We recently got a switch and love it! I've been sent back to my childhood and get to enjoy playing with my kids now. We've been playing the following. Looking to see what else might be out there too.
The nice thing about the Switch is that it has something for everyone. So many genres of games available, and a lot of the games on the system are among the best of those genres.
Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario 3D World are hard to beat in terms of 3D platformers. The former is a much more open-ended, Mario 64 style game, while the latter is much more level oriented and linear. They're pretty different from one another but both great in their own ways.
If you want a 2D platformer with a bit more difficulty, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is one of the best. Great gameplay and level variety is unreal.
If you're looking for a much more challenging 2D platformer instead, Celeste is incredible. Super tight controls and great use of its mechanics. Fast gameplay. Phenomenal soundtrack. Basically everything you could want in a twitch platformer.
If you're a JRPG fan, the Xenoblade Chronicles Trilogy is great. They each have loose references to each other but are primarily standalone games connected by their themes and gameplay structure. I'm particularly a fan of 3.
Also in JRPGs, Persona 5 Royal is on many platforms, but the Switch version is great and it's a hard game to top. Incredibly long, but in my opinion totally worth the full journey.
If you want something more strategic, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a lot of fun, and it's gorgeous to look at. It's a real time strategy game that's presented in a very unique-to-Nintendo way. Also, it has a surprisingly great competitive multiplayer mode, so don't sleep on that if you have the chance.
Fire Emblem Three Houses is also a strategy game, but turn based instead of real time. Very lengthy, a lot of fun to delve into and get invested in the world and characters. It also has a lot of replay value, as there are multiple branching paths in the story that basically make half the game unique on each route.
For calmer/simulation style games, go for Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. Can't go wrong with either one, though I'd say there's more to do in Stardew if you're concerned about that.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the best party fighting games ever. So many characters to play as and a ton of content.
As you've said, Tears of the Kingdom is incredible. So is Breath of the Wild. I'd play BotW first if given the choice, just because Tears has much more complex mechanics, and it makes it easier to play if you're already familiar with the base mechanics from BotW.
There are more, but I'd say those are the big highlights for me. The Switch has an incredible backlog for someone just getting into it.
Apart from the usual suspects (botw, totk, odyssey, acnh) I've loved Monster Hunter Rise and Sonic Mania.
But more than anything else the switch has been my go-to platform for indie titles.
I've really enjoyed Death's Door and Bugs Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (still have to finish it).
I also want to give Signalis a try, but lately Totk has been monopolizing my playtime.
I'm sure they've both already come up, but Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Pokemon: Legends Arceus are two games that far exceeded my expectations and have made the Switch my favorite console.
As a turn-based RPG fan, I'm duty-bound to recommend "Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age". It's a beautiful-looking game, with great characters, and fun combat on the higher settings — a game where you can spend time just sightseeing.
Then there's "The Legend of Heroes" Crossbar arc - three games on the Switch:
Trails from Zero
Trails to Azure
Trails into Reverie
They are story-orientated turn-based RPGs with fantastic world-building, fun team interactions, and a lot of humour. A leisurely play-through takes about 60 hours each, and I find them really relaxing to play, though some players get frustrated by the amount of dialogue.
Finally, a vote for "Dysmantle" because sometimes you just want to take a world apart, piece by piece, with a sledgehammer.
Very much agree with you on Xenoblade, such a lovely series.
As for Botw (played and beaten) and Totk (probably 75% done now I'd say) I feel they are so so the same that getting a quick recap for BotW and then playing TotK is fine. The parts I recognize from the first one hasn't been especially exciting. More of a "ah, I've been here before" than the "oh wow" feeling I got from Xenoblade. Plus how can so few people recognize Link? Feels like the game wants to be a new game rather than a sequel. Almost like a remake.
I mean both games are good, so playing both are by all means not an issue. I just think that I couldn't play them back to back, but I played XBC1, last chapter of 2, and 3 back to back and it was great.
I really wish we could have gotten to play Zelda this time around. I hope the next game we do get to, I feel it could open up a lot of new gaming elements.
Xenoblade 1 is my favorite game of all time, and the Switch version is the best version.
As far as true Switch exclusives go I'm really fond of ARMS, Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade 2, Yoshi's Crafted World, Astral Chain, Kirby Forgotten Land, and Xenoblade 3.
Some multiplatform games I really like as well are Super Bomberman R, Octopath 1, and Monster Hunter Rise.
It Takes Two is a phenomenal co-op (required) game. I played this on PC with my (then) 7-8 year old, but I understand the Switch version runs alright.
For smaller titles, aside from Shovel Knight and Celeste mentioned earlier, people at my house have enjoyed Wandersong, Steamworld Dig 2 & 1 (and Heist, although to a lesser extent), FAR, Luna’s Fishing Garden, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (although it gets a bit dark).
Otome Games: Code Realize is great, Lover Pretend is good, Cupid Parasite is also fantastic.
Dress Up Games: Selfy Collection is really the big one right now, though we're getting Fashion Dreamer soon which is hype. Also Pretty Princess Party which isn't technically dress up but rather room decor.
Pokemon Snap is also good. I recently played the new Kirby game as well (forgotten land?) and that's pretty fun/cute too.
On the multiplayer side Smash Ultimate is a must have if you have an interest in fighting games. Splatoon 3 is also pretty good if you want an online multiplayer game (just keep in mind that you'll need a Switch Online subscription !). And for singleplayer Super Mario Odessey is one of the best game on the console. If you don't mind longer and story-oriented games, 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim is one of the best science-fiction story I ever played/read/watched. Persona is also a solid recommendation for the system. If you can start with Persona 5 Royal, but starting with Persona 4 Golden is fine as well (there is no need to play the games in order, and both are newbie-friendly). And for a general tip I give to new Switch owners : use Deku Deals instead of the eShop when browsing for games. Here you can compare prices on different sellers and get notified by email when a game on your wishlist goes on sale.
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