Short games are good, too

With a slew of games released weekly to play on the Nintendo Switch, there’s never been more choice available when deciding what to play. However this choice can also easily come off as overwhelming as games get longer and longer. Many times, completing a short experience from start to finish in an evening can be just as enjoyable as a game three times its length. For times where you might not want to dive into a massive rpg but want to experience a game from front-to-back, here’s a list of some of the best shorter experiences available on Nintendo Switch.

A Short Hike

A bird goes on vacation to a beautiful campground and has to find cell phone service to make an important call. Without giving much away, that’s all you need to know about the plot of this adorably charming game. You play as a small bird exploring a semi-open world island and nature getaway, meeting and helping cute and memorable characters with tasks along the way. The writing is fantastic, and each character comes to life with witty jokes and personalities making each encounter special. With a playthrough taking about one hour, A Short Hike is a great way to spend an evening smiling.

Say No! More

Say No! More answers the question of “How can I live out my fantasy of saying no to everyone for a day” while also sharing a heartfelt story in the process. Through this silly on-rails ‘no’ simulator, you play as an intern at a big fancy corporation, told to say yes to everything without question. After finding a magic tape player and headphones with instructions on how to say no, this newfound ability becomes your superpower, disrupting the entire workplace in the process. Just a few buttons are needed for different variations of the ‘no’ and can be used to dismiss rude requests for coffee runs and overtime. With a unique art direction, easy-to-approach gameplay, and hilarious story, Say No! More is a game that deserves the hour of your time it takes to complete.

Downwell

While Downwell is a rougelike that can be played almost endlessly, its play sessions tend to be very short, making it a great game to play in short bursts between meetings or before bed. The main premise is simple; keep falling down a well and see how deep you can fall before being stopped by an array of enemies. Your only weapons are projectiles that shoot from your character’s feet, which are used to blast away enemies ranging from blobs to turtles. As enemies are defeated, currency is gained which can be spent at randomly generating merchants along the way to upgrade your weapon or abilities. While the goal is to go as far as you can go in a given session, each session I’ve played in Downwell has typically lasted less than 10 minutes. While this may mean I am very bad at Downwell, it also makes it a great game to play when I want a short burst of something to play before bed.

Katana Zero

Though a little longer than the other games on this list, Katana Zero is a masterclass in 2D face-paced action games. You play as a samurai uncovering their past, given the task of eliminating targets divided across multiple levels, each with their own unique environment. Armed with a katana, each level is split into smaller sections to clear before moving to the next. With one hit resulting in death, finding the right strategy to clear each room is essential and makes progression feel all that much more rewarding.

Donut County

If Katamari Damaci met evil raccoons, you would have Donut County. In this delightfully colorful and charming game, you control a moving hole in the ground that grows in size as it engulfs objects in its path. Similar to the Playstation 2 game Katamari Damacy, where the goal is to stick as many items as possible to a ball, Donut County feels instantly familiar but unique in its own ways. A cute story, hilarious writing, and gameplay that can be picked up by all ages makes Donut County a game that no Switch owner should miss.