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Beating video games is not easy for someone who doesn’t have that much spare time. Playing games like Breath of the Wild or even Final Fantasy Rebirth might be a 1-2 month commitment without touching any other game, just to see the credits roll, for some people.
I cannot make that kind of commitment; I like to take a break once in a while in the middle of lengthy games like these and play something that I know I can actually beat in a short amount of time.
So, my goal here today is to give you my best short Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 games list, all perfect to play when you want to feel that dopamine hit.
Under 3 Hours: Perfect for a Single Sitting
1. A Short Hike
I’ve mentioned A Short Hike most recently in my relaxing Nintendo Switch games post, and it will continue to be an easy recommendation for someone looking for a short but meaningful experience.
Just as the name suggests, A Short Hike is a short hike. But an excellent one! There’s an entire mountain to explore, and you have all the time in the world to step into every nook and cranny of it while helping fellow hikers.
And, while doing so, you’ll unlock additional abilities that’ll make available areas that weren’t reachable before.The hike might be short, but I’ll remember it for years.
2. Abzu
I own Abzu on every platform I own that can play it, and it’s for a good reason.
Being able to dive deep into a beautiful ocean and uncover its mysteries while listening to a fantastic soundtrack results in one of the coziest and most relaxing games I’ve ever played in my life.
Just by looking at it, you should know it’s from the same developers who brought us games like Journey and Sky: Children of the Light, and even The Pathless (which now runs at 60fps on Switch 2, btw).
So yes, it’s a fantastic short Nintendo Switch game you should definitely play.
3. Iron Meat
Not all games under 3 hours are cozy or relaxing, and the proof is Iron Meat.
This is a grotesque Contra-like game whose amazing pixel art makes it stand out from the similar games. It also helps that everything else in this game is super polished, from its tight platforming and precise shooting to its challenging boss battles.
It’s also a great game to play with a friend in co-op, during a lunch break or a weekend. It will be fun to see which one of you loses its sanity first while in Hard Mode.
2–5 Hours: An Afternoon Well Spent
4. Inside (~3–4 hours)
I played this game when I was deep into puzzle adventure games like Little Nightmares, and it did not disappoint.
You start off your journey as a boy who’s trying to reach a certain place while avoiding getting killed by all the horrors coming from him.
It’s dark, weird, and by the end you’ll have more questions than answers… and all I want to say is, please try to get the secret ending!
5. Fast Fusion (~2–3 hours for a full campaign clear)
Now we have the first Switch 2 title on the list, Fast Fusion, and a sprinkle of Wipeout. The latter being a title, I loved playing on the Vita recently.
Fast Fusion is a fantastic and polished racer that unfortunately lacks multiplayer matchmaking. The only way you can play with someone is via Game Chat, which is not ideal since the image quality and control responsiveness will leave your opponent at a slight disadvantage.
However, there are a few modes available that you can sink some time into to have fun, and completing the entire game will only take you about 15 hours.
6. Splatoon 3—Story Mode (~4–5 hours)
If you enjoy the idea of Splatoon Raiders, then you need to give Splatoon 3, and even Splatoon 2, a try.
While I have over 70 hours of gameplay time, 90% is just from playing online ranked and Salmon Run.
Both modes are great for someone who doesn’t have much time on their hands since a ranked match only lasts 3 minutes and Salmon Run around 6.
But you can avoid these entirely and purely focus on the single-player content, which is short unless you want to 100% complete it or even delve into the DLC content, which I never did.
In SinglePlayer, you will closely follow one of the weirdest narratives ever while going from level to level with different challenges in each; some of these might make you pull your hair out.
Splatoon 3 Affiliate Link – Buy Now
5–8 Hours: A Weekend Game
7. Sonic Forces (~5–6 hours)
Is Sonic Forces the best Sonic game on Switch? Absolutely not. But even playing it today makes me feel nostalgic since this was one of the first Switch games I ever bought.
And make fun of me if you like; the fact that I even considered purchasing a Switch was because I saw that Sonic Forces would eventually be released for it.
I only bought it a few months after it was released, and I knew fully well about all the criticism. And one of them was the fact that it was stupidly short, with a single playthrough lasting only around 3 hours, and most levels required little input from the player.
But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the game; it was the first console Sonic game I had played since Sonic Generations, and I was over the moon with the custom character creation, the music, and some of the stages that looked excellent. They just needed to last a bit longer, and we would have a much better title in our hands.
You can get it pretty cheap these days, so if it’s something you want to try one day, I can somewhat recommend it.
Sonic Forces Affiliate Link – Buy Now
8. Little Nightmares 1 and 2 (~6–7 hours)
Just a few paragraphs ago I was recommending Inside, and now it’s time for the Little Nightmares games.
You can’t go wrong with either one, and if you have a Switch 2, you’re in luck since there is a Switch 2 Edition available for both!
I really enjoyed exploring their twisted world, but if I had to choose one to play forever, I would have to go with Little Nightmares 2. It doesn’t do everything better than its predecessor, but since you’re actually traveling through the world, you get to explore more diverse locations.
Also, you’re no longer playing with a single character, but with 2, with Mono and Six both being controlled by the player, which allowed for more intricate puzzles.
Although, I still wished there was an actual co-op mode where 2 players could control a character each.
This is a possibility in the sequel, but I can’t recommend Little Nightmares 3 just yet, since I’m waiting a bit before playing or seeing anything related to it to avoid spoilers. I want to play it with my girlfriend one day, and we’re still trying to find the right time.
Little Nightmares Affiliate Link – Buy Now
Little Nightmares 2 Link – Buy Now
9. Coffee Talk Tokyo (~7–8 hours)
Coffee Talk Tokyo is a game that I still have fresh in my mind since I reviewed it not long ago.
This is the newest entry in the Coffee Talk series, a visual novel with light gameplay elements where you play as a barista in Tokyo, where you’ll need to brew and pour drinks for humans and yo-kai.
All of your customers are dealing with their personal problems, and the only thing you can do to soothe them is serve the correct order every time.
Doing so will make sure these characters get their happy ending. For example, XXXX struggles with making friends at school and even suffers from bullying. If you fail to serve the wrong drink, she will continue to deal with these issues when the credits rolls…
So, think well before you start brewing.
10. Haste: Broken Worlds (~7 hours)
Ironically, Haste: Broken Worlds started a bit broken on release day. But since then, there have been a few patches that have finally brought this game up to standards with fewer bugs and much better performance.
In Haste, you enter these big shards and have to run as fast as possible in each level while collecting sparks before everything collapses. If you succeed, you move on to the next area and can spend your earned sparks on items that will boost your stats.
Once you are done, you’re back to square one with no items and are free to challenge the other levels available.
So, this is essentially a roguelike, and depending on how well you perform or how lucky you get with the items and levels, your entire run can go from 8-10h.
Did I mention it’s the perfect game for Sonic the Hedgehog fans?
8–10 Hours: Longer, But Still “Short” by Big-Game Standards
11. Little Noah: Scion of Paradise (~10 hours)
In all these blogging years I’ve written dozens of lists, and none of them include Little Noah, so excuse me while I recommend the heck out of this game.
Just like Haste, it’s also a Roguelike, but here you will be progressing through 2D levels where you can battle monsters and even recruit them and add them to your moveset.
And this is what sold it for me; it’s like I’m playing a Pokémon Roguelike, where I never know which Pokémon I’ll be capturing and taking with me until the end of this journey.
It’s not a super difficult game, and after some grinding, you will reach the end sooner rather than later.
12. Owlboy (~8 hours)
OwlBoy is a 2D pixel art MetroidVania, just as I like them. You play as Otus, a young mute owl with a lack of confidence. You’ll journey with him through the floating islands while finding new companions, exploring this beautifully crafted world, and stopping the destruction of your home.
It’s one of those games that I was sold on the moment I saw it but was slightly disappointed by how the gameplay felt.
It plays a lot like a twin-stick shooter most of the time, which always felt a bit uncomfortable to play for me.
Story-wise, though, I loved it! It’s just a shame that they couldn’t give us just one more hour or two of gameplay to explore some other themes that were left unanswered.
In summary, if you like twin-stick shooter Metroidvanias with amazing visuals and a great story, then Owlboy is just for you.
Owlboy Affiliate Link – Buy Now
13. Amnesia: Rebirth (~8–9 hours)
As a parent, it broke me with its emotional narrative and left me wanting more of its exploration-based gameplay—which means now I have to play the rest of the series.
For newcomers to the horror genre and even the Amnesia series, I think this is a great place to start due to how accessible it is. You can even turn on Adventure Mode and enjoy just the story if you so wish.
After beating it, I even went back to the original Amnesia and finally beat it. The only thing left in the trilogy for me is Bunker, which will come to the Switch 2 later this year. So, if you want to catch up, you still have time!
14. Metroid Dread (~8–10 hours)
There isn’t a single bad 2D Metroid game; old and dated, sure, but every time a new one releases, it becomes a new standard for the franchise.
The atmosphere, the gameplay, the music, the graphics, the freaking story—everything in this game is top-notch.
My only complaint is that the E.M.M.I encounters start getting a bit repetitive near the end even though they tried to shake things up with the envrionments.
But everything else, and especially the last part leading to the final boss, was just pure cinema. I honestly don’t know how they will outdo themselves.
Although, I got a feeling that a Super Metroid Remake is cooking somewhere…
Metroid Dread Affiliate Link – Buy Now
15. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (~8–10 hours)
Kirby as a whole is weird and contradictory, especially Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Somehow this game starts all cute and fuzzy, with a pink blob jumping around and sucking a freaking car to save cute creatures, but slowly shifts into something that could clearly fit in a Sonic Adventure game.
The base game is a bit short if you don’t go for a 100% completion, but even if you tackle the DLC, it will stretch your gameplay time for another 5-7 hours, although you will be doing much of the same you already were.
Thankfully, this is a fantastic 3D platformer that controls and runs super well, and it’s probably my favorite on Switch 2 right now, even more than Donkey Kong Bananza, surprisingly.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Affiliate Link – Buy Now
16. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (~8–10 hours)
If you think of Zelda on Switch, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are most likely the go-to games, but not if you’re looking for a bite-sized adventure.
That’s when Link’s Awakening comes in, a remake of the original Game Boy game that’s short but sweet. I’m a massive fan of the Oracle games, and this takes me back to that time when I was just exploring Hyrule while trying to figure out things on my own without having guides or the internet available.
This game retains that mystery and wonder that an adventure game should have while also respecting your time.
My only question is, where is my Oracle of Seasons remake, Nintendo?
The Legend’s of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Affiliate Link – Buy Now
17. Star Fox
Everyone knows this by now, but Star Fox on Switch 2 is a short game, or is it?
If you play through a single campaign once, then you will be done with it in about 1 hour, but there is a high chance you will not see the true ending.
This is a game that requires repetition and encourages you to get good and achieve better results in each level you beat. Doing so will unlock new routes to different planets and even different cutscenes and sections you would not be able to see otherwise.
I’m still 5 hours in, trying to get all medals and possible routes in normal mode, and I think I still have a few more hours to go. I’m just not sure if I’ll ever tackle expert mode maneuvering the Arwing in some of these levels is brutal.
Star Fox Affiliate Link – Buy Now
Games you can beat between 15-25 hours
18. The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
If you told me Square Enix was developing their own The Legend of Zelda game, I would not believe it, but here we are somehow.
In my opinion, The Adventures of Elliot is a game you need to play, especially if you’re a fan of 2D Zelda games.
Yes, it’s not a perfect game due to how repetitive the maps end up becoming, but the gameplay is top-notch. The visuals and music are some of the best I’ve experienced in these HD-2D games, and the story ended up becoming one of the most heartfelt narratives I’ve experienced this year.
It’s an 8/10 for me, and you can read my full review here.
The Adventures of Elliot Affiliate Link – Buy Now
19. Cronos: The New Dawn
I wasn’t entirely sure whether I should include Cronos: The New Dawn here since the game requires at least 2 full playthrough to see the True Ending.
The first time I beat the game, it took me around 20 hours, but that’s because I suck at these survival-horror games and died more times than I could count.
Eventually got better at it and completed my second playthrough in less than 10 hours. This was possible because in New Game+ you retain your weapons and upgrades, meaning you’ll breeze through most of the game.
Since the game was released, some things changed, though, to encourage players who are not used to these games, an Easy Mode, which will make things less difficult and shorten the time you need to beat the game and focus more on the pure atmosphere this game brings.
It was one of my favorite games from 2025, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the DLC.
Cronos: The New Dawn Affiliate Link – Buy Now
The Best Short Nintendo Switch Games?
There are dozens, if not hundreds, more short Nintendo Switch games available, but these are the ones I, personally, played throughout these years and can wholeheartedly recommend.
If you care about how length and price relate to each other, some of these games are probably too pricey for you. The Adventures of Elliot immediately jumps to mind, and it’s one I recommend waiting for a sale.
Still, you can’t go wrong with any of these, and let me know if I managed to introduce a new title to you.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be seeing you again next time, with brand-new content!
