The best multiplayer Switch games to play with your friends

The Nintendo Switch excels as a multiplayer console, especially when you’re playing locally, since there’s almost nothing else as fun with family and friends. Even online play can bring people together — we know at least one person who got married to someone they met in Animal Crossing. Here are our picks for the best multiplayer Switch games to start with.

Note: You’ll need an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play games over the internet, when that’s supported, but not for local multiplayer.

The best multiplayer Switch games

Super Mario Party

If there’s any genuinely iconic multiplayer Nintendo franchise, it’s Mario Party. In Super Mario Party, each character gets unique Dice Blocks, so there’s a lot of strategy behind choosing a specific character to play.

There are multiple boards to choose from, and as usual you cross them a la The Game of Life, playing mini-games to help accumulate stars and coins. For a shorter experience you can play an Online Mariothon, which drops you into a series of five mini-games.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, there’s separate title called Mario Party Superstars. It didn’t get its own section here because it’s not original — instead it’s a collection of 100 mini-games and five game boards coming from titles as old as the first Mario Party for the Nintendo 64.

Minecraft

Minecraft continues to be a builder’s dream, and the deliberately pixelated game is still as fun as it was when it first launched. It’s perfectly fine solo, but can be even better shared with others.

On a Switch you can play with up to 8 people, whether you do so online or over a local network. On a single Switch, you’re limited to 4 players. When online it’s cross-platform, so you can play with your friends on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and mobile.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

It’s hard to say enough good things about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It’s brilliant whether you’re playing alone, online, or locally with friends. There are 42 Nintendo characters to choose from, and 48 tracks to race, many of them remastered favorites from previous Mario Kart titles.

You can customize the game to your liking in so many different ways. You can choose a casual 50cc race, for instance, or kick it up to a speedy 200cc. There’s a variety of vehicles, wheels, and gliders to choose from, depending on your playstyle.

If you own a Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart is practically a must-have for your library.

Moving Out

Moving Out is another high-ranking title on our list. It’s a physics-based moving simulator, the idea being that you’re carrying items out of different houses onto a truck. That might not sound exciting at first, but multiplayer adds a layer of alternating chaos and coordination. There are also specific challenges to strive for, such as not breaking any windows, or bringing plastic flamingos to someone’s lawn.

Difficulty adjusts automatically based on the number of people playing. If you play by yourself, items only ever need one person to move them, but adding a second player will force the two of you to cooperate for things like couches and fridges. We haven’t played with three or four people yet, but the experience should only become better.

Overcooked 2

Overcooked 2’s multiplayer can be played locally or online. While the game’s kitchen premise may seem simple, it can quickly get pretty intense and hilarious. You’ll discover new recipes, put out fires, and more, all while dealing with levels that force new strategies and are littered with hazards.

You can either work together with other players or compete against them. We’ll add that this a great multiplayer game for families, since it’s rated E and easy to grasp in its basics.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Speaking of family-friendly, this is as friendly as fighting games get. There’s no bloodshed or complex combos, and you can access a Training Mode when you first start. After that you’ll graduate to Smash mode (with up to 8 players), Squad Strike mode (3v3 or 5v5 against an opponent, one character at a time), or Tourney mode (a 32-player customizable tournament).

74 fighters come with the game, more are available if you buy DLC. On top of that there are over 100 stages to fight in, with a Stage Morph option that automatically transforms one stage into another.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Pikmin 3 Deluxe only supports 2 players, but it’s more of a story- and mission-driven experience. It’s your job to defeat enemies and find food to take back to your starving home planet.

Each Pikmin has different abilities. For example, the blue Pikmin can breathe underwater, the winged Pikmin can fly, and the yellow Pikmin is immune to electric shock. It’s only by using them strategically that you can get through the game as smoothly as possible.

You’re probably aware of Pikmin 4, but its multiplayer elements are much more limited. Pikmin 3 Deluxe is unique in that you can play through the entire story with two players, so we think it’s a better pick for couch co-op.

Among Us

Among Us has a massive following, and it’s easy to see why. It’s inexpensive to play on PC and consoles, and free to play on mobile devices. There’s cross-play too, so if you buy the Switch version, you can still match up with people on other platforms. 

The premise is straightforward. You’re on a spaceship with 3 to 10 other players, and while most of them are getting it ready for departure, one or two are impostors trying to kill everyone else. Don’t worry, this isn’t James Cameron’s  Aliens — it’s all very cartoonish.

It can be insanely fun, despite many heated arguments with your friends or family.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a great single-player game, but it’s also super fun as a multiplayer title. The process of getting to other people’s islands is way too slow, but hopefully, that’s something Nintendo will resolve in a sequel.

Once you’re finally on someone else’s island (or vice versa), you can chat with that location’s residents, help harvest and collect materials, hunt for fossils, and more. The game supports up to 8 people online or over local wireless. At home, 4 people can play on a single Switch.

Luigi’s Mansion 3

This is another game that’s primarily single-player, but has a few fun multiplayer features as well. You can for instance play story mode co-op, with one player being Luigi while another is Gooigi.

If you feel like playing with more than two people, you can try mini-games in the ScareScraper. Up to 8 players can play these at once, whether locally or online. You complete in fun challenges, like defeating all the ghosts in the tower, finding lost Toads, and so on.

Super Mario Maker 2

There is a story campaign in Super Mario Maker 2, but if that’s what you buy the game for, you’re playing it wrong. The point here is to build your own levels, or at least experience the many crazy or grueling levels that fans have uploaded. There are even fully self-playing levels that exploit the game’s physics.

Up to 4 players can play together locally, or you can play online, whether you choose to compete with others or work together. The possibilities are endless, so we’re looking forward to the inevitable Mario Maker 3 on the Switch 2.

Fortnite

Fortnite is entirely free to download on the Nintendo Switch eShop. It’s a PUBG clone, meaning it’s a battle royale game with up to 100 players, but the twist is that in its standard mode, you’ll need to gather resources and build mini-forts to survive. It’s also deliberately cartoonish and slightly more forgiving — unlike some battle royales, you (probably) won’t be picked off the moment you wander into open cover.

Developer Epic Games makes most of its money selling downloadable cosmetic upgrades, so that’s something to be careful about. Check out our list of the best free Nintendo Switch games if you’re on a tight budget.

Diablo III: Eternal Collection

Diablo III is an action RPG packed with over 800 abilities to unlock, tons of extraordinary creatures to fight, and content that never gets old. You can play with up to 4 players locally or remotely. Just keep in mind that as its name implies, it isn’t for kids. The subject matter is dark and violent, if not necessarily as dark as you might be thinking.

You may be aware that there’s already a Diablo IV out, but that’s only on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, and probably too graphically demanding for the Switch’s hardware. Don’t be surprised if it’s one of the first games announced for the Switch 2.

New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe

This is yet another classic for Nintendo. New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe follows the Mario platforming formula we all know and love, and you can play locally with up to 3 other players.

This version of the game includes both New Super Mario Bros U and the more difficult New Super Luigi U content. There are 164 levels across its two main game modes, so you won’t run out of entertainment anytime soon.

We’d also recommend Super Mario Bros Wonder, which has had excellent reviews, and even offers two invincible characters (Yoshi and Nabbit) for young kids and other newcomers.

Nintendo Switch Sports

Mixing video games with exercise has been a theme for Nintendo since the Wii, and the trend continues with Nintendo Switch Sports. You can play popular sports like volleyball, badminton, bowling, soccer, chambara, tennis, and golf.

The title supports up to 4 players, and you’re encouraged to use Joy-Con controllers to get in the game physically. You’ll probably need to buy extra pairs, in fact, to get the most of out of it.

Mario Strikers: Battle League

Into soccer/football, but not so much the realistic experience of titles like EA’s FC? Mario Strikers: Battle League supports up to 8 players. You can enjoy all your favorite characters, such as Mario, Toad, Princess Peach, and Yoshi, but more importantly you can customize your gear to improve both stats and abilities. It’s a really fun sports game with a playful twist.