Top 100 / Best Indie Action Games on Nintendo Switch

Neon White

Right out of the gate, the highest compliment I can pay Neon White is how quickly its tight controls and smart design ca...

The Messenger

Possibly one of the best retro console titles I've ever played, The Messenger actually feels like a collection of multip...

Celeste

While not a game I formally reviewed for the system this is one of those titles that can't be omitted since it is both t...

Katana ZERO

Katana Zero was absolutely one of the best games of 2019 and I’d be shocked it if didn’t end up in my Top 10 (and those...

Nuclear Blaze

A creative take on a puzzle platforming adventure that’s challenging but fair, and has plenty of secrets to discover along the way

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration

Far more than a mere collection of well-known games, Atari 50 sets the standard for chronicling the history of an icon

Teslagrad Remastered

Taking the masterfully-made original to spruce it up a little and add some additional challenges makes a great game better

Shatter Remastered Deluxe

If you’ve been looking for the best brick breaker on the Switch, look no further… this is it

SpiderHeck

Frantic multiplayer action you can enjoy online or with friends in co-op or competitive modes

Midnight Fight Express

If you’ve ever dreamt of a beat-em-up that would effectively flow and feel like John Wick this gets really close

Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes

While I’ll open by admitting that, in general, any game with the word Pinball in the title gets my attention, in the cas...

Super Mombo Quest

There’s nothing quite as satisfying in the indie games space than to stumble onto something that immediately feels prett...

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...

Space Otter Charlie

It’s always a joy to play a new indie title that you’ve never heard of or seen that immediately grabs you, and for me Sp...

Sniper Elite 4

The Sniper Elite series has always been an interesting red-headed step-child off to the side of the FPS genre. There’s n...

Pumpkin Jack

Ah, tis the season for games that deliver at least a spooky feel, even though I’ll acknowledge more often than not Hallo...

Horace

Horace is an odd title in that much like the title character robot of the same name it is quite unassuming and humble bu...

Shantae and the Seven Sirens

While I’m a relatively recent fan of the Shantae series, having just been introduced to it in the collection release on ...

KUNAI

Kunai was a title that left me excited but a bit uncertain from its PAX demo last year. I loved the look, and the abilit...

Shovel Knight: King of Cards

While I haven’t formally reviewed any of the previous Shovel Knight games I’ve been a quiet fan of the series since it s...

Ape Out

As someone who loves playing things that are different and a bit daring, Ape Out has easily shot out as one of the games...

Everspace - Stellar Edition

As a massive fan of the classic Wing Commander series this is a title that easily caught my eye while it was on PC. Ther...

Guacamelee! 2

While I really enjoyed the original Guacamelee I actually thought it got a bit more hype than it deserved overall. Whate...

Mark of the Ninja: Remastered

While it may be a port of an older title I can't say that I've played any other game that has nailed making stealthy pla...

Flat Heroes

While it may look visually pretty simple, featuring geometric shapes for the most part and a very clean design, the game...

Super Meat Boy

One of the original poster children of brutally challenging platforming is now on the Switch and he's as tough as ever. ...

Pinball FX3

While the base game hit the eShop in 2017, the periodic release of new table packs has kept this retro gaming engine ver...

Swordship

Fan of arcade-like intensity and a tough-but-fair level of challenge should really dig this unique roguelike dodge-em-up

Rogue Legacy 2

One of the OG roguelike classics has been given an overhaul but retains its unusual charms and challenges

The Legend of Tianding

While there have been quite a number of side-scrolling action/brawlers this year, for the most part they’ve bee...

Donut Dodo

Rocking vibes from multiple arcade classics, Donut Dodo is an excellent and challenging remix

Will You Snail?

A worthy discussion that has come up in recent years has to do with accessibility and whether games that are inherent...

Death's Door

Opening with a pretty minimal understanding of what’s going on, Death’s Door gets off to a bit of a rocky...

Splasher

While anyone and everyone looking at it saw a 2D Splatoon of some kind the kinetic and deep gameplay give Splasher a ...

PAC-MAN MUSEUM+

Having grown up spending far too much time and money in the arcades of old, the Pac-Man series is near and dear to my...

Super Mega Zero

There’s something to be said for indie games that, at a glance, may feel like they’re taking shortcuts, b...

New Super Lucky's Tale

A great example of how the 3D Mascot Platformer style is still alive and thriving

Trifox

While not perfect, Trifox is a refreshing take on 3D platforming and affords you great flexibility in how you play

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium

When I saw the roster in this massive arcade compendium I was already pretty impressed, but having jumped into the Ar...

Jetboard Joust

As an old-school arcade fan I'll admit I've been a big fan of indie titles that have come to the Switch putti...

Azure Striker Gunvolt 3

With its signature visual extravagance and flair, the addition of a new character spices the series up

Agent Intercept

Looking back at my days in the arcade games there were a few titles that were legendary in their coolness and reputation...

Gunborg: Dark Matters

More budget-friendly titles are almost always a challenge to know how to score against their more full-priced brethren. ...

Flynn: Son of Crimson

There’s something to be said for games that know what they want to be, even if not necessarily revolutionary in any part...

Greak: Memories of Azur

When you’re this far into a system’s lifespan, making a splash with a game that not only has a distinctive look but that...

Boomerang X

With indie titles I’m always tickled when I encounter something just a bit different that feels fresh and challenging, a...

Astalon: Tears of the Earth

I tend to have a love/hate relationship with retro throwback games of various kinds. Sure, I have fond memories of the 8...

Bladed Fury

While side-scrolling slashers have been around for quite some time, and tend to show up in some abundance, I’ve more oft...

Blizzard Arcade Collection

Before they became Blizzard and released the likes of the WarCraft and Diablo series, among others, the folks at then Si...

UnderMine

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

Wildfire

Stealth-oriented games have never typically made for my favorite experiences but there are times when the mechanic is ei...

Panzer Paladin

While I have a great deal of nostalgia for the 8-bit era since I played a ton of games back in those days, going back ca...

-KLAUS-

While puzzle platformers are represented in abundance in the indie space, there are definitely ones that put in some ext...

Huntdown

As a fan of old school shooters and beat-em-ups of all persuasions perhaps it was inevitable I’d be a Huntdown fan. Thro...

Jet Lancer

With so many high-quality shooters of all types and styles it takes some effort to put something new on the table, parti...

Bloodroots

This is a title that got me excited the first time I saw it in a Nindie Direct and that I was even more thrilled with wh...

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

Retro games or those that attempt to recapture a certain vintage feel can be a tricky business and there’s no doubt that...

OlliOlli: Switch Stance

While lacking the variety and skateboarding craziness of something like the Tony Hawk series both the original and seque...

Unruly Heroes

Especially considering it’s pretty modest price Unruly Heroes is a rock-solid platformer that looks phenomenal and plays...

SNK 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

If you're a big fan of classic arcade games you've probably heard of or even get nostalgic for a fair number of games fe...

Marble It Up!

The baseline key to games of this kind is to get the physics and feel of it right and they’ve absolutely nailed it. The ...

MagiCat

You’ll be playing through the game as the pretty nimble and capable MagiCat, collecting coins and gems in a variety of c...

Velocity2X

Working with a quick-warping mechanic, some tricky stage designs, and an ever-growing arsenal of abilities that you’ll n...

Freedom Planet

In the game you’ll have the option to play as the quite different Lilac, Carol, or eventually the unlockable Milla, each...

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...

Ittle Dew 2+

Combat, on the other hand, is more of a mixed bag on the whole. Even with the right equipment the overworld is a consist...

Steel Defier

A tight and generally pretty smart take on the dodge-em-up that manages to impress at its pretty humble budget price

Void Scrappers

Until Vampire Survivors arrives on the Switch, fans of that style of play will handily get their essential fix with this

AVICII Invector

While there have been quite a few great rhythm games on the Switch, it seems that room will now need to be made for anot...

Teslagrad 2

Pretty well hitting a running start continuing from the innovation of the original, Teslagrad 2 is a solid follow-up but can be finicky

Atari Mania

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

JUSTICE SUCKS

Who knew that the life of a Roomba could be so exciting, just look out for that corpse grinding feature...

Little Noah: Scion of Paradise

As a long-time fan of roguelikes of all shapes and sizes I suppose it is natural that I’d be attracted to the p...

Kao the Kangaroo

While there’s no question that the traditional mascot platformers for the most part went the way of the dinosau...

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 The Official Video Game

While the games were delayed by the global pandemic, now that the summer games are coming (well, perhaps not given th...

Have A Nice Death

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

No Place for Bravery

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

Galacticon

As a big fan of retro arcade games, and someone who has sunk innumerable hours to continuing to enjoy them over the y...

Get-A-Grip Chip

It’s always terrific when you stumble onto a game that offers a flavor that’s a little new but somehow va...

DEMON'S TILT

Pinball is absolutely a cornerstone of retro gaming so I’m always excited to see what people come up with to ce...

Sine Mora EX

As a full package Sine Mora EX fills in a gap in the Switch line-up unless you’ve been indulging in the NeoGeo ...

Belle Boomerang

Though at times it can get a bit infuriating, Belle Boomerang manages to have an 8-bit era look with some more modern flair

The Pathless

Mixing together exploration and puzzle-solving, while never really cranking up the challenge, The Pathless has a unique feel on Switch

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

Spidersaurs

Going back to the glory days of the classic Contra, both at home and in the arcades, the run ‘n gun shooter has...

Slime-san

While some may think it has looks only a mother could love the challenging and satisfying platforming offered by Slim...

Poosh XL

Sometimes one-button play, when done right, can be a compelling challenge despite the simplicity

The Punchuin

Putting a bit more action than is typical into the puzzle action genre, making for a more hectic experience

C.A.R.L.

Not a bad bit of fun for retro platforming enthusiasts, with a few novel touches that help it shine

KLONOA Phantasy Reverie Series

Having never played or even really heard much about the Klonoa series, I was pretty eager to check it out when I heard t...

Time Loader

When it comes to puzzle platformers the Switch has them in pretty well every shape, size, and form. That said, I can’t s...

DEEEER Simulator: Your Average Everyday Deer Game

Weirdo physics games are definitely their own thing, probably best championed by the reigning king of the genre, the ...

The Smurfs - Mission Vileaf

Whenever approaching a licensed property, especially one associated more with kids, veteran gamers are going to come to ...

Treasures of the Aegean

Treasures is a pleasant surprise of a game, to some degree delivering an experience that’s familiar with its platforming...

Circa Infinity

Simplicity in games is always a bit of a double-edged sword. Making something easy to pick up and play is great, but tha...

Blaster Master Zero 3

One of the surprise redux hits in this generation has been the return of the Blaster Master series with the Zero titles,...

Trigger Witch

OK, so I’ll admit it, games that do something weird to combine elements I know and love tend to catch me by surprise and...

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