SwitchDB by the Numbers: 1,922 Games and Counting
SwitchDB now tracks 1,922 games with 2,597 community compatibility reports. 89.9% of Switch 2 ratings hit Diamond or Gold. Here is the full breakdown.
The Big Picture
SwitchDB has grown into a comprehensive database tracking 1,922 games across Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Behind those numbers? A passionate community that has submitted 2,597 compatibility reports, giving players real-world performance data they can trust.
Every single report is submitted by a real player sharing their experience. No automated scores, no publisher-provided data. Just honest, hands-on feedback from the community.
Rating Breakdown: How Do Games Actually Perform?
Across all platforms, SwitchDB tracks 2,301 compatibility ratings (some games have separate ratings for Switch 1 and Switch 2). Here is how they break down:
- Diamond (Flawless): 310 ratings (13.5%)
- Gold (Great): 1,248 ratings (54.2%)
- Silver (Playable): 706 ratings (30.7%)
- Copper (Poor): 25 ratings (1.1%)
- Rusty (Unplayable): 12 ratings (0.5%)
The headline number: 67.7% of all ratings land at Diamond or Gold. That means roughly two out of every three games in the database run great or flawlessly. Only 1.6% fall into the Copper or Rusty tiers.
Switch 2: A Performance Leap
The Switch 2 numbers tell an even more impressive story. Out of 435 Switch 2 compatibility ratings:
- Diamond: 148 (34.0%)
- Gold: 243 (55.9%)
- Silver: 32 (7.4%)
- Copper: 4 (0.9%)
- Rusty: 8 (1.8%)
A staggering 89.9% of Switch 2 ratings are Diamond or Gold, compared to 62.5% on the original Switch. The new hardware clearly delivers on its performance promise.
Additionally, 69 games have already received dedicated Switch 2 patches. Of those, 20 are free upgrades and 49 are paid.
Quality Runs Deep
SwitchDB does not just track compatibility. We also pull in Metacritic scores to give you a fuller picture of each game.
- 171 games (8.9%) have a Metacritic score of 90 or higher
- 883 games (45.9%) score 80 or above
There is also an interesting correlation between review scores and compatibility. Diamond-rated games average a Metacritic score of 86.2, while Gold-rated games average 81.1. Higher-quality games tend to run better, which makes sense. Studios that invest in polished gameplay also invest in polished performance.
Publishers Leading the Way
Some publishers have made a bigger mark on the Switch ecosystem than others. Here are the top contributors to the SwitchDB library:
- Nintendo - 139 games
- Square Enix - 47 games
- Bandai Namco - 47 games
- Devolver Digital - 43 games
- Capcom - 41 games
- Sega - 40 games
Nintendo leads by a wide margin with 139 titles, more than double any other publisher. Meanwhile, indie-friendly publishers like Devolver Digital hold their own alongside major Japanese studios.
Genre Landscape
What kinds of games dominate the Switch library? The genre tags paint a clear picture:
- Adventure - 1,335 games
- Action - 1,191 games
- RPG - 617 games
- Puzzle - 532 games
- Platformer - 431 games
- Strategy - 394 games
- Shooter - 293 games
Adventure and Action games make up the bulk of the catalog, which aligns with the Switch being a console built for pick-up-and-play experiences. RPGs come in strong at third place with 617 titles, a testament to the platform being a natural home for the genre.
A Timeline of Releases
The Switch launched in March 2017, and the release calendar reflects its momentum:
- 2017: 207 games (launch year)
- 2018: 212 games
- 2019: 230 games (peak year)
- 2020: 207 games
- 2021: 175 games
- 2022: 132 games
- 2023: 125 games
2019 was the peak year with 230 tracked games, coinciding with landmark releases like Super Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and Luigi's Mansion 3. The gradual decline after 2020 reflects the natural late-cycle slowdown, but with Switch 2 now here, expect those numbers to climb again.
Community Power
Every number in this article exists because real players took the time to share their experience. Those 2,597 reports across 1,887 Switch 1 and 710 Switch 2 submissions are what make SwitchDB useful.
Want to help grow these numbers? Browse the full library and submit a report for any game you have played. No account needed, no sign-up required. Just pick a game, rate its performance, and help the next player make a better decision.
What's Next
SwitchDB keeps growing every week. With Switch 2 now in players' hands, we expect a wave of new compatibility data as the community tests their libraries on the new hardware. Stay tuned for more updates, and keep those reports coming.
These numbers are only possible because of you. Thank you for being part of the SwitchDB community.
