The Nintendo Switch has a reputation for hosting some of the best platformers, JRPGs, and simulation games in recent years. The system isn’t known for its vast library of first-person shooters, primarily because the technical limitations of the platform prevent it from running some of the newest FPS games.
However, that is not to say that Switch owners don’t have a wide variety of shooters to choose from. Quite the contrary — one can find lots of great FPS titles that have been ported to the platform, with slight changes to accommodate Switch’s older hardware. Some of these games are technical marvels in their own right, with their developers going to great lengths to make them playable on Nintendo’s hybrid system. What are the best Switch shooter games?
Updated June 11, 2024 by Mark Sammut: April and May 2024 did not produce all that many major Switch FPS games, a trend that seems set to continue for the rest of the system’s existence. Still, the console has grown into a very solid indie machine for the genre, something showcased in recent months. PO’ed: Definitive Edition is a remaster nobody asked for but is nice to have; meanwhile, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin could hit the mark with Quake fans. Railbreak is also launching on June 14, 2024, bringing another zombie-themed option to the Switch library. Finally, a unique take on ’90s shooters made its way to the Nintendo ecosystem in April 2024. Scroll down to the 20th entry in this article to read about this new addition.
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1 Metroid Prime: Remastered
Metascore: 94
Metroid Prime Remastered
- Released
- February 8, 2023
- How Long To Beat
- 14 Hours
Metroid Prime is considered to be the best game of the GameCube era, as well as one of the best games of all time. The much anticipated remaster of the very first 3D Metroid game was released without any prior promotional activity during a Nintendo Direct event in January 2023, and turned out to be just as good as the original, if not better.
Aside from updated graphics, Metroid Prime: Remastered has introduced some quality-of-life improvements to the classic game, such as gyroscopic aiming, a modern control scheme, and a variety of other customization options. Players who never got the chance to experience the original should definitely consider giving this one a shot.
2 Dusk
Metascore: 88
DUSK
- Released
- December 10, 2018
- Developer
- David Szymanski
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
Another retro boomer shooter, Dusk would have fallen through the cracks if it was not absolutely incredible. Dusk is the best FPS game on the Switch since it plays very well on the console and does not come with an obvious downgrade. Beyond performance, there is just a lot to adore in this package, and a nostalgic love for Blood is not required to appreciate this modern gem.
Utilizing a horror aesthetic, Dusk is split into three episodes, all of which craft unique atmospheres that make them exciting in their own right. The gunplay is fast-paced, responsive, and gratifying, and it has just enough nuance to introduce a learning curve. If someone can only pick up one Switch FPS, Dusk should be it.
3 Neon White
Metascore: 88
Neon White
- Released
- June 16, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Angel Matrix
- How Long To Beat
- 11 Hours
A fast-paced shooter that is perfect for speedruns, Neon White provides a creative and addictive twist on the FPS genre. As “White,” players are competing in a contest to demonstrate they are the top dog when it comes to eliminating demons, and efficiency is the name of the game here. Most levels are very short, barely lasting more than a minute or two, and they are designed to be replayed since victory requires the elimination of every enemy. As such, missions are essentially puzzles that must be solved to find the quickest and most effective route.
Neon White‘s best mechanic is its card system, which determines the actions players can take. Souls Cards act as either weapons or movement options, with the latter activating by discarding a card. Consequently, players need to make split-second decisions to determine whether they should be holding on to a card or letting it go to utilize its traversal feature. Neon White is a fantastic and frantic game that runs well on the Switch, one that regularly challenges players to think outside the box and use a holistic view to approach missions.
4 Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
Metacritic: 79 (PC)
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster
- Released
- February 28, 2024
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
NightDive seems to have become the de facto developer for remasters, particularly when it comes to shooters. The company revived the Turok trilogy in fairly great fashion, and their resume also includes Quake 2 and Doom 64. When it comes to FPS remasters, NightDive is the definition of reliable, and Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster demonstrates that reputation’s legitimacy. The 1995 original is a cult classic that is an easy recommendation for long-time fans of George Lucas’s influential sci-fi franchise, but the game naturally shows its age after all these years. The remaster exists to make Dark Forces more accessible to a contemporary audience, delivering a package that pays respect to the initial version while implementing just enough notable changes to justify the price tag.
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Even with the improved visuals and tweaked gunplay, this is still ultimately the same Dark Forces, which was quite genre-pushing when it debuted. All things considered, the game has aged shockingly well, particularly the minute-to-minute gameplay. While certainly taking a few pages from the traditional Doom formula, Dark Forces emphasizes puzzles more so than its contemporaries, and they are preserved in all their frustrating glory by the remaster. As fun as it is, this title is primarily for die-hard Star Wars fans or people fond of the original. That’s not to say Dark Forces has nothing to offer newcomers, just that there are better modern shooters on the Switch.
5 Call Of Juarez: Gunslinger
Metascore: 72
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
- Released
- May 22, 2013
- How Long To Beat
- 5 Hours
Originally released in 2013, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger is a Western-themed shooter framed around a bounty hunter’s stories as he recounts his missions to take down some of history’s most infamous outlaws. Despite being roughly a decade old, Techland’s game has aged rather well thanks to its stylized visuals and simple but effective gameplay. Although not featuring an especially huge arsenal of weapons, Gunslinger‘s chosen guns generally feel good to use, particularly the sawed-off shotgun and quickshooter.
The gunplay has an arcade feel to it, with the campaign guiding players down a fixed path akin to a shooting gallery. While this gets repetitive on occasion, Gunslinger makes up for it by maintaining a very quick pace. Quite a few of the chapters also end with Mexican standoffs, some of which are genuinely intense.
6 Superhot
Metascore: 84
Superhot
- Released
- February 25, 2016
- Developer(s)
- SUPERHOT Team
- How Long To Beat
- 3 Hours
The 2010s produced plenty of brilliant first-person shooters, and picking the best one comes down to personal preference; however, an argument could be made that Superhot was the genre’s most inspired and innovative release of the last decade. It is also fantastic and an easy recommendation on any system, including the Nintendo Switch. On the surface, this game appears to be a fairly standard experience with a clean, stripped-back aesthetic akin to something like Mirror’s Edge, but that perception will be wiped away after a second of gameplay. Superhot‘s hook is time.
While never completely stopping, enemies only move normally when the player takes action. Otherwise, the world is basically in suspended animation, albeit with very slight forward momentum to put some pressure on the player. This mechanic changes Superhot from a traditional shooter into something closer to a turn-based strategy game, one that requires constant analysis of situations to figure out the ideal step to take. FPS projects tend to lean into reflex-based combat, which is not a criticism, but Superhot is refreshingly different.
7 Metro: Last Light
Metascore: 86
Metro: Last Light
- Released
- May 14, 2013
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
The Metro series has established itself as one of the best single-player franchises in the first-person shooter genre. As opposed to its successor, Metro: Exodus, Metro: Last Light is a linear experience that follows Artyom, the main character, on his journey across post-apocalyptic Moscow. It’s a direct follow-up to Metro 2033, the first game in the series, which is also available on the Nintendo eShop.
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Contrary to the first entry in the franchise, which largely consisted of navigating the dark tunnels and stations of Moscow’s sprawling metro system, Last Light switches things up a bit by giving players more opportunities to explore the surface of nuclear war-ridden Moscow. Gameplay-wise, the title is a regular FPS experience with added survival horror elements and a morality system that affects the ending. In a departure from the genre’s tried-and-true formula, the game does away with most of the HUD, with players having to pay attention to visual and sound cues to monitor Artyom’s health and ammo.
8 Postal: Brain Damaged
Metascore: 71 (PC)
Postal: Brain Damaged
- Released
- June 9, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Hyperstrange , CreativeForge Games
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
To describe Postal as an acquired taste would be an understatement. Each entry in Running with Scissors’ franchise is divisive, and they are different enough from each other that an appreciation for one game might not transfer to another. 1997’s Postal is a top-down isometric shooter that prioritizes shock value, although its actual gameplay is nothing too special. Still, it is serviceable. Postal 2 is generally regarded as the license’s high point, and the FPS game is a fairly easy recommendation for anyone fond of grotesque humor, unapologetic violence, and a sandbox structure. Honestly, Postal 2 is a lot of fun, which is more than can be said for Postal 3 and, to a lesser extent, Postal 4: No Regrets.
Finally, that leaves Postal: Brain Damaged, a spin-off that harbors back to the glory days of boomer shooters. While not completely ditching the open-level design of Postal 2, the campaign generally guides players through linear stages while equipping them with a decently varied assortment of weapons that they must use to kill all sorts of wacky enemies. An argument could be made that Brain Damaged is the most polished Postal game ever, and it is also one of the most accessible. Except for requiring a tolerance for a unique brand of humor, this 2022 release largely plays out like a standard first-person shooter, and an above-average one at that. The indie scene has produced better modern boomer shooters, but Brain Damaged is a solid FPS Switch game.
9 BioShock: The Collection
Metascore: 84
BioShock: The Collection
- Released
- September 13, 2016
- How Long To Beat
- 45 Hours
Containing all the BioShock games and expansions, this collection offers great value for money, especially for newcomers who never experienced this trilogy. 2007’s BioShock is rightfully regarded as one of the best games of the 2000s, garnering widespread praise for its brilliant world-building, complex philosophical themes, and setting. Even all these years later, Rapture still impresses, both in its environmental storytelling and sheer atmosphere. Combat-wise, BioShock is nothing too amazing, but it does not detract from the experience either.
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Its sequels, BioShock 2 and Infinite, are more polarizing, but their positives outweigh their negatives. Infinite‘s story is probably its strongest component, especially its handling of Elizabeth as a supporting character. As a setting, Columbia is a nice change from Rapture, especially since the latter was reused in BioShock 2. Although generally overshadowed by its predecessor and successor, BioShock 2 arguably has the strongest gunplay in the trilogy.
10 Quake Remastered
Metascore: 87
Quake
- Released
- May 22, 1996
- How Long To Beat
- 6 Hours
Id Software followed up Doom with another genre-defining project in Quake, and the game’s brilliance has not faded at all over the last 25 years. The Switch remaster is a great package that comes with the original game’s DLC, a new expansion, and other bonus content; however, at its heart, this is still the same game that dropped in 1996. In this case, that is a positive since Quake‘s gunplay, level design, and atmosphere are timeless, despite the fact they scream “1990s.”
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Although nostalgia can sweeten the experience, Quake Remastered holds up beautifully even when someone does not have a pre-installed love for the property. The multiplayer is fantastic, and the same can be said for Quake‘s single-player campaign. The latter is enough to justify picking up this Switch FPS.
Quake 2 is also available on the Nintendo Switch, and it is similarly awesome.
11 Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Metascore: 73
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
- Released
- May 23, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Auroch Digital
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
In 2024, retro shooters are no longer remotely special. Each month seems to produce one or two throwbacks to the ’90s, particularly on PC, and they do have a habit of blurring into each other. Nevertheless, fans of classic run-and-gun first-person shooters will likely find something to enjoy in most of these releases, and a few of the best boomer shooters are available on the Switch. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is one of the better examples of this modern subgenre, although it should only be a Switch user’s first purchase if they happen to be big fans of the source material since there are slightly better options on the store.
Cast as an Ultramarine, players crash-land on a planet filled with Techpriests, which naturally must be eradicated. While not devoid of a story, Boltgun largely pushes it to the side to focus on gameplay; that said, Warhammer 40,000 fans should get a kick out of the game’s references. The gunplay is aggressive, impactful, and satisfying, as any retro shooter should be. Boltgun‘s weapon selection is solid, with each gun having its uses and strengths.
12 Post Void
Metascore: 83 (PS4)
Post Void
- Released
- August 6, 2020
- Developer(s)
- YCJY Games
- How Long To Beat
- 2 Hours
The marketplace is flooded with retro-style run and gun shooters, but Post Void is a singular experience. YCJY Games’ roguelike challenges players to survive 11 levels of high-octane relentless action, and they will have to deal with a disorienting visual style and aiming controls that might not always feel incredibly precise. The latter does not take anything away from the campaign since Post Void just radiates strangeness and otherworldliness in the best possible way.
As a low-cost roguelike, Post Void is not a particularly long game when viewed solely on its levels. The game can readily be completed in an hour, although newcomers will need to play for a long while to become good enough to survive a full playthrough. Death sends players back to the start, encouraging them to head back into the void.
13 Bulletstorm: Duke Of Switch Edition
Metascore: 74
Bulletstorm
- Released
- February 22, 2011
- How Long To Beat
- 8 Hours
Developed by People Can Fly, a Polish studio responsible for titles like Outriders, the Painkiller series, and Gears of War: Judgment, Bulletstorm was initially released in 2011 and generated a fair bit of praise for its humor and an arcade-like approach to the combat, which places an emphasis on creative, spectacular takedowns via its Skillshot system.
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Players who like action-packed shooters who don’t limit the ways in which they can approach each encounter will feel right at home with Bulletstorm. The Switch version of the game also comes with a Duke Nukem skin which replaces Grayson, the default protagonist, allowing players to play out the campaign as the iconic character.
14 Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Metascore: 79
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
- Released
- October 27, 2017
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
The Wolfenstein series is one of the most important franchises in video game history. 1991’s Wolfenstein 3D is widely recognized as the first-ever modern first-person shooter. For years, the series was overshadowed by id Software’s other titles, like Doom or Quake, but the recent Wolfenstein games have enjoyed a fair share of popularity as well-polished, story-focused shooters.
Despite being a sequel to Wolfenstein: The New Order, playing the first game (which is unfortunately unavailable on the Switch) isn’t really necessary for players to get a grip on what’s going on in the plotline, which follows B.J. Blazkowicz as he links up with various freedom fighters to start a revolution with the goal of toppling the Nazi regime once and for all. In terms of gameplay, it’s pretty much what one would expect from a Wolfenstein title, wrapped up in stunning graphics that push the Switch’s hardware to its very limits.
15 Doom Eternal
Metascore: 80
DOOM Eternal
- Released
- March 20, 2020
- How Long To Beat
- 15 Hours
Considered by many to be the most impressive port on the Nintendo Switch, Doom Eternal serves as an example of just how much can be done on a system with such limited hardware capabilities. The game runs at a steady 30 frames per second throughout the entire campaign and doesn’t limit the experience in any way compared to the PC and console releases, aside from the downscaled graphics.
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The Switch version of Doom Eternal also includes the gyroscopic control option for aiming, which is certainly a welcome addition for all those preferring to play in handheld mode. Gameplay-wise, it’s classic Doom action: fast-paced encounters with dozens of monsters rushing at the player from all sides, tons of gore, and a heavy metal soundtrack to boot.
16 Prodeus
Metascore: 81
Prodeus
- Released
- September 23, 2022
- Developer
- How Long To Beat
- 7 Hours
Prodeus is oddly relaxing. Just to be clear, the retro-style shooter barely gives the player a moment’s rest as they rampage through missions filled with pixilated enemies who are not pushovers. However, the game’s structure, level design, and short but still substantial missions lend themselves well to quick play sessions driven by a player’s desire to unwind while blasting monsters in the face. Even though it has a minimalist story that builds quite well throughout the campaign, Prodeus has a pick-up-and-play quality that makes it an easy recommendation.
One of the game’s more controversial design choices is its progression system which requires players to unlock moves like a dash, and the process will take a few hours. On the one hand, this decision ensures the gameplay is periodically revitalized with a game-changing mechanic; conversely, it does force players to repeat levels since certain collectibles can only be reached once these abilities are unlocked.
17 Serious Sam Collection
Metascore: 71
Serious Sam Collection
- Released
- November 17, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Croteam
- How Long To Beat
- 30 Hours
Serious Sam distills the boomer shooter concept down to its essentials: move and shoot. Set in generally big areas that flood the scene with enemies, the franchise tends to favor simple mass-slaughter gameplay over precision or nuance, a formula that works well enough for the most part. This collection comes with three games: Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter, The Second Encounter, and Serious Sam 3: BFE, all of which offer reasonably lengthy and satisfying campaigns. Performance-wise, the first two are far more stable than BFE, which has its share of technical issues.
Serious Sam is both accessible and an acquired taste. In theory, the punchy and straightforward gunplay should bring joy to most fans of the genre; however, its simplicity means that boredom can set in fairly quickly.
18 Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition
Metascore: 78
Borderlands 3
- Released
- September 13, 2019
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
It took a long while to happen, but in October 2023, Borderlands 3 arrived on the Switch in the form of the Ultimate Edition. This package contains the base game and all of its DLC, offering a lot of content considering a single playthrough can last 30 hours without spending too much time on side quests or any of the expansions. Borderlands 3 is also designed to be replayed thanks to its diverse roster of Vault Hunters, each of whom has their own skill trees that allow for wildly diverse builds.
All of the above would mean nothing if the game ran poorly on the Nintendo Switch, which was a pre-launch fear since Gearbox did not reveal too much about the port. While obviously coming with more concessions than any of the other versions, Borderlands 3 performs pretty well on the Switch, at least to the point of not hampering the overall experience.
19 Crysis Trilogy
Metascore: 75
Crysis Remastered
- Released
- July 23, 2020
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
The Crysis games, especially the first one, are most often associated with their gorgeous graphics. Back in 2007, the first game in the franchise was relentlessly memed about because of its high system requirements and the fact that even the most advanced of PCs struggled with running the title smoothly. Today, players can enjoy the entire Crysis trilogy on the go, as it was released on the Switch in 2021.
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Each one of the titles looks gorgeous, but there is much more to Crysis games than the graphics. All of them encourage players to take unique approaches to each encounter and experiment with their protagonist’s advanced nanosuit technology to find the best playstyle for themselves.
20 Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer
Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer
- Released
- June 1, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Big Z Studios Inc.
- How Long To Beat
- 4 Hours
Retro Switch FPS games are so plentiful nowadays that excitement has dulled significantly over new releases (or remasters of cult classics like PO’ed: Definitive Edition). And, in many ways, Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer is one of the most polarizing releases of this type, to the point that a player might genuinely detest their time with it. Set within the Hypnospace Outlaw universe, Slayers X is both meta and dedicated to maintaining its internal logic. A game-within-a-game, the protagonist, Zen, has created a first-person shooter starring himself, and the result very much seems like a project born out of the mind of a teenager. The story is over-the-top nonsense stemming right out of the ’90s B-movie scene, a summary that will either sound like a selling point or off-putting depending on the reader.
Although its in-your-face humor gets exhausting quickly, Slayers X‘s commitment to the bit is admirable and makes for a fairly one-of-a-kind experience, even if it does not have universal appeal. More importantly, the gunplay is pretty solid for the most part, and it adheres closely to its inspirations from yesteryear. The weapons are also amusing takes on standard archetypes, and they are fun enough to master.
Slayers X is weird. On the one hand, it is obnoxious, derivative, and visually unpleasant; conversely, all these elements are intentional and pretty clever. There are better FPS games on the Switch, but this release could scratch a very specific itch better than most other options.
Special Mention: Dying Light: Definitive Edition
Dying Light: Definitive Edition
- Released
- October 19, 2021
- How Long To Beat
- 26 Hours
This recommendation comes with the caveat that gunplay is not the main focus, to the point of being actively discouraged in most situations. Nevertheless, Dying Light is a fantastic Switch port that can satisfy a few different consumer needs. Craving an open-world experience? Techland’s release delivers an impressive map that emphasizes verticality. Want a challenging horror campaign? Unlike its sequel, the original Dying Light fits the genre well, delivering a good mix of action and survival horror elements. Yearning for intense action? The game features brutal combat that prioritizes close-quarters encounters against relatively large hordes of zombies, along with ranged options that can be relied upon in desperate situations.
Now, while guns are not in short supply, Dying Light revolves primarily around melee since firing off a shotgun is likely to attract the attention of zombies, meaning players will want to avoid using these types of weapons as much as possible. That said, the gunplay feels pretty good, and it complements the rest of the gameplay loop. The game also has great parkour, arguably among the best of all time.
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