Hello, gentle readers, and welcome to a special SwitchArcade. I’m not actually here today. Yes, I’m probably opening presents or eating too many calories or engaging in other such holiday frivolities. But through the power of time travel and/or automated scheduling, my voice from the past is reaching you right now. Anyway, on to today’s business. Given the occasion, it’s possible that you have found yourself with some extra Nintendo Shop credit and are wondering just what you should spend it on.
Well, I’ve got two lists for you. Today is the first one, presenting what I believe are the best games currently available. Note that I’m trying to stick to games that aren’t generally thought of as packaged releases. Some of these games have been released physically in limited quantities or otherwise, but I believe we can all appreciate the difference between, say, Undertale and Super Smash Bros Ultimate. The games on this list aren’t just my personal favorites, but are also highly acclaimed by critics and players alike. Tomorrow’s list will have some of my more quirky choices. Let’s make a list, and check it twice! Undertale ($14.99)

Like many of the games on this list, Undertale is available on other platforms. Unlike many of the games on this list, Undertale is even available on another portable platform. Nevertheless, it’s possible that you haven’t played this yet, and if you haven’t, you really ough...