Ranking the top 10 games on Nintendo Switch

1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This is not just the best Nintendo Switch game; it might be the greatest video game ever made, period. It’s what singlehandedly catapulted the Switch to absurd heights when the system first launched in 2017. It’s what immediately usurped Ocarina of Time as the greatest, most ahead-of-its-time Zelda game, and it’s a 1,000 percent must-own if you have a Switch.

Legend of Zelda games are typically lauded for their ingenious puzzle design, unique weapons, smooth gameplay and familiar but distinct storylines, but even though all of those elements apply here, Breath of the Wild took it to new heights with a realistic physics engine, open-world design, RPG elements, jaw-droppingly gorgeous graphics and extensive customization options.

This is an immensely challenging Zelda experience, and it takes some getting used to — even for diehard fans who have played every entry in the series over the last few decades. While players can immediately challenge the final boss from the game’s opening minutes, most immediately find that taking down the simplest Bokoblin is a challenge while Link is so ill-equipped.

As you progress from tree branches for swords and cooking lids for shields to actual, real weapons, the combat mechanics and insane learning curve become less punishing, rewarding precise timing, sneak attacks and strategic planning ahead of time, which is where the game’s insane and thoroughly entertaining realism comes into play.

Got a group of enemies hanging out in the middle of some tall grass? Find a way to light that grass on fire and they’ll burn to death. Want to drop a boulder on a group of unsuspecting foes? Attach balloons to the rock, watch it float above their heads and pop them with an arrow to bring it crashing down. And of course, this is saying nothing of Link’s magic abilities to create bombs, freeze objects and enemies in time, levitate metal objects and summon ice pillars from the water.

Throw in weapons that break over time; an intuitive cooking system to replace traditional hearts for Link’s health; a massive open world that is seamless (seriously, anything you see in the distance, you can eventually get there); one of the best stories a Zelda game has ever told; actual voice acting for most characters except Link; the thrill of defeating some of the game’s elite foes; a truly epic final confrontation; the unbridled joy of simply exploring the immense, rich landscape; and the insane amount of side quests and collectibles before you even get to DLC, and this is a game you can — and will — literally spend hundreds of hours on.

Breath of the Wild is a masterclass in gaming, pure and simple. It changed Legend of Zelda games forever (which is why they’re already working on a sequel), and it’s an experience that cannot be missed on Nintendo Switch.