Top 100 / Best Indie Retro Games on Nintendo Switch

Showing 1 to 50 of 100 total entries

Iron Meat

This retro-styled run-and-gun takes the baton from the classic Contra and goes to the next level

BZZZT

A colorful and tightly-controlled blast of old-school-meets-new-school platforming action

DUSK

When I played just a demo of this well over a year ago at PAX East on the Switch hardware I knew it had massive potentia...

PICROSS S GENESIS & Master System edition

If you’re a puzzle gaming fan, you’re probably well-acquainted with the Picross franchise. While the S se...

Horizon Chase Turbo

Oh, to go back to the arcades, hearing the sound of quarters being dispensed from the bill changer, and diving into s...

Chained Echoes

This single-developer passion project sets a standard for how the classic 16-bit JRPG can still be improved upon

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

Hotshot Racing

With its low-poly look coming straight out of classic Sega arcade titles like Daytona Racing we have Hotshot Racing, and...

Anomaly Agent

A side-scrolling beat-em-up / platformer with some retro flair, great moves, and some surprises

Infernax

Retro games looking to take on the rough look and feel of classics like Castlevania are always going to face a bit of an...

FEZ

This far into the Switch lifespan the list of outstanding top-notch indie titles that haven’t yet made it to the platfor...

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...

Miles & Kilo

Keeping in mind that the levels in Kid Tripp were always designed to support speed running, while you could choose to ta...

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...

Killer Queen Black

After having heard so much about this killer multiplayer arcade title I was interested to see what the fuss was all abou...

8-Bit Adventures 2

A very accessible and enjoyable adventure with a classic 8-bit RPG look, feel, and perspective

Lords of Exile

A throwback to the classic likes of Castlevania and others with a few modern flourishes

Bleak Sword DX

Certainly not for those lacking in skill and patience, Bleak Sword DX distills the likes of Dark Souls into a lo-fi and brutal arcade-like action game

Donut Dodo

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

Cruis'n Blast

When it comes to over-the-top, crazy, and almost excessively arcade-style racing I’m not sure anything out ther...

Kathy Rain: Director's Cut

While there have been a great number of LucasArts-esque point-and-click adventure titles on Switch, not all of them h...

Satryn DX

An addictive and challenging bit of retro twin-stick shooting goodness

DRAINUS

While there’s a learning curve to its style and upgrade systems, this neuvo retro shooter is compelling

Mecha Ritz: Steel Rondo

Old-school vertical shooting meets some welcome alterations in this well-made modern retro classic

Yars: Recharged

The classic Atari 2600 has gotten a significant upgrade, helping it more fully realize the potential it always had

ESCHATOS

With an absolutely unique mix of traditional arcade shooting and quasi-3D elements, Eschatos is a breath of fresh air in a crowded field

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...

Jamestown+

The Switch has most certainly been blessed with a wide variety of excellent shmups since its release and with the rel...

Agent Intercept

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

SOL CRESTA

If you’re an old-school arcade shooter fan the Nintendo Switch was already bordering on a dream console. Now, with the a...

Steel Assault

Run-and-gun shooters were absolutely a consistent staple in the arcades and on consoles back in the day, and that puts a...

UnMetal

While we hardcore types love our games, that isn’t to say that when confronted with examples of the silliness we regular...

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...

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...

Blizzard Arcade Collection

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

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...

Rigid Force Redux

When it comes to shmups on Switch the tendency is to see either games that tap firmly into nostalgia, adopting classic l...

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...

Sky Racket

This is one of those games where with the elevator pitch alone I was revved up and ready to go. A retro-styled mash up o...

198X

As a child of the 70s and 80s who spent an enormous amount of time in the arcades there’s no doubt 198X was made for me....

Duck Game

As long as you’re able to find people to play with whether locally or online Duck Game one of the best multiplayer exper...

Super Hydorah

While inspired by the classics like R-Type and Gradius, Super Hydorah has a great feel and style all its own. You're abl...

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...

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King

Perhaps a little less gaining inspiration from the classic top-down Zelda titles like Link to the Past than copying it o...

Steel Defier

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

LUNARK

This pretty cool throwback to the age of classic cinematic adventures like Out of This World (and others) is a retro treat

Gal Guardians: Demon Purge

With its stunning pixel art visuals and an intense mix of slashing and shooting challenges, Demon Purge satisfies

Prodeus

Delivers the old-school looks and thrills of the Doom generation with some smart tweaks but inconsistent level design

Atari Mania

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

X-Out: Resurfaced

A mix of getting to customize your own ship, and some pretty stiff old-school challenges, make Resurfaced worth a look for shooting fans

Showing 1 to 50 of 100 total entries

Nindie Spotlight