What makes a game great on the TV
Handheld is where I play most evenings, and some games are better on the big screen. Going back through the games I've reviewed, four things decide whether a game earns a spot on the TV.
The picture gets bigger and better. Wide landscapes, big skies and busy arenas gain the most. A game that looks lovely on a small screen can look like a different game when it fills the wall.
The menus are easy to read. Small text is the first thing I notice in handheld. On a TV the menus, recipes and quest logs stop being a squint.
The sound goes up. Music and sound effects fill the room, and some games are built around that.
It suits the sofa. A longer session, a second controller or a friend beside me. A game can be at its best because other people are in the room.
How I pick the games for this list
A game is on this page when I rate it at the top level for docked play. I give every game its own docked and handheld notes on the review, and I use the docked note here. A game can be great and still miss this list because it's just as good handheld, or better. Those are in the close calls below. The list is 6 games right now, best first, and it changes by itself when I review a game that fits.
Setting up the TV
Switch 2 has a lot of display options, found in System Settings under Display. These are the ones I'd look at first.
- TV Resolution. It can be set to Automatic, 720p, 1080p, 1440p or 2160p.
- HDR Output. You can set it to For All Software, Compatible Software Only or Off, and the TV has to support HDR too. TechRadar reports that
- Match TV Power State. Turning on the console turns on the TV, and turning off the TV sends the console to sleep. The TV needs its HDMI control setting switched on, and some models don't support it.
- Auto Low-Latency Mode. It switches the TV to its low-latency game mode when the TV supports it.
- 120 Hz Output. It works only when both the TV and the game support it, and Nintendo says only at 1080p and 1440p.
- Adjust Screen Size and Screen Burn-In Reduction. The first walks me through resizing the picture on the TV. The second lowers the brightness after five minutes of inactivity.
Flight Mode and the brightness settings only work in handheld or tabletop mode, not on the dock.
Things to know before you start
A few of these have a catch on the TV, and the reasons are in the reviews.
- No Man's Sky gets patches weeks late on Switch, and it needs some time to learn.
- Breath of the Wild wears down weapons often, and early enemies can hit hard.
- Tears of the Kingdom asks more of my head, and twenty minutes barely gets me started.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is at its best with other people, and solo offline it gets repetitive.
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate won't calm me down after work. It's the one here for letting off steam.
Close calls: good on the TV, just as good somewhere else
These look good docked, and I enjoy them handheld too. Here's what I said about the TV in each one:
- I am an Air Traffic Controller: Airport Hero Haneda: A bigger view in busy stages, and airplane view looks good.
- Palia: Very enjoyable, and good for long build and decorate sessions.
- Road 96: I haven't played it docked. Big skies should suit a TV.
- Limbo: I didn't play it docked, but dark scenes should look great on a TV.
- Aerofly FS Flight Simulator: Works well on the TV with a controller.
- Hogwarts Legacy: How I played it. Big castle views and easy to read.
- NES: Nintendo Classics: Big pixels on a big screen. Great with a friend next to you.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Bright and clear on a TV.
Other kinds of evening
When I'd rather play in bed, there's the list of handheld games for bed. For nights when I'm too tired for anything with rules, my easy games for tired evenings cover that. The best games to play after work page ranks the ten that suit a work night best, and the Tonight finder narrows it down by time and energy.
Questions
What's the best Switch 2 game to play on the TV? Right now my top pick is Dave the Diver. It's one of the games I like most on a big screen. On another night the right pick depends on whether I'm playing alone or with people.
Does Switch 2 support 4K? Yes, in TV mode it can output up to 2160p, and the TV Resolution setting has options from 720p to 2160p. Which games use it depends on the game: Tears of the Kingdom is measured at up to 1440p docked at 60 frames per second, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons goes up to 4K at 30 frames per second.
What about HDR and 120 Hz? The console has an HDR setting, and the TV has to support HDR as well. 120 Hz output works only when both the TV and the game support it, and only at 1080p and 1440p.
Can I use Flight Mode while docked? No. Nintendo says it only works in handheld or tabletop mode, not while the console is connected to a TV.
Do these games work on a Switch 2? I review everything on a Switch 2. Each review says whether there's a Switch 2 Edition or whether the game runs through backward compatibility.
How often is this list updated? Whenever I publish a review or change a rating, the page is rebuilt. The date at the top shows when something last changed.
