The best Nintendo Switch demos give people extensive experiences

Nintendo’s eighth generation console has become quite a hit since its 2017 launch, with a massively growing library filled with first-party, third-party and indie releases. Fortunately for prospective players, there are plenty of Nintendo Switch demos out there to give them a chance to try games before buying them. But the thing about these trials is that not all of them are created equal. There are a few that really outdo the others, offering rich experiences that can help lure people to a full game.

Two of the most necessary and best Nintendo Switch demos are Dragon Quest XI S and Dragon Quest Builders 2’s trials. Each one gives people a huge portion of the game. With Dragon Quest XI S, you can play until you reach Gallopolis. This is a region that, depending on how someone plays, could take between ten and fifteen hours to reach. It goes way beyond the tutorial. So does the Dragon Quest Builders 2 Jumbo Demo. It covers the tutorial and most of the first island, Furrowfield. Again, depending on how you play, it could be a ten to fifteen hour experience. Both games also let you carry over demo save data to the full-game, making them must-plays.

But then, Square Enix is no stranger to making a good Nintendo Switch demo. Octopath Traveler has a rather helpful one. If people get it, they can create one save file and play using it for three hours. You can choose any of the eight characters’ stories to start with. You could use that save file to transfer to the full game. If you want to check out another character’s storyline, you start a new game and save over it to start another three hour trial. It lets you take your time and get to know each of the eight stars.

Even Marvelous and First Studio got in on the “great demo” thing with the first-party game Daemon x Machina. It received two demos, one temporary Prototype Missions trial and an always-available Prologue. The latter was rather small, but the current demo has six story missions, two free missions and two co-op missions. It also has actual story segments, so you feel more like you are a part of the growing world. Also, like all of the other trials on this list, there’s an option to carry over data to a full game.

But really, sampling the beginning of games isn’t totally uncommon with Nintendo Switch demos in general. Ori and the Blind Forest lets you go through the beginning of the game. If you complete the demo, your reward is the ability to carry your save over to a full version of the game. Disgaea 4 Complete+ is another that lets you go ahead and kick off an adventure. The whole first chapter is available to you, with saves that can be used in the full experience.

Then, there is Kairosoft. This developer is known for mobile trial versions that allow you to go through a few in-game years of a simulation. This concept extends to the Switch ports. Each one of these Kairosoft demos lets you play through the beginning of the game. You could spend hours in titles like Game Dev Story or Pocket League Story, all without spending $14 on the full game.

With the competition on the system, opportunities to spend time on a game and really get hooked are invaluable. There are more than a few great Nintendo Switch demos out there. Each one is the sort of trial that people should grab and give a go, even if the genre isn’t something they would usually enjoy.