10 New Nintendo Switch Games You HAVE to Put on Your Holiday Wish List This Year

The end of the year is now less than two months away, so if you haven't started making your holiday wish lists yet, it's definitely time.

And if you're proud owners of a Nintendo Switch, like us, chances are that you wouldn't mind having some incredible new games to play on the console, whether you prefer to play handheld in bed, or docked with family on the TV. Need a few recommendations? Keep reading for 10 new games, both recently released and coming out before the holidays, that you'll definitely want to check out.

(via Nintendo)

1. Cris Tales ($39.99, out now)

If you're a fan of classic RPGs, you have to check out Cris Tales. This unique game incorporates turn-based strategy with time travel mechanics to help you solve problems and thwart devious enemies. Players take on the role of Crisbell, a young woman who discovers her powers as a time mage, and guide her through a world where your choices really matter, and the changes you make ripple through time and change everything. It's also gorgeous and endlessly charming, with some twists that will legitimately shock you.

(Cris Tales via Modus Games)

 

2. Garden Story ($19.99, out now)

Garden Story is another RPG, but this one takes an entirely different approach to its world. In the game, you play as a grape called Concord who leaves their home for the first time and is quickly appointed a Guardian and tasked with uniting the four seasonally themed towns that make up their land. Throughout the game you'll work on powering up your weapons and other items by collecting valuable resources, all for the sake of fighting back the evil Rot and saving the home you know and love. With its sweet, simple style, it's a delight to look at, and the gameplay makes it nearly impossible to put down.

(Garden Story via Rose City Games)

 

3. TOEM ($19.99, out now)

Looking for a super chill, super wholesome photography game to spend a few hours in? TOEM is calling your name. The game takes place in a beautifully hand-drawn black and white world and follows a sheep-like protagonist as they venture out into the world for the first time, armed with only a camera and a stamp card in search of good deeds. It's all about snapping great pics and sharing the joy with others, but your ultimate goal is to experience the beautiful coming-of-age rite called TOEM—but you'll have to play yourself if you want to find out what that is.

(TOEM via Something We Made)

 

4. WarioWare: Get It Together! ($49.99 out now)

WarioWare: Get It Together! is the perfect game for quick bursts of fun, anytime and anywhere. The game revolves around Wario and his gang of friends who are all working together to develop a hit game, before Wario's greed gets them all sucked into it and forced to survive a series of microgames to escape. With more than 200 microgames to unlock and play, there is so much to enjoy here—but our favorite feature actually happens to be leveling up characters with their favorite prezzies by playing game after game after game.

(WarioWare: Get It Together! via Nintendo)

 

5. Metroid Dread ($59.99, out now)

It's been 19 years since the last original 2D Metroid title was released, so if you haven't played one before, we don't blame you, but you should really get on it with the franchise's newest game, Metroid Dread. The game sees the return of bounty hunter Samus Aran as she travels to a far-off planet to exterminate a deadly species thought to be extinct after the previous game, Metroid Fusion. However, it may all be a trap, and as Samus is stripped of her powers, she must travel the labyrinthian Planet ZDR to regain them, avoiding killer robots and a formidable new adversary along the way.

(Metroid Dread via Nintendo)

 

6. Tetris Effect: Connected ($39.99, out now)

If you haven't played Tetris Effect before, think of it as the classic Tetris with everything enhanced. There's more music, more dynamic backgrounds, thrilling sounds and captivating special effects to make the game more fun and addictive than ever, with 10 modes so you never get sick of the iconic game. And Tetris Effect: Connected adds a brand new "Connected" co-op mode that lets you play with friends, connecting the playfields together to play as one. It's totally ingenious, and the best way to play Tetris.

(Tetris Effect: Connected via Enhance)

 

7. Mario Party Superstars ($59.99, out now)

Not everyone has been a fan of recent Mario Party iterations, with the series straying far from the original formula in order to offer new modes of gameplay. Those folks, in particular, will love Mario Party Superstars because it gets back to the basics and offers a totally classic Mario Party experience. This game brings back five classic boards from the first Mario Party games on the Nintendo 64 (with more to come as DLC), as well as 100 classic minigames to remind us what we loved about the old games, and the fact that you can seamlessly play online with friends or strangers is great, too.

(Mario Party Superstars via Nintendo)

 

8. Unpacking ($19.99, out now)

For those gamers who care less about competition and high scores and just want a chill, zen experience to unwind with, you need to try Unpacking. As the name says, this one is all about moving to a new home and pulling things out of cardboard boxes, putting them into their proper places one by one. There are no scores or timers. It's just about the experience and organizing how you want. And if you're feeling creative, you can find new ways to interact with the game's world and unlock cute stickers through achievements, too.

(Unpacking via Humble Games)

 

9. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl ($59.99 each, out Nov. 19)

This game isn't out quite yet, but as a remake of the classic Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl games, we know we're in for a treat. The Sinnoh region is a favorite among many Pokémon trainers, and in this game, players will get to revisit it with their choice of Turtwig, Chimchar or Piplup, or explore the world for the first time. And in addition to all of the staples of Pokémon titles, including battling and raising Pokémon, this one also has Super Contest pageants, the Grand Underground for fossil-digging and Secret Bases and more. It's going to be great, and we are counting down the days.

(Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl via The Pokémon Company)

 

10. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain ($29.99, out Dec. 3)

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is another of our most anticipated titles of the year because this one isn't just a game—it's a brain trainer. Not only can players compete with themselves, boosting their brain scores in Visualize, Identify, Memorize, Compute and Analyze categories, but they can also play with friends and family to see who comes out on top. Plus, there are different difficulty levels you can set for kids and parents to level the playing field. It's going to be a ton of fun, and we can't wait to get our hands on it.

(Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain via Nintendo)

 

Looking for more Nintendo Switch game inspo? Click HERE to check out a list of some of our must-have games under $20.