One of the best things about the Nintendo Switch is how flexible the console is. You can bring it with you for on-the-go gaming, or settle in on your couch for a focussed session. The Nintendo Switch game library also reflects this flexibility, from action packed fighting games to more narrative focussed titles. We’ve created a collection of some of the best visual novels available on the Nintendo Switch for gamers who want a more immersive story experience.
7. Famicom Detective Club Games: The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind
Investigating the scene of the crime in Famicom Detective Club.
Famicom Detective Club trailer for the Nintendo Switch.
An updated collection of two titles from nearly 30 years ago, the Famicom Detective Club are mystery visual novels being released for North America for the first time ever. The Missing Heir follows the detective as he investigates a murder while navigating his own amnesia. The Girl Who Stands Behind follows a murder with a supernatural twist, chasing ghost stories from the local high school.
The release of the game came as a pleasant surprise to many, since even the most die-hard fans did not expect such an old and niche title to receive a major re-release. After playing the game, it’s easy to see why. The murder mysteries at the centre of both games still stand the test of time. Solving the mystery is challenging without being too frustrating. For fans of the genre, this would be a must-play to understand the history and evolution of the genre.
6. Arcade Spirits
All the romance candidates in Arcade Spirits. Who will you choose?
Arcade Spirits trailer for the Nintendo Switch
Set in the not-too-distant future of 20XX, in a fictional timeline where retro arcades are just as popular and as common as movie theatres, your protagonist finds work at an arcade store after finding themselves struggling in their personal life. Your goal is to help renovate this little mom n’ pop arcade, while finding yourself and maybe even finding love. Everything is customizable in this dating sim visual novel, from your pronouns to the colour of your hair. If romance isn’t really your thing and you just want to check out the story, you can even enable a setting for a story only mode.
Meet a wide range of quirky and romanceable characters such as the awkward yet adorable arcade tech, Naomi, a serious and handsome business manager Gavin and a mysterious millionaire. There’s a great range of personalities for all kinds of preferences. Like a romcom for nerds, this game is perfect for anyone looking for something a little more lighthearted. The sequel, Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers is also available for players who want to explore more of this retro-futuristic world.
5. The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition
An example of the gorgeous art style that can be found in the game The House in Fata Morgana.
The House in Fata Morgana trailer for the Nintendo Switch.
You wake up in a mansion with no memories. A maid greets you and tells you that you are the master of this house. In an attempt to recover your memories, you explore the house and its history over long centuries. Slowly but surely, you learn about the history of the house your place within it, and meet a cast of beautiful, enigmatic characters that populate the house.
If this visual novel was printed into a physical book, it would be a dense, thick novel filled with pages and pages of text. While slow, the game rewards you for staying with the story with narrative twists and a heartbreaking but engaging story about love, sorrow, loss and hope. Players willing to let this title tell its story at its own pace will be rewarded with an engaging story that will stay with them for a long time to come.
4. Gnosia
An example of the unique character designs and art style of Gnosia.
Gnosia trailer for the Nintendo Switch.
Imagine if the game Among Us had a beautiful illustrated art style and an overarching narrative that tied everything together. It’s up to the player to find the Gnosia, which are creatures that mimic humans to try to destroy them. The gameplay loop is simple: meet with your crewmates to try to determine who the mimic is. Find the impostor and remove them. How do you know who’s lying? How do you know they’re telling the truth?
Failing to find the Gnosia and being killed by them isn’t the end of the game. This game is also a time loop where you will have the chance to uncover more about the deceptively simple story. Through multiple loops, learn more about your crewmates, subtly influence the time loops and find out the truth about the ship and its mission.
3. We Know The Devil
A moment of important decision in We Know the Devil. All backgrounds are photographs taken by the developers.
We Know the Devil trailer for Nintendo Switch.
Three teenagers try to survive for 12 hours in a cabin during the last week of summer camp. They are preparing to face the devil and survive the night so that they can finally leave the woods. The outcome of the story is entirely dependent on how the player chooses to develop the relationship between these three. Will you sacrifice a third, ensuring the survival of two? Or will you be able to manage a careful balance between the three and find the true ending?
Created in just ten weeks, the aesthetics of this game are reminiscent of lofi horror titles such as The Blair Witch Project. The backgrounds are photographs shot on a disposable camera, with the character art drawn in black and white illustration. Originally an indie title published on itch.io, this game is now available on Switch to purchase at the devillishly low price of $6.66.
2. AI: The Somnium Files
Your AI companion, Aiba, is here to help you navigate and investigate the scene of the crime.
AI: The Somnium Files trailer for the Nintendo Switch
Created by the director of the Zero Escape titles, this game is a must-play for fans of the Visual Novel genre. Play as a sci-fi detective using cutting edge technology to investigate a series of brutal murders. This technology allows the detective to explore deep into the minds and dreams of potential suspects, unlocking hidden clues and leads. Within people’s minds are puzzles and “Mental Locks” which you must break in order to get to the truth.
Although the game initially starts out at a slow pace, once it picks up pace it reveals the intricate narratives and surrealism that fans of the Zero Escape titles have come to expect. Along with the engaging story full of twists and turns, the game also boasts gorgeous, high-end graphics and a stunning soundtrack that will keep players glued to their console until the final reveal.
1.Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
The art has been remastered in the Switch port of Ace Attorney.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy Trailer for the Nintendo Switch
Containing all 3 games and 14 episodes of this classic courtroom visual novel in one convenient package, many fans of the visual novel genre will already be familiar with the Ace Attorney series. This title has a great blend of compelling cases, humour, drama and anime shenanigans.
The investigation sequences are familiar, with many of the same mechanics used across other visual novel games. What really sets this game apart is the courtroom sequences, where you present your evidence and cross examine witnesses. There’s something so satisfying about watching the truth reveal itself in these courtroom sequences. For those who may have missed out on this game when it was first released on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS, there’s no better time to find out what the hype is all about.
