The Nintendo Switch has seen unimaginable levels of success over the last eight years — more than anyone could have expected. It’s on the verge of becoming the best-selling video game system of all time, and has seen some of the most beloved games of all time, from Breath of the Wild to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But where the Switch has secretly flourished is with role-playing games, creating the most dynamic catalog of games the genre has ever seen — while also redefining the way we play them. As someone who grew up with RPGs and whose work largely revolves around them, the Switch has helped revitalize my love, or perhaps obsession, with the genre.
When you look at the sheer amount of games on the Nintendo Switch, it’s a staggering size. Thousand upon thousands of games all in one place. But with the Switch, Nintendo has managed to strike a remarkable balance, filling up the system simultaneously with beloved classic RPGs and new experiences that push the genre forward.
I don’t need to dig deep to paint a picture of the wide breadth of RPGs that are available on the Switch — Persona 3-5, Dragon Quest XI, Skyrim, Ni No Kuni, Suikoden I-II, Dragon’s Dogma, The Witcher 3, Dark Souls, and every single player Final Fantasy through FF XII. I could go on for days about every RPG on the system, but it truly feels like the Switch has become the most all-encompassing way to play through the history of video games, role-playing games especially. Coupled with this, Nintendo Switch Online has genuinely become a fantastic service, granting players access to dozens of classic games with fantastic quality-of-life features, like quicksave.
Outside of that list of games, however, over those last eight years, Nintendo has broken new ground for RPGs, helping the genre surge to heights we’ve never seen. Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom pushed Zelda more toward RPG design, and in the process, completely revolutionized the industry and open-world games at large. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is still the single game that has iterated on Persona time management systems most meaningfully, integrating you into the role of a teacher. And the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise has essentially become the gold standard for how a modern JRPG franchise can still embrace that “classic” feel, creating vast open worlds permeated by thematic stories on the nature of grief.
But even past those first-party games, Nintendo has helped publish and forward efforts from other companies. Square Enix, in particular, has released a line of games that likely wouldn’t exist without Nintendo, including Octopath Traveler, Triangle Strategy, Bravely Default 2, and Live A Live remake. The entire HD-2D style has become a massive part of modern RPGs, and it all started on the Switch. And the same goes for Shin Megami Tensei V.
At every opportunity, Nintendo hasn’t just supported RPGs but actively sought to invest in their creation, and it shows. Every single year, the system has had new experiences to play, while continuously building that already staggering catalog.
However, the vital point here is the portability of the Switchm — something we might take for granted now — but was considered revolutionary at the time. The Switch sparked a revolution in handheld systems that led to the creation of the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, PlayStation Portal, and more. But it cannot be overstated how vital the portability of this system is, and how it integrally changed so many people’s relationships, including mine, with games.
I review a lot of RPGs, and oftentimes that means a 100-hour commitment, or close to it. That’s become increasingly exhausting as I’ve gotten older, having more family commitments. But the simple fact is, I also just don’t enjoy sitting and playing a video game for ten hours straight anymore — it’s not how I enjoy spending my life.
But with the Switch, I’ve integrally been able to change the nature of how I play RPGs. I used to read a book every night before I went to sleep, settling into my bed to read a chapter or two before falling asleep. While I still do that sometimes, I’ve noticed my Switch overtaking that role, booting up my latest RPG to just go through a few battles or a cutscene or two, and putting it down. But that progress feels meaningful, even if I’m literally just watching a single scene. That’s because I don’t have to go through the whole rigmarole of turning on my TV, booting up a system, booting up a game, and loading my save.
It might sound simple, but it’s really changed how I consume games. I no longer feel pressured to play games in long bursts to feel like I’ve made “progress.” I can enjoy them in small snippets. At the same time, I’ve taken to playing my Switch while my partner and I watch TV, or putting it in my jacket pocket if I have to go to the DMV.
Years ago, I’d do this with my Game Boy and 3DS, but having a “handheld console” like the Switch, that I can take on the go, has changed my relationship with video games. I’m able to enjoy more RPGs, and by and large have a better time with those games, not feeling like I have to slog through things. It’s a testament to how defining the portable feature has been that I play about 90 percent of my games in handheld mode, with ten percent on the TV.
When I picked up the Switch eight years ago, never did I think it’d become my console of choice — but it’s an invaluable piece of my setup now, and oftentimes the way I prefer to play games. I’m hopeful that Nintendo Switch 2 can not just continue to fill that role, but create new ways for me to play yet again.
