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Because indie games generally rely more on word of mouth or positive reviews in order to generate sales, a lot of them can fly under the radar and might be overlooked by players who would otherwise love them. When it comes to the Nintendo Switch, there are a ton of fantastic indie games available for fans to enjoy.
10 Stardew Valley - Not Just A Farming Simulator
Stardew Valley is the epitome of why many people enjoy indie games, as every detail of it feels like a labor of love. It’s a farming simulator with so much more to enjoy than just that, including relationship-building, mining, and basic combat.
Stardew Valley has short days that give players regular breaks while also encouraging them to continue for just one more. It’s a charming and fun experience with a lot of replay value, and Stardew Valley is one of the most iconic indie games for a good reason.
9 Celeste - A Platformer With Depth
Celeste is one of the few indie games that was almost immediately a major success, and it’s no surprise seeing as it’s a fantastic platformer. Celeste is full of fun yet challenging levels, and it requires great reactions in order to progress all the way up the titular mountain.
The main character Madeline is very well-written, showing growth as she climbs and overcomes her own issues. Between the story and the gameplay, there isn’t much that Celeste fails to do well, and it’s easily one of the best indie games available on Nintendo Switch.
8 Slay The Spire - Every Card Matters
Slay The Spire is a fantastic rogue-like deck-builder that feels like it was built with the Switch in mind. MegaCrit did a great job of developing a game that can be picked up and put down at any moment, something that the platform is known for.
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A full run through all four acts can take a while but many runs will end before act one is over and leave players desperate for another attempt to climb the game’s tower. With four different characters each having a few deck-building options, the replay value is huge.
7 Hollow Knight - A Big Accomplishment On A Small Budget
Like the majority of indie games, Hollow Knight was made on a paper-thin budget. Unlike most of its peers, however, Hollow Knight made a crazy amount of money for the small team that made it. Hollow Knight is a side-scrolling 2-D Metroidvania game that takes place in the underground kingdom of Hallownest.
Although Hollow Knight has boss battles that can cause players a ridiculous amount of stress, it’s very rewarding for anyone that sticks with it. It’s a challenging game for anyone, but perseverance quickly reveals one of the best Metroidvanias in recent memory.
6 Hades - Enjoying Endless Runs
Hades was one of the breakthrough games of 2020 and remains one of the best rogue-like games to this day. Supergiant Games really hit gold when they put Hades together, a hack-and-slash game that offers incredibly satisfying combat as players go from room to room searching for an escape from the underworld.
The story is solid and the amount of replay value that it offers can keep players engaged for hours on end. Combine that with the ability to pick up and play runs on the go, and Hades is a fantastic choice for any Switch owner.
5 Undertale - Choices With Major Consequences
Undertale is an attractive RPG that remains one of the few games to deconstruct the genre. Like many indie games, the graphics are relatively simple, but the gameplay is more than good enough to make up for it. The music is enjoyable too, but the story is where Undertale really shines. It sees players take control of a small child who has gotten lost in the Underground, a subterranean realm full of monsters.
Choices made during the course of the game radically alter the plot and different endings take place depending on how a player handles battles.
4 Divinity: Original Sin 2 - An RPG Above Its Station
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is easily one of the best indie RPGs in recent years and is often regarded by fans as one of the best RPGs in general. As with any port to Nintendo Switch, the ability to play on the go has only enhanced what was already a great game to begin with.
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Divinity: Original Sin 2 allows players to make their way through the world solo or co-operatively and the setting of Rivellon is incredibly well-built, making for a fully immersive experience.
3 Wargroove - A Love Letter To A Classic Game
Wargroove is only the second game developed in-house by Chucklefish, the publisher of Stardew Valley. While it might remind players of the Advance Wars series, Wargroove makes use of a fantasy setting for its turn-based tactical combat instead.
There are several commanders and a wide range of powerful units available to choose from, coupled with a solid story that players will likely find engaging from start to finish. There’s also plenty to do outside the single-player campaign, with online multiplayer, a puzzle mode, and the ability to create one’s own battles.
2 Cuphead - Running And Gunning In The 1930s
Cuphead makes good use of the classic cartoon art style to display an interesting and unique storyline. While the artistic choices are what initially attracted a lot of players, the fact that Cuphead is one of the best modern run-and-gun games is what made them fall in love.
Players take control of Cuphead while a second can use his brother Mugman to repossess souls for the Devil, using a variety of different abilities in order to do so. It’s a fun and challenging game that any fans of the run-and-gun genre will enjoy.
1 Shovel Knight - Retro Platforming Fun
Yacht Club Games managed to crowdfund Shovel Knight, and they delivered a lot more than their backers might have expected at the time. Shovel Knight is a retro platformer that has spawned two different spin-off games, and a lot of that is down to its great level design, interesting characters, and surprisingly fun combat.
Not only does Shovel Knight have a great new game plus option that increases the difficulty dramatically, but it also has plenty of DLC available for players who haven’t got enough when the original game ends.
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