If you're looking for challenging combat, dangerous level design, and grim storytelling, it's hard to beat a soulslike game. "Soulslike" comes from the franchise Dark Souls, a series of games created by FromSoftware that resulted in an entire game genre.
Soulslike games are defined by their challenging combat where players must memorize the attack patterns of difficult enemies, attacking in small windows and dodge-rolling out of the way otherwise. Although most new games release for PC and PS5/Xbox first, there are many A-list soulslike games that have made their way to the Nintendo Switch.
If you're a Nintendo Switch gamer looking for a challenge, here are 10 soulslike games on switch:
Another Crab's Treasure is a new, colorful take on a soulslike game that just released in April 2024. Playing as a tiny hermit crab, explore a massive underwater world and take down powerful enemies as you try to get your shell back. Don't be fooled by the game's colorful graphics and funny one-liners - this is a very challenging game that might have you turning down the difficulty in the game's settings!
Blasphemous II released in August 2023, and the Limited Collector's Edition for Nintendo Switch releases on August 20th, 2024, to celebrate the game's anniversary. Blasphemous II is a Metroidvania adventure filled with grotesque pixelated monsters. Despite being a 2D game, the map in Blasphemous II is open - explore the world in whatever order you choose, helping desperate NPCs along the way. Play as the Penitent One tasked with sending hordes of enemies to the afterlife!
Hollow Knight is a beautifully drawn 2D soulslike that boasts over 300,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews. Explore a vast, interconnected insect world called the Hallownest. Discover new weapons, powers, and relics to help you along your journey. This game filled with cute and creepy characters is the perfect introduction to soulslike games on Switch. Play the original Hollow Night before the highly anticipated sequel - Hollow Night: Silksong - releases in 2025!
Anyone interested in soulslike games should play the original that started it all. Dark Souls: Remastered for the Nintendo Switch is an epic dark fantasy filled with dragons and other powerful enemies. Take up the sword and shield or wield powerful magic as you explore every level of the game. Dark Souls is known for giving the player little to go off of - with no map, little to no dialogue, and no pause button. If you're new to Dark Souls, consider getting the official Dark Souls Compendium to avoid missing the well-hidden powerful items!
Ashen is an open world co-op adventure that you can experience with a friend! Explore a dangerous and foggy world as an Ashen. Discover survivors and invite them back to town, gradually unlocking new items and weapons to craft. The foggy environment in Ashen is procedurally generated, meaning that no two playthroughs will be the same! Whether you're exploring a fjord or a crumbling palace, every moment is filled with random encounters that will permanently alter your adventure!
Death's Door won the award for the Best Indie Game of 2021. Death's Door is the perfect combination of cute and spooky! Play as an adorable little crow employed as a reaper. Use your sword, arrows, and magic to pursue a thief that hastily left Death's Door open - letting in hordes of creepy enemies and massive bosses. Death's Door features beautiful graphics, comedic characters, and intense combat coupled with moments of pure beauty.
Remnant: From the Ashes is a soulslike third person shooter that released on the Nintendo Switch last year! Remnant is Dark Souls with guns. Travel through portals to take down over 100 varieties of enemies and 20 powerful bosses! Team up with 2 other players to increase your chances of survival. Run through levels, collect boss loot, and level up your character and your weapons as you discover the cause of a mysterious curse called the Root.
Salt and Sanctuary is a beloved, gothic soulslike game similar to Hollow Knight and Blasphemous. Salt and Sanctuary combines brutal combat with rich RPG storytelling. There are over 600 weapons, armor pieces, spells, and items to discover across a huge labyrinthine world! Play as a doomed sailor shipwrecked on an uncharted island, and quickly find yourself pursued by a long-forgotten evil. Salt and Sanctuary is a cult classic that soulslike fans will instantly commend you for playing!
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