Switch games are getting more expensive than ever, but you don’t need to spend any money to fill your Switch with a library of fun, varied games to play. There are tons of free-to-play options available on the eShop, so be sure to check out the best of them.
Of course, despite being “free-to-play,” all of these games offer in-game purchases in one form or another. Many of them only charge real money for cosmetic upgrades, some of them lock characters behind a paywall, and others make you wait longer amounts of time if you don’t want to pay anything. All of these extras are optional, so if you’ve got enough willpower you don’t need to pay a dime.
Got a Switch 2 already? Thanks to Nintendo’s work on backward compatibility, these games should run just fine on the latest console (and may even perform a little better).
10Palia
Paliais a cozy life and farming simulator that plants you in a fantasy land, with villagers to befriend, a home to decorate, trees to chop down, critters to hunt, quests to complete, and much more to do besides that. you may build up your farm on your own or play in co-op with other players.
It’s a peaceful, relaxing time, inspired greatly by the likes ofAnimal Crossing,Stardew Valley, and at times evenBreath of the Wild. IfPaliais your speed of gaming, be sure to check out games inthe Neighborvania genre.
9Sky: Children of the Light
From the creators ofJourney, which sadly isn’t available on the Switch,Sky: Children of the Lightoffers a similarly relaxed, meditative, and surprisingly co-operative online experience. It sees you peacefully exploring islands in the sky, flying through the clouds between them, rescuing lost spirits, and befriending other players with unlockable emotes.
The only reason this isn’t higher on my list is because it doesn’t run very well on the Switch, which really hurts the relaxed and carefree state of mind I’d prefer to be in for a game like this. That said, there is a performance mode available, which helps a bit.
8Fallout Shelter
If you’rea fan of theFalloutfranchise,Fallout Shelteris a great way to populate your Switch with Vault Dwellers. This simple base-management game sees you excavating to build and expand your vault, then taking in survivors from the wasteland to perfectly optimize its operation.
You can tell this was developed for mobile platforms, but it’s still a fun little game to check in on and mindlessly play around with. Before long, you’ll have amassed a large population of Vault Dwellers, decked out with gear, equipment, and high skill levels to perfectly run your base.
7Asphalt Legends Unite
Aphalt Legends Unitegives you adrenalin-fuelled racing in a free-to-play format. Unlock new supercars, mod them, then smash the nitro button to boost your way into first place. Taking this racing game to the next level is the ability to perform physics-defying spins to smash your opponents into obstacles along the track.
You can race in co-op mode, against AI opponents, or enter online multiplayer races to test your mettle against other players across the world.
6Brawlhalla
Want to playSuper Smash Bros.but can’t stomach the price?Brawlhallais a solid free-to-play alternative. This platform-based fighter pits you against other players as you grab weapons, string combos together, and smash each other off the edge of the map.
The 2D animation style is gorgeous and there are tons of characters to choose from…if you’re willing to pay. If you want to keep playing for free, you’ll have a limited character selection, but it’s on rotation so you can still get plenty of variety by checking in from week-to-week. This game pales in comparison tothe cross-over extravaganzathat isSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it’s still a good time and a great free option.
5Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Let me get this out of the way first,Fall Guysruns pretty terribly on the Switch. It crashes, it has bad lag, and the frame rate is poor. But if you can set all that aside and go into it with an easy attitude, it’s still possible to have tons of fun with this game.
InFall Guys, you’re pitted against a horde of other ridiculous-looking players to make your way across a brightly colored obstacle course before getting eliminated. You’ll get knocked about and stuck behind obstacles, you might get pulled off the course by other players, but if you’re lucky you’ll still stumble and dive to victory.
4Star Wars: Hunters
Star Wars: Huntersis a four-on-four hero shooter set in theStar Warsuniverse. Choose from a diverse and regularly updated cast of bounty hunters, including Sith, Imperial Troopers, Ewoks, and more. Every character type has a unique set of abilities to master as you battle alongside your teammates across numerous Star Wars themed maps.
This isn’t the most popular hero shooter available on the Switch—take a look atOverwatch 2orApex Legendsfor that (just be warned they don’t run very well)—but it’s easy to get stuck into and is much more approachable for newcomers thanks to the familiarStar Warsuniverse.
3Warframe
Warframesees you take part in a sprawling, interplanetary war as a legendary Tenno, unlocking upgrades and abilites for a range of different warframe suits. The opening cinematic is fantastic, which leads you into an action-packed and fast-paced set of tutorial missions.
Be warned, once the game spits you out of the tutorial section, there’s an awful lot of options to wrap your head around. But if you’re willing to put the time in, this is a truly phenomenal game with hundreds of hours of content to discover.
2Rocket League
Rocket Leaguesounds like a ridiculous concept for a game: using rocket-powered cars to play an enlarged game of soccer. But it’s easy to pick up, endlessly enjoyable, and offers a surprising skill depth—some of the tricks that experienced players can pull off are absolutely unbelievable.
This fast-paced game is perfect for picking up and playing a quick match, but you may also pour hours into it developing your skills, unlocking new rides, and exploring the various other modes on offer.
1Fortnite
Of course,Fornitehas to top this list. It’s a phenomenally popular free-to-play game. Although there are tons of gaming modes to choose from—including an entireLEGO Fortnitegame buried inside of this one—Fortniteisbest-known for its Battle Royale mode. After dropping in from the Battle Bus, this pits you against almost 100 other players on a progressively shrinking map.
There’s tons of fun to be had here, with regularly updated seasons keeping the game fresh. It doesn’t run as well on the Switch as you’d get on larger home consoles, but it’s still perfectly playable and a hugely popular platform for the game.
WHERE TO PLAY
As you can see, there’s a massive variety of different games available to play for free on your Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. Everything from hero shooters, to farming sims, to car-powered football, to base management. Whatever you fancy, you can probably find a free way to play a game just like it.
Alternatively, you couldand enjoy all the retro games included in that subscription, or fill your boots with free demos from the eShop instead!
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo’s latest console lets you take your console gaming on the go. Start up a game at home on your TV, then pull the Switch out of the dock and you can continue right where you left off.
Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s latest hybrid home console, with more powerful graphics and processing, a larger 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR, and more online features.
