Dear Archetype,

This question has been delayed so long by me (for shame) that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is now out. Buy the game. BUY IT. They've had nearly 20 years to refine the formula, and it shows. Just an all-around good time, even if it's just you and your wife playing a team battle against two CPU's (Vienna is enjoying the game a lot more than I expected her to. She's amazing).

You should also probably get Celeste. I should probably get Celeste as well, and will one of these days when I'm not applying to grad schools. No, I haven't played it, but it's one of those titles that shows up in literally every "These Are the Best Games For Switch" article I've come across. Speaking of Celeste, you should also get Towerfall, which was made by the same studio a few years ago. Towerfall is a game in which you (and up to five friends) enter an arena and either work together to defeat lots of spooky monsters or try to eliminate each other, using just a bow, an arrow, a dodge move, and sturdy boots for stompin'. Admittedly, this is a lot more fun to play with other people than on your own; I like the single player modes, but it just gets way more manic and hilarious with more people.

If you want multiplayer but don't want to be at each other's throats, get Overcooked (and/or Overcooked 2). Overcooked has the distinction of being the only video game that Grand-mère Rubik has ever played. I convinced my brother to download it to his PS4 the week before I got married, and, together with my sister, we had a rollicking good time. The premise of Overcooked is that you are 2+ chefs working together in a kitchen trying to get orders out the door. Sometimes the kitchen is actually two food trucks. Sometimes the kitchen is actually an iceberg. Sometimes the kitchen is normal but Grand-mère Rubik somehow manages to light the whole thing on fire. It's very good.

If you are desperate for Single Player Games, I'll retroactively second Quixotic Kid's shout out to West of Loathing below. I actually have played it on PC, and it is one of the most hilariously-written games I have ever encountered. Should you buy it, I hereby challenge you to investigate every spittoon. EVERY SPITTOON! 

You could also give Hollow Knight a try. It's another game that I haven't actually bought or played before (lay off me, would ya, I had to take the GRE twice in as many months sheeeeesh), but the reviews are solid and it looks pretty fun.

That's my two cents. Now I'm off to do more grad school work so I feel less guilty about sharpening my Inkling skills in Smash.

-Frère Rubik

Dear Archie,

I totally second Frère Rubik's Celeste recommendation. I haven't played it myself, as I don't own a Switch (*tear*) but the gameplay I've seen looks really fun. It's a platformer, which may not be quite like the others you've liked, but I think it's worth checking out at least. 

I would also suggest you take a look at Moonlighter. It came to the switch pretty recently, and has been getting good reviews. I personally have been itching to play it, but I'm having trouble justifying even the $20.00 Steam cost, especially when I have multiple games that I haven't even started yet. 

You might like West of Loathing as well. It's a comedy western, and the art style is all stick figures and hilarity. I'm completely obsessed with it, though I haven't played it yet either. This is definitely going to be my Christmas present to myself this year. 

Fourth, and most adamantly, I respectfully insist that you play Stardew Valley. I love this game with my entire heart and soul. It's an amazing little farming game, with dungeon exploration, mining, romancing of the nearby villagers, and more! I play this game all the time, especially when I'm feeling stressed. The soundtrack is amazing, with pleasant little melodies that will stay with you. I play it on the PC, but the format is good for Switch, as you're playing through days of farming, etc. You can also get animals and give them the most ridiculous names imaginable. It's got a very cute 8-bit art style, and reminds me of playing Harvest Moon as a kid. I've cumulatively played this game for over 330 hours, not including one save file that I accidentally deleted and thus cannot add to my total.  

Happy playing!

-Quixotic Kid

Dear dark Λrchon,

My cousin designs games, plays a number of Switch games, and highly recommends Super Mario Odyssey. Solid game mechanics, an interesting story, satisfying challenges, puzzles and levels create a game that, while not an indie title, is certainly worth a play.

Suerte,

--Ardilla Feroz, who enjoyed the hour or so he played Super Mario Odyssey

Dear Archie,

I also recommend Celeste. I have it. I love it. I even got Tally M. to play it and she likes it too. Definitely a challenge but also a compelling, thoughtful story.

That's the only one I really feel like recommending. But if you want more suggestions, check out Kotaku's 12 Best Games for the Switch. There's actually more than 12 recommendations on there because they keep a history of the list at the bottom so maybe a game isn't in the top 12 anymore but it used to be so it's still probably worth playing. So keep checking that list every once in a while and you'll keep getting new recommendations.

-Spectre

Dear Chimpanzee McGee,

I'd suggest getting in touch with a sibling of his, if he has one, and asking what he wants, or maybe even asking him directly. It's the best way to ensure he actually wants what he is getting, which will cost you either way. 

In any case, I think food can be a good gift, as it doesn't cause clutter after it is enjoyed. Or money. That'll disappear right quick.

You should get him a taxidermied rat pencil case!

 
(sumptuous source)

You wanted to be that cool cousin? Well, now you are.

Suerte,

--Ardilla Feroz