834 games

The best hidden gems on Xbox

Rated brilliantly, yet barely known: games few people talk about and almost everyone who played them loves. Often from small studios with ideas of their own.

How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 36 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.

  1. 1 Toem

    2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 18.99 € 99 % positive

    • Cosy, great for unwinding
    • Distinctive, stylised art style
    • Lots to discover

    Toem is a laid-back photography adventure set in a hand-drawn black-and-white world, where you help quirky locals by snapping pictures and solving small tasks. Charming, friendly and completely stress-free.

  2. 2 Crime Scene Cleaner

    2024 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 98 % positive

    You work as a mob crime scene cleaner, scrubbing away evidence and dodging the police between jobs. A humorous, laid-back simulator wrapped in a shady criminal premise.

  3. 3 One Finger Death Punch

    2013 PCXboxSteam Deck verified 4.99 € 98 % positive

    • Melee combat with weapons or fists
    • Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
    • Action-packed real-time combat

    A lightning-fast kung-fu brawler played with just two buttons: you click left or right to hit enemies at exactly the right moment. The result is fluid, movie-like fight choreography that feels like a rhythm and reflex test.

1 Toem

Cosy, great for unwinding

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 18.99 € 99 % positive

Toem is a laid-back photography adventure set in a hand-drawn black-and-white world, where you help quirky locals by snapping pictures and solving small tasks. Charming, friendly and completely stress-free.

2 Crime Scene Cleaner

2024 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 98 % positive

You work as a mob crime scene cleaner, scrubbing away evidence and dodging the police between jobs. A humorous, laid-back simulator wrapped in a shady criminal premise.

3 One Finger Death Punch

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2013 PCXboxSteam Deck verified 4.99 € 98 % positive

A lightning-fast kung-fu brawler played with just two buttons: you click left or right to hit enemies at exactly the right moment. The result is fluid, movie-like fight choreography that feels like a rhythm and reflex test.

4 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Strong, story-driven narrative

2013 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

You play a rookie defense attorney who wins over absurd courtroom trials by presenting evidence, cross-examining witnesses and spotting contradictions. Sharp writing and a steady stream of jokes make this remaster of the original case a charming mystery adventure.

5 Rhythm Doctor

Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)

2025 PCXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.50 € 98 % positive

A charming rhythm game where you heal patients by hitting the beat of their heartbeats with a defibrillator. It surprises with inventive rhythm twists, pixel art, humor, heart and a great soundtrack.

6 Sally Face

Strong, story-driven narrative

2016 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 2.99 € 97 % positive

An episodic point-and-click adventure about a boy with a prosthetic face who investigates a murder series and supernatural secrets in a gloomy apartment building. Its distinctive comic-like low-poly look, 90s atmosphere and emotional story set it apart.

7 Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Jumping and platforming

2023 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 39.99 € 98 % positive

A stylish skate, inline and BMX platformer set in a cel-shaded city full of graffiti, crews and a funky soundtrack. Fluid movement and exploring the city take center stage, in the spirit of Jet Set Radio.

8 Lil Gator Game

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −50 % 19.50 € 9.75 € 3 days left 98 % positive

A cozy open-world adventure where a little gator explores a charming island, helps friends and enjoys relaxed climbing and gliding. Warm, funny and stress-free, with a surprisingly heartfelt story about childhood and imagination.

9 The Last Campfire

Puzzles and brain teasers

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 14.79 € 97 % positive

A calm, atmospheric puzzle adventure where you guide a small lost ember through melancholy lands and uncover why its people vanished. The puzzles are approachable, and the mood is both wistful and comforting.

10 Well Dweller

Jumping and platforming

2026 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −20 % 14.25 € 11.40 € 11 days left 98 % positive

A dark fairy-tale metroidvania where you play a tiny bird with a matchstick, crossing a wretched kingdom to burn the wicked queen. Expect quirky characters, exploration and platforming action. The game is new and little known to me, so this rating relies mostly on the description.

11 Volcano Princess

Fantasy setting

2023 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable −35 % 10.79 € 7.01 € 3 days left 98 % positive

As the adoptive father of a baby found on a battlefield, you plan her training and encounters week by week. Your decisions shape her future and the fate of the volcano kingdom, leading to many different endings.

12 The Case of the Golden Idol

Puzzles and brain teasers

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 17.99 € 97 % positive

You investigate twelve baffling deaths spanning centuries, gathering clues in pixel-art crime scenes and piecing together names, motives and sequences into your own theory. Pure deduction with little hand-holding makes it feel like genuine detective work.

13 TCG Card Shop Simulator

Economy and management

2026 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable −15 % 20.49 € 17.41 € 2 days left 96 % positive

You run your own trading card shop, stocking shelves, setting prices, hiring staff and cracking packs to build your own collection. A relaxed management sim with the lure of card collecting.

14 Just Shapes & Beats

Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)

2018 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 16.99 € 97 % positive

A rhythm-driven bullet-hell where you dodge geometric hazards perfectly synced to an electrifying soundtrack. It shines in chaotic, frantic co-op sessions with friends.

15 Planet Crafter

Sci-fi setting

2024 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 23.99 € 96 % positive

You terraform a hostile planet by gathering resources, building bases and machines, and watching a barren wasteland slowly gain atmosphere, water and life. The blend of calm survival and visible, large-scale progress is what makes it special.

16 Teardown

Tactical depth

2022 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 95 % positive

Teardown lets you plan heists in a fully destructible voxel world: first you prep the environment with vehicles and explosives, then you execute the job against the clock. Creative, improvised solutions are the heart of the game.

17 Goat Simulator 3

Lots of humour

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

An absurd sandbox playground where you wreak havoc as a destructive goat, enjoy physics mishaps and goof around with up to three friends. The fun comes from experimenting, gags and parodies rather than challenge.

18 Touhou Luna Nights

Action-packed real-time combat

2019 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 14.99 € 97 % positive

A Metroidvania where you play maid Sakuya and stop time to get past enemies and hazards. Time manipulation and knife throwing make for fast, precise gameplay in a richly detailed pixel-art world from the Touhou universe.

19 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations

Strong, story-driven narrative

2013 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

You defend clients in outlandish courtroom trials, uncovering contradictions in testimony by presenting evidence and exposing lies. Its blend of quirky humor, drama and a tangled criminal plot makes this remastered classic stand out.

20 Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All

Strong, story-driven narrative

2013 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

You play as defense attorney Phoenix Wright and expose contradictions in witness testimony by presenting evidence in court. Sharp writing, eccentric characters and gripping murder mysteries make this visual novel a genre classic.

21 Bugsnax

Lots of humour

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 20.99 € 97 % positive

On an island of half-bug, half-snack creatures, you catch Bugsnax with clever traps and gadgets to win over the quirky residents of a stranded village. Zany humor and a surprisingly heartfelt mystery about the missing explorer drive the story.

22 A Building Full of Cats

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 2.95 € 98 % positive

A relaxing hidden-object game where you search an entire building for hidden cats and pet every one. Ideal for short, stress-free sessions.

23 Dorfromantik

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −35 % 12.99 € 8.44 € 6 days left 96 % positive

You place hexagonal tiles to slowly grow a picturesque countryside of fields, forests, rivers and rail lines. A relaxing tile-matching puzzler about smart placement and completing quest goals, with no real pressure.

24 A Castle Full of Cats

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 3.90 € 99 % positive

A relaxed, metroidvania-style hidden object game where you explore a castle and track down cursed cats to rescue them. Charming, cute and completely stress-free.

25 Metal: Hellsinger

Shooting and gunplay

2022 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 96 % positive

A rhythm FPS where shooting and dodging on the beat of metal tracks boosts your damage and combos. You blast through eight stylish Hells backed by a thunderous soundtrack.

26 Rivals of Aether

Co-op or multiplayer

2017 PCXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 24.99 € 96 % positive

A fast platform fighter in the vein of Super Smash Bros., with pixel art visuals and animal fighters tied to the elements of fire, water, air and earth. Precise movement, timing and local multiplayer brawls are the core of the experience.

27 Besiege

Building and crafting

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 14.79 € 95 % positive

Besiege is a physics sandbox where you build your own siege machines from beams, wheels and weapons to wreck castles and armies. The appeal lies in inventive tinkering and the often chaotic, funny failure of your contraptions.

28 Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Cosy, great for unwinding

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 16.19 € 97 % positive

As a young activist you wander a picturesque Mediterranean island, photograph animals and help with small conservation projects. A gentle, warm-hearted adventure with no stress and no combat.

29 Firework

Dark, serious atmosphere

2021 PCXboxNintendo Switch 8.19 € 97 % positive

As a rookie policeman you reopen a closed massacre case in a remote mountain village after a funeral fire. Between puzzles and eerie clues, you must work out whether the events are supernatural or a carefully staged murder.

30 Doom

Shooting and gunplay

2019 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 9.99 € 96 % positive

You blast through hordes of demons on Mars and in Hell in this faithful, modernized port of the 1993 original. Fast movement, a brutal arsenal and secret-filled maps reward aggressive, skillful play.

31 Webbed

Lots to discover

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 8.19 € 97 % positive

Play as a little spider swinging through lush forests on webs to rescue your boyfriend from a bowerbird. A gentle, charming platform adventure built around exploration and light puzzles.

32 Mullet Madjack

Action-packed real-time combat

2024 PCXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −35 % 19.95 € 12.96 € 4 days left 97 % positive

A blisteringly fast retro-anime FPS where you tear through floors of enemies under constant time pressure. Each kill buys you more time, and randomized upgrades keep every run fresh.

33 Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping

Lots of humour

2025 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 9.75 € 96 % positive

A short, charming detective adventure where you play a weary duck sleuth at a luxury campsite, gathering clues and linking deductions. Full of puns and relaxed in pace, with no murder in sight.

34 Crow Country

Dread and tension

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.50 € 97 % positive

A retro-styled survival horror game set in an abandoned theme park, mixing puzzle solving, careful resource management and tense exploration. Its low-poly look and moody atmosphere recall classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.

35 Clone Drone in the Danger Zone

Action-packed real-time combat

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 16.79 € 96 % positive

You pilot a gladiator robot in a sci-fi arena, fighting in physics-driven sword duels where any body part can be sliced off. The combat is chaotic, funny and rewards precise timing.

36 Paint the Town Red

Action-packed real-time combat

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.50 € 96 % positive

Chaotic first-person brawling in a voxel style: you smash your way through saloons, bars and biker joints with fists, chairs and anything else not nailed down. A roguelike mode adds upgrades and bosses on top.

37 Iron Snout

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2016 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable free 97 % positive

A fast, over-the-top arcade brawler where a piglet uses kung-fu reflexes and improvised weapons to fend off waves of wolves. Short, chaotic rounds full of slapstick humor.

38 Wobbly Life

Open world

2025 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −35 % 24.99 € 16.24 € 4 days left 97 % positive

A colorful, wobbly physics sandbox with an open town where you take on jobs, minigames and silly mischief alone or in co-op to earn money and unlock new things.

39 Refunct

Jumping and platforming

2015 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 2.99 € 96 % positive

A short, relaxed first-person platformer where you jump across minimalist platforms and press buttons to bring a gray, barren world back to life. Pressure-free, ideal for a quick break or speedrunning.

40 Streets of Rogue

Runs that play out differently every time

2019 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 19.50 € 96 % positive

A chaotic top-down roguelite set in a procedurally generated city where you can tackle missions through brute force, stealth, hacking, or absurd character abilities. Its systemic interactions and goofy humor create constant surprises, including in co-op.

41 A Space for the Unbound

Strong, story-driven narrative

2023 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.50 € 97 % positive

An emotional coming-of-age adventure set in a 1990s Indonesian town, where a young couple explores everyday life, solves puzzles inside other people's minds and pets cats while the world faces its end.

42 Kabuto Park

Cosy, great for unwinding

2025 PCXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 4.99 € 99 % positive

You collect cute beetles, butterflies and dragonflies in a sunny summer park, train them and enter a beetle battle championship. Better gear helps you find rarer and shinier critters.

43 Little Kitty, Big City

Cosy, great for unwinding

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 24.50 € 96 % positive

As a mischievous little cat you roam a lively city, collect hats, befriend local animals and cause delightful chaos along the way. It is a relaxed, funny adventure with no pressure that rewards curiosity and playful experimentation.

44 Opus Magnum

Puzzles and brain teasers

2017 PCXboxSteam Deck playable 14.25 € 97 % positive

A engineering puzzle game where you build alchemical machines from arms, tracks and reactions, then optimize them for speed, cost and footprint. Open-ended solutions and leaderboard comparisons make it highly replayable.

45 Quake

Shooting and gunplay

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 9.99 € 96 % positive

This remaster bundles both classic mission packs and two new MachineGames episodes, letting you blast through demonic dimensions at the original's relentless pace. The fast, unforgiving core shooting stays intact, now with modern rendering.

46 Abiotic Factor

Sci-fi setting

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 33.99 € 95 % positive

A co-op survival crafting game set in a sprawling underground research facility where you play a scientist building gear and bases from everyday items. The tone blends Half-Life-style anomalies and monsters with dry humor.

47 Bad End Theater

Choices with consequences

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 8.19 € 97 % positive

A short puzzle visual novel where you steer a cast of characters through tragic storybook fates. Toggling behaviors in one story changes the others, so you must untangle the web to rescue everyone from their bad endings.

48 I Am Your Beast

Shooting and gunplay

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 18.99 € 98 % positive

A compact, fast-paced revenge thriller FPS in which you play a hunted ex-operative in the North American wilderness, outwitting pursuers and turning the terrain and their weapons against them. Short, intense levels encourage replaying for better runs.

49 Minishoot' Adventures

Shooting and gunplay

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 14.99 € 97 % positive

A charming twin-stick shooter adventure with a Zelda-like structure: explore an open world, upgrade your tiny ship and beat dungeon bosses through fluid, precise bullet-hell combat.

50 Thank Goodness You're Here!

Lots of humour

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 17.99 € 96 % positive

An absurd, hand-animated comedy adventure platformer set in a bizarre Northern English town, where you take on ever stranger jobs for the locals. Its British humor and slapstick gags are the real star.

51 Woodo

Cosy, great for unwinding

2026 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 16.99 € 98 % positive

A cozy diorama puzzle game where you assemble wooden scenes piece by piece and watch them fill with color and animation. A gentle story about Foxy and Ben the frog unfolds across connected dioramas.

52 Thronefall

Tactical depth

2024 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 12.99 € 96 % positive

A minimalist kingdom builder and defense game: you expand your small realm by day and fight off waves of enemies as a hero by night. Its clean low-poly look and simple rules make it approachable yet tactically tricky.

53 Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 4.99 € 98 % positive

A short, charmingly absurd detective adventure where a frog sleuth gathers clues and chats with quirky characters in a Wild West county. Relaxed, funny and entirely stress-free.

54 Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Strong, story-driven narrative

2023 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

As the ghost Sissel, you possess everyday objects around you to change events and save lives. Shu Takumi's clever puzzles, quirky humor and gripping detective story make this HD remaster a standout.

55 Placid Plastic Duck Simulator

Cosy, great for unwinding

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 1.99 € 97 % positive

A deliberately laid-back simulation where you drift around as a rubber duck through small water scenes, finding goals and collecting ducks. Soothing music and tongue-in-cheek humor make it a pure wind-down game.

56 Tinykin

Lots to discover

2022 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −80 % 24.50 € 4.90 € 7 days left 97 % positive

As a tiny astronaut named Milo, you explore a giant house from a bug's-eye view and command hundreds of Tinykin with different abilities to solve puzzles. Relaxed 3D platforming full of charm, humor and collectibles.

57 Monster Train

Turn-based combat

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 24.50 € 95 % positive

A roguelike deckbuilder where you defend a hellish train across three floors against heavenly armies. Clever clan pairings and powerful synergies make every run feel different.

58 Halls of Torment

Runs that play out differently every time

2024 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 6.66 € 95 % positive

A Vampire Survivors-style horde survival roguelite dressed in late-90s Diablo-era pre-rendered visuals, where you shred monster swarms, stack abilities and loot, and steadily unlock new heroes and permanent upgrades.

59 Contraband Police

Historical setting

2023 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified −63 % 29.99 € 11.09 € until tomorrow 95 % positive

You play a border inspector in a communist country of the 1980s, checking vehicles and documents to uncover smuggling, forgery and corruption. It blends inspection simulation, investigative work and occasional shootouts.

60 Kingdom Rush Frontiers

Fantasy setting

2013 PCXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 9.99 € 96 % positive

A charming tower defense game where you place and upgrade towers and deploy heroes to stop waves of exotic enemies. New tower types, heroes and playful levels keep the tactical choices fresh.

What matters: Hidden gems

Hidden gems tend to come from small teams that build around one clear idea instead of copying what is popular. On Xbox, that gives you a wide spread: calm puzzle and cozy games, rhythm challenges, detective mysteries, and a few pure oddities. The list is a good place to look when the big names feel samey.

Before you pick, decide what mood you want. If you want to unwind, Toem is a relaxing, colorful exploration game with a comedy streak, and Dorfromantik is a cozy puzzle and strategy game with an atmospheric feel. If you like to think, The Case of the Golden Idol combines detective work, mystery and pixel art with a story-heavy setup. If you want a challenge, Just Shapes & Beats is tagged as difficult and has a great soundtrack, and One Finger Death Punch is a difficult, stylish timed-hits game.

Also check whether you want to play alone or with others. Just Shapes & Beats and Goat Simulator 3 both carry co-op and multiplayer tags, so they suit a shared couch or a chaotic evening. Most of the other picks are easier to dip into solo in short sessions, which makes them good for trying something new without a big commitment.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best relaxing hidden gems on Xbox?

Toem, Dorfromantik and The Last Campfire are all tagged relaxing on this list. Toem leans toward comedy and exploration, while Dorfromantik is a cozy puzzle and strategy game.

Which hidden gems on Xbox can I play with friends?

Just Shapes & Beats and Goat Simulator 3 both have co-op and multiplayer tags. The first is a difficult, colorful game with a great soundtrack, the second is a comedy open-world game.

Are there hidden gems on Xbox for puzzle fans?

Yes. The Case of the Golden Idol is a detective puzzle game with a mystery story, and Dorfromantik is a calmer puzzle and strategy pick. Teardown is also tagged puzzle, with a stealth and strategy angle.

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