Skipping town and starting over somewhere new is never easy, and being immediately placed into indentured servitude and called annoying by all your neighbors certainly doesn’t help. But that’s exactly how 2002’sAnimal Crossing begins. Somehow, I find this to be one of the most charming introductions to a game series ever made, and, on a nostalgic lark, I recently ventured back to start a new town. As someone who also just began a fresh Animal Crossing: New Horizons island ahead of the 3.0 update, it was hard not to compare its opening with that of the original, especially because the differences are hilariously stark.

From cosy museums and tropical islands to nightmarishly difficult adventures – and revamps of favourites including Mario Kart and Pokémon – there’s something for everyone

Nintendo’s newest console has been out for a less than a year but it already boasts an impressive catalogue of excellent new games, as well as a variety of enhanced Switch greats. Here’s our selection of the 15 best titles currently on offer, ranging from family favourites to grittier, more adult challenges.

Developed by Wishes Ultd., Greg Lobanov, Alexis Dean-Jones, Lena Raine, Madeline Berger, and A Shell in the Pit, Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a top-down adventure game in a coloring book world full of vibrant, animal-like characters. In the world of Picnic Province, Chicory, superstar artist and wielder of the Brush, is missing, and all the color in the land vanished with her. As Chicory's biggest fan, players are tasked with picking up the Brush and filling in for her, using their newfound painting powers to explore, solve puzzles, make friends, and draw on anything. It's the perfect blend of The Legend of Zelda's iconic puzzle-solving progression and Animal Crossing's cozy charm, and yet it is still somehow one of the gaming industry's best-kept secrets.