Most modern video games offer pretty good value for money, especially considering how expensive it can be to go out and see a movie these days. For $60 or so, players can usually expect at least 20 hours of entertainment in return, thoughsome titles provide considerably more than otherswhen it comes to length and overall replayability.
Nintendo games aren’t really renowned for these attributes, with quality and originality usually taking priority during the development phase. That’s not to say that there aren’t still some incredibly long first-party Nintendo titles on the Switch, however, as evidenced by some of the data onHowLongtoBeat.com.
This list also includes a handful of second-party titles that are based on franchises owned (or part-owned) by Nintendo.
Updated Jun 29, 2025, by Tom Bowen:While length isn’t always the be-all and end-all of enjoyment, it is always nice to feel as though one’s getting good value for money. This is especially true in the current climate; one in which the price of video games is on the rise and popular first-party Nintendo titles very rarely seem to go on sale. With this in mind, those looking forthe longest first-party Switch gamesmay want to do a bit of research before dropping their hard-earned cash on their next Switch game.*A video version of this article has also been added, highlighting the ten longest first-party Nintendo Switch games from this list.
16Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Main Story Length: 25½ Hours
Though the main story ofPokemon Legends: Arceusis actually fairly short when compared to some of the otherPokemongames, those hoping to catch the title’s titular character are going to have to sink considerably more time into their playthroughs. This is because tocatch Arceus, players first need to get their hands on the other 240 or so Pokemon that are available in the game.
Beating the main story will take players somewhere in the region of 25 hours, while catchingevery Pokemon in the Hisui Pokedexand then encountering Arceus will likely end up taking around 40. As with otherPokemongames though, there are plenty of other things to see and do inPokemon Legends: Arceuseven after catching the god-like Pokemon, so players don’t need to stop there if they don’t want to.
15Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Main Story Length: 26 Hours
Though some may bemoan the lack of innovation inmainlinePokemongames, it does make it fairly easy for players to reliably estimate how much gameplay they can expect from each new installment. Like previousPokemontitles, a main story run ofBrilliant Diamond&Shining Pearlclocks in at around the 26-hour mark, but there’s plenty of additional content for completionists to sink their teeth into.
Completing the Sinnoh Pokedex and rounding upall of the games' Mythical and Legendary Pokemonwill take players another 15 hours or so. There’s much, much more to do, however, with things like Super Contest Shows, the battle tower, and the gargantuan task of catching all of the National Dex Pokemon keeping most players busy for well over one hundred hours.
14Paper Mario: The Origami King
Main Story Length: 27 Hours
ThePaper Marioseriesoffers a wonderful alternative for those who prefer something a little different, not to mention anyone who’s after a more meaty main story. At around 27 hours, the one found in the series' most recent installment is longer than the main stories ofSuper Mario Bros. WonderandSuper Mario Odysseycombined; though it’s worth noting that the latter does boast a lot more post-game content.
A completionist run ofSuper Mario Odyssey— which has players tracking down a staggering 880 moons — will take players around 62 hours, and that’s not even taking Luigi’s Balloon World into account. By comparison,Paper Mario: The Origami Kingcomes in at a more than respectable 43 hours, with the museum, trophies, and collectibles being some of the title’s more prominent post-game tasks.
13Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
When Roy and Marth first appeared in 2001’sSuper Smash Bros. Melee, most Western players had no idea who they were. Fast forward a few decades, however, andFire Emblemhas become one of the most recognizable Nintendo series around, with six more of its characters having now made their way intoSmash. Nintendo has also brought manyFire Emblemtitles that were onceJapanese exclusivesto the West, including the series' very first installment,Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light.
Originally released for the Famicom in early 1990, Nintendo released an enhanced Switch port of the game at the end of 2020 to celebrate the franchise’s thirtieth anniversary. A main story run will take players around 27 hours, while completionists can expect to squeeze an additional 13 hours or so out of the title. This entails recruiting 51 of the 52 possible playable characters, as only 27 of them are actually needed to completethe game’s lengthy campaign.
12The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
Main Story Length: 31 Hours
Despite no content having been removed, there are some pretty notable differences between the average clear times for the Wii and Switch versions ofThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The more recent version offers around 30 hours of main story content, which is apparently eight hours fewer than its Wii counterpart. The gap grows larger still when looking at completionist runs, with the older version somehow taking 17 hours longer on average.
Some will point to the addition of a more traditional control scheme in the HD port, which certainly does make controlling Link and his sword strokes a whole lot more manageable. This shouldn’t make too much difference when it comes to completing all of the game’s side quests andactivating every Goddess Cubethough, suggesting that the tracked times for one of the two versions may not be entirely accurate.
11Pokemon Quest
Main Story Length: 31½ Hours
There have been plenty ofPokemonspin-off gamesover the years, but few have come out of the blocks quite as quickly asPokemon Quest. Within just one week of the game’s release, it had already been downloaded more than seven and a half million times, generating over $3 million in revenue in the process. More than half a decade on and the fanfare has largely died away, but there are still plenty of people playing the title on Switch and mobile devices.
Completing the main story ofPokemon Questwill take players around 32 hours, but thanks to downloadable content and the title’s collectathon elements, those hoping to see and do everything will need to invest almost four times that amount. The average time for a completionist run is over 130 hours, making it one of the longestPokemonspin-offsever made.
10Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Pokemon Scarlet & Violettake a somewhat unique approach when it comes to storytelling. Rather than providing players with a linear narrative like the ones found in previousPokemongames, the Gen 9 titles instead boast four unique storylines and allow players totackle the first three in whatever order they like.
This innovative storytelling technique leads to a much longer playtime than a lot of the previous series installments, though whether or not it makes up for the games' poor performance on Switch is a matter of debate. Fans of the series should still have fun with the Gen 9 titles though, as too should anyone who enjoyscreature-collecting games.
9Ring Fit Adventure
Main Story Length: 35½ Hours
Though it may have beendesigned primarily with fitness in mind, that’s not to say that the developers ofRing Fit Adventuredidn’t at least consider the game’s fun factor while making it. To this end, it actually features a fairly well-fleshed-out story, which gives players a reason to keep coming back to this physically demanding game.
Completing the main story inRing Fit Adventurewill take most players somewhere in the region of 35 hours. Depending on upper body strength, one’s mileage may vary, more so for those who spend a lot of time squeezing berries to make smoothies. When mini-games and collectibles are taken into account as well, players can expect to get around 60 hours of enjoyment and exercise out of the title.
8Fire Emblem Engage
Main Story Length: 40 Hours
Despite a main story run clocking in at somewhere around the 40-hour mark,Fire Emblem Engageis actually quite short for aFire Emblemgame. Of course, there’s still plenty of side content on offer throughout the title, so completionists needn’t worry about getting their money’s worth.
The story centers around the Fell Dragon Sombron, who brought death and destruction to the continent of Elyos one thousand years before the start of the game. Having just woken up from a deep slumber, the Divine Dragon Alear - with the help of the player - is tasked with bringing an end to Sombron’s foul ways once and for all.
7Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Main Story Length: 49 Hours
True to both its genre and the series itself,Fire Emblem: Three Housesis an incredibly long game. It’s also a surprisingly good one, to the point where many believe it to be the best installment in the series to date. Whether or not that’s actually the case will vary from player to player, but one thing that can’t be disputed is that the game offers excellent value for money.
A main story run will take players around 50 hours, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For those who take their time, a single route can eat up almost double that, andthere are four routes to complete in total. Given how drastically they each differ during the second act they’re all well worth checking out, assuming, that is, that players can afford to spend just shy of 200 hours on a single game.
