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Top 25 Best Indie Games on Nintendo Switch

Looking for some hidden indie gems? Here are the top indie games on Nintendo Switch.
Image of Jeremy Kanjanapangka
Jeremy Kanjanapangka
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Published: Oct 18, 2023 02:35 am

With so many indie experiences to choose from, the Switch is the indie gamer’s dream system. If you’re looking for your next indie gem to play through, join us as we list the top 25 best indie games on the Nintendo Switch.

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As the Switch grew in popularity thanks to its diverse library of fan-favorite Nintendo franchises and convenient portability, many gamers dreamed about their favorite indie games making it onto the system. Nintendo saw this as an opportunity to boost the Switch’s popularity even further, and opened the ecosystem up to smaller developers, which effectively made the Switch the perfect console for indie games.

25. Trombone Champ

Image via Holy Wow Studios

It’s a fact that the trombone is one of the greatest musical instruments of all time, and Trombone Champ reinforces that fact with its wacky and hilarious gameplay. Trombone Champ is a rhythm game that lets you play the trombone to popular pop and classical songs throughout history. Grab some friends for even more chaos in local or competitive play!

Related | Top 20 Best Co-Op Games on Nintendo Switch

24. A Short Hike

Whippoorwill

A Short Hike is a relaxing hiking game. A young bird named Claire takes a trip to the beautiful mountain range of Hawk Peak Provincial Park, where she’ll reconnect with nature and meet new friends along the way. There’s no goal other than to reach the summit of the park, and you can do that however you wish. If you want a peaceful hiking experience, A Short Hike is the perfect game to chill out to.

23. Baba Is You

Image via Hempuli

Baba Is You is a cute and creative puzzle game. As Baba, a little white creature, you can push objects and words around to change the game’s rules. Is a wall stopping you from getting to the goal flag? Simply push the STOP tile away from the WALL tile and voila—Baba can now walk through walls! Of course, it gets much more complex as the game goes on, so check out Baba Is You if you love complex brain teasers.

22. Hypnospace Outlaw

No More Robots

Hypnospace Outlaw is an internet simulation game that is basically a celebration of the internet back in the 90s. Hypnospace is a brand new product that lets users enter a simulation that let’s them create and customize their own web pages. You play as a Hypnospace Enforcer, and your job is to scour the web in search of users breaking rules. If you grew up surfing the web in the 90s, Hypnospace Outlaw is a really cool trip down memory lane.

21. Kingdom Two Crowns

Image via Raw Fury

Kingdom Two Crowns is a 2D strategy game where you are the monarch of a new civilization. As you sail from island to island, you must build settlements and establish a kingdom, all the while fighting off the mysterious shadow entities known as the Greed. A second player can join in and help you build your kingdom.

20. Sayonara Wild Hearts

Annapurna Interactive

Sayonara Wild Hearts is a psychedelic and heartfelt arcade action game. A young woman’s heart is broken, and a mysterious butterfly emerges from the ashes. From there, she meets her alter ego: The Fool. As The Fool, players will ride, skateboard, jump, and dance their way through visual spectacles, all the while listening to an amazing pop soundtrack.

19. OMORI

Image via OMOCAT

OMORI is a psychological RPG that is based off of the artist’s web comic of the same name. You play as Omori, a quiet and aloof boy, along with his five friends, who all live in a mysterious dream world known as White Space. One day, one of the friends goes missing, which kicks off a plot that can shake the foundations of Omori’s world as he knows it.

18. Risk of Rain 2

Image via Gearbox Publishing

Risk of Rain 2 is a third-person shooter roguelike. Another ship receives the distress call sent from the UES Contact Light, the cargo ship from the previous game. Choose from a variety of mercenaries, each with their own unique skill sets, and fight your way through the planet, recovering as much cargo as possible. As you progress through the planet, your foes become stronger, so stay on your toes and survive!

17. Terraria

Image via 505 Games

Terraria is a 2D platformer action game, where you dig, explore, fight, and build! You’re dropped into a randomly generated world, and your only goal is to explore and fight off big bosses. You can meet various villagers along the way, who can help point you in the right direction and sell you items. You can even build houses with the various materials you gather, but just be prepared to defend them when the nightly zombies come by for a visit!

16. Subnautica

Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment

After a mysterious collision, your ship crash lands on a massive planet that seems to be completely covered in water. With no other survivors in sight, you dive into the unknown in Subnautica, a survival exploration adventure. Scrounge for supplies, ranging from natural sea offerings to scrap left behind by the ship, and craft useful items to help your odds of survival as you search for a way off the planet.

15. CrossCode

Image via Deck 13

CrossCode is another love letter to JRPGs from the 16-bit era, specifically the Super Nintendo games. The game features a large sci-fi fantasy world to explore, with a mysterious plot to unravel. The game’s combat system is a nice blend of traditional JRPG systems touched with modern improvements. CrossCode should be right up your alley if you’re a fan of classic JRPGs.

14. Hades

Image via Supergiant Games

Hades is an action roguelike game where players assume the role of Zagreus, the immortal prince of the underworld. Fed up with his father’s actions, Zagreus sets out to leave the underworld once and for all. As he travels through the various levels of the underworld, Zagreus will meet the friendly gods of Olympus, while fending off hostile monsters. With a variety of weapons and Olympus boons to choose from, Zagreus’ attempts to escape the underworld are never the same.

13. Streets of Rage 4

Image via DotEmu

Axel, Blaze, and Adam are back and they’re better than ever in Streets of Rage 4, the long-awaited sequel to Sega’s forgotten beat’em’up series. This time around, Sega had nothing to do with the game, as Streets of Rage 4 was developed entirely by indie studios Lizardcube, DotEmu, and Guard Crush Games. Streets of Rage 4 continues the class side-scrolling beat’em’up action the series is known for, introducing new characters, new moves, and tons of new enemies and bosses.

12. Darkwood

Image via Crunching Koalas

Darkwood is an extremely creepy and atmospheric top-down survival horror game. You find yourself trapped within a dense Polish forest that is being overtaken by a mysterious plague. The woods are relatively safe during the day, so you’ll need to go out and scavenge for supplies while looking for a way out of the forest. When the sun falls, grotesque abominations come out to play, so board up your safe house and prepare to endure the night.

11. Super Meat Boy Forever

Image via Team Meat

Meat Boy is back, and he’s meatier than ever! Super Meat Boy Forever is the sequel to the indie darling Super Meat Boy, now with 200% more meat. Forever features the same nail-biting, fast-paced platforming action as the original game, but with new level designs and gimmicks to play with.

10. Astroneer

Image via System Era Softworks

Welcome to the great expanse of space! You are an Astroneer, as your job is to explore the outer edges of space, scouting out distant planets and securing home bases. Astroneers can work together and build self-sufficient bases that can provide them with shelter and power. They can also build vehicles that can help them explore planets. If the planet’s crust isn’t to your liking, your terraforming tool can reshape the ground beneath you. The only limit is your imagination!

9. Stardew Valley

Image via ConcernedApe

Stardew Valley is a peaceful farming simulation game. Jaded by your 9-to-5 office job, you decide to quit and move out to the scenic Stardew Valley, where your grandfather has left you a farm plot near Pelican Town, a quaint little village. Grow crops, raise barn animals, and befriend the locals as you return to your roots and build a new life on the farm.

8. Wobbledogs

Image via Secret Mode

These dogs ain’t your ordinary furry friends! Wobbledogs is a pet simulation game that lets you create funny-looking dogs called Wobbledogs. With cute and comedic aesthetic, the game is sure to get laughs out of players of all ages, and for those who want to engage with it, there’s a complex DNA system that lets you tweak genetics and evolve your dogs in all sorts of ways. Create the ultimate Wobbledog using the power of science!

7. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

Image via Yacht Club Games

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the ultimate collection of the titular knight’s world. The main centerpiece is Shovel Knight, a 2D platformer that celebrates the 8-bit days, taking inspiration from games like Mega Man, Super Mario Bros, and more. In addition to the main adventure, Treasure Trove also contains all four DLC modes released for the game: Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, King of Cards, and Showdown.

6. Blasphemous 2

Image via Team17

Blasphemous 2 is a dark and gritty Metroidvania platformer. Taking place directly after the events of the first game, The Penitent One once again finds themselves locked in a land full of life and death. The sequel adds brand new skills and abilities, which give players more customization control over their play style.

5. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Image via Team Reptile

Take to the streets of New Amsterdam in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, a sports adventure game with a sick art style and groovy soundtrack. Heavily inspired by Sega’s own Jet Set Radio, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk follows the story of the Bomb Rush Crew as they aim to conquer the streets and go “All City”. Grind your way through the five boroughs of New Amsterdam while evading the authorities and spraying some awesome graffiti art.

4. Wargroove 2

Image via Chucklefish

Wargroove 2 is a turn-based fantasy strategy game, inspired by Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem and Advance Wars series. This time around, the action happens on the island of Aurania, where a new faction aims to conquer the island through the use of ancient relics containing catastrophic power. Take to the skies, seas, with a slew of new commanders and battle it out in all-out war!

3. Vampire Survivors

Image via poncle

Vampire Survivors is an auto-shooter roguelike with a theme inspired by Konami’s classic Castlevania series. Mow down hordes of undead monstrosities while collecting various items that upgrade your weapon and character. Combine certain items for deadly combos, so see what kind of crazy combos you can come up with!

2. Undertale

Image via 8-4

Undertale is the friendly RPG where no one has to die! A curious child falls down into the realm of monsters one day, and they have to find a way back home, all the while befriending the cast of colorful characters they meet on the way. Both a subversion and love letter to classic JRPGs from the 16-bit era, Undertale has been an indie darling since its initial PC release back in 2015, and now players can enjoy it on the go.

1. Outer Wilds

Image via Annapurna Interactive

Outer Wilds is a first-person space-fairing adventure that focuses on heavy exploration. You are Outer Wilds Ventures’ newest recruit, and your job is to study the stars and report back with your findings. However, this isn’t a simple trip into space, as a huge mystery becomes the center of the game’s story. With mind-bending environmental puzzles and a poignant yet heartwarming story, Outer Wilds is an adventure like no other. The Switch port isn’t out yet, but we highly recommend you check it out once it’s released.

See any games you know on our list? Think another game should be on the list? Let us know what your favorite indie games on the Nintendo Switch are in the comments below!

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Author
Image of Jeremy Kanjanapangka
Jeremy Kanjanapangka
Jeremy is a Content Writer for Touch, Tap, Play, and has been writing in the games journalism industry for almost a decade now. With a degree in English and a passion for games, he loves to talk and write about all kinds of games. While you can find him covering the latest and greatest games, there is a special place in his heart for RPGs, action-adventure games, fighting games, and anything Nintendo related.
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