Beyond the blockbuster titles everyone talks about, a world of incredible creativity is waiting for you. This guide is dedicated to unearthing the best hidden gems on the Nintendo Switch. These games offer unique stories, innovative gameplay, and unforgettable experiences that you might have missed. They prove that a massive budget isn’t necessary to create something truly special. If you are ready to expand your gaming library, let’s explore these amazing titles.
Narrative & Adventure Hidden Gems on the Nintendo Switch
For players who love a good story, the Switch eShop is a goldmine. These games focus on character, world-building, and emotional journeys. Additionally, they often feature beautiful art styles that stick with you long after you finish playing.
Eastward
Eastward is a beautiful action-adventure game. Its pixel art looks like a classic from the 16-bit era. You play as a quiet miner, John, and a powerful girl, Sam. Together, they travel through a detailed, decaying world. The story is truly heartwarming and full of quirky characters. While the combat is simple, the main draw is the world and its narrative. However, be aware that the game is slow-paced and has a lot of dialogue.
A Short Hike
If you want a relaxing game, A Short Hike is perfect. You play as a young bird named Claire. Your goal is to hike to the top of a mountain to get cell phone service. The real fun, however, is in the journey itself. You can explore the island, meet other animals, find treasure, and fly through the air. The game encourages you to go at your own pace without any pressure. Its calming music and charming art style create a wonderfully serene atmosphere.
Spiritfarer
Spiritfarer is a cozy management game with a very emotional story. You play as Stella, the new Spiritfarer. Your job is to build a boat, explore the world, and care for spirits before helping them move on to the afterlife. It skillfully blends farming, crafting, and exploring with a powerful story about letting go. The hand-drawn art is gorgeous and adds to the game’s immense charm. This is one of the most moving hidden gems on the Nintendo Switch.
Tchia
Tchia offers a vibrant, tropical open-world adventure. Inspired by New Caledonia, the game is full of beautiful sights and sounds. You control a young girl, Tchia, who can magically possess animals and objects. This unique ability opens up creative ways to explore the world and solve puzzles. The story is surprisingly deep, touching on themes of bravery and loss. Consequently, it provides a memorable and unique open-world experience.
Top Action & Puzzle Games Among Switch Hidden Gems
Do you love a good challenge? Fortunately, the Switch has plenty of tough-as-nails action games and brain-bending puzzles. These indie titles demand skill, precision, and smart thinking to succeed.
Hollow Knight
While well-known among indie fans, Hollow Knight is often missed by the mainstream. This game is a Metroidvania masterpiece. It features a huge, interconnected world, tight combat, and a beautiful, somber art style. The game is famous for its difficulty, especially its challenging boss fights. Exploring the mysterious world of Hallownest is a truly immersive experience that will test your skills.
Celeste
Celeste is another challenging but rewarding platformer. You help a young woman named Madeline climb the massive Celeste Mountain. The platforming is extremely precise, and the game introduces new mechanics in each chapter to keep things fresh. More importantly, it tells a touching story about mental health and overcoming personal struggles. The game’s incredible design and heartfelt narrative make it a must-play.
Tunic
Tunic is a clever action-adventure game that feels like a classic Zelda title. You play as a small fox exploring a world filled with secrets and tough enemies. One of its best features is the in-game instruction manual. You find pages of it scattered around the world. These pages help you figure out the game’s secrets, many of which are in a strange language. This design creates a fantastic sense of discovery. For this reason, solving its puzzles feels incredibly rewarding.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire perfectly mixes deck-building with roguelike gameplay. This combination results in endless replayability. You choose a character and try to fight your way up a spire full of random encounters. With hundreds of cards and powerful relics, the strategic depth is immense. No two attempts are ever the same, making this one of the most addictive hidden gems on the Nintendo Switch.
More Unique Hidden Gems on the Nintendo Switch
Some of the most memorable games are those that defy easy labels. They blend genres and create completely new kinds of experiences. These selections showcase the incredible innovation happening in the indie game scene.
Inscryption
Inscryption is a wild ride from start to finish. It begins as a creepy, card-based roguelike with escape-room puzzles. Before long, it evolves into something much more strange and complex. The game constantly changes its own rules, keeping you on your toes. Its dark atmosphere and meta-narrative create a unique and unforgettable journey that is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible.
Citizen Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper is a narrative RPG about surviving on a lawless space station. You play as a digitized human consciousness in an artificial body. The gameplay uses dice rolls to determine what actions you can take each day. You must carefully manage your energy and make tough choices to survive. Furthermore, the game’s excellent writing and compelling characters create a powerful sci-fi story. Many indie developers use complex plans similar to the software development life cycle to build such intricate worlds.
Dredge
Dredge offers a fantastic mix of relaxing fishing and cosmic horror. During the day, you sail your boat, catch fish, and sell your haul to upgrade your equipment. It is a calm and satisfying loop. At night, however, things get scary. Strange creatures appear from the deep, and a thick fog rolls in. This blend of cozy and creepy makes Dredge a compelling and addictive adventure you won’t want to put down.
Unpacking
Unpacking is a zen-like puzzle game about the simple experience of unpacking boxes and setting up a home. Through eight different moves, you learn about a person’s life story just by the items she owns. There are no timers or scores. Instead, the game is a meditative experience about organization and change. It tells a beautiful story without a single word of dialogue, making it a truly special indie title.
How to Find Your Own Indie Treasures
Discovering your own favorite games is part of the fun. The Nintendo eShop is full of amazing titles if you know where to look. Use the search filters to sort by genre and price to narrow your search. Additionally, keep an eye on Nintendo’s Indie World showcase presentations, which highlight upcoming indie games. Many developers also use incredible tools to get the word out, much like creatives use the best AI video generation tools to create stunning trailers. Following indie publishers and developers on social media is another great way to find exciting new projects.
In conclusion, the eShop offers a fantastic library for those willing to look past the biggest names. The platform is home to some of the most creative and heartfelt games being made today. By taking a chance on a lesser-known title, you might just find your next favorite game among the many hidden gems on the Nintendo Switch.
