One of the most popular genres of gaming, it's no secret that players love open-worlds. There's just something so appealing about getting to let loose in a large open space to do whatever players feel like. Whilst the Nintendo Switch does have its fair share of great open-world experiences for players to get lost in, there are also so many great games that haven't made their way to the console yet that were created by non-first-party studios. (Developers not exclusive to Nintendo and other consoles.)

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The Best Open-World Switch Games, Ranked

There are many excellent open-world games on the Nintendo Switch, with the following releases being the best of the best.

For those seeking a list of great open-world games that deserve a port to Nintendo's portable console, look no further. Some ports could benefit from a second chance at life with gamers, but predominantly they'd all be fantastic additions to Nintendo's already great line-up for players to enjoy, but players can't have too much of a good thing!

8 Prototype: Biohazard Bundle

Metascore: 48

The Prototype Biohazard Bundle is a franchise that really deserves a reboot/sequel of its own, but we'd happily settle for a port of the games over to the Nintendo Switch. After all, the game is one of many open-world superhero games, but Prototype 1 and 2 were some of the few great open-world games that made players feel truly powerful.

Players take control of a super-powered shapeshifter in Manhattan infected by a virus that's mutating people into monsters. From there, players quickly level up and learn new destructive powers to obliterate enemies that stand in their way. Plus, the game's movement mechanics made traversing the city a breeze, whether that was sprinting up the sides of skyscrapers or gliding over the city before hurtling to the ground to start an overpowered beat-down on a group of unsuspecting enemies. Pure overpowered bliss.

7 The Saboteur

Metascore: 73

The Saboteur may have slipped by a good few players when it was released back in 2009. Unfortunately, the title was also the final game developed by Pandemic Studios, the very same team that brought players Destroy All Humans! And the beloved Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005). Since then, both games have either received a remaster on newer console generations or rebooted by another studio. This begs the question of what THQ will eventually do about remastering/porting The Saboteur onto Nintendo's portable console.

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Why wouldn't they want to port it over? Players would have plenty to enjoy within the game. The Saboteur puts players in control of Irish racing driver Sean Devlin as he works to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris whilst entertaining himself with a variety of side objectives along the way. The game had plenty of gunfights, races, and covert missions to stealth through. It may not be the most published game on the list, but it offers plenty of open-world fun in a distinct setting for players to get lost in.

6 Batman: Arkham Origins

Metascore: 74

Batman: Arkham Origins is perhaps one of the more obvious choices for a port, especially with the rest of the Arkham Trilogy having already been ported over to the Switch. Whilst the game isn't as revered as Rocksteady's highly applauded trilogy, WB Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins is still a great game in its own right, with plenty of fun combat encounters and even some of the Arkham series' best boss battles.

Yes, the game did launch with an often-forgotten PvP multiplayer mode, which the port would drop, but players wouldn't be missing out, as the best parts of Batman: Arkham Origins were all in the single-player campaign. Whether that was enjoying the entertaining origin story or the sheer fun that came from exploring the open world of Mid-Winter Gotham and fighting crime the only way Batman knows how; with cool gadgets and a lot of punching.

5 The Simpsons: Hit & Run

Metascore: 78

The Simpsons: Hit & Run is a game that will remain on every gamer's wish list for a modern remaster or port to the current gen. The Simpsons: Hit & Run holds a place in many gamers' hearts, and it's not just down to the clever Simpsons writing or nostalgia trips it could offer, or the fact that players enjoyed kicking Milhouse Van Houten repeatedly.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run was A-grade open-world fun, whether that came from the joy of exploring every nook and cranny of Springfield or interacting with the many well-known Simpsons characters. For many, it stands as the best Simpsons game out there, and for that reason alone, it earns its place on this list.

4 Need For Speed: Most Wanted

Metascore: 84

Need For Speed has had many great entries in its long-running history, but the 2012 reboot of Most Wanted delivered one of the most open-world feelings going. The game felt like it just embraced the freedom and exploration that came along with open-world games. There are no cars to purchase or upgrades to be brought. Everything is unlocked by finding them in the HUB world and upgrades are unlocked by completing races and hitting certain milestones with them.

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These Need For Speed games stand out as the best of the lot when it comes to open worlds.

None of that would matter if the racing wasn't good, and that's no problem for 2012's Most Wanted as the game features some of the best arcade racing the series has ever offered. The game's story is also streamlined, keeping players focused on the joy of racing as players will earn speed points to take on the 10 most wanted racers and become number 1. In short, Need for Speed Most Wanted is open-world racing at its finest.

3 Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor

Metascore: 84

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a phenomenal game. There's a reason it won more than its fair share of Game of the Year awards in 2014 back when the game initially launched. That's in part thanks to its great writing, but most notably it was the introduction of the nemesis system that truly elevated Shadow of Mordor to be an essential open-world experience.

The Nemesis System saw the orc hierarchy change depending on their battle outcomes with the player. Slain by a no-named grunt, then players can bet they're getting a promotion, which comes with upgrades, and some taunting dialogue ready for the next time players meet their foe. The system made the game feel personal, and it was all helped by excellent feeling sword combat and a very good Middle Earth story to get absorbed into.

2 Far Cry 3

Metascore: 88

Far Cry 3 was released back in 2012 and went on to set the bar for great villains, but also set the benchmark for Ubisoft's Fary Cry games going forward. The thing is, Far Cry 3 has aged like a fine wine and is still a fantastic game to play right now.

Far Cry: Ranking Every Major Villain From Worst To Best

If there is one thing the Far Cry series is known for, it is for showcasing absolutely compelling villains in every entry of the franchise.

The story placed players in the shoes of Jason Brody, a young American who is captured by pirates whilst on an island trip with his friends. He's then thrust onto the path of becoming a killer in order to help the resistance free the island of its oppressors and rescue his friends. The game has all the usual Far Cry tropes; hunting to improve gear, radio towers to uncover the large map, and stellar gunplay. It's an excellent shooter and an even better open-world adventure, one that would absolutely thrive on the switch, much like Ubisoft's already-ported Assassin's Creed counterparts.

1 Grand Theft Auto 4

Metascore 98

Red Dead Redemption has already made its way over to the Switch successfully, so how could players not want to revisit Grand Theft Auto 4 on the Switch as well? Niko Bellic is one of the most memorable characters in Grand Theft Auto canon and the game is often revered as one of the best games to have ever graced the PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360 era of games.

Rockstar are the kings of open-world gaming. Their games are always packed with an enormous amount of content to engage in and a great many stories to get swept up into alongside the main campaign. Plus, Roman wants to go bowling, and such an activity with the cousin is certainly a good way to spend time whilst waiting for Grand Theft Auto 6.

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