Switch Games for the Non-Gamer in your life

Let's face it, not everyone is as adept at playing video games as you. As supportive as they may be, your parents, siblings, roommates, or significant other may just not have much in the way of video game savvy, and they're definitely not confident enough to jump into a Warzone match with you. But hey, while you're stuck at home, wouldn't it be nice to spend some quality time together, bonding over video games? Yes, it would. Well, here are a few Nintendo Switch games that will help get the non-gamers in your life not only playing, but having fun (without sacrificing any of the fun or challenge on your part).

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

If you've only played one game in your life, it was probably Mario Kart. Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but not much of one. Why is this game so popular? Because it's arguably one of the most accessible games around, and at the same time, it's also one of the deepest and most addictive games ever created (as far as kart racing games go, at least). Put a Joy-Con in your grandma's hands, turn on motion controls (and all assists), and she instantly gets the concept. And yeah, you might still win races against her at first, but give her an hour or two; she'll be drifting around corners on 200cc tracks, while you're in 12th place praying for a blue shell. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe boasts nearly 50 tracks, more than 40 playable characters, tons of customization combinations, and countless hours of fun.

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Super Mario Party

Everyone loves board games. They've been a tried and true way to spend some time fighting with your friends and family for over 5,000 years. Don't believe me? Look it up. Also, if you don't love board games, you're officially removed from the general grouping "everyone" going forward. Nonetheless, Super Mario Party represents the very best in video game/board game hybrids. With a concept that feels familiar to non-gamers, and iconic characters and locations from the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond, this party game is a great way to get the non-gamer in your life playing. The best (worst) part? They won't get steam-rolled by you every time you play, because the game does a great job of balancing your skills in challenging mini-games, with luck-of-the-draw occurences that will keep everyone guessing who the winner will be until the final star is awarded.

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Overcooked! + Overcooked! 2

Ok, so maybe competition isn't your thing, and the best way to get a controller into the hands of the non-gamer in your life is a little cooperation. In that case, allow me to serve you a heaping helping of couch co-op with Overcooked! + Overcooked! 2. Sure, these games look adorable, but don't let that fool you, this series was built to put your teamwork to the test! Together you and another player will coordinate to chop, fry, cook, and serve food under increasingly challenging and chaotic conditions. Since this bundle features both Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2, you'll have access to more than 20 chefs and 75 fun and frantic levels to play through.

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Snipperclips Plus

Staying with the theme of cooperation, but substantially dialing back the chaos, it's the quirky and clever puzzle game, Snipperclips Plus. The game's tagline is "cut it out together," which kind of tells you all you need to know. You and another player will each take control of a character, the appropriately named Snip and Clip, then using simple controls, you'll coordinate to snip and clip each other into different shapes in an effort to solve a series of puzzles. Yes, I realize how gruesome cutting each other up sounds, but I promise, it's far more adorable than you could ever imagine dismemberment might be.

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Enough with all this cooperation, let's fight! Ah, Super Smash Bros., the most hardcore casual game around (it's pronounced "brothers," btw, not "bros." Ask Nintendo, they'll happily corroborate this claim). Super Smash Bros. is to fighting games what Mario Kart is to racing games, taking the core elements of the genre, and reformulating them into something that nearly anybody can pick up and play, but also creating a game that's deep enough to spawn a dedicated competitive community around it. That's a concept that's uniquely Nintendo; they don't make kids games, they make games that are accessible, fun, and challenging for players of all ages and skillsets. It also doesn't hurt that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has the biggest roster of any Smash game ever, packed with well-known Nintendo characters, as well as a plethora of other famous video game characters that even non-gamers will recognize.

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