Top 100 / Best Indie Challenging Games on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2

Showing 51 to 100 of 100 total entries

Hotline Miami Collection

Shadow dropped as a surprise this year, Hotline Miami was one of those indie darling titles that had shocked me continui...

Into the Breach

Coming from the people behind the infamous FTL (which somehow still isn't on Switch), this bite-sized strategy title wor...

Ikaruga

Though it's a carry-over from the previous generation there's still no other space shooter quite like Ikaruga. Not only ...

Don't Starve: Nintendo Switch Edition

Starting out the game with only the game’s main character Wilson as an option you’ll find yourself dropped into the wild...

Laika: Aged Through Blood

A completely different sort of Metroidvania hook, but be ready for some challenges, and not all likely intended

Airport

Don’t be fooled by its playful wood toy appearance, this is a game that will push your attention span to keep up

The Pale Beyond

While certainly quite text heavy, this sea-faring survival adventure sports strong character development and moral quandaries aplenty

Ugly

While mechanically it can be tricky at times as you work through larger puzzles, the dynamic nature of your mirror works nicely

Falling Out

While there’s no doubt that the gameplay is Spelunky-inspired, the option for co-op play and a slightly milder challenge help it shine

CTHULOOT

A pretty clever, but challenging, top-down adventure for pairs or groups

Symphonia

A musically-themed and thoroughly gorgeous precision platforming adventure that’s also deliciously challenging

Ready, Steady, Ship!

Whether solo or co-op this shipping game will test your speed, skills, planning, and patience

OTXO

With its stark black and white look and intense confrontations, OTXO makes a case for your attention

Tamarak Trail

A smart and challenging take on a roguelike deck builder that instead decides to roll the dice for luck

Mr. Run and Jump

If you’re in the market for a responsive, challenging, and tough-but-fair platformer to obsess over, this delivers

Trek to Yomi

Despite its action mostly being on the middling side, the game’s artistic style and story make it a compelling experience

Atari Mania

Retro gaming mash-ups abound, and present quite a challenge, in this somewhat odd and reverent adventure

The Rogue Prince of Persia

It’s great to see the classic franchise return with some feels that are true to its roots mixed with roguelike challenges, but it can also be an acquired taste in some respects

Battle Train

A bit weird, smart, and generally quite challenging, this strategic railroad battle game is a pleasant surprise

Chessarama

Even as someone who isn’t a particular fan of chess, this stands out as an incredibly smart set of remixes of the strategy classic

Have A Nice Death

While there’s no question this challenging roguelike slasher has style to burn, some performance issues hold it back

The Oregon Trail

The educational classic, with a few upgrades of note, remains challenging and more insightful than ever

No Place for Bravery

Among the things there are also no place for in this title: Lack of skills, and unwillingness to be patient

Inertial Drift

While some people prefer their racing to be a bit rough around the edges, banging around turns and defying any sense ...

Fowl Damage

What could have easily devolved into a silly one-note action game instead shows surprising nuance and smart design

Grit and Valor - 1949

Offers real-time tactics and what can be a hectic pace to meet objectives, or sometimes just keep your team alive

Desvelado

A pretty engaging, challenging, and impressive puzzle platformer all around

Voidwrought

A relatively stylish Metroidvania with a relentlessly challenging edge and generally tight controls

Another Crab's Treasure

An unusual underwater Souls-like adventure which has charm, but whose issues keep it from being greater

30XX

While more of an evolution than revolution from its predecessor, some refinements, new weapons, and enemies improve it nicely

Garlic

Don’t let its pretty simple and somewhat silly looks fool you, this is a consistently challenging platformer that works pretty well

Lootbox Lyfe+

Mixing together Metroidvania sensibilities with some challenging platforming makes for a refreshing budget package

Hyper Shapes

Feeling like a mix of Flat Heroes and Just Shapes and Beats, Hyper Shapes keeps it simple but challenging

Ship of Fools

While only ideal playing with a friend, Ship of Fools manages to be both simple and complex… and compelling

RIVE: Ultimate Edition

While I can't emphasize the level of challenge Rive will present to you enough for people who relish the experien...

Beyond Words

While it has a cool elevator pitch of Word Game meets Balatro, and plays well, it also makes some odd choices

LOVE ETERNAL

An odd and somewhat terrifying backstory paired with some brutal gravity-inverting platforming

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown

A surprisingly strategy-oriented outing for the heroes in a half-shell, Tactical Takedown can be challenging, but feels great when you’re in the zone

TEN

Ah, challenging games… they’re a love them or hate them affair depending on how much you like having a compulsion to lau...

Card Shark

Bless the indie developers who are determined to take ideas that may sound a bit crazy in concept and run with them, rev...

Super Impossible Road

Rolling onto the scene and feeling like the marriage of Super Monkey Ball, a futuristic racer, and an exercise in calcul...

Klang 2

When it comes to music and rhythm games there are those titles that take a familiar road, often mapping buttons to speci...

Dandy Ace

While I’ve been a fan of roguelikes for quite some time it’s only been in the past few years with top-tier titles the li...

Eldest Souls

For me, Eldest Souls is a bit of a pleasant surprise. You see, whenever I see any game that’s tough and is in any way im...

Super Meat Boy Forever

Fans of one of the OG teeth-gnashing platforming challenges from the early indie days have been waiting for a number of ...

Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!

Following up the previous delectable outing on Switch, CSD3 is back with a new somewhat silly story with your empire hav...

Evergate

I’d consider Evergate one of those sneaky indies that has a look that gives one impression but whose level of challenge ...

Depixtion

While for many years the Picross series has sat safely at the top of its own puzzle kingdom, seeing threats from other c...

Creature in the Well

With Creature in the Well there’s just so much to like and appreciate. The art style is distinct and interesting, the mi...

Mechstermination Force

Mechstermination Force is a pretty tight and enjoyable retro sci-fi robot stomping party… though it will typically take ...

Showing 51 to 100 of 100 total entries

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