Nintendo Switch Drops Free Taster For 2025 Awards Nominee, Yours Until 1 June

Nintendo Switch users can now play one of 2025's best games free for a limited time.

2025 was home to some absolute bangers on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond all proved themselves to be capable releases that welcomed in the console's first year.

Another game that saw plenty of awards buzz at the end of 2025 was Ball x Pit, a roguelite game where you have to build up a base, batter hordes of enemies and gather the spoils to expand.

It's a pretty fun game, especially for those players who enjoy quick runs on the go, which the Nintendo Switch 2 excels at.

In case you've been on the fence though, the game is now available for Nintendo Switch Online users to check out at no extra charge.

Ball x Pit is available between now and 1 June, giving you a week to play the game. It's a pretty large window of time to play before deciding whether you want to purchase or leave it.

Devolver Digital

The blurb on Ball x Pit reads: "Ballbylon has fallen. After a meteoric and completely unexpected event annihilated the great city, all that remains is an ominous, yawning pit. Treasure hunters from far and wide flock to the city’s tomb to seek their fortune, plumbing the depths in search of Ballbylon’s scattered riches. Few return.

"The pit plays host to armies of barbaric creatures, hellbent on ending your quest before it even begins. Armed with a growing arsenal of magic-infused projectiles, batter your way through multiple levels of increasingly challenging obstacles to claim the ultimate prizes and rebuild New Ballbylon.

"BALL x PIT is a fast-paced fantasy roguelite where heroes must find the balls to plunge deeper into a seemingly bottomless pit of monsters. Develop arcane ammunition and resources in pursuit of treasure, recruiting additional heroes to aid you in your perilous quest."

Ball x Pit Is One Of 2025's Indie Darlings And You Should Play It

Made by game developer Kenny Sun, Ball x Pit has received a few free updates over the past six months, with new characters, balls, and abilities added to the game to expand its roster of content.

In addition to Nintendo Switch, the game was also released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, with mobile versions on Android and iOS coming earlier this year.

It received positive reviews from critics, gaining a 92% recommended rating on OpenCritic.

It was then nominated for several awards at the end of 2025 and earlier this year, including Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, Best Game Design at the 22nd British Academy Games Awards, and Best Debut, Best Design, and Innovation Award at the 26th Game Developers' Choice Awards.

In terms of what it won, it managed to snag the Excelsior Award for Best New York Game at the 15th New York Game Awards, and the award for Best Innovation in an Independent Game at the Ultra Game Awards 2025.

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