The Nintendo Switch introduced many innovations when it was released, with the most prominent being the ability to play the console as a handheld or docked in a TV. What isn’t talked about as often is how amazing the Joy-Con controllers are for enabling split-screen play. Thanks to each one being able to function as a full controller, you can start playing the best Switch games with a friend without investing in more hardware. With such a deep library of games, many of which are multiplayer, you have an overwhelming number of options for the best split-screen games. If you’ve got a partner ready to play, we’ll help you pick the best split-screen games you can play today.
There aren’t a ton of upcoming Switch games left, but you should still browse that list for more options while we wait for the Switch 2.
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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
85%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Racing, Arcade
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 7
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
April 28, 2017
Judging by how many copies of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have been sold, odds are that there are only about 6 of you out there who don’t own it yet. If that’s you, there’s absolutely no reason to put it off any longer. This is hands-down the best game in the series and one of the best racing games of all time. The simple idea of drifting around tracks and collecting various items to hinder other racers or give yourself an edge is perfected in this latest entry. Sure, there’s still the Blue Shell to deal with, but that’s a small price to pay for such a polished racer. With the expansion packs adding even more courses, plus all the racers and karts to pick from, there’s no limit to how many hours you and a friend can spend racing through these wonderfully realized courses.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
80%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Omega Force
Publisher
Nintendo, Koei Tecmo
Release
November 19, 2020
Traditional Zelda games are all single-player adventures. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity isn’t a normal Zelda title, but a Musou game in a Zelda wrapping. For those unaware, Musou games were made famous by the Dynasty Warrior series a
Super Mario Party Jamboree
82%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Card & Board Game
Developer
NDCube
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 17, 2024
Super Mario Party Jamboree
82%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Card & Board Game
Developer
NDCube
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 17, 2024
Really, you could pick any Mario Party game on the Switch and have a great split-screen experience, but Mario Party Jamboree is both the latest and greatest one. As always, this entry plays out like a board game with minigames punctuating every turn. There are seven different boards to pick from that all have their own look and twist on the end goal of rolling your die to reach the star, including a few classic ones from the older titles. This entry has over 110 different minigames that can appear so no two matches will be the same and you never play the same one too often. You could technically play this game alone with the AI, but this game begs to be played with a group of four people in the same room together. You may end up getting a little heated when someone steals a star out from under you, but that’s all part of the fun.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
87%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Platform
Developer
Sora, Bandai Namco Studios
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
December 07, 2018
Fighting games have always been a little bit intimidating for casual players until Super Smash Bros. hit the scene. While you can pick the best character and master their moves over time, it isn’t required to have fun and still be competitive in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The real joy in this game is the same as digging through a chest of your favorite toys and making them fight to see who would win. Only in this case, the roster is comprised of all the biggest icons in gaming in a crossover so impressive that even Fortnite can’t compete. Everyone who likes games will find a character they like, or at the very least recognize, and want to fight with a friend. You don’t just have to do one-on-one battles in split-screen, either. There’s a whole host of modes and custom match types you can make to spice things up.
Luigi's Mansion 3
83%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Next Level Games
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 31, 2019
Luigi is back in the spotlight once more with Luigi’s Mansion 3, and this time you can bring a partner in to join the ghost-busting fun as the goopy Gooigi. This time around Luigi is exploring a haunted hotel where every floor has a different theme (and different haunts) to explore. Each floor is its own challenge full of ghosts to catch, puzzles to solve, treasure to collect, and eventually a boss to overcome. Nothing is especially hard, or even all that scary, making this an excellent game for younger kids to play together or as one of their first games with a more seasoned gamer showing them the ropes. The second player as Gooigi is required for some puzzles, but also has their own abilities like slipping through gaps and walking on spikes without taking damage. It is a charming and delightful co-op experience for all ages best played side-by-side.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
89%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Platform
Developer
Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 10
Publisher
Nintendo
Release
October 20, 2023
This is technically the third Mario game on the list, but the only one that is a traditional 2D platformer. Like the last few 2D games, you can jump through Super Mario Bros. Wonder with up to four players all on a single Switch. The roster this time is massive, including 12 total characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and multiple types of Toads and Yoshis. The goal of each stage is still to reach the end, but now there are new Wonder Flowers that alter the game in strange and unexpected ways. Nintendo makes playing together just as easy and fun as can be by not allowing players to accidentally block one another. You can never go wrong with a traditional platformer for some split-screen fun, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder shows that Nintendo’s plumber is still the king.
Pokkén Tournament DX
80%
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Genre
Fighting, Arcade
Developer
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher
Nintendo of America, Nintendo of Europe, Nintendo
Release
September 22, 2017
The latest Pokemon games can only be played with friends online, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way to battle your favorite monsters from the same couch. Instead of a turn-based RPG, Pokken Tournament DX reimagines Pokemon battles as a more traditional fighting game. There are 21 Pokemon to choose from as fighters, plus assists to call in for extra attack options. Fighting games got their start in local competitions and that is where they are at their best today. This isn’t the most mechanically complex fighter so you don’t have to memorize overly complex button combinations to see your favorite Pokemon pull off their classic moves. It is deeper than Smash, but still approachable enough to be a great game to bring out for some friendly matches with friends.
