1 Stardew Valley
Cosy, great for unwinding
A relaxing farming sim with village life, friendships and a co-op mode.
1,329 games
The best indie games on Nintendo Switch
Small studios, big ideas: games made away from the big publishers, often bolder, more personal and more playful than the next sequel.
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.
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1 Stardew Valley
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Sandbox with your own goals
- Co-op or multiplayer
A relaxing farming sim with village life, friendships and a co-op mode.
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2 Hades
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
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3 Terraria
- Lots to discover
- Building and crafting
- Sandbox with your own goals
A 2D sandbox adventure where you dig, build and craft while ever-tougher bosses unlock new gear tiers and biomes. Its huge item pool and hidden secrets make it a near-endless experience, especially with friends.
2 Hades
Runs that play out differently every time
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
2 Hades
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
Escape from the underworld as a roguelike with fast-paced combat and a story that grows with every run.
3 Terraria
Lots to discover
A 2D sandbox adventure where you dig, build and craft while ever-tougher bosses unlock new gear tiers and biomes. Its huge item pool and hidden secrets make it a near-endless experience, especially with friends.
3 Terraria
- Lots to discover
- Building and crafting
- Sandbox with your own goals
A 2D sandbox adventure where you dig, build and craft while ever-tougher bosses unlock new gear tiers and biomes. Its huge item pool and hidden secrets make it a near-endless experience, especially with friends.
4 Hollow Knight
Lots to discover
A hand-drawn Metroidvania in a ruined insect kingdom full of secrets.
5 Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
Lots of humour
A chaotic physics battle sandbox where you place wobbly units from eras ranging from the Stone Age to fantasy and watch them hilariously clash. Figuring out the perfect army on a tight budget meets glorious slapstick absurdity.
5 Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
- Lots of humour
- Sandbox with your own goals
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A chaotic physics battle sandbox where you place wobbly units from eras ranging from the Stone Age to fantasy and watch them hilariously clash. Figuring out the perfect army on a tight budget meets glorious slapstick absurdity.
6 Undertale
Strong, story-driven narrative
A charming indie RPG where every fight can be resolved without violence, blending turn-based menus with bullet-hell dodging. Its quirky humor, memorable monsters and a story that remembers your choices made it a cult classic.
7 Slay the Spire
Cards and deck-building
A deckbuilding roguelike in which every run demands new card combinations and strategies.
8 Vampire Survivors
Strong character progression
A minimalist auto-attacking roguelite where you only steer while your weapons fire on their own, snowballing through clever upgrade synergies into a screen-clearing force against thousands of monsters. Short runs and constant unlocks make it wildly addictive.
- Strong character progression
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Fantasy setting
A minimalist auto-attacking roguelite where you only steer while your weapons fire on their own, snowballing through clever upgrade synergies into a screen-clearing force against thousands of monsters. Short runs and constant unlocks make it wildly addictive.
9 Celeste
Jumping and platforming
A precise platformer about climbing a mountain and overcoming inner fears.
9 Celeste
- Jumping and platforming
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Challenging difficulty
A precise platformer about climbing a mountain and overcoming inner fears.
10 Subnautica
Lots to discover
Stranded on an ocean planet, you dive ever deeper into a gorgeous yet terrifying alien sea. You build bases and submarines while piecing together the planet's mystery, and the dark depths themselves become the real source of dread.
10 Subnautica
- Lots to discover
- Open world
- Sci-fi setting
Stranded on an ocean planet, you dive ever deeper into a gorgeous yet terrifying alien sea. You build bases and submarines while piecing together the planet's mystery, and the dark depths themselves become the real source of dread.
11 Balatro
Cards and deck-building
An addictive poker roguelike where Jokers, card upgrades and wild synergies push your scores to absurd heights. Every run plays differently, and the hunt for the perfect build never gets old.
11 Balatro
- Cards and deck-building
- Tactical depth
- Runs that play out differently every time
An addictive poker roguelike where Jokers, card upgrades and wild synergies push your scores to absurd heights. Every run plays differently, and the hunt for the perfect build never gets old.
12 Hotline Miami
Action-packed real-time combat
A brutally fast top-down shooter where one hit kills and every floor is mastered through rapid trial, error and instant restarts. Its neon visuals, pulsing synthwave soundtrack and unsettling, surreal story about violence make it unforgettable.
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A brutally fast top-down shooter where one hit kills and every floor is mastered through rapid trial, error and instant restarts. Its neon visuals, pulsing synthwave soundtrack and unsettling, surreal story about violence make it unforgettable.
13 Inside
Dark, serious atmosphere
A wordless, oppressive puzzle-platformer in which a boy slips through a bleak dystopia, controlling bodies with his mind along the way. Masterful atmosphere and a disturbing finale make it unforgettable.
13 Inside
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Lavish presentation
- Puzzles and brain teasers
A wordless, oppressive puzzle-platformer in which a boy slips through a bleak dystopia, controlling bodies with his mind along the way. Masterful atmosphere and a disturbing finale make it unforgettable.
14 Stray
Sci-fi setting
You play a stray cat lost in a decaying, robot-inhabited neon city, climbing, sneaking and poking around to uncover what happened to it. Its charming feline interactions and dense cyberpunk atmosphere make this short adventure stand out.
14 Stray
- Sci-fi setting
- Lavish presentation
- Post-apocalyptic setting
You play a stray cat lost in a decaying, robot-inhabited neon city, climbing, sneaking and poking around to uncover what happened to it. Its charming feline interactions and dense cyberpunk atmosphere make this short adventure stand out.
15 Dead Cells
Runs that play out differently every time
A fast, fluid 2D roguelite with Metroidvania structure, where tight, punchy combat and a huge arsenal of weapons make every run feel different. Permanent unlocks and new routes give you a real sense of progress even as you die again and again.
15 Dead Cells
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
A fast, fluid 2D roguelite with Metroidvania structure, where tight, punchy combat and a huge arsenal of weapons make every run feel different. Permanent unlocks and new routes give you a real sense of progress even as you die again and again.
16 Katana Zero
Action-packed real-time combat
A blistering neo-noir action platformer where one hit kills and each room plays like a puzzle solved with your katana, slow-motion and deflected bullets. It's wrapped in a twisted, fragmented story with dialogue choices and a superb synthwave soundtrack.
16 Katana Zero
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
A blistering neo-noir action platformer where one hit kills and each room plays like a puzzle solved with your katana, slow-motion and deflected bullets. It's wrapped in a twisted, fragmented story with dialogue choices and a superb synthwave soundtrack.
17 Factorio
Building and crafting
Stranded on an alien world, you grow a crude mining operation into a sprawling automated factory, endlessly optimizing belts, production chains and logistics. All the while you must defend it from native creatures angered by your spreading pollution.
17 Factorio
- Building and crafting
- Economy and management
- Deep systems to master
Stranded on an alien world, you grow a crude mining operation into a sprawling automated factory, endlessly optimizing belts, production chains and logistics. All the while you must defend it from native creatures angered by your spreading pollution.
18 Cuphead
Action-packed real-time combat
A brutally tough boss-rush shooter animated like a 1930s cartoon, where precise dodging, parrying and shooting decide every fight. A swinging big-band jazz score and local co-op round it out.
18 Cuphead
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Lavish presentation
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
A brutally tough boss-rush shooter animated like a 1930s cartoon, where precise dodging, parrying and shooting decide every fight. A swinging big-band jazz score and local co-op round it out.
19 A Short Hike
Cosy, great for unwinding
Play as Claire, a young bird climbing and gliding through a charming park toward its summit, chatting with quirky hikers and stumbling on little secrets everywhere. A short, heartfelt, pressure-free adventure with a lovely pixelated low-poly look.
19 A Short Hike
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Lots to discover
- Open world
Play as Claire, a young bird climbing and gliding through a charming park toward its summit, chatting with quirky hikers and stumbling on little secrets everywhere. A short, heartfelt, pressure-free adventure with a lovely pixelated low-poly look.
20 Phasmophobia
Co-op or multiplayer
You and your friends play ghost hunters, using EMF readers, spirit boxes and cameras to work out which kind of ghost haunts a location. Voice recognition and sudden hunts make for genuine panic and plenty of hilarious co-op moments.
20 Phasmophobia
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Playing together in co-op
- Dread and tension
You and your friends play ghost hunters, using EMF readers, spirit boxes and cameras to work out which kind of ghost haunts a location. Voice recognition and sudden hunts make for genuine panic and plenty of hilarious co-op moments.
21 Inscryption
Cards and deck-building
A creepy card game played against a shadowy figure in a dark cabin, mixing deckbuilding with escape-room puzzles while constantly breaking its own rules. Beneath the surface lies a surprising, fourth-wall-bending mystery.
21 Inscryption
- Cards and deck-building
- Turn-based combat
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A creepy card game played against a shadowy figure in a dark cabin, mixing deckbuilding with escape-room puzzles while constantly breaking its own rules. Beneath the surface lies a surprising, fourth-wall-bending mystery.
22 Don't Starve
Open world
A merciless survival game with a gothic, Tim Burton-esque hand-drawn style, where you scavenge, craft and fend off hunger, insanity and monsters in a procedurally generated wilderness. Death is permanent, but every run teaches you something new.
22 Don't Starve
- Open world
- Lots to discover
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A merciless survival game with a gothic, Tim Burton-esque hand-drawn style, where you scavenge, craft and fend off hunger, insanity and monsters in a procedurally generated wilderness. Death is permanent, but every run teaches you something new.
23 A Hat in Time
Jumping and platforming
A charming 3D collectathon platformer in the vein of N64 classics, where a tiny girl uses magical hats to bounce through varied, wonderfully weird worlds. Its chapters, from a mafia-run town to dueling bird film studios, overflow with humor and creativity.
- Jumping and platforming
- Lots of humour
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A charming 3D collectathon platformer in the vein of N64 classics, where a tiny girl uses magical hats to bounce through varied, wonderfully weird worlds. Its chapters, from a mafia-run town to dueling bird film studios, overflow with humor and creativity.
24 Outlast
Dread and tension
As a defenseless journalist armed only with a night-vision camcorder, you creep through a nightmarish asylum where hiding and running are your only options. Relentless, unfiltered terror with no way to fight back.
24 Outlast
- Dread and tension
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Sneaking and hiding
As a defenseless journalist armed only with a night-vision camcorder, you creep through a nightmarish asylum where hiding and running are your only options. Relentless, unfiltered terror with no way to fight back.
25 Outer Wilds
Lots to discover
Explore a solar system caught in a 22-minute time loop and unravel a cosmic mystery.
25 Outer Wilds
- Lots to discover
- Open world
- Sci-fi setting
Explore a solar system caught in a 22-minute time loop and unravel a cosmic mystery.
26 R.E.P.O.
Playing together in co-op
A chaotic online co-op game for up to six players where you haul fragile valuables through procedurally generated levels while monsters hunt you. Physics-driven slapstick mishaps and proximity voice chat blend big laughs with real tension.
26 R.E.P.O.
- Playing together in co-op
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Lots of humour
A chaotic online co-op game for up to six players where you haul fragile valuables through procedurally generated levels while monsters hunt you. Physics-driven slapstick mishaps and proximity voice chat blend big laughs with real tension.
27 Broforce
Action-packed real-time combat
A chaotic run-and-gun platformer starring parodies of action movie heroes, where nearly everything is destructible and explosions tear levels apart. With up to four friends in co-op, the mayhem becomes gloriously over-the-top fun.
27 Broforce
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Shooting and gunplay
- Lots of humour
A chaotic run-and-gun platformer starring parodies of action movie heroes, where nearly everything is destructible and explosions tear levels apart. With up to four friends in co-op, the mayhem becomes gloriously over-the-top fun.
28 The Room
Puzzles and brain teasers
A tactile puzzle game where you twist, slide and inspect an ornate safe full of hidden compartments and clever mechanisms. Its moody, occult-tinged atmosphere makes every discovery feel eerie and satisfying.
28 The Room
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lavish presentation
A tactile puzzle game where you twist, slide and inspect an ornate safe full of hidden compartments and clever mechanisms. Its moody, occult-tinged atmosphere makes every discovery feel eerie and satisfying.
29 What Remains of Edith Finch
Strong, story-driven narrative
A moving narrative game where you wander the sprawling Finch family home and relive each relative's final moments through short vignettes, each with its own inventive gameplay twist. Melancholic, creative, and unforgettable in just a couple of hours.
29 What Remains of Edith Finch
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lavish presentation
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A moving narrative game where you wander the sprawling Finch family home and relive each relative's final moments through short vignettes, each with its own inventive gameplay twist. Melancholic, creative, and unforgettable in just a couple of hours.
30 Gris
Cosy, great for unwinding
A poetic platformer about grief, almost wordless and with a watercolour look.
30 Gris
- Cosy, great for unwinding
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Jumping and platforming
A poetic platformer about grief, almost wordless and with a watercolour look.
31 Return of the Obra Dinn
Puzzles and brain teasers
As an insurance investigator, you use a magical pocket watch to relive the final moments of a ghost ship's crew and deduce the identity and fate of every sailor. Its striking 1-bit visuals and brilliant deduction design make it a one-of-a-kind detective game.
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Distinctive, stylised art style
As an insurance investigator, you use a magical pocket watch to relive the final moments of a ghost ship's crew and deduce the identity and fate of every sailor. Its striking 1-bit visuals and brilliant deduction design make it a one-of-a-kind detective game.
32 Omori
Turn-based combat
A surreal RPG that contrasts bright dreamlike worlds and childhood friendship with psychological horror and heavy themes. Its emotional story and memorable soundtrack stand out, and turn-based battles use emotions as a core mechanic.
32 Omori
- Turn-based combat
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Dark, serious atmosphere
A surreal RPG that contrasts bright dreamlike worlds and childhood friendship with psychological horror and heavy themes. Its emotional story and memorable soundtrack stand out, and turn-based battles use emotions as a core mechanic.
33 To the Moon
Strong, story-driven narrative
Two doctors travel backward through a dying man's memories to fulfill his final wish. It's a short, deeply moving story with warm humor and an unforgettable piano soundtrack.
33 To the Moon
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Distinctive, stylised art style
Two doctors travel backward through a dying man's memories to fulfill his final wish. It's a short, deeply moving story with warm humor and an unforgettable piano soundtrack.
34 Pizza Tower
Jumping and platforming
A frantic, chaotic 2D platformer starring the manic pizza chef Peppino, built around momentum-based movement, score chasing and wildly hand-drawn animation. Its zany humor and driving soundtrack turn every level into a spectacle.
34 Pizza Tower
- Jumping and platforming
- Lots of humour
- Action-packed real-time combat
A frantic, chaotic 2D platformer starring the manic pizza chef Peppino, built around momentum-based movement, score chasing and wildly hand-drawn animation. Its zany humor and driving soundtrack turn every level into a spectacle.
35 Baba Is You
Puzzles and brain teasers
Baba Is You turns the game's rules into pushable word blocks, so rearranging them changes what wins, what kills and even what you control. The result is a clever, inventive puzzler full of aha moments.
35 Baba Is You
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Challenging difficulty
- Distinctive, stylised art style
Baba Is You turns the game's rules into pushable word blocks, so rearranging them changes what wins, what kills and even what you control. The result is a clever, inventive puzzler full of aha moments.
36 Soma
Sci-fi setting
A harrowing combat-free horror journey through a ruined deep-sea research station that confronts you with unsettling questions about consciousness and identity. Its philosophical story lingers long after the credits roll.
36 Soma
- Sci-fi setting
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Strong, story-driven narrative
A harrowing combat-free horror journey through a ruined deep-sea research station that confronts you with unsettling questions about consciousness and identity. Its philosophical story lingers long after the credits roll.
37 Little Nightmares
Dark, serious atmosphere
As tiny Six you sneak through the Maw, a nightmarish vessel full of grotesque giants, solving environmental puzzles while evading capture. Its dollhouse-like, unsettling art style and wordless storytelling make this short adventure unforgettable.
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Dread and tension
- Lavish presentation
As tiny Six you sneak through the Maw, a nightmarish vessel full of grotesque giants, solving environmental puzzles while evading capture. Its dollhouse-like, unsettling art style and wordless storytelling make this short adventure unforgettable.
38 Brotato
Shooting and gunplay
A snappy arena roguelite where a potato wields up to six weapons at once against waves of aliens. Short runs plus dozens of quirky characters and item synergies make for huge replay value.
38 Brotato
- Shooting and gunplay
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
A snappy arena roguelite where a potato wields up to six weapons at once against waves of aliens. Short runs plus dozens of quirky characters and item synergies make for huge replay value.
39 Gorogoa
Puzzles and brain teasers
Gorogoa is a short, hand-drawn puzzle game where you stack, zoom and shift illustrated panels to uncover hidden connections. Its wordless tale of longing and a life's journey unfolds entirely through this inventive mechanic.
39 Gorogoa
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Distinctive, stylised art style
- Lavish presentation
Gorogoa is a short, hand-drawn puzzle game where you stack, zoom and shift illustrated panels to uncover hidden connections. Its wordless tale of longing and a life's journey unfolds entirely through this inventive mechanic.
40 The Room Two
Puzzles and brain teasers
An atmospheric puzzle game where you examine and manipulate intricately crafted mechanical puzzle boxes with tactile controls. Every drawer and mechanism hides another secret in an eerie, mysterious world.
40 The Room Two
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lavish presentation
An atmospheric puzzle game where you examine and manipulate intricately crafted mechanical puzzle boxes with tactile controls. Every drawer and mechanism hides another secret in an eerie, mysterious world.
41 Cult of the Lamb
Melee combat with weapons or fists
As a possessed lamb you found your own cult, managing a village of adorable woodland followers between fast roguelike dungeon runs. Its charm comes from the clash of cute visuals and gleefully macabre humor.
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Distinctive, stylised art style
As a possessed lamb you found your own cult, managing a village of adorable woodland followers between fast roguelike dungeon runs. Its charm comes from the clash of cute visuals and gleefully macabre humor.
42 Cookie Clicker
Cosy, great for unwinding
The classic idle game where you click a giant cookie and spend the proceeds on ever more absurd bakeries, portals and upgrades. There is no true ending, just ballooning numbers and quirky humor.
43 Deltarune
Lots of humour
Toby Fox's follow-up to Undertale mixes menu-based party battles with bullet-hell dodging, and enemies can be spared instead of fought. A charming, funny cast, a standout soundtrack and an unsettling meta-mystery sit beneath its colorful surface.
43 Deltarune
- Lots of humour
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Turn-based combat
Toby Fox's follow-up to Undertale mixes menu-based party battles with bullet-hell dodging, and enemies can be spared instead of fought. A charming, funny cast, a standout soundtrack and an unsettling meta-mystery sit beneath its colorful surface.
44 Chants of Sennaar
Puzzles and brain teasers
You climb a Babel-inspired tower and decipher the distinct languages of its peoples by observing symbols and deducing meanings yourself. The striking comic-like art and the satisfying feeling of truly learning to communicate make it special.
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Lots to discover
- Distinctive, stylised art style
You climb a Babel-inspired tower and decipher the distinct languages of its peoples by observing symbols and deducing meanings yourself. The striking comic-like art and the satisfying feeling of truly learning to communicate make it special.
45 Neon White
Action-packed real-time combat
A fast speedrunning first-person shooter where card-based guns double as movement abilities. You optimize routes through short levels, wrapped in anime style, dating-sim-style dialogue and a driving soundtrack.
45 Neon White
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Shooting and gunplay
A fast speedrunning first-person shooter where card-based guns double as movement abilities. You optimize routes through short levels, wrapped in anime style, dating-sim-style dialogue and a driving soundtrack.
46 Human: Fall Flat
Puzzles and brain teasers
A wobbly physics puzzle platformer where clumsy Bob grabs and climbs his way through dreamlike levels with many possible solutions. Best enjoyed in chaotic co-op, where failed attempts are half the fun.
47 PowerWash Simulator
Cosy, great for unwinding
You blast grime off vehicles, houses and quirky locations with a pressure washer until every surface sparkles. It is a deeply relaxing, satisfying experience that works solo or in co-op.
48 Toem
Cosy, great for unwinding
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.
48 Toem
- 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.
49 VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Sci-fi setting
You tend bar in a cyberpunk dystopia, mixing drinks and learning your customers' stories through conversation. Your drink choices shape how things unfold, backed by a moody synth soundtrack and retro pixel art.
49 VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
- Sci-fi setting
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Cosy, great for unwinding
You tend bar in a cyberpunk dystopia, mixing drinks and learning your customers' stories through conversation. Your drink choices shape how things unfold, backed by a moody synth soundtrack and retro pixel art.
50 Valheim
Open world
A Viking survival game set in a procedurally generated Norse afterlife where you explore biomes, build longhouses and ships, and take down massive bosses. It shines in co-op, balancing relaxed base building with tense, dangerous expeditions.
50 Valheim
- Open world
- Building and crafting
- Lots to discover
A Viking survival game set in a procedurally generated Norse afterlife where you explore biomes, build longhouses and ships, and take down massive bosses. It shines in co-op, balancing relaxed base building with tense, dangerous expeditions.
51 Finding Paradise
Strong, story-driven narrative
Two doctors dive into a dying man's memories to artificially grant his final wish. A deeply emotional, narrative-driven pixel-art adventure with light puzzles, touches of humor and a strong soundtrack.
52 Buckshot Roulette
Tactical depth
A minimalist horror game where you play a round of shotgun Russian roulette against a sinister Dealer in a grimy nightclub. Odds, risk management and special items create tense, tactical decisions in short, nerve-wracking runs.
53 Signalis
Dark, serious atmosphere
A classic survival horror game with scarce resources, inventory puzzles and a cryptic, melancholic sci-fi story. Its blend of retro 3D aesthetics, anime-inspired bleakness and cosmic dread creates a dense, unsettling atmosphere.
53 Signalis
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Dread and tension
- Sci-fi setting
A classic survival horror game with scarce resources, inventory puzzles and a cryptic, melancholic sci-fi story. Its blend of retro 3D aesthetics, anime-inspired bleakness and cosmic dread creates a dense, unsettling atmosphere.
54 Super Meat Boy
Jumping and platforming
A brutally tough precision platformer with hundreds of bite-sized, sawblade-filled levels where instant respawns keep you hammering away until you nail every jump. Its gross-out humor and replays showing all your failed attempts at once make every victory feel earned.
- Jumping and platforming
- Timing and reflexes matter (parrying, dodging)
- Challenging difficulty
A brutally tough precision platformer with hundreds of bite-sized, sawblade-filled levels where instant respawns keep you hammering away until you nail every jump. Its gross-out humor and replays showing all your failed attempts at once make every victory feel earned.
55 Duck Game
Co-op or multiplayer
A chaotic 2D arena shooter where ducks duel in short, frantic rounds with absurd weapons. It shines brightest as a couch multiplayer game with friends.
55 Duck Game
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Competing against other players
A chaotic 2D arena shooter where ducks duel in short, frantic rounds with absurd weapons. It shines brightest as a couch multiplayer game with friends.
56 Bastion
Post-apocalyptic setting
An isometric action RPG where a gravelly narrator reacts to everything you do as you mix weapons and rebuild a refuge in a gorgeous hand-painted, shattered world. Its soundtrack and poignant ending choices make it unforgettable.
56 Bastion
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Distinctive, stylised art style
An isometric action RPG where a gravelly narrator reacts to everything you do as you mix weapons and rebuild a refuge in a gorgeous hand-painted, shattered world. Its soundtrack and poignant ending choices make it unforgettable.
57 There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension
Lots of humour
A comedic point-and-click adventure in which the game itself is your adversary, sending you through parodied video game worlds with absurd puzzles and fourth-wall-breaking gags. The solutions are often delightfully illogical.
57 There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension
- Lots of humour
- Puzzles and brain teasers
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A comedic point-and-click adventure in which the game itself is your adversary, sending you through parodied video game worlds with absurd puzzles and fourth-wall-breaking gags. The solutions are often delightfully illogical.
58 Dredge
Lots to discover
An atmospheric fishing adventure where you haul catches and upgrade your trawler by day while Lovecraftian dread creeps in with the night fog. Inventory-packing puzzles and eerie island stories give it a unique hook.
58 Dredge
- Lots to discover
- Open world
- Strong character progression
An atmospheric fishing adventure where you haul catches and upgrade your trawler by day while Lovecraftian dread creeps in with the night fog. Inventory-packing puzzles and eerie island stories give it a unique hook.
59 Enter the Gungeon
Shooting and gunplay
A tough, pun-filled bullet-hell roguelike where you dodge-roll and flip tables through procedural floors with hundreds of wildly creative guns. Every run plays differently, and mastering the dense projectile patterns is deeply rewarding.
- Shooting and gunplay
- Runs that play out differently every time
- Action-packed real-time combat
A tough, pun-filled bullet-hell roguelike where you dodge-roll and flip tables through procedural floors with hundreds of wildly creative guns. Every run plays differently, and mastering the dense projectile patterns is deeply rewarding.
60 Kerbal Space Program
Sandbox with your own goals
You assemble rockets and spacecraft from parts and send the endearing Kerbals to moons and planets under realistic orbital physics. Failure is part of the fun and often as entertaining as success.
Nothing matches this selection.
What matters: Indie games
Indie games suit the Nintendo Switch well because many of them are built around short, repeatable loops and clear ideas, which fit both a handheld session and a longer sit-down on the TV. The list covers a wide range, so the first thing to decide is what kind of experience you want: relaxed, tense, or somewhere in between.
If you want something calm, Stardew Valley is a cozy farming sim with co-op, and Subnautica is an atmospheric survival game about exploring the ocean, though its horror tag means it can get tense. For quick runs and a lot of replay value, Hades is a stylish action roguelike with a strong story, Slay the Spire and Balatro are deckbuilders that reward planning, and Vampire Survivors has co-op and a comedic tone.
Difficulty is the other big factor. Hollow Knight and Celeste are both tagged as difficult: Hollow Knight asks you to explore and learn its world, while Celeste is a precision platformer with a story. Hotline Miami is also tagged difficult and is a fast shooter with a great soundtrack. If you prefer story and humor over challenge, Undertale is a turn-based RPG where your choices matter, and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a colorful, comedic strategy game that does not take itself seriously.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best indie game on Nintendo Switch to start with?
Stardew Valley is an easy pick if you want something relaxing with a cozy farming loop and co-op. Hades is a good alternative if you prefer action and a story-rich roguelike.
Which indie games on Switch are the most difficult?
Hollow Knight, Celeste, Hotline Miami and Slay the Spire are all tagged as difficult. Celeste demands precision platforming, while Slay the Spire tests your strategy.
Are there indie games on Switch that I can play with a friend?
Yes, Stardew Valley and Vampire Survivors both carry a co-op tag in the data. Stardew Valley is the slower, cozier option, and Vampire Survivors is the more chaotic one.
Not quite your taste?
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