While 2026 was supposed to mark the era of new generations, a console released in 2017 discreetly dominates the critical rankings. According to Metacritic, 40% of the five highest-rated games of 2026 are Nintendo Switch exclusives. Two titles out of five, to be precise.
Perfect Tides: Station to Station and Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse occupy second and fifth place, respectively, in the provisional annual rankings. Both available on Nintendo Switch and PC, but absent in native version on Nintendo Switch 2, they relaunch the debate on the transition between generations.
40% of the top 5 2026 on Nintendo Switch
Currently, Metacritic ranks Perfect Tides: Station to Station with a score of 86, placing it as the second best games of 2026. Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse follows with a score of 85, in fifth place. Statistically, this means that 2 of the 5 highest rated games of the year are Nintendo Switch exclusives. A significant figure for a console which is approaching the end of its commercial cycle.
Perfect Tides: Station to Station, the acclaimed independent adventure
Developed by Three Bees studio, Perfect Tides: Station to Station is priced at $20. Sequel to the game Perfect Tides released in 2022, it can be enjoyed independently of the first episode. It is a point-and-click adventure game centered around Mara, an 18-year-old woman. Urban exploration, collection of objects and complex relationships structure a narrative focused on the transition to adulthood. Beyond its Metacritic score of 86, the game has 100% approval on Steam, a strong indicator of player satisfaction.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, the mystery from Square Enix
Priced at $25, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is developed by Square Enix. Independent sequel to Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo (2023), it can be played without prior knowledge. With a Metacritic score of 85 and 95% positive reviews on Steam, the game confirms its solid critical reception. The plot immerses players in a supernatural investigation in the heart of a Japanese region associated with legends of mermaids. The gameplay is based on the multiplicity of points of view and the progressive resolution of a central mystery.
A signal for Switch 2?
If these scores of 85 and 86 could be exceeded by the end of the year, the statistic remains notable: 40% of the current top 5 is based on Switch exclusives. For the Nintendo Switch 2, the absence of native titles in this ranking can be interpreted as a transition delay. The often cited analogy would be that of a new generation which struggles to immediately impose its own references. It remains to be seen whether the next big releases in 2026 will shake up this provisional ranking. In the meantime, the Nintendo Switch proves that a console at the end of its cycle can still dominate the critical rankings.