The 15 Best Indie Games On Switch In 2022 Ranked

"Downwell" may not look like the most involved game in the world, but it hides a shocking depth. Taking advantage of just one button, the game sends the player hurtling into the unknown with nothing but a pair of boots that blast bullets from the heels. That one mechanic quickly spirals into a surprisingly complex web of upgrades, pickups, alternate ammo types, and more. The game rewards quick, precise playing, but its wealth of upgrades and mechanical intricacies allow players to build up to a point where that precision feels natural.

"Downwell" is intricate and demanding, but its charmingly sleek minimalism and tight, responsive controls keep it from feeling inaccessible or inscrutable. Not everyone will understand what every upgrade does right away, but "Downwell" doesn't expect that of you. As long as players understand how to shoot bullets out of their feet from the outset, the rest will fall into place naturally. It feels great from the start, and it only feels better with every run.

When "Downwell" was originally released on mobile and PC in 2015, Destructoid's Steven Hansen praised the game's subtle progression hooks and deceptive depth, saying, "I would probably buy a custom dedicated handheld that just played this game." And though the Nintendo Switch has plenty of other games, after just a few runs, it's not hard to see it becoming a dedicated "Downwell" machine.

• Release Date: Jan. 31, 2019
• Genre: Arcade, Roguelite
• Game modes: Single-Player
• Metacritic Score: 88

Even if you haven't played it, you've probably already seen "Untitled Goose Game." When the game was released back in 2019, its belligerent avian antihero took the internet by storm. The goose, whose sole purpose in life is to make everyone's life a little bit worse for no reason in particular, is the ideal video game protagonist. There is no reason for this bird to drag an innocent farmer's picnic into the lake, or to terrify a young boy at an open-air market. The goose causes chaos simply because that's what geese do.

Beyond being fun to watch, "Untitled Goose Game" is also very fun to play. Ruining the day of everyone in the quaint rural town is a deliriously good time, made all the better by the goose's ardent refusal to react to its actions with anything more than a disaffected honk. There isn't much mechanical depth to the game, but it doesn't need much. The joy of it all comes from finding the funniest way to mess up an idyllic day.

Digitally Downloaded found the game's ceaselessly terrible protagonist extraordinarily charming, calling the title "the most charmingly misanthropic game that has ever been created." At its core, "Untitled Goose Game" is the most adorable and harmless way to ruin everything for everyone.

• Release Date: Sep. 20, 2019
• Genre: Stealth, Puzzle
• Game modes: Single-Player, Local Multiplayer (Up to 2)
• Metacritic Score: 81

"Beast Breaker" is an unassuming little game at first glance. You play as a little mouse, bouncing around a fairly simplistic screen to dish out damage to large monsters made from fractals. Then it opens up and becomes a whole lot more than that.

"Beast Breaker" is full of different ways to approach every individual combat encounter. Consumable items, companions, and crafted gear make every fight a unique and delightful challenge. The first couple of encounters might feel like pinball with light RPG elements, but once you've got your own loadout and playstyle locked down, it's not really comparable to anything else. "Beast Breaker" is more than just an evolved pinball game, it's something entirely unique.

Nintendo Life's Mitch Vogel praised "Beast Breaker" for the depth and innovation of its combat, and found the design intuitive enough that its gradual increase in complexity never feels too daunting. "Beast Breaker" is a genuinely special game, with a pleasant aesthetic and an exciting combat system that stands apart from anything else out there.

• Release Date: Sep. 23, 2021
• Genre: RPG
• Game modes: Single-Player
• Metacritic Score: N/A

Every fan of collectible card games like "Magic: the Gathering" and "Hearthstone" knows the joy of hand-crafting the perfect deck, full of cards that play off one another perfectly to unleash devastation on an unsuspecting opponent. "Slay the Spire" takes that simple pleasure and builds it into one of the most compelling games on the Nintendo Switch.

Every run of "Slay the Spire" starts the player with a pre-crafted, extremely weak deck specific to the class they've chosen. After every successful combat encounter, the player may add one card to their deck. Pretty quickly, synergies start to make themselves clear – if one card deals damage equal to the player's block, then it makes sense to add another card that maximizes block to the deck; if a card gets stronger every time another card is exhausted, then adding cards that exhaust other cards lets you build up to one devastating blow. These are some relatively obvious combos, but as you progress in the game and master the deckbuilding mechanics, more obscure strategies begin to reveal themselves, unleashing even more power.

There are so many unique decks and builds in "Slay the Spire" that Twitch streamer Northernlion's YouTube channel is home to nearly 700 unique videos showcasing his runs through the game. The magic of discovering a combo you've never thought of before keeps "Slay the Spire" feeling fresh every single run, no matter how many times you've won.

• Release Date: June 6, 2019
• Genre: Deckbuilder, Roguelite
• Game modes: Single-Player
• Metacritic Score: 85

It's difficult to find anything new to say about "Stardew Valley." By now, if life sims like "Animal Crossing" and "Harvest Moon" are your jam, you've probably already heard the rave reviews for Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone's widely beloved farming game about starting a new life in a small town. In fact, you've probably already played at least a hundred hours of the game. After all, it's tough to play just a little bit of "Stardew Valley." But that's exactly why you should give it another shot on Nintendo Switch.

"Stardew Valley" is an amazing fit for the Switch. You can pick the game up in handheld mode and go through a couple of days during your commute or you can hunker down with the Switch in docked mode and lose hours to the charming visuals and refined gameplay. Tending your farm as you build your relationships with other townspeople is a delight in short bursts or in long, sustained sessions. No matter how you like to play, "Stardew Valley" is ready to accommodate you on the Switch.

The "Stardew Valley" subreddit has over one million subscribers who regularly post memes, tips, and discussions regarding the game. It's easy to see where such a massive community came from — "Stardew Valley" is a lovely game that just about anyone can enjoy.

• Release Date: Oct. 5, 2017
• Genre: Farming, Life Sim
• Game modes: Single-Player, Local Multiplayer (Up to 4), Online Multiplayer (Up to 4)
• Metacritic Score: 87

The first of five acts in "Kentucky Route Zero" was released in 2013, teasing a melancholic ghost story centered around its two protagonists, Conway and Shannon, set against a post-recession American South. By the time the game was finally done in 2020, it was still that... kind of. Over the course of nearly a decade, "Kentucky Route Zero" changed shape countless times, playing with form and format to comment on both the journey its characters take through a surreally reimagined United States and the journey the country took in real life during that time.

"Kentucky Route Zero" is an uncommonly thoughtful game. Its characters are all well-realized individuals, an impressive feat for a game with such an enormous cast. Across the game's five acts and five interludes, the player is introduced to so many different people that it should be impossible to feel connected to all of them, but "Kentucky Route Zero" makes each and every member of the cast feel real and important. If the game loses the plot a bit as it gets bigger and bigger, indie studio Cardboard Computer more than makes up for it with emotionally intelligent storytelling and character work that always feels distinctly small and intimate.

In his review of the game's final release in 2020, Polygon's Russ Frushtick praised the game for its portrayal of communities and individuals finding hope in the face of economic and social hardship. It's a meandering and often melancholy game, but one that is well-worth experiencing.

• Release Date: Jan. 28, 2020 (final chapter)
• Genre: Adventure
• Game modes: Single-Player
• Metacritic Score: 87

If "Overboard!" left you itching for more innovative mystery games set on boats, it doesn't get much better than "Return of the Obra Dinn." This mystery game by indie legend Lucas Pope, the mind behind "Papers, Please," places the player in control of an insurance inspector tasked with determining what happened aboard the Obra Dinn, a trade ship that has returned to port with none of its original passengers onboard.

"Return of the Obra Dinn" is comprised of multiple vignettes, each rendered in a striking monochrome visual style, that the player must examine closely to determine exactly what happened to each passenger. The player logs what they believe occurred in a logbook. The game gives almost no guidance on how to go about solving its central puzzle, leaving the player with a compass that can turn back time, their trusty logbook, and nothing else. This lends the game a real sense of mystery. It won't solve itself — the player has to commit to uncovering the secrets of the Obra Dinn on their own.

In his review for IGN, Tom Marks called "Return of the Obra Dinn" "an absolute triumph," praising its innovative, hands-off approach to mystery design. When "Return of the Obra Dinn" came out, there was nothing quite like it, and there still hasn't really been a game since that's felt like something totally new.

• Release Date: Oct. 18, 2019
• Genre: Mystery, Adventure
• Game modes: Single-player
• Metacritic Score: 86

"Best indie game on Nintendo Switch" is far from the only title "Celeste" deserves to hold. Really, this brilliant indie platformer deserves to be considered among the best games on the entire platform. The combination of achingly precise level design, clever but gentle writing, and robust accessibility options make "Celeste" an easy recommendation. Every level is immaculately constructed, and every element that frames that construction, from the characters to the music, is just as brilliant.

"Celeste" tracks the journey of a young woman named Madeline as she attempts to climb up Celeste Mountain armed with nothing but a mountaineer's grip, the ability to double jump, and a can-do attitude. The game was designed by "TowerFall" creator Maddy Thorson (Madeline is actually a playable character in "TowerFall"), so it's no surprise that simply jumping, climbing, and dashing can be strung together into precise movements that feel great to pull off. Those moves also allow for a staggering variety of different brilliant level designs. In addition to feeling great, "Celeste" also looks great, with a pixel-art style that absolutely oozes love and attention to detail. It also sounds excellent thanks to composer Lena Raine's gorgeous soundtrack. "Celeste" is triumphant in every area.

When "Celeste" was initially released back in 2018, it was nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards, and with good reason. "Celeste" was one of the best games of 2018, and it remains an extraordinarily enjoyable experience to this day. "Celeste" is a lovely mountain to climb, from the first step to the very peak.

• Release Date: Jan. 25, 2018
• Genre: Platformer
• Game modes: Single-Player
• Metacritic Score: 92