One of the coolest things about the Nintendo Switch is how simple it is to start up and play games with friends and family. Nintendo clearly put a lot of thought and effort into making the device friendly for pick-up multiplayer fun, especially the couch co-op experience.
Thankfully, game developers took note! From kart racing to board games to puzzle and coordination games, the Switch features some fantastic party games that are easy to jump into with your favorite fellow gamers. Let’s take a look at the top ten party games that we like most! Game on!
10. Moving Out
Moving Out is a cooperative moving simulation game released in 2020. The gameplay involves up to four players working collaboratively to remove all the furniture from a house and pack it into a van. However, time is of the essence – you’ve only got three minutes.
To accomplish the move, you might have to break a few windows and toss the couch on the lawn. That’s okay. Throwing things is allowed. But be careful with fragile items. Everything happens in a top-down view, and while the landscape is rather boxy, the visuals are vibrant. The game’s silliness is its appeal, and the emphasis on hurrying makes Moving Out fun with a group.
Max player count: 4
9. Mario Party Superstars
Mario Party Superstars was released in 2021. With “party” in the name, it’s primed for group fun right from the start. This modern remake has all of the classic levels from throughout the series. On the whole, it’s a digital board game. Therefore, it’s best experienced through dice rolling, playing mini-games, or landing on spaces.
For all the great things about Mario Party Superstars, there is one caveat when it comes to group play. The gameplay is a little too time-consuming with a small player count. Even playing a ten-turn game requires about an hour to complete.
Max player count: 4
8. Overcooked! 1 & 2
Overcooked! (2016) and its sequel Overcooked! 2 (2018) are simulated cooking games. In cooperative mode, players control several chefs in kitchens filled with hazards and obstacles. The goal is to prepare meals rapidly to fit specific orders before time runs out.
The fun of Overcooked! is how stressful it can be. It requires chefs to work together efficiently. You have to prep, cook, serve, and clean up. As the clock winds down, the heat and tensions rise. Be prepared to yell at your friends or loved ones… and for them to yell back at you! Overcooked! won an award for best British game and best family game.
Max player count: 4
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Released in 2014, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is considered the best Mario Kart game and is one of the best-selling video games of all time. The developers managed to combine everything people loved about Mario Kart into this singular version. The tracks are creative and wild, and the kart builds are countless.
The fun of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is its ability for players to use items to help them, hinder opponents, and create as much chaos as possible. Each level is relatively short and keeps things moving. Best of all, you can compete with up to eight players local, and 12 online.
Max player count: 4 (single console); 8 (local); 12 (online).
6. Jackbox Party Pack – All
Jackbox Party Pack is a series of party video games released in 2014, and nearly annually ever since. It’s based on the format of the You Don’t Know Jack games of irreverent and comical trivia. Each Party Pack version contains five games designed to be played with groups of varying sizes. You can even bring an “audience” in via smartphone.
The format of the games is described as “high culture meets pop culture.” The multiplayer games feature “screws,” in which one player can force another player to answer immediately. If the “screwed” player answers incorrectly or fails to answer, the player can earn a bonus.
Max player count: 16, plus audience.
5. Duck Game
Duck Game is a 2014 2D action game involving mostly shooting and completing platforming challenges. Silliness is built into the game, including a button exclusively for quacking. There are chaotic landscapes that can lead players to self-destruction.
In this fast-paced multiplayer contest, each player becomes a duck in a silly hat. Players have to survive during quick two-minute encounters. The goal is to quickly locate a weapon on the battlefield and use it to defeat the others. Players die in one hit, so there is a single overarching goal: Be the last duck standing.
Max player count: 4 local; 8 online.
4. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a 2015 puzzle video game. In this aptly-named cooperative contest, one player designated the “defuser” must disarm procedurally generated bombs. The other players assist as “experts” by reading the provided “bomb defusal manual” containing instructions for defusing every module.
The fun of the game comes in its tension. The ticking bomb is covered in widgets. Each of these modules has to be deactivated by solving puzzle-like elements. It forces cooperation, as it’s impossible to defuse the bomb from memory. It’s fun for the assisting players as they don’t need screens, controllers, or even to be experienced gamers.
Max player count: As many people as you can share the bombed defusing manuals with.
3. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics is a 2020 compilation that includes a variety of the best board, tabletop, card, and toy sports games. It includes 51 classic titles such as Yahtzee, Go, Sorry, checkers, chess, and more. It also includes sports games such as golf, bowling, darts, fishing, and toy baseball.
The great part is that the game remembers all the setup and rules, and will even explain them to you. It’s perfect for parties because everyone will know a handful of these games. Plus, it’s easy to rotate players in and out so everyone can have a try.
Max player count: 4
Read More: 10 Retro Sports Games We Never Stopped Playing
2. Heave Ho
Heave Ho is a 2019 platform party game full of chaos and comedy. Players have to navigate their character through a ravine where the levels get increasingly complex. You control a character consisting of a head with two arms. To control it, you must manually open and close your left and right hands while moving your arms.
Where Heave Ho really gets fun is in cooperative play. Everyone needs to reach the end. Players climb over one another, flail, flop, and the character deaths become comedic. The silliness of the game amplifies the fun and makes it truly magical.
Max player count: 4
Read More: The 10 Best SNES Games You Can Play On Switch Now
1. Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a 2018 crossover fighting game that features 89 playable characters from the Super Smash Bros. game and some newcomers. Nowhere else can Bowser fight Samus Aran in a Pokémon arena. It’s ranked as one of the best fighting video games of all time, and the third-best-selling Nintendo Switch game.
The game is easy to learn and engaging for anyone familiar with the game controller. However, it’s tough to master. Nonetheless, the diversity of characters, maps, and items results in matches with nearly endless variety. Eight-player fights are possible on a single screen making it perfect for a gaming party.
Max player count: 8
Read More: The 10 Best-Selling Nintendo Games Ever
