The 14 Best Online Multiplayer Games for Nintendo Switch in 2019

Are you looking for games for the Nintendo Switch that you can also play online with others? We have compiled a list of the best online multiplayer games available for the Switch in 2019. 

For fans of online multiplayer games, the Nintendo Switch has some top-notch titles. We present to you the best ones with a brief description while also highlighting the multiplayer aspects of the games.

This article is continuously updated and was originally published in May 2018. Last update: January 1, 2019.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

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Is Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a game for me? This iconic fighting game is perfect for lighthearted competition among friends. Players have a choice of over 70 fighters, all of whom are considered Nintendo legends. They try to shove each other off the stage, for which they need to weaken their opponents with attacks. This can either be very tactical and skillful, but also just mashing buttons has proven to be a possible play method at party nights. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate won an award for best fighting game in 2018 and should thus appeal to many genre enthusiasts.

How does online multiplayer work in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Up to 8 players can compete against each other simultaneously, which also applies to local multiplayer. However, the online mode of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has come under criticism, even though the game itself has top ratings. Players are bothered by the fact that the online mode costs money and that the lobby system is not optimally implemented.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

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Is Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate a game for me? This action RPG is suitable for players who can really sink their teeth into a game. Because it is one of those games that has a steep learning curve. The player takes on the role of a monster hunter who protects their village from the beasts. The monsters have specific attack patterns that need to be learned. The player only becomes stronger through their gear, which they obtain by defeating stronger monsters. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate has a somewhat clunky menu, which may be a bit difficult for some players to get used to.

How does online multiplayer work in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate? It is possible to go hunting online with up to 4 players. There is a specific area in the game for online multiplayer. Not all quests can be played together.

Warframe

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Is Warframe a game for me? This free-to-play MMO shooter is extremely complex and offers a lot of content. Players become futuristic space ninjas and defend the solar system, controlled by monsters, clones, and greedy corporations. The game offers fast-paced gameplay via a parkour movement system and features almost 60 playable warframes, each with unique abilities. Additionally, there is a selection of over 300 weapons. Warframe has been in development since 2013 and has been continuously expanded since. Due to its complexity, Warframe has a high entry barrier and players must be willing to dive in a bit.

How does online multiplayer work in Warframe? In total, four players can team up online on missions and join a clan. Cooperation is key, and Warframe is known for its friendly community. PvP is rarely played in this online shooter.

Warframe is available for free download in Nintendo’s eShop. The game is funded through in-game purchases. However, all gameplay-relevant content can be earned.

Arena of Valor

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Is Arena of Valor a game for me? This MOBA is a highly competitive game, where tactical thinking and good teamwork are key to success. Two teams compete against each other with unique heroes, attempting to destroy the opponents’ base. To do this, players must attack and try to kill others to breach the base. Arena of Valor is great for MOBA beginners, as some mechanics make it easier to get started. This includes automatically buying items that enhance the character’s strength.

How does online multiplayer work in Arena of Valor? Two teams compete against each other. In the main mode, there are five players on each team. Each team should ensure a balanced distribution of roles among supporters, tanks, and attackers.

Super Mario Party

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Is Super Mario Party a game for me? Super Mario Party is like a board game night with friends and family. Here, four players compete against each other and try to beat one another in over 80 mini-games. In the process, you try to collect as many points as possible in the form of stars. The games require skill from you, such as through the motion sensors of the Joy-Con controllers. But strategic thinking is also required, as for the first time each character has their own dice with different properties.

How does online multiplayer work in Super Mario Party? For the first time in Mario Party history, you can also play the game online. As in local mode, up to four players can compete against each other. Voice chat is supported.

Paladins

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Is Paladins a game for me? This hero shooter is an attractive alternative to the popular Overwatch. The heart of the game is a strategic card system, allowing you to customize and tailor the champions to your own style. You can give your hero more firepower or better defense, depending on what you need for the match. You have access to a selection of over 35 imaginative characters, ranging from human snipers to goblin mech riders and mystical elves. Paladins receives regular updates and is continuously supplied with new champs, maps, and modes.

How does online multiplayer work in Paladins? To be successful in Paladins, you need to be a good team player and be able to communicate with others. It’s not about getting the most kills. You primarily need to capture objectives on the map and defend your position. Different modes are available, in which you usually play against other teams consisting of five players each.

Paladins is available for free in the Nintendo eShop. The game is financed through in-game purchases for cosmetic items. All gameplay-relevant content can be earned.

Fortnite: Battle Royale

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Is Fortnite: Battle Royale a game for me? For this colorful battle royale shooter, you need to showcase tactical thinking and quick reflexes. You are dropped on an island and must “survive” as the last of 100. If you get hit, you simply vanish into nothingness and do not really die. Building particularly stands out in Fortnite. You find resources scattered across the map that allows you to build walls or entire towers to protect yourself from shots. You must manage both your weapons and building simultaneously, which makes the game a complex component.

How does online multiplayer work in Fortnite: Battle Royale? You compete against 99 other players simultaneously to be the last one standing. Fortnite: Battle Royale is fundamentally aimed at intense competition. However, there is also the possibility to fight in teams against other teams. Then the entire team that remains wins.

Fortnite is available on the Nintendo eShop and is free for download here. The game is funded through in-game purchases. However, all gameplay-relevant content can be earned.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

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Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a game for me? This Nintendo classic is suitable for anyone who enjoys fun arcade racing. It’s all about giving yourself advantages through items and making it difficult for opponents with tricks like slippery banana peels. If the 48 racetracks aren’t enough for you, there are various fun modes. If your driving skills are rusty or you are new to the genre, the “Smart Steering” helps you stay on the track. This is particularly practical for younger drivers. Fortnite offers regular updates and events that provide variety.

How does online multiplayer work in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? You can compete against up to 12 racers on race tracks and in modes that offer a different player experience from the classic race track. It is also possible for two players to play on one console. This allows for up to 8 players to play in local multiplayer.

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Splatoon 2

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Is Splatoon 2 a game for me? If you want to play Splatoon 2, you should enjoy neon-colored action and squids. With your character, the Inkling, you enter a team 4vs4 battle and engage in territory battles. In colorful ink battles, you and your team try to cover as much of the map as possible with your team’s color. The aim is to have more color on the map than the opposing team. The weapons serve as tools. There are fast dual squirt guns or heavy paint rollers for coloring. This fun and child-friendly shooter is the opposite of serious but requires tactical thinking and quick decisions.

How does online multiplayer work in Splatoon 2? There are different modes, such as ranked matches where you can rank up, as well as casual, quick rounds. Although Splatoon 2 is primarily competitive, it requires teamwork to quickly cover the entire map and keep your friends safe.

DOOM

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Is DOOM a game for me? Do you prefer it bloody, aggressive, and fast with big guns? Then DOOM is your online multiplayer choice for the Switch. Here, you’ll slay monsters from hell and obtain bigger and stronger weapons for the job. In this intense first-person shooter, you can further upgrade your weapons and combine your arsenal. Here, you slice, stomp, crush, and pierce your enemies in brutal and creative ways.

How does online multiplayer work in DOOM? In multiplayer, you will encounter a leveling system comparable to Call of Duty or Halo. As you level up, you unlock new armor, weapons, and playable demons. You can even become one of the nasty demons and haunt your fellow players! You play on small maps, making it hard to escape your enemies. The classic deathmatch and objective-based modes of a first-person shooter are available.

ARMS

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Is ARMS a game for me? For friends of fighting games, ARMS offers a unique twist! All characters have arms that can stretch like springs. With the spring arms, the characters can punch or shoot. Additionally, you equip the characters with different arms, ranging from classic boxing gloves to arms with built-in boomerangs. You can also combine the fighting arms and use two different ones for a character. This provides a lot of variety and allows for different combat strategies. What is particularly original is the use of the little Joy-Con controllers, with which you control your character’s arms through your own movements.

How does online multiplayer work in ARMS? You compete against each other in the boxing ring, either in 1v1 or in teams of 2v2. A local split-screen is supported, and you can play with two people on one console.

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Rocket League

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Is Rocket League a game for me? If you enjoy sports games that are crazy, beginner-friendly, but also hard to master, Rocket League combines them all. With cars, you race across a soccer field, trying to shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal. You pull off the craziest stunts, do loops, and drive along walls. Everything goes to catch the ball or take it away from the opposing vehicles. The cars can be customized and decorated with hats, stickers, or a rainbow exhaust.

How does online multiplayer work in Rocket League? You compete with your teammates or alone on the soccer field and try to score the most goals. Rocket League supports cross-play! This means you can play with friends on PC or Xbox One.

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Pokémon Tekken DX

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Is Pokémon Tekken DX a game for me? You don’t have to be a Pokémon fan to enjoy this fighting game. The battles are filled with dynamic action, similar to what you would find in Street Fighter. Most fighting games of this style have dozens of button combinations to perform attacks. That is not the case here. Pokémon Tekken DX features simple controls that require very few buttons. It is thus also ideal for beginners who are new to fighting games. The over 20 different Pokémon fighters have unique abilities, providing enough room for strategy and tactical thinking.

How does online multiplayer work in Pokémon Tekken DX? You fight 1v1 and enter a battle arena with your Pokémon. Here, you seek to knock out your opponent by utilizing your character’s abilities.

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Minecraft

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Is Minecraft a game for me? If you enjoy going on adventures and building things, then Minecraft offers a free gaming world without a set goal. You only receive a set of tasks at the beginning to help you get started. Otherwise, you can create whatever you want here. Whether it’s a large fairy-tale castle, a haunted house, or even an entire city – your imagination has no limits. Almost everything can be mined in this world and used as material for your creations. At night, monsters come out to attack you. Therefore, good planning is essential.

How does online multiplayer work in Minecraft? You can explore the world together, gather resources, and create artworks collaboratively. It is also possible to play on a split screen.

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