The Top Ten Disney Nintendo Switch Games
The names Disney and Nintendo are both pretty synonymous with family-friendly entertainment. So much so that Nintendo is often considered the “Disney” of videogames. That makes it no surprise that in it’s eight-year run the Nintendo Switch has had more than a few games released on it bearing the name of a Disney IP with a mix of remasters, cross-platform releases and even a few exclusives. With the successor on the horizon, this is a look at the 10 best Disney games to release on what is currently Nintendo’s second-best-selling console (the DS is still topping it by a few million but that will likely be surpassed when all is said and done).
#10. Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition
Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Editon’s biggest crime is that it exists on a platform with much better options in the life-sim genre, namely Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, but also Disney Dreamlight Valley. But taken on its own merits, Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition is a pretty fun time filled with Disney characters and lots of activities that are mostly pretty fun. If you have exhausted other similar games but still want something in that genre Disney’s Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition is certainly worth a look
9. Tron: Identity
As of now still a console exclusive but available also on PC, Tron: Identity is a short but fascinating visual novel game in the world of Tron. It has a great look, a well-written story and characters and you can get several different endings all impacted by the choices you make and each session is only a couple of hours which admittedly can be a plus or a minus depending on your view. Still Tron has been served much better in videogame form than movies and TV in my humble opinion and Tron: Identity is another great example of that.
8. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The game that finally blew up the LEGO game formula that had been going on since 2005 with Lego Star Wars, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga deserved to really revitalize the idea of franchises being given the “LEGO treatment” in videogame form and be used for other long-running franchises. Instead, it seems to have been the swan song for these types of games as even though it sold and was reviewed well, we haven’t heard anything about a follow-up and instead have gotten either different games with a LEGO aesthetic or things like Lego Horizon Adventures which seem like a giant step backwards. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available on pretty much every platform but the Switch is pretty ideal for doing a quick objective here and there which the game has tons of.
#7. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered
There’s a lot of remasters on the Nintendo Switch. A lot of Star Wars remasters, in fact. Most are also on other platforms but people really do like playing their old games on Nintendo’s portable hybrid console and the older games just seem to be a good fit on the underpowered console vs. its bigger console competitors. A lot of those remasters are fairly straightforward, however, without much in the way of bells and whistles. Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is a master class in updating an old game for new platforms. It was a solid FPS back in the day and is updated in very modern ways so it doesn’t feel particularly antiquated except in some ways things like health worked and there’s a bunch of bonus content as well. Just a great remaster that goes really well on the Nintendo Switch.
#6. Epic Mickey Rebrushed
It’s hard enough to make a remaster of an older game that was already good. But a remaster improving a game that was at best mediocre when it came out? Seems nigh impossible. Yet Epic Mickey Rebrushed manages this monumental feat. The original release for the Nintendo Wii was ugly, and suffered from awful controls and a really bad camera. This remaster goes the extra mile and successfully addresses all these major issues and lets Epic Mickey realize its real potential. The Switch version would’ve ranked a little higher on this list but suffers from some performance issues that hold it back. Hopefully, it’ll play a lot better on the Nintendo Switch 2…
#5. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Largely forgotten at this point, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is a worthy follow-up to the classic X-Men Legends/Marvel Ultimate Alliance franchise. It has a wealth of characters and the same Diablo-style gameplay previous games did and pulled off the formula quite well. It obviously would’ve sold far better not being a Switch exclusive but hey Nintendo still has a good relationship with Disney and Team Ninja so we can hope a possible sequel is being held up for a Switch 2 release…
#4. Disney Dreamlight Valley
If you’re a regular reader of mine (or even just have known me online for a while) you know how I think Disney Dreamlight Valley is a surprisingly great life-sim game. The base entry to play is pretty low, there’s tons of free content in addition to a couple of solid expansion packs. You can easily spend hundreds of hours playing it and I have. This would possibly even be number one on this list if not for one thing holding it back: the required online connectivity. Being able to pick up Disney Dreamlight Valley and playing it on the go should be a no-brainer but the online requirement holds back its potential on that front. Still a virtual must for any Disney fan though.
#3. Disney Classic Games Collection
A solid collection that got added to in order to become a true must-own for retro gaming fans, Disney Classic Games Collection features a various versions of 90s licensed Disney games based on popular Disney movies Aladdin, The Lion King and The Jungle Book for various platforms and even from different developers and publishers, which is quite the feat to get that all into one package. There’s some great behind-the-scenes stuff as well.
Are all the games good? No, but that’s really not the point of collections like this. The point is to preserve these games and make them easier to get than scouring online sites and as has been previously stated, the Nintendo Switch just seems like a good natural fit for any and all retro releases so of course Disney Classic Games Collection will feel right at home on it.
#2. Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
The most unthinkable collection of some of the greatest 2D fighting games ever made arrived on various platforms last year. The Nintendo Switch has a solid fighting game community beyond just Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with an array of classic releases, indie games and a couple of modern impressive ports as well. Arguably the biggest hurdle holding the Nintendo Switch version back is that Joycons aren’t the most ideal controllers for these games but it’s not that expensive to get a decent 3rd party controller that will be a better fit. Still the appeal of being able to take the entire Marvel vs. Capcom series on the go and do a pickup game against some friends in a setting outside your house is pretty cool all on its own.
#1. Disney Illusion Island
A true Nintendo Switch exclusive that probably captures the spirit of Disney as much as any of its animated classics, I wouldn’t peg Disney Illusion Island as a hidden gem. It was reviewed and sold well and has received various game awards. But it doesn’t get mentioned in top Switch games much less top Disney Switch games much and it really should. It’s extremely well-designed and animated, it captures all the characters’ personalities perfectly, it’s surprisingly funny and it’s fun to play. Is the Metroidvania gameplay a little simplistic compared to the many other Metroidvania competitors out there? Sure, but that’s not really the measuring stick we are going by here and sometimes something just being fun and enjoyable and not insanely taxing is exactly what you need and that’s what Disney Illusion Island gives you. I hope there’s a follow-up in works for the Nintendo Switch 2 as this was a tremendously charming game I haven’t stopped thinking about since I beat it.
Ok that’s all for today, I will likely have another post up by the middle of next week so see ya real soon!
