A good amount of action can create satisfying and thrilling moments in gaming. That is why action and incorporating diverse combat systems are staple game mechanics.
But complex and layered combat is nothing without a valid playground to let loose. Masterful level design, competent enemies, and tight pacing all serve to sell the package.
Fortunately, the Nintendo Switch offers a wide variety of games with action elements that you can enjoy and explore.
From solo journeys to multiplayer experiences, narrative-driven to gameplay-focused games, here are the 23 best action games on Nintendo Switch.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is the third sequel of this marvel game series. It retains its top-down action-packed gameplay from its predecessor and provides a wide variety of playable characters, such as Wolverine, Spider-Man, and other fan favorites.
This adventure revolves around the Infinity Gems, coveted by Thanos and his infamous Black Order. Heroes must unite to thwart the villain’s plan to destroy the universe by collecting these powerful gems.
The game’s stunning levels and the many collectibles, like costumes and comic book pages, keep gameplay engaging.
Marvel UA3 incorporates the classic beat-’em-up playstyle, some minor hacking and slashing mechanics, and tactical combat. Additionally, playing with friends adds a new element to combat because you must cooperate in order to unleash the powerful synergy attacks.
Unsouled
Unsouled is a retro-style, top-down ARPG that combines Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice gameplay with modern soundtracks. The game’s levels are incredibly challenging, and the combat is intricate and requires skill to master.
In this game, you take on the role of a prince who can communicate with the dead and absorb souls to exact his revenge. He defies his family’s traditions to forge his path in the world.
Unsouled is a top slash-em-up Switch game that provides tons of action. The game’s main draw is its complex combat system, which offers players numerous possibilities for combos and special attacks.
Overall, if you enjoy challenging gameplay, Unsouled is a title you should check. Its intricate combat system, challenging levels, and captivating storyline make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
Warframe
Warframe game is a free-to-play MMORPG that provides fast-paced action, a fluid movement system, and an overwhelming amount of content.
You play as a Tenno that can control the Warframe, an advanced weaponized armor with various armaments and skill sets. They are basically space ninjas fighting to restore balance across the solar system.
Warframe boots you and up to three other Tennos into missions with different goals and objectives you have to complete. In addition, the combat system is truly spectacular as it combines hack-and-slash and looter-shooter mechanics in every skirmish.
The game has hefty customization for everything, like Warframes, weapons, and even pets. On top of that, players can also significantly change their playstyle by learning the deep modding system.
Warframe is free, so you should definitely check it out at least once.
ScourgeBringer
ScourgeBringer is a rogue-lite, hack-and-slash game that provides fast-paced, punishing combat. The game locks you into a room filled with hard-hitting enemies that you must defeat using your sword, skills, and a few bullets in your gun.
The combat is very straightforward at first. You start by just dashing and slashing, but the game ramps up in complexity thanks to upgrades you can purchase between runs. Sometimes, you can even find or buy items and bonuses for the run.
Eventually, you’ll come across the boss of the area. These difficult bosses perfectly highlight how polished the game’s combat is. You’ll have to use everything at your disposal to take them down.
This game might not be for everybody, but it can be a blast for those who enjoy pixel art and rogue-lite action games.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is the video game adaptation of the beloved graphic novel of the same name. It is an action beat-em-up game that relies on and heavily utilizes a classic arcade feel.
Considering the genre of the game, the gameplay is not innovative. You fight everybody in your way, defeat the boss, and move on to the next stage. That said, the execution is what matters here, and this game does it properly.
The gameplay is smooth, the controls are responsive, and the art involved with the game is beyond amazing. This title is a proper adaptation that turns the original comic into fantastic pixel art on top of an incredibly good soundtrack.
Each character has unique moves that can be individually upgraded and distinct interactions when using summons. Scott Pilgrim is a game that showcases personality and humor from beginning to end, and the game’s quality peaks during the boss fight against the evil exes.
Dark Souls: Remastered
Dark Souls is an action RPG notoriously known for its challenging, punishing, and methodical combat. You play as a cursed undead tasked with rekindling the Age of Fire. The game doesn’t hold your hand. It throws you into the world and leaves you to figure out what to do.
As you begin your journey, you get to choose classes that suit your playstyle. These starting classes offer different gear and stats, but you can allocate your points as you level up and shape the character to your preference. Besides, there are many weapons, armor, and spells to be found in the game.
It takes a while to understand what makes this game so good. That said, once it clicks, chances are you will be looking for the next soulsborne to play.
Bastion
One of Supergiant’s award-winning games, Bastion is worth playing thanks to its original art direction and satisfying gameplay. Follow one of the last survivors of an apocalyptic event that literally fractured the city and turned most residents into ash.
Your goal is to collect crystals to power the Bastion, the last safe haven after the Calamity. There’s an ever-present and dynamic narrator that tells the game’s story as well as reacts to your actions.
Bastion is played from an isometric perspective and has a snappy combat system. You can carry two weapons at a time while modifying and enhancing them between levels.
The games Supergiant creates never let players down, and Bastion should be included as one of the best action games on Nintendo Switch.
Children of Morta
Children of Morta shines out thanks to the beautiful sprite work, interesting characters, and fantastic voice acting.
The plot of Childen of Morta follows the Bergson family as they defend the world from the Corruption. Where Children of Morta shines is through the dynamics, relationships, and struggles of each family member. The narrator definitely pulls the emotional heavy lifting here.
The action is exquisitely fun. Each attack by the characters shows the impact of each strike. Not to mention, each family member possesses a different fighting style. The gameplay constantly shifts, preventing the game from becoming dull.
As a rogue-lite, each run becomes slightly more manageable as you unlock more boons and upgrade each family member. A unique feature in Children of Morta is that some skill trees unlock passive bonuses for the whole family.
Mother Russia Bleeds
Mother Russia Bleeds is an unusual beat-em-up. The game tackles mature themes and disturbing amounts of violence, so expect that in both story and gameplay. As for the gameplay, it feels very much like Final Fight and Streets of Rage.
Set in an alternate timeline Soviet Union, you play as one of the Ruska Romani that was experimented on by the corrupt government. Mother Russia Bleeds lets you lead a revolution from the frontlines while also experiencing the side effects of their experiments.
Mother Russia Bleed is a difficult beat-em-up. Each stage culminates in a grand boss fight that requires a unique strategy to defeat them.
It also includes cooperative play that lets you enjoy the beatdown with your comrades, allowing more possibilities in combat that await you to discover.
Omensight: Definitive Edition
Omensight: Definitive Edition is an action-adventure, hack-and-slash game with a mysterious and fantastical setting.
In this game, you are a mystical warrior who shows up during great crises. This time, you must stop an evil deity from causing the end of the world.
The dynamic combat system offers players a range of attacks and maneuvers, such as regular and special attacks and dashing, to keep the action exciting.
One of the game’s most unique features is the use of the skill that names the game, Omensight, which allows players to share visions with characters that may alter the course of the story.
There are few games like Omensight. If you like a good tied to your action games, make sure to play this one.
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is considered by many one of the best games of the series. It is also regarded as one of the best Monster Hunter games to play as your first one.
The gameplay loop is familiar to Monster Hunter fans. This game puts you and up to three other hunters to take down giant monsters. Afterward, you can break down their parts to build weapons and armor, which you can use to hunt even bigger monsters.
Monster Hunter Rise lets you choose from one of the fourteen weapon types. All weapons are fun and complex to use, offering a distinct playstyle for each.
This game captures the essence of a monster-slaying action experience with diverse monster designs and layered weapons and makes it accessible to newcomers.
Samurai Bringer
Samurai Bringer is a rogue-lite action game where you fight hordes of Samurai and Demons. You must collect combat techniques and defeat Yamata-no-Orochi, the eight-headed dragon of Japanese mythology.
You play as Susanoo, a powerful deity bested by Yamata-no-Orochi, who had his power taken from him. Defeating enemies rewards you with combat techniques, which you can mix and match to create your own fighting style.
You will encounter and fight over 100 legendary Japanese warriors, such as Oda Nobunaga, Date Masamune, and Sanada Yukimura. Defeating them will grant you their weapons and armor imbued with status-boosting effects.
Levels are procedurally generated, providing a different experience every time.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 is a fun Lego game, as most of them are. It does provide a semi-open world that lets you explore famous marvel landmarks built with Legos.
The story is about Marvel heroes fighting against Kang the Conqueror to conquer time and space. It is a delight for marvel fans as you get to visit other universes because of the convergence of the multiverse.
When it comes to gameplay, there is nothing incredibly different from what you’ve seen in games of the franchise. That said, there is a clear effort to make combat fun by making the many characters as different and fun to play as possible.
That can also be seen during the puzzle sections since this game features many hero-exclusive puzzles. This is a great game to play with friends. It’s not the most action-oriented game on this list, but it is fun nonetheless.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a semi-open world ARPG that perfectly embraced the source material by adding more cinematic cutscenes and stellar combat mechanics.
This title feels like an updated Legacy of Goku series from the Gameboy Advance system in one package. The game retains the arena-like combat system seen in most Dragon Ball games. Although it urges you to spam buttons, it puts your mind to work while fighting, as enemies have different playstyles.
This game is comparable to Dragon Ball Z Xenoverse in many ways, but it takes you through Goku’s journey.
If you want to relieve Goku’s journey from his perspective in a fun action RPG, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is the game for you.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice delivers its dark and trauma-filled story majestically. The game is a linear adventure with intense, immersive action that will give you goosebumps.
It is an in-depth story-driven game that explores the psychological horror unfolding in Senua’s mind. The game is inspired by Norse mythology, as you’ll venture deep into Helheim to find the soul of her recently deceased lover.
Senua’s psychosis is not only for the story, as it’s heavily integrated into gameplay. For example, the voices inside Senua’s head give hints during combat and puzzle sections. You will often hear a voice warning you when someone is about to strike from behind or warn you of an object’s importance.
Fascinatingly enough, the Nintendo Switch competently handles Hellblade’s demanding graphics. Considering its great story, great visuals, and action-packed moments, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a must-play.
Arietta of Spirits
Arietta of Spirits is a charming adventure game that tells an emotional story with straightforward gameplay and fast combat. The game features a Zelda-like combat system with regular and special attacks and dodge rolls.
This game emphasizes puzzle-solving rather than combat to defeat creatures, requiring players to observe enemy attack patterns and weaknesses.
You play as Arietta, who embarks on a road trip to her grandmother’s cabin with her family. During her journey, Arietta discovers her ability to see and communicate with spirits. She befriends a mysterious spirit named Arco, becoming one of the bounds that can walk between the living and spiritual worlds.
The game takes on real-life problems while incorporating imaginative storytelling, striking the perfect balance between grounded emotional moments, whimsy, and action sections.
Katana Zero
Katana Zero is an innovative side-scrolling, platformer action game that mesmerizes you with its vibrant visual design and masterfully crafted soundtrack.
You play as a samurai assassin, Zero, who can slow down time and predict future events. There’s a loaded narrative here that never gets bogged down by cutscenes and text.
The game has a fast-paced playstyle where everyone, including you, is defeated in one hit. Although Zero is skilled, you repeat the level until your execution is flawless to pass through them untouched.
The combat system is simple, but the level and enemy design force you to think smart and fast, keeping the game interesting. You can slow down time in a pinch to cut down projectiles and get in a better position.
The game is designed to make you feel like a badass, its gameplay is fun and fluid, and it is a great title to enjoy on a handheld console.
Samurai Warriors 5
Samurai Warriors 5 is an action-packed, hack-and-slash Musou game inspired by the Sengoku era. The game showcases a combination of traditional Japanese art design with cell-shaded characters.
In many ways, Samurai Warriors 5 is a retelling of the happenings of the first game, which makes many consider this game a reboot.
In the main story, you play the young Nobunaga Oda and Mitsuhide Akechi as they try to oppose each other by having separate visions for the country.
In addition, aside from the two characters mentioned, the game features over 39 playable characters. Not all of them are unique, but there is enough variation to entertain you for many hours.
God Eater 3
God Eater 3 is a game set in a post-apocalyptic world where a team battles against divine monsters that destroy the planet. The game’s story is the strongest in the series, presenting young adults being used by shadowy overseers as disposable cannon fodder.
God Eater 3 offers new and terrifying threats, likable characters, and a realistic theme of older generations using younger generations to accomplish their own selfish ends.
Although similar to Monster Hunter, God Eater 3 has a straightforward approach but rewards reflexes such as blocking perfectly. The game packs a punch with various weapons that suit different playstyles.
God Eater 3 provides a fun, engaging experience with methodical, action-packed fights worth trying, especially if you like the idea of hunting huge monsters in an anime setting.
Okami HD
Okami HD is a classic and magnificent game that captures the beauty of traditional Japanese art and mythology all in one. It is an action-adventure game that makes you awe with enchanting storytelling and an excellent soundtrack.
The game sets in classical Japan or pronounced in the game as Nippon. You play as Amaterasu, the sun goddess, who took a wolf’s form to defeat a menacing demon that enslaved a whole village.
The gameplay seems heavily inspired by the 3D The Legend of Zelda games. It focuses on world explorations, creative puzzles, and characters that are colorful enough to encounter.
In addition, the game presents an immersive idea of a magical brush that can use to solve puzzles and fight against enemies. An excellent addition that genuinely shows the artistic approach of the game and an innovative take on the genre.
Mulaka
Mulaka is an action-adventure game packed with a rich narrative, action-heavy gameplay, and a simple yet beautiful visual design.
The game was inspired by the real-life tribe called Tarahumara, an indigenous tribe in Northern Mexico. You play as Sukuruame, a shaman from the said tribe given the task of fighting back against creatures that corrupt the land.
Gameplay-wise, Mulaka does an excellent job combining fast-paced combat and platforming while solving puzzles along the way. It is fun and deeply engaging to explore the game’s world and mythos.
The combat adapts hack and slashes elements such as light and heavy attacks, dodging, and special attacks that you can acquire with the aid of the demigods.
In addition, you also can transform into a beast such as a hawk, panther, or bear that serves as a utility for combat and overcoming obstacles.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an acclaimed game of the franchise due to how different it is from other Zelda games.
In this game, players explore a large open world and adventure for as long as they want before moving to the final objective.
The game is full of surprises, with hidden treasures and secrets to uncover around every corner. If you are curious, you’ll probably spend a lot of time looking around and searching for things to do.
Since every new location presents you with new things, there’s a good chance you’ll keep going to new areas just out of curiosity. There’s always a hidden item, a challenging monster, and another dungeon to keep players engaged.
Hades
It should be no surprise that Supergiant Games, the indie studio behind Bastion and Transistor, is also responsible for Hades. This roguelike action RPG connects gameplay elements to the story in a meaningful way.
In Hades, you can unlock god-like powers and combine them in fascinating ways to create a fresh and exciting experience with each playthrough. The game offers six different weapons, each with four variants, providing a lot of complexity and variety right from the start.
What sets Hades apart from other games is how it seamlessly combines elements of different genres. Building relationships with NPCs is crucial to unlock items and powers. Despite the game’s roguelike structure, the NPCs remember you and your attempts.
The game’s captivating story and amazing gameplay certainly make it an amazing game and therefore one of the best action games on the Nintendo Switch.
