Get ready for epic fun! This guide will make your next game night one to remember. I‘ve rounded up the 10 BEST party games available for the Nintendo Switch to keep your crew laughing and shouting late into the night.
First, what exactly makes a stellar party game? For me, it‘s all about keeping things LIGHT. Easy to learn so newbies can dive right in. Random elements and surprises so veterans stay on their toes. And gameplay that sparks contagious fits of laughter!
The other key is taking advantage of the Switch‘s PARTY-PERFECT capabilities. Its snappy interface makes swapping games a breeze. Joy-Cons give each player a controller out of the box. Portability suits spur-of-the-moment gatherings. And local wireless supports groups large and small across multiple Switch systems.
So whether your party piles onto one couch or fills an entire room, the Switch can handle it. Now let‘s count down the 10 absolute BEST games guaranteed to get crowds roaring!
An Epic Dance Bash – Just Dance 2022
Busting out spicy moves to the latest chart-topping hits never goes out of style. And Just Dance 2022 brings over 40 new tracks spanning Lady Gaga to Dua Lipa sure to fill any dance floor!
Up to 6 players can simultaneously mimic the slick choreographed dance moves by on-screen coaches. No skill required! The more outrageous your impression, the better! An optional subscription unlocks over 700 songs too.
- Publishers: Ubisoft
- Players: 1-8
- Accessories: JoyCons
Handheld mode allows for on-the-go dance battles during tailgates or parties. Large gatherings at home can use phones as extra controllers to get ALL your friends moving. High energy and endless tunes make this an essential party accessory.
Mini-Game Madness – Super Mario Party
Mario Party may boast dozens of entries but Super Mario Party proves the formula still delights after 20+ years! 80 zippy mini-games accompanying the main board game mode offer hilarious tests of skill and luck for 2-4 players.
Traverse game boards filled with nostalgia by collecting coins and stars. Get ready to laugh though as special dice blocks and ally characters trigger over-the-top random events too! And mini-games run the chaos gamut from head-to-head feuds to cooperative challenges.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Players: 2-4
- Accessories: JoyCons/Pro Controllers
Screams and shouts are guaranteed whenever Bowser shows up to steal that star you’ve been chasing for 15 minutes! Or a poorly-timed bonus award swings the game for an unlikely upstart. But even the saltiest losers will be begging for a rematch after this one!
Off-the-Wall Laughs – Jackbox Party Packs
The ingenious Jackbox Party Packs prove you don‘t need traditional controllers to have a ball! One player triggers zany prompts from their Switch to the main screen. THEN up to 8 friends use personal devices to input responses viewed by all.
The real magic unfolds as you craft captions, draw silly doodles or write witty quips prompted by the game. Each pack includes five different rooms offering weird, experimental, and hysterical moments you won‘t find anywhere else.
- Publisher: Jackbox Games
- Players: 1-10
- Accessories: Phones/Tablets
Prepare for unpredictable conversations thanks to the constant audience participation. And no gamer skills needed means even casual crowds dive right into the weirdness! Seven releases (and counting) means there‘s always fresh Jackbox nonsense ready for your next living room showdown.
Cook Up Some Laughs – Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Share hilarious meltdowns with friends through Overcooked! All You Can Eat – an epic serving of co-op cooking chaos! Workspaces start calmly enough… chop veggies, broil meats, mix drinks. Then things escalate QUICKLY.
Orders stack up, recipes change and kitchens shift without warning. Ingredients launch across stages and critical appliances swap spots. The difficulty skyrockets as four chefs communicate, cooperate and inevitably erupt when dishes expire!
- Publisher: Team17
- Players: 1-4
- Accessories: JoyCons/Pro Controllers
With adjustable difficulty, dynamic stages offering new challenges every time and expansive DLC support, this banquet of hysterical teamwork exercises will keep bellies full… of laughter! Even the most cordial groups dissolve into messiness when the heat gets turned up.
Worldwide Gaming – Clubhouse Games 51 Classics
Sometimes parties crave an elevated throwback vibe. That‘s where Clubhouse Games 51 Classics offers dozens of globally beloved board, card and casual titles.
Play iconic games like Checkers, Dominoes, Mahjong or Backgammon against friends or solo. Local wireless handles up to four players across fast-paced competitive dice games or quiet Chess matches. Vibrant colors, unlockable decorative themes and helpful tutorials make gameplay smooth and intoxicating!
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Players: 1-4
- Accessories: JoyCons/Pro Controllers
It‘s incredible having so many local multiplayer classics consolidated in one definitive collection. The accessibility options invite gaming fans and newbies alike to the table for never-ending worldwide matchups! I dare you to not get hooked mastering the rules for unfamiliar games late into the night.
Platforming Teamwork – Rayman Legends Definitive Edition
Up to four players can delve into the award-winning splendor of Rayman Legends across over 100 stunning hand-drawn stages. Jump, float and smack enemies to rescue captured creatures from mischievous foes across forests, fortresses and more.
If left behind, teammates tether together to stay united. But secret areas also reward solo exploration for high scores! The musical rhythm levels are a blast by coordinating all actions to the beat for a perfect run. And the soccer match stages trigger automatic goal celebrations upon scoring.
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Players: 1-4
- Accessories: Additional controllers recommended
Rayman Legends remarkably adapts touchscreen foundations into an immensely playable platformer filled with clever level designs and obstacles. Communication and teamwork grow increasingly essential against larger-than-life bosses too!
Purrfect Party Platforming – Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Mario‘s first real 3D adventure designed for four simultaneous players still delights a decade later! Super Mario 3D World sees up to four friends leap, punch and float through over 40 rainbow-colored stages as Mario, Luigi and two Princesses.
Whimsical power-ups like boomerang flowers, invincibility stars and the iconic Super Bell outfits enable new strategies against enemies or reaching seemingly impossible areas. Chasing high scores in eccentric solo challenge rooms brings nice change of pace too.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Players: 1-4
- Accessories: Additional JoyCons/Pro Controllers Recommended
And the NEW Bowser‘s Fury epilogue is a breth/breath of fresh air! Work cooperatively to battle a rampaging, Godzilla-sized Bowser wrecking havoc across open world maps. The content variety provides endless amusement for all ages while retaining that nostalgic Nintendo magic.
Real-World Racing – Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit ingeniously merges real-world RC kart racing with Mario Kart through augmented reality! Place the included gate markers anywhere in your home to design custom tracks. The camera on your kart streams live footage back to the game!
Watch in awe as the software perfectly overlays the kart‘s movement with CRT-style Mario Kart animations and icons as you steer and activate boosts! Up to four karts can race simultaneously while switching between household courses designed earlier. This marvel of toys and software creates living room competition that looks and handles like a fictional Mario Kart sprang to life!
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Players: 1-4
- Accessories: Mario Kart Live Karts/Course Gates
The immersion and responsiveness are off the charts for both newcomers and decades-long Mario Kart enthusiasts. It may sound gimmicky but Mario Kart Live executed augmented reality racing brilliance through smart integration across real-world elements and in-game presentation.
Nintendo All-Stars – Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Frankly, no party game list would be complete without the crossover sensation Super Smash Bros Ultimate! Up to 8 players brawl at once with a roster featuring over 80 iconic Nintendo and third-party characters spanning decades of games.
The absurd depth allows basically infinite custom rule sets and matchups for endless nights perfecting rivalries, settling grudges or simply seeing weird fantasy fights play out! And the content only expands further from there after years of ongoing DLC additions.
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Players: 1-8
- Accessories: Additional JoyCons/Pro Controllers Highly Recommended
Seriously, NO game elicits the sheer laughter, shouts and hype moments among friends like Smash Bros. Watching Donkey Kong piledrive Pikachu who then KOs Mario with a Home Run Bat is weird, wacky and oh so satisfying!
Even More Epic Party Picks!
The 10 games above should cover all types of parties and friend groups. But the Switch boasts DOZENS more stellar party options once you exhaust these essentials:
- WarioWare: Get It Together!
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- 1-2 Switch
- Tetris 99
- Super Bomberman R
And let‘s not forget the N64 and Genesis classics included with Nintendo Switch Online for retro multiplayer magic!
Let the Good Times Roll!
The Nintendo Switch is party game perfection thanks to the flexibility of its controllers, portability and snappy interface. Anyone can instantly jump into the action regardless of gaming skill level or number of players.
Now that you‘ve got the scoop on the very best party games available, it‘s time to put that research into action! Set up one of these gems at your next game night, office party or family gathering and let the hilarious memories commence. Just be prepared for frequent encores and rematches all night long!
