Play video games; it’s funny. We like it. It helps us through difficult days and is an excellent stress releaser. Indeed, there is only one problem with video games: the cost of purchasing them can add up quickly. Sometimes you need to give your bank account a bit of a cooldown to get its HP back, and that’s where free games can come in handy. The Switch has a decent assortment of them, and I’ve decided to pick out ten of my favorites for you to try. Note that only a few of them are truly free. The others have things to sell you. I suggest you resist this temptation unless you’re really having fun and want to spend some money. I am not your boss. Anyway, in no particular order, here are ten free (or free to start/play) games that I recommend on the Nintendo Switch.
Fortnite
Alright, let’s get this one out quickly. Fortnite is an incredibly popular game and it’s incredibly popular on Switch, and while that may seem to irritate some people, the reality is that the game is very good at what it does. It’s fun to play, you can enjoy it perfectly without paying anything, and when it hits high, it’s really great. Sure, all the crossovers and collabs sometimes feel like pop culture puking sometimes, but that’s OUR spewed out of pop culture.
Asphalt 9: Legends
If you’re less into shooting and more into running, you might want to check it out Asphalt 9: Legends. It can be a bit of a pain if you’re playing without paying, but the racing is enjoyable enough that having to play the game more isn’t exactly a harsh punishment. There’s a wide array of licensed cars in the game, as well as a ton of tracks to race on. Events are always ongoing, so there is almost always something to do. More importantly, the arcade-style gameplay is really well done. Gameloft’s experience in this genre bears fruit here.
ROCKET Player
There is a game creation utility available on the Switch called ROCKET, and it’s quite versatile. With this free app, you can enjoy the fruits of others’ hard work and play a wide range of titles in many different genres. Of course, if you want to try your hand at making your own game, you can buy the main software and have it. But since the free experiences are on the Switch, there’s probably nothing more varied than what you’ll get here.
fall guys
The fervor around fall guys has cooled down a bit, but it’s still a popular multiplayer experience that’s really easy to get into. Inspired by people like MXC And Annihilate, it throws players into a random assortment of mini-games, with some of the players getting unstuck in each one. Only one person can win, and that person could be you! Statistically speaking, probably not. But maybe! The important thing is that you have fun, whether you win or lose. It’s just that kind of game.
Warframe
Warframe is one of those truly outstanding Switch ports that has to be seen to be believed, and it’s one of the few that you can play for free. It’s third-person action where you play as what is effectively a biomechanical alien ninja. It has a knack for making you feel really cool because it’s easy to whip out a wide range of cool stuff. You can play this one solo if you feel like it, and it works quite well that way. You can also team up with other players in PvE, or if you want to prove you’re the coolest space warrior around, you can also get into some PvP stuff. It’s been a while now, so there’s a ton of content to enjoy here even if you don’t pay a dime.
Fantastic Strike
I didn’t want to fill this list with the usual suspects and wanted to draw attention to lesser-known titles. Fantastic Strike qualifies. This one started out as a paid game and moved to free play, but it’s a solid fighter either way. The idea behind this was to make a one-on-one combatant more approachable without sacrificing the strategic depth the genre brings with it. This free version gives you full access to all characters in online casual and ranked modes, as well as offline training and single-match CPU battles. If you like it well enough, you can buy DLC which will unlock a bunch of extra modes and features.
brawlhalla
Moving away from the more traditional fighting game trappings of Fantastic Strike, brawlhalla is more similar to the tastes of Super Smash Bros. series. An arena fighter for up to four players, it features tons of characters, cool battlegrounds, and lots of things that will remind you of Nintendo’s flagship brawler. Heck, he even has Rayman on his list! This game has lots of crossover events where you can get skins for characters of everything from shovel knight in WWE, but that’s where you’ll usually have to spend money. If you want to play for free, there’s a lot to like about the base game.
rocket league
Well, that’s another obvious one. But I can not not include rocket league. It’s such pure, unbridled video game joy that I’d feel bad if someone didn’t find it because I failed to do my job. It’s like football with cars, an idea that has been done many times before. How this game does it, however, is what makes the difference. It’s perfectly on top, and it controls very well. If you haven’t tried rocket league however, I’m going to have to do this shot where I ask you what you’re waiting for. Hmm: what are you waiting for?
Super Kirby Clash
Nintendo doesn’t offer many free games on Switch, but HAL Laboratory and Kirby have an established history of fun, free games featuring the Pink Puff and it’s nice to see them continue on the Switch. Work in a team of four Kirbys and take on mega bosses in this fun twist on classic gameplay. Use Kirby’s various powers to give you an edge. Of course, this is not a patch on one of the full format Kirby games on the Switch, but it’s a really solid diversion.
Deltarune Chapter 1&2
This one is non-binding, and it’s something any fan Subtitle should play. And probably To already played, think about it. If you’re wondering what it’s all about Subtitle but I don’t want to spend money to find out, Deltarune will give you a good idea of the charms of Toby Fox’s designs. The only problem here is that it’s only the first two chapters of a story that probably won’t be complete for some time, and you’ll have to pay for the rest when it comes. Still, you’re getting a lot of money for nothing here, and you really have nothing to lose except the money you’ll inevitably spend on the rest of the game when it arrives.
And that’s the list! I had to make some tough cuts bringing the number down to just ten, and I was surprised at how many solid free experiences the Switch has to offer. That’s not even counting the wide range of demos for full games that you can sample. So hey, if you’re broke, at least there’s plenty to play for. Did I forget one of your favorite free games? Comment below and let the world know! Thanks for reading!