Best Nintendo Switch games for adults (2023): Zelda, Resident Evil & Dark Souls

Our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults in 2023 features a wide variety of experiences, covering a range of genres and games, such as Zelda, Resident Evil, and Dark Souls to name a few. While games for adults can be a vague term, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're only wanting to consume media that revels in violence.

While this list certainly has some of that, we've settled on seven games that any adult with an appreciation for the medium can pick up and enjoy. So, take a look at our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults in 2023. 

• If you have a young one as well, why not check out the best Nintendo Switch games for kids?

Best Nintendo Switch games for adults

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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Our first pick for the best Nintendo Switch games for adults is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The latest game in the iconic franchise has received critical acclaim, even beyond its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, making for one of the most wondrous open-world games ever made. 

If you love being thrust into a large world and given the freedom to explore at will, you'll likely gel with TotK quickly, and the creative potential of the game's abilities and systemic design only adds more depth to its encounters, puzzles, and traversal.

• Check out our The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom review if you still aren't convinced.

Hotline Miami Collection

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Hotline Miami was one of the most popular indie games of the 2010s, and even over ten years on from release, it's a fantastic representation of the creativity you can find outside of the very homogeneous AAA space. 

A top-down shooter where you'll play an unnamed protagonist who is instructed to commit violent massacres against the Russian mafia across the city of Miami, the game is soaked in style. Its psychedelic visuals, surreal imagery, and extreme violence are engrossing, with the minimalist plot leaving you to fill in a lot of the blanks.

Resident Evil 4 (2005)

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Sadly, the remake of Resident Evil 4 isn't available on the Nintendo Switch, but the original still holds up extremely well and is a formative game in the action-horror subgenre. Returning as Leon Kennedy, you'll journey into the Spanish countryside to save the U.S. president's daughter before getting wrapped up in a mysterious cult and their plot to take over the world. 

While the combat can take some getting used to, very few games can match the tension you feel while reloading as a chainsaw enemy hurries toward you for the insta-kill. And if you're interested in seeing the origins of the third-person shooter as we know it today, you owe it to yourself to experience the horror at least once, making it an easy pick for our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults. 

• Are you a fan of Star Wars? Check out the best Star Wars games ranked. 

Dark Souls: Remastered

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You'll probably have heard of Soulslike games before, a subgenre of the action role-playing game known for high levels of difficulty, boss encounters, and an emphasis on environmental storytelling in a grimly dark setting where hope is sporadic. If not, we suggest giving Dark Souls a go, as very few games in the last 20 years have had the same impact on gaming. 

While it can be a frustrating experience due to the challenging gameplay, mastering the combat and the world and watching the credits roll is one of the most satisfying feelings you can find in this medium. It's certainly not for everyone, but it's very easy to appreciate the genius of Dark Souls' design.

• For more games like this, check out the best games like Dark Souls. 

Mortal Kombat 11

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If you delight in virtual violence, Mortal Kombat 11 is almost certainly for you, but don't assume shock value is all MK has going for it. With some of the most tactical and impactful fighting game gameplay in the genre, Mortal Kombat is easy to learn and hard to master, making it perfect for all skill levels. 

And of course, there are the fatalities, which MK made its name off. These are extremely violent, over-the-top moves you can perform after winning a fight, allowing you to reduce your enemies to gore and viscera. Ripping spines from bodies, tearing people in two, and crushing opponents into a pulp never felt so good. 

L.A. Noire

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Another solid choice for our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults is L.A. Noire, an open-world detective thriller where you'll solve crimes in a vivid recreation of late-1940s Los Angeles. 

You'll play Cole Phelps, who rises through the ranks of the LAPD, solving a range of cases, from murders to thefts, arson, and much more. The investigation mechanics are perfect for those looking for a bit of mystery, allowing you to build a case by scouring crime scenes, interrogating suspects, and taking part in chases, all before making the final judgment of who you think is guilty. 

• We've also covered the best cosy games on Switch, Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. 

Metroid Dread

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Few genres combine mechanics and narrative as well as metroidvanias, and if you're seeking the best of the best here, look no further than Metroid Dread. You'll play Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter who finds herself trapped on a deadly planet after losing her abilities.

Over the course of the game, you'll explore a detailed, interconnected world from a sidescrolling perspective, picking up new abilities which recontextualise previous areas, allowing you to explore even further for secrets and the ultimate way out. This entry pushed the series even further, with more challenging boss fights, and elements of horror as you avoid the deadly EMMI robots hunting you down. 

That's all for our selection of the best Nintendo Switch games for adults in 2023, and now you know seven of the best games on the platform that are worth giving a chance.

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