The best multiplayer games on Switch

Wario is certainly one of the more interesting of Mario’s extended cast of characters. That makes him the perfect mascot for the hilarious and unpredictable fun of the WarioWare series. WarioWare: Move It! is a little bit like a Mario Party, only each game is done in seconds and usually involves microgames that can be crazy, and unpredictable, but always funny. There are over 200 of these mini-games packed into this game that only take a second to learn, then a few more to finish. This game is all about having fun and laughing with friends whether they are a gamer or not thanks to the intuitive nature of the motion controls. This is perfect to flip on at any party.

Arcade beat ’em ups are a dying genre, especially ones in the old 16-bit style. However, some of the best were the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle home and arcade games, which makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge such a treat to see on the Switch. Not only does it nail the art style perfectly, but it feels just like those awesome games from way back in the day. Of course, these beat ’em ups are always played best with friends, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge doesn’t just limit you to four players, which it easily could’ve gotten away with. Instead, you can party with up to six total players, each controlling one of the four main turtles plus April and Casey in your adventure to take down all the iconic villains like Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady, and Krang.

The king of hero shooters isn’t leaving out Switch players. Overwatch 2 is the massive update to the original that shakes up the formula without ruining that special balance it had that made it so fun and addicting. All the heroes from the first game are back, plus brand new ones, as well as the shift from being a six-on-six game to five versus five. This makes the game much more tactical, and every player feels more important in the role they’re playing. It’s also free now, meaning there’s no reason not to give it a try, even if you never played the original.

Why create the perfect village, complete with a lavish mansion, if it’s only going to be populated by a single player? Like other Animal Crossing games, Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows other players to enter a village, either online or in a local cooperative mode. This only requires a single Joy-Con controller per player, too, so the stock Switch and the game are enough to get started. Islands are shared per console, meaning that if multiplayer players enjoy the game in the same household, they’ll have to make room for each other. It seems like a nuisance, but learning to live with another person is an important part of maturing, especially when they can build wherever they want.

The traditional 2D platforming Super Mario Bros. series has long been a favorite for cooperative play, and Super Mario Maker 2 continues that tradition with the ability to complete courses with other players, or design them together online so your dastardly creations are the work of two villains instead of just one. Without proper communication, you might not succeed, but those working in tandem can cut down on the time needed to make a stage. Will one of you focus on Thwomps while the other cooks up a switch-heavy nightmare? Only you can know for sure. Though not traditionally “multiplayer,” the best part of Super Mario Maker 2 is heading online to play the courses others from around the world have designed. Just a few days after launch, we were already seeing incredibly creative stages that included elements we couldn’t dream of being in a Mario game. Of course, there were also a lot of troll-heavy stages that want to trick you, but the cream rises to the top.

While we’re in the Mario sports realm, we can’t ignore the fan-favorite soccer series that finally returned with Mario Strikers: Battle League. This take on soccer is the black sheep of Mario sports games since it is not only mechanically deep but also more overtly aggressive than Nintendo usually likes to be with their sports titles. Sure, you’re still hitting characters with big colorful shells, but also drop-kicking them into electric fences. And you know what? We still love it, especially since it works so well as a multiplayer experience. There are a ton of strategies and tactics you can use to work together, or just toss all that aside and charge forward. Either way, you’ll have a blast with this over-the-top soccer title.