Here’s games in this category that I have reviewed so far on the Nintendo Switch 2, from best to worst. Note: If multiple games have the same score, they will be sorted alphabetically.

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Game	Genre	Grade
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Action-RPG	A++
tl;dr The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an Open-World Action-RPG that remains one of the greatest games of all-time, and this release is absolutely the best version of this game ever made. It isn’t without its flaws, and many of its new features are superfluous and don’t add much, but even just the improvements to graphics and performance are enough to put this game well beyond the original release of the game. Unless you feel like you already got your fill of the original release, this is an absolute must-have.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Action-RPG	A++
tl;dr The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an Open-World Action-RPG that remains one of the greatest games of all-time, and this release is absolutely the best version of this game ever made. It isn’t without its flaws, and many of its new features are superfluous and don’t add much, but even just the improvements to graphics and performance are enough to put this game well beyond the original release of the game. Unless you feel like you already got your fill of the original release, this is an absolute must-have.
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition	Open World Action-RPG / First-Person Shooter	A+
tl;dr Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2 is a powerfully-impressive showpiece that looks absolutely amazing on the new handheld, and this Open-World Action-RPG and First-Person Shooter plays wonderfully, has an outstanding story with wonderful well-voiced and well-written characters, and a fascinating world to explore. This game isn’t without its flaws, but overall unless you’ve had your fill of Cyberpunk on other platforms, you should consider this an absolute must-have game on Nintendo Switch 2.
No Man’s Sky – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Action-RPG	A+
tl;dr No Man’s Sky is a universe-sized Open-World Action-RPG that is epic in scale and scope, and not only does the Nintendo Switch 2 present players with an uncompromised version of the game, but it does so with a free upgrade for anyone who bought the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Unless you’ve had your fill of this game on other platforms, this is an absolute must-buy.
Fortnite	Compilation / Open-World Third-Person Shooter	A
tl;dr Fortnite’s early days may have been as a Free-to-Play online multiplayer-focused “battle royale”-style Third-Person Shooter, but it has since blossomed into a massive game platform with a wide variety of different game types to enjoy, and just about all of them are fantastic. It’s intimidating, poorly-organized, confusing, and not very user-friendly to newer players, but none of that changes that this is still a truly must-play game, and the Nintendo Switch 2 is a far superior way to play it compared to the original Nintendo Switch.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition	Open-World First-Person Action-RPG	A
tl;dr Skyrim is an Open-World Action-RPG that gives players a huge, detailed world with an epic storyline, and lets them decide what they want to do in that world. This version of the game includes all of the expansions to the game, adds in a few unique features of its own, such as gyroscopic aiming, and has a curated selection of enhancements from other platforms’ Anniversary Edition releases, but don’t expect anything close to parity with those versions. Rather, this release only manages to update the graphics to merely tolerable specs, add in mouse mode, and make a few small visual improvements while also adding in some bugs. This is still one of the greatest videogames of all time, but it’s disappointing that this is all Nintendo Switch 2 got when the hybrid console is capable of so much more.
Core Keeper – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Top-Down Action-RPG / Survival Adventure	A-
tl;dr Core Keeper is an Open-World Top-Down Action-RPG with Survival Adventure elements that has players digging through a vast underground world, exploring and discovering new treasures, mysteries, and dangers. For players who enjoy games like Minecraft and Terraria, this should be considered a must-have, and fans of Action-RPGs in general should give this a look too – its well-crafted and varied gameplay and its wonderful presentation make for something truly special.
Mario Kart World	Open World Kart Racer	A-
tl;dr Mario Kart World is Nintendo’s premier major family-friendly game to kick off the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch, and while it doesn’t make great use of the Open World format, and isn’t as impressive a leap over Mario Kart 8 as players may hope for… and oof, that $80 price tag is nasty… but despite these flaws, it is still a wildly-creative, extremely well-crafted, delightfully varied, and immensely fun Kart Racer. As long as you can get it at an affordable price, I highly recommend it.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World First-Person Shooter / Metroidvania	A-
tl;dr Metroid Prime 4 is a First-Person Shooter and Metroidvania with Open-World sections, and it is an audiovisual tour de force on Nintendo Switch 2 that is a showcase for the platform’s capabilities, with a gorgeous world, incredible puzzle design, and some clever gameplay elements. It also disappoints with its underwhelming Metroidvania elements, its half-baked Open World elements, and some truly baffling design choices. The result is a game that, while still outstanding, is a bit underwhelming given the 18 years it took for us to finally see this game release.
Pokemon Legends Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Monster-Collecting RPG	B+
tl;dr Pokemon Legends Z-A is a family-friendly Open-World RPG set within Pokemon X and Y’s Lumiose City, with battles now in real-time, plenty of things to do, but all in an area that looks very samey and unimpressive throughout. This is still a highly-enjoyable game, and it’s the most polished a Pokemon RPG has been in years (especially on Nintendo Switch 2), but it’s hard not to be disappointed to see this series still struggle to bring us something as grandiose as the Pokemon franchise seems like it should be capable of.
Red Dead Redemption – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Action-RPG	B+
tl;dr Red Dead Redemption is an Open-World Action-RPG set in the American Wild West, and this release is mostly a straight port of the legendary 15 year-old original game with a few very minor tweaks, and its Undead Nightmare expansion, but also missing the original game’s multiplayer, all at a bloated $50 price tag. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition doesn’t add any content, but improves the performance dramatically, with a free update for players who own the Nintendo Switch version of the game. It’s still feature-poor and overpriced, but otherwise this is an outstanding way to play this classic.
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion	Open-World Action-RPG	B
tl;dr Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is an Open-World Action-RPG that is far more ambitious than the original Daemon X Machina, to the point where I feel like they’re two very different games. This game offers good action and some excellent mech customization, but is lacking in its Open-World elements, has some rough spots in its presentation, and doesn’t quite feel like it earns its $70 price tag. However, if you enjoy solid Action-RPG titles and find this on sale at a good price, I definitely recommend it.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition	Open-World Action-RPG / Management Simulation	B
tl;dr Fantasy Life i is an Action-RPG and follow-up to the Nintendo 3DS original game. This game is burdened with numerous issues, with the first 4-5 hours or so being pretty terrible. However, players who stick with it will find that this is a game that has massive depth, a ton of variety, and plenty of things to see and do. And thankfully, the Nintendo Switch 2 version fixes the performance issues of the Nintendo Switch version, and for only $3, making this a pretty good deal. As long as you have the patience to get through the lousy opening hours, this is worth a look.
Hogwarts Legacy	Open-World Action-RPG	B
tl;dr Hogwarts Legacy is an Open-World Action-RPG set in the world of Harry Potter but in the 1800s, and as a result the setting is the same but the characters and conflicts are largely unique. Everything about this game’s approach to telling a story within this franchise is a true delight, but the gameplay features some questionable design choices, and while the Nintendo Switch 2 version is overall superior to the Nintendo Switch version, it still has quite a few flaws. This is still a very playable game, and it’s well worth playing to explore this game’s magnificent setting and story. But there’s no question that this is a highly-compromised experience in numerous ways.
Star Wars Outlaws Gold Edition	Open-World Action-RPG	B
tl;dr Star Wars Outlaws on Nintendo Switch 2 is an excellent port of a “good not great” Open-World Action-RPG. Players take the role of the Han Solo-like Kay Vess as she travels the galaxy to gather crew for a great heist, and while this is an all-around solid game, it doesn’t have the qualities that you look for in the best Open-World games. Still, if an Open-World game set in the Star Wars universe appeals to you, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one.

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