9 Best Survival Games Switch That You Should Know Update 04/2024

best survival games switch

A lot of great Resident Evil games are all on the same console, so you can play a lot of zombie-survival games at once. Minecraft and a few other games like it offer a different take on the survival genre, as well as a lot of different ways to play.

With Dying Light and Ark Survival Evolved, there are even more survival games to choose from on Switch. So, no matter what kind of survival game you want, let us help you with our list of the best Switch survival games.

DYING LIGHT: PLATINUM EDITION

DYING LIGHT PLATINUM EDITION

Dying Light: Platinum Edition is one of the most recent games on this list. It brings the open-world survival game to the Nintendo Switch with all four major DLCs, as well as some unique features that are only available on the Nintendo Switch.

It comes with both local and online co-op, so you can play with your friends. This fast-paced zombie survival game adds parkour and great gunplay to the genre, and the Nintendo Switch port runs great as well.

For our full review of Dying Light: Platinum Edition, be sure to read our full review of the game.

RESIDENT EVIL 4

The horror classic has been ported to just about every platform under the sun, we’re surprised it isn’t included on most smart fridges, but that’s because it’s an unmissable survival-action title that still holds up today.

It’s a mission for Leon Kennedy to save the president’s daughter in a small European town. There is a new kind of zombie out there that wants Leon’s blood, so Leon has to fight the bad guys again. If you haven’t played it yet, you’re missing out. It’s one of the best games in the genre by a long shot. Is it time for another run if you have?

ARK SURVIVAL EVOLVED

ARK-Survival-Evolved

Dinosaurs are the one thing that makes any game better, so this game adds them to the world. You have to build a base, make fire, and get weapons. You can also tame and feed dinosaurs.

As long as you’re still trying to stay alive, you’ll enjoy this game. It’s a little silly, but it’s not afraid to have some fun. When it comes to the Nintendo Switch version, it would be great if the game ran better. But, if you don’t own another console, this could still be the best way for you to play it.

MINECRAFT

Minecraft is one of the most popular games on the planet for a good reason. It’s still fun to play, whether you want to build a life-size version of Disneyland or hide from creepers for a night.

Your first night in Minecraft is always a little scary because you have to get enough resources and fight off bad guys. It’s going to be a long time before you’re completely safe. In case you don’t know, Minecraft is still a great survival game that lets you build the world of your dreams.

If you get stuck in Minecraft, let us help you with our Minecraft diamonds guide or our Minecraft houses guide so you can build the best real estate you can. We can also show you how to get the most out of Minecraft.

DON’T STARVE

Don’t Starve

One of the meanest games on this list, and one where the main goal is to say the name. Light sources or better science skills can help you stay alive through the night.

Keep in mind that the game will not help you very much. You can grow crops and raise animals. Take a run and see how long you can last. Do your best to stay alive. But above all, don’t starve yourself.

SUBNAUTICA + SUBNAUTICA BELOW ZERO DOUBLE PACK (SWITCH)

Survival games are often about how to stay alive in a specific place, like the tundra, a post-apocalyptic bunker, or a wartime city. When you play Subnautica, you play in an ocean world where the fish hate you and things sometimes explode for no reason.

In Subnautica 1 and 2, you can’t play with other people. You’ll probably be too busy fighting with an angry alien octopus to ever feel lonely.

WINDBOUND (SWITCH ESHOP)

WINDBOUND

Until now, we’ve been in deep water, in a spooky nightmare in Canada, in space, and in cold weather. We haven’t had BOAT. Boats are the main thing in Windbound. The protagonist, Kara, doesn’t speak, but she wants to find her way back to her home.

Windbound is a five-chapter story about exploring the ruins of an ancient civilization while trying to keep herself fed and improve her boat. Breath of the Wild is a big influence on Windbound. Unlike many survival games, Windbound doesn’t have a set start time or end time. This means that you don’t know when you’ll find your next meal.

THE FLAME IN THE FLOOD (SWITCH ESHOP)

Fire in the Flood is a game for people who like to play survival games that are very hard. It’s easy to get sick, injured, or starve to death, and if you manage to get past all of those threats, then you’re likely to get mauled to death by a wolf or a bear.

Besides that, you’re on a raft that’s floating down the river, and any supplies you get will have to be stolen from islands as you go. If you miss an island, what will happen? You’re out of luck, man.

THIS WAR OF MINE COMPLETE EDITION (SWITCH)

THIS WAR OF MINE COMPLETE EDITION

Looking at this list, if you think “all of these survival games don’t sound nearly depressing enough,” then This War of Mine might be right up your alley. It adds survival mechanics to a life lived under siege.

In Graznavia, which is a grim and dirty city in the middle of a war, you’ll have to go through bombed-out homes to get the things you need to live. And sometimes, those resources won’t be out in the open for you to take. They’ll be important medicines for an elderly couple, or the last of the food for a family with young children, and your need to stay alive will have to be balanced against, you know, your morals. Video games aren’t they?