Yes people, I’m back. It’s almost Thanksgiving and Christmas season, so for the third year in a row I’m giving you a toplist for visual novels on the switch! This so that you will have an idea what to read/play during the upcoming holiday periods!
There was a moment I was doubting releasing this type of list again, but then I noticed a number of new VNs getting really good scores, and I noticed the Visual Novel DataBase (VNDB) has updated its algorithm to calculate the “weighted score”. Those two things combined have resulted in a *very* different top 100 list compared to the list of [last year](https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/yzhnz7/top_100_visual_novels_released_on_the_switch_2022/).
This time, instead of adding individual eShop links to every entry, I’ve thrown all 100 titles into a **DekuDeals** list from the beginning, which you can find here: [https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/k5ttmr](https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/k5ttmr)
Some rules/notes:
* Placement in this list based on vndb’s weighted score rating. Is this perfect? No, far from it. VNDB has its issues (e.g. not allowing 13 Sentinels). But since not every visual novel has a metacritic score, this is the best possible alternative.
* Next to each title, I will list the placement last year and how much its position has changed. I’ll also note if it’s a new game, or wasn’t part of the top 100 last year.
* If a bundle is available on the eShop, I will list the bundle instead of each individual game. Better deal and more games to give a spotlight as a result. Physical bundles (e.g. Danganronpa Decadence) will be ignored, since those can go out of stock.
* Only games available or released in 2023 are listed. Unconfirmed/2024 releases are not listed.
* Only games that officially have English support are listed. So no Christmas Tina, for example.
* Games marked with an asterisk (\*) are only available on Asian eShops, but have full English support.
* **Note**: Not every port/translations on Switch is great (\*cough\*Akai Ito\*cough\*). I have named the specific edition so that people can compare to listings on other platforms if they’re unsure.
* I’ll give a few “detail specific” top 10s in a comment underneath this.
Now without further ado, let’s list them up!
1. **Steins;Gate** Elite Edition→ 1 ( = )
2. **The House in Fata Morgana**: Dream of the Revenants Edition → 2 ( = )
3. **Jack Jeanne** → (new in 2023)
4. **The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles** → 5 ( +1 )
5. **Clannad** → 3 ( -2 )
6. **Witch on the Holy night** → 7 ( +1 )
7. **Little Busters!** Converted Edition → 4 ( -3 )
8. **Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy** → 6 ( -2 )
9. **The Silver Case 2425** → 22 ( +13 )
10. **Hashihime of Old Book Town** → 11 ( +1 )
11. **The Grisaia Trilogy** → 8 ( -3 )
12. **Chaos;Head Noah / Chaos;Child** Double Pack → 10 ( -2 )
13. **Aokana -Four Rhythms Across the Blue-** → 9 ( -4 )
14. **Taisho x Alice All in One** → 18 ( +4 )
15. **Collar X Malice** → 12 ( -3 )
16. **Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society** → (new in 2023)
17. **Cupid Parasite** → 26 ( +9 )
18. **Even If Tempest** → 48 ( +29 )
19. **Akai Ito** HD REMASTER → (new in 2023)
20. **Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair** Anniversary Edition → 13 ( -8 )
21. **Code: Realize \~Guardian of Rebirth\~** → 14 ( -8 )
22. **SeaBed** → 19 ( -4 )
23. **Virche Evermore: -ErroR:salvation-** → (new in 2023)
24. **Hana Awase** → (new in 2023, various titles VNDB lists as 1)
25. **YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of this World** → 16 ( -9 )
26. **Steins;Gate 0** → 15 ( -11 )
27. **Raging Loop** → 17 ( -10 )
28. **Butterfly’s Poison; Blood Chains** → 36 ( +8 )
29. **VA-11 HALL-A** → 20 ( -9 )
30. **Piofiore: Episodio 1926** → 82 ( +52 )
31. **Bustafellows** → 28 ( -3 )
32. **Olympia Soiree** → 30 ( -2 )
33. **ATRI – My Dear Moments – (\*)** → 21 ( -12 )
34. **Grisaia: Phantom Trigger 5.5 – 8** → (PT8 is new in 2023, also New bundle)
35. **AI: The Somnium Files** → 23 ( -12 )
36. **Even if TEMPEST: Dawning Connections** → (new in 2023)
37. **Hush Hush** → (new in 2023)
38. **planetarian** → 24 ( -14 )
39. **Root Double -Before Crime \* After Days-** → 27 ( -12 )
40. **Collar x Malice -Unlimited-** → 40 =
41. **Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei** → 44 ( +3 )
42. **Cafe Enchante** → 41 ( -1 )
43. **Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony** Anniversary Edition → 25 ( -18 )
44. **Island** → 29 ( -15 )
45. **Anonymous;Code** → (new in 2023)
46. **Sable’s Grimoire: A Dragon’s Treasure** → (new in 2023)
47. **BLAZBLUE CENTRALFICTION** Special Edition → 46 ( -1 )
48. **Robotics;Notes** Elite → 35 ( -13 )
49. **fault – milestone two side: above** → 32 ( -17 )
50. **Aoi shiro** HD REMASTER → (new in 2023, remark)
51. **Nurse Love Syndrome** → 53 ( +2 )
52. **Suzerain** → (+100 / Not listed last year)
53. **Senren \* Banka** → 33 ( -20 )
54. **ghostpia Season One** → (new in 2023)
55. **If My Heart Had Wings** → 34 ( -21 )
56. **Code: Realize \~Future Blessings**\~ → 50 ( -6 )
57. **Nightshade / Hyakka Hyakurou** → 37 ( -20 )
58. **Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc** Anniversary Edition → 31 ( -27 )
59. **Marco & the Galaxy Dragon** → 39 ( -20 )
60. **Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk** → (+100 / Not listed last year)
61. **Maitetsu -pure station** → 38 ( -23 )
62. **Mary Skelter 2** (with **Mary Skelter 1** as in-game free DLC) → 83 ( +21 )
63. **Mystery lover – nonexistent summer** → (new in 2023)
64. **OPUS: Echo of Starsong** \- Full Bloom Edition → (+100 / Not listed last year)
65. **Paranormasight: The Severn mysteries of Honjo** → (new in 2023)
66. **Norn 9: Last Era** → (new in 2023)
67. **Code: Realize \~Wintertide Miracles** → 62 ( -5 )
68. **Aquadine** → 78 ( +10 )
69. **I was a teenage exocolonist** → (+100 / Not listed last year)
70. **Fatal Twelve** → 45 ( -25 )
71. **Radiant Tale** → (new in 2023)
72. **Spirit Hunter: NG** → 58 ( -14 )
73. **Gnosia** → 42 ( -31 )
74. **Heart of the Woods** → 52 ( -22 )
75. **Corpse Party** Blood Covered Edition → 43 ( -32 )
76. **Fault – StP – Lightcravte** → 98 ( +12 )
77. **Sable’s Grimoire: Man and Elf** → (new in 2023)
78. **NekoPara Vol.4** → 49 ( -29 )
79. **World End Economica** → 51 ( -28 )
80. **Tomoyo After \~It’s a Wonderful Life\~** CS Edition → 47 ( -33 )
81. **Taisho x Alice: Heads & Tails** → (new in 2023)
82. **Sable’s Grimoire** → 94 ( +11 )
83. **Piofiore: Fated Memories** → 56 ( -27 )
84. **The Crimson Flower That Divides: Lunar Coupling** → (new in 2023)
85. **Famicom Detective Club: The two-case collection** → 68 ( -17 )
86. **Amnesia: Later x Crowd** → 87 ( +1 )
87. **Eliza** → 76 ( -11 )
88. **Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy** → (+100 / Not listed last year)
89. **Adabana Odd Tales (\*)** → 66 ( -23 )
90. **Will: A Wonderful World** → 57 ( -33 )
91. **Nurse Love Addiction** → 60 ( -31 )
92. **Yumeutsutsu Re:Master** → 69 ( -23 )
93. **Grisaia: Phantom Trigger 01 to 05** → 65 ( -28 )
94. **Perfect Gold: The Alchemy of Happiness** → 81 ( -14 )
95. **AI: The Somnium Files – nirvanA Initiative** → 54 ( -41 )
96. **Norn 9: Var Commons** → (new in 2023)
97. **Milk inide a bag of milk inside a bag of milk** → (+100 / Not listed last year)
98. **80 Days** → 97 ( -1 )
99. **Spirit Hunter: Death Mark** → 67 ( -32 )
100. **Miracle Snack Shop** → 96 ( -4 )
For reference: Every Visual novels that I have found in my years of scouring the Nintendo eShop can be found in the following DekuDeals list: [https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/89kscx](https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/89kscx)
I’ll see you in the comments to have yearly discussions on why BlazBlue is in this top 100 and 13 Sentinels isn’t. 😅
by MaJuV
20 Comments
As promised, a few custom Toplists
**Top 10 Otome Games**
Because the list of Otome games on Switch grows very large, I’ve also created a DekuDeals lit to keep track of this. [https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/3cr8sj](https://www.dekudeals.com/lists/3cr8sj)
* Jack Jeanne
* Taisho x Alice All in One
* Collar X Malice
* Cupid Parasite
* Even If Tempest
* Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~
* Virche Evermore: -ErroR:salvation-
* Hana Awase
* Butterfly’s Poison; Blood Chains
* Bustafellows
**Top 10 Yuri games**
* Akai Ito & Aoi Shiro HD REMASTER
* Please be happy
* SeaBed
* Nurse Love Syndrome
* Heart of the Woods
* Nurse Love Addiction
* Yumeutsutsu Re:Master
* Perfect Gold: The Alchemy of Happiness
* Blackberry Honey
* A little lily Princess
**Top 10 2023 releases**
2023 has been a big year for VN’s, with over 100 new titles added. These are the highest rated ones:
* Jack Jeanne
* Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society
* Akai Ito & Aoi Shiro HD REMASTER
* Virche Evermore: -ErroR:salvation-
* Hana Awase
* Grisaia: Phantom Trigger Volume 8
* Even if TEMPEST: Dawning Connections
* Hush Hush
* Sable’s Grimoire: A Dragon’s Treasure
* Anonymous;Code
**Biggest surprise this year:**
**Paranormasight: The Seven mysteries of Honjo**, without a doubt as well. **Square Enix** making a horror Visual Novel is virtually unhard of. This game actually being *GOOD*, was thus a big surprise as a direct result. Check it out!
**Top 10 upcoming VNs**
Bookmark or wishlist the following!
* Tsukihime – A Piece of Blue Glass Moon (2024)
* Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Tsuzuri (February 29, 2024)
* Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Jan 25, 2024)
* Tengoku Struggle – Strayside – (April 2024)
* Metro PD: Close to you (November 30th, 2023)
* One. (Remake of ONE ~To the Radiant Season~) (December 22, 2023)
* My next life as a Villainess: All routes lead to doom! -Pirates of the disturbance- (November 28, 2023)
* KonoSuba – Love For These Clothes Of Desire! (February 08, 2024)
* Another Code™: Recollection (January 19, 2024)
* Synthetic Lover (December 22, 2023)
**Top 10 visual novels that just didn’t make the top 100**
In other words, nr 101-110:
* Steam Prison (nr 70 last year)
* Fragment’s note+ 2 (new in 2023)
* Needy Streamer Overload (nr 64 last year)
* NekoPara Vol. 3 (nr 59 last year)
* Fault -Milestone One (nr 61 last year)
* The Language of Love (nr 80 last year)
* Athanasy (new in 2023)
* Seventh Lair (new in 2023)
* Mask of the rose (new in 2023)
* WorldEnd Syndrome (nr 72 last year)
​
**Biggest disappointments this year:**
**Akai Ito & Aoi Shiro HD REMASTER**: Without a doubt The BIGGEST disappointment this year was the HD remaster of these two classics. The EN translation is stiff and literal, and is not well received by the fans of the original. the physical edition is available in the west through *Strictly Limited Games*. But due to the poor reception, this limited run has NOT sold well at all.
**Gnosia** being removed from the VNDB. Arguably one of the bigger controversies on the VNDB this past year (not saying much, I know). There’s always arguments on what does or does not make a visual novel. Discussions have been had. Due to those discussions, Gnosia was removed from the DB. It was truly a sad day for all Gnosia fans. It remains listed here, with its historic score permanently etched.
**Witch’s Garden**: This is the first Visual Novel since **Christmas Tina** that somehow succeeds in getitng published on the Worldwide eShop ***without*** having an English translation. How that is possible, I have NO clue.
**Disaster Detective Saiga: An Indescribable Mystery**: A new studio, a new game, with lots of top talent, voice acted and even an English translation from the start… that ended up being a machine/stiff translation. Any chance of this receiving any hype was immediately flushed down the drain.
Anything **CyberStep** releases. They’re all machine translations and each and every one is bad. Since last year they’ve released (checks notes) 18 visual novels, all machine translated in like 12 languages. They’ve paused their worldwide releases at the moment, but they’re still active in Japan. Who knows what next year will bring.
No Hatoful Boyfriend??? I’m out.
Thank you for this.
Im slowly getting into visual novels and ill go through this list.
Its kinda daunting for me to start a long VN. Do you guys stick to one VN untill you are finished or do you play other games aswell?
Im considering house in fata morgana. I have heard so much positive about it.
Oh they’re making the VN “Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi”??!! I need to save this. I remember reading a bit of the manga so the name seemed familiar.
I feel like 13 Sentinels is as close as I will get to a VN, it felt like it was most of the way there anyway. I have saved this list though, just in case I dive in!
Looking forward to Another Code next year. Was not expecting a remake of it when it was announced
Okay thanks for this I just finished 13 sentinels and am looking for more VNs as they have this chill vibe after a tough day at work.
However I missed the last yearly discussion. What criteria does vndb have that allows blazblue but not 13 sentinels?
God I cannot wait for Tsukihime. The original is a flawed game with a lot of potential (and awful sex scenes dear god) but I hear the expanded version presented in the remake does so much for it. Unfortunately it also doesn’t apparently hit the highs of Witch on the Holy Night, animation-wise, but I’m still mad excited.
ls jack jeanne good? do you think l could enjoy it as a male?
Thanks for making this. I’ve never heard of most of these but now I have a lot to add to my wishlist.
The House in Fata Morgana definitely deserve it’s high ranking. Phenomenal story with a massive amount of content. Great Ace Attorney is huge, too.
Paranormasight released earlier this year was phenomenal. I hope they make it a series.
Raging Loop would be higher than 27th if it just stuck the landing at the end. I loved 85% of it, but I can’t pretend I wasn’t a little underwhelmed by the ending. Just so anyone reading this understands, I’m someone who believes that a bad ending can really spoil the entire experience of a VN, and I would still HIGHLY recommend Raging Loop. It’s that good. Too much of it is too good to be missed.
PLAY JACK JEANNE GUYS!!!! IT’S GREAT!!!!!!!
Like seeing some more otome games up there gaining popularity.
YOU CAN READ ON THE SWITCH?!
The House in Fata Morgana is a fucking masterpiece.
By my estimates Va11 Hall-A is about 28 spots lower than it should be, but otherwise pretty good list! /s
I don’t know anything about this genre. I’m willing to try one, but the often 30+ hour time commitment is intimidating. Can you recommend a good short one?
As someone who has *read* over 100 proper visual novels, let me add a few notes to this.
Firstly, be aware that, minus Steins;Gate (can’t recall if 0 needs one or not), all of the Sci;Adv series gets fan patched on PC because they always have a ton of issues and continuity errors. I really can’t speak to your mileage playing the Switch version. If you can’t do PC, but have one of these, I’d look into their Steam Deck viability instead. I wanna say, but don’t quote me on this, that the same people making the fan patches worked on making sure the titles were Steam Deck compatible, because they’re fucking awesome people.
If My Heart Had Wings – This is the most prominent bastardized translation recent VN history. While I only warn you of potential hickups on the Sci;Adv series, I am actively warning you away from any unpatched version of this. The translators gutted and rewrote an entire route, on top of cutting many jokes across the entire VN. It’s the very definition of needless changes. You’ll love the old excuse that was a meme for a few years which the CEO gave out in response to the controversy. Are you ready? “But what if a 12 year old French girl wanted to read this?” Can’t make this shit up. But yeah, a lot of people adore this VN for its passion about its subject matter, so read on PC with a patch if you can.
Aokana -Four Rhythms Across the Blue – Personally, I’d say read +18 version of this, because what I consider the best route would be lesser without it. If you don’t care about something that small though, it’s still worth reading on Switch. This is one of my all time favorite VN’s, if not *the* favorite, it’s a work of insane love and quality.
Maitetsu -pure station – This VN… is a huge lolicon thing with the 18+ content, it’s very, very degenerate, so here’s a rare case where I do actually recommend the Switch/all ages version. You don’t need the adult content, you don’t want to know about the adult content, just enjoy reading the educational train facts.
Think that’s everything on the list which I know has problems. Anything I haven’t mentioned, just assume there’s no issues with a console port of it, or that any issues there may be are purely preferential.
Let me know if anybody is interested in hearing positives about titles on this list as well. I can certainly recommend some based on my own reading experience.
The fact that you put danganronpa 2 above the others fills me with unbridled rage.