Top 80 / Best Indie Roguelike Games on Nintendo Switch

Hades

OK, so I’ll admit the folks at Supergiant Games (behind the favorites Bastion and Transistor in particular) had me with ...

Dead Cells

This was probably my favorite game of 2018, though since it's also a very challenging title it won't be for everyone. I ...

Neon Abyss

If you're up for a challenge, tons of power-ups, and bullets everywhere...

Children of Morta

While I have played (and generally enjoyed) a ton of roguelikes of all flavors on the Switch I can’t say any of them has...

Slay the Spire

While deck building games would usually fall into the category of titles I’d file under “an acquired taste” the Switch n...

Nuclear Throne

Though it’s pretty clear in places that Nuclear Throne has aged a bit since its original release, its unapologetic degre...

The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+

One of the very first games available for the system, as I was already a huge fan from the PC space it was a Day 1 pu...

Vampire Survivors

This addictive mix of dodge-em-up and roguelike sensibilities has many imitators but clearly stands as the best in the space

Skul: The Hero Slayer

As a die hard fan of roguelikes perhaps it isn’t surprising that I’ve found Skul to be a great challenge and a good bit ...

Spelunky 2

It’s always a bit tricky to release both an original game and its sequel at the same time, but in the case of Spelunky 2...

Dicey Dungeons

OK, so perhaps at this point the concept of a deck-building strategy roguelike has been played out a bit… but what if yo...

ScourgeBringer

There’s something about ScourgeBringer that deep down brings back my nostalgia for being in an arcade, pumping quarters ...

Crown Trick

Among the many genres and subgenres roguelikes have managed to infiltrate I can’t say that a tactical turn-based adventu...

West of Dead

While there are many roguelike shooters on the Switch (and quite a few of them are absolutely terrific) none of them pla...

Atomicrops

For me, Atomicrops is a story of early frustration, followed by a slow warming up, which eventually became a pretty deep...

Sparklite

Since I’m a huge fan of roguelikes and their ability to revitalize and alter how you play more classic genres I’ve alway...

A Robot Named Fight

If Nintendo were to decide to turn the Metroid series into a roguelike it would likely end up looking quite a bit like A...

Steredenn: Binary Stars

Moving in a very different direction Steredenn is a bullet hell roguelike space shooter that has some truly bonkers weap...

Enter the Gungeon

At the time of its announcement as one of the most anticipated roguelike shooters for the Switch among the people "in th...

Cult of the Lamb

The folks at Devolver certainly have a type and know how to pick weird but excellent indies, striking gold again

TumbleSeed

I consider Tumbleseed to be one of the best games on the system that very few people gave a chance. In part because i...

Pirates Outlaws

With its smart and generally quick play, plenty of heroes to unlock, and a bit of roguelike flair this deckbuilder has a lot going for it

Neon Chrome

I'd originally fallen in love with Neon Chrome on PC where I beat the game 4 times and it kept getting more inten...

Pathway

Elevator pitch time: Set off on an adventure with a party of your choosing with a wide variety of skills. Every step of ...

Curse of the Dead Gods

Roguelikes have exploded in popularity in the past few years, with games like Dead Cells and Hades showing the way the l...

UnderMine

As a connoisseur of roguelike titles of all stripes Undermine had me excited at first glance. With its pick-axe throwing...

Void Bastards

While I’ve seen a few titles try to step up to the plate to establish a solid roguelike FPS to date nobody has really na...

Juicy Realm

When it comes to roguelike shooters I’m both a tremendous fan and often a picky critic. We’ve been absolutely spoiled on...

Risk of Rain 2

Having played both the original Risk of Rain and the Early Access version of this sequel on PC I’m pretty well-acquainte...

Hell is Other Demons

All things considered, Hell is Other Demons is a very good platforming shooter that plays smart, is challenging, and ult...

Airheart - Tales of broken Wings

This is a game that splices together twin-stick shooting, careful exploration, and crafting, but then throwing in roguel...

Downwell

If you’re looking for something that’s quick to pick up and put down (you know, a great mobile experience) Downwell is a...

Moonlighter

One part Zelda-esque combat and dungeon exploration and another part shop simulator Moonlighter is a title that looks gr...

Bombslinger

Asking the question perhaps nobody answered: How do you finally give the tight gameplay of the classic Bomberman series ...

Flinthook

The exciting and dangerous life of a swashbuckling bounty hunter is the focus in Flinthook, and the mix of shooting, swi...

Wildfrost

While there are quite a number of quality roguelike deckbuilders already in the eShop, Wildfrost makes a strong case for some attention

Fights in Tight Spaces

With a great visual style and differently-themed take on roguelike deckbuilding, Fights in Tight Spaces makes a case for your attention

Have A Nice Death

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

Dust & Neon

Featuring a consistent challenge and tense encounters, this roguelike shooter distinguishes itself in a crowded field

30XX

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

Monster Train First Class

While I’ll admit to having a bit of deckbuilding strategy fatigue, there have been a number of titles on Switch...

Neurodeck

While the fact that we’ve been inundated with roguelike deckbuilders over roughly the last two years can make new entrie...

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...

METALLIC CHILD

OK, so to start I’ll admit that just on paper I was already rooting for Metallic Child a bit. An anime-style roguelike b...

Space Scavenger

There’s absolutely no denying that fans of twin-stick roguelike shooters, like myself, have an embarrassment of riches o...

Boyfriend Dungeon

Elevator pitch time… so what if the goal was to make a game that fully embraces and meshes together intense slashing rog...

Crying Suns

When it comes to strategy games, on a general level it feels like the Switch hasn’t been terribly well-represented as a ...

Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager

In order to keep things fresh developers have a constant challenge to mix and match genres and play styles in new ways. ...

Tesla Force

My feelings on this title swung around a bit since, at first blush, Tesla Force has a ton in common with 10Tons previous...

Going Under

As an enormous fan of anything roguelike Going Under has been on my radar since I first saw it announced, billing itself...

Nowhere Prophet

In the last generation I’ve been surprised to see the deck-building strategy genre not only move from the fringes into t...

Colt Canyon

Whenever a new roguelike shooter arrives on the scene you know I’m there with a degree of eagerness to see how it has tu...

Dungeon of the Endless

I’ll admit that when I first started playing this title it was a struggle since there’s a distinct lack of explanation t...

Fury Unleashed

With a comic book-inspired look, a pretty wide array of over-the-top weapons, and challenges aplenty Fury Unleashed is a...

EarthNight

When you see or hear the words endless runner the typical reaction is to go straight into eye-rolling mode. More often t...

Caveblazers

On the whole Caveblazers is a ton of challenging fun and currently has no direct competition on the Switch. If you can g...

I Hate Running Backwards

Though I initially struggled with it, wanting it to be a twin-stick shooter, once I got into the unique rhythm of I Hate...

Hand of Fate 2

Part card-based game of chance, part classic D&D-esque dungeon exploration, and part action game Hand of Fate 2 has ...

20XX

As a non-fan of Mega Man the roguelike nature of 20XX at least appeals to me more than that series as a whole. The quick...

Wizard of Legend

Even with as many roguelikes as I’ve played Wizard of Legend is a bit of a surprise, but that cuts both ways. On the one...

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

The classic early beat-em-up has gotten a decent upgrade, better than the usual for it, but it has a weird flow overall

GONNER2

I absolutely adore the original GoNNER but I won’t deny that it’s a love that wasn’t easy to develo...

Bravery and Greed

There are elements of this roguelike action game that work, but one critical one that lets the rest down

Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate

Undoubtedly a unique take on both chess and roguelikes, this strategy title is refreshing but ultimately a bit limited

Mystic Gate

While it doesn’t have the oomph to compete well in a crowded roguelike shooter space, for the price it has some merits

Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur

While there are many slashing roguelikes out there, and the ones at the top of the pack are well ahead, there’s no shame in the middle

Brotato

Combining dodge-em-up style with roguelike weapon and character variability makes it distinct, though in execution it’s merely middling

AK-xolotl

While it has some cute charm and plays reasonably well, against the significant competition in the space it falters

REMEDIUM: Sentinels

A budget-minded take on Vampire Survivors, it has issues as things get crowded, but it’s an alternative if you don’t mind some flaws

Lone Ruin

This roguelike twin-stick shooter has its own sense of style, but its somewhat vanilla arcade-like grind detracts from its long-term viability

Castle Morihisa

This is one of those more unusual titles where on the one hand the core gameplay is pretty solid and works well, but on ...

Skeletal Avenger

As a die hard roguelike fan I’m always eager to check out something new in the space, and Skeletal Avenger has some meri...

Evertried

Strategy hasn’t tended to be a very common flavor for roguelikes on the Switch (well, at least ones that aren’t deck-bui...

Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos

As a huge fan of roguelikes and someone who appreciates games that can bring people together I’ll come out and say I hav...

The Red Lantern

Typically when you hear about roguelikes your mind conjures up images of action-oriented and intense play, whether slash...

Ring of Pain

With a variety of titles proving that the tight and challenging strategy of a roguelike can make for compelling play it’...

Black Future '88

Roguelike shooters have been a staple for me on the Switch, generally providing a great outlet for intense play for some...

MISTOVER

Fans of challenging and highly strategic turn-based play have had a number of quality picks on the system to choose from...

Lost Castle

As a huge fan of both beat-em-ups and roguelikes this game is a bit like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup game for me, mixing...

Hellmut: The Badass from Hell

What’s odd is that even as frustrated as Hellmut could make me as I was trying to get a handle on it all, and even with ...

Nindie Spotlight