10 Best Free Visual Novels On Nintendo Switch

Visual novels have gained steady traction on Nintendo Switch, especially in the past year, as interactive visual content grew in popularity. The narrative-driven simulations, character customization choices and option of unlocking new gameplay mechanics definitely make Switch’s visual novels versatile as an experience.

Some of the best visual novel games come with multiple endings and the player’s choices actually have an impact on where they end up at each finale which keeps things interesting and realistic. Some of Nintendo’s free playable novels are designed as immersive visual experiences, and are even more efficiently paced and better styled than others.

10 The Charming Empire

The dating-based visual novel is set in Japan’s Taisho Roman era and follows a commoner, Amane, who is summoned by her brother to live a royal life. It is designed like an otome game and there’s a good balance between narrative and gameplay. Players are cast as Amane and live through a social and political drama, so the period experience serves players really well.

Every once in a while, players have to exercise some decision-making skills that will impact their ending, although the game makes the right choice rather obvious. There are not too many sub-plots, which helps keep the gameplay engaging, and the voice acting in the game has also been widely applauded.

9 Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk may not be the best ’90s game on Nintendo Switch, but the anime-inspired pixel art visuals are all about noughties nostalgia. This conversation simulator is simplistic and perfect for players looking for a well-developed, soothing experience. The game lands the player as a barista who makes coffee and has to interact with alternative Seattle inhabitants (including orcs, mermaids, aliens) and also help them out.

There are many branching storylines that depend on which way the barista veers the conversation. The barista also has to make the customer the beverage they ask for with whatever is in the pantry. The novel spans six hours and lets players balance mundane problems like figuring out the recipe for a strong coffee with complex issues, like helping an alien understand the human race, for instance.

8 Dream Daddy

Dream Daddy is one of the most efficient stress-busting visual novels on Switch. The premise is simple, the player is a character that has moved to a new town with their daughter and can romance the local dads. The game has multiple endings and a range of customization options, which make the dating simulator really playable.

The animation is spirited and engaging. Players also get an immersive narrative with their daughter’s character, Amanda, and several mini-games. Broadly speaking, the visual novel can keep the players occupied for quite a few hours.

7 Doki Doki Literature Club Plus

The original Doki Doki Literature Club was styled like an anime dating simulator but revealed itself to be a psychological horror game. The 2020 expansion isn’t exactly a sequel, but rather an improved console version with marked cosmetic differences. Players will be invited to join a literature club by their friend Sayori. With each poem they are asked to write (by selecting words from a given list), they can prompt a character’s new experiences.

The 2020 mini-game is definitely immersive, but the suspense of the gradual reveal proves quite irresistible for players who’ve played the first game. There are 26 in-game songs and six new side stories, which make the novel extremely playable.

6 Spirit Hunter: Death Mark

The horror visual novel is set in a Tokyo district called H City, where people start to get strange marks on their bodies shortly right before they mysteriously die. Death Mark may not be one of the most relaxing playable experiences on Switch, but for players looking for a gritty, sleek and immersive visual novel, this could be a good pick.

The immaculate imagery elevates the haunting visuals and the soundtrack works towards creating an experience that makes the player feels trapped in the mansion where the novel unfolds. Themed doors, accurate props, partner selection and multiple-choice questions contribute to the quirk factor of the novel.

5 Arcade Spirits

Fans of video game history will appreciate the setting for this novel. It takes place in an alternate universe where the 1983 video game crash never occurred and arcades are as popular as ever, even in the year 20XX. The role-player game is hugely customizable, which gives it most of its appeal.

Players start a job at the Funplex arcade and go on romantic adventures. They can choose their appearance, background, pronouns, build relationships and track these personal dynamics via a status tracker. The fact that their moves may affect the future of the arcade, as well, definitely ups the ante and makes the pursuit more thrilling.

4 Spirit Hunter: NG

Nintendo’s attention to game detail is something that keeps fans hooked. In Spirit Hunter, the details elevate the deep horror experience and make the audio-visual set-up a lot more immersive. Despite not being a direct sequel to Death Mark, the visual novel expands upon the elements that made Death Mark so successful, especially vis-a-vis the atmospheric finish.

The game follows a young delinquent trapped in a brutal game as he searches for his sister. There’s a lot of focus on the exploration of haunted locations and the players can also build camaraderie with partner characters who can be allies. The gameplay mechanics came across as convenient and the point-and-click format also made it player-friendly.

3 Monster Prom XXL

Monster Prom is already one of the best dating simulators and the XXL version of the visual novel is really easy to pick up and play, even without background knowledge of its franchise. It has both single-player and multiplayer modes which is perhaps its biggest USP, and so far, the dating-based visual novel features both second term downloadable content and seasonal content.

Monster Prom also has 1000+ outcomes, which is a big deal for a multi-player outing. The gameplay is fresh and there’s a lot of content to unlock, which offers an in-depth experience but retains the sense of casual engagement.

2 Night In The Woods

As fiction content, Night In The Woods is extremely intriguing. Set in a zoomorphic universe, it follows Mae, a 20-year-old college dropout who returns to her old mining town and finds strange changes around her. The novel is definitely experience-driven and relies on some really strong writing.

Players can communicate with almost everything around them, which makes the 2D novel really interesting as an adventure game. The mini-games are well-paced and involve many diverse elements. There’s also substantial character development and nine distinct levels that make the gameplay more fulfilling.

1 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Ace Attorney is perhaps the most popular visual novel series on Switch. Capcom’s courtroom drama is styled like an adventure game where players can choose to play as defense attorney Phoenix Wright and point out inconsistencies in witness testimonies, investigate crime scenes and present their case at court.

The gameplay is simplistic, which helps. It’s divided into two sections, investigations and courtroom trials. Unlocking new gameplay mechanics during courtroom procedures is a big draw for the players. The novel plays out like an interactive movie and balances drama and mystery quite effortlessly. It’s definitely the most repeatable visual novel on Switch at the moment, owing to the precision in animation and graphics.

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