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 of the 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 can resist the temptation to buy the full games after testing these demos.
10
What the Golf?
The demo for What 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?
- Released
-
September 19, 2019
- ESRB
-
e
- Engine
-
Unity
9
Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee
Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee is 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 by setting some custom Pokémon challenges for yourself.
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee
- Released
-
November 16, 2018
- ESRB
-
E for Everyone: Mild Cartoon Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Game Freak
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
8
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
If you’re looking for some Zelda action, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is 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
- Released
-
November 20, 2020
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Koei Tecmo, Omega Force
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
7
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Playing the demo for Princess 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!
- Released
-
March 22, 2024
- ESRB
-
e
6
Dredge
Part meditative fishing sim, part Lovecraftian horrorscape, Dredge sees 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
- Released
-
March 31, 2023
- ESRB
-
E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
-
Black Salt Games
- Publisher(s)
-
Team17
5
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
Another free way to play Zelda is with the Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer demo. 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 got just as much appeal as every other Zelda title.
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
- Released
-
June 13, 2019
- ESRB
-
E For Everyone due to Mild Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Brace Yourself Games
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
4
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land gives 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 can 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
- Released
-
March 25, 2022
- ESRB
-
E10+ for Everyone 10+: Cartoon Violence
- Developer(s)
-
HAL Laboratory
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
3
Deltarune
Deltarune is 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—with the 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 like Undertale was) but you should only try it out if you’ve already played the previous game.
Deltarune
- Released
-
October 31, 2018
- ESRB
-
Teen // Language, Suggestive Themes, Mild Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
-
Toby Fox
- Publisher(s)
-
Toby Fox
2
WarioWare: Get It Together!
The demo for WarioWare: Get It Together! gives you about a dozen minigames to play with five different crew members to choose from. You can 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!
- Released
-
September 10, 2021
- ESRB
-
Everyone // Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
-
Nintendo EPD, Intelligent Systems
1
Bravely Default II
Bravely Default II gives 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 enjoy this classic JRPG, or its charming watercolor world. Instead, you can 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
- Released
-
February 26, 2021
- ESRB
-
T for Teen: Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
-
claytechworks co ltd
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
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 like WarioWare or try to squeeze out all you can get from exploring and leveling up in Bravely 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.
-
- 4K Capability
-
Yes
- Brand
-
Nintendo
- Screen
-
7.9-inch LCD touchscreen
- Game support
-
Switch 1 and Switch 2 titles
- Storage
-
256 GB
- Battery
-
5220mAh Lithium-ion battery
The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s latest hybrid home console, with more powerful graphics and processing, a larger 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR, and more online features.
