What Are Indie Games? 30 Best Indie Games of All Time

I’ve lost more weekends to indie games than I’d like to admit. A studio card game (Balatro) kept me up until 3am more times than any £70 blockbuster ever has, and that’s really the whole pitch for indie gaming in one sentence. 

In this guide, I’m breaking down what “indie” actually means, why it’s worth your time, and the 30 best indie games of all time — sorted by platform so you’re not stuck scrolling past games you can’t even play.

Right, let’s start with the basics before we get into the list itself.

What are indie games?

Indie games are titles built by independent developers or small studios without the backing (or creative control) of a major publisher. That independence is exactly why the genre has produced some of the most original, personal, and genre-bending games of the last decade.

What does indie mean in games?

“Indie” is short for “independent,” meaning the game is self-published or funded outside the traditional big-publisher system, and typically made by a small team or even a solo developer. It’s a description of who made the game and how it was funded, not a genre or a fixed visual style.

What counts as indie:

• Self-funded or crowdfunded development (no major publisher backing)
• Small teams, sometimes a single person, with creative control staying in-house
• Distributed digitally through storefronts like Steam, the Epic Games Store, or console eShops

What tends to blur the line:

• Games made by small studios but funded and published by a major publisher aren’t strictly indie, even if they feel like it
• A studio that grows successful (or gets acquired) can lose its “indie” status over time, even while its games keep the same spirit

That distinction matters because it shapes what you can expect from a game before you buy it — indie titles are rarely chasing mass-market safety, which leads nicely into why that’s worth caring about.

Why should you choose indie games?

Indie games often take bigger creative risks and can offer excellent value, particularly when a small team builds an entire game around one strong idea. You get originality that big-budget games often can’t afford to attempt.

Best for:

• Players who want something that doesn’t play it safe creatively
• Anyone tired of live-service monetisation who want a complete, finished game
• Budget-conscious gamers, since most indies launch well under full AAA price and discount heavily afterwards

Problems:

• Smaller teams can mean less polish, shorter support windows, or the odd rough edge at launch
• Some genres (open-world epics, big multiplayer shooters) are harder to pull off on an indie budget

Here is our detailed guide for multiplayer games if you are specifically searching for them to play as a group.

Where to play indie games

• PC players: Steam, for catalogue size, modding support, and regular discounts
• Xbox and PC subscribers: Xbox Game Pass is another useful way to sample indie games, with several tiers offering access to sizeable libraries.
• Console players wanting portability: the Nintendo eShop, particularly for Switch-friendly, short-session indies

With the basics out of the way, let’s get into the actual games — split by platform so you can jump straight to what you own.

Best Indie Games for Every Platform

Every platform has its own indie strengths — PC is best for its vast catalogue, Switch is built for short sessions, and PS5 and Xbox both have their own standout exclusives and near-exclusives. Here’s how the picks break down by where you actually play.

What are the best indie games for PC?

PC remains the strongest platform for indie games and has the best games thanks to its unmatched catalogue size, mod support, and the fact that most titles launch there first and cheapest. If you only own one platform for indies, this is the one to have.

Perfect for: players who want first access, the widest catalogue, and the option to mod.

• Balatro — A poker-meets-roguelike deck-builder that turns one addictive idea into an endless “one more run” loop.
• Hollow Knight — A sprawling, beautifully hand-drawn Metroidvania that rewards patient exploration and sharp combat.
• Hades — Fast, stylish roguelike combat wrapped around a genuinely well-told Greek mythology story.
• Stardew Valley — The farming-sim benchmark, built almost entirely by one developer, with tens of millions of players since.
• Disco Elysium — A dialogue-driven detective RPG with zero combat and some of the best writing in the medium.
• Celeste — A punishing, precise platformer about climbing a mountain that doubles as a story about mental health.
• Outer Wilds — A time-loop space exploration game built entirely around curiosity and discovery, not combat.
• Slay the Spire — The roguelike deck-builder that effectively created its own subgenre.

What are the best indie games for PS5?

PS5’s DualSense haptics and play especially well on the PS5’s fast load times. have quietly become a great match for indie games, and Sony’s storefront carries most of the genre’s biggest names alongside a few near-exclusives worth knowing about.

Ideal for: players who want console-native touches like adaptive triggers alongside the genre’s best-known titles.

• Hades II — The sequel expands the combat and story of the original while keeping that same “one more run” pull.
• Stray — A short, atmospheric cyberpunk adventure where you play as a cat exploring a walled city.
• Hollow Knight — Runs comfortably on PS5 and remains one of the tightest Metroidvanias made by an indie team.
• Tunic — A gorgeous isometric adventure that hides real mechanical depth behind a deceptively simple exterior.
• Inscryption — A horror-tinged card game roguelike that takes several genuinely unexpected turns.
• Dead Cells — A rogue-lite Metroidvania with responsive combat that rewards mastering its combat loop.
• Disco Elysium — The Final Cut edition, fully voice-acted, plays especially well on PS5’s fast load times.
• Stardew Valley — Also doubles as a strong PS5 co-op pick for two to four players.

What are the best indie games for Xbox?

Xbox’s biggest indie advantage is Game Pass, which regularly rotates in indie hits at no extra cost, making it one of the cheapest ways to sample a large chunk of this list. 

Best for: subscribers who want a large indie catalogue without buying each game individually.

• Hades — A regular Game Pass fixture and one of the best-reviewed indie games of the last decade.
• Stardew Valley — Consistently one of the most-played indie titles on the service.
• Dead Cells — Its rogue-lite structure suits short Game Pass sessions well.
• Spelunky 2 — A brutal, short-run platformer that’s ideal for picking up and putting down.
• Cuphead — A hand-drawn run-and-gun boss-rush game with a distinctive 1930s cartoon art style (published rather than fully self-funded, but usually grouped with indie darlings).
• Ori and the Blind Forest — A visually striking Metroidvania platformer with a genuinely emotional story.
• Vampire Survivors — An addictive, minimalist auto-battler that spawned an entire genre of imitators.
• Balatro — Also on Xbox and Game Pass, and just as dangerous for your free time as it is everywhere else.

What are the best indie games for Switch?

Switch’s hardware is built for short sessions and handheld play, which makes it a natural home for both quick roguelikes and deep single-player climbs you can pick up on a commute.

Great for: portable play, docked or handheld, especially for precision platformers and card-based roguelikes.

• Celeste — Precision platforming that holds up equally well in handheld or docked mode.
• Hollow Knight — Runs smoothly in handheld mode without losing any of its atmosphere.
• Hades — Widely considered one of the best games on Switch, full stop, regardless of genre.
• Stardew Valley — A perfect fit for handheld play, and supports local co-op with friends.
• Dead Cells — Short, replayable runs that suit both quick sessions and longer play.
• Katana ZERO — A stylish, ultra-fast action platformer with a satisfying one-hit-kill combat loop.
• Gris — A quiet, visually stunning platformer about grief, with no combat or dialogue at all.
• Balatro — Also available on Switch, and just as addictive on the go as anywhere else.

Best indie games for mobile?

Android:

• Balatro — The full deck-builder experience, touch controls included, translates surprisingly well to mobile.
• Stardew Valley — A complete farming sim in your pocket, save-compatible with other platforms.
• Baba Is You — Its grid-based puzzle design suits touch input cleanly.

iOS:

• Balatro — Also available on iPhone and iPad, with the same addictive core loop.
• Dead Cells — A surprisingly faithful rogue-lite Metroidvania port for iOS.
• Baba Is You — Available on the App Store, same rule-bending puzzle mechanics as elsewhere.

Best Indie Games of All Time

These are the best indie games of all time, with their platforms described also.

Which Indie Game Is Right for You?

• For tight combat and a strong story: Hades or Hades II are the safest picks.
• For a relaxed experience: Stardew Valley offers hundreds of hours of laid-back gameplay, either solo or with friends.
• For short, unique gaming sessions: Balatro or Baba Is You are great choices when you want something different without a major time commitment.
• For a game that challenges how you think about the medium: Disco Elysium or Outer Wilds are the standout choices.

Frequently Asked Questions About Indie Games

Bottom Line for the Best Indie Games

Indie games have earned their place among the best games you can play, not just the best indie games. From Hollow Knight and Hades to Stardew Valley and Balatro, smaller teams have created games that can match or surpass bigger-budget releases in creativity, depth and replayability.

The best choice ultimately comes down to what you want to play. Pick Hollow Knight for exploration, Hades for fast combat and story, Stardew Valley for a relaxed experience, or Balatro for quick, addictive sessions. Whatever platform you use, there’s a great indie game here to start with.