Switch games are expensive... T-T ... The good news is, I'm also a complete cheapskate and can't bring myself to buy those £50 blockbuster titles either. Instead, most of my games are indie titles with a smaller price tag. However, I know it can be hard to spot the good games from the rabble, so I made this list to help!
My criteria for this list:
- Under £20 full price
- A game I enjoyed enough to play to completion (or at least intend to finish someday!)
- No games with near-identical mechanics or from the same series
- No online membership required for the main game
Game Weight (aka depth):
- Light = Pretty short, finish in a day or two if you try
- Mid = Plenty to keep you occupied but not an epic that'll last forever
- Heavy = Playing to the end is a commitment and you might find it harder to pick up and play on the go
I recommend adding any games that take your interest to your eShop Wish List and grabbing them during a sale. Discounts vary but some of these games were a massive 90% off when I bought them!
Wargroove - £15.99
Weight: Mid to Heavy
A turn-based strategy game much like Advance Wars - but with MAGIC! The characters are quirky and fun, the pixel art is beautifully polished and the gameplay is great! It's super satisfying to watch your troops sweep across the field. Don't worry if you're not a confident strategist; the game lets you change the difficulty at any time so you probably won't get stuck on any level for long.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Wargroove-1205537.html
Forager - £17.99
Weight: Light to Mid
Part farming sim, part clicker, LOADS of chaos - Forager is a fun game that's really easy to pick up and play. Just farm, mine, fight, build and explore to rack up cash to buy the next island. If it was putting you off buying this too, no, you don't have to kill those cute beets to fully experience the game!
One thing to note if you get this on the Switch: the game can get a bit laggy if you have lots of items on-screen. The easiest way to fix this is to save and fully close the game. When you reopen it, your game should be back to running smoothly.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Forager-1501105.html
Mana Spark - £8.99
Weight: Light to Mid
Mana Spark is an unforgiving 2D dungeon crawler. Runs are often short (thanks to the ruthless monsters) but it's hard to resist unlocking some new gear and embarking into the depths of the dungeon time and time again. I loved the mysterious atmosphere set up by all the little hints dropped in the game. If you find it too tough to make much progress, consider buying the DLC pack which gives you some added enhancements and extra levels.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Mana-Spark-1483446.html
Final Fantasy 9 - £16.99
Weight: Heavy
Nostalgia may bias my opinion here but Final Fantasy 9 is amazing! I absolutely adore the characters, the story and the classic RPG battle system. I mean, it's Final Fantasy - you can't really go wrong! My only gripe is that I think this game deserves a full remastering to really do the scenery justice.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/FINAL-FANTASY-IX-1438973.html
Stardew Valley - £10.99
Weight: Mid
I doubt this game needs my endorsement - you've probably heard loads about it already! Just in case you missed it, Stardew Valley is a popular farming game reminiscent of classics like Harvest Moon. It's cute, really addictive and well fleshed out, with plenty to discover around your new farm and town.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Stardew-Valley-1287587.html
Sparklite - £19.99
Weight: Mid
Sparklight reminds me of Moonlighter but it holds its own too. I adore the engineering theme of this game - Ada's gadgets always add new functionality and make it easier to progress further with every run. Don't be disheartened if you can't beat any of the bosses at first; you just need to keep exploring to improve your gear before trying again.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch/Sparklite-1658134.html
Into The Breach - £11.39
Weight: Light to Mid
Into The Breach might be my all-time favourite strategy game. Giant mechs + alien invasion + time travel = awesome. It's a brilliantly designed experience broken into easily digestible chunks. Each battle may only last a few turns but you have to make every move count if you want to save your civilians, pilots and the future of the human race.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Into-the-Breach-1430880.html
Coffee Talk - £11.69
Weight: Light
A shorter experience than most visual novels, Coffee Talk is a charming narrative game. It's a perfect game for relaxing with a hot drink of your own on a rainy afternoon.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Coffee-Talk-1707809.html
Kamiko - £4.49
Weight: Light
Kamiko's short length is part of its charm. This game makes for a great palette-cleanser between heavier games. The mechanics and plot are simple, reminiscent of older Zelda games, but the bosses and puzzles are challenging enough to make this a really satisfying game to complete.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/KAMIKO-1216862.html
Disclaimer: Everything in this article represents my personal opinions so you'll have to use your own judgement! Prices can vary so I can't promise they'll be the same when you read this as when I added the games. Some of these games I played on a different console, so your experience may be different too.
About the Creator
Hazel
Loving owner of a bunny called Timothy: https://www.facebook.com/timmythebun/ :) I hope you'll enjoy my pet-keeping tutorials and more!
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