Nintendo Switch: The best games and my favorite moments from 2021

4. Miitopia

Speaking of chill turn-based experiences, the remake of Miitopia was another game that got a ton of gameplay in my household. So much so that I ended up having to get multiple copies because it was all my kids wanted to do during technology time for a while.

Miitopia, on the surface, might make you think it’s a barebone RPG with nothing special about it. But screenshots betray the level of character this game carries with it. Along with secrets like special classes like vampires and elves. Plus, if you’re a big Nintendo fan boy like me, you’ll be happy to know that almost every single Amiibo unlocks something unique in this game, usually a costume of the character you’re scanning.

See, making a character in an RPG isn’t anything new. In fact, it’s often expected with a lot of RPGs now. But Miitopia tasks you with creating EVERY character. For example, when you walk into a town for the first time the narrator stops you and tells you about every NPC you’ll encounter and you have to make them yourself leading to a game that’s exactly matching your sense of humor.

A sassy old woman that runs a weapon stand? Betty White. A king that has two different men fighting to pick up the mantle once the king’s gone? Suddenly it’s his royal Steve Rodgers-ness watching Falcon and U.S.Agent hating each other. Oh, and a guy that wants to go on vacation every time evil rolls into his town? Ted Cruz. It’s a game that you can completely tailor-make for your sense of humor.

On top of that, your characters hang out in between battles, and based on their friendship levels, they will suddenly do unexpected things in the midst of battle. Did an enemy put one of your party members to sleep? Don’t worry, their body will run over and kindly wake them up immediately. This leads to all sorts of antics during the later game when, occasionally, your characters won’t feel up to leaving on a mission forcing you to use other characters you might have neglected.