How To Easily Download FREE Nintendo Switch Games (Picture Guide)

Nintendo Switch has dozens of fun free games to play. And thankfully, downloading free games on Nintendo Switch is easy!

Free Nintendo Switch games can be downloaded from the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store. Launch the eShop app from the HOME menu, navigate to “Search/Browse” tab, select the “Price Range” filter, navigate to “Free”, and select “View All”. Choose a free game to play and select “Free Download”.

The free Nintendo Switch game will start downloading for you to play.

Continue reading for a step-by-step picture guide of the process, detailing how you can download free Nintendo Switch games in 2022, 2023, and beyond!

I’ll also provide a link to the complete list of free Nintendo Switch games and answer whether some of the console’s most popular games are free (the answers may or may not surprise you).

If you’re interested in learning how to download over 500 free Nintendo Switch game demos, learn how to easily do so by following my picture guide by clicking here.

How To Download Free Nintendo Switch Games

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Overall, downloading free Nintendo Switch games is an easy process that takes 9 simple steps with a few requirements. Simply launch the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store app from the Nintendo Switch HOME menu, search for a free game, and start downloading.

downloading free Nintendo Switch games is an easy process that takes 9 simple steps

However, access to free games on the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store requires a stable internet connection and free Nintendo Account.

Create a free Nintendo Account (learn so by following my helpful picture guide here) and link it to your Nintendo Switch user profile before starting this guide.

Otherwise, you won’t be able to access Nintendo Switch’s digital store to download free games.

Also, make sure to have available storage space for your free game download. Each game takes space, ranging from hundreds of MBs to over a dozen GBs.

Now, let’s go through the process of downloading free Nintendo Switch games!

Time: a few minutes
Difficulty: low
Requirements: storage space, internet connection, Nintendo Account linked to Switch Profile

NOTE: Charge the Nintendo Switch battery or connect the console to a power outlet before beginning. Connect your system to an ethernet cable or WiFi for internet access.

1) Open The Nintendo Switch eShop App From The HOME Menu

nintendo switch main menu with arrow pointing at eshop icon — Image: Nintendo

Select the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store icon (the wallet/purse icon) from the Nintendo Switch HOME menu.

nintendo switch home men screenshot — Image: Nintendo

Press A to bring up the Nintendo Switch user profile selection. Select a user profile.

Press A to launch the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store.

NOTE: A free Nintendo Account must be connected to a Nintendo Switch user profile in order to use the Nintendo Switch eShop digital store.

2) Navigate To The “Search/Browse” Tab On The eShop

nintendo switch eshop search screen — Image: Nintendo

Select Search/Browse tab at the top left side of the Nintendo Switch eShop list of options.

Press A to be taken to the filter options (on the right side of the screen).

3) Select The “Price Range” Browsing Filter

how to download free nintendo switch games tutorial screenshot of the process — Image: Nintendo

Highlight the Price Range category.

Press A to be taken to a list of Nintendo Switch games categorized by various price ranges.

4) Navigate To The “Free” Price Range Category

Scroll to the Free games category that shows a row of free Nintendo Switch games.

5) Select “View More” To See All Free Games

Highlight View More button.

Press A to be taken to a complete list of free Nintendo Switch games to download.

6) Choose A Free Game To Download

Select a free game you wish to download and play from the list of free games.

Press A to be taken to the game’s product page.

7) Select The “Free Download” Button

Highlight the Free Download button on the game’s product page.

Press A to be taken to the confirmation screen.

8) Confirm The Free Game Download

Select the Free Download button to confirm your order.

Press A to confirm the download.

A “thank you” message will appear on-screen.

Select Close and press A to be taken back to the Nintendo Switch HOME menu.

8) Wait For Your Free Game To Download

The free game’s icon will appear toward the front of your games list on the Nintendo Switch HOME menu and the download process will begin.

This may take some time depending on your internet connection, speed, and the size of the free game.

Once the game has downloaded, you can begin playing your free Nintendo Switch game.

Are There Free Games On Nintendo Switch And Are They Really Free? Yes! (Free Game Complete List)

The Nintendo Switch has over 60 free games to download and play. All games are entirely free-to-start and do not require money to play. Paying for additional content in each game is optional, and all free games can all be found on the Nintendo Switch digital store.

The Nintendo Switch has over 60 free games to download and play

Free games on the Nintendo Switch include mega popular titles such as

Apex Legends
Fortnite
Pac-Man 99
Paladins
Pokémon Unite
SMITE
Super Bomberman R Online
Warframe

Furthermore, free Nintendo Switch games do not require a credit card or other payment solution to download, install, start, or play alone or with friends.

Simply follow the steps from this guide to download a free game and enjoy.

If you’re interested in viewing the complete list of free Nintendo Switch games along with each game’s file size, you can do so by clicking here.

Is Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Or Zelda Free On Nintendo Switch?

Most big Nintendo Switch games cost money. Popular paid-games include Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These titles aren’t free, and each cost upwards to a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $59.99.

Most big Nintendo Switch games cost money

Big Nintendo Switch releases such as Metroid Dread, Monster Hunter Rise, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are also not free and cost money.

In fact, most Nintendo Switch games cost money and are not free. The Nintendo Switch has over 6,000 games available on its digital store, and approximately 60 games are free. That means that only 1% of all Nintendo Switch games are free.

Popular Nintendo Switch Paid-Games

Among Us
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Diablo 3
Just Dance series
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Metroid Dread
Minecraft
Monster Hunter Rise
Overcooked
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Splatoon 2/3
Stardew Valley
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Many of the games listed above–along with most Nintendo Switch games–have large development costs and often require thousands of labor hours to develop and millions of dollars to fund.

The point of the matter: games cost money to develop and are created by career game developers that have families, bills, and responsibilities like you and me.

Therefore, spend money on the games you enjoy and support the developers you wish to support with your hard-earned bucks.