Top 10 best multiplayer Switch games

In a world where AAA studios are trying to convince us that couch-co-op is a thing of the past and online gaming is the future, the Nintendo Switch is a testament to the old proverb, 'why not both?'.

One of the greatest things about the Nintendo Switch is the fact it has both a portable and docking feature, which enables versatility of gaming and facilitates co-op play both online and via couch co-op.

So, if you're looking for the next best multiplayer game on Switch to spend a lazy Sunday with family and friends look no further. We'll list the top ten multiplayer games available on Switch right now.

• Be sure to also check out our guide on the Best Couch Co-Op Games In 2022 for an expanded list of co-op games across all platforms.

Super Mario Party

It wouldn’t be a Switch list without at least one Mario game. With Super Mario Party, you can experience the highlife of taking a map by storm, winning throughout the entire game, only for it to all fall apart in the last section with rogue star awards.

This is the ultimate couch co-op game to pull out at a party, and the ultimate test of friendships as loyalties are tested and alliances are formed and swiftly broken.

Super Mario Party provides 20 different Mario characters to play as, each with a different dice block and 80 minigames across four different board maps.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is consistently ranked in the top ten indie game lists and for good reason. This charming farming simulator is much more than it may first seem. Whisked away from a stale corporate job, you embrace the beauty of the country and cultivate a farm from humble beginnings in glorious 8-bit graphics.

As you get to grips with toiling on your farm, you will take part in community events, meet the diverse locals, battle monsters, mine for treasures, and solve some of the hidden mysteries of Pelican Town.

Now available for multiplayer, you can share your hard work with your friends and create a beautiful farm together or ignore the farm completely and spend your time adventuring in the depths of the mines. Or perhaps, watch in horror as they sell you out to the notorious evil JoJa corporation. Either way, it's sure to provide hours of entertainment.

• If you're giving Stardew Valley a go, try our guide to getting the best outcome at the Stardew Valley Luau first.

Don’t Starve Together

Don’t Starve Together is essentially a multiplayer expansion to the 2013 cult classic Don’t Starve and the opposite of the bright whimsical style of Stardew Valley.

Don’t Starve Together is a crafting survival game enshrouded in gothic Tim Burton-style graphics. The goal of the game is to – you guessed it – survive the harsh land and make it through winter.

Scavenge for food and materials to craft enhanced tools and work together as you explore more of the mysterious land. The game is full of oddities and strange easter eggs to piece together, a task even more enjoyable if experienced with a friend.

LEGO City Undercover

Ever wanted to experience the cultural phenomenon of GTA: San Andreas but with the light-hearted and comical sensibilities of the Lego franchise? Okay, so perhaps that’s a bit niche, but the LEGO City Undercover game quite literally hits the mark.

In LEGO City Undercover you play as Chase McCain, a police officer and all-star action hero who is tasked with going undercover and busting criminal mastermind, Rex Fury. Or, become a criminal yourself and wreak havoc on the inhabitants of Lego City as the game lets you free-roam in the open world.

There are more than 20 unique districts to investigate, filled with classic Lego humour and Nintendo-themed easter eggs. This is a game perfect for a lazy Sunday with the family or a chilled hour or two of casual gaming with friends.

• Also, check out our guide to the Best Indie Games of 2022 for more gaming inspiration.

Streets of Rage 4

Get ready to be transported back to the 90s with this arcade-style 'beat 'em up', Streets of Rage 4. With intense electronic beats and hand-drawn style graphics, Streets of Rage 4 is a classic and gained notoriety, especially in the market in Japan.

Like with any good 'beat 'em up', Streets of Rage 4 employs over-the-top combat moves and character designs in a delightfully charming, cheesy way as you clean up the streets of Wood Oak City. The classic characters of the franchise Axel, Blaze, and Adam are back, along with some new friends to introduce to the mayhem.

Enter the Gungeon

A DND roguelike with guns that shoot bullets which are also guns that shoot? Sign me up!

Enter the Gungeon is a dungeon crawler with procedurally generated rooms and challenging combat which rewards players with outrageous weapon designs and satisfying DND tropes. These include treasure, traps, unlikely heroes each with tragic backstories, and unassuming merchants – just don't try to attack them or prepare to be very hurt.

Explore the dungeon and advance to the lower depths to grab the ultimate prize, the gun that can kill the past. You'll just need to get past the Cult of the Gungeon first.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat

This edition of Overcooked! Includes the original Overcooked!, Overcooked 2!, and Overcooked! DLC. This means you'll get hundreds of chaotically fun levels as you navigate through cooking orders with friends in gradually more bizarre environments.

Available through online play, single play, or couch co-op, you can pick up a joy con each and try to work cohesively to keep customers happy and fed. If you fail to communicate the orders will quickly pile up and lead to disaster for a blend of hectic and challenging entertainment.

• If you want a list of even more multiplayer games to play, check out our guide to Five Multiplayer Games That'll Have Your Attention This Holiday Season.

Splatoon 3

Welcome to Splatsville with this new title from the widely successful Splatoon franchise. Whilst the premise of the game is simple enough, the diverse maps and addictive game loop make it a firm favourite for multiplayer Switch games.

Take part in turf wars against other players and try to paint the map with the most ink. Your territory will be under constant threat as the other teams will try to replace your ink with their own.

Is it a squid or is it a kid? Either way, Splatoon 3 injects the franchise with new mods and weapons, maps and battle modes.

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze

The iconic platformer is back with a vengeance with updated graphics for Nintendo Switch. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze sets players on Donkey Kong Island, which needs help defending against the Snowmads who have cursed the island in a deep freeze.

You can play with another friend, choosing from either Diddy, Dixie or Cranky to team up with DK as they crash through levels, iconic boss fights and save the island from the freeze.

If the platformer proves too tricky, you can also opt for the 'Funky mode' and play as Funky Kong, who will breeze through the levels on his surfer board.

Super Mario Maker 2

Do you love playing classic Mario platformers, but can't shake the feeling that you'd do a better job than the developers? Wonder no more! With Super Mario Maker 2, you will step into the role of game designer and create your own Mario levels.

Super Mario Maker 2 provides you with all the tools you need to create levels before setting your friends loose to play them. With Super Mario Maker 2, you can compete with your friends on who can make the best level, complete it first, or ruin their plans altogether and set traps for them.

Let your inner creativity flow as you progressively make more challenging and complex-level designs. Or, if you're experiencing writer's block, browse through other players' uploaded courses or navigate through 'Story Mode' and pick from hundreds of curated levels, designed by the developers.

• That rounds off our list of the best multiplayer games on Switch. If you're still looking for multiplayer games, check out our guide if Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is co-op or not.