For many months now, speculation has swirled regarding when Nintendo is planning to announce its Switch successor. Many say that the current console is underpowered, pointing to games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as evidence that the Switch simply doesn’t have the technical prowess to keep up with graphical and performance advances.
If you ask us, though, the Switch still has plenty of life left in it; the console is perfectly capable of playing most indie games, and it can run Nintendo’s own first-party endeavours just fine, too. Here are the best Nintendo Switch games arriving in April 2023.
GrimGrimoire OnceMore (April 4th)
GrimGrimoire OnceMore updates an old-school Vanillaware classic for the modern age. Many people didn’t get the chance to try this one out when it first arrived; it quickly became a cult PS2 classic, as was the case for many Vanillaware outings, so it’s good to see NIS America working to re-release this curio on Switch. You are a young initiate witch who must defend her magic school from an evil wizard, and to do so, you must engage in side-scrolling RTS battles with a decidedly JRPG twist to them.
Curse of the Sea Rats (April 6th)
If you want to see just how beautiful games can be on the Switch, look no further than the “Ratoidvania” adventure Curse of the Sea Rats, which is winding its way to Nintendo’s console on April 6th. You can choose to tackle this “historical” adventure either by yourself or alongside up to three other players. Each of Curse of the Sea Rats’ four characters has distinct skills and abilities, and you’ll need to take advantage of all of them if you’re to face down Flora Burn and her notorious pirate crew.
Tron: Identity (April 11th)
For the most part, video games based on Disney’s Tron have tended towards action, so it’s interesting to see a more narrative-focused take on the franchise. Tron: Identity comes to us from Thomas Was Alone and Volume developer Mike Bithell, so there are some solid storytelling chops behind it. The game revolves around Query, a detective program who must determine the reasons behind a recent intrusion into a new Grid forgotten by its creator.
Process of Elimination (April 11th)
This visual novel outing sees several detectives descending on an island in order to determine the identity of a serial killer and put a stop to them. Unfortunately, when the detectives arrive, it quickly becomes apparent that the killer is among their midst, and so they must work to determine who the killer is and stop them before more lives are claimed. The artwork looks beautiful for this one, and there’s a demo available on the eShop, too, so you can check out the first case and see for yourself whether it’s your jam.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection (April 14th)
A real-time tactical hybrid RPG based on Mega Man might not necessarily sound like the greatest idea in the world, but Battle Network turned out to be a surprisingly successful experiment in the end. It found its niche, as several sequels were subsequently spawned, and they’re all coming to the Switch in April as part of Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection. If you’re yet to try out these excellent Game Boy Advance outings, then this will undoubtedly be the best way to do so.
Minecraft Legends (April 18th)
Real-time strategy can be a very difficult genre to get into. It’s for a specific kind of gamer; if your skillset mainly revolves around reaction times or more active gameplay, then real-time strategy’s slower pace and more methodical, intellectual style might not be for you. Minecraft Legends, on the other hand, promises to marry the two genres together, creating an action-strategy experience that should be ideal as a starting point, especially if you’re a Minecraft fan. We’ll see if that dream becomes a reality in mid-April.
God of Rock (April 18th)
If you’re a fan of both one-on-one fighters and rhythm games, then God of Rock is likely to be a godsend for you. In essence, it takes the core idea behind Guitar Hero 3’s head-to-head mode and makes it the focus of an entire game. You and your opponent will simultaneously hit buttons in time to the beat of the music, building up to skills you can use in order to disorient and damage your enemy. With plenty of larger-than-life characters to choose from and lots of original music to enjoy, this promises to be a must-play for fans of true rock’n’roll.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (April 21st)
Dead Island 2 may be the big-name release for April 21st, but it’s not coming to Switch, so if you want something more cerebral to give you a break from slaying zombies, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp should do the trick. This collection remasters the first two Advance Wars games, which were originally released on Game Boy Advance, giving them a new coat of paint and adding some much-needed modern gameplay tweaks. Otherwise, though, they’re still the same engrossing, engaging strategy titles.
Omega Strikers (April 27th)
Described by its developers as a “footbrawler”, Omega Strikers is a three-on-three sports game with some truly outlandish and fun powerups to collect. You choose from a cast of over 15 Strikers, then take on opponents by trying to score goals while also finding a way to smash your enemies off the map. The game will be a live service, too, so you’ll be unlocking new gear, emotes, and Strikers with each successive content drop. Hopefully, Omega Strikers can live up to its promising setup.
