special" version which start you near the end of the game, usually with the best equipment.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Hebereke}} Amazing Hebereke]]'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Battletoads}} Battletoads in Battlemaniacs]]''
* ''{{VideoGame/Bombuzal}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/RushingBeat Brawl Brothers]]''
** ''The Peace Keepers'' (West only)
** ''Rival Turf''
* ''Franchise/BreathOfFire'':
** ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireI''
** ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII''
* ''VideoGame/{{Claymates}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/GargoylesQuest Demon's Crest]]''
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'':
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1''
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest''
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble''
* ''VideoGame/DoomsdayWarrior''
* ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994''
* ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim 2'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/FightersHistory''
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': (Japan only)
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem''
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar''
* ''VideoGame/FZero1990''
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon1''
* ''The Ignition Factor''
* ''VideoGame/JellyBoy''
* ''VideoGame/JoeAndMac''
** ''Congo's Caper'' (West only)
** ''Joe & Mac 2: Lost in the Tropics''
* ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct''
* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'':
** ''VideoGame/KirbysAvalanche'' (West only)
** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamCourse''*
** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3''*
** ''VideoGame/KirbysStarStacker'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
** ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar''*
* ''[[VideoGame/KunioKun Kunio-kun no Dodgeball Dayo Zenin Shūgō!]]'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast''
* ''VideoGame/MagicalDrop II''
* ''VideoGame/MarvelousAnotherTreasureIsland'' (Japan only)
* ''[[Wrestling/AllJapanProWrestling Natsume Championship Wrestling]]'' (West only)
* ''Operation Logic Bomb'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/PanelDePon'' (Japanese version of ''Tetris Attack'', previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''VideoGame/{{Pilotwings}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/TwinBee Pop'n TwinBee]]''
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Prehistorik}} Prehistorik Man]]'' (West only)
* ''Psycho Dream'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'': (Japan only)
** ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI''
** ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII''
** ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIf''
* ''Side Pocket''
* ''Smash Tennis''
* ''VideoGame/SpankysQuest''
* ''Franchise/StarFox'':
** ''VideoGame/StarFox1''
** ''VideoGame/StarFox2''
* ''VideoGame/StuntRaceFX''
* ''Super Baseball Simulator 1.000''
* ''Super E.D.F.: Earth Defense Force''
* ''[[VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts]]''
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''[[VideoGame/{{Picross}} Mario's Super Picross]]'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart''*
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''*
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland''
* ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid''*
* ''[[VideoGame/PunchOut Super Punch-Out!!]]''*
* ''[[VideoGame/PuyoPuyo2 Super Puyo Puyo 2]]'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
* ''[[VideoGame/RType Super R-Type]]''
* ''Super Soccer''
* ''Super Tennis''
* ''Super Ultra Baseball'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/TuffENuff''
* ''VideoGame/UmiharaKawase'' (Japan only)
* ''[[VideoGame/ValisTheFantasmSoldier Super Valis IV]]'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/WildGuns''
* ''[[VideoGame/WreckingCrew Wrecking Crew '98]]'' (previously unreleased in the West; has text in Japanese only)
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Game Boy/Game Boy Color Games]]
* ''Alleyway''
* ''VideoGame/AloneInTheDark: The New Nightmare'' (West only)
* ''Baseball''
* ''VideoGame/BlasterMaster: Enemy Below''
* ''VideoGame/BurgerTime Deluxe''
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLegends''
* ''VideoGame/DrMario''
* ''VideoGame/ForTheFrogTheBellTolls'' (Japan only)
* ''VideoGame/GameAndWatchGallery 3''
* ''VideoGame/GargoylesQuest''
* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'':
** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand''
** ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand2''
** ''VideoGame/KirbyTiltNTumble''
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames''
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening DX''
* ''VideoGame/MarioGolf''
* ''VideoGame/MarioTennis''
* ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''
* ''Quest for Camelot''
* ''VideoGame/PokemonTradingCardGame''
* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand''
* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins''
* ''VideoGame/{{Tetris}}''
* ''VideoGame/WarioLand3''
* ''Yakuman'' (Japan only)
[[/folder]]

!!! Expansion Pack
[[folder:Nintendo 64 Games]]
* ''VideoGame/TenEightySnowboarding''
* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''
* ''VideoGame/BlastCorps''
* ''VideoGame/CustomRobo'' (Japan only)
** ''Custom Robo V2'' (Japan only)
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Excite}} Excitebike 64]]''
* ''VideoGame/ExtremeG'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/FZeroX''
* ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997''
* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon64''
* ''VideoGame/IggysReckinBalls'' (West only)
* ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini''
* ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards''
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask''
* ''VideoGame/{{Pilotwings}} 64''
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** ''[[VideoGame/PanelDePon Pokémon Puzzle League]]'' (West only)
** ''VideoGame/PokemonSnap''
** ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium''
** ''Pokémon Stadium 2''
* ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishment''
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''[[VideoGame/DrMario Dr. Mario 64]]'' (West only)
** ''VideoGame/MarioKart64''
** ''VideoGame/MarioGolf''
** ''VideoGame/MarioParty1''
** ''VideoGame/MarioParty2''
** ''VideoGame/MarioParty3''
** ''VideoGame/MarioTennis''
** ''VideoGame/PaperMario64''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''
* ''VideoGame/StarFox64''
* ''VideoGame/WaveRace 64''
* ''VideoGame/WinBack''
* ''VideoGame/YoshisStory''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sega Genesis Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AlienSoldier''
* ''VideoGame/AlienStorm''
* ''VideoGame/AlisiaDragoon''
* ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast1988''
* ''VideoGame/BeyondOasis''
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines''
* ''VideoGame/{{Columns}}''
* ''VideoGame/ComixZone''
* ''VideoGame/ContraHardCorps''
* ''VideoGame/CrusaderOfCenty''
* ''VideoGame/DynamiteHeaddy''
* ''VideoGame/EarthwormJim''
* ''VideoGame/EccoTheDolphin''
* ''VideoGame/{{Flicky}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/GhostsNGoblins Ghouls 'n' Ghosts]]''
* ''VideoGame/GoldenAxe''
** ''Golden Axe II''
* ''VideoGame/GunstarHeroes''
* ''VideoGame/KidChameleon''
* ''VideoGame/{{Landstalker}}''
* ''VideoGame/LightCrusader''
* ''VideoGame/MegaManTheWilyWars''
* ''VideoGame/{{MUSHA}}''
* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV''
* ''VideoGame/{{Pulseman}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Ristar}}''
* ''VideoGame/ShiningSeries'':
** ''VideoGame/ShiningForce''
** ''VideoGame/ShiningForceII''
* ''VideoGame/{{Shinobi}}'':
** ''VideoGame/TheRevengeOfShinobi''
** ''VideoGame/ShinobiIIIReturnOfTheNinjaMaster''
* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** ''VideoGame/DoctorRobotniksMeanBeanMachine'' (replaced with ''Videogame/PuyoPuyo'' in Japan)
** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''
** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogSpinball''
* ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier II''
* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII: Special Champion Edition''
* ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 2''
* ''VideoGame/{{Strider}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/FantasyZone Super Fantasy Zone]]''
* ''VideoGame/SwordOfVermilion''
* ''VideoGame/TargetEarth''
* ''VideoGame/ThunderForce II''
* ''[[VideoGame/ToeJamAndEarl ToeJam & Earl]]''
* ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter 2''
* ''VideoGame/ZeroWing''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Game Boy Advance Games]]
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'':
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade'' (Japan only)
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade''
* ''VideoGame/FZeroMaximumVelocity''
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'':
** ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1''
** ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge''
* ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror''
* ''VideoGame/KuruKuruKururin''
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap''
* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion''
* ''VideoGame/Mother3'' (Japan only)
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga''
** ''VideoGame/MarioKartSuperCircuit''
** ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2 Super Mario Advance]]''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld: Super Mario Advance 2''
** ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland Yoshi's Island]]: Super Mario Advance 3''
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3: Super Mario Advance 4''
* ''VideoGame/WarioWareIncMegaMicrogames''
[[/folder]]

* ''EGGCONSOLE'' series:[[note]]An assortment of emulated titles from the PC-8801 and MSX families[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/MarySkelterNightmares''
** ''Mary Skelter 2''

* ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage 4''

Oddly enough, while the popularity of the Switch would [[FollowTheLeader inspire similar products]], it didn't come in the form of their competitors in the console space, who have since settled into their own comfortable niches. Instead, the Switch (as well as Creator/{{Valve}}'s Steam Deck and [=ASUS's ROG=] Ally) resulted in the resurgence of the handheld [=PC=] market and its restructure into offering devices that act as alternatives to gaming laptops.

Oddly enough, while the popularity of the Switch would [[FollowTheLeader inspire similar products]], it didn't come in the form of their competitors in the console space, who have since settled into their own comfortable niches. Instead, the Switch (as well as Creator/{{Valve}}'s Steam Deck) resulted in the resurgence of the handheld [=PC=] market and its restructure into offering devices that act as alternatives to gaming laptops.

Regardless of these struggles, the Switch became an overnight success, selling 2.74 million units by the end of its first month [[HesBack (making it the best launch for any Nintendo system to-date)]]. The console would outsell the Wii U's entire lifetime in less than a year, followed by the [=GameCube=] and Nintendo 64 the following year, the SNES in its third year, and the NES in its fourth. Nintendo themselves predicted before the system's launch that the Switch could sell as much as the Wii by the end of its life cycle, and the Switch did just that in its fifth year. As of March 2023, the Switch has sold 141.32 million units, making it the third highest selling console of all time behind the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/PlayStation2. This overwhelming success carried over to their software, with nearly every Nintendo franchise that made an appearance on the system undergoing a giant NewbieBoom as they broke franchise records; ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' in particular would not only surpass the sales of past entries to become the best-selling games of their respective franchises by ridiculous margins, but also become among the Top 20 best-selling games of all-time, while games like ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' and ''[[VideoGame/Splatoon3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' and ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3 3]]'', and ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' all became the best-selling entries in their respective franchises.

* ''VideoGame/{{Wildfrost}}''

* ''{{VideoGame/Beeny}}''

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsThroughDaybreak II -CRIMSON [=SiN=]-''

* ''Anime/PrettyCure''

* ''VideoGame/{{Shelter|2013}}'' Generations''

* ''VideoGame/SilverFalls:''

** ''VideoGame/SonicXShadowGenerations''

Regardless of these struggles, the Switch became an overnight success, selling 2.74 million units by the end of its first month [[HesBack (making it the best launch for any Nintendo system to-date)]]. The console would outsell the Wii U's entire lifetime in less than a year, followed by the [=GameCube=] and Nintendo 64 the following year, the SNES in its third year, and the NES in its fourth. Nintendo themselves predicted before the system's launch that the Switch could sell as much as the Wii by the end of its life cycle, and the Switch did just that in its fifth year. As of December 2023, the Switch has sold 139 million units, making it the third highest selling console of all time behind the Platform/NintendoDS and Platform/PlayStation2. This overwhelming success carried over to their software, with nearly every Nintendo franchise that made an appearance on the system undergoing a giant NewbieBoom as they broke franchise records; ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe'' in particular would not only surpass the sales of past entries to become the best-selling games of their respective franchises by ridiculous margins, but also become among the Top 20 best-selling games of all-time, while games like ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' and ''[[VideoGame/Splatoon3 3]]'', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' and ''[[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3 3]]'', and ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' all became the best-selling entries in their respective franchises.

One year after release Nintendo, would try to increase that success by innovating the system even further with ''VideoGame/NintendoLabo'', a series of DIY development kits for the Switch that consists of gaming software and cardboard cutouts that can be assembled into accessories called Toy-Cons. Releasing on April 20, 2018, the first sets were released: the "Variety Kit" and the "Robot Kit". The "Vehicle Kit" would be released in September and Labo "VR Kit" the following April.

Oddly enough, while the Switch would [[FollowTheLeader inspire similar products]], it didn't come in the form of their competitors in the console space, who have since settled into their own comfortable niches. Instead, the Switch's general form factor would arguably aid in the resurgence of the handheld [=PC=] market, with it and Creator/{{Valve}}'s Steam Deck leading to the creation of similar devices that act as alternatives to gaming laptops.

Oddly enough, while the Switch would [[FollowTheLeader inspire similar products]], it didn't come in the form of their competitors in the console space, who have since settled into their own comfortable niches. Instead, the Switch would cause a boom in the PC gaming market of all places, with the growth of the handheld gaming [=PCs=] that are intended to create the same "home gaming to-go" experience. Platform/{{Steam}} is the most notable competitor, with their Steam Deck supporting the platform's impressive lineup of games, but other PC hardware companies -- such as Lenovo with their Legion or ASUS with the ROG Ally -- aren't too far behind.

Like the DS and [=3DS=], the Switch stores physical copies of games on Game Cards, a proprietary type of ROM cartridge based on the SD Card (flash memory) format; continuing a tradition for handhelds, but breaking the three-generation streak of Nintendo's home consoles storing games on optical discs. As a result, the Switch is technically the first cartridge-based home console since the Platform/Nintendo64 twenty-one years prior. It is also the first Nintendo home console system to be [[UsefulNotes/RegionCoding region-free]], something Nintendo themselves noted during the Switch's launch presentation.

The Switch has another first in the form of introducing Nintendo's first paid online infrastructure. After online play being free for the first year-and-a-half of the console's life, Nintendo Switch Online was introduced in September 2018. For only US$20 a year (or US$35 for up to eight users via family membership), you can gain access to online play, cloud saves, exclusive games and avatars, and a downloadable library of NES and SNES titles playable via UsefulNotes/{{emulation}}. A higher paid tier known as the "Expansion Pack" was released in October 2021 where, for $50 a year ($80 for a family plan), users get additional access to Platform/Nintendo64 and Platform/SegaGenesis games, as well as the paid DLC of select games such as ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe'' for no extra charge. Finally, subscribing to NSO also gives access to exclusive items on Nintendo's online store, mainly wireless Bluetooth controllers for the individual retro systems granted by the service. In February 2023, Platform/GameBoy and Platform/GameBoyColor titles were made available to all subscribers while Platform/GameBoyAdvance titles were made exclusive to the "Expansion Pack" tier.

** '''[[UsefulNotes/GraphicsProcessingUnit GPU]]''': Second-generation NVIDIA Maxwell with some ISA/CG backported from Pascal [[note]]mostly via customized firmware, possible because Pascal itself at a silicon level is but a die-shrink of Maxwell with a HBM memory controller instead of a GDDR one, it's the new firmware that makes Pascal more efficient[[/note]], 256 CUDA cores, runs at 768MHz in console mode or 307.2MHz in handheld and tabletop modes. Can reclock its speed on the fly as the device switches between console and handheld/tabletop modes. Games can also force the GPU run at 768MHz.

* The Switch retains the UsefulNotes/{{Mii}}s introduced all the way back on the Wii and introduces new customization features. However they seem to be heavily DemotedToExtra - rather than being available forefront in the main menu, their tab is tucked in the back in the Settings menu, and there's no connectivity with Miis from the Wii U or the 3DS. The only way to transfer an old Mii is by having one stored on an amiibo figure.

** ''Move It!''

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel''