25 Best Switch Horror Games of All Time

Are you not afraid to scream in terror in public? Do you love the idea of being immersed in your horror experience regardless of where you are? Clearly, the answers are yes, or you wouldn’t be here with us now checking out the best Switch horror games.

The Nintendo Switch is a surprising hybrid console that can do it all. It can make you laugh and cry. Grumble and chuckle. And, yes, even cower in the corner mumbling “It’s only a game. It can’t hurt me.”

We love the Switch for so many reasons, but being able to take our horror experiences on the go is top of that list. Utilize Nintendo’s hybrid console for some spooky delights with this list of the scariest horror games on the Switch.

 

The Best Switch Horror Games

25. Oxenfree

Developer: Night School Studio
Publisher: Night School Studio

Groups of friends are always bridging the gap between our world and the spirit realm, and in Oxenfree, it’s protagonist Alex and his pals that unleash hell. You’d think the simplified visuals would tone down on the uneasiness of exploring Edwards Island, but the military base is a place of darkness, with horrors that threaten the lives of Alex and his friends.

Oxenfree features dynamic conversations that change as the story progresses. Build and tear down relationships with every decision you make and watch as the narrative shifts. Burn enough bridges, and you may just have to face the otherworldly horrors on your own.

If it’s outright horror you’re looking for, you may want to skip Oxenfree. But if you want a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat while hinting at supernatural horrors, Night School Studio has just the game for you.

 

24. Zombie Army 4: Dead War

Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: Rebellion

Hitler may have lost World War II, but that’s only because the Allies got lucky. Adolph never perfected his Thousand-Year Reich. If he had, we’d likely be in a scenario similar to Zombie Army 4: Dead War, fighting off hordes of undead Nazis across a world painted red with the blood of the innocent.

Join the Rebellion to reclaim the world from the zombie threat across a rich and lengthy story that takes you to the edges of Europe and into a hellish realm of evil. Zombie Army 4 is a spinoff of Sniper Elite, and some things carry over, like everyone’s favorite bullet camera. There’s nothing like watching a well-placed round rip through a zombie’s skull.

Dead War is action-packed, spooky, and rewarding. Whether you play through the expansive story mode or dive into the unending Horde Mode, there’s no shortage of content. Character progression gives you something more to strive for as player perks can turn the tide of war.

 

23. MADiSON

Developer: Bloodious Games
Publisher: Bloodious Games

Sometimes, the supernatural just have nothing to contribute but misery. MADiSON pits you in the role of Luca, a hapless individual who’s become the pawn of a deadly demon. Though the devilish fiend wants to control your body to complete a blood-soaked ritual, Luca comes equipped with a mystical camera that’s the key to all that ails him.

Snap a photo and watch the puzzles solve themselves. Of course, it’s up to you to determine where to point the camera as the evil in MADiSON shrouds reality. It’s a neat mechanic that helps separate MADiSON from the droves of similarly-paced indie horror titles.

Expect to be thrilled and chilled as you dig deeper into this nifty little supernatural horror, complete with its fair share of jump scares and ways to make you regret playing it alone.

 

22. Five Nights at Freddy’s: Core Collection

Developer: Steel Wool Studios
Publisher: Maximum Games

At this point, Five Nights at Freddy’s is a stable of horror gaming and doesn’t need much of an introduction. If you’re out of the loop, picture Chuck E. Cheese if the mouse and his mechanical companions were possessed.

The Core Collection features the first five Five Nights at Freddy’s games, from those first nights as a new security guard at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza to Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location, a twist that takes things to Circus Baby’s Entertainment and Rental. The experience doesn’t change much for the Switch version of these jump-scare-filled titles, though the Core Collection does feature console-exclusive achievements and trophies, along with cheats to vary the gameplay a little

Core Collection will be a fun game to play out in public. Eyes will immediately fall upon you when that first scare lifts you out of your seat. Also a great stocking filler if you’re looking for horror gifts.

 

21. In Sound Mind

Developer: We Create Stuff
Publisher: Modus Games

There are few things scarier than your own mind. Think of all the terrible, horrifying things your brain has cooked up in the past, whether it be disastrous scenarios or visions of the fiends that stalk you in the dark. In Sound Mind forces you to explore the deepest reaches of your own psyche, which means facing off against the demons that lurk within.

In Sound Mind leaves behind the haunted houses and delivers a twisted vision of the inner workings of your mind, complete with psychological frights, puzzles, and challenging bosses. You’ll navigate a series of stories and unlock haunting memories that bring to life terrors like living mannequins and unspeakable beasts.

Thankfully, Tonia the cat joins you on this psychological horror, serving as a sort of comforting guide. She may not be able to quell the demons, but We Create Stuff assures that you can pet her. And that’s close enough.

 

20. Detention

Developer: RedCandleGames
Publisher: RedCandleGames

Horror games don’t often grip players with stunning visuals. It’s usually about finding the best way to make hearts race and hands quake. Detention touches on both the visual and horror aspects to flesh out a unique game set in Taiwan in the 1960s. This isn’t some vacation-gone-wrong, however, as the region of Taiwan has been placed under martial law and is ripe with supernatural terrors.

In the already tense setting, players follow two students who soon find the world they once knew has been infested with terrifying creatures. Detention uses the horror genre to tell a gripping story in an atmospheric setting that utilizes elements of East Asian religion, culture, and mythology.

Come for the horror, stay for the educational lesson on Taiwanese history. It’s certainly not what one would expect from a horror title.

 

19. Death Mark

Developer: Experience
Publisher: Aksys Games

It starts with a mark. It ends with death. Death Mark.

That would make for one hell of an action movie tagline, but we’re here for the interactive visual horror novel, Death Mark. After finding yourself marked with the deadly titular blemish, you set out through the streets and dilapidated buildings of Tokyo’s H City to save yourself from a most gruesome fate.

Search through an array of environments, seeking out the clues that will help keep you alive. When the specters of H City get in your way, you’ll have to find the best combination of items found in the world to vanquish them. It’s a strange mix of strategic turn-based combat integrated into a stunning visual novel of horrific proportions.

 

18. Deadly Premonition Origins

Developer: TOYBOX
Publisher: TOYBOX

Admittedly, this isn’t a game for everyone, but it is a game that everyone should try. Deadly Premonition is a strange experience from beginning to end, so-much-so that it’s not easy to lay out what you’re in store for.

What we can say is that some people were killed in a fictional town and you’re there to solve the murders. Everything that unravels beyond that is pure mayhem, but in an entertaining form.

The gameplay isn’t incredibly unique as you’ll point-and-shoot through a number of strange monsters. However, when you’re not killing survival horror’s signature monsters, you’ll be exploring the town of Greenvale and unraveling the mystery through a range of puzzles.

Deadly Premonition Origins is the kind of game you really want to sit down with and allow it to suck you in. Keep all distractions to a minimum and invest in some headphones to get the full experience.

 

17. Friday the 13th: Ultimate Slasher Edition

Developer: Illfonic / Black Tower Studios
Publisher: Gun Media

When Friday the 13th first released, it did so with initially disastrous results. Nintendo Switch owners are able to benefit from the improvements since that messy launch with the Ultimate Slasher Edition. This definitive title comes with all challenges, released content, new counselors, and new versions of Jason to play as, giving you everything PC, PS4, and Xbox One players had to wait for.

Of course, the Switch release isn’t as polished, but it runs fine and you can actually get into matches without issue. Take the mantle as Jason Voorhees or scurry around campsites and iconic locations as counselors in the only real Friday the 13th game to release. That’s right, I’m throwing shade at the NES disasterpiece.

Come for the nostalgia, stay for the brutal slayings as you stalk your prey using a selection of supernatural abilities or scramble to find your way out of this 1980s nightmare.

 

16. Stories Untold

Developer: No Code
Publisher: Devolver Digital

If you’re the type that loves a game with variety, then Stories Untold is definitely worth your time. Driven by its winding and twisted narrative, the unique title features four stories that unfold through different gameplay mechanics. While one tale may take you through an abandoned house via text-based inputs, another will send you spiraling into madness in a point-and-click mystery.

Stories Untold is a great example of retro horror, touching on both without leting them overshadow the core experience. No Code delivers a balanced psychological horror title that blends elements of the genre for a surprisingly deep and innovative title that feels made for gaming on the go.

 

15. Among the Sleep: Enhanced Edition

Developer: Krillbite Studio
Publisher: Soedesco

Some games just refuse to let you feel good about anything. Whether it’s a protagonist that just can’t catch a break or a relatable story that’s dreary and depressing, some developers can’t help but force players to stew in misery. Unfortunately for us, some culprits of this are just too good to pass up, like Among the Sleep.

Do you remember what it was like to feel lost and alone as a child? Well, even if you’ve forgotten, Among the Sleep’s going to make sure you remember as you take control of a two-year-old simply looking for his mother. Unfortunately, once he leaves his crib, the world around him morphs into nightmarish dreamscapes that would make Tim Burton blush.

The deeper the toddler gets into his own horror movie, the deadlier things get as these twisted worlds are inhabited by unstoppable monstrosities. As if navigating the disturbing world with no protection wasn’t enough, Krillbite Studio crafted a story that’s sure to leave players in the foetal position for a few hours after the credits roll.

The Enhanced Edition features new dialogue, improved visuals, and optimized performance that runs well on the Switch.

 

14. Carrion

Developer: Phobia Game Studio
Publisher: Devolver Digital

Dubbed a “reverse horror game,” Carrion puts players in control of an unknown entity escaping from the research facility that’s been holding it captive. Of course, The Moster starts off small, posing a minimal threat to the scientists and military personnel scattered about the facility. However, as the red monstrosity grows, so, too, does its threat level.

To make navigating the world easier, players can upgrade The Monster, giving it powers and abilities that turn it into an unstoppable killing machine. From possessing humans to shooting out deadly tendrils, each upgrade is fun to use and important to progression throughout the facility.

Carrion is brutal and hilarious and infuses elements of The Thing, The Blob, and other classic creature features for a title that feels like a fun and memorable retro horror movie. Even if you’re not thrilled with with the relative simplicity of the game, you’ll at least love the brutality of slaughtering unsuspecting researchers.

 

13. Dead by Daylight

Developer: Behaviour Interactive
Publisher: 505 Games

You know a developer has succeeded when it can make playing as the hapless survivor just as rewarding as playing as the killer. In Dead by Daylight, the two experiences are so very different, but both have their merits.

Of course, as the killer, you enter the playing field with deadly abilities and murderous weapons. Your goal is to kill each of your four prey, survivors that are fodder for the overseeing Entity. Dead by Daylight has a lot going for it, but the fact that you can play as memorable horror icons like Ghostface, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and even the Demogorgon from Stranger Things come out on top.

The survivors have their own helpful skills and tools, which pair nicely with some advantages that keep them from dying instantly. Their task is to power up generators and escape before they become the next sacrifice. Expect a lot of running and hiding, but there is a strategic level to Dead by Daylight that really requires both killer and survivor to think about their next move.

Though Friday the 13th and Dead by Daylight share the same format, they are two very different games. They can – and should – both coexist in your Switch’s memory.

 

12. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water

Developer: Koei Tecmo
Publisher: Koei Tecmo

First released back in 2014, Maiden fo Black Water was a long-awaited sequel to 2008’s Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. Later moved to Nintendo’s handheld console, Maiden of Black continues to carry Fatal Frame’s signature penchent for terrifying players with unexpected ghost encounters. The Camera Obscura is back as the primary weapon against the dead and serves as the focal point of the whole experience. The story is okay, but busting specters with rolls of film rarely gets old.

The Switch port doesn’t change much of the core experience, though it does feature improved visuals, new costumes, and some additional photo features. Maiden of Black added a few new features to the Fatal Frame series, including a “wetness” indicator that increases the camera’s damage and the presence of ghosts around each of the three protagonists.

If you enjoyed tossing your camera about everytime a ghost popped on screen in the original series, then you’re going to love Maiden of Black and appreciate that it stayed true to its roots.

 

11. Darkwood

Developer: Acid Wizard / Crunching Koalas
Publisher: Crunching Koalas

It’s all about atmosphere in this survival horror experience that takes you through some truly dingy environments. Darkwood is the horror game for people that hate jump scares. While you definitely want to play with your earphones on, the game relies heavily on building tension naturally. For the most part, it works well and proves you don’t need things thrown in your face.

The slower-paced title sends players into a world of deadly challenges, where an infestation threatens to consume everyone in its path. Survive by crafting items and holing up in scattered hovels, placed by a random map generator. Creatures of all manners stalk the night, making day your only refuge to scavenge and seek out supplies.

No two experiences are the same, especially with the branching storyline that lets you forge your own tale.

 

10. Inside

Developer: Playdead
Publisher: Playdead

In Inside‘s dark and dreary world, a lone boy evades immense dangers as they escape ruthless pursuers.

The spiritual successor to Playdead’s equally as grim Limbo promises the same heavy themes as you help the boy maneuver through a ruthless and unkind world. The primarily greyscale platformer utilizes lighting and shadows perfectly to create a depressing setting that illustrates the boy’s hopeful quest for freedom.

Trained dogs, unknown horrors, zombie-like people, and social constructs put in place to keep everyone in line threaten the boy’s path. Puzzles and platforming segments are sure to hinder your progress in Inside and the themes are sure to weigh heavy in your heart as you slowly come to realize there there is no happy ending for our nameless protagonist.

 

9. The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season

Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games

Fans may have turned away from AMC’s tiresome television series, but Telltale Games delighted its followers with The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season. This award-winning title introduces players to Robert Kirkman’s world of the undead as Lee Everett, a criminal that finds himself protecting a young girl named Clementine.

Remaining true to its form, Telltale Games made The Walking Dead an interactive graphic adventure. The gameplay admittedly doesn’t have much depth, so many of the actions you take can shift your story and lead you down a different path. What The Walking Dead succeeds most at is beating players down emotionally.

Like the graphic novel and the TV show’s earlier seasons, The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season tricks you into getting close to characters that have no chance of surviving the zombie apocalypse, while also serving as one of the best The Walking Dead games all these years later.

 

8. Bendy and the Ink Machine

Developer: Kindly Beast
Publisher: Kindly Beast

What happens on the inside of your favorite animation studios? Is it a normal ecosystem that thrives on creativity? Or is there something sinister lurking beneath the surface that’s a far cry from its more jovial works? If we’re talking Joey Drew Studios, it’s very much so the latter.

Bendy and the Ink Machine gives us a first-hand glimpse of an animation studio that produces pure horror shows. Follow Henry as he gets sucked into the zany world of Bendy, the once lovable children’s character that’s corrupted into an Ink Demon.

Survive this first-person puzzle adventure to unravel what has happened in the 30 years since Henry worked for Joy Drew and how the mysterious Ink Machine distorted Bendy and friends.

 

7. Amnesia: Collection

Developer: Frictional Games / The Chinese Room
Publisher: Frictional Games

It’s good when you can get three horror experiences for the price of one. It’s even better when trio is made up of quality, memorable experience. The Amnesia: Collection for the Nintendo Switch includes three high-quality horror titles, including The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs, and the expansion for the latter, Justine.

The Dark Descent and A Machine for Pigs are two very different games, with the first release putting nyctophobia (fear of the dark) and sanity in the spotlight. The follow-up changed things quite a bit, allowing players to focus on exploration and puzzles instead of emphasizing running and hiding from enemies.

Each game is a solid horror experience, though players may find the unique gameplay of The Dark Descent to be a bit more varied and engaging than A Machine for Pigs.

 

6. Layers of Fear: Legacy

Developer: Bloober Team S.A.
Publisher: Bloober Team

If you’re a creative person, you know that your mind is always creating new worlds and scenarios. Thankfully, none of them actually come to life. Layers of Fear gives us the chance to find out what it would be like if all of that creative energy spilled over into the real world, altering and twisting our surroundings during our quest to create a masterpiece.

Layers of Fear is a subtly scary game that lets the story play out without distracting players with too-frequent jumpscares and impossibly complex imagery. It’s simple without being boring and without losing that ability to grip players.

Play through a painter’s growing madness and become terrorized yourself by the supernatural elements that let their presence be known. The closer he gets to finishing his gruesome Magnum Opus, the darker things become.

 

5. Dying Light: Platinum Edition

Developer: Techland
Publisher: Techland

The Nintendo Switch continues to impress with its growing library of solid AAA titles. Dying Light is a fine example of how Nintendo is stepping into the modern, open-world gaming space and allowing the hybrid console shine. Sure, it’s not quite as detailed as the PC or console versions, but parkouring over zombie heads and crafting devious weapons in Dying Light: Platinum Edition is just as fun as it was before.

The special edition for the Switch comes with The Following expansion DLC, the Bozak Horde challenge mode, two new quarantine zones, Switch-exclusive weapons, and an all-new game mode set in a fantasy setting.

Whether you’re sitting at home playing on the big screen or taking your zombie slaying on the road, Dying Light: Platinum Edition plays well and likely looks better than most players would expect. Even with the rare drop in frame rate, the game runs smoothly, allowing us to bash in zombie heads no matter where we go.

 

4. Outlast

Developer: Red Barrels
Publisher: Red Barrels

It’s a tale as old as time.

An investigative journalist breaks into a dilapidated, run down asylum at the insistence of a mysterious email alleging human experimentation. Rather than uncover the story of the century, he’s thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse, where he’s the mouse and the escaped inmates of the asylum are very hungry, severely disturbed cats.

Equipped with a video camera, battery-draining night vision, and one helluva threshold for pain, Miles Upshur is trapped within a hellish nightmare, forced to set the story of Mount Massive Asylum aside and escape with his life. In the darkness and cramped halls await the unstable inmates that now run the asylum and are on a perpetual hunt for something to terrorize.

 

3. Little Nightmares

Developer: Tarsier Studios
Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment

Oh the horrors that await in the depths of the Maw.

Guide tiny Six through a world of ironically gigantic nightmares in this puzzle adventure where every twist and turn could lead to your imminent doom. The deeper you get into the oceanic Maw, the scarier things get as ou come face-to-face with disfigured terrors like The Janitor and The Twin Chefs.

You have nothing at your disposal but your small size and quick feet, but it will take some quick thinking to evade the ravenous fiends standing between you and your freedom. Little Nightmares is a dim and unsettling journey that will keep your heart racing.

Character design is an amalgamation of Tim Burton and Tim Schaefer’s most disturbing work, so don’t be surprised if these little nightmares come to find you in your sleep.

The sequel is also well worth checking out.

 

2. Resident Evil 4

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

Must I say anything about Resident Evil 4 at this point? It’s been ported to nearly a dozen consoles after shaking the Resident Evil series up on the GameCube in 2005. Fans of the franchise have raved about it and praised its ingenuity and departure from the tank-like controls of the original trilogy.

The Switch version of Resident Evil 4 is yet another faithful port that lets the game shine on its own, without updated mechanics or anything else that may muddy the waters. Since just about every Resident Evil game is available on the Switch, there is no question as to whether or not players should be diving head first into the spread of the Las Plagas parasite.

Even if you were put off by the slow pacing of the first three Resident Evil games, Resident Evil 4 kicks things up a notch with an over-the-shoulder camera angle that puts a heavier focus on action. It’s still not as action-oriented as Resident Evil 5 or Resident Evil 6, so it remains a true horror game that’s sure to delight and fright.

 

1. Resident Evil Origins Collection

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

Very infrequently do I choose two games from the same series, and this was a choice I wrestled with. However, Resident Evil 4 and the Resident Evil Origins Collection are two completely different animals that it seemed appropriate to mention both. Where Resident Evil 4 took the series in a new direction, the Origins Collection stuck true to its roots, for better and for worse.

Slightly improved tank-like controls are less of a hindrance thanks to reworked camera angles and both Resident Evil and Resident Evil Zero are vast improvements over their original incarnations. Chronicle the events of Alpha and Bravo Team across two acclaimed titles.

First, combat an infestation of mutated leeches as S.T.A.R.S. member Rebecca Chambers and escaped convict Billy Coen. Then, enter a mansion crawling with zombies and B.O.W.s as S.T.A.R.S. officers Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield and uncover the secrets lying beneath the ornate building and within your own ranks.

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