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Top 15 best indie games on Switch

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Top 15 best indie games on Switch

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Updated on July 12th, 2023 - re-checked the list. Original article by Suchit Mohanty, updated by Cristina Mesesan


The Nintendo Switch is the perfect device if you’re into indie games. But sometimes you might get bored by playing the same titles repeatedly. If that's the case, you'll be glad to know we've created a list of the best indie games for Switch which you must try.

Out of the tons of indie games available on the Nintendo Switch store, we have picked the cream of the crop.

The titles we have included on our list are easily available on the Nintendo Switch store and the listing is based on the popularity of the game at the time of writing. We will be updating this list with new additions, so check back every now and then.

Nintendo Switch rainbow screen

What are the best indie games on Nintendo Switch?

Indie games are usually developed by an individual game developer or a very small team. Generally, there is no funding or support involved in the making and maintenance.

In the past few years, the number of indie games has significantly increased along with the count of indie developers. Being an indie developer has its own benefits as they are not controlled by any organisation and are free to develop according to their own wishes.

So, let's take a look at the top 15 best indie games to try on Nintendo Switch. Hit that big blue button below.

Click Here To View The List »

1
I am Dead

I am Dead To begin with, we have I am Dead from Annapurna Interactive. The story starts with the death of a museum curator called Shelmerston. After this, he meets up with the ghost of his dog and after their reunion, they set off to an island created by a volcanic eruption.

I am Dead, focuses on your decision skills by putting you in multiple situations where a single choice could change the island's fate. The ultimate aim is to save the island and its people from the upcoming natural hazard.

Buy I am Dead for $19.99

2
Dead Cells

Best Switch indie games - Dead Cells One of the best roguelike indie titles for Switch, Dead Cells, is about a creature that was formed following a failed science experiment. In the beginning, you will have to acquire a dead body to control the cells and gradually develop into a proper living being. In case you really like it, you're going to need the Dead Cells weapons tier list, because it won't be easy to discover all of the weapons right away.

The game features evolving levels, where each stage's difficulty randomly changes according to the previous run and the player’s performance. It has tons of dungeons and bosses to challenge, and it's not as easy as it might look like.

Buy Dead Cells for $24.99

3
Hades

Hades is the Switch indie game Interested in Greek mythology? Hades is a must-try indie title that gives you a broader outlook on Greek mythology. In this action dungeon crawler, you will play as the son of Hades, Zagreus and help him escape and reach Mount Olympus.

You will use various combinations of attacks by finding multiple weapons. There are numerous treasures to gather along the way too. These will let you buy multiple items and weapons that are quite important to the hack-and-slash combat system. There are other games like Hades, in case you've already played that one.

Buy Hades for $24.99

4
Golf Story

Golf Story This list would be incomplete without adding a sports title, so we've included Golf Story by Sidebar Games. In order to show your golfing skills, you will have to enter the story mode and choose one of the eight courses that are available to play.

Golf Story is not just about playing golf across various courses but it also focuses on exploring and getting to know the secrets of people and places. .

Buy Golf Story for $14.99

5
Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight is a perfect example of a Switch indie game Looking for some action in a kingdom filled with insect knights? Team Cherry’s 2D action title, Hollow Knight is absolutely worth trying. Throughout your adventure, you will explore the underground world while tackling various enemies and powerful bosses..

This modern-day side-scrolling classic lets you decide the events and the gameplay changes accordingly. In addition, you will also get a chance to tackle creepy monsters and evil bosses to unlock quests and in-game rewards. Just note that amongst all of the other best indie games for Switch, this one could be the most challenging in terms of difficulty!

Buy Hollow Knight for $15.00

6
My Friend Pedro

My Friend Pedro As the title says, Blood.Bullets.Banana, My Friend Pedro lets you enjoy shooting in a slow-mo action environment in an underworld that requires precision and perfect aim to slay your enemies.

My Friend Pedro allows you to split the bullets between targets and shoot while spinning, which helps it stand out from other shooters. Moreover, it also has a competitive scene you rack up a score on each level that is then posted on a leaderboard.

Buy My Friend Pedro for $19.99

7
If Found...

If Found... Next, we have a beautiful visual novel where you have to erase the memories from a journal to progress. Sounds interesting, right? If Found… from Annapurna tells the story about Kasio from December 1993, after she destroys her diary.

In order to move on to the next story and complete the progress, you will have to erase the entries in her diary to uncover different events. If Found… has found popularity thanks to its immersive soundtrack, hand-drawn art and unique mechanics, which take it to a whole other level.

Buy If Found... for $12.99

8
Cloudpunk

Cloudpunk Cloudpunk is an open-world adventure game that features an interesting evolving storyline with visually impressive cyberpunk elements. The story is set in a future where you control a HOVA, which is a flying car.

Basically, you play as a driver for the company Cyberpunk and your duty is to deliver goods and drop off passengers. There are tons of quests along with regular missions which can be unlocked by trawling around the city.

Buy Cloudpunk for $24.99

9
Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley One of the most popular role-playing games on multiple platforms, Stardew Valley is for those who love farming. You are handed the keys to your grandfather's old farm and tasked with carrying out various farming activities such as growing crops, watering them and raising livestock.

On top of that, this farming sim has a multiplayer feature that allows you to invite up to three players to play with you in real-time. Apart from maintaining the farm, you can also engage in various other activities, including fishing, cooking and embarking on collection quests. If you already tried it and really liked it, we created a list of games like Stardew Valley.

Buy Stardew Valley for $14.99

10
The Long Dark

Best Switch indie games - The Long Dark The Long Dark is considered to be the best survival game on Switch since it was released in September, last year. After a geomagnetic storm, a pilot crashed their aeroplane into a forest in Canada. It's now up to your to survive in this treacherous place.

During your fight to survive the cold weather in the forest, you will have to ensure that you have collected enough food, water and fireworks. In addition, you will have to craft weapons by scavenging the nearby areas to ensure you're protected from the constant threat of wild animals.

Buy The Long Dark for $34.99

11
Darkest Dungeon

Darkest Dungeon featured background

Darkest Dungeon is a great indie roguelike game in a dark fantasy setting. It has that dark, brooding visual style, complex gameplay, interesting mechanics of buffs and debuffs, and a strange set of characters.

During the game, they can experience various ailments such as stress, fear, and drug addiction. And vice versa, they can be inspired after a successful fight, happy after they find some nice thing, and acquire immunity to diseases. If you are a hardcore player who is looking for a challenge and an incredible atmosphere of dark fantasy, this is worth playing! We've created a guide for Darkest Dungeon that should help you with general issues that new players might encounter.

Buy Darkest Dungeon for $24.99

12
Firewatch

Firewatch

Even though it is an indie project, in 2016, Firewatch was nominated for the title of the best game of the year with such games as Overwatch, Uncharted 4, and Doom. This is a story of a middle-aged man who decided to work as a forester for the summer season.

Firewatch is a pretty simple title, but charismatic characters and a bright visual style create an incredible atmosphere of a small adventure. Thanks to the Nintendo console controllers, which give you an amazing tactile sensation, the atmosphere of the game becomes much better.

Buy Firewatch for $19.99

13
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a very fun co-op game that was released in 2015. You will have to take on the role of an animal astronaut, control a spaceship, and fight enemies.

Teamwork is really important because you and your friends will have to control different parts of the spaceship. The gameplay is primitive, so you will learn it fast. However, some of the tasks that you will have to complete are complex and interesting. The colourful visual style and the fun childish setting are very suitable for this game.

Buy Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime for $14.99

14
Night in the Woods

Best indie games on Switch - Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods is a stylish game about a young depressed kitty who returns to her home city. It has very simple but cute graphics, and the gameplay is not complicated.

But, most importantly, it is a funny and adorable title about friends and adventures. Its magnificent atmosphere of a tale looks similar to real life, where characters face the problems that people will encounter at some point in their life. This makes it perfect for people who want to relax and enjoy the story.

Buy Night in the Woods for $19.99

15
Oxenfree

Oxenfree girl staring at the player

First of all, Oxenfree is an interesting and scary story. It involves teenagers who get together on the island, and strange things start to happen in this spooky and well-written adventure.

It is not really a horror game but a convoluted supernatural story. The well-written dialogues reveal all the rivalry and secret desires that a group of teenagers has. The graphic is rather simple, but the style is great and complements the atmosphere of Oxenfree nicely.

Buy Oxenfree for $9.99

We hope you found what you were looking for on our list of the best indie games for Switch! Have fun!

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Cristina Mesesan
Cristina Mesesan
Cristina is a lifelong gamer who also loves digital art, she's worked as an animator and tried some game level designing in Unity. Her biggest passion is pixel games (Stardew, To the Moon), and she adores writing and sharing her knowledge about games.