Mario Party Superstars
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If you’ve ever played a game from this classic series in the past, then Mario Party Superstars provides more than just a heaping helping of multiplayer madness. The five-game boards to choose from are remakes of boards from the first three Mario Party games on the Nintendo 64 console, and each of the 100 minigames comes from one of the previous eleven games in the series.
The amount of randomness may be frustrating for those among us who might take the competition a little too seriously, but this also has the effect of keeping even your least video-game-literate friends feeling like they have a chance to win, all the way to the end.
Heave Ho
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Published by Devolver Digital, the Austin-based indie publisher who brought us games like Hotline Miami 1 & 2 and some of the strangest press conferences in the history of gaming, Heave Ho is a unique cooperative platformer that challenges up to four players to work together to swing across levels while only controlling each of your character’s respective arms. Cooperation and communication are key, otherwise, you and your companions are not going to get very far. It’s silly, unpredictable, and a total blast. Even better, the game can be typically purchased digitally through Nintendo’s online store for less than $10. This is incredible value.
Super Smash Bros
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Not only is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate an incredible party game, but it also happens to be one of the best fighting games in the history of the genre. The final entry in the series, the developers have packed this game to the brim with nearly 90 playable characters and a huge variety of items, stages, and collectibles. Honestly, in what other game can Sonic the Hedgehog and Solid Snake team up to battle Princess Peach and the Dog from Duck Hunt?
While the pace and relative complexity might put off newcomers, there are enough ways to add randomization and chaos to the proceedings that give most players a fighting chance.
Nintendo Switch Sports
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Remember Wii Sports? Nintendo Switch Sports is essentially just that game with a new coat of paint and a couple more bells and whistles.
Using the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con’s basic motion controllers, players can compete in a handful of mini-games, including Tennis, Golf, Badminton, Chambara (sword fighting), and more. In addition to creating a Mii, you can also build out “Sportsmates” which are slightly more detailed player avatars.
Like Wii Sports, the standout is of course the bowling. The gyroscopes in the Joy-Con’s are surprisingly responsive and anyone should be able to quickly pick one up and start bowling strikes. It isn’t the deepest collection of games in the world, but at a party, it will get the job done.
Mario Kart 8
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Like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a game that is stuffed full of content. Originally released for the WiiU, this Deluxe edition on the Switch includes all of the original DLC in the base package and has some DLC of its own to purchase to add even more courses and racers. If you invest in buying every bit of DLC, there are 96 courses in total where you and your friends can test your skills against one another.
And if racing isn’t your thing, the Deluxe edition also features plenty of battle modes which have also been fleshed out since the original WiiU release. If classic Kart racing is what you’re craving, look no further.
Jackbox Party Pack
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Honestly, any of the Jackbox games could be included on this list, but if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch and are looking to get the most value out of a purchase, look no further than the original Jackbox Party Pack. Typically priced at below $20, the bundle gives you access to five games: You Don’t Know Jack (2015), Fibbage XL, Drawful, Word Spud, and Lie Swatter. At least one of these will be a hit with any group of friends.
And if you’re hosting, the best part is you don’t have to worry about investing in more Joy-Cons to support more players. Here, every player controls the game via their phone or tablet. It couldn’t be easier to have a good time if they tried.
Moving Out 1 & 2
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You typically have to ply your friends with beer and pizza to get them to help them move some furniture. With Moving Out (and the sequel Moving Out 2) you’ll still want to have the beer and pizza around, but you’re also guaranteed to have a lot of fun.
Part puzzle game, part zany party game, Moving Out casts you and up to three of your friends as movers, trying to quickly and strategically load furniture from a house into a moving truck under a tight time limit.
The game has tons of personality and an irreverent sense of humor, and the cooperative gameplay will produce plenty of laughs and maybe even a couple of light-hearted arguments
WarioWare: Move It!
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The 11th game in the criminally underrated WarioWare series, Move It! is about as weird and irreverent as Nintendo gets. Fast-paced and completely insane, the game throws hundreds of microgames at you and your friends, often challenging you to use your Joy-Con in twistedly creative ways taking advantage of not only the button layout and infrared sensor but also the gyroscopic motion controls. Half the fun is simply trying to process what the minigame is even asking of you, and often it’s moved on just as you have figured it out. There’s even a story here if you’re into that sort of thing, but the game takes it as seriously as everything else, which is to say it doesn’t.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
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A frantic cooperative space shooter for up to four players Love in a Dangerous Spacetime is a charming adventure that reinforces ideas of friendship and teamwork in both the gameplay and the story. The controls are simple, but because it requires everyone to work in harmony, the gameplay is surprisingly complex. The levels are also completely randomized, so each game presents a fresh challenge for you and your fellow brave explorers.
Fair warning, though, if you and your friends are having problems with communication then this might end up exacerbating the issue. Neither the writers of this article nor the publishers of the game are responsible for any hurt feelings or property damage that may result.
Snipperclips — Cut It Out Together
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Snipperclips is a delightful puzzle game that supports up to four players across 45 challenging puzzles (75 with the additional purchase of the Plus DLC). The craft paper art style is simple but aesthetically pleasing, and the sound design with its snips and clips is quite charming.
The entire experience is over sooner than you’d probably like, but that’s mostly because it is easy to push yourself into playing “just one more puzzle.” That being said, the price is typically about $20 and occasionally goes on sale, so even if you clear the game in one or two evenings there’s still plenty of value.
