I couldn’t have asked for a better year to catch up on gaming. 2017 was a fantastic year for gaming no matter what platform you’re on, and with a great new hybrid portable/home console from Nintendo I found myself biting the bullet and diving back into gaming. Oh boy, what a ride it was.

Since I only have the Nintendo Switch to play on, here are my top 5 games that I played this 2017. I included some games that were released before 2017, because they were all ported and released for the Nintendo Switch this year also this is my blog and my list made up of my subjective opinions don’t tell me what to do.

Axiom Verge



Dark and moody, this take on the Metroidvania formula wears its Super Metroid heart on its sleeve. But I don’t mind, really – sometimes, I don’t want something groundbreaking. I just want a love letter to the classics, which Axiom Verge definitely is. However, it offers enough original ideas to keep itself fresh.

Exploring Sudra’s various locales lets me get lost for hours, and figuring out various environmental to progress and build my character is a joy. And the game’s unique glitching mechanic is pretty clever. This really makes me excited for a 2D Metroid or Castlevania on the Switch.

Read my original review of Axiom Verge here.

ARMS

Hoo-boy, ARMS. I totally suck at fighting games, and this is no exception. But as we noted in What’s A Geek, there’s enough leeway in this game to teach beginners to the genre the basics and enough depth to get a bit technical. A wee bit. This won’t compare to, say, Tekken or Street Fighter in terms of technicality and depth, but it’s a fun fighting game you can bring to parties. I’ve had so much fun teaching motion controls to my friends, and 1 vs 1 vs 1 vs 1 mode is glorious chaos.

Plus if you really want to get serious and competitive, this game also accepts Pro Controller input so you can rise up in Ranked Mode.

Here’s my original review of ARMS.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

I’m a total sucker for XCOM-style gameplay. I never really thought much of this game when it was first leaked, but it slowly won me over by that beautiful art style and, of course, their fantastic take on turn-based-strategy.

What I said months ago in my original review is still true:

Despite being a crossover nobody asked for, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for the Nintendo Switch has grown into an essential must-have game for Nintendo’s newest console. Get it and lose 20 hours of your time trying to get rid the Mushroom Kingdom of its Rabbids infestation.

Go get it.

Super Mario Odyssey

I skipped Super Mario Odyssey the first time it came out because I was trying to finish a whole lot of games. Also, I suck at platformers in general. I regret not getting this earlier. The entire game feels like it was designed to put a smile on your face. Mario’s movement options are so numerous they are overwhelming. But every time I conquer a tricky section, beat a boss, or just capture a new enemy and the movement options open up to me, I often find myself grinning wildly.

I found myself hanging out in New Donk City’s Auditorium a lot just to watch Mario dance to the jazzy version of his original theme song.

Runner-ups:

Doom – I played the original Doom like crazy. I loved the original so much that I actually installed it on my old Nokia E63. So when the 2016 reboot came out for the Switch, I jumped at the opportunity to play it right away. Sure, it’s absolutely not the best version to play. The textures are compressed to hell and audio bugs here and there make progressing through the game a bit annoying. But it’s still a great game, and I’m glad I got a chance to play this even though I don’t have a powerful platform with me right now.

– I played the original Doom like crazy. I loved the original so much that I actually installed it on my old Nokia E63. So when the 2016 reboot came out for the Switch, I jumped at the opportunity to play it right away. Sure, it’s absolutely not the best version to play. The textures are compressed to hell and audio bugs here and there make progressing through the game a bit annoying. But it’s still a great game, and I’m glad I got a chance to play this even though I don’t have a powerful platform with me right now. Resident Evil Revelations – The last Resident Evil game I really played with 3. Until Capcom finds a way to port Resident Evil 7 to the Switch, I’m stuck with Revelations. It’s not a bad game, really. It’s fun and scary in the right places. I just need to finish this because man, some parts are tough.

– The last Resident Evil game I really played with 3. Until Capcom finds a way to port Resident Evil 7 to the Switch, I’m stuck with Revelations. It’s not a bad game, really. It’s fun and scary in the right places. I just need to finish this because man, some parts are tough. Fast RMX – Fast-paced rocket-powered racing. in space. Where the slightest mistake can make your vehicle go boom. Make sure to play couch co-op for this, because trash talking your friends is an essential part of the Fast RMX experience.

So here’s my top Nintendo Switch game of the year. I’m sure it’s obvious at this point. Come on, you guys, are we even playing on the same console?

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I don’t know, is there anything else that needs to be said about Breath of the Wild? Hyrule is vast and overwhelming. So many things in your way that you tend to forget bout your objectives to run after whatever shiny thing you saw in the distance. A world full of enemies that won’t hesitate to kill you when you’re not ready. If you haven’t played this game yet, what the hell is wrong with you? Pick it up and disappear for 200 hours.

So those were my top 5 Nintendo Switch games for 2017. I’d love to add Splatoon 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to this list but I haven’t played any of them yet. Maybe soon.

So what about you? What are your top games for this year for the Nintendo Switch or your platform of choice? Let’s talk about it in the comments!