Summertime often means relaxation, maybe a vacation or two, and hopefully a little more time for playing some fun games on your Nintendo Switch or Switch 2. The console is perfect for this time of year when you can bring it with you wherever the wind may take you. Whether sitting in the sunshine next to a sparkling pool or hanging out on your own patio listening to the sounds of nature, all you need is the right game to make the Nintendo Switch your perfect summer gaming device.
While the newer Nintendo Switch 2 system was released last year, many have not upgraded to the new console. Therefore, since the Switch 2 can play Switch 1 games anyway, this list is focused solely on games that work on both rather than being Switch 2 exclusives. However, no matter which console you have, these are all wonderful summery options to soak in the sun with, or sit in front of an air conditioner at least.
Letters To Arralla
Summer is the season of gardening, so why not enjoy a little time helping a bootylicious turnip deliver some mail? In Letters to Arralla, players get to explore a relaxing summer island while figuring out where each piece of mail goes and helping out some of the villagers along the way.
Plus, although opening other people’s mail in real life is illegal, here on Arralla, you get to open everything in order to figure out where they go. Oh, and if you learn some juicy gossip, all the better. While the pronounced butts on these vegetables are an interesting design choice, the game is a relaxing and humorous way to spend your summer.
Under The Island
In Under the Island, teenage Nia finds herself stuck on a boring island for the summer while her researcher parents are working, but things quickly become much more interesting after she inadvertently activates a mysterious shrine and sets things on a path to chaos and destruction. And, in true 90s cartoon sitcom fashion, only Nia can fix it.
The puzzles and combat in Under the Island play much like a retro Legend of Zelda game, only with Nia wielding a hockey stick rather than a sword. It’s a fun adventure, full of humor and summer vibes.
Dave The Diver
Perhaps you’re wishing you could get away to the ocean to do a little deep-sea diving this summer, but it just isn’t going to pan out? Award-winning Dave the Diver has you covered. With diving and fishing during the day and running a sushi restaurant at night, Dave and his friends take us on a journey with roguelike elements and an engaging gameplay loop.
The Switch port of Dave the Diver does run a little worse than other systems in some situations where more is happening on the screen, but overall it’s a good port. And, if you have a Nintendo Switch 2, you can purchase the Switch 2 version instead for smoother gameplay.
Tiny Bookshop
Readers will especially enjoy this next option. Tiny Bookshop puts you in the shoes of an entrepreneur who just transformed a trailer into a mobile bookshop that you can take around to places like the beach, a park, a café, and more. Not only is it fun to decorate your little bookshop and recommend books to shoppers, but the books in the game are actual books from the real world that you may have read.
Tiny Bookshop was easily one of my favorite games for relaxation in 2025, and they just recently announced an upcoming DLC that will add even more content to the game.
Summer Unpacked
Summer Unpacked did itself a bit of a disservice by releasing the game in the middle of last winter, but now that summer is here, this is the perfect game to enjoy a seasonal vibe.
Similar to games like Unpacking or A Little to the Left, this game features over 30 cozy puzzles that are all inspired by summer themes and accompanied by a calming soundtrack. From packing your suitcase to arranging postcards, the game is a lovely way to spend a summer’s afternoon, and it’s certainly much more fun than actually packing.
The Disney Afternoon Collection
Anyone who grew up in the ’90s will immediately recognize these faces and games. The Disney Afternoon Collection features numerous games from the NES and SNES era:
- Bonkers (SNES)
- Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers (NES)
- Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers 2 (NES)
- Darkwing Duck (NES)
- Ducktales (NES)
- Ducktales 2 (NES)
- Goof Troop (SNES)
- Talespin (NES)
So, if you’re looking for a little nostalgia from your childhood, or just want to enjoy some retro gaming for summer vacation, The Disney Afternoon Collection certainly delivers on the feeling of eating an Otter Pop and playing on your NES on a sunny afternoon.
Heave Ho
If you’re looking for a little multiplayer chaos to enjoy with friends or family this summer, Heave Ho will either make you laugh or throw your controller across the room. This ridiculous co-op game is one of my favorites to play with others, despite having been out for almost seven years now.
Essentially, the point of this game is to swing your little character and grab onto things to make your way to the flag. You can grab onto platforms, ropes, or even other players. In fact, sometimes you need to work together to swing yourselves over obstacles to get to where you’re trying to go. Or just let go of your friend and watch them plummet to their doom, they’ll come right back anyway.
The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom
Sure, you could feasibly list any of The Legend of Zelda games as wonderful summer gaming experiences, being able to explore the green wilderness while saving Hyrule. However, there’s something even more summery about the cartoonish nature of Echoes of Wisdom.
Playing as Princess Zelda, you get to work to save Link and the rest of the kingdom by using special magic to make “echoes” of things you find in the world around you. With these objects, monsters, and really anything you can find, you take a bit more of a hands-off approach to combat, as well as solve creative puzzles in unique ways.
Cozy Caravan
Another of the coziest experiences you can have on the Nintendo Switch is the summer-filled adventure called Cozy Caravan. Traveling around your community in an adorable caravan being pulled by a giant bee and driven by your froggy friend Bubba, Cozy Caravan is a game you can truly take at your own pace.
Helping NPCs, crafting handmade items, gathering resources, and selling at the weekly market are just part of what makes this game so charming. With so many things to collect, see, and do, it’s a game you will want to keep coming back to.
Note that Cozy Caravan uses a unique stop-motion animation for its style, which people seem to either love or hate. It can make the game feel a bit like it’s lagging, even though it’s not. This is easily turned off in the settings, however, if you find it isn’t a style for you.
Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream
It’s a bit hard to explain what Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream even is, without playing it. Essentially, this social-simulation game features a world filled with Mii characters that you make, and then you get to watch them live their individual little lives while you help them out with their problems. It’s full of silliness, drama, and some of the most ridiculous interactions you could imagine, and is absolutely an engaging way to spend your summer gaming time.
Despite having been recently released, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is surprisingly a Nintendo Switch 1 game rather than being exclusive to the Switch 2.
- Brand
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Nintendo
- Original Release Date
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March 3, 2017
- Original MSRP (USD)
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$299.99, ¥29,980, £279.99, €329.99
- Operating System
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Proprietary, codenamed Horizon
- Storage
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32 – 64 GB, expandable via microSD
- VR Support
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No