The Nintendo Switch is the ideal platform to play role-playing games (RPGs). When traveling to work, school, or something else, players can open up the Switch and play. In today’s world, RPGs are rich, diverse, and have deep stories and other fleshed-out mechanics, so having these worlds on the go is always fun.
Bringingthe hit gameSkyrimover to the platform, the Switch became a bigger deal. Now, gamers don’t have to go home on their respective platform to play these big games. With the Switch, they can pop in and pop out and still be engaged. Much likeSkyrim,these games are big and robust and push the Switch to deliver a great experience.
Updated on July 09, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:The Nintendo Switch may be on its last legs right now, but that shouldn’t take away from the wealth of experiences it has to offer. There are games across a wealth of genres that fans can check out on this hybrid console, with many games in the RPG genre being quite worthwhile for players to check out. Fans who want to check out great role-playing games on the Switch will find Skyrim to be an easy recommendation, but most players have probably already checked it out. Thankfully, there are many other RPGs in the same vein that’ll be perfect for players who want to get lost in a grand adventure.
This RPG game is a quirky one to play as it features eight travelers with eight separate stories to be told throughout the game, and fans ofSkyrimwould be advised to give it a go. It was developed by Square Enix in association with Acquire and was released in 2018.
It’s a captivating fantasy world like nothing seen before on this platform, featuring stunning combat, and the individual storylines are captivating as the player discovers the glorious world of Orsterra. Fans gave it generally good reviews on its release, and it continues to be popular on the Nintendo Switch to this day.
Funnily enough, this game was released the same year asSkyrimbut has always lived in its shadow, but fans should check it out if they want a similar type of game. Sequelsand remasters have followed, but nothing compares to the original.
Dragon-based games are still all the rage and this game was one of the first ones to burst onto the scene, alongsideSkyrim. The game is played from the third-person perspective, and the aim is to fight enemies whilst exploring different environments. To progress, the player must battle bosses while interacting with other characters.
From the makers ofOctopath Traveller, this game is another that features the kind of content that fans ofSkyrimwould appreciate. It’s set on a continent called Excillant which is divided into five different kingdoms. It was released on the Nintendo Switch in 2021 and has been a massive success ever since.
Bravely Default 2is the third game in the Bravely series, but features a new story and all new characters. There are four main characters to follow in the game, a young sailor called Seth,a princess called Gloria, a traveling scholar called Elvis, and Adelle, who is a mercenary. The aim of the game is to retrieve the crystals of the four elements, and once the player gets into the game, there’s no going back from there.
The game is stunning when it features turn-based battles and also features an updated variant of what is known as the ‘Brave Point’ system. This allows for the collection of different asterisks to change the job class of a character.
A massive departure from olderPokemongames which would be played with a top-down view and because the tech was limited, gameplay would also be limited. However, as games became more and more advanced so didPokemon.Pokemon Legends: Arceusis evidence of that as it provided players with a vast space to explore. This style of open-world gameplay is quite similar to that ofSkyrim, though on a smaller scale.
Pokemon Legends: Arceushas what madePokemongreat plus more and that allows players to get fully involved with the world they’re engaging, plus giving players more freedom in what they do from how they catch thePokemonto how they interact makes up for the perfectPokemongame inPokemon Legends: Arceus.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenis the perfect game for players who want moreSkyrim,featuring all the freedom and choices thatSkyrimgives playersDragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenis a great addition for players to have in their game catalog.Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenoffers the same excitement thatSkyrimdoes for players from the combat to how the players build their character. Players will note how deep almost all the mechanics are, which gives them the freedom to playDragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisenhow they want to.
On top of that,this lengthy gameis highly replayable. Players can finish up one story as one class and start another by doing things differently which gives players an incentive to keep on playing. If players are traveling, they’ll notice how quicklyDragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisensucks them in because of massive and engaging the world is.
One of the many things that have made theSwitcha success story is that it allows players to go out in the world and keep these rich games on them almost at all times.Final Fantasy 12: Zodiac Agedoes just that and then some, by giving players this whole world that is open and so many things to do, and the best part is it’s all balanced, so players won’t feel overwhelmed.
The world is so massive inFinal Fantasy 12: Zodiac Agethat players will surely get lost in it and that’s the best part because while players are exploring they’ll discover so much which can make playing while traveling even more enjoyable. What makesFinal Fantasy 12: Zodiac Ageone of the better RPGs on theSwitchis that it gives players challenges in everything and that the learning curve sticks out in the combat. While combat can be difficult, players will learn it quickly allowing them to progress more which can make everything easier on the player.
This zombie-free running-first-person game has quite a lot going for it. It hasa deep and intriguing storyalong with mechanics that complement gameplay quite well.Dying Lightcan be hard at the start, however, as players level up things become much easier. With so much content, players will be spending countless hours inDying Lightand a story that the player can be connected to on a personal level gives this game the advantage of keeping players engaged longer.
Players will find enjoyment in many aspects ofDying Lightlike the day and night mechanic. There is a lot that players can do in this open-world game, so players can feel like they’re accomplishing things that impact the world rather than the story which in the end makesDying Lighta great RPG game for theSwitch.
While not as open as the other games discussed in this article,Castle Crashersis the whole package, and it shows that games don’t need massive or overly complicated to appeal to players but rather simple and fun.Castle Crashershas many fun elements to it and if players are playing with friends, the game gets even more interesting because each character that the players select has their own abilities, and that makes things a lot more personal because now each player is bringing something different to the fight which in turn can make things easier.
The great thing aboutCastle Crasheris how simple it is which gives the game a better reason for players to play it with friends that’s the part whereCastle Crashersshines the most because it shows off how simple gameplay mechanics can makeCastle Crashersseem overly complicated when in reality it’s not and that surprise will drive players to play it alone or with friends.
Unlike most other recommended RPGs,Stardew Valleyteaches players about farming and goes into detail about it. Players set up and maintain the farm that their grandfather gave to them. People can expand their farms by going to different regions and growing crops according to that new region.
Stardew Valleydoesn’t have much action in it, but even without that, it has a very deeprelationship systemthat players can use with NPCs in the world. Much likeSkyrim,Stardew Valley’s world is engaging and ongoing. It’s a great game for players to have on them for long trips.
This platformer-style RPG has a lot of heart.Child ofLightisn’t as long as many others in the genre, but it does have the replayability factor. Players can upgrade other things and experiment with play styles, even the combat can add some time to gameplay.
The active-time battle system makes the fighting challenging. When upgrading the characters' stats, the game gets easier to play and, in turn, the battle system becomes more fluid.Child of Lightis special in many ways, not just its rhyming dialogue.
