Much of Sony’s success in the console market can be traced back to the many excellent PlayStation exclusive IPs. With some of them having been with the console line since the very beginning, they can effectively put players in a position where not purchasing the latest PlayStation console can prevent them from playing future entries in their all-time favorite franchises; franchises likeThe Last of Us,Marvel’s Spider-ManandGod of War.
RELATED:Great Games That Are Worse On Switch (According To Metacritic)
Since its debut back in 2005, the latter has boasted some of the very best hack and slash combat in gaming and has regularly backed this up with interesting narratives thatborrow heavily from mythology. While undoubtedly one of the finest though, the series is far from the only one to have mastered satisfying hack and slash combat and many of the others are not exclusive to Sony consoles. In fact, some ofthe very best hack and slash gamesare on theNintendo Switch.
Updated June 09, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Nintendo’s success can be attributed to its excellent selection of first-party exclusives, with titles like Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild proving that there’s more to making a great video game than just a powerful console. That said, there are one or two gaps in the company’s extensive library of noteworthy IPs, particularly when it comes tohack and slash games like God of War. Thankfully, however, there are plenty of excellent second and third-party titles on the Switch that can deliver a similar thrill, with many of them combining hack and slash combat with more traditional action RPG mechanics to surprisingly good effect.
18Hades
Other thanThe Last of Us 2, it’s difficult to think of any 2020 games that won quite as many game of the year awards asHades. There’s a very good reason for that too, as Supergiant Games' mythology-inspired roguelike is one of the most unique and the most enjoyable games to have come out of the current decade.
Players are placed into the shoes of Hades' son Zagreus and tasked with escaping from the underworld to reach Mount Olympus. Using the hack and slash combat system, they’ll need to defeat bothgodsand mythical creatures along the way, making it incredibly reminiscent of Sony’sGod of Wargames in certain places.
When it comes to presentation,Dead Cellsis a far cry fromsome of the more recentGod of War titles, but that’s not to say that it isn’t still a good-looking game in places. The 2D art style has its own charm and lends itself surprisingly well to the game’s simple yet enjoyable hack and slash combat system.
Dead Cellsborrows mechanics from the roguelike and Metroidvania genres and also incorporates some Souls-like elements too. Granted, its plot is nothing to write home about, but its gameplay is highly enjoyable and, for a while, at least, will keep players coming back for more.
16Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
With fantastic hack and slash combat and a dark fantasy world that’sheavily inspired by Norse Mythology,Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrificeis a must-play for those who enjoy the most recent God of War game. How exactlyNinja Theorywas able to make it look quite as good as it does given the game’s modest budget is a real mystery, but one that players needn’t really concern themselves with.
RELATED:Great AA Games You Can Play On The Xbox Series X/S
This high visual fidelity does seem to have come at the cost of non-linear gameplay, yet this isn’t particularly detrimental to the overall experience. The story is fantastic, as too isthe way that the title depicts psychosis; a theme that seems likely to resurface when the game’s sequel finally arrives. Unfortunately,Hellblade IIwill be an Xbox exclusive at launch, but players can still enjoy the first game on Switch.
15Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Most people know Shulk from his appearances in theSmash Bros.games, but his video game debut actually came more than a decade ago inXenoblade Chroniclesfor the Nintendo Wii. To call it a hidden gem would perhaps be doing it a disservice as plenty of people have played it, but nowhere near as many asa game of this qualitydeserves.
Thanks to the release ofXenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, that’s slowly but surely changing, with more and more people discovering the joys of theXenofranchise. The “definitive” in the title isn’t lying either, withimprovements made to the gamein just about every department. It’s more action RPG than hack and slash, but the combat is still every bit as satisfying as it would be if it were strictly the latter.
14Children of Morta
Children of Mortais a beautifully presented game that combines elements from multiple genres, with action RPG mechanics, roguelike qualities, and visuals reminiscent of some ofthe fantastic point-and-click games of yesteryear. Players shouldn’t allow the game’s simplistic art style to deceive them though, as there’s a ridiculous amount of depth and delicacy woven into its combat mechanics.
Whether playing solo or with a friend,Children of Mortamanages to be both challenging and rewarding in equal measures. It’s fun to play in short bursts, but can very easily suck players in if they allow it to, with five minutes quickly turning into five hours if they’re not careful. It’s a lot more forgiving thanother games of its ilktoo, making it a great roguelike for people who don’t necessarily like roguelikes.
13Dark Souls Remastered
Although remnants still remain, the latestGod of Wartitle is a lot less combat-oriented than some ofits predecessors, with Sony’s Santa Monica Studio instead opting to focus more on narrative and visuals above all else. The results speak for themselves, though it did leave some players yearning for the days of bloodthirsty Kratos. For those people,Dark Souls Remasteredmight just serve as the perfect middle ground.
RELATED:Elden Ring And Other Souls-Like Games We Hope To See In 2022
Granted, players will definitely need to put a lot more thought into each hack and slash that they dish out and will likely die a lot more than they would in aGod of Wargame too. Over time though, players will learn to masterDark Souls' combat; at which point the experience can become incredibly rewarding. Likethe Gods slain by Kratos,each boss provides its own unique challenges, and rising to them can serve as an excellent litmus test for player skill.
12Persona 5 Strikers
Few could have predicted justhow successfulPersona 5and itsRoyaledition would end up being, particularly when considering the west’s largely lackluster response to earlierPersonaandShin Megami Tenseititles. Sadly, the former’s fifth mainline entry looks unlikely to ever come to the Switch, but the console’s owners can at least enjoy its hack and slash style spin-off,Persona 5 Strikers.
Though the game still maintains many of the RPG mechanics found in the mainline series, including turn-based combat, these are supplemented by all of the hack and slash goodness from Musou games likeDynasty Warriors. These elements combine surprisingly well, offering upa delightfully unique experiencethat celebrates the best of both worlds. The combat is far from revolutionary, but should provide enoughdepth and challengeto keep most players engaged.
11Darksiders Genesis
Darksiders Genesisisn’t a particularly ambitious game when it comes to innovation, with developer Airship Syndicate instead opting to stick largely to the tried and tested hack and slash formula that’s been around for years. That’s not to say that it isn’t still a great game though, as just about everything that the title does do, it does incredibly well.
Those who are looking for a game that’s loaded with fantastic combat and the occasional puzzle will have a lot of fun withDarksidersGenesis, particularly if they can find somebody to play through it with them. The co-op combat is incredibly satisfying and there are more than enough enemies for two players to tear through. At around 15 hours, it might be a little short for some people’s tastes andthe overhead camera can be frustrating at times, but its well-implemented combat mechanics should more than make up for this.
10Diablo 3
While there may be some debate as to whetherDiablo 3succeeds as an action RPG, most can agree that the execution of its hack and slash elements is near perfect. What’s more,the Switch port of the game is considered by many to be the definitive edition, which is great news for those who are limited to titles on Nintendo’s latest console.
RELATED:Best Xbox Game Pass Games Like Diablo
Its dated visuals may not hold up too well in the modern era, but its combat system is still top-notch and just might be one of the very best on the Switch. Sadly, that’s where theGod of Warcomparisons end, although given how important combat is tosome of the latter series' earlier entries, it’s definitely a significant similarity.
9Torchlight 3
LikeDiablo 3,Torchlight 3isn’t much to look at, although it does benefit from a few major quality of life updates due to it having been released almost a decade later. These do come at the expense of combat cohesion though, with the game’s hack and slash action not quite as enthralling as it is in Blizzard’s classic series.
There are some pretty decent customization options available though and the game’s world is a lot more vibrant, but anybody who cares more about combat might be better off picking up its predecessor instead. It may not be quite as well polished, butit arguably offers a far superior ass-kicking experience.
