The Best Nintendo Switch Games for 5 Player Couch Competition and Cooperation

As a long-time gamer and fan of local multiplayer, few things delight me more than gathering with friends for intense, raucous gaming sessions around the living room. The Nintendo Switch is arguably the best console ever designed for couch play, blending impressive technical capabilities with pick-up-and-play portability and accessibility. While the Switch liberally supports 2-4 player experiences out of the box, there‘s a special joy in maxing out a session at 5 players. Imagine the extra voice shouting in victory, the additional hand trying to sneakily snag a controller, or having another friend shoulder-to-shoulder on the couch.

In this guide, I‘ll countdown the top Nintendo Switch games that natively support 5 players on a single system, no extra hardware required. We‘ll explore fan-favorite titles catering to both competitive multiplayer showdowns as well as cooperative teamwork. Let‘s dive in!

Best Competitive 5 Player Nintendo Switch Games

While genres like fighting games and MOBAs intensity thrive on head-to-head competition, Nintendo‘s top first party franchises specialize in translating that competitive spirit into living room showdowns perfect for 5 players.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Genre: Kart Racer
• Metacritic Score: 93
• Multiplayer: Up to 4 player local, 8 player LAN by linking consoles

As both the highest selling Switch game ever with over 52 million copies sold and the pinnacle of Nintendo‘s long kart racing pedigree, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an obvious inclusion. The series‘ trademark mix of friendly competition, random chaos, and an approachable skill floor makes it endlessly playable at any group size. Deluxe‘s refined mechanics and massive 48 course tracklist cement it as a local multiplayer must-have.

While you can certainly enjoy vanilla races, unlocking 200cc speeds or enabling the notorious Blue Shell and lightning powerups via custom rulesets ratchets up the danger, yelling, and accusations of cheating among friends. It‘s all in good fun though!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Multiplayer Modes:

- Grand Prix - Team racing leagues
- VS Race - Exhibition races  
- Battle Mode - Last man standing battles
- Online - Up to 12 players linking Switch consoles

Super Smash Bros Ultimate

• Genre: Fighting/Party Game Hybrid
• Metacritic Score: 93
• Multiplayer: Up to 8 players linking consoles

It may star Mario and friends, but Nintendo‘s flagship mascot fighter is far cries from a typical kid-friendly party game. Instead, it innovates the fighting game formula to remove complex inputs and combos in favor of purely skill-based clashes dependent on skill, mindgames, and reading opponents‘ tendencies.

With over 90 iconic characters from gaming history and over 100 maps catering to various play styles, no two battles ever feel the same. Turning items and stage hazards on essentially turns Smash into a party game royale with 5 players devolving into total barely-controlled chaos. It walks the perfect line between luck and skill that keeps even novice players engaged.

Super Smash Bros Ultimate Multiplayer Modes:  

- Stock - Eliminate opposing players  
- Time - Most KOs within time limit  
- Stamina - Deplete health bars
- Special Smash - Customizable rulesets
- Online - Ranked and casual battles

Super Mario Party

• Genre: Party Game
• Metacritic Score: 76
• Multiplayer: Up to 4 players local

The Mario Party series captures the pure essence of couch multiplayer – mini-games designed to test friendships as much as gaming prowess. While overall single-player content may be lacking, as a party machine Super Mario Party excels. With over 80 minigames ranging from frenetic button mashers to tests of precision and puzzle skills, boredom has no chance of setting in. Special Dice Blocks and randomized board layouts/events ensure competition stays fierce even among veterans.

I‘d argue the series is at its best with a full 5 player game, as with each additional friend comes extra tension, cheering, and rewards for strategic alliances/betrayals. Just be warned that with great friend count comes great responsibility not to damage friendships!

Best Cooperative 5 Player Nintendo Switch Games

While healthy competition can uplift spirits, some of my fondest living room memories come from 5 players banding together in cooperative unity. Despite seeming oxymoronic for video games, working together with friends towards a common goal builds team camaraderie and humor organically.

Overcooked 1 & 2

• Genre: Cooking Simulation/Puzzle
• Metacritic Scores: 81, 86
• Multiplayer: Up to 4 players local

The newly remastered original Overcooked cemented itself as a darling of local coop fans, while 2018‘s Overcooked 2 upped the ante to near friendship-ending levels of coordinated chaos. As a team of chefs frantically running restaurant kitchens, creativity and improvisation are key to fulfilling endless orders under extreme time pressure. The series brilliantly sends friends between phases of calm strategy into panicked yelling in seconds. Having an extra set of hands on deck is crucial for hitting high scores with combos. Equally importantly, the shared experience generates constant laughter win or lose.

Overcooked also notably allows a 5th player to help in certain roles on the Nintendo Switch version via detached Joy-Con controls. This turns an already stellar couch coop title into a 5 player tour de force. Just be sure not to actually set your real kitchen on fire in the process!

Overcooked Key Multiplayer Roles:  

- Head Chef - Call out orders and ingredient needs
- Fry Cook - Handle meats and fried sides  
- Prep Cook - Chop ingredients   
- Server - Deliver finished dishes
- (Joy-Con) Extinguisher - Avoid failing from fires

Snipperclips

• Genre: Puzzle/Action
• Metacritic Score: 83
• Multiplayer: Up to 4 players local

At first glance, Snipperclips is an adorable puzzle game starring colorful papercraft characters. But beneath the charming exterior lies a surprisingly deep and challenging coop experience. Players must cut each other into specific shapes to solve puzzles – creating makeshift basketball hoops, gears, and platforms together through some true out-of-box thinking.

It‘s the perfect introductory title for non-gamers, with its cutesy aesthetic and accessibility. But generations-long veterans will still find themselves head-scratching at Snipperclips‘ immense creativity. And the increased coordination, communication, and even physical intimacy required between 4-5 players always keeps spirits high.

Technical Capabilities Supporting 5+ Players

You may be wondering – how exactly can a relatively compact tablet device like the Nintendo Switch support 5 player experiences out of the box? Here‘s a quick overview:

• Each Joy-Con controller supports 1 player when separated
• The console supports pairing up to 8 Joy-Cons simultaneously
• Multiple Switch consoles can link together enabling larger local multiplayer
• Switch supports connecting to TVs and monitors for shared screen visibility
• Online multiplayer allows 5+ remote players

The modular Joy-Con controllers really exemplify Nintendo‘s focus on social play. It takes mere seconds to detach them into compact controllers – perfect for passing around a room. Syncing up 4 Joy-Cons is effortless through the Quick Pairing process, while manually navigating controller menus enables support for 2 more.

If even 8 local players isn‘t enough, you canenable LAN Play to link consoles. This has enabled ambitious gamers to setup giant 12 player Mario Kart races for the ultimate living room showdown.

Online play opens the door for limitless player counts, although the lack of couch camaraderie keeps me preferential towards local play. Nonetheless, it‘s quite remarkable how robustly Nintendo built local wireless and 5+ player consideration into the Switch‘s DNA.

Parting Thoughts

The Nintendo Switch sits in a class of its own for playable social experiences out of the box. While 5+ player local multiplayer feels like a rare treat on other modern consoles, on Switch it comes intrinsically built-in across many flagship titles. Whether you prefer working in harmony during frantic Overcooked dinner rushes, teaming up to solve Snipperclip puzzles, or engaging in no-holds-barred Mario Kart Grand Prix wars – the Switch offers options for all tastes.

I hope this guide has shone some light on the system‘s best 5 player compatible offerings. Now it‘s time to stop reading and start playing. Call over your friends, dust off those extra controllers, and enjoy building lasting memories on your favorite hits. Just try not to let Mario Kart blue shells ruin too many lifelong bonds! What 5 player Switch titles stand out most to you? I‘d love to hear your top recommendations in the comments below!