If you missed our recent podcast, for our big question of the week we ranked the five most disappointing games for the Nintendo Switch. These are not necessarily the worst games (we really like some of them), but they were all disappointing in some manner that rubbed off a bit of the luster for us. If our ranking upsets you, remember you should really just relax.
5. Arms
Arms is far from a bad game, but it very much felt like a first pass on a franchise that never got a second pass. Nintendo makes so few new franchises these days, it was disappointing they never gave it a second shot like Splatoon.
4. First-party Nintendo sports titles
(Nintendo Switch Sports, Mario Strikers: Battle League, Mario Golf: Super Rush, etc.)
Nintendo’s first-party sports titles are not bad games. They all play decently enough compared to earlier entries in their respective franchises. But they also felt like big steps backward in terms of depth and features. It’s a shame when a new Mario Golf still feels lacking compared to the Game Boy Color version.
3. 1-2-Switch
This would have been an amazing game if it had come packed in like Wii Sports did. Instead, Nintendo sold it as a full-priced title at launch leading many to expect the fun and depth of the Wii’s pack in—it featured neither.
2. Poor-quality third-party ports
(Mortal Kombat 1, Dead by Daylight, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, etc.)
This is a catch all for the many, many poor ports to Nintendo Switch. Sometimes a bad framerate and muddy visuals can be forgiven for simply the game existing on a less powerful platform, but in far too many cases ports on the Switch were near unplayable. Made worse by the occasional amazing port like Doom (2016) or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
1. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Scarlet and Violet are not bad games, but they were a mess at launch. Terrible framerates, poor visual quality, and bugs took one of Nintendo’s crown jewel franchises and made it a laughingstock to many. The fact that so many fans are excited for the Switch 2 enhancements only serves to drive home how disappointing this game was originally.
