2024's top exploration games

Who doesn't like exploring a new frontier? Since the inception of open-world exploration games, we have been traversing thrilling environments by foot, vehicle, or air, all while carrying enticing mysteries and hidden riches. But how is an intrepid explorer supposed to decide on their next voyage when there are so many thrilling options available?

With our list of the top exploration games for Switch and mobile devices, we'll show you how. Whether your goal is to explore the untamed west, cruise some saline waters, or climb the tallest peak, we have you covered. These games provide a variety of experiences, from peaceful getaways in uncommon locales to randomly generated japes on unmappable worlds. It's not only sword battling and monster avoidance.Check out our selections for the greatest games on Switch, such as Skyrim, or the finest games, such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, for more epic journeys. Alternatively, peruse our compilation of the top games similar to It Takes Two for mobile and Switch if you'd want to go on a two-player adventure with a pal.

Let's move on to the interesting stuff now. The top exploration games available on Switch and mobile devices are as follows:

Alba: An Encounter with Wildlife - Switch and portable

Come along with Alba Singh as she meets her grandparents in the picturesque city of Valencia on her trip across Spain. Though you will be doing your own thing, saving animals, attempting to stop the mayor from converting the sanctuary into a hotel complex, and hoping to get a sight of the fabled Iberian lynx, don't expect to be following the elderly about. You can't go wrong with Alba's Adventure if you're looking for an environmentally friendly experience that will make you grin.Use the Apple Arcade to play Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. Exploration games Cat Quest 2 cover art

Cat Quest II: Mobile and Switch

Would a cat like a new experience? With a vast globe map, several dungeons and secret hovels, and a puppy friend to help your purring heroine, Cat Quest II has you covered. This top-down quest-a-thon, which draws inspiration from classic Dragon Quest titles, spans an unexpectedly wide territory. Despite the kitty's cuteness, it is capable of handling itself in the many encounters you will encounter in Felingard.Use the Apple Arcade to play Cat Quest II.Exploration games Pokémon Legends Arceus key art

Switch version of Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Exploration has always been a key component of the Pokémon experience, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus offers an abundance of secret passageways, caverns, and cobalt coasts. With five expansive locations to explore, it's not exactly an open world, but there's still plenty of room to ride, fly, and surf around the Hisui region's wildness in pursuit of old stories. This is the closest you'll go for a while to experiencing a live, breathing Pokémon universe, for those who grew up dreaming of doing so.See our instructions for Pokémon Legends: Arceus mystery gift codes and Pokémon Legends: Arceus evolution items if you're still getting your bearings in the bygone era of Pokémon.

The Trail is a portable

In The Trail, go back in time and explore the once-new territories of the American West. This journey, from the creator of Fable, Peter Molyneux, has you hunting, crafting, and trading as you try to start over in the beautiful environment of the game. You may acquire your own little dog to keep you company in the wide-open west, adding to the rootin' tootin' good time.Exploration games Hollow Knight cover

Switch – Hollow Knight

The gloomy depths and merciless dungeons of Hollow Knight, a Metroidvania with more going on than meets the eye, provide a darker dive than others. With a long number of Hollow Knights bosses, it's also one of the harder games on our list. to test The Knight's skills with his reliable short sword, Nail. Check for our guides to Hollow Knight mask shards if you're having trouble navigating the vast subterranean.Hollow Knight pale ore and .Exploration games a Short Hike

A Brief Ascent – Flip

A Short Hike is a wonderful stroll through the tranquil mountainscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park, and it's a small excursion compared to others. Of all the exploration games we love, this one is the most tranquil as it emphasizes spending your time discovering every inch of the mountain park. It's a great treat for a free day since the game just takes a few hours to finish.Exploration games Terraria cover art

Terraria: Switch and handheld

You didn't quite believe that we would miss Terraria, did you? Among the most well-liked exploration games of the last ten years, this seminal game lets you explore, battle, and construct your way through a randomly generated world, where a new area is always only a button push away. Terraria is one of the greatest and largest sandbox exploration games available.See our guides to Terraria bosses and Terraria armour if you haven't already explored the vast chasms of Terraria.

Tears of the Kingdom: The Legend of Zelda

With a map packed with of hidden locations and mysteries, Tears of the Kingdom ups the ante on Breath of the Wild exploring. It is impossible to adequately describe the fantastic feeling of exploring this region, doing side missions, and defeating Bokoblins. This is the world for you if you want to explore it for more than a hundred hours and still discover new things to do.Check out our guides to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom koroks, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom shrines, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom armor, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom geoglyphs, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom autobuild, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom enemies to get your grand Hyrulian expedition off to a great start.That's it, dear! These are our selections for the top mobile and Switch exploration games. Try our list of the best games like Terraria on Switch and mobile to find some more unexplored adventures if you've played Terraria already. You can also check out our list of the best Nintendo Switch games for even more ideas.

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