Best Indie Games For Nintendo Switch

With 130 million units sold globally, the Nintendo Switch is the third-bestselling console ever. Needless to say, such blockbuster franchises as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda have played an instrumental part in that massive success. But Nintendo’s hybrid device has also been a popular testing ground for independent studios and publishers flying off the radar. So, from immersive action RPGs to witty visual novels, here come four indie Switch gems to check out.

Cuphead

We kick off our list with an independent run and gun game created by Canadian brothers Jared and Chad Moldenhauer. Cuphead tells the tale of two human-like cup siblings striking a deal with the Devil after losing at craps. To recoup their losses, Cuphead and Mugman agree to retrieve soul contracts on behalf of runaway debtors. But after defeating a range of casino-inspired bosses, from a stack of poker chips to a fire-spitting King Dice, these unlikely heroes grow powerful enough to come at their diabolical lender.
Heavily influenced by the animation classics of old Hollywood, this cartoonish platformer even extends its 30s inspiration to its audio aesthetics. The soundtrack, a jazz masterpiece vividly brought to life by a full orchestral band, secured a BAFTA Games Award for Best Music. For all instrumentalists around, the studio also released an official music sheet.

Aviary Attorney

Aviary Attorney is a little-known gem worth discovering if you like your murder mysteries with a historical spin. As the name implies, this adventure game draws tremendous inspiration from Capcom’s Ace Attorney series. Much like the iconic spiked-hair attorney Phoenix Wright, defence lawyer Jayjay Falcon has to clear the name of a series of innocent defendants in court. Only this ace attorney is a bird living in 19th-century Paris inhabited by anthropomorphic creatures, whose character designs stem from the sketches of real-life French caricaturist J.J. Grandville.
As unrest brews in the streets of Paris, Jayjay and his assistant navigate countless perils to gather clues and crack cases that may lead them straight into the eye of a revolutionary storm. The developers at Sketchy Logic elevated the game’s time-traveling ambiance further by inserting musical pieces by classical composers like Claude Debussy and Camille Saint-Saëns.

Hades

If you’re looking for a game that shows no mercy whatsoever on the player, you’re in for a treat with Hades. This rogue-lite dungeon crawler follows the son of Hades as he attempts to slip past his formidable – and unloving – father to reunite with his mother on Mount Olympus. But each time Prince Zagreus fails, his journey starts over from the very beginning. Patience is key, therefore, to beat this challenging hack-and-slash game.
Once you’ve honed your skills enough to clear a few rooms, though, infamous Olympians like Sisyphus or Patroclus will come to your aid. Zagreus’s story then culminates when he battles none other than the god of the dead himself on a climactic electric guitar track. If hellishly difficult at times, this award-winning entry by Supergiant Games remains a gripping sojourn in the Greek underworld. And both mythology lovers and rogue-lite fans can look forward to an exciting sequel sometime in 2024.

Card Shark

Forget all you know about card games with this indie gem by British studio Devolver Digital. In Card Shark, not only is cheating allowed, but embezzling your opponent is your main objective. Set against the backdrop of pre-revolutionary France, this action-adventure title puts you in the shoes of the mute aide to a cryptic count asking you to con your fellow gamblers in various parlours. As you cunningly defraud the French nobility of their riches, you uncover that your swindling skills are merely tools to unravel a grander conspiracy. Mastering deceitful techniques eventually takes you as far up as the King’s table.
As thrilling as they’re cleverly executed, Card Shark’s card tricks may even get players eager to switch to full-on online gaming. Before trying classics like poker and blackjack, players can claim top casino bonuses in the UK. Free spins and no deposit bonuses are perfect ways to test a website’s catalogue without risking any money. Casino deals like loyalty schemes also cater to regular players. Besides, new online casinos frequently roll out generous welcome deals for newcomers upon signup – provided there’s no cheating around, of course.

Indie titles on the Switch definitely stand the comparison with their AAA counterparts. And many more independent gems await on Nintendo’s beloved console, from action-packed adventures like Hollow Knight to imaginative narrative experiences like Dordogne.