Key Takeaways
- Nintendo Switch is the best console for indie roguelikes, offering fantasic games made by small teams.
- Slay The Spire is a great roguelike deckbuilder with unique characters, cards, and strategies to enjoy.
- Balatro, a poker roguelike, has engrossing gameplay, a wealth of content, and is easy to get into but hard to master.
The roguelike and roguelite genres are nearly synonymous with indie games, and the Nintendo Switch is also nearly synonymous with indie games, easily being the best console for finding a ton of unique games made by small teams, including tons of roguelikes.
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This list compiles the best roguelikes or roguelites you can find on the Switch, especially those that feel great to play portably, run great on Switch, and don't have a bunch of console-exclusive issues that ruin the experience (thanks, Risk of Rain 2).
10 Slay The Spire
A Bit Clunky, But Fun
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 89/100 Critics Recommend: 100%
- Released
- January 23, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Mega Crit
- Publisher(s)
- Humble Bundle
While it's not ideal on controller, in my opinion, Slay the Spire is still a great Roguelike Deckbuilder where you progress through a massive tower, using your wits and your knowledge to dispatch every enemy as you try not to die.
It plays similarly to other card-battling games you might be familiar with, but with a bunch of fun characters with unique gimmicks, tons of unique cards and items to scavenge, and a bunch of strategies to devise. It's perfect on the go, and great on the Switch.
9 Spelunky
We Back In The Mines
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 87/100 Critics Recommend: 91%
- Released
- October 21, 2008
- Developer(s)
- Mossmouth
- Publisher(s)
- Mossmouth
If you're looking for some awesome cave-diving, bomb-throwing, bat-slaying action, Spelunky is a great time whether it's the first game or the sequel , featuring some really quick caving gameplay where you run through randomly generated caverns trying to get out as efficiently as possible.
It's always fun to get a run going, even if you're on the go and don't have much time. You're still always able to clear a few rooms and get a few more items, then easily pick back up where you left off next time. It's great if you're looking for something platformerish and works well on the Switch.
8 Splatoon 3: Side Order
Nintendo's Own Roguelite Inksperience
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 83/100 Critics Recommend: 93%
- Released
- September 9, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
Yes, we're aware this is DLC we're talking about and not the base game. But it's that good.
If you're looking for the rare roguelite made by Nintendo themselves, Splatoon 3's Side Order will most likely fulfill your desires. It's a single-player roguelite mode where you guide your octoling through a series of floors that progressively get harder, getting chips that modify your moveset.
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You can get extra attack speed, make your little drone better, or just full spec into the luck bonuses that are mildly broken once you've gotten a ton of 'em. You can do this with Pallettes containing weapons that you can customize the subs and specials of, and it's awesome.
7 Enter The Gungeon
Gun It Through The Dungeon
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 84/100 Critics Recommend: 88%
- Released
- April 5, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Dodge Roll
- Publisher(s)
- Devolver Digital
If you're looking for a game you can quickly hop into whenever you want, shoot a ton of enemies while dodging massive amounts of bullets, and have a great time, then Enter the Gungeon is right for you. It's a roguelike bullet hell top-down shooter where you descend through floors, collecting what you can.
It goes by pretty quickly when you know what you're doing, making for a game that feels great to play portably, and it can be extended to longer play sessions or played in local multiplayer, meaning it's a great game to pull out in just about any situation. Highly recommend it.
6 Inscryption
Spooky Yu-gi-oh
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 86/100 Critics Recommend: 97%
- Released
- October 19, 2021
- Developer(s)
- Daniel Mullins Games
- Publisher(s)
- Devolver Digital
If you want a bit of a story-based game instead of the typical roguelike approach of little-to-no story outside of lore tidbits, then Inscryption is definitely for you . It's a bit odd on console, but it still works pretty well, and the spooky atmosphere absolutely compliments the roguelike gameplay.
It's got some incredible meta elements, a fun creepypasta-esque story, and really great card gameplay that's always changing, and just begging you to come up with cool combinations and new ideas for exploits that make the game that much more fun.
5 Downwell
Incredibly Cheap, Incredibly Fun
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 83/100 Critics Recommend: 84%
- Released
- October 15, 2015
- Developer
- Moppin
- Publisher(s)
- Devolver Digital
If you're looking for something cheap, arcadey, and really easy to dive into for either 20 minutes or several hours, Downwell is perfect . It regularly goes for less than 3 dollars (and I managed to get this game with nothing but My Nintendo Gold for what it's worth), and it's a great time.
You dive down a massive well with nothing but gun boots strapped to your feet, trying to get as high of a combo as you can by bouncing on enemies' heads and never touching the ground. It's addictively satisfying, fun to pick up and play, and excellent on Switch.
4 Dead Cells
Randomized In-Depth Combat And Exploration
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 89/100 Critics Recommend: 95%
- Released
- August 7, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Motion Twin
- Publisher(s)
- Motion Twin
For an intense, metroidvania-ish game with great combat, fun movement, and a ton of items ( including crossovers with like 20 other games ), Dead Cells should be your go-to. It runs perfectly on Switch, and it feels great to get a run going, rolling around and fighting everything you see.
If you're a fan of fun swordplay, scavenging large areas for items, tough enemies and a bunch of unique content that'll keep you coming back over and over again, then Dead Cells is absolutely where it's at. It's a bit hard to just pick up and play, but it's great for longer play sessions.
3 Cadence Of Hyrule: Crypt Of The NecroDancer
Roguelike Zelda, Kinda
Systems
- Released
- June 13, 2019
- Developer(s)
- Brace Yourself Games
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
As for the only other official Nintendo roguelike, Cadence of Hyrule is a great roguelike Zelda game, and a rhythm-based dungeon crawler to boot, which a few years ago would be an absolutely outlandish game idea. It's great, too, boasting tons of fun, Zelda-ish content.
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You can play as a bunch of different characters from across the series, including Impa, Skull Kid, and, of course, Link and Zelda. It's really fun to explore randomly generated dungeons. Even if you aren't a fan of rhythm games, you can turn the beat off and play it like it's a normal dungeon crawler, and it's still lovely.
2 Hades
Well-Renowned For A Reason
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 94/100 Critics Recommend: 99%
- Released
- September 17, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Publisher(s)
- Supergiant Games
You've probably heard quite a bit about it by now, but Hades is one of the all-time greatest Roguelikes , runs perfectly on Switch, and is always fun whether you're playing handheld or docked, so I'd be remiss if I didn't put it on this list. It's an awesome game where you try to escape Hell by any means possible.
You play as the son of Hades, collecting a massive variety of blessings, weapons, and tools to help get the job done, as you kite your way around enemies and bosses, dealing damage to them in a way that makes you feel incredibly cool. I'd absolutely recommend it.
1 Balatro
Addictively Fun
Systems
-
- Top Critic Rating: 91/100 Critics Recommend: 100%
- Released
- February 20, 2024
- Developer(s)
- LocalThunk
- Publisher(s)
- Playstack
If you've been off the internet the last few months, you might not have heard of Balatro , the poker roguelike that's absolutely swept everyone away with its incredibly satisfying gameplay, wealth of content, and how easy it is to get into but difficult to master.
It's incredibly easy to pick up and play, works really well on the Switch, and you can play it for a few minutes to get through a round or two or play for hours upon hours trying to unlock everything. I'd absolutely recommend it if you're looking for something to work towards forever.
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