With a vast library of games available and more to come in the next months, let’s take a look at some of the best Tactics Turn-Based RPGs you should play in 2022 on Nintendo Switch.
The Nintendo Switch is a wonderfully versatile console that can be enjoyed at home or on the go. You might think that busy gamers might not have the time to dedicate to full-scale strategy titles, but the Switch’s portability means you can play some of the genre’s best from wherever you are. If you’re looking for a great turn-based game that you can bring with you, you can’t go wrong with these 20 excellent Switch RPG titles.
We got you covered even with some upcoming switch games expected during 2022 but let’s start with our choices for the top 20 Tactical Switch RPGs to play right now, sorted in random order.
Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark
Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark is an excellent take on Final Fantasy Tactics’ classic gameplay. Its fantastic and unique art style sets it apart from other tactical RPGs. Narrative and gameplay go hand-in-hand, letting you experience a compelling story and fully customize your warband.
Download Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark for Switch
Battle Brothers
If you’re up for a challenge, Battle Brothers is the kind of game that makes simple survival feel like a victory. Leading your band of mercenaries across an open dark-fantasy world, you’ll explore ruins, fend off ambushes, and parlay with powerful nobles all for the sake of earning enough coin to last until the next job. Life is cheap and your soldiers will die quick, bloody deaths, but as long as there is at least one survivor you’ll always be able to rebuild.
Battle Brothers also has several DLC expansions (available all together in the Complete Edition), so it can keep you busy for dozens if not hundreds of hours!
Download Battle Brothers for Switch
The Dungeon of Naehulbeuk
Aragorn. Anya Stark. Drizzt Do’Urden. Fantasy is full of competent, capable heroes who prevail against the odds. The protagonists of The Dungeon Of Naehulbeuk are not counted among them. Clumsy and inexperienced, they’ll stumble their way through one chaotic encounter after another.
Despite its humorous tone, Naehulbeuk is an RPG with plenty of depth and its difficulty can be adjusted for all levels of play.
Download The Dungeon Of Naehulbeuk for Switch
The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga was lovingly received when it first launched almost a decade ago, and this animated Viking tale is still a joy to play. Whether you’re just starting your journey or returning to the harsh northlands, this is the kind of game that will stick with you for a long time.
You can play the three Banner Saga games separately, but if you complete them in order your progress carries over between each title. The result is a story worthy of the Eddas, one that’s entirely your own.
Download The Banner Saga for Switch
Othercide
If you’re looking for something a little different, Othercide is a unique tactical roguelite experience. Commanding a small squad, you’ll face off against nightmarish monsters and devilish bosses. The black-and-white landscape is broken up by splashes of red, giving the game a truly distinctive visual style. Othercide‘s fantasy-horror setting will leave you wanting to explore more… once you’ve managed to survive a playthrough, that is.
Dark Deity
The current generation of Fire Emblem titles, which started with Awakening on the 3DS, is excellent. Players hungry for the series’ classic gameplay, though, will be delighted by Dark Deity. It captures the style and tone of the earlier GBA Fire Emblem games while introducing elements that make it stand out.
Download Dark Deity for Switch
Valkyria Chronicles IV
Valkyria Chronicles IV marks a return to form for the series. It’s easily the best game since the original, and its added classes and improvements might just edge it out for the top spot in the franchise. Set concurrently with the events of the first game, Valkyria Chronicles IV shows a previously unknown campaign in the Second Europan War, following a group of soldiers on their daring mission into the heart of Imperial territory.
The fourth entry in the beloved franchise is a homecoming for returning players and a great starting point for those new to the setting. Its blend of turn-based and third-person controls might take some getting used to, but the result is a gameplay experience unlike any other.
Download Valkyria Chronicles IV for Switch
Triangle Strategy
One of 2022’s most-anticipated turn-based games, Triangle Strategy lives up to the hype. While comparisons have rightly been drawn to Final Fantasy Tactics, Triangle Strategy is a unique RPG where your decisions on and off of the battlefield carry long-term consequences. If you want to play one of the best new strategy games available, this is the game to pick.
Download Triangle Strategy for Switch
Disgaea 5
We could go on at length about the Disgaea series’ bizarre characters and ridiculous combos, but the only way to truly understand the games’ cult status is to play them yourself. You don’t need to start at the beginning, though, since Disgaea 5 serves as a perfect entry point with fan-favorite characters and the series’ trademark weirdness at its peak. The Switch edition includes all of the game’s content in one package, promising tons of over-the-top gameplay.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem has spent the last ten years reinventing itself, and Three Houses marks the next stage in the series’ evolution. This gorgeous game is the best-looking Fire Emblem to date, and from a graphical perspective is among the best on the Switch. The game’s military academy setting gives players unprecedented control over the growth of their characters, and the choice of which students to teach promises different builds and storylines over multiple playthroughs.
Download Fire Emblem: Three Houses for Switch
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
The post-apocalypse genre is full of yellow-brown wastelands populated by Mad Max extras, making Mutant Year Zero‘s weird and wonderful world a breath of fresh air. Not only does it have a compelling story, but the game’s tactical battles allow for both stealthy and “guns-blazing” approaches. Best of all, there are no “normal” characters in Mutant Year Zero; with humans as we know them fully extinct, every person you meet is a mutant with their own unique story to tell.
Download Mutant Year Zero: Road To Eden for Switch
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus”
We’re in the midst of a veritable Warhammer 40,000 video game explosion, with several quality titles launching over the past few years to bring the Dark Millennium to life like never before. Fans might be focused on Chaos Gate: Daemonhunter right now, but 2018’s Mechanicus is a quality tactical game that should be played by every 40K fan.
Leading your squad of tech-priests and Skitarii warriors against the formidable Necrons, you’ll find terrifying artifacts and secrets best left hidden. Mechanicus is XCOM meets Warhammer – as mashups go, it doesn’t get much better than that!
Download Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus for Switch
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is the unexpected casual game we never knew we needed. Ubisoft’s chaotic Rabbid hordes have invaded the Mushroom Kingdom from another dimension, and only Mario and his companions (including some cosplaying Rabbids) can clean up the mess.
It might not be the deepest game around, but Kingdom Battle has all the charm of the plumber’s greatest adventures. Pipes, blocks, and elevation lend a tactical layer to each map, and each character’s specializations allow you to quickly customize your three-person squad for each mission.
Download Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle for Switch
Reverie Knights Tactics
40 Giants Entertainment’s debut title brings high-quality, hand-drawn animation to a charming tactical game. Reverie Knights Tactics is a fresh take on the fantasy trope of an orcish invasion, and its characters and gameplay are top-notch. If you like setting up wild combos and pushing enemies around the map, this is a great game to try.
Download Reverie Knights Tactics for Switch
Brigandine: The Legend Of Runersia
It’s great to see Brigandine back after a long absence, and if you never got a chance to play the original PS1 title you’re in for a treat with The Legend Of Runersia. Commanding your army of powerful knights and monsters over an entire continent of hex-based battlefields gives Brigandine a feeling of scale that’s hard to match. With massive area effects and mighty warriors who only get stronger as the game goes on, The Legend Of Runersia is a true power trip no matter which faction you choose.
Download Brigandine: The Legend Of Runersia for Switch
Mercenaries Saga Chronicles
If you’re looking for value, look no further than Mercenaries Saga Chronicles. This three-in-one title combines the entire Mercenaries Saga series at a low price point, providing a huge amount of content for your money. Fans of Final Fantasy Tactics or Fire Emblem will be right at home with these games, and the story’s outcome will depend on your decisions!
Download Mercenaries Saga Chronicles for Switch
Divinity: Original Sin II
Larian Studios’ masterpiece Divinity: Original Sin II is widely considered to be one of the best isometric RPGs of all time. Inspired by classics like Baldur’s Gate, the Definitive Edition is available on Switch, allowing you to carry a massive adventure with you wherever you go. If you’ve been putting off trying this modern legend, there’s no time like the present to get started.
Download Divinity: Original Sin II for Switch
King’s Bounty II
It doesn’t get much more classic than the King’s Bounty series. Tracing its roots all the way back to the early days of PC gaming, King’s Bounty has had a few revivals over the years and also spawned the venerated Heroes Of Might & Magic series.
King’s Bounty is in a much healthier state than its progeny, and the long-awaited second full game in the reboot series has everything longtime fans could want. From the enormous world to deep customization and gripping tactical battles, King’s Bounty II is a great choice for new and returning players.
Download King’s Bounty II for Switch
Fort Triumph
It’s kind of amazing that there aren’t more games like Fort Triumph. Blending the strategic layer of Heroes Of Might And Magic with XCOM-style tactical battles sounds like a sure thing, after all. Fort Triumph doesn’t take itself too seriously, letting players have fun with its colorful fantasy setting. It’s a rewarding, enjoyable experience at a decent price point.
Download Fort Triumph for Switch
XCOM 2
Ultimately, every turn-based tactical game will be compared to XCOM, Final Fantasy Tactics, or both at some point in its life cycle. XCOM‘s tactical cover, squad development, and harsh-but-fair gameplay is the measure by which nearly all modern turn-based games are judged. While the first game pits your elite squad against an invading alien force, XCOM 2 charges you with resisting and overthrowing the extraterrestrial occupation of Earth.
If you play just one game from this list, XCOM 2 should be a top contender. The Switch edition comes with four DLC packs included, giving you the complete alien-blasting experience.
