It’s time for another SwitchArcade Special, and that means we’ve got another batch of our favorite Nintendo Switch games for you to check out. This time around, we’re looking at the 2D platformer. Once the dominant genre in the world of consoles, it saw a big fall in the fifth and sixth console generations only to come roaring back with the rise of indies. The Switch plays host to quite a few of them, and the genre has become incredibly messy over time. As such, I will explain my criteria.
This list consists of games where the primary gameplay mechanic involves navigating challenging arrangements of platforms. We will do a list for the run-and-gun/action games in due time, so you won’t find them here. This list is presented in no particular order, and is simply our favorites in the genre. Feel free to share yours in the comments. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe ($59.99)

A list like this wouldn’t be complete without an appearance from Mario. There’s a lot of disagreement about where New Super Mario Bros. U belongs in the overall 2D Mario pantheon, but you can accept every issue with the game and still acknowledge it as the incredible 2D platformer that it is. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, there is a wealth of fun to be had with this game. Should clearing all the levels and finding all the Star Coins not prove challenging enough, New Super Luigi U is waiting there as bonus helping of pain.
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