Main points
- Save big on Switch games with these 10 free games.
- Play popular games like Apex Legends and Fall Guys for free on Switch.
- These games are great for playing quickly.
As the first hybrid home console and handheld game console, the Nintendo Switch took the world by storm. For the first time, fans can enjoy console experiences on the go, including amazing franchises like The Legend of Zelda: Kingdom Tears, the multiplayer mayhem of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Animal Crossing Relaxing farming simulation games like “New Horizons”. The only downside to these great first-party games is that Nintendo is notorious for refusing to lower the price of its games.
This is where third-party games can save the world (and your wallet). Of course, you won’t see a Mario game on this list, but free games aren’t the shovelware experience they used to be. Now you can have the same fun as the full $70 game for the low price of free. Well, as long as you make the right choice. Here are 10 of the best free Nintendo Switch games to add to your download list.
The Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2024: The Best Switch Games Every Gamer Must Own
Our guide to the best Switch games – including exclusives, indie games, single-player games and multiplayer games.
1 apex legend
Sci-fi squad shooter
apex legend
- Publisher
- electronic arts
- type
- action
Apex Legends is a sci-fi squad shooter. The main game mode is Battle Royale, where you join two teammates and try to be the last team standing. There are other game modes you can play, which makes it a fairly diverse shooter. The Switch works well both handheld and on a TV, but the TV feels a little more comfortable.
Each player has their own character choice. As you progress, you’ll unlock a base roster, as well as seasonal characters that you can unlock as part of the game’s battle pass. There are cosmetics and in-app purchases in the form of the aforementioned battle pass, but other than that, you can always play for free.
2 autumn guy
Obstacle Course Crazy Battle Royale
autumn guy
- Publisher
- epic game
- type
- Multiplayer games, parties
Fall Guys is a party game where you play against other players online. The game contains various mini-games that you must qualify to advance to the next round. You may have seen gameplay clips of the Tip Toe mini-game on TikTok or YouTube, where players try to avoid falling onto blocks on the next level. Finally, the winner is crowned and a new round begins.
We like this one because it doesn’t take itself seriously. Plus, it doesn’t take long to play a round of the game, so when you have time, you can play on the couch for a few minutes. Plus, this is a great game for kids if you have one.
3 fortnite
OG Battle Royale
fortnite
- Publisher
- epic game
- type
- action, strategy
Fortnite is one of the most popular free-to-play games in the world, and it’s available on Switch. Fortnite is best known for its battle royale mode, in which 100 players parachute onto a map and duke it out until only one remains. What sets it apart from most other battle royale shooters is its building element, where you gather resources and build buildings to protect yourself.
However, Fortnite is reinventing itself as a gaming platform similar to Roblox. There are now multiple game modes so players can entertain themselves when they get tired of the main game mode. As of this writing, the featured game mode is a rhythm game mode with popular songs similar to Guitar Hero. This is a collection of everything to do in one game.
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4 Yu-Gi-Oh!Duel Master
It’s time for a dddd duel!
Yu-Gi-Oh!Duel Master
- Developer
- Xiao Le Mei
- school
- digital card game
Yes, the anime about kids playing card games with giant contraptions strapped to their wrists is real. Not only that, it’s actually a very fun card game. However, buying real cards can be very expensive, and you’ll also need to go out of your way to find real people to play with. Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel removes all the boring and expensive elements so you can hone your dueling abilities.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has a great tutorial that will clear up any misconceptions the show may give you about the game’s creation before you start playing online. From there, you can collect new cards from over 10,000 cards to fine-tune and build the deck of your dreams. Don’t forget to add the Pot of Greed!
5 Overwatch 2
Team-based hero shooting action
Overwatch 2
- Publisher
- Blizzard Entertainment
- type
- Action, First-Person, Multiplayer, Hero Shooter
Overwatch 2 is the latest game in the series, and while it hasn’t struck the same chord as the first game, it’s still a decent game overall. This is a sci-fi online multiplayer first-person shooter where you team up with other players and battle against the opposing team. It takes a more traditional approach, so you get things like team deathmatch rather than a battle royale game.
There are a dozen game modes and types, including Control, Escort, Deathmatch, and Elimination, as well as some less serious variants like Low Gravity Mode. This gives players a lot to do. Since microtransactions are purely cosmetic, you can’t spend money to win in this game, which is nice to see.
6 Pokémon Quest and Pokémon United
Action-adventure games and online multiplayer games
Pokemon Adventures
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- type
- strategy, adventure
Pokémon League
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- type
- action
Pokémon has two free games, both of which make our list. The first, Pokémon Quest, is an action-adventure game in which you explore Tumblecube Island in search of loot. Players can also build a base camp, which provides various upgrades for your camp and Pokémon. Overall, it’s a pretty chill experience, but it’s much simpler than a standard Pokémon game.
Pokémon Unite is an online multiplayer game where teams of five compete to see who can score the most points. It has similar game mechanics to MOBA. Players battle for 10 minutes, and the team with the highest score at the end wins. You’ll start with a weaker Pokémon and then level it up as the game progresses to help you gain more points.
7 rocket league
Rocket Powered Car Football
rocket league
- Publisher
- epic game
- type
- Sports, racing, action
Rocket League is a competitive arcade game that combines football and bumper cars. You can play alone or with a team, and the goal is to use your car to crash the football into the goal. Players can perform all kinds of crazy moves to score goals, or knock opponents down to gain control. The fun part of the game is executing these moves, but not doing so gives your opponent a huge advantage.
The beauty of Rocket League lies in its simplicity. You go in, play a few rounds, and then quit when you’re ready. The arcade nature means you can definitely pick it up and play it for a short period of time, while still having the option to play longer if you wish. Plus, it’s fun to collect all kinds of custom content.
8 Tetris 99
Tetris battle royale?
Tetris 99
- school
- Puzzle, Battle Royale
We know how weird this sounds, but if you haven’t tried it yet, give Tetris 99 a chance to amaze you. Tetris is already a classic and everyone loves Battle Royale, but these two great flavors didn’t immediately make us think they would taste great together. Until we get our hands dirty.
In Tetris 99, you play Tetris simultaneously with 98 other players, trying to survive the longest as the blocks pile up. The difference is that every time you delete a line, or ideally multiple lines, you’re spamming it to push other players to the top. It’s fast, busy, and a great way to see just how good you are at this classic game.
9 Super Kirby Clash
Multiplayer action game
Super Kirby Clash
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- type
- action
Super Kirby Clash is a multiplayer action game. You can team up with up to three other players for boss battles. Bosses are various enemies that appear in various Kirby games, so fans of the series will see some familiar faces. In addition, players will craft weapons, acquire armor, and acquire items to aid in their journey.
The game has over 100 missions, but most of them are about the same thing, which is a big boss fight. At this point, the game doesn’t score points for variety. However, this is a fast, calm arcade game that you can pick up or put down at any time. Plus, Kirby is great.
10 war frame
Become a space ninja
war frame
- Publisher
- digital limit
- type
- Action, Multiplayer, RPG
Warframe is a sci-fi adventure game that is often compared to Destiny 2. In this game, you unlock Warframes and use them to explore the game world, fight opponents, and advance the story. It’s been around for a long time, so there’s a ton of content for players to browse. Switch players can also play with Xbox, PC and PlayStation players via cross-platform functionality.
As mentioned before, this game is huge and there is so much to do that it will keep you busy for a long time. There are premium currencies, but you can earn them in-game. With a little patience, you can get to high-level endings in Warframe without spending a dime. This is a PG-13 type of game, so it’s not suitable for younger kids, but it’s still one of the best free Switch games.
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FAQ
Q: Are there any other free Switch games worth trying?
If the games above aren’t for you, we have some more quick suggestions you can try.
- fearless – Dauntless is an action-adventure game with cross-play and co-op modes. It is developed by former Riot Games, BioWare, Blizzard and Capcom developers.
- The Elder Scrolls: Blades – Dungeon Explorer and City Builder where you can explore dungeons and rebuild cities. It includes cross-play with other platforms so you can play with friends.
- fallout shelter – A base building simulation game themed in the style of Bethesda’s Fallout series. Build a vault to keep your inhabitants happy and healthy, and collect materials from the wasteland.
- island protector – An action-adventure first-person shooter in which you fight monsters and clean up trash on a group of islands.
- lego fortnite – A survival and base-building game that combines elements of Fortnite with the timeless fun of LEGO bricks.
Q: How to find and download free Switch games
To find and download free games for Nintendo Switch, you can follow these steps:
- Visit the Nintendo eShop: On Switch, go to the Nintendo eShop from the main menu.
- Search free games: In the eShop, you can browse or search for free games.
- download games: Once you find a game that interests you, select it and choose the option to download it.
If you have an internet connection and enough storage space, the game will be added to your library and downloaded to your Switch.