Achievements have been an integral part of gaming since the Xbox 360’s launch. They’re present on Xbox and Steam, while PlayStation system have a similar setup with trophies. But what about Nintendo, which is often the contrarian?

Let’s explore the presence of achievements on the Nintendo Switch so you can figure out what goals you want to go for.

Are There Achievements on Nintendo Switch?

In the traditional sense, there are no achievements on Nintendo Switch. PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam all have platform-wide systems that keep track of the achievements/trophies you’ve earned on your account, but this is not present on Nintendo's console.

On these platforms, a player’s profile shows the achievements they’re earned in specific games. Unlocking Xbox achievements increase your Gamerscore, while earning PlayStation trophies increase your trophy level. Those global values allow you to view how fully a player completes games.

PS5 Trophy Overview

The Switch doesn’t include anything of this sort. On the Switch’s main menu, there’s no option to view achievements you’re earned on your own account, or check those from friends. However, while the Switch lacks a system-level achievement program, that doesn’t mean the games are devoid of goals to challenge yourself with.

Built-in Game Achievements on Switch

If you’re interested in earning achievements on Switch, you’ll be glad to know that certain titles include their own in-game trackers for achievements. These usually line up with the achievements on other platforms, allowing you to shoot for the same goals.

For example, in Dicey Dungeons, there are in-game “challenges” that match the achievements you’ll find on other platforms. This allows you to track the goals, though there’s no way to compare them with others unless you share a screenshot or video from your Switch.

Switch Dicey Dungeons Achievement List

Overwatch, Shovel Knight, Hollow Knight, and Hades are a few other games that use a similar system, though there are many more. The list of games that include these pseudo-achievements is too long to provide here; check out this Reddit thread for a longer list.

Switch-exclusive games sometimes include in-game achievements like this, too. For example, Astral Chain features over 180 “orders” that range from completing missions to finding collectibles. There’s even a final order called “Astral Perfection,” which is equivalent to the capstone platinum trophy on PlayStation.

If you enjoy having a list of tasks to complete in your games, these should suffice. The drawback is that they are isolated to their individual games, but that won’t stop you from having a sense of pride upon completing them.

Nintendo Switch Online Missions

There’s one other type of goal on the Switch that you might consider an achievement: completing the Nintendo Switch Online missions. Nintendo launched these in early 2022 as a way to provide Switch Online subscribers with small rewards for using the features of their membership.

Switch Online Missions Hub
Image Credit: Nintendo

However, these aren’t true achievements. They instead pose simple tasks, like playing a game that supports online play, trying a certain game from the NES or SNES Online libraries, or backing up your save data. You can complete these in a few minutes, making them more akin to Xbox Game Pass Quests than achievements. Those, similarly, task Game Pass subscribers with basic assignments, like earning three achievements in Game Pass titles or trying a certain game.

Along with the missions, Switch Online members also got access to a new shop. Using My Nintendo Platinum Points you’ve earned from these and other goals, you can buy backgrounds and icons to use for your account profile. These are minor, but offer a fun bit of customization for your Switch.

If you enjoy spending Platinum Points to create new profile icons or on the other My Nintendo rewards, then these missions are worth completing (they change regularly). But they don’t offer a challenge, which is why we hesitate to call them proper achievements.

Earn Achievements on Your Nintendo Switch

While the Nintendo Switch doesn’t offer a system-wide way to track and compare achievements, lots of games offer their own menus to challenge you with in-game goals. Poke around your favorite titles for such a menu, and you’ll find plenty to strive for beyond simply completing the game.

To get more out of your Switch, why not try customizing its interface next?