Another month has gone by without Nintendo mentioning the successor to the Switch, so it’s starting to look like it might be a while before we hear anything concrete about it.
Still, that does make a certain kind of sense. While the Switch is certainly aging from a technical perspective, the library for the machine is still growing, and great games like Super Mario RPG and Persona 5 Tactica are keeping it alive and healthy.
December 2023, while nowhere near as packed as previous months in the year, is shaping up to be another solid month for Switch games, so let’s take a look at the best Nintendo Switch titles heading your way in December.
Batman: Arkham Trilogy (December 1st)
In Batman: Arkham Trilogy, you’ll find three stone-cold classics of the superhero action genre, so if you haven’t played these games before, this should be the perfect way to experience them for the first time.
Batman: Arkham Asylum kicks things off with a semi-linear Metroidvania adventure that packs in plenty of Batman references, and it’s many people’s favourite in the series.
The second game, Batman: Arkham City, opens things up and gives Batman a whole section of Gotham City to roam, a philosophy followed by the epic (if slightly undercooked) conclusion, Batman: Arkham Knight.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince (December 1st)
The Dragon Quest Monsters series has always been a robust and highly playable alternative (or companion) to Pokemon, and the newest instalment looks to be continuing that heritage.
In The Dark Prince, you’ll play as Psaro, one of the antagonists of Dragon Quest IV. He’s unable to harm monsters directly, so he must amass a monster army and take charge as its commander.
You’ll raise creatures, fuse them to create new ones, and explore the world of Nadiria, a rich environment full of different biomes through which to wander.
SteamWorld Build (December 1st)
As if you didn’t already have enough to play on Switch on December 1st, here comes SteamWorld Build to mop up anyone who’s still wondering what they should buy just before Christmas.
The SteamWorld games have become a byword for consistent quality, and SteamWorld Build looks to be no different on that front. It’s a city-builder, too, so the genre experimentation of the franchise is in full effect.
Build your city, expand its borders, and go hunting for treasure deep beneath the town, but beware – creepy-crawlies call those mines their home, and they’re not too fond of intruders.
A Highland Song (December 5th)
If you love games like 80 Days, then you’ll almost certainly find lots to like in A Highland Song, the latest adventure from that game’s developer Inkle (which is also responsible for Heaven’s Vault and Overboard).
In A Highland Song, you play as Moira McKinnon, a young girl who has made the decision to run away from home in order to find her Uncle Hamish, who has sent her a letter promising a surprise for her.
You’ll run across the Scottish Highlands, attempting to find food and shelter from inclement weather as you go. This one promises slightly more interactivity than Inkle games are usually known for, but it’ll all rest on the quality of the writing.
Disney Dreamlight Valley (December 5th)
While the likes of A Highland Song promise meaningful, emotionally involved narratives, sometimes you just want to relax with something cosy and inviting.
That’s where Gameloft’s Disney Dreamlight Valley comes in. The game has been available on Switch for a while now, but it’s getting a full release in December, complete with an additional paid DLC pack that you can grab if you want more characters and locations.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a magical experience, perfectly capturing that elusive Disney magic and giving you plenty to tend to as you befriend Disney characters (yes, even villains!).
Outer Wilds (December 7th)
Outer Wilds has been out on other platforms for a while now, but it’s finally making its Switch debut, and if you haven’t played this one yet, you absolutely must.
In this clever time-loop adventure, the sun is about to go supernova, taking your whole universe with it. You’ve got twenty real-time minutes to work out what’s going on, but when you die, you start back at the beginning of those twenty minutes.
What follows is a game of deduction, investigation, and the occasional logical leap, complete with fantastically varied and exciting environments to explore to your heart’s content.
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties: Definitive Edition (December 8th)
Buyer beware: before you pick this up, please make sure to watch a few minutes of it on YouTube to know if it’ll be the kind of thing that appeals to you.
Plumbers Don’t Wear Ties is very much not a good game. This re-release is more of a joke than a genuine attempt to preserve something worthwhile, although it’s still an admirable act of preservation nonetheless.
This is an awful “FMV” adventure that barely has any full-motion video, but it’s good for a laugh or two, especially if enjoyed alongside friends who are game to laugh at it rather than with it.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part Two DLC (December 14th)
The expansion DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet must be bought as part of a two-pack, so you can’t experience The Indigo Disk – which is due in December – without also having purchased The Teal Mask.
Still, if you love Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (as well you should; the games are unfairly maligned for their admittedly poor performance), this DLC will be a must-play.
It’ll add new creatures and locations to the open-world RPG, and while it likely won’t fix any of the graphical or performance woes, it’s bound to bring more joy to the hearts of those who already loved what the base game had to offer.
