Hey, remember when we made a list of the best cat games on the Nintendo Switch? If you love cats, you’ll probably be more than satisfied, but what about the poor, forgotten dog lovers? Fear not, friends. We’ve got you covered, too. In fact, it was much harder to narrow down the list of top dogs, though we won’t pretend to know what that means, as we don’t want to start a cat vs. dog war in the comments.
So, here they are: the best dogs and the best dog games you can find on Nintendo Switch!
Editor: super rare originals / Developer: medallion games
Grapple Dog is one of the most refreshing and straightforward platform games we’ve seen in a long time. It’s digital popcorn: chocolate-covered popcorn, for starters. Naturally, the central mechanic (aside from, well, being a dog) is the titular claw. This allows you to traverse the game’s perfectly sized levels using said grappling hook to swing from rooftops, build momentum, attach to enemies and Donkey Kong Country-style cannons, and generally add a whole layer of mechanical complexity while maintaining extremely tight controls. simple three button Real dogs can’t wrestle, but we’ll let that happen.
Editor: entertainment / Developer: ludosity
The only game on this list that attempts to unite the warring factions of cats and dogs with the diplomatic inclusion of Catdog, All-Star Brawl makes this list simply because it’s fun to have a game that makes the Best Cat Games list. Y the list of the best dog games for the same character.
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Editor: Nintendo / Developer: HAL Laboratory
When you first start Earthbound, you have the option to name your party, which defaults to Ness, Paula, Poo, and Jeff Andonuts. But there’s a fifth character you can name: Ness’s family dog, whose default name is King. Therefore, it can be assumed that King would accompany him on his travels, and he does, for a time. Unfortunately, that time is about five minutes. Spend the rest of the time at home. He is, however, a good boy.
Editor: capcom / Developer: capcom
Okami is one of the most iconic dog games on the Nintendo Switch, so grade is here. And we won’t have any discussion about whether Amaterasu is a dog or a wolf. All wolves are just big pups, and even goddesses love to have their bellies rubbed.
Editor: Nintendo / Developer: Nintendo
ACNH has a few dog villagers in its lineup, from the lovable Goldie to the slightly terrifying mummified Lucky, but the most iconic dogs in the game are its NPCs. Isabelle, of course, is the gold standard (retriever), with her floppy ears and wagging tail, but KK Slider, Harriet the hairdresser, Digby the real estate agent, and Harvey the hippy are all canines, too. Cats don’t have as many NPCs, so we can venture a guess as to which is Nintendo’s favorite pet…
Editor: finji / Developer: finji
Chicory: A Colorful Tale was originally called Drawdog. Did you know that? That title obviously didn’t stick, but the titular dog did (they’re just called Pizza instead).
Editor: Basin Software / Developer: bit loom sets
What is better than a dog? Two dogs. What’s better than two dogs? A dog with two heads. At least, that’s the case in PHOGS!, a chaotic physics puzzler featuring a wriggling snake-dog. Play co-op for the best, most frustrating, and most fun time.
Editor: chuckle / Developer: chuckle
In Wargroove, an Advance Wars-type turn-based strategy game, you can play as a general… who is a dog. And all of his units are dogs. And when they are destroyed, they don’t die, they just run away. As the developers themselves said:
“Whether they’re clad in armor or missing parts of their flesh, one thing remains the same: the dog unit is always a good boy.”
Editor: finji / Developer: finji
Of all the post-apocalyptic mediums out there, there are only four that we can think of that do it well. A, fallout 4. Two, I’m legend. Three, the Tokyo jungle. Four, by land. What do they have in common? You have a puppy companion. That’s the only way to survive the apocalypse! Everyone knows this!!
Editor: 8-4 / Developer: 8-4
This is the only game on this list that is done by a dog, because creator Toby Fox’s avatar is… a little white dog, called “The Annoying Dog.” He also appears prominently in Undertale, as a foil for the character’s plans. He is very cute.
