The Nintendo Switch has quickly become my go-to platform for indie games, offering a unique space for smaller developers to shine. Its hybrid design allows players to enjoy games both on the go and on a TV, making it the perfect console for a diverse library of indie titles. The combination of portability and accessibility has given indie developers the chance to experiment with new ideas and gameplay styles, resulting in some of the best indie games on Switch.
10 Best Switch Games of All Time
More than seven years on from its initial release in March 2017, these are the ten games that helped shape the console’s monumental success.
Indie games on the Nintendo Switch continue to captivate with their variety, from faster-paced platformers to slow-burning, lengthier RPGs. Each game on this list stands out not just for its gameplay, but for its ability to connect with players emotionally or provide a fresh and fun experience. The Switch has created a space where independent developers' creativity flourishes, making it a great platform for fans of indie games to discover new favorites. So, if you’re looking to explore some of the most exciting indie gems available today, these games are an excellent place to start.
10Sea of Stars
An RPG with Stunning Visuals and Intricate Combat
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars, which isinspired by Chrono Trigger, combines classic RPG mechanics with modern visuals anda captivating soundtrack. Featuring turn-based combat, players must strategically plan their moves to outsmart enemies in a world rich with puzzles, vibrant environments, and compelling characters. The fluidity of puzzle-solving alongside combat makes each encounter feel fresh, and the game’s pixel art beautifully captures the spirit of retro RPGs.
The story is engaging, offering an immersive narrative with fun characters and deep themes. Sea of Stars successfully combines nostalgic RPG mechanics with modern game design, making it a standout experience on the Switch for anyone looking to relive the magic of turn-based combat while enjoying a fresh, new adventure.
9Snipperclips
Work Together or Get Cut Apart
Snipperclips: Cut It Out Together
Snipperclips is a cooperative puzzle game that requires two players to work together to solve increasingly complex challenges. The core mechanic revolves around cutting each other into different shapes to fit into various tasks and solving intricate puzzles. The game’s accessibility and intuitive mechanics make it suitable for players of all ages, while its depth ensures the puzzles remain engaging.
The art style is quirky, with a charming and light-hearted tone that enhances the fun of playing with friends or family. Snipperclips excels in promoting teamwork and creativity, offering a unique gaming experience that’s as fun as it is rewarding, making it a perfect fit for couch co-op sessions. This title remains one of my favorites to play with my wife.
8The Messenger
A Time-Bending Platformer That Keeps You Coming Back
The Messenger
The Messenger is a platformer that blends action and time-travel mechanics in a way that feels both fresh and nostalgic. You control a ninja tasked with delivering a message across a vast, dangerous world. As you progress, the game shifts seamlessly between 8-bit and 16-bit graphics, offering an innovative mechanic that alters both the gameplay and the visuals.
The combat is fast-paced and requires both reflexes and strategy to overcome increasingly difficult enemies. With humor breaking the fourth wall, engaging level design, and an evolving narrative, The Messenger creates a unique platforming experience. It challenges players while offering a fun, nostalgic nod to classic games, making it one of the most inventive platformers on the Switch. I would love to see the Shopkeeper get his own game!
7Katana Zero
A Fast-Paced, Neo-Noir Action Game
Katana ZERO
Katana Zero stands out with its sleek, fast-paced action and gripping story. You play as an assassin in a futuristic world, where each mission requires precision and stealth. The game’s real-time combat system demands that you slice through enemies in perfectly choreographed sequences, rewarding skillful execution. The pixel-art style complements the gritty atmosphere, enhancing the dark, mysterious world the game creates.
What sets Katana Zero apart is its fragmented narrative, where the decisions you make during the game impact the progression of the story. The game’s psychological themes and tense moments will keep you on the edge of your seat, and its unique combat system makes it a standout action title that you won’t want to miss.
The Roguevania That Keeps You Coming Back
Dead Cells
Dead Cells offers a perfect blend of rogue-like and Metroidvania mechanics, with procedurally generated levels ensuring that no two runs are ever the same. Each playthrough offers fresh challenges, and the fast, fluid combat allows players to experiment with various playstyles. Whether you prefer melee combat or ranged attacks, the game offers multiple weapons and upgrades to suit your preferences.
The permanent upgrades system gives a sense of progression, with each death providing valuable lessons that make future runs easier. The challenging difficulty keeps players engaged, and the rewarding combat and level design make Dead Cells a must-play for anyone looking for an intense yet fair action experience.
5Chained Echoes
A Modern Take on Classic JRPGs
Chained Echoes
Chained Echoes blends turn-based combat with mech battles and a gripping narrative (while there areother indie games with no story that are also great). The Overdrive mechanic adds depth to combat, challenging players to carefully manage their abilities in battle, avoiding overheating while dealing damage. This creates a level of strategic depth that keeps the combat fresh and engaging.
Chained Echoes is a Worthy Tribute to Classic JRPGs
Set in a beautifully detailed world with a deep backstory, Chained Echoes offers hours of exploration and storytelling. The political intrigue, magic, and technology intertwine in a compelling narrative that will keep players hooked from start to finish. With its gorgeous pixel art and engaging battles, it stands out as one of the best indie RPGs available on the Switch. It’s a great time to jump into Chained Echoes,especially with it getting free DLC this year.
4Hollow Knight
A Masterpiece of Exploration and Combat
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight combines tight combat mechanics with deep exploration, set in a beautiful bug-infested world. As you venture through the vast interconnected world of Hallownest, you’ll encounter unique enemies, powerful bosses, and hidden secrets. The game’s hand-drawn art and atmospheric soundtrack immerse you in the game’s dark, mysterious setting.
Combat is challenging but rewarding, with each victory feeling earned (with some difficult bosses). The game’s minimalistic approach to storytelling allows you to uncover the lore slowly, piece by piece as you explore. Hollow Knight excels in creating a world that feels alive, where every corner hides something new to discover. It’s a must-play for fans of action-platformers looking for a challenging and immersive experience. One of these days, the sequel, Silksong, will come out.
3Shovel Knight
A Nostalgic Adventure With Modern Flair
Shovel Knight
Shovel Knight is a throwback to the 8-bit platformers of yesteryear, but with modern design and mechanics that make it feel fresh. As the titular Shovel Knight, you embark on a journey through various levels filled with enemies, traps, and treasures. The game’s tight controls and exciting boss battles ensure that every level feels satisfying to complete.
Shovel Knight Hits Milestone with Two Million Copies Sold
The pixel art and music pay homage to classic games such as Mega Man, Duck Tales, and Zelda 2, while the creative mechanics, such as using a shovel for both combat and puzzle-solving, bring something new to the table. Shovel Knight captures the best of nostalgia while providing a challenging and rewarding adventure that stands as a modern classic in the indie game scene. There is a plethora of free downloadable content and story campaigns to go through here.
2Undertale
An RPG That Defies Expectations
Undertale is an RPG that offers players the chance to choose between violence and peace, allowing each decision to affect the story in meaningful ways. The game’s unique combat system enables you to talk with enemies instead of fighting them, adding a layer of emotional depth to the gameplay. The narrative is quirky, emotional, and full of surprises, with memorable characters that will stick with you long after you finish the game.
Undertale’s simple mechanics hide a deep and intricate world, where your choices shape the outcome of the game. The game’s humor, unexpected twists, and exploration of friendship and consequence make it a standout title that has become a beloved classic, offering high replayability with multiple endings based on the player’s decisions. This game is definitely best played in multiple playthroughs.
1Stardew Valley
The Farming Sim That Stole Our Hearts
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley isone of the best farming simulation gamesthat offers a relaxing yet rewarding experience. You inherit a run-down farm and must restore it to its former glory, growing crops, raising animals, and engaging with the vibrant community around you. The game offers a variety of activities, from mining to dungeon crawling, keeping gameplay fresh and exciting.
What sets Stardew Valley apart is its emotional depth. You build relationships with the townspeople, help them through personal struggles, and even explore hidden secrets throughout the world. The soothing music, charming pixel art, and sense of progression make Stardew Valley one of the most immersive and heartwarming indie games on the Switch, offering a fulfilling experience that’s easy-to-get lost in. I have well over 200 hours of playing time on this indie title.
10 Best Switch Exclusives To Play While Waiting for the Switch 2
There are a lot of games on the Switch, and from the exclusive titles, these are the best to play while waiting for the Switch 2 to release.
