Best Nintendo Switch multiplayer games for families in 2021

Four years-plus into the Nintendo Switch's lifespan, it remains a fantastic destination for families and multiplayer games. But if you're looking to do same-room multiplayer gaming, make sure your Switch is TV-dockable. A new OLED-screened Switch is arriving this fall, which is a slight upgrade to the existing TV-connected Switch. Both are better family picks than the smaller Switch Lite, which only works in handheld mode, and doesn't have those useful sharable Joy-Con controllers (Switch Lite owners could do multiplayer, but you'd need to buy extra controllers and huddle around that tiny screen.)

Assuming you only have one Switch, here are the best multiplayer games that are worth playing with your family, which we keep updated as new titles appear. One of my favorites is still Nintendo's Clubhouse Games -- a collection of classic board games from around the world that's playable locally or online. But there are plenty of other options, too. If you want some games to play without adding a second player (we love Zelda and Hyrule as much as the next person), check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch games.

Note: Most of the links below are for the digital copies of the games, sold via Amazon. You can alternately buy and download all of these directly from the Nintendo eShop, straight from the Switch. Just make sure you have a microSD memory card with ample capacity to store game data.

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