If you want something new to play on your Nintendo Switch—or Nintendo Switch 2—you needn’t reach for your wallet. Instead, there are tons of excellent demos to check out on the Nintendo eShop, which gives you hours of gameplay for free.
If you’ve already worked through our list ofthe 10 best demos to play on your Switch, here are some more options to keep you occupied without needing to spend anything. Well, that is if you’re able to resist the temptation to buy the full games after testing these demos.
10What the Golf?
The demo forWhat the Golf?doesn’t take long to play through, at about 15 minutes, but its unexpected approach to golfing and silly jokes will leave a lasting impression for sure. There are a dozen or so quick holes to complete in this quirky demo, with a fitting pun when you sink the ball in each of them.
What the Golf?
WHERE TO PLAY
Sure, it has ‘golf’ in the title but that’s about where the similarity to golf ends.What the Golf?is at heart a comedy game with puzzles, challenges and loads of surprises.
9Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee
Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Eeveeis another short demo, at about 30 minutes, but it realized a lifelong dream of mine to see one of my favorite childhood games recreated for modern consoles. You jump straight into Viridian Forest and are free to explore, interact with your six pokémon (release them to walk behind you), chase wild pokémon through the long grass, and battle with trainers dotted around the forest.
If you decide to grab the full game, be sure to make it more fun bysetting some custom Pokémon challenges for yourself.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee
Pokémon: Let’s Goconsists of a pair of matching games:Let’s Go, PikachuandLet’s Go, Eevee. These games are reboots of Pokémon Yellow and allow players to journey through Kanto with their partner Pokémon.
8Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
If you’re looking for someZeldaaction,Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityis an epic hack-and-slash game takes you back in time to battle Calamity Ganon as Link, Zelda, and Impa. You can spend over an hour in this demo, completing the first handful of quests and side quests, and it’s an exciting way to get back to Hyrule.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamityis the second release in theHyrule Warriorsfranchise and follows Link, Zelda, and a wide array of recognized characters in a Dynasty Warriors-style release.
7Princess Peach: Showtime!
Playing the demo forPrincess Peach: Showtime!is all I needed from the game. With just 30 minutes of gameplay, I enjoyed experiencing some of Peach’s various transformations, played through multiple stages, and ultimately felt happy to leave it at that. I had a good time, and I recommend it to others, but I’m glad I could just play half an hour for free rather than paying up for the full game.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Princess Peach: Showtime!finds Nintendo’s iconic character taking on a starring role as she faces off against Grape and the Sour Bunch. Set in a theater, Princess Peach can swap costumes to unlock new abilities.
6Dredge
Part meditative fishing sim, part Lovecraftian horrorscape,Dredgesees you taking the helm of a small fishing ship around the island town of Greater Marrow. In the demo, you’re tasked with paying off your debt to the mayor and raising funds to develop the small town, all the while making sure you make it home before nightfall when untold horrors emerge. Some features are locked in this demo, but there’s still plenty of enjoyment (and scares) to be had fishing around the town, completing some side quests, and squinting at unusual shapes in the sea fog.
Dredge
Dredgeis a single-player fishing adventure game developed by Black Salt Games and published by Team17.
5Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
Another free way to playZeldais with theCadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancerdemo. This colorful 2D adventure has you hitting buttons to the beat to traverse the procedurally generated landscape, collect new weapons, and vanquish foul beasts. If you’ve never played rhythm-based games before, this free demo is the perfect way to try it. I found it addictive enough I had to pick up the game right away.
This is unlike every other game in the series, but it’s gotjust as much appeal as every otherZeldatitle.
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zeldais a crossover game featuring elements from both theCrypt of the NecroDancerandLegend of Zeldafranchises. It combines the rhythm-based movement of the former with both characters and music from some of the earlier 2D Zelda games.
4Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Landgives us another 30-minute demo from Nintendo. It’s not enough to keep you entertained for a long while, but it’s still a super fun half hour getting to experience Kirby in 3D. you’re able to try sucking up all manner of enemies for different abilities and even experience some of Kirby’s more out-there transformations for this adventure, like transforming into a car!
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the first mainline Kirby release produced in full 3D, and is the thirteenth installment in the franchise overall. Players control Kirby as the pink puffball finds himself in a mysterious New World.
3Deltarune
Deltaruneis a follow-up to the brilliant game,Undertale. Although not officially a demo, you can only play the first two chapters of the game for free on the Switch—withthe full game releasing on the Switch 2—so it basically functions as one. There are hours of gameplay to be had here! It’s a charming, unexpected, funny time (just likeUndertalewas) but you should only try it out if you’ve already played the previous game.
Deltarune
Dive into the parallel story toUNDERTALE!Fight or spare your way through action-packed battles as you explore a mysterious world alongside an endearing cast of new and familiar characters.
2WarioWare: Get It Together!
The demo forWarioWare: Get It Together!gives you about a dozen minigames to play with five different crew members to choose from. you’re able to play solo, or team up in multiplayer. Although this is only a tiny selection from the full game, there’s enough variety across the games and characters that you can keep dipping in over and over again, trying to beat your best score.
WarioWare: Get It Together!
From assembling a robot to pulling out a statue’s armpit hair, theWarioWare: Get It Together!game is a comedic, cooperative microgame mashup.
1Bravely Default II
Bravely Default IIgives you a generous three hours or so of gameplay to enjoy in the demo. You don’t need to have played the other games in the series to enjoythis classic JRPG, or its charming watercolor world. Instead, you may simply boot it up, get to know the characters, and dive into the intricate combat mechanics and captivating story world. At the end of the demo, you can’t carry over your save though, so don’t get too sucked in if you plan to play the full game afterwards.
Bravely Default II
Bravely Default IIis a continuation of the Bravely Default franchise. Released in 2021, the title is technically the third installment in the mainline series and follows an entirely new cast of characters, while still offering up the same combat that players have enjoyed from the series.
There are no mind-blowingly long demos on this list—as we saw in our original list of demos. But there’s still tons of hours of gameplay to be had for free, especially if you’re willing to replay games likeWarioWareor try to squeeze out all you may get fromexploring and leveling up inBravely Default II.
And if you’re still looking for more games to play without spending any money after that, just take a look at the best free-to-play games on the Switch as well. I swear, you could last years without buying another game if you take all this free content as far as it could go.
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo’s latest console lets you take your console gaming on the go. Start up a game at home on your TV, then pull the Switch out of the dock and you can continue right where you left off.
