The Nintendo Switch is among the most popular gaming consoles in today’s digital age. Not only because it is portable, but the Switch has one of the best indie games (and even AAA titles) you’ll ever play.
When the Switch was first released, the hybrid console was known for not being indie game-friendly. But that instantly switched (no pun intended) when Nintendo stated that they had planned to support independently developed games on the Switch. This also included launching a new game every week on the platform. After a year, their plan flourished, making Switch one of the best platforms for indie games. Thus, a lot of small developers and publishers love to release their best games on the Nintendo Switch, and we’re here for it!
Moreover, the Switch even made previously released indie games like Little Nightmares II much more popular. With so many incredible indie games to choose from in Nintendo’s library, the 17 best indie games on Switch won’t really cut it. However, with so much to choose from, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. So, we selected 17 different games across a variety of genres that you might want to try out.
Now, let’s go over our top 17 indie games on Switch!
Our Criteria for the Best Indie Games
- The game should be developed by an independent developer or a small game development company without a huge financial backing
- The game can be published by a minor or semi-large company.
- The game has received some sort of success.
- The game can either be popular or lowkey.
- The game should have at least a 70% and above Metacritic score.
Top 17 Indie Games on Nintendo Switch
Take note that the order in which the games are listed is not in any specific ranking.
1. Gris
Release Date: December 13, 2018
Developer/Publisher: Nomada Studio/Devolver Digital
Genre: Puzzle, Adventure, Platform Game
Other Available Platforms: Android, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Amazon Luna, and macOS
Metacritic Score: 84%
In Gris, you’ll be playing as a young, hopeful girl who is lost in her own world of sorrow after having to deal with something traumatic. In her world, everything seems to be black and white, and only after dealing with the different stages of her grief and sorrow will she be able to bring color back to her world.
Gris is one of the most visually striking platform games of the decade. The game also has very relaxing gameplay, which meshes well with its visually appealing graphics. Just saying how gorgeous this game is doesn’t do justice to how beautifully tragic this game is.
Gris perfectly portrays a beautiful story about the tragedy of loss, grief, and moving on and finding color. This game is a perfect example of how a game can be a form of beautifully tragic art.
2. Stardew Valley
Release Date: February 27, 2016
Developer/Publisher: ConcernedApe/ConcernedApe
Genre: Simulation, Role-Playing game
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation, Vita, iOS, Android
Metacritic Score: 89%
If you’re a sucker for calm, RPG, and farming simulation games, then you’ll definitely love Stardew Valley.
In Stardew Valley, you play as a customizable character. You, the player, are a former office worker who inherits a farm from your grandfather. Now, you can go out to start your new life with some hand-me-down tools and a few coins.
You’ll level up in five distinct fields as you go from a floundering newbie to an accomplished farmer. As you advance, you’ll discover new crafting and cooking techniques, get access to new worlds to discover, and be able to tailor your skill set by selecting from a number of professions.
Stardew Valley is an incredibly calm, yet fun and addicting game. You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to play this.
You can read more about Stardew Valley here.
3.Untitled Goose Game
Release Date: September 24, 2020
Developer/Publisher: House House/Panic
Genre: Puzzle, Action-Adventure, Stealth Game
Other Available Platforms: macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Metacritic Score: 79%
Want to play a hilarious, non-serious game involving a menace duck? Then Untitled Goose Game is just the game for you!
The Untitled Goose Game is a game where you play as a menace duck, wreaking havoc and playing pranks on unsuspecting townspeople just trying to get through their day.
This game is relatively simple, yet very interesting and enjoyable to play if you just want to relax and have fun. So go forth, flap your duck wings, and just be a complete nightmare around town.
4. Hollow Knight
Release Date: February 25, 2017
Developer/Publisher: Team Cherry/Team Cherry
Genre: Metroidvania
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Metacritic Score: 90%
Big fan of 2D, hand-drawn, action-adventure games with a dark aesthetic? Hollow Knight is your best bet!
You’ll be taken on a mystery-filled rollercoaster ride by The Hollow Knight as you investigate twisty tunnels, ancient cities, and dangerous wastelands; battle corrupted beasts and odd bugs; and solve historical puzzles at the heart of the kingdom.
You go from not knowing a single thing in the world to slowly conquering the world of the unknown. Hollow Knight is a beautiful masterpiece with stunning graphic designs, interesting gameplay, and an even better storyline to play.
You can read more about Hollow Knight here.
5. Hades
Release Date: September 17, 2020
Developer/Publisher: Supergiant Games/Supergiant Games
Genre: Roguelike, Shooter, Fighting, Action, Role-Playing Game
Other Available Platforms: macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Metacritic Score: 93%
If you liked Bastion and Pyre, then you’re definitely going to enjoy playing Hades.
Hades is an action-packed game where you’ll be playing as Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld, who’s trying to get away from your father, Hades, by escaping the realm and reaching your mother, Persephone, in the mortal world. To escape the Underworld, you’ll be hacking and slashing your way out of the Underworld in a rogue-like dungeon crawler.
Back when it was first released, it was practically nominated for pretty much every game award, which says a lot about how good Hades is. The game has a beautiful narrative with great story progression that isn’t too rushed or too slow. It also has some of the best gameplay and an even better story. Hades is definitely one of the best rogue-like games. We highly recommend this game!
6.The Wild at Heart
Release Date: May 20, 2021
Developer/Publisher: Moonlight Kids/ Humble Games
Genre: Adventure, Strategy Game
Other Available Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
Metacritic Score: 76%
The Wild at Heart is an adorable adventure-strategy game where you take on the role of Wake, a little kid, along with Kirby, his best friend. You two set off into the wilderness together to get away from a difficult upbringing. Wake, who has been separated from Kirby, finds himself in a magical kingdom, where he meets and befriends Grey Coat, an elderly man who belongs to a group called the Greenshields.
This game is great for those who want a bit of a challenge because setting aside its charming and interesting gameplay, lies a challenging puzzle-adventure game.
7. Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition
Release Date: August 18, 2020
Developer/Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games/Thunder Lotus Games
Genre: Adventure, Simulation Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Google Stadia, macOS, Mac operating systems
Metacritic Score: 84%
Spiritfarer is one of the most interesting and unique indie games I’ve tried. You’ll be playing as the ferry master of the deceased, where you’ll build boats to explore the realm, care for your spirit friends, and be able to pass them on to the afterlife.
Spiritfarer is a relaxing, heartwarming, and quite emotional game where you create lasting memories with your spirit friends but have to say goodbye to them in the end for them to pass on. Admittedly, I shed a few tears when I played the game, but that just shows how much emotion this game can bring out of you.
8. Little Nightmares II
Release Date: February 11, 2021
Developer/Publisher: Tarsier Studios/ BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
Genre: Puzzle, Adventure, Platform, Survival Horror Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows, Google Stadia
Metacritic Score: 83%
Are you into darker, adventure-suspense games with a slight cute-gorey gameplay? Then Little Nightmares II is just up your alley!
In Little Nightmares II, you play as Mono, along with your new-found friend, Six. Mono has been trapped in an evil distorted world by an evil transmission. Both you and Six will have to discover this evil world and extract the secrets of the Signal Tower. Your journey to get the answer isn’t an easy one, as you’ll both be experiencing different threats from the terrible people of the world.
This game is truly suspenseful with majestic graphics. It will take you on a journey through a world full of threats, evil beings, and very challenging puzzles and riddles. Little Nightmares is definitely not for the faint of heart.
9. Cozy Grove
Release Date: April 8, 2021
Developer/Publisher: Spry Fox LLC/Spry Fox LLC
Genre: Adventure, Casual Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, iOS, Windows
Metacritic Score: 71%
Next on our list is the ever cute Cozy Grove. If you liked Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, then you might want to try out this game.
This game is where players camp out on a spooky, shifting island. As you play as a Spirit Scout, you’ll constantly explore the island’s forest in search of new, undiscovered secrets and give the local spirits some company. With just a bit of patience and a lot of crafting, you’ll slowly be able to restore color and happiness to Cozy Grove.
Cozy Grove is a very cozy, quirky, and cute game. You can play this game at your own pace and won’t have to feel too pressured about the tasks and quests. This game is a great one if you want something chill.
10.I Am Dead
Release Date: October 9, 2020
Developer/Publisher: Hollow Ponds, Richard Hogg/Annapurna Interactive
Genre: Adventure, Puzzle Game
Other Available Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S
Metacritic Score: 79%
Want to play a cozy puzzle game where you get to explore the afterlife? I Am Dead is the game for you!
In I Am Dead, you play Morris Lupton, a museum curator on the island of Shelmerston, who just recently died and reunited with his dog’s ghost. Here, Morris discovers that the island will soon be destroyed by an upcoming disaster. So, to prevent the island from being destroyed, you and Sparky must uncover the island’s secrets and mysteries and prevent the unseen destruction that will destroy the place they call home.
This is a sweet and artsy game. It’ll definitely take you on a sweet adventure that you’ll enjoy if you’re into this kind of genre and art.
11. Cloudpunk
Release Date: April 24, 2020
Developer/Publisher: ION LANDS/ION LANDS, Maple Whispering Limited
Genre: Adventure, Role-Playing Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
Metacritic Score: 73%
Are you a fan of futuristic, adventure-RPG games? Then this indie game might just be what you’re looking for.
A neon-noir tale set in a sodden cyberpunk city, Rania, a rookie driver for the “semi-legal” delivery service Cloudpunk, is the character you control in this adventure. It’s your first night on the job as a delivery person for Cloudpunk. As Rania, you’ll control an HOVA (flying car), gathering and delivering packages as well as passengers across a futuristic city. You must, however, abide by two rules: never miss a delivery and never question the contents of packages.
Cloudpunk takes you on a futuristic adventure where you’ll meet different kinds of people (and androids). The game has a beautiful world where you can get lost, so what are you waiting for? Try it out for yourself!
12.The Long Dark
Release Date: August 1, 2017
Developer/Publisher: Hinterland Studio Inc./Hinterland Studio Inc.
Genre: Adventure, Simulation, Strategy, Survival Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Windows, Linux
Metacritic Score: 76%
As you journey through a vast frozen landscape in the wake of a geomagnetic calamity, players in The Long Dark are challenged to exhibit critical judgment and their survival skills. There’s only you, the cold, and whatever dangers Mother Nature may conjure.
The Long Dark is one of my personal favorites among indie games. It’s a game where you get to realistically experience the hassle of surviving in a snowy wasteland, having to scavenge for your own food and supplies, and having to use your survival skills as you fight off wolves and hunt deer for food just to survive the night.
This game is incredibly challenging, yet beautifully done, with a ton of creative content put into it. But beware, once you die, you won’t exactly respawn like in other games. If you’re dead, you’re really dead, and you’ll have to start from the beginning again.
13. Raji: An Ancient Epic
Release Date: October 16, 2020
Developer/Publisher: Nodding Heads Games/SuperGG.com
Genre: Action-Adventure Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Metacritic Score: 70%
The action-adventure game Raji: An Ancient Epic is set in ancient India. The last significant conflict between both the gods and the demons took place a thousand years ago. In current times, humans find themselves at the hands of the conquering demons, after being deluded into a false feeling of security and forgetting the ways of alchemy, who launched a fresh war to avenge their earlier defeat,
Raji is a young girl who has been appointed by the gods to defend humanity against the arrival of the demon. To save your realm, Raji must rescue your little brother and take on the demon lord Mahabalasura.
14.Neon White
Release Date: June 17, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Angel Matrix/Annapurna Interactive
Genre: First-Person Shooter, Platform, Action-Adventure Game
Other Available Platforms: Microsoft Windows
Metacritic Score: 90%
Looking for a first-person shooter game that is filled with action? Then Neon White is just for you!
You play the titular Neon White, an assassin who is taking part in the competition for the first time. White deals with amnesia that prevents him from recalling his previous life while still receiving daily tasks from the angel Mikey and running with old crewmates.
This game isn’t only fun, but it’s aesthetically pleasing with a poppin’ soundtrack!
15.OlliOlli World
Release Date: February 8, 2022
Developer/Publisher: Roll7/Private Division
Genre: Platform, Sports, Simulation Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5
Metacritic Score: 87%
Are you into action-adventure sports games? OlliOlli World might just be for you!
A daring new skateboarding action-platformer that’s brimming with personality is OlliOlli World. Players navigate their way through ghostly dunes and ethereal forests as they strive to become a skating wizard in the game’s fictional world of Radlandia, which is overseen by skate gods.
Flip and flow as you make your way to Gnarvana, meeting fascinating individuals along the way, as you explore the beautiful and lively world of Radlandia.
16.Inside
Release Date: July 8, 2016
Developer/Publisher: Playdead/Playdead
Genre: Adventure, Puzzle, Platform Game
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Mac operating systems
Metacritic Score: 87%
Did you like Little Nightmares II and now you’re looking for something similar? Inside is just the one you’re looking for!
Inside is an escape game where you take on the role of a young child who is hunted and alone. Drawn to the center of the project, you’ll have to dodge the multiple threats you’ll encounter along your journey.
This game has received praise from critics for its gloomy visuals, ethereal score, and eerie atmosphere. Inside makes you feel anxious, uneasy, and desperate to figure out every mystery before the catcher gets to you.
Read more about Inside here.
17.Celeste
Release Date: January 25, 2018
Developer/Publisher: Extremely OK Games, Ltd./Matt Makes Games Inc.
Genre: Action-Adventure Game
Other Available Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, Google Stadia, Mac operating systems
Metacritic Score: 88%
Celeste is a great action-adventure game that you might want to try out!
In Celeste, you take on the role of Madeline, a young woman who strives to scale the mountain and now must battle her inner turmoil in order to reach the top.
In this very compact platformer game, aid Madeline in battling her inner demons as she climbs Celeste Mountain and defies hundreds of hand-crafted obstacles, unearths cunning mysteries, and solves the mountain’s secret.
Frequently Asked Question
Is Switch Good for Playing Indie Games?
Our answer: YES! DEFINITELY! The Switch is definitely one of the most impressive gaming consoles to date, as it provides you with portability, which is something most gaming consoles don’t offer. You can play hundreds of different indie games wherever you go. Most indie games are available on the Switch through the eShop. Additionally, most of them aren’t as expensive as other games on different gaming consoles, like the PS4.
Not to mention, the Switch also has a great selection of AAA games, so you won’t run out of great games to play. So, if you’re always on the go and want to continue to play amazing games as you travel, then the Switch is a great option.
But even if you don’t travel as much, the Nintendo Switch is still a great gaming console. Plus, they’re a lot cheaper than your PS4, Xbox, and gaming laptops.
What is the Best Indie Game on Switch?
Well, this question is quite subjective since every gamer has their own niches and genres they enjoy playing, so I can’t really say what the best indie game on Switch is.
Personally, I love realistic and aesthetically pleasing games, which is why I loved The Long Dark. Although it was really frustrating since one wrong decision can cost you your life, other than that, I really enjoyed the gameplay, the story, and most definitely the graphics.
Of course, that’s only my opinion. Some gamers might not like this kind of genre, and that’s totally fine. We’re all unique, so no worries if you like a game that some don’t like. What matters is that you’re enjoying it.
Moreover, we can all agree that indie games slap!
Wrap Up
Indie game developers are really taking the gaming industry up a notch by releasing some of the best games on the Switch, and we’re here for it! The Nintendo Switch offers a variety of indie games (and AAA games), so you won’t run out of options! Whether you’re looking for a cute farming simulation game or an action-packed game, you’ll definitely find one that suits your gaming preferences here!
We hope you enjoyed reading this article! For more articles like this, check out our blog here.
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