Best Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch games to play on Halloween
Posted on October 11, 2026 by Ethan in Features, Switch, Switch 2
For those getting into the Halloween spirit, we’ve picked out some of the best games to play on Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch.
Halloween season is upon us once again, which means it’s the perfect time to get absorbed in some video games. Nintendo recently shared their own list of games to play on Halloween, and there are of course some overlaps between ours and theirs. Either way, we’ve listed plenty of games to keep you occupied during spooky season. Even though most Nintendo games admittedly aren’t all that spooky or scary.
The Luigi’s Mansion series
These are the quintessential Nintendo Halloween games. In fact, Luigi’s Mansion 3 actually released on October 31 in 2019. Though these titles aren’t really scary in the slightest, the ghost-catching action and haunted mansion exploration do line up perfectly with spooky season. The original GameCube Luigi’s Mansion is currently available exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online, and it’s probably the spookiest of the three titles. Still not scary, then, but the game is really fascinating because it was made before the Mario crew had completely finalized 3D designs. As a result, Luigi’s Mansion winds up with a unique atmosphere all its own – and if you’re already paying for a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack, it doesn’t cost you any extra to play.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is probably the weakest of the series – it was originally made for Nintendo 3DS, so rather than exploring the mansion as you like, the game is split into short mission-based segments. It doesn’t have anywhere near as many unique ghost characters as its predecessor. While it is more polished than the original Luigi’s Mansion, it also feels a lot more standard and run-of-the-mill. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD also supports multiplayer in a special local or online mode called the ScareScraper, but it does not let players go through the main story together. In other words, the main campaign is single-player only.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is probably the easiest recommendation here, then. It lets you team up with a friend to play through the entire main story together, and it also includes ScareScraper as an extra multiplayer mode. While Luigi’s Mansion 3 still doesn’t quite capture the unique charm of the original, it’s incredibly polished and has some big highlights during the main story. Expect a fairly long run time, too – a lot of times, you think you’re just about done with a level when a ghost randomly steals something out of Luigi’s hands. This happens several times, so as long as you’re patient, there’s a lot to enjoy with this game.
Metroid Dread
There’s a case to be made that the Luigi’s Mansion games are the only truly Halloween-esque Nintendo games, but other Nintendo titles definitely count toward spooky season but to a lesser extent. Describing Metroid Dread as “spooky” doesn’t really make much sense, though. In this game, you’re chased by seven killer robots that will track you down and give you an immediate game over if they catch you – so the stakes are pretty high.
Metroid Dread is a great way to introduce yourself to the Metroidvania genre, too, and with Metroid Ravenous on the horizon it’s a great time to give the game a try. Each run is fairly short, which makes the game very easy (and fun) to replay.
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed just received a Nintendo Switch 2 release – not a Switch 2 Edition – but it’s still free to download if you have the original Switch version. The game takes place in Wasteland, which is a world of forgotten Disney characters. It’s also a great game to play around Halloween – it’s not exactly spooky, but it has haunted mansion areas, and the whole world feels ruined, so the vibes absolutely match up.
Originally, Epic Mickey: Rebrushed ran rather poorly on Nintendo Switch. However, visuals and frame rate are much better on Nintendo’s latest console. This game isn’t terribly long, either, so starting a new run doesn’t feel like a huge time commitment.
Persona 3 Reload
If you do want a huge time commitment, Persona 3 Reload is a good idea. It’s been patched to run at 60 frames per second in docked mode, and it’s a fantastic remake of the original RPG. The story revolves around the Dark Hour, a hidden period that occurs right after midnight where normal people are transmogrified into coffins and Shadows awaken and attack. This fits pretty well with Halloween, and can easily offer well over 80 hours of content.
Stardew Valley, Pokemon Pokopia, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Whenever autumn comes around, I always think of cozy games like Stardew Valley. Pokemon Pokopia and Animal Crossing fall into this category too, and all three titles have Halloween celebrations in their own ways. Stardew Valley’s seasons don’t always match up with real life, but there’s no feeling quite like getting to autumn when it’s autumn in real life, too. Stardew Valley is a must-own for anyone who likes farming simulators – it’s extremely popular for a very good reason. In addition to being an incredibly high-quality game across the board, it also supports both local and online multiplayer.
Pokemon Pokopia has added Pumpkaboo, Gourgeist, and Halloween-themed furniture to the game that can be obtained during October. Animal Crossing: New Horizons lets you buy candy from the shop during the entire month of October, and then hand it out to residents on Halloween night. There’s also exclusive Halloween and pumpkin furniture you can use to decorate your island and houses.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
This one’s pretty underrated, but it’s an absolutely perfect match for Halloween. Its story is based on real Japanese urban legends, curses, and folklore, and the game is a visual novel that’ll take you roughly 12 hours to beat. You can also use touchscreen controls on Nintendo Switch if you’re playing in handheld mode. Paranormasight has definitely flown under the radar on Switch since its 2023 release, but it’s definitely worth trying if you like visual novels and enjoy solving mysteries.
Emio – The Smiling Man
Likewise, Emio – The Smiling Man is Nintendo’s own take on a visual novel where you solve mysteries. For this one, you’re tasked with solving a string of murders, and though the Famicom Detective Club series isn’t Nintendo’s most popular, Emio was actually very well received when it released in 2024. The other games in the Famicom Detective Club series are worth playing too, but Emio is definitely the closest match to Halloween vibes.
Which Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 games are you playing this Halloween? Let us know in the comments down below.
