These are the very best Steam Deck games. The Steam Deck has become a staple of PC gaming as the go-to portable solution for many PC players, and its popularity has seemingly inspired more portable PC manufacturers to join the market. Now you can enjoy a wide range of games, from the latest AAA releases to intriguing indie games, all in a convenient portable device. You can read our Steam Deck review to see what we thought of it, but more than likely, you're ready to dive in for yourself. As soon as you boot it up, you'll find your Steam library is intact, which is exciting, but not all games are created equal when it comes to playing them via Steam Deck. We've rounded up a few dozen of the best games to play on Steam Deck, including major AAA hits, under-the-radar indies, and everything in between. In most cases, these games have already been declared as "Deck Verified" by Valve, meaning it's fully supported without any caveats. Plus aside from just technical verification, some games just feel great in portable form, so we've taken that quality into account as well. And while the Steam Deck is great for PC tinkerers, for the purposes of this list we've stuck with games that run natively through the Steam interface without any special hoop-jumping. These are our best of the best recommendations for Steam Deck, and we regularly reevaluate and update. That means even now in 2024, you can reference this as a resource for finding great games. If you do want to expand your horizons, though, you can also install Epic Games Store on Steam Deck to broaden your library even more. In most cases in our experience, these games work just as they would on your home PC, which is great when you consider how often Epic hands out free games on its platform. If you want to get the most out of your new toy, check out our list of the best Steam Deck accessories. As the list of Steam Deck-compatible games grows, so too will this list here. Keep checking back for recommendations on the best games to play on Steam Deck. Advertisement .jpg)
Arcade Paradise Arcade Paradise starts out unassuming enough, as you go through the tedious work of managing an old laundromat. Soon you discover a few arcade machines sitting in storage in the back room and decide to open them up to the public. As you start to develop your business, you build up more and more cabinets, converting more of the laundromat to a burgeoning arcade business. While you need to manage your business, you can also play all of your own arcade machines to your heart's content. In effect, this makes Arcade Paradise a great minigame collection, letting you dabble in tons of different retro-styled games. And those play habits feed into the business management mechanics as well, as your performance in the arcade machines increases their popularity and profitability. The Steam Deck is a perfect fit, as you can while away the hours playing games or just check in for a day of managing your business while you're on the go. See at Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Ball X Pit You're not going to believe this, but Ball x Pit is a game that's all about balls and pits. Playing like Arkanoid with a roguelike spin, Ball x Pit combines deeply engaging--yet captivatingly simple--gameplay with "just one more turn" energy that makes it hard to put down. Beneath the deceptively simple facade lies a layered game of nuanced strategy, as you juggle a roster of characters with pros and cons, roguelike buildcrafting, and exploiting enemy weaknesses with correctly angled attacks to triumph. It's a simple concept perfectly executed, and it's the kind of game that'll make you run out the battery on your Steam Deck as you play into the late hours of the night. Read our Ball x Pit review. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Blade Chimera This metroidvania follows closely in the footsteps of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night while forging an identity all its own. The beautiful pixel art and tightly designed combat make it a joy to explore its sci-fi/fantasy dystopian setting, where the world has been ravaged by wild demons. You play as Shin, a high-ranking commander in a paramilitary cult that hunts down demons, whose life gets complicated when a demon bonds with him. It's a delightful surprise and a great harkening back to classic metroidvania design. See on Steam Advertisement 
Blue Prince The less you know about Blue Prince the better. The puzzle adventure game is one of this year's best-reviewed games, as you explore and learn about a unique shape-shifting manor house that reconstitutes itself every day. You determine the layout of the rooms as you explore and carve a path through the house every day, and slowly learn the ways the rooms and systems interlock with each other. It's a game that will keep your brain churning even when you turn it off, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck so you can put it to sleep mid-run and pick up right Read our Blue Prince review. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Cauldron Cauldron cooks with a lot of genre-ingredients, but the end result is a tasty blend of ideas. With its collection of minigames, turn-based combat, and skill-trees that you can spend an obscene amount of time exploring, Cauldron has plenty of "just one more turn" energy that makes it hard to put down and perfect for some bedtime gaming. See on Fanatical Advertisement .jpg)
Celeste Celeste is a challenging platformer with an emotional story to tell. It follows Madeline as she navigates her anxiety and depression--and it’s a story that’s arguably even more poignant today than it was in 2018. The narrative is best experienced without any spoilers, and it’s a journey that’s propelled to incredible heights thanks to its minimalistic graphics and a fluid movement system that works perfectly on Steam Deck. It only takes about eight hours to finish the journey, but completionists can stick around much longer if they want to uncover everything Celeste has to offer. It's a beautiful game that all platforming enthusiasts should play. See on Humble Featured in this image 
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Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 A match-3 puzzle game with a metroidvania influence and a novel twist--which revolves around a psychic clone attempting to take over your mind and turn you into a cannibal--Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 is absurd, weird, and hilarious. It's a sequel to a game that doesn't exist, a fast-paced puzzle adventure that's also an honest tale about sequels, game development, and reality falling apart on itself. Made by the developers behind Clickolding, I Am Your Beast, and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, it offers an exciting mash-up of genres and a great soundtrack full of polka music. See on Steam Advertisement .jpg)
Cult of the Lamb Part dungeon crawler, part simulator, Cult of the Lamb enlists you as the leader of a tribe of cultists as you try to gain the favor of a mystical being that saved you from death. Combat is fast and fluid, with levels randomly generated for replayability. There are also tons of ways to enhance your skills, giving you plenty of reasons to dive back in for another quest. When you’re not swinging swords or slinging spells, you’ll need to manage your cult in typical sim-game fashion. That means feeding your members, giving them jobs… and picking up their poop. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Cuphead Don’t let its colorful, cartoon graphics fool you--Cuphead is a brutally difficult game. You play as the eponymous Cuphead as he battles a series of increasingly difficult enemies on his journey toward the Devil. Battles play out from a 2D perspective and take place in a single room, although each boss always manages to bring something new to the table. Beyond its striking graphics, Cuphead features some of the smoothest combat mechanics on this list, making it a blast to face off against each new villain (even if they destroy you just a few seconds later). Toss in a variety of unlockable weapons and abilities, multiple playable characters, and the stellar Delicious Last Course expansion, and it’s easy to see why Cuphead remains so popular more than five years after its release. It feels right at home on Steam Deck and is a must-play for anyone who likes challenging action games. See at Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Dave the Diver On the surface, Dave the Diver is a cute adventure sim game in which you go spear fishing during the day and then bring your catches in at night to serve as the menu for a burgeoning sushi restaurant. But like the Big Blue Hole that you're diving into, there's unexpected depth here. Dave the Diver ends up being a wild hodge-podge of tons of different genre influences, incorporating lots of different activities as it tells its lengthy story. Still, the loop of catching fish, serving sushi, and using your profits to upgrade your gear is so easy and compelling it's a perfect fit for the Deck. The lovable Dave is a fun, rotund hero, and the game is also home to some of the biggest and best pixel cutscenes we've ever seen. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Diablo 4 Diablo might have started life as a good ol' PC game that required copious amounts of clicks from your mouse hand, but these days, it works just as well with a controller layout. Now that the game is available natively through the Steam storefront--as opposed to needing to jump through a few hoops to get Battle.net working on the handheld--it's easier than ever to install it and have a go at taking on the burning hordes of hell. Blizzard's work in fine-tuning the game to feel natural to play with face buttons and analogue sticks makes for a fun, tactile experience, and it runs surprisingly well on the Valve hardware. With a new expansion on the way, now is a great time to enjoy Diablo while you're on the move. Read our Diablo 4 review. See on Steam Advertisement 
Disco Elysium Disco Elysium is so text-heavy that it can feel like you're actually holding a Kindle when playing it on a Steam Deck, but for fans of deep RPG experiences, it's exactly what you're probably looking for. The latitude for true role-playing is vast and the story goes places that are both smart and unpredictable. The painterly art style also looks great in handheld mode and may have fellow train passengers looking over to see what it is you're doing, which admittedly is a little awkward when you start the game hungover in your underpants. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Dispatch Just when you think you've seen every superhero story there is, along comes a game like Dispatch to put a fresh spin on the genre. It's interactive fiction that harkens back to the glory days of Telltale Games, but Dispatch gives players just enough agency to move the story forward while crafting a gripping tale that anchors the entire experience. The fact that it also looks like a Saturday morning cartoon--but isn't afraid to knock a few teeth loose or shed some blood--gives it a nostalgic appeal to anyone who grew up watching Batman and X-Men on their CRT TV, and it made a strong case for how an episodic release schedule can work wonders for this kind of game. Read our Dispatch review. See on Steam Advertisement 
Dredge A video game with a side of Eldritch horror, Dredge has you fishing the shores of Greater Marrow to reel in big catches, upgrade your boat, buy better supplies, and deal with panicked hallucinations. You know, normal fishing stuff! As the story unfolds you discover more about the horrific sea monsters that lurk below the surface, giving the whole thing a touch of lightly creeping spookiness. See at Fanatical Advertisement 
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Our favorite game of 2022 recently got even better with the release of a massive expansion. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree gives Tarnished a new set of tough-as-nails combat obstacles to overcome in an entirely new area, with a smart balancing system that recreates the feeling of progression without doing away with all your hard work in the main campaign. And it expands on the rich and layered Elden Ring lore in new and surprising ways. Best of all it works great on Steam Deck, so you can take The Lands Between with you wherever you go. See at Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Proving that opposites do attract, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a cozy combination of grand adventure and wholesome life-sim games. Leaning into the best elements of both genres, the game expertly mixes the appeal of the daily level-up grind with building a community around you. There are 14 jobs (aka "Lives") to master and they feed into each other, so there's lots to keep you busy. See on Steam Advertisement 
Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters The classic Final Fantasy series has gotten lovingly restored with the Pixel Remaster, and these classic RPGs feel readymade for portable. Thanks to mods, Steam Deck the best place to play. Not only can you grind levels while binge-watching a show, but it looks and plays great, and you can even install mods to (for example) fix the font. If you can only get one, Final Fantasy 6 is an absolute masterpiece. See on Humble Featured in this image 
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Fields of Mistria Steam is awash with cozy little farm sims inspired by Stardew Valley, and it takes something novel or well-executed to stand out from the crowd. Fields of Mistria is a bit of both. It boasts very familiar Stardew mechanics, but it speeds up the pace a good bit, making it much faster for Stardew veterans. It also sets itself apart with a magical anime-inspired setting and an array of magical powers to warn that will help you delve into dungeons, grow crops, and more. While it's only in early access so far, it's already a great way to relax and farm on Steam Deck. See on Steam Advertisement 
Hades 2 Just like the original Hades, Supergiant's anticipated follow-up is already a highly polished nail-biting action game on Steam Deck, even in early access. As Zagreus' sister, Melinoe, you cut your way through the underworld in a quest to defeat the Titan Chronos, the mythical figure behind the concept of time. While the trappings are familiar, Melinoe has a feel all her own, and new weapons and abilities make this feel noticeably different than its predecessor. If you'd rather have a game that's fully baked, the original Hades is still available and great on Deck as well. See on Steam Advertisement 
Hitman: World of Assassination Hitman 3, now rebranded as the World of Assassination with all of the content from the trilogy in tow, is the culmination of a half-decade of hard work from IO Interactive. But also, on Steam Deck, it's a diverse world tour of portable murder playgrounds, and that's pretty neat too. If you happen to have access to the earlier games in the Hitman reboot series, this third game houses every level, weapon, and ridiculous costume into one central hub, giving Hitman fans the totality of the franchise's best entries all in the palms of their hands. Plus the addition of the roguelike Freelancer mode gives the entire World of Assassination trilogy a new lease on life. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Into The Breach Into the Breach is one of the best-designed games in recent memory, and it's perfectly at home on Deck, thanks to its turn-based nature and bite-sized missions. As the previous Switch release demonstrated, the controls work perfectly well with a gamepad, and the screen here is well up to the task of displaying all of the information you need. Performance is great (it's not terribly demanding from a hardware perspective), and it's a terrific game that you can sink hours into at a time or occasionally glance at while watching something on TV. See on Humble Featured in this image 
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Is This Seat Taken? Who would have thought that a video game about organizing seating arrangements could be this engrossing? Is This Seat Taken manages to put an engaging spin on what should be the most mundane task ever, as this cunning collection of logic puzzles is consistently satisfying to play. It also looks adorable in action, and it's the perfect type of game for commuter stretches or a chill-out session on the couch. See on Steam Advertisement 
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes The mind-bending puzzle game Lorelei and the Laser Eyes will stick with you even while you aren't playing, so why not take it wherever you go? The game's many mysteries and secrets unfold with meticulous, interlocking detail, to the point where the game opens by encouraging you to keep a notebook in real life to help keep it all straight. The puzzles are challenging and rewarding, and will keep tickling your brain even when you put it down. But you won't want to. See on Green Man Gaming Advertisement 
Marvel Cosmic Invasion There's an uncomplicated charm to games from yesteryear, and that's something that Marvel Cosmic Invasion embodies within its '90s-influenced arcade action. A love-letter to the Marvel Comics before the MCU radically changed the status quo of that universe, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a time capsule of old-school action bolstered by an all-star roster of classic characters. To its credit, Marvel Cosmic Invasion puts a new twist on the superhero side-scrollers of old with its gameplay, encouraging players to engage in titanic team-ups and experiment with modifiers to make each run feel unique. Read our Marvel Cosmic Invasion review. See on Steam Advertisement 
Metaphor: ReFantazio Persona series director Katsura Hashino has returned with his first new game since 2016, and it's a fantastic one. Metaphor: ReFantazio is similar structurally to the Persona series, but it features a new original storyline set in a fantasy world, and a wide array of characters to find and classes to unlock. The turn-based RPG combat unfolds beautifully into deep layers of strategy, and the story is an affecting meditation on the power of storytelling. It runs decently well on Steam Deck, letting you dungeon-crawl while on the go or watching TV. Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the few games in our history to earn a 10/10 review. Read our Metaphor: ReFantazio review. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Minishoot' Adventures One of our favorite surprises of 2024, Minishoot Adventures blends retro Zelda-like exploration and adventuring with bullet hell shoot-em-up combat and movement mechanics. The combination may seem strange, right up until the moment you try it for yourself and find that it all gels together beautifully. Discovering the world and finding hidden secrets while also upgrading your arsenal to take on increasingly difficult swarms of enemies means there's always something interesting to see and do, whether you're exploring a tricky dungeon or just taking on a giant boss roaming the landscape. And if you miss playing Zelda games on handhelds like Game Boy, this is a perfect fit for the Steam Deck, letting you adventure on the go and soak in its colorful world. See on Steam Advertisement .jpg)
Monster Hunter Rise Monster Hunter Rise is another Switch game that eventually found a home on PC, making it well-suited for Steam Deck. The latest game in the franchise does quite a bit to move the series forward, with the Wirebug adding a new verticality to its maps and Rampage quests offering a chaotic break from your usual hunts. Beyond those changes, everything else that made Monster Hunter so popular is here in spades. Whether you enjoy heading out on hunts with a group of friends, meticulously crafting every piece of gear, or trying to slay beasts solo, Monster Hunter Rise is bound to impress. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Monster Train 2 2020's Monster Train was one of the biggest games in the roguelike deckbuilder space, and in 2025, its sequel can easily be responsible for consuming far too much of your free time. While it's structurally similar to the first game, Monster Train 2 sharpens the experience with several new ideas and expands on the core concepts to create a devilishly fun sequel. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound Ninja Gaiden fans are eating well right now, as between satisfying remasters and a promising sequel, there's been the delicious in-between meal of Ninja Gaiden Ragebound. Blasphemous developer The Game Kitchen has brought its A-game to this retro-inspired romp, as it combines a nostalgic art direction with engrossing combat and challenging levels that'll keep you on your ninja-toes. Read our Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound review. See on Humble Advertisement 
Octopath Traveler 2 Most of the JRPG homages are riffing on classics from Square Enix, so it only makes sense that Square would make one of the best ones itself. Octopath Traveler 2 is the sequel to its experimental first game featuring eight heroes with their own backstories, and that core idea is still intact here. But OT2 is a vast improvement in every way. The repetitive process of gathering all eight party members has been streamlined, and the roles and abilities are more differentiated. Characters also now have differing daytime and nighttime skills, as well as Latent Abilities to use in combat. It may be a little slow to get started, but when all the mechanics and systems come together, it sings. See on Green Man Gaming Advertisement 
Ori and the Blind Forest The Metroidvania genre fits like a glove on Steam Deck, and among those, one of the absolute best is the Ori series. The two games as a duology remain an immaculate and tightly-designed genre standout, arguably the best of the past decade. Taking that on the go is already possible on Switch and even Xbox Cloud Gaming, so you've maybe had opportunities to play it in handheld mode before, but if you missed it until now, the Steam Deck is the best of those handhelds thanks to it not requiring an internet connection like Xbox and its larger, nicer screen than Switch. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Pipistrello and the Cursed Yo-Yo You might dismiss Pipistrello and the Cursed Yo-Yo as just another retro-influenced indie game at first glance, but there's far more to it than just nostalgia and an art direction that pays tribute to the golden era of the Game Boy Advance. The game mixes a surprisingly heartfelt story revolving around dreams, backstabbing mob bosses, and family with an especially sharp critique of capitalism run amok, but it's the gameplay that makes it stand out from the pack. There's no shortage of games that harken back to classic Legend of Zelda and metroidvania titles, but Pipistrello's ingenious use of a simple yoyo to do everythingis the magic sauce here and its constantly fun to learn new tricks on your journey. It also sports an inventive upgrade mechanic, which involves taking out risky loans to suffer a temporary debuff in exchange for a permanent buff. See on Green Man Gaming Advertisement 
Pragmata Pragmata was almost immediately hailed as a Game Of The Year contender after an explosive release in early 2026, and playing it on the Steam Deck is a great way to carry the tale with you wherever you go. It's a clever, heartfelt, emotional game, but it's also a great example of a Capcom sci-fi shooter with rewarding combat and fresh gameplay mechanics. Playing as a stranded astronaut on a research colony, your character teams up with a mysterious android girl with the ability to hack nearby hostile robots. Together--with Diana riding on your back and being generally adorable along the way--you have to navigate the facility and try to find a way back to earth. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown The metroidvania genre is popular for a reason, but it plays especially well on handheld platforms where you can alternate between focusing your attention and idly exploring while catching up with a bake-off. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is no exception, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck for that reason. While it's not on Steam and therefore takes a little extra setup, it's worth the work. And this is a particularly spectacular metroidvania. The combat is tight and responsive with an emphasis on counters and parries, and it uses an equipment system that lets you cater the action to your own play style. Exploration is vast and varied, thanks to a compelling world and white-knuckle platforming challenges. Every part of it harmonizes with the others, creating one of the best metroidvanias in recent years. See on Steam Advertisement 
Promise Mascot Agency A contender for one of the weirdest games of the year--disgraced yakuza exiled to a rural town manages the careers of strange monsters that resemble Japanese mascots--Promise Mascot Agency also has great "just a few more minutes" energy thanks to its collect-a-thon design. There's something consistently satisfying about chasing down elusive collectibles, and when you're in bed and on the hunt, that makes for a stimulating experience instead of doom-scrolling on your phone. See on Humble Advertisement 
Reanimal Reanimal is the next game from the creators of Little Nightmares, but one that plays around with even darker themes than the studio's previous output. It's a grimy, disturbing tale of ever-mounting dread, following two orphans on a perilous journey to rescue their friends. Their adventurous escape is hindered by the emergence of twisted monsters from the siblings' worst nightmares, creatures they can't hope to fight but can only hide from. Playable in co-op or solo, Reanimal runs beautifully on Steam Deck, and playing in handheld mode only adds to the tense, claustrophobic feel. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Sea of Thieves While you do need an internet connection to play Sea of Thieves, it's still worthwhile to play when you aren't out and about. Past iterations of Rare's pirate sandbox have been less short session-friendly, but the team has taken strides to improve the game in that area, offering short and sweet daily challenges for all players and introducing new Sea Forts, which are meant to be challenged and won in as little as 15-20 minutes including the time it takes to sell all your loot. Sea of Thieves, like God of War listed earlier in this feature, is the kind of game that you once could only dream about playing on a handheld. But today the future has arrived by boat. See on Steam Featured in this image 
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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Shin Megami Tensei V has come to PC, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck--which makes sense for an RPG that originated on the handheld-hybrid Nintendo Switch. The enhanced port, Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, adds loads of new story content and surprises for returning veterans, enhancing your relationships with human and demon characters, along with better navigation tools to find your way around. SMTV was already a deep and engrossing RPG, and it shines on Steam Deck. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Shotgun Cop Man Developed by the studio behind My Friend Pedro, Shotgun Cop Man is delightfully weird and wastes no time at all getting you up to speed on your mission: taking down Satan himself. It's time to give the devil his legal due, and while the prince of darkness is pretty fleet-footed, he's no match for a man driven by the momentum of his own weapons--and hatred for all things demonic--in this cheeky little precision-platformer. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Skin Deep Essentially Die Hard meets Home Alone--but in space--Skin Deep sees you regularly outnumbered, outgunned, andout-clothed by space bandits. Full of sharp humor, gripping stealth sequences, and full of cats to rescue, this immersive-sim is at its best when you're figuring out novel solutions to strange dilemmas. Read our Skin Deep review. See on Fanatical Advertisement 
Spider-Man Remastered Like God of War, Spider-Man Remastered is a game that shows just how well Steam Deck can handle a big-budget, AAA experience. Marvel's Spider-Man came out in 2018, but its remastered version helped push the power of the PS5. The PC conversion can run even better with a significantly beefy PC, but the Steam Deck version runs impressively well with the right settings. That means you can pack the great-looking visuals and all the web-swinging action into a portable package. See at Fanatical Advertisement .jpg)
Stardew Valley Stardew Valley might be the most popular farming game on the planet. Created almost entirely by a single developer (Eric Barone), the amount of content packed into its adorable, pixelated world is staggering. What starts as a simple quest to rebuild your grandpa’s farm quickly turns into something more. You’ll chat with the locals and form relationships, head out on dangerous mining expeditions, and watch as the quaint Pelican Town transforms through the seasons. Its laidback pace makes it a perfect fit for Steam Deck, giving you a chance to stick your hands in the dirt no matter where life takes you. See on GOG Featured in this image 
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SteamWorld Heist 2 SteamWorld Heist 2 is only the second game in the SteamWorld series to warrant a numbered sequel, but it earns the distinction. The first SteamWorld Heist game was an inventive little take on the tactical game, with close-corridor combat that rewarded trick shots. SteamWorld Heist 2 retains that core, but builds out from it with a massive world to explore, larger stages, and more systems to manage, including a sophisticated class system. You can mix and match class abilities to create powerful combinations, making the strategy that much more rewarding. See on Green Man Gaming Advertisement 
Tactical Breach Wizards Tactical Breach Wizards takes the tropes of a gritty SEAL Team 6-like operator squadron and gives it a hilarious and fantastical twist. Instead of marines, you're a tough band of magic users. The concept grants the ability to merge deep tactical gameplay with magical abilities, like the foresight to see the full outcome of your turns. Combat is like an interlocking puzzle, reminiscent of Into the Breach, while the characters and writing make it feel new and novel. The bite-sized stages are an especially great fit on Steam Deck, where you can breach and clear a single stage or settle in for longer sessions. See on Steam Advertisement 
UFO 50 An audacious game experiment from a band of developers led by Spelunky's Derek Yu, UFO 50 is not a single game but a collection of 50 games. Presented as the long lost library of 8-bit games made by a developer called UFO Soft, the games range from shoot-em-up to racer to puzzle game and everything in-between. Some games are modernized takes on retro genres, while others are modern genres recontextualized through an 8-bit lens. The package is almost overwhelming in scope, consisting of both a massive collection of games and also serving as a meta-commentary on classic game development. See on Steam Advertisement 
Vampire Survivors An early access game you can grab on the cheap, Vampire Survivors is very simple but shockingly fun. The single-stick shooter has you navigate around hordes of enemies while your weapons fire off automatically, building up experience to buy new weapon upgrades. The deceptively simple premise gets increasingly fiendish and chaotic as more enemies join the fray, and your weapon upgrades get ever-more destructive. It's enough to tempt you to play just one more round until you realize, oh whoops, it's 3 AM. See on Steam Featured in this image 
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There are countless great multiplayer games on PS5, featuring a wide variety of genres--you're sure to find something for you and some friends to enjoy. From classic titles that have dominated the industry for years to hidden gems you might not even know about or remember, the PS5 has something for everyone if you're looking to game with others. Below, we run through our picks for the 30 best multiplayer games on PlayStation 5 you can play in 2025. This list is in no particular order and covers a mixture of both PvP and PvE games; you can check out our dedicated list of the best co-op games if you're looking for a wider range of cooperative experiences, or the best cross-platform games if you and your friends aren't all on PS5. We also have a list dedicated to what we think are the best PS5 games to play right now, multiplayer or not. Also, a friendly warning--just how welcoming the community is with a given multiplayer game can vary wildly, particularly those that have been around for longer and have extremely dedicated fanbases. Your experience may be impacted by the other players you interact with. Advertisement 
As Dusk Falls Developer: Interior Night Release Date: July 19, 2022 Genre: Adventure/Narrative Cross-play: Yes As Dusk Falls complements its moving, rich story with a voting system that lets each player voice their opinion on how things should play out, making it a great multiplayer PS5 game for nights when a movie just won't cut it. We gave it a 9 out of 10 in our As Dusk Falls review, and noted how its strong script and pitch-perfect performances make it one of the very best games of its type out there. Throughout the game, you'll come to know characters intimately through flashbacks and exploration, choosing your own adventure in the style of games such as Telltale's The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us. If you and your friends' choices don't align, it might even heighten the stakes. See on PlayStation Store Advertisement 
Colossus Down Developer: Mango Protocol Release Date: December 16, 2020 Genre: Side-scrolling brawler Cross-play: No Colossus Down's stylish side-scrolling co-op action is just half of the appeal, as its chaotic and twisted story is perfect for playing with pals who enjoy shows like Rick and Morty or Smiling Friends. Determined to destroy anything deemed "uncool," your characters will set out to use a series of improbable devices to smash up everything they can, through a mixture of beat'em up-style gameplay, platforming, and puzzles. All while piloting a giant mecha. It's a lot of (very silly) fun. See on PlayStation Store Advertisement 
Fortnite Developer: Epic Games Release Date: September 26, 2017 Genre: Battle Royale Cross-Play: Yes For the better part of a decade, Fortnite has dominated the multiplayer genre and the gaming industry as a whole. Despite launching initially as a tower defense/survival hybrid, it was the spin-off battle royale mode released in September 2017 that became such a phenomenon. On PlayStation 5, Fortnite offers the same experience as it does on any other system, and cross-play support means you can freely party up with friends regardless of their platform. At its core, Fortnite is still the battle royale game that took the gaming world by storm way back in 2017. However, in 2025, the game delivers a much more diverse content offering. In battle royale alone, you can play a variety of multiplayer game modes, including 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 playlists, and developer Epic Games is still introducing new content from week to week. The end-of-season events are particularly noteworthy, as they're still the industry standard for large-scale updates. The game has been a real trend-setter, and there are countless games like Fortnite looking to replicate at least some portion of its success in the battle royale space. Aside from battle royale modes, Fortnite also offers a near-endless amount of Creative content. Creative mode allows players and developers to construct their own maps and modes, and build off the existing Fortnite structure. If you and your friends are ever getting bored of battle royale, jumping into Creative and finding something exciting to play is a great way to keep Fortnite fresh for everyone involved. Finally, in addition to Creative modes, you can play some full games housed within Fortnite that have been created by Epic-owned studios. These include the new Ballistic mode, which is a spin on Counter-Strike and Valorant, and Lego Fortnite. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 / Warzone Developer: Activision (Treyarch, Raven Software, Infinity Ward) Release Date: October 25, 2024 Genre: FPS Cross-Play: Yes Despite all of Call of Duty's trials and tribulations over the years, it still remains one of the best multiplayer experiences the gaming industry has to offer. The most recent entry,Black Ops 6, introduced a plethora of new mechanics, such as omnimovement, and brought back a number of fan-favorite features, like the classic Prestige system. The multiplayer side of things hasn't changed much, though, as you still have access to over a dozen maps, 40-plus weapons, and a variety of game modes. Black Ops 6 also sees the return of round-based Zombies, and you and up to three other friends can partake in several large maps in the mode. In addition to the mainline Call of Duty titles, the franchise's standalone battle royale game, Warzone, still remains a large focus from year to year. Warzone evolves every winter depending on what the new mainline entry is, but the core mechanics have stayed the same in battle royale. You create a loadout, drop in, scrounge for cash to earn your loadout, and then go to work on one of a few maps to be the last person standing. For some players, the Call of Duty experience has been diminished recently with the rise of hacking. However, you have the ability to turn cross-play off in both casual and ranked playlists in Black Ops 6 and Warzone, limiting yourself to just PlayStation or PlayStation and Xbox players. Using either of these options allows you to avoid cheaters on PC, as well as the arguably uneven playing field of competing against keyboard-and-mouse users. See on Amazon Featured in this image 
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Rocket League Developer: Psyonix Release Date: July 7, 2015 Genre: Sports/Car Soccer Cross-Play: Yes Rocket League is one of the simplest multiplayer games to understand but it also features some of the most difficult mechanics to master. It's essentially car soccer: You take control of a car with boosting and flying capabilities and attempt to hit a ball into the opponent's goal. Rocket League features a plethora of visually pleasing maps as well as dozens of cars, and more are released every year. While the game's premise is simple, when you start playing Rocket League for the first time, you'll quickly realize why it's considered one of the higher skill gap games in the multiplayer genre. Your car requires absolutely precise movements if you want to control it effectively, something that becomes even more challenging--and satisfying--when using your boost to fly through the air. Rocket League can be frustrating due to its simplicity, as even basic moves can be difficult to pull off. However, it's one of the most rewarding and enjoyable multiplayer experiences in 2025, especially if you play with friends. There are 2v2, 3v3, and even 4v4 playlists available. You can also partake in different modes aside from the traditional car soccer mode. The extra modes include basketball, hockey, and more. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Marvel Rivals Developer: NetEase Games Release Date: December 6, 2024 Genre: Hero Shooter Cross-Play: Yes At the end of 2024, Marvel Rivals came out of nowhere and siphoned off players from other multiplayer games. The hero shooter certainly takes plenty of features and mechanics from Overwatch but puts a unique spin on the subgenre to make it a different experience. As indicated by the game's name, Marvel Rivals employs over 30 heroes from the Marvel universe, including some fan favorites such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, and Wolverine,. Every hero is separated into three distinct categories: Strategist (support), Duelist (DPS), and Vanguard (tank). Each member of your six-player team will play as a different Your chosen hero will have unique abilities that relate to their classification. If you're playing with a party, you and some friends can truly synergize your team's hero selection. Each map is tied to a specific game mode, which will largely be familiar to Overwatch players. Some require you to move a vehicle from one end of the map to the other while others require you to capture and hold an objective for a set amount of time. In the Competitive playlist, though, which has cross-play disabled, you only play a round-based game mode that forces you to move a vehicle faster than the other team. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Apex Legends Developer: Respawn Release Date: February 4, 2019 Genre: Battle Royale/FPS Cross-Play: Yes Since being released in 2019, Apex Legends has been a steady presence in the battle royale genre. New seasons are released every few months that may introduce new legends, cosmetics, maps, weapons, or modes. At the core of Apex Legends is a distinct lineup of characters that feature different abilities, smooth and fluid movement, and a somewhat unforgiving loot pool that makes every match play out differently at the start. However, if you play your cards right, you and your squad of three can have fully upgraded weapons and armor that give you the best chance at being the last ones standing. If battle royale isn't your speed but you like the feel of Apex's gameplay, you can play the classic Team Deathmatch mode on a few different maps as well as other modes, such as Mixtape. The developers at Respawn also include other limited-time modes throughout every season, so there’s often something new to play aside from battle royale. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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GTA Online Developer: Rockstar Games Release Date: October 1, 2013 Genre: Action/Third-Person Cross-Play: No GTA 6 is on the horizon, but GTA 5's online mode is still one of the best multiplayer experiences on PlayStation 5. The base game of GTA Online, not including the famous RP servers, can support dozens of players on every server, so you and several friends can create as much havoc as your hearts desire at any given time. One of the major highlights for multiplayer gameplay in GTA Online are the co-op heists, which allow you and a group to plan and execute jobs together. If you don’t have friends online, though, you can still experience a multitude of standalone activities or even pair up with random strangers on your server for a job. The world is truly your oyster in GTA Online, and if you grind enough, nothing in the game costs a cent. While you can gain an edge by purchasing in-game currency (Shark Cards), GTA Online features a fleet of content that's accessed through the cash you earn by playing the game. One negative with GTA Online that we should mention is players on a given server can be unfriendly towards others. The game's in-game map shows where every player is in real-time, so griefers can be a problem. This can make the experience unpleasant, but there are options to mitigate that if it ever becomes a problem. Going for over a decade, GTA Online has evolved into an incredible live-service game. Rockstar Games delivers weekly updates year-round, introducing content in all shapes and sizes. From small updates that introduce a new vehicle to full-blown DLCs with a new questline, characters, and other content, GTA Online rarely grows stale for the millions of players who still call Los Santos home after all these years. See on Best Buy Featured in this image 
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Helldivers 2 Developer: Arrowhead Game Studios Release Date: February 8, 2024 Genre: Third-Person Shooter/Extraction Cross-Play: Yes Helldivers 2 came out of nowhere at the start of 2024 and became one of the biggest multiplayer hits we've seen in some time. "Fighting for democracy" has become many PlayStation players' monikers, as Helldivers 2 has grown into one of the most popular games on PSN (or Steam, for that matter). Helldivers multiplayer is exclusive co-op, as you and up to three of your friends can join together to fight enemy AI across a wide variety of locations. It's a fantastic and truly gripping experience that always makes you come back for more. The overall goal of Helldivers 2 is to stop an alien race from taking over the galaxy that "Super Earth" resides in. Helldivers hop from planet to planet completing objectives while fending off hostile aliens, which includes giant bugs, robots, and more. You only have a certain time limit to complete these objectives, so it can be quite stressful to complete them. The more that a specific planet is cleansed of its alien inhabitants, the closer it gets to being fully under Super Earth's control. As the Super Earth name might suggest, the story has a Starship Troopers-style satirical twist to it. As you complete more objectives, you'll gain access to new gear. You can customize your loadout on your own spaceship before dropping onto a new location. The loadout is made up of different armor slots, weapons, and Stratagems. Stratagems are abilities your Helldiver can call in from your ship and offer extremely powerful benefits. Some Stratagems drop you big weapons to use while others are airstrikes on a certain location. There are dozens to choose from and unlock and they can make every drop feel unique. These are called in by manually entering inputs on the D-pad, which sounds simple but can be stressful in the midst of combat. Adding to the chaos is the friendly fire--your own weapons, drop pods containing your Stratagems, or attacks you call in can all lead to the death of you or your teammates. But that's all part of the fun. Whether you're looking for a relaxed combat experience or a brutal survival game, Helldivers 2 offers multiple difficulty levels that cater to any skill level. However, if your friends end up needing to be revived, it's you against a horde of aliens and that's never easy, regardless of what difficulty you're on. See on Amazon Featured in this image 
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Fall Guys Developer: Mediatonic Release Date: August 4, 2020 Genre: Battle Royale Cross-Play: Yes If you're looking for a battle royale-style game but you're sick of using guns and other weapons, look no further than Fall Guys. The free-to-play obstacle course game is still going strong in 2025 and offers one of the most enjoyable, yet infuriating experiences on this list. Fall Guys can be played in a max party of four, so you and three other "beans" can join up to partake in a series of simplistic obstacle course challenges. Every game starts with a lobby of 60 real players and your goal is to be the last one standing. To do that, you need to survive several waves of obstacle courses that weed out players every round. The obstacle courses in Fall Guys look simple enough, but they can be extremely difficult to get through, especially toward the later stages of a match. Some courses see you work together with a small team while others are every bean for themselves. While it might take you a while to master every course in Fall Guys, you're sure to have an enjoyable time doing so, especially when partied up with a few friends on PlayStation 5. See on PlayStation Featured in this image .jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1)
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Diablo IV Developer: Blizzard Entertainment Release Date: June 5, 2023 Genre: Action-RPG Cross-Play: Yes Diablo IV is another multiplayer game that doesn't feature PvP, but the ARPG has some of the best PvE content on the market today. Now several seasons and one expansion deep since its initial release, Diablo IV is a highly satisfying and rewarding ARPG that's made even better when you party up with up to three other friends. Diablo IV features six distinct classes to pick from, all of which have vastly different playstyles, skills, and abilities that make up your overall build. At the start of the game, you'll go through a fully fleshed-out storyline that takes you across six acts, each with its own characters, locations, and quests. Along the way, you'll unlock new skills and abilities depending on what class you chose. Barbarians can go for a Whirlwind build that emphasizes close-range combat while Sorcerers can use a variety of elemental skills to deal damage. Once the story is complete, you can access an entire wealth of endgame, which consists of more difficult dungeons, additional farming methods for better gear, and bigger and badder bosses. The endgame is where you truly hone in on what kind of build you want. In addition to everything the main game has to offer, Diablo IV also offers the Vessel of Hatred expansion you can purchase that delivers new quests and content you can complete after getting through the main story. The expansions aside, though, Diablo IV is a terrific experience on PlayStation 5, especially when you're fighting through dungeons and bosses with a full party. See on Best Buy Featured in this image 
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Final Fantasy XIV Developer: Square Enix Release Date: September 22, 2010 Genre: MMORPG Cross-Play: Yes Final Fantasy XIV is the only MMORPG on this list, and it's largely because PlayStation 5 doesn't offer many games in the genre. However, whatever the platform, FFXIV is one of the most beloved MMOs you'll find. FFXIV doesn't require you to know anything about the Final Fantasy universe and does a terrific job of easing you into the game's story and lore. The narrative is perhaps the most universally praised aspect of the game, but the approachable MMO mechanics make the game worth checking out even if the story isn't for you. From completing story and side quests to training specific jobs for your chosen class to riding on chocobos (horse-like mounts) across sprawling regions filled with monsters, FFXIV always offers something to do. The amount of content and depth in the game is staggering, as you can play for hundreds of hours and still not crack the surface of some areas. As for how to play FFXIV on PS5, you can download and play the game completely free. The "Free Trial" version of PS5 allows you to reach level 70, access most of the base game and two expansions, and offers unlimited playtime. However, some restrictions are in place with the Free Trial, so to get the most out of FFXIV, you'll need to at least purchase the $20 Starter Edition in addition to a monthly subscription. The main restrictions of the Free Trial version are that you can't create parties or join guilds, which represent key multiplayer elements of FFXIV. In the Starter Edition, you can access the entire base game and participate in both PvE and PvP content. You can also create and join parties of up to eight players, so if you have friends on the game, it can be a highly enjoyable experience, especially if you're all around the same level. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Developer: Ubisoft Release Date: December 1, 2015 Genre: Tactical FPS Cross-Play: Yes Rainbow Six Siege is a terrific tactical first-person shooter, offering quite a different experience from something like Call of Duty. You can join up with up to four other friends and play a casual or ranked game. Every player gets to select from dozens of Operator depending on what side you're on: Attacking or Defending. Operators determine what weapons and equipment you have access to in the match. Some Operators offer assault rifles and explosive equipment while others feature shotguns and tactical equipment, such as cameras or RC cars. The Operators also have a unique gadget they can access. For example, you can use a Drone to gain intel on the enemy or a rappel to scale the outside of buildings. Matches in Rainbow Six Siege can have one of three objectives, and the side you're on affects your goal on the map. All maps in the game offer certain destructible environments and different ways of gaining entry to certain locations. For example, if one side has set up defenses inside a house at the start of the Bomb mode, you need to get past the defenses they've set up by destroying walls, scaling the outside of the house, looking through cracks in doors or windows to shoot enemies, etc. Rainbow Six Siege features precise mechanics that few other FPS games offer. You can lean with weapons around corners or in gunfights, as an example, but aiming is much more difficult than it looks. To make things tougher, there are no respawns, so every round you die, you're dead until the next round begins. There are certainly growing pains with Rainbow Six, but playing with a full stack of five players will make the game much easier. Of course, that doesn’t diminish from the fact that there’s friendly fire enabled at all times and you can die in the blink of an eye from just about any angle on a map. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Valorant Developer: Riot Games Release Date: June 2, 2020 Genre: Tactical FPS Cross-Play: No Valorant can be seen as a mixture of a couple of well-known games. If you take Overwatch's hero abilities and combine them with CS:GO's gameplay loop, you get Valorant in a basic nutshell. It's a tactical, one-life shooter that's played across a variety of maps in both casual and ranked playlists. Attackers have to plant a bomb within a certain timeframe or eliminate the entire enemy team while Defenders have to defuse the planted bomb or eliminate the enemy team. There are also smaller modes, such as classic Team Deathmatch, that play a backseat to the main Attacker/Defender mode. Each team consists of five Agents, each featuring different abilities that you can utilize strategically. Valorant has a lineup of over 20 Agents, some of which are meant to be used strictly for offensive purposes while others tend to lean more towards the tactical side. As an example, one agent has a remote-controlled bomb car while another can disperse a cloud of smoke over an area from anywhere on the map. As in Counter-Strike, but unlike Overwatch or other hero shooters, you have to purchase your Agent's abilities at the start of every round, while your Ultimate Ability charges with every kill you get. You also have to buy the weapons and equipment you use. Money is earned by getting kills, planting/defusing bombs, and winning rounds. Overall, Valorant is a fantastic experience on PS5, even with a controller. The game was certainly made with a keyboard and mouse in mind, but controller players have been able to adapt and thrive in the tactical shooter. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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The Finals Developer: Embark Studios Release Date: December 7, 2023 Genre: FPS Cross-Play: Yes The Finals remains an underrated multiplayer shooter on PlayStation 5, but it's maintained a steady player base since its surprise drop in late 2023. The free-to-play, fast-paced shooter is one of the more chaotic multiplayer games on the market. The overall goal across The Finals' various game modes is to earn more cash than the competing teams by clearing out vaults and eliminating other players. The Finals is played on several distinct maps and every lobby has roughly 12 players, with your team consisting of three players. So you and two friends can party up to clear some vaults together. While your main goal is to earn cash, eliminating players and destroying the map you're playing on are fulfilling side goals.Every map is destructible, which makes each match of The Finals feel different from the last depending on how the map's layout changes. The Finals is a thrilling experience that's enhanced by partying up with a full team. Running with your friends to take on enemies and the maps themselves in high-octane matches offers an adrenaline rush that's difficult to find in other shooters. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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NBA 2K26 Developer: Visual Concepts Release Date: August 29, 2025 Genre: Sports Cross-Play: Yes NBA 2K remains one of the most popular franchises on PlayStation, and 2K26 is the latest game in the series. 2K offers a slew of multiplayer content for you to partake in on PS5, but it also offers cross-play functionality across all consoles (PC does not allow cross-play). If you're looking to play some 2K26 multiplayer, you have a flurry of options available to you. You can play against others in basic online head-to-head matches, but also team up with friends in 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 matches. Those modes are available through The City, which is the multiplayer hub area in 2K26. The City is a massive space where you can engage with much of the game's content and see and interact with other real players. While 2K26 does offer a solid amount of single-player content, including MyCareer and MyPlayer modes, there's no shortage of multiplayer content. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Among Us Developer: Innersloth Release Date: June 15, 2018 Genre: Social Deduction Cross-Play: Yes Among Us remains one of the most distinct multiplayer games on PlayStation 5 even after its initial boom in 2020. All ages can enjoy the detective game, which features party sizes of 4-15 players through local or online play. So if you have a large enough LAN party, you can theoretically get a massive game of Among Us going. Officially described as a "social deduction" game, Among Us pits players against each other to determine which one of them is a murderer. All players are assigned a role before matches begin and one player is given the murderer title. That player has to attempt to kill other players without being seen. To effectively blend in, the murderer has to go along and act like they're a normal player, which entails completing objectives on a space station. At the end of every round in Among Us, players will meet to vote on who they think the murderer is. If they get the decision right, the murderer is thrown out into space and the game is over. However, if players are wrong, the murderer gets to live another round. Among Us is still one of the most entertaining multiplayer games you can play, and playing with friends in a voice chat call makes things extremely amusing and confusing. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Baldur's Gate 3 Developer: Larian Studios Release Date: August 3, 2023 Genre: CRPG Cross-Play: Yes This is another co-op-only entry, but if you haven't played Baldur's Gate 3 or haven't experienced it with a friend or group yet, it needs to shoot to the top of your "want to play" list. Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the most memorable video game releases in the last decade, taking home GameSpot's Game of the Year award in 2023. Baldur's Gate 3 is a turn-based RPG that allows you and up to three other players to join a party together as a unique character, either one of the preset characters or a created one. From there, you have dozens of hours of adventure awaiting you. The world of Baldur's Gate 3 is so detailed and beautifully crafted that it might ruin other single-player games and RPGs for you. The start of the game pits you against the "Mind-Flayers," and your goal is to find the leader of the race and bring them down. You won't only face Mind-Flayer enemies in combat, however. Technically, any NPC you find in Baldur's Gate 3 can be fought and killed, but there are consequences for killing with no regard. Combat in the RPG is deep and fulfilling, as your chosen character class determines what type of weapons you can use and the skills you have access to. Baldur's Gate 3 also features turn-based combat, requiring the utmost strategy to survive more difficult enemy encounters. It's difficult to grasp at first if you're new to the style of combat, but you pick it up easily. Everything in Baldur's Gate 3 is hand-crafted down to the last detail. From the character building to the quests that span multiple acts to every nook and cranny of a location, you'll easily get over 100 hours in a single playthrough of BG3. Not to mention, the game technically features hundreds of different endings, so your playthrough will feel unique to you and your party. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Overwatch 2 Developer: Blizzard Entertainment Release Date: August 10, 2023 Genre: Hero Shooter Cross-Play: Yes The hero shooter that truly put the genre on the map, after Team Fortress 2, the sequel to the original Overwatch features a plethora of content for fans to access. All of the heroes from the first game are included as well as the post-launch content Blizzard Entertainment has continually added since the sequel's launch. Overwatch 2 features seasonal updates that deliver new heroes, maps, cosmetics, and more. Recently, Blizzard announced a massive update for the shooter, delivering two heroes, the return of loot boxes, and a third-person mode that looks similar to Valorant. As for the gameplay itself, it's right in line with what the original Overwatch offered. You pick a hero at the start of the map, who has a set of unique abilities and weapons. Your team of five will compete against another team across a variety of maps and modes, which include Escort, where you try to bring a vehicle from one side of the map to the other, and Control, which forces your team to hold an objective location. The matches in Overwatch 2 require proper team composition (most of the time). Every hero in the game is classified as a DPS, Tank, or Support, and deciding what heroes to use for the map and mode is extremely important for success. While unranked modes can utilize any hero in the Overwatch 2 lineup, the ranked modes will call for specific heroes and roles to be filled. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Tekken 8 Developer: Bandai Namco Release Date: January 26, 2024 Genre: Fighting Cross-Play: Yes Tekken 8 is the latest installment in the iconic series and it carries on the "longest-running video game storyline" currently on the market. Of course, most players don't come to Tekken for the storyline; they come for the characters and the battles. Tekken 8 introduces destructible stages where you fight against your opponent. These can create new strategies to use in combat and bring variety to fights on the same stage. Combat itself features the same thrilling experience that fans have come to know from Tekken, but it's less punishing for new players. You get to pick from a roster of 30+ characters and face another character in a one-on-one battle. Learning how to pull off combos and the right time to dodge attacks is the key to improving in Tekken 8. What makes Tekken 8 different from previous games in the series is the new Heat mechanic. Heat is a separate bar under your health that can be activated after dealing enough damage. When activated, the Heat mechanic allows you to deal extra damage and perform new kinds of Heat attacks and moves. Tekken 8 might be considered an easier game than others in the series, but it's still the same classic fighting game that so many players grew up with. See on Amazon Featured in this image 
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Overcooked: All You Can Eat Developer: Ghost Town Games Release Date: March 23, 2021 Genre: Party/Cooking Cross-Play: Yes If you think you've played stress-inducing games before, just wait until you dip your toes into Overcooked. This is unlike any other game on the list, as it doesn't involve any sort of combat or narrative gameplay. Instead, you and up to three other people work together in a kitchen to get out food orders on time to customers. The premise sounds so simple, but the process of cooking food and delivering orders on time before customers walk out the door can get indescribably chaotic. Overcooked is a couch co-op game but the All You Can Eat version also features online PvP if you see how your cooking skills stack up to the rest of the world. However, the most fun you can have in Overcooked is sitting down with a friend or significant other and testing just how strong your relationship is as orders start to pile up. Overcooked takes place from a top-down perspective across a variety of different maps. You and your partner(s) need to work together to sprint all over the kitchen and restaurant to fulfill orders correctly and in a timely manner. This can get hectic and problematic depending on your co-op skills, as you and your partner(s) need to be perfectly in sync to get through a dinner rush. Naturally, problems will come up, like fires in the kitchen, that only add to your laundry list of tasks to take care of. The game offers a ton of replayability, as you always want to try and beat your scores or simply get through a dinner rush without having too many customers leave in a huff. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Chivalry 2 Developer: Torn Banner Studios Release Date: June 8, 2021 Genre: FPS Cross-Play: Yes Chivalry 2 is a first-person medieval multiplayer game that utilizes all forms of combat from the age it's set in. From classic sword fights to dodging arrows to shooting catapults, battles change from moment to moment. You start with access to only the bare essentials and as you level up through playing and earning eliminations, you unlock new content to use from match to match. Some of that content is centered around a class system, which evolves the more you play. You can choose between four base classes that all have over 10 subclasses and 30 weapons to access. Matches are sprawled across huge playable areas that can support up to 64 players, and the maps are destructible in some ways. If you use a giant catapult to attack a stone village, it will come toppling down. In addition to fighting other players, you can also play modes that focus on killing NPCs and storming their castles, but these can still be played in co-op. You can team up with friends on PlayStation 5, but Chivalry 2 also supports full cross-play across all platforms. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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The Division 2 Developer: Ubisoft Release Date: March 12, 2019 Genre: RPG/FPS Cross-Play: Yes It's been several years since The Division 2 was released, but it continues to carve out a niche for itself in the multiplayer genre. Mixing RPG, open-world, PvPvE, and looter-shooter mechanics together, The Division 2 is a jack-of-all-trades kind of game. The main goal in The Division 2 is to scavenge a ruined Washington D.C. and try to stop it from collapsing completely against enemy forces. Washington D.C. is mostly explorable from the start and is a fairly decent size. You can play The Division 2 as a solo player or join a party and roam with them as you complete PvE objectives. However, there are also separate PvP areas on the map, which you'll have to venture into to complete certain missions. Here, you can engage with real players and try to eliminate them to gather their loot or escape with your life in the style of an extraction shooter. Speaking of loot, The Division 2 features no shortage of weapons, gear, and other items to scavenge for in the many buildings and areas of Washington D.C. The better loot you have, the stronger you can become, and the faster you'll level up. As you gain levels, you can improve your character by adding skills to your chosen class specialization, which is where the RPG mechanics come into play. The Division 2 can't be lumped in with a specific genre, but it's a fantastic multiplayer experience with friends even if you don't engage in much PvP. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Elden Ring Developer: From Software Release Date: February 24, 2022 Genre: Action-RPG Cross-Play: Yes If you're not already aware of our 2022 Game of the Year winner, let me preface this entry by saying Elden Ring is not a game for everyone. At its core, it's an incredibly difficult single-player experience that features some of the toughest enemies and bosses ever seen in a video game. The entire game can take over 100 hours to complete if you go at it completely solo, but fortunately, you are able to bring along some friends for the ride. Elden Ring doesn't implement multiplayer in the traditional way, though. Instead of joining a party and going from there, you need to follow a specific process to have a friend on PlayStation 5 join you (cross-play isn't supported). It's a bit complicated, but basically, there are in-game items that allow you to "summon" a player and have them travel with you. It's fairly easy to get a friend in your world, but there are some areas in Elden Ring where multiplayer is not available. Most of the time, you'll want a friend present for tough boss fights or challenging areas, such as the dreaded Caelid. If you're looking for more of a classic multiplayer experience, Elden Ring also offers the ability to duel other players by using an item. The dueling system in Elden Ring is extremely rewarding and you can still force the game to make you duel your friends if that's what you want. If you're looking for a more streamlined multiplayer experience in Elden Ring, however, you'll want to wait for the upcoming title "Nightreign." This Elden Ring spinoff features three-person co-op and allows you and your party to battle against waves of enemies in the same locations as the main game. See on Best Buy Featured in this image Elden Ring View Game Hub Follow Advertisement 
Street Fighter 6 Developer: Capcom Release Date: June 2, 2023 Genre: Fighting Cross-Play: Yes Street Fighter 6 allows you to battle random players or a friend in online PvP matches. You can pick from a roster of nearly 20 fighters, some of whom are legends in the Street Fighter franchise. All fighters have been given unique cinematic specials and a redesign to harness the power of the PS5. You can expect the same high-octane action when performing a combo or dodging another fighter's attacks, but the sixth entry in the franchise introduces new combat styles to match your skill level. In addition to the classic online fights, Street Fighter 6 also has the Battle Hub, which is a place for players to get together and train their skills. You can take control of your avatar in the hub and meet other players, battle them, take on other challenges, and even play arcade games from Capcom. See on Amazon Featured in this image 
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TrackMania Developer: Ubisoft Nadeo Release Date: July 1, 2020 Genre: Racing Cross-Play: Yes TrackMania distinguishes itself from other racing games by focusing on multiplayer time trials: You'll race against other players (represented as ghosts on the track to avoid collisions) across a variety of tracks, which often feature jumps, loops, and other obstacles to deal with. The goal is to set the best track time before the allotted time expires, which means resetting your attempts when you make a mistake and hunting for that edge to shave off a bit of extra time. Tracks themselves feature a great deal of variety, thanks to community creations that help the action stay fresh. One of the best multiplayer experiences in TrackMania is the Royale mode, which pits your team of three against 57 other racers on a track to see who can be the last team standing. Another multiplayer element in TrackMania are the world records. Across all tracks in the game are world records for the quickest time to complete them. You can attempt to beat the world record or simply learn the track better so you can post a better time than your friend. World records specifically, along with other multiplayer options, are only available through the Clubs feature. Clubs are social groups you can join to meet other players and make it easier to connect with friends to play whatever you want to in TrackMania. TrackMania is free-to-play, so it's one that you and any friend on PlayStation 5 can immediately pick up. And it still receives monthly updates from Ubisoft that deliver plenty of new content. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Phasmophobia Developer: Kinetic Games Release Date: September 4, 2020 Genre: Horror Game Cross-Play: Yes Described as a "psychological horror" game, Phasmophobia isn't as scary as some make it out to be, but it can still give your heart a solid jumpstart at any given time. Phasmophobia is a four-player co-op game that also features a single-player mode. The main objective of the game is for you and your team to identify ghosts manifesting in a home, campsite, or abandoned penitentiary, among other creepy maps. To accomplish that goal, you have a variety of equipment that you can utilize to gather evidence about the ghosts and their locations. Most of your time in Phasmophobia is spent with a flashlight out in pure darkness trying to look for evidence and listen for ghosts. The sounds specifically are where Phasmophobia excels, as they're extremely realistic and make your skin crawl with anticipation. The horror game offers over 10 maps to play on and increased difficulty modes to truly test your ghost-hunting skills. Hopping on a voice call with friends on PlayStation 5 and listening to every player's individual experience as they're out and about dealing with the supernatural is one of the best experiences on this list. Game chat is the ideal way to communicate in Phasmophobia, though, as the game uses your location and a radio to determine if you can be heard by your teammates or not. See on PlayStation Featured in this image 
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Madden NFL 26 Developer: EA Release Date: August 14, 2025 Genre: Sports Cross-Play: Yes Madden 26 is a sports game that has increased its multiplayer offerings in recent years. Aside from the classic online head-to-head matches that you can play against your friends, there are plenty of multiplayer options across the other game modes. Some of the new inclusions in Madden 26 are the multiplayer mini-games in Superstar Mode. One of these mini-games is Jump Ball, where you face off against a single opponent and try to catch long passes while the other player defends. You keep flip-flopping positions until a player is declared the winner. Superstar Mode also offers a 1v1 mode that features drastically different rules. In addition to Superstar Mode, you can also join a player's online Franchise League that plays out with the real NFL season or take on real opponents in Ultimate Team, where you use player cards to fill out your team. Madden 26 offers plenty of multiplayer options as long as you're willing to play the game modes available to you. See on Best Buy Featured in this image 
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Monster Hunter Wilds Developer: Square Enix Release Date: February 28, 2025 Genre: RPG Cross-Play: Yes Monster Hunter Wilds is a monster-fighting RPG that doesn't feature any sort of PvP, but it allows you to engage with a number of multiplayer features. For starters, you can join a party with up to three other players and explore the entire world of Monster Hunter Wilds together. You can fight bosses as a party, participate in endgame content after each player completes the main story, and take on quests together. However, Wilds also allows for lobbies of much larger groups. These lobbies consist of up to 100 players, and you can interact with them throughout the world. Monster Hunter Wilds features a large open world that's teeming with enemies to fight. You need to defeat monsters, collect their loot, and gather resources to make upgrades to your weapon and armor in order to fight one of the many bosses scattered throughout the world. Your character has access to over a dozen unique weapons, and each one comes with different abilities and combos you can use in combat. Boss fights can take up to 20 minutes, as the bosses are extremely large, tanky, and move around during an encounter. You'll need strategy, and perhaps some help from friends, to take each one down on your journey through the game's story and endgame. See on Fanatical Featured in this image 
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Sea of Thieves Developer: Rare Release Date: March 20, 2018 Genre: Action-Adventure Cross-Play: Yes After several long years of being exclusive to Xbox and PC, Sea of Thieves finally arrived on PS5 in 2024. With full cross-play support between all of the game's available platforms, you can take on the high seas with any of your friends. Sea of Thieves can be played as a solo player, but it's much more enjoyable when you have a full crew of friends on your ship. The game allows you to become a full-fledged pirate, plundering other ships as you journey across the sea and bringing back treasure and loot from various islands and towns you find on the map. The pinnacle of Sea of Thieves, however, is finding another ship controlled by real players and partaking in combat with them. The ship fighting mechanics in Sea of Thieves are incredible, allowing you to fight with cannons from a distance or sneak onboard the enemy ship and take out players or steal treasure right from under their noses. When you play Sea of Thieves, you'll join a lobby of anywhere from 20-24 players, and there's always plenty of opportunity for multiplayer encounters. See on Best Buy Featured in this image Sea of Thieves View Game Hub Follow Advertisement...
Nintendo consoles have always been home to some of the best platformers on the market, and that holds true with the Switch 2 and the Switch. Some of the best entries in multiple Nintendo platforming franchises are on Switch consoles, including Super Mario Odyssey and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. But these devices are also home to a bunch of wonderful third-party platformers. If you're a platformer fan, you have a ridiculous number of good games to choose. We've rounded up the best platforming games on Nintendo Switch consoles to choose from right now. There’s also a deep catalog of retro platformers available through Switch Online, including Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, and more. Whether you’re looking for a challenge or something lighthearted, one of these titles is bound to be a good fit. This list contains a wide variety of platformers, including precision-platformers focused entirely on jumping, action-platformers with tough combat, puzzle-platformers with clever problems to solve, metroidvanias with labyrinthine maps, and even platformers with a roguelike structure. For more Nintendo Switch game recommendations, check out these roundups, too! Best Switch games Best Switch RPGs Best Switch co-op games Best Switch games for kids Our list of the best Switch platformers is organized in alphabetical order. We'll continue to add to this list as more great platformers land on Nintendo Switch. Advertisement 
Antonblast At first glance, Antonblast looks like a chaotic fusion of explosions and '90s Saturday morning cartoon energy, but there's a rhythm and a charm to its action-packed gameplay. Its core loop is very engaging, it's full of original ideas that add several new twists to the platforming formula, and its explosive fun factor makes for a challenging experience overall. Throw in a catchy soundtrack, a ludicrous story about the devil being a proper jerk, and its focus on momentum, and you've got a high-octane recipe for destruction that's hard to put down. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Celeste Its gorgeous pixel graphics might be the reason you dive into Celeste, but its emotional narrative and memorable characters will keep you around until the credits roll. Throw in some challenging platforming action and dozens of unlockable challenges, and it’s easy to see why Celeste is such an iconic indie game. Even after you scale the mountain, there's plenty left to do. And for those who want to experience the story without too much stress, Celeste has wonderful difficulty sliders to tailor the experience to your skill level. See on Switch eShop Advertisement .jpg)
Dead Cells Dead Cells isn’t easy. As you navigate its 2D corridors and explore a mysterious island, you’ll come across no shortage of deadly foes that can quickly send you to an early grave. Death results in the loss of most of your progress--although you’ll be able to hold onto a few key skills that make each subsequent run a bit less daunting. Though it may be more of an action game than a pure platformer, Dead Cells' fast-paced combat and movement rely on platforming skills. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Donkey Kong Bananza 3D platformer Donkey Kong Bananza is easily one of the best games to play on Switch 2, and already one of the best-selling games of all time on the platform. Bonanza handles a lot like Super Mario Odyssey, but introduces--thanks to Donkey Kong's immense strength--a new terrain deformation mechanic where you can smash your way through the ground, finding hidden treasure (bananas) and a way forward. It's a simple enough game to pick up and play, but thanks to seemingly endless twists, upgrades, and new powers, the gameplay feels fun and fresh throughout. See on Amazon Advertisement 
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze This is the first of several Nintendo exclusive games you’ll find on this list. And while newer releases like Super Mario Odyssey and Kirby and the Forgotten Land might garner more attention, this delightful 2D platformer remains one of the best on Switch. You’ll play as Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, and more as you fight to save the realm from invaders. Each character has their own set of skills that alter how you approach the challenging platforming sequences. Tropical Freeze originally appeared on Wii U, but the Switch gave it new life and a wider audience. See at Amazon Advertisement 
Guacamelee 2 Guacamelee 2 has more than an awesome name. It also boasts some of the most stylish graphics in the Switch catalog, along with frantic gameplay that is bound to get your adrenaline flowing. Beyond nimble platforming, you’ll be able to unlock a bunch of powerful moves to help wrestle your way past opponents, dive into four-player co-op, and listen to a catchy Electro-Mexican soundtrack. Structured like a metroidvania, Guacamelee 2 has a sprawling world filled with great platforming sequences and interesting characters. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Hollow Knight Hollow Knight is one of the metroidvanias in recent memory. You’ll explore a haunting, insect-inspired world that’s filled with secrets around every corner. New skills are unlocked regularly, which help you both defeat challenging bosses and access previously restricted areas. Combat is fluid and fast-paced, although it’s not for the faint of heart. Combat and platforming meld perfectly together here and keep you invested throughout its lengthy runtime. Seriously, Hollow Knight's world is staggeringly big. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Hollow Knight: Silksong Hollow Knight: Silksong was one of our best games of 2025 and for good reason. For years, Silksong seemed like a far-off dream, but the highly anticipated follow up to 2017's Hollow Knight finally landed with us in September of 2025. The game was familiar yet astonishingly fresh, building on all the best parts of its predecessor and incorporating new fighting styles, tools, and locations into the deep lore of the world. It's a beautifully executed metroidvania where bosses present a brutal challenge but ample reward once they're vanquished. Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the best platformers on Switch, but it pays to play the original game, too. See on Amazon Advertisement 
Inside This haunting, narrative-driven puzzle-platformer follows a young boy as he explores a terrifying and mysterious world. You’ll be forced to solve a variety of mind-bending puzzles, although it’s the well-written storyline that really drives the action. Most of the platforming challenges make you think, as you have to solve puzzles in order to make progress due to the protagonist's minimalistic abilities. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Kaze and the Wild Masks Inspired by platformers from another era--namely Donkey Kong Country--Kaze and the Wild Masks offers a classic side-scrolling experience. You’ll run and jump across more than 30 levels, using unique Wild Mask abilities to defeat foes and save your friend from an evil curse. Kaze and the Wild Masks is very much a Donkey Kong Country clone, but it's an extremely good one. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Kirby and the Forgotten Land Kirby’s jump to three dimensions was a runaway success. You’ll explore a sprawling world, making generous use of Kirby’s Copy ability to steal enemy skills and complete each mission. With upgradeable Copy abilities and the brand-new (and hilarious) Mouthful mode, there's more platforming variety here than ever before. You’ll also find Kirby’s charming sense of humor throughout the game, along with eye-catching graphics that make each new area a joy to experience. See at Amazon Advertisement 
The Messenger Retro graphics and a dynamic combat system are the highlights of The Messenger. The story follows a young ninja as they battle against a demonic army to save their village, although things quickly become more complicated. Upgradeable and unlockable skills help even the odds, but you’ll need to rely on fast reflexes if you want to make it to the game’s end. Fans of old-school platformers from the NES era will find lots to love in The Messenger. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Metroid Dread Metroid Dread is one of the newest releases on this list, and it's also one of the best. Follow Samus as she once again fights off an alien threat--along with deadly robots known as E.M.M.I. Your skillset is more developed than ever before, with Samus able to clamber over or slide under just about any obstacle. Late-game bosses will test your fortitude and skills, but it’s always a balanced experience that feels fair. And if you want to see and collect everything in the game, you'll need to master Samus' suite of abilities to solve intricate platforming puzzles. See at Amazon Advertisement 
N++ As far as platformers are concerned, you’d be hard-pressed to find one with more content than N++. With more than 4,000 (no, that’s not a typo) levels, the fluid platforming game should keep you busy for quite some time. If you get bored of all those levels, there’s also an editor that lets you make your own, along with the option for three other players to join you in both competitive and cooperative modes. See on Switch eShop Advertisement .jpg)
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Its name is a bit of a mouthful, but New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is among the best 2D Mario experiences on Switch. Vibrant graphics, more than 100 levels, multiple game modes, and cooperative multiplayer make it easy to sink hundreds of hours into the game. This version also includes the New Super Luigi U titles, which give you some challenging content to play through if the standard game becomes a bit too easy. See at Walmart Advertisement 
Ori series The original Ori and the Blind Forest introduced players to a mystical land filled with adorable (and deadly) creatures and gave them an emotional story that stayed with them long after putting the game down. Ori and the Will of the Wisps continued that tradition, this time giving you more puzzles, more enemies, and more eye-catching environments to explore. You can purchase a physical edition that contains both Ori games. We highly recommend playing The Blind Forest first before diving into the more complex Will of the Wisps. See at Amazon Advertisement 
Owlboy Owlboy sends you on a quirky journey that follows Otus--a young owlboy that’s struggling in his young owlhood. When Sky Pirates invade his world, life becomes even more challenging. Platformers don’t get much more bizarre than this, but fans of gorgeous pixelated graphics and retro vibes will find a lot to love about Owlboy. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Pepper Grinder Pepper Grinder might be a short game, but for the duration of its runtime it keeps you hooked with its varied selection of levels and combat that packs a peppery punch. The sheer energy in each movement is enough to power an electric car for a cross-country tour, and the game pairs this with beautifully polished animations and gameplay that makes it hard to put down once you find your groove. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Pizza Tower Every once in a while, a game comes along that might just be the patient zero for a new sub-genre of imitators. If Pizza Tower gives birth to dozens of ludicrously fast platformers that feature animations that can only be described as Animaniacs on an acid trip, then we're looking forward to this zany future. Pizza Tower is an old-school 2D platformer at heart, but with an eye on making each level stand out as an armpit-moistening rollercoaster that keeps your heart rate pumping, it takes that nostalgic inspiration and remixes it into a thrilling new spin on the genre. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Between Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and The Rogue Prince of Persia, fans of the series are experiencing a new golden age for the franchise through smaller, more focused projects from Ubisoft. While we're hoping to see Evil Empire's superb Dead Cells-inspired Prince of Persia game land on Switch consoles eventually, we're more than happy to spend more hours plumbing the depths of ancient trap-filled temples with The Lost Crown. A return to the 2D roots of the series, The Lost Crown offers perfectly executed metroidvania fun with sharp combat and levels that require fast and fluid responses to survive. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Rayman Legends Colorful, humorous, and a blast to play, Rayman Legends is another stellar 2D outing for the iconic hero. The oil painting-inspired visuals mesh with its unique narrative, which has Rayman and crew diving into magical paintings as they discover secrets and slay a bunch of gigantic beasts. The game’s even more fun when playing with a few friends, as Rayman Legends supports co-op for up to four players. See at GameStop Advertisement 
Shantae and the Seven Sirens Shantae has had a few adventures on Switch, but we're highlighting the Seven Sirens here (we'd recommend all of them, though). This time around, Shantae can make use of Fusion Magic--which allows her to change forms and learn new abilities. Beyond the new mechanic, you’ll find the usual assortment of cartoony graphics, fun characters, and well-designed levels. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Spelunky Dive into a procedurally generated world in which no two runs are ever alike. Its graphics and presentation might be simplistic, but hiding underneath you’ll find a challenging platformer with a ridiculous amount of depth. Once you wrap up Spelunky, be sure to check out Spelunky 2--which offers more platforming goodness. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
SteamWorld Dig 2 Running and jumping are just as important as mining in SteamWorld Dig 2. This unique Metroidvania has you digging deep underground to discover why earthquakes keep destroying a local trading town. The further down you go, the more challenging the game becomes, with new monsters and hazards making themselves known. Your trusty Hookshot makes it a breeze to navigate your labyrinth of tunnels, and upgradeable skills give you a reason to keep on mining. Though SteamWorld Dig 2 is better than its predecessor, the original is still worth playing. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Shovel Knight draws heavy inspiration from retro, 8-bit platformers. Instead of having a sword, gun, or whip to vanquish foes, however, you’re given a trusty shovel. Gameplay is just as challenging as the platformers that it’s based on, although modern luxuries such as sleek animations, improved sound design, and a staggering amount of content make it a nostalgic trip worth taking--multiple times, in fact. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove includes four single-player campaigns, each of which stars a different character and drastically alters the platforming gameplay. It also has a local multiplayer mode called Showdown that's fun to play alongside fellow Shovel Knight fans. See at Amazon Advertisement 
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury This bundle is essentially two games in one. First, work your way through an excellent collection of 3D platforming levels solo or with a few friends in Super Mario 3D World. You’ll have a bunch of power-ups at your disposal to help overcome the odds, including the Super Bell--which gives you catlike powers and the ability to climb walls. Then, hop over to Bowser’s Fury, which offers a free-roaming world for you to explore and the option for a second player to join in the chaos as Bowser Jr. Together, this package offers incredible value, as both games are truly stellar. See at Amazon Advertisement 
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel are still some of the best examples of 3D platforming out there. Famous for elaborate level design and introducing some of our favorite Mario characters, each game is its own world full of new ideas, encouraging creative exploration through various power-ups and abilities. While the originals still hold up, the remastered bundle available on Nintendo Switch is a beautiful way to play these unmistakably classic games--whether it's your first time or you're back for a dose of nostalgia. Everything looks sharper, the UI feels cleaner, and the games both benefit from Assist Mode, which makes them perfect for players looking for a more accessible game. See on Amazon Advertisement 
Super Mario Maker 2 Super Mario Maker 2 might be the most elaborate Mario game to date. The game comes with 100 prebuilt levels for you to work through, but the game really shines when you jump online to try out one of the thousands of player-made masterpieces. There's practically an endless amount of enjoyable content to keep you playing for quite some time. You can also try your hand at its powerful editor, which lets you build and share your own side-scrolling levels with players around the world. You can create the Super Mario platformer you've always dreamed about. See at Amazon Advertisement .jpg)
Super Mario Odyssey When you think of great platformers on Switch (or one of the best games, in general), many will think of Super Mario Odyssey--and for good reason. The game does just about everything right, from its fluid platforming mechanics and the constant introduction of new gameplay mechanics to its impressive graphics and awesome cast of characters. Cappy adds a fun twist to the action too, giving Mario a set of skills not seen in his other outings. A second player can take control of Cappy in co-op mode, which is a particularly nice inclusion for those who want to introduce their kids to Super Mario. See at Amazon Advertisement 
Super Meat Boy Super Meat Boy remains the king of precision-platformers. Each level will likely take you dozens of attempts before finding success, and the game is kind enough to replay all your failed runs when you finally reach the goal line. Super Meat Boy has perfectcontrols, so even though it's a tough test, it never feels unfair. It's more than decade old at this point, but Super Meat Boy still feels as great to play today as it did in 2010. Those who enjoy the loop can try their hand at even harder levels once the main story wraps. See on Switch eShop Advertisement .jpg)
VVVVVV Gravity is your friend in VVVVVV. There’s no jump button in this minimalistic game, although the ability to manipulate gravity helps you slingshot to incredible heights. The action takes place across six open-world locations, with 20 collectibles up for grabs throughout the adventure. Checkpoints are littered throughout the map as well, which makes it easy to explore without the need to backtrack. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Will You Snail? Don’t be fooled--this snail is anything but slow. Will You Snail? is a quirky platformer that offers a neon-soaked atmosphere and fast-paced action. It’s all built around a fiendishly smart AI, which predicts your movements and tries to kill you. Seriously. It's a challenging game that also happens to be one of the most inventive platformers you can play on Switch. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Yoku's Island Express Yoku’s Island Express is a charming game that follows the eponymous Yoku, the island's new mail carrier. It has a rather novel gameplay structure, as the large world is littered with natural pinball boards that you have to navigate with flippers and springs. It's one of the most unique metroidvanias to release in recent years. See on Switch eShop Advertisement 
Yoshi's Crafted World Yoshi’s Crafted World oozes charm. From its hand-crafted art style to its enchanting soundtrack, it’s hard to play this game without a smile on your face. Backing up the charm is some fun and family-friendly 2D platforming action that supports local co-op for you and a friend. And if you really need to relax, you can turn on Mellow Mode to make the game even easier. Wonderful level design, cool boss battles, and classic Yoshi platforming come together to create one of the best games starring the beloved dinosaurs. See at Amazon Advertisement...