Ultimately, Nintendo Switch is the perfect gaming platform for indie games since it always provides an endless array of new indie titles that you can carry around with you everywhere. Nintendo switch carries indie titles that give you the full-on challenging but fun gaming experience, from a survival strategy game like The Long Dark to a playful puzzle adventure game such as the Untitled Goose Game. With all the new titles and best indie games on Switch being released every week, you are guaranteed to find something that’ll captivate you. 

It is a new age for indie developers, with these games booming in the last couple of years, and a huge part of that success is because Nintendo Switch has been giving them more recognition. It’s really no surprise considering all of the great play titles that have been developed by independent studios. 

Indie masterpieces are sure to bring you the best of advanced wars, combat, puzzles, and adventure to keep your creative and competitive juices running. The best games on Nintendo Switch range from Katana Zero, Legend of Zelda, Cuphead, Shovel Knight, Darkest Dungeon, Cadence of Hyrule, and others.

But if you need to settle on the very best with your preferred gameplay and art style, it can be confusing where to start. So we have laid out the best indies on Nintendo Switch with a comprehensive breakdown of why they come on top.

What is the most popular indie game right now?

What Are Indie Games?

Typically, an indie short for an independent video game is created by individuals or smaller independent developer teams who are not backed up by large game publishers’ financial or technical support, which is the case in AAA games.

There’s an endless list of the best indies available of Nintendo Switch, and its portability makes it ideal for these games. Many of these independent developers seem to prefer releasing their games on this hybrid console.

Today, Nintendo Switch boasts of one of the strongest indie platforms around, and many of the best indie games are the leading games on the console itself. In addition, many of the Switch versions have launched directly alongside their PC version counterparts, while some Nintendo Switch console exclusives are a must-have for gamers who like to think outside the AAA box.

1. Untitled Goose Game

You may know the Untitled Goose Game from all the memes it spewed up in late 2019, many of which included depictions of an evil goose that was wreaking havoc on town inhabitants. However, you might not know that in the game, the goose is one of the funniest, smartest, and most clever characters. It’s simple; you play as the goose that goes around, causing minor inconveniences to the townsfolk.

But it’s also so much more than a game of wreaking havoc. It’s also a game on how stealthy you can get. At other times, it feels like a puzzle. The many genres in this gameplay style make it a little difficult to classify.

But all in all, humor is at its focal point. The very idea of inconveniencing people as the goose looks and feels funny in itself. 

2. Hollow Knight

This is a Metroidvania game that was released by Team Cherry in 2017. It made its waves with how interestingly good it was. The storyline is on a Knight exploring the mysterious kingdom of Hallownest while trying to remember his past.

There’s a lot of mystery around this underground kingdom. You, like the knight, will come across unique enemies as you explore through the kingdom, and you are supposed to take them all down. But, of course, that’s much easier said than done because playing the game is quite a challenge.

Getting killed by the bosses and enemies is one of those regular occurrences in Hollow Knight. Therefore, it will take a lot of patience and perseverance to continue the trek in Hallownest. 

Despite the challenges, the game does reward you well if you choose to continue on your journey. You get new chances to gain new moves, new charms, and new abilities. Although the game is quite difficult, it’s interesting and fun gameplay and one of the best switch indie games. Found on the Nintendo platformer. 

3. Hades

Hades managed to snag some Game of the Year nominations in 2020. This is a rogue-lite video game in the Underworld where the son of Hades, Zagreus, tries to breach and escape from his father’s dark domain.

Like in Hollow Knight, death is also certain in this game; you’re in the Underworld, after all. Supergiant Games, the developer, had previously only released 3 games before Hades. The great gameplay, image/art mechanics, RPG, and soundtrack have played a huge role in Hades’ long-term success.

Hades is an isometric action-filled RPG indie game that tasks you to breach and break free out of the Greek Underworld and gets you used to die pretty quick while you are playing it. 

Many gamers are excited to have Hades in-store on Nintendo Switch, while many can’t wait to see what this platformer has for them in the future. The future of these Switch Indie games seems brighter than ever, and gamers can’t wait to see what more great game developers have in store.

4. Oxenfree Video Game

Oxenfree is another great story by Night School Studio. In a game, Alex and her friends decide to travel to an island for a party. In the end, they get more than what they’d bargained for.

This group accidentally opens a ghost rift, and consequently, they must now deal with the consequences of those actions. Speaking of consequences, the game will allow you, the player, to make your own choices, affecting just how your story plays out.

Things could go terribly wrong, or they could go pretty good depending on what you, the player, choose to do. Night School Studio, the developer of Oxenfree, recently announced a sequel edition that is set to be released in 2022. 

5. What Remains of Edith Finch

What Remains of Edith Finch is a game that tells the story of the Finch family and a tragic curse that they’re stuck with. In the curse, in every generation, all except one of Finch’s family members die. 

This keeps happening for decades, and Edith Finch, your video character, is part of the newest generation in the Finch family. She slowly starts to discover the different fates of all her deceased relatives. Overall, the game is not meant to be hard, but it certainly strikes a nerve, especially when you learn each Finch member’s stories and how they passed away. 

In the play, you, the character, go exploring the Finch home by walking around different rooms of each family member while searching for the full picture. This is a classic game on Nintendo Switch with a great story that you can’t really go wrong with.

Factors to Consider to Get the Best Indie Games on Switch

A) Graphics and Design

Graphics and design are a bare minimum. The most obvious differentiator between AAA games and independent games is the realistic and complex graphics that comes with a mega-budget of the AAA games.

That’s not to mean that these games are bound to look bad. If anything, the top switch games look pretty refined, beautiful, and complex. Some, like Space Engineers, are pretty good.

B) Gameplay and Story

The gameplay and story in indie titles matter. This section includes features and elements including; game mechanics, fun storyline, characters, how well it will run on lower specs, and bug fixes. On the other hand, graphics of the best indies will demonstrate a refined, bug-free, and seamless experience. Take cuphead, for instance; they don’t necessarily need to be such complex masterpieces with Oscar-winning storylines; most are simple yet quite engaging.

C) Better Ratings

Always look at the game ratings of the independent game you are hoping to check for the user experiences all across and how it also compares to other AAA games. The average rating for indie titles should be at least 72-73% positive, while on AAA games, that goes a bit higher, up to 79%. However, the best indie games usually have an average rating of at least 87% positive ratings.

To an extent, this might be driven by the fact that the best usually have a cult following, and the best games will be more likely to get good ratings. However, the great rating also captures combined effort on great graphics, gameplay, art style, and having something uniquely captivating in the game.

The above listed are some of the best switch indies. However, plenty more have great ratings on Nintendo Switch but didn’t make it on the list, including Firewatch, Night in the Woods, Stardew Valley, Darkest Dungeon, Crypt of the Necrodancer, Cadence of Hyrule, Slay the Spire, etc.

D) Prices

A lower price might not necessarily mean bad. But looking at most of the best indies, they have an average price of $15.4 per game, excluding the free-to-play games, which is much closer to the AA and AAA prices. So you might want to save, but even in gaming, you get what you pay for.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Best Indie Games on Switch

1. Does Untitled Goose have an ending?

After going through the 4 areas, the goose gets to a miniature village model. At this point, the goose steals the bell before going back through all the previous areas while the villagers try to stop it. At the end of the game, we discover that the goose had stolen so many other bells before the game started.

2. Is Minecraft Dungeon an indie game?

Minecraft and all its versions, including Minecraft Dungeon, Minecraft Classic, Minecraft Earth, etc., started as an indie adventure game dating back to 2009. It has steadily grown well out of those shoes. In 2014, it was sold to Microsoft for $2.5 billion, so Minecraft was no longer operated by the same independent company.

3. How many hours does it actually take to beat Hollow Knight?

Each gamer will take different times to complete Hollow Knight from start to finish. However, on average, it’ll take 30-40 hours to get to 1 of the 3 endings.

4. Is Hollow Knight combat adventure okay for kids?

The game is designed to be totally appropriate for all ages. It has an amazing story, but on the downside, it’s quick-moving gameplay that’s a little hard for children to understand.

5. Is playing on god mode in Hade’s cheating?

Having a successful run in Hades gives you an unmatched feeling, and the god mode makes it much easier for struggling players to get to experience that in this challenging game. The god mode comes from the feeling of being invincible, a theme in the game where you play as a character who’s so powerful and capable.