Hey there!
You [nominated the games](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/10odv4d/2022_rnintendoswitch_goty_nominations_thread/), and you [voted for them](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/10ywzjd/the_rnintendoswitch_goty_2022_awards_voting_now/), and now that the [votes have been counted](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3AjmYvZAaCZcrjr0Usi0beSXNby3MpGP3hlVgCpZOlKbUkw/viewanalytics), it’s time to see what you thought were the best games in 2022!
—
# Section 1 – Gaming Together
* **Best Online Multiplayer Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Splatoon 3 | 1011 | 59.5% |
| 2 | It Takes Two | 273 | 16.1% |
| 3 | TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge | 184 | 10.8% |
| 4 | Nintendo Switch Sports | 144 | 8.5% |
| 5 | Kirby’s Dream Buffet | 86 | 5.1% |
| Total | – | 1698 | – |
* **Best Local Multiplayer Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | It Takes Two | 699 | 43.0% |
| 2 | TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge | 371 | 22.8% |
| 3 | Portal Companion Collection | 337 | 20.8% |
| 4 | Kirby’s Dream Buffet | 217 | 13.4% |
| Total | – | 1624 | – |
* **Best Family Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 943 | 55.3% |
| 2 | Nintendo Switch Sports | 458 | 26.9% |
| 3 | Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | 304 | 17.8% |
| Total | – | 1705 | – |
—
# Section 2 – Categories by Genre
* **Best Strategy Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope | 621 | 43.1% |
| 2 | Triangle Strategy | 508 | 35.3% |
| 3 | Tactics Ogre Reborn | 162 | 11.2% |
| 4 | Chained Echoes | 112 | 7.8% |
| 5 | Floppy Knights | 38 | 2.6% |
| Total | – | 1441 | – |
* **Best Role Playing Game (RPG)**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 572 | 33.3% |
| 2 | Persona 5 Royal | 442 | 25.7% |
| 3 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | 351 | 20.4% |
| 4 | Pokémon Scarlet and Violet | 187 | 10.9% |
| 5 | Live A Live | 86 | 5.0% |
| 6 | Triangle Strategy | 79 | 4.6% |
| Total | – | 1717 | – |
* **Best Adventure Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | 972 | 59.3% |
| 2 | Tunic | 424 | 25.9% |
| 3 | Return to Monkey Island | 159 | 9.7% |
| 4 | Harvestella | 83 | 5.1% |
| Total | – | 1638 | – |
* **Best Action Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Splatoon 3 | 440 | 27.2% |
| 2 | Bayonetta 3 | 405 | 25.1% |
| 3 | Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes | 242 | 15.0% |
| 4 | Neon White | 215 | 13.3% |
| 5 | TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge | 199 | 12.3% |
| 6 | SIFU | 115 | 7.1% |
| Total | – | 1616 | – |
* **Best Fighting Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge | 713 | 55.6% |
| 2 | Capcom Fighting Collection | 291 | 22.7% |
| 3 | River City Girls 2 | 204 | 15.9% |
| 4 | Them’s Fightin’ Herds | 75 | 5.8% |
| Total | – | 1283 | – |
* **Best Sports / Racing Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Nintendo Switch Sports | 566 | 39.4% |
| 2 | Kirby’s Dream Buffet | 270 | 18.8% |
| 3 | Mario Strikers: Battle League | 242 | 16.8% |
| 4 | OlliOllie World | 206 | 14.3% |
| 5 | Cursed to Golf | 89 | 6.2% |
| 6 | MLB The Show 20 | 65 | 4.5% |
| Total | – | 1438 | – |
* **Best Horror Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Inscryption | 571 | 47.1% |
| 2 | Digimon Survive | 309 | 25.5% |
| 3 | Signalis | 243 | 20.0% |
| 4 | Saturnalia | 89 | 7.3% |
| Total | – | 1212 | – |
* **Best Platformer Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 920 | 57.9% |
| 2 | Sonic Frontiers | 206 | 13.0% |
| 3 | Neon White | 180 | 11.3% |
| 4 | Rogue Legacy 2 | 128 | 8.1% |
| 5 | Shovel Knight Dig | 119 | 7.5% |
| 6 | Tinykin | 35 | 2.2% |
| Total | – | 1588 | – |
* **Best Puzzle Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Portal Companion Collection | 844 | 61.5% |
| 2 | Return to Monkey Island | 269 | 19.6% |
| 3 | Dorf Romantik | 123 | 9.0% |
| 4 | A Little to the Left | 90 | 6.6% |
| 5 | ElecHead | 47 | 3.4% |
| Total | – | 1373 | – |
* **Best Music / Rhythm Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival | 562 | 51.4% |
| 2 | Melatonin | 216 | 19.7% |
| 3 | Soundfall | 174 | 15.9% |
| 4 | The Artful Escape | 142 | 13.0% |
| Total | – | 1094 | – |
* **Best Visual Novel**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim | 434 | 37.7% |
| 2 | Digimon Survive | 264 | 22.9% |
| 3 | AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – nirvanA Initiative | 239 | 20.8% |
| 4 | Aviary Attorney | 116 | 10.1% |
| 5 | I was a Teenage Exocolonist | 98 | 8.5% |
| Total | – | 1151 | – |
* **Best Simulation Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | No Man’s Sky | 633 | 47.3% |
| 2 | Factorio | 431 | 32.2% |
| 3 | Harvestella | 219 | 16.4% |
| 4 | Needy Streamer Overload | 54 | 4.0% |
| Total | – | 1337 | – |
—
# Section 3 – Categories by Qualities
* **Best Soundtrack**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 462 | 29.2% |
| 2 | Persona 5 Royal | 443 | 28.0% |
| 3 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 345 | 21.8% |
| 4 | Nier: Automata | 243 | 15.4% |
| 5 | Triangle Strategy | 44 | 2.8% |
| 5 | Live A Live | 44 | 2.8% |
| Total | – | 1581 | – |
* **Best Art Direction**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 571 | 36.3% |
| 2 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 525 | 33.4% |
| 3 | Tunic | 342 | 21.8% |
| 4 | Signalis | 68 | 4.3% |
| 5 | Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream | 65 | 4.1% |
| Total | – | 1571 | – |
* **Best Narrative**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 603 | 41.7% |
| 2 | The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition | 422 | 29.2% |
| 3 | 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim | 200 | 13.8% |
| 4 | Triangle Strategy | 153 | 10.6% |
| 5 | Chained Echoes | 67 | 4.6% |
| Total | – | 1445 | – |
* **Best Game Direction**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 480 | 30.3% |
| 2 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 451 | 28.5% |
| 3 | Pokémon Scarlet/Violet | 249 | 15.7% |
| 4 | Inscryption | 235 | 14.8% |
| 5 | Neon White | 142 | 9.0% |
| 6 | Tinykin | 26 | 1.6% |
| Total | – | 1583 | – |
* **Best Technical Achievement**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 620 | 41.2% |
| 2 | No Man’s Sky | 396 | 26.3% |
| 3 | Nier: Automata | 346 | 23.0% |
| 4 | Bayonetta 3 | 144 | 9.6% |
| Total | – | 1506 | – |
* **Best Voice Acting**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 595 | 40.2% |
| 2 | Portal 2 | 553 | 37.4% |
| 3 | Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes | 186 | 12.6% |
| 4 | Triangle Strategy | 101 | 6.8% |
| 5 | Neon White | 45 | 3.0% |
| Total | – | 1480 | – |
—
# Section 4 – Release Categories
* **Best Re-Release / Re-master**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Persona 5 Royal | 527 | 33.0% |
| 2 | Portal Companion Collection | 376 | 23.6% |
| 3 | Nier: Automata | 249 | 15.6% |
| 4 | Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe | 177 | 11.1% |
| 5 | Live A Live | 171 | 10.7% |
| 6 | Tactics Ogre Reborn | 96 | 6.0% |
| Total | – | 1596 | – |
* **Nintendo Switch Exclusive Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 491 | 28.3% |
| 2 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | 423 | 24.4% |
| 3 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 403 | 23.2% |
| 4 | Splatoon 3 | 287 | 16.5% |
| 5 | Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope | 79 | 4.5% |
| 6 | Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes | 54 | 3.1% |
| Total | – | 1737 | – |
* **Best Non-Switch Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Elden Ring | 867 | 56.3% |
| 2 | Stray | 259 | 16.8% |
| 3 | God of War Ragnarok | 258 | 16.8% |
| 4 | Horizon Forbidden West | 123 | 8.0% |
| 5 | Pentiment | 32 | 2.1% |
| Total | – | 1539 | – |
* **Best DLC**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass | 731 | 45.4% |
| 2 | Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course | 369 | 22.9% |
| 3 | Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak | 326 | 20.3% |
| 4 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Expansion Pass | 183 | 11.4% |
| Total | – | 1609 | – |
* **Best Ongoing Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 769 | 45.4% |
| 2 | Dead Cells | 381 | 22.5% |
| 3 | Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak | 259 | 15.3% |
| 4 | No Man’s Sky | 175 | 10.3% |
| 5 | Fortnite | 92 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Snowrunner | 16 | 0.9% |
| Total | – | 1692 | – |
* **Best Indie Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Cult of the Lamb | 425 | 29.2% |
| 2 | Tunic | 350 | 24.0% |
| 3 | Inscryption | 241 | 16.5% |
| 4 | Neon White | 214 | 14.7% |
| 5 | Chained Echoes | 167 | 11.5% |
| 6 | Lil Gator Game | 60 | 4.1% |
| Total | – | 1457 | – |
* **Best Free-to-Play Game**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Fall Guys | 921 | 69.4% |
| 2 | Overwatch 2 | 285 | 21.5% |
| 3 | Guardian Tales | 122 | 9.2% |
| Total | – | 1328 | – |
—
# Section 5 – Final Section
* **Developer of the Year**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Monolith Soft | 711 | 54.4% |
| 2 | Platinum | 308 | 23.6% |
| 3 | Ubisoft Milan | 147 | 11.3% |
| 4 | Ben Esposito | 83 | 6.4% |
| 5 | Matthias Linda | 57 | 4.4% |
| Total | – | 1306 | – |
* **3rd Party Publisher of the Year**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Square Enix | 583 | 39.5% |
| 2 | Atlus | 421 | 28.5% |
| 3 | Devolver Digital | 316 | 21.4% |
| 4 | Annapurna Interactive | 155 | 10.5% |
| Total | – | 1475 | – |
* **Nintendo Switch Game of the Year**
| Rank | Name | Votes | Percent |
| — | — | –: | –: |
| 1 | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | 532 | 31.5% |
| 2 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 486 | 28.7% |
| 3 | Pokémon Legends: Arceus | 444 | 26.3% |
| 4 | Triangle Strategy | 91 | 5.4% |
| 4 | Neon White | 91 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Chained Echoes | 47 | 2.8% |
| Total | – | 1691 | – |
That’s it! You can also find this list on our wiki at https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/wiki/bestof/2022
Congratulations to all the winners, and we are open to feedback to make this run smoother in the future.
—
On a related note, [one of the suggestions we have been pondering](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/10dww6r/2022_rnintendoswitch_goty_award_category_feedback/) has been to run a series of posts for Best Games across all years – what categories would you like to see in such a series of posts, whether from the above categories or not?
by NintendoSwitchMods
30 Comments
I’m surprised Neon White was even in the top five for voice acting
Is Mario and rabids actually that good, or is it just the one people played most? Legitimately asking. Chained Echoes was amazing and ogre tactics is a classic so if Mario rabbids is that amazing it beats a lot of the RPG heavy hitters, I’ll have to get it. But I’m worried it’s just the most accessible so people vote for it without playing the others
Lol that section 3 though. XBC3 just dominating.
Monolith Soft is truly a gem. I hope they continue delivering quality games for many, many years more.
As a Xenoblade Chronicles 3 fan who likes saying Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and reading Xenoblade Chronicles 3, I’m pleased to see Xenoblade Chronicles 3 strongly represented, and for the next ten minutes (at least), I feel a strong fondness for the sub and all within it.
Wow I did not expect Xenoblade to score this many top spots.
That’s super impressive considering the franchise is still quite niche overall with somewhat average sales numbers (compared to other JRPGs like Persona, Nier, and even Fire Emblem)
It just goes to show that a small but dedicated fanbase goes a long way.
Glad to see Kirby and the Forgotten Land getting the praise it deserves. Instant Nintendo classic, from its music to its gameplay and amazing level design
I guess… i should buy XBC3 then?
Woooo Xenoblade Chronicles 3 sweep
Nice, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 won a lot.
Sad to see how hard people slept on LiveALive
Love Kirby and Arceus. Looks like I gotta scoop XC3
Anyone who’s played Digimon Survive wanna clue me in on how that’s classified as a horror game? Is the Survive portion taken very literally here?
I really hope they give Pokemon Legends another shot as a spinoff series. The game has some problems but it did a lot right and I still enjoyed the setting and flavor of gameplay a lot. Those graphics though yeesh.
This just shows how few people played chained echoes
Neon White not making the top 5 for Best Soundtrack is absolutely criminal, that OST is 100% certified bangers from start to finish.
Glad to see P5R. Finished it like 2 or 3 weeks ago on Switch.
One of my top games of all time. Masterpiece.
Why the fuck is the winner of the fighting game category not a fighting game?!
Never played any of the xenoblades until 3. I spent seven months playing that game almost 200hours lol.
HELL, YEAH, my fave Pokemon Legends Arceus KILLED IT! >:D
Signalis not getting horror game of the year is a goddamn travesty
xenoblade finally, FINALLY, receive the love it deserve!
Triangle Strategy truly is one of the best games I’ve played.
I love seeing Chained Echoes get the love it deserves (actually the best indie of 2022, check it out if you haven’t) but in what dimension is it a strategy game? It’s a turn-based RPG.
And don’t give me that “oh there’s strategy in turn-based combat” cuz with that logic every game could be a “strategy game” as it would have “strategy”. If I’m not mistaken, Tactics games is proper genre title. If I’m wrong and forgot my meds again please correct me.
Still either way you slice it Chained Echoes ain’t a strategy game by definition, it’s the second best rpg of last year right behind Xenoblade 3 tho!
I didn’t know that Digimon Survive was a horror game.
Super Mario Brothers 2!
This Xenoblade Chronicles game seems decent, might give it a go
I’m really feeling it!
Lol where is all the hate for xenoblade suddenly coming from?
in every award topic it gets trashed hard, I’m confused.
*sees a Digimon game in the horror category*
Hold up, what????? I either need to look into this game or there’s really no good horror on the switch lmao