Nintendo’s name in the video game industry is a big one. They’re known for making charming, memorable and ‘bright’ games that stay with us for decades. Thus, you won’t readily associate it with the horror genre. That being said, the Nintendo Switch is home to some of the best games in the genre, including ports of terrifying games on PC and other consoles. Some of these games place a greater emphasis on the suspense created by their worlds, while others have a well-written narrative that may take on through unexpected twists and turns.
We’ve compiled a list of some of best horror games on Nintendo Switch that honor the genre and should find a place in your Switch library.
Quick Links: MADiSON | Little Nightmares I & II | Stories Untold | Detention | Inside | Outlast: Bundle of Terror | Alien Isolation | Layers of Fear: Legacy | Resident Evil 4 | Five Nights At Freddy’s: Core Collection
MADiSON (2022)
MADiSON happens to be the name of the phantom killer who forces you to carry out her horrible rituals. You won’t be surprised to find this title among the lesser-known titles, but it makes a fascinating addition to any Switch owner’s horror collection.
You’ll take charge of using an instant-print camera that has been infected to witness the paranormal activity in your vicinity as you navigate the game’s world. In an effort to avoid MADiSON and the terrible destiny she wants to inflict upon this world, you will use this camera to solve riddles and try to understand your purpose in this journey.
Little Nightmares I & II Bundle (2022)
These two games are some of the most unique and best horror games on Nintendo Switch to date. Little Nightmares and its sequel throw players into a weird and unsettling environment full of inexplicable threats that they must immediately be familiar with if they expect to survive.
You take control of young Six in their escape from a huge ship called The Maw that is populated with giants that are trying to eat her. You will meet Mono in Little Nightmares II, a new protagonist struggling to survive and dodge the deadly monstrosities in a totally different space within the same universe.
Stories Untold (2017)
Stories Untold brings to the light the importance of anthological horror. It pays attention to the genre’s capacity to retain the viewer’s (or player’s, in this case) attention through shorter, scarier stories that don’t require extensive quantities of information or explanation.
The game delivers anthology-style horror to the Nintendo Switch. Stories Untold also makes use of an ‘analogue’ (think of retro gear) horror subgenre that is now receiving a lot of attention lately. This subgenre creates a distinctively frightful aesthetic by utilizing technology from the 1980s. And this unique twist makes it one of the best horror games on Nintendo Switch.
Detention (2017)
Detention is a psych-horror experience that rightfully gives you goosebumps by fusing myths and tales with historical tragedy. Detention addresses the genuine terror of making poor decisions and the repercussions that might result from telling the narrative of students at a school in 1960s Taiwan methodically preparing to operate under martial control.
The supernatural dangers in Detention are inspired by Taiwanese and East Asian folklore, particularly those that deal with death and beyond. It’s a blend between realistic tales of horror and philosophical questioning.
Inside (2016)
INSIDE is a game by the makers of LIMBO that avoid conventional horror themes in favor of a side-scrolling puzzle adventure across dark mysteries and environments. INSIDE features an intricately design environment the young protagonist must navigate.
By presenting its narrative in bits and pieces, the game plays on the players’ anxieties about the unknown. The level design is purposefully built in a way that leaves you exploring and asking questions. Even after the game’s conclusion, you’ll be making up theories of your own.
Outlast: Bundle Of Terror (2018)
When the first Outlast game was released in 2013, it had a significant influence on the gaming industry. Furthermore, the horror genre received a title that people would keep in their memories for a long time. Outlast’s intricately knit narrative and memorable characters gave the survival horror genre and the asylum setting much needed novelty.
Outlast: Bundle of Terror contains the highly regarded DLC ‘Whistleblower’ in addition to the original Outlast. The DLC deepens the narrative of Outlast by introducing players to Mount Massive Asylum and the terrible atrocities that took place there.
Alien Isolation (2019)
Alien Isolation pushes players to explore the Sevastopol space station while being pursued by an extraterrestrial being. There are a lot of hauntingly silent, empty places on the station, but when the players have to hide from the alien chasing them, the spaces feel unexpectedly cramped and anxiety-inducing.
With all seven of the game’s DLCs included, Alien Isolation for the Switch offers a wealth of terrifying sci-fi experiences. The Last Survivor DLC gives players the chance to experience Ellen Ripley’s voyage aboard the Nostromo. The creepy atmosphere alone makes it one of the best horror games on Nintendo Switch.
Layers Of Fear: Legacy (2018)
Layers of Fear: Legacy is another excellent title that first saw popularity on other platforms and now has an accurate adaptation for Nintendo’s handheld. You take the role of an artistic individual battling traces of his terrible past while working towards the ‘magnum opus’ of his profession.
The game’s atmospheric design and environmental storytelling is its strongest highlight. The player’s impression of the environment surrounding their protagonist can alter with something as little as a camera pan or a change in lighting, thanks to the house’s constantly shifting hallways.
Resident Evil 4 (2019)
This critically-acclaimed title brings to light a new era for the Resident Evil series by concentrating on what happens when Umbrella Corporation dissolves. The third-person over-the-shoulder gameplay hypes up the experience of living through one of Resident Evil’s horrifying tales.
The narrative revolves around the now-disbanded Umbrella Corp in the aftermath of the unprecedented biological calamity of Raccoon City. A victim and survivor named Leon S. Kennedy works as a special agent for the president of the United States. You’ll take on his role as he travels to a chilly European town in response to allegations that the president’s daughter has been abducted.
Five Nights At Freddy’s: Core Collection (2021)
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Five Nights at Freddy’s made waves in the world of horror games ever since its launch during the summer of 2014. The Core Collection brings the first five games in the popular series to the Nintendo Switch.
The game gives players endless replayability at a reasonable price by condensing DLC material that was previously published over the course of two years into a small collection. For players who haven’t played the franchise before, it also serves as a great introduction. We won’t spoil much of the game for you, since everything about Five Nights At Freddy’s is jumpscare-worthy.
