Switch Games Under $20 You Should Buy
Celeste ($19.99)
Celeste is one of the biggest surprises of the year and it’s right at home on the Switch. While it may look like just another retro-inspired platformer, Celeste offers a much more polished, accessible and emotionally impactful experience than other games in its genre. The game constantly adds and builds off of mechanics, creating a platformer that always feels fresh.
While Celeste is a difficult game, it’s also manageable. You will die a lot, but the checkpoints are fairly forgiving and you almost always know what you did wrong when you fail. You have to earn each stage, but the experience isn’t as brutal as some other 2D platformers. This gameplay is mixed with a surprisingly strong narrative about the main character, Madeline, and her experience battling anxiety and depression and finding happiness. In fact, we like Madeline so much that we included her in the top 10 protagonists of this console generation.
For $20, Celeste is a no-brainer for a Switch game that can be played in small chunks throughout your day.
Hollow Knight ($15)
The Metroidvania genre is one of the most celebrated in gaming, and Hollow Knight is the genre’s perfect modern evolution. Hollow Knight’s art is beautiful and its eerie and mysterious world, filled with talking bugs and viscous monsters, is just begging to be explored.
Gameplay is also a huge strength for Hollow Knight. The loop of discovering new areas, fighting off enemies and unlocking skills that greatly change your play style is fun and compelling. The game also certainly doesn’t hold your hand. Getting lost and defeated is part of the fun, and make the moments of triumph all the better.
With a surprisingly long playtime and a stunning world to explore, Hollow Knight is an essential addition to your Switch library.
Overcooked Special Edition ($19.99)
If you’re looking for a cheap and fun party game that will help you lose your friendships, Overcooked has you covered. Overcooked is a multiplayer game where players work together to operate a kitchen. Everyone must claim their role whether it’s chopping tomatoes, cooking meat, washing dishes or running plates to the customers. With all kinds of interruptions like moving platforms, slippery floors or even rats that will steal your food, Overcooked always devolves into beautiful chaos.
The Switch serves as a great couch co-op machine, and breaking off a few Joy-Cons to play up to four players on Overcooked is a blast. Also, the more players you have the more fun the experience is, so we suggest getting four players if possible. $20 is a great price for what is sure to give you multiple nights of enjoyment with your friends.
Undertale ($14.99)
Undertale is a standout indie RPG and easily one of the most unique games we’ve played. Undertale turns RPG tropes on their head, and its self-aware cleverness permeates through its humor, game design and story. The game can be played in different ways, offering a significantly different experience depending on how you decide to play.
Another plus for Undertale is its simple yet charming art style. With its simplistic pixel art and old-school aspect ratio, Undertale looks like a loving throwback to RPGs of old. However, while its visuals might look old, the game tackles very modern issues such as depression, anxiety and the intricacies of human personality.
The Switch is a great place to play pixel art RPGs like Undertale, and with a length of 8 to 10 hours, Undertale is a great game to knock out in a few sittings. We think $15 is worth it to see what all the hype is about.
Sonic Mania ($19.99)
Starting as a fan game, Sonic Mania was picked up and officially released by Sega and is now considered one of the iconic hedgehog’s best outings ever. As we said last year, while it might sound cliched, Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic fans. Going back to the series 2D roots, Mania features a combination of remastered levels from older games and all new areas.
Mania is the perfect package for hardcore fans and newcomers alike. The remastered content does justice to the Genesis games, allowing for an accurate representation of gaming history, while the new content offers enough variety and advancements to not feel dated for modern gamers. Simply put, Sonic Mania is the best way to experience 2D Sonic.
Especially compared to the $40 Sonic Forces that released the same year and wasn’t great, $20 for Sonic Mania is a good deal.
Switch Games Under $20 You Should Buy
The Messenger ($19.99)
The Messenger is a hodge podge of inspirations, taking from Ninja Gaiden, Metroid, Castlevania and other groundbreaking titles of old. But what a beautiful hodge podge it is.
The game starts as a somewhat typical 8-bit action platformer before morphing into a 16-bit Metroidvania, complete with all the visual and audio enhancements you would expect from that change. You go back and forth between the two styles, clearly seeing the changes in design, gameplay and music. This is a fun mechanic that gives The Messenger a highly unique identity in the sea of retro-inspired titles that have dropped on the Switch in the past two years.
For more on The Messenger, check out our review from last month and our list of 6 retro-inspired games as tough as The Messenger.
Night in the Woods ($19.99)
Many of us are familiar with the weird mixture of possibility, anxiety and pressure that is our early 20s. That feeling is what Night in the Woods is all about, and why many players find it so relatable. The game follows Mae, a college dropout who returns to the struggling mining town she is from in search of direction for her currently aimless life.
The gameplay largely centers around interacting with Mae’s friends and learning more about them and their relationship with her. Throughout the game, you grow to care about Mae and each of her friends. While the characters are all animals, their problems, mannerisms and dialogue are all very human.
Night in the Woods is a great story-based experience that isn’t too long and fits perfectly on the Switch. For our more in-depth thoughts on the game, read our review.
Stardew Valley ($14.99)
Stardew Valley is one of those games where time just fades away. You go to check on your crops, buy some supplies from Pierre, maybe go fishing and next thing you know four hours has passed and you’re late for class. It’s pretty addicting.
Developed by a single person, Stardew Valley is a deceptively complex and beautifully realized modernization of the Harvest Moon games. The game begins with your character receiving the deed to their grandpa’s old farm and using it as the opportunity to leave their miserable office job and start a new life as a farmer. And the rest is up to you. You can build your farm, befriend townspeople, fall in love and watch the seasons roll as your farm grows. Or doesn’t. Again, it’s up to you.
Stardew Valley is a beautiful and serene game that is easy to get lost in, especially if you already like games like Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing. That being said, the game can be tricky to understand. If you pick up Stardew for your Switch, be sure to check out our wiki guide if you are ever confused.
Super Meat Boy ($14.99)
You know how we said earlier that Celeste isn’t as brutal as some other 2D platformers? This is one of the others. Super Meat Boy is infamous for its tough as nails platforming and razor thin margins for success. However, similar to Celeste, new mechanics and challenges scale at the perfect pace and you almost always know what you did wrong as soon as it happens.
Super Meat Boy is also a great piece of video game history. As was seen in the 2012 documentary, Indie Game: The Movie, Super Meat Boy was created by a two-person team and was highly influential in the rise of indie gaming over the past decade. Many of the games on this list might have never seen the light of day if it wasn’t for the impact that Edmund McMillin and Tommy Refenes had on the industry.
Whether you dive into Super Meat Boy for the history of the title or because you actually plan to beat it, we hope you’re ready. Either way, $15 is a steal for such a well-made and fun experience for your Switch.
Enter the Gungeon ($14.99)
It has to be noted that a bullet hell where the enemies are actual bullets is a pretty funny concept. Fortunately, the game itself is also a blast.
Enter the Gungeon is a twin stick shooter with procedurally generated levels. The gameplay loop is fast, bombastic, colorful, challenging and, most importantly, a lot of fun. While Enter the Gungeon has been around on PC and consoles for several years, the Switch feels like one of the best places to experience it. The fast-paced combat works well for short spurts in handheld mode, and the Joy-Cons feel comfortable to play with.
For the price, Enter the Gungeon and the many hours of enjoyment it will likely offer you is worth considering. For more on Enter the Gungeon’s Switch port, read Zhiqing Wan’s article about why it’s a great time-killer.
Are you planning to pick any of these games up? Are there other cheap but quality Switch titles that people should check out? Let us know in the comments!
Celeste
Celeste is one of the biggest surprises of the year and it's right at home on the Switch. While it may look like just another retro-inspired platformer, Celeste offers a much more polished, accessible, and emotionally impactful experience than other games in its genre. The game constantly adds to and builds on its mechanics, creating a platformer that always feels fresh.
While Celeste is a difficult game, it's also manageable. You will die a lot, but the checkpoints are fairly forgiving and you almost always know what you did wrong when you fail. You have to earn each stage, but the experience isn't as brutal as some other 2D platformers. This gameplay is mixed with a surprisingly strong narrative about the main character, Madeline, and her experience battling anxiety and depression and finding happiness. In fact, we like Madeline so much that we included her in the top 10 protagonists of this console generation.
For $20, Celeste is a no-brainer for a Switch game that can be played in small chunks throughout your day.
Hollow Knight
The Metroidvania genre is one of the most celebrated in gaming, and Hollow Knight is the genre's perfect modern evolution. Hollow Knight's art is beautiful and its eerie and mysterious world, filled with talking bugs and viscous monsters, is just begging to be explored.
Gameplay is also a huge strength for Hollow Knight. The loop of discovering new areas, fighting off enemies and unlocking skills that greatly change your play style is fun and compelling. The game also certainly doesn't hold your hand. Getting lost and defeated is part of the fun, and makes the moments of triumph all the better.
With a surprisingly long playtime and a stunning world to explore, Hollow Knight is an essential addition to your Switch library.
Overcooked Special Edition
If you're looking for a cheap and fun party game that will help you lose your friendships, Overcooked has you covered. Overcooked is a multiplayer game where players work together to operate a kitchen. Everyone must claim their role, whether it's chopping tomatoes, cooking meat, washing dishes, or running plates to the customers. With all kinds of interruptions like moving platforms, slippery floors or even rats that will steal your food, Overcooked always devolves into beautiful chaos.
The Switch serves as a great couch co-op machine, and breaking off a few Joy-Cons to play with up to four players on Overcooked is a blast. Also, the more players you have, the more fun the experience is, so we suggest getting four players if possible. $20 is a great price for what is sure to give you multiple nights of enjoyment with your friends.
Undertale
Undertale is a standout indie RPG and easily one of the most unique games we've played. Undertale turns RPG tropes on their head, and its self-aware cleverness permeates through its humor, game design, and story. The game can be played in different ways, offering a significantly different experience depending on how you decide to play.
Another plus for Undertale is its simple yet charming art style. With its simplistic pixel art and old-school aspect ratio, Undertale looks like a loving throwback to RPGs of old. However, while its visuals might look old, the game tackles very modern issues such as depression, anxiety and the intricacies of human personality.
The Switch is a great place to play pixel art RPGs like Undertale, and with a length of 8 to 10 hours, Undertale is a great game to knock out in a few sittings. We think $15 is worth it to see what all the hype is about.
Sonic Mania
Starting as a fan game, Sonic Mania was picked up and officially released by Sega and is now considered one of the iconic hedgehog's best outings ever. As we said last year, while it might sound cliched, Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic fans. Going back to the series 2D roots, Mania features a combination of remastered levels from older games and all new areas.
Mania is the perfect package for hardcore fans and newcomers alike. The remastered content does justice to the Genesis games, allowing for an accurate representation of gaming history, while the new content offers enough variety and advancements to not feel dated for modern gamers. Simply put, Sonic Mania is the best way to experience 2D Sonic.
Especially compared to the $40 Sonic Forces that released the same year and wasn't great, $20 for Sonic Mania is a great deal.
The Messenger
The Messenger is a hodge podge of inspirations, taking from Ninja Gaiden, Metroid, Castlevania and other groundbreaking titles of old. But what a beautiful hodge podge it is.
The game starts as a somewhat typical 8-bit action platformer before morphing into a 16-bit Metroidvania, complete with all the visual and audio enhancements you would expect from that change. You go back and forth between the two styles, clearly seeing the changes in design, gameplay and music. This is a fun mechanic that gives The Messenger a highly unique identity in the sea of retro-inspired titles that have dropped on the Switch in the past two years.
For more on The Messenger, check out our review from last month and our list of 6 retro-inspired games as tough as The Messenger.
Night in the Woods
Many of us are familiar with the weird mixture of possibility, anxiety, and pressure that is our early 20s. That feeling is what Night in the Woods is all about, and why many players find it so relatable. The game follows Mae, a college dropout who returns to the struggling mining town she is from in search of direction for her currently aimless life.
The gameplay largely centers around interacting with Mae's friends and learning more about them and their relationship with her. Throughout the game, you grow to care about Mae and each of her friends. While the characters are all animals, their problems, mannerisms, and dialogue are all very human.
Night in the Woods is a great story-based experience that isn't too long and fits perfectly on the Switch. For our more in-depth thoughts on the game, check out our review.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is one of those games where time just fades away. You go to check on your crops, buy some supplies from Pierre, maybe go fishing, and next thing you know four hours have passed and you're late for class. It's difficult to put down.
Developed by a single person, Stardew Valley is a deceptively complex and beautifully realized modernization of the Harvest Moon games. The game begins with your character receiving the deed to their grandpa's old farm and using it as the opportunity to leave their miserable office job and start a new life as a farmer. And the rest is up to you. You can build your farm, befriend townspeople, fall in love, and watch the seasons roll as your farm grows. Or doesn't. Again, it's up to you.
Stardew Valley is a beautiful and serene game that is easy to get lost in, especially if you already like games like Harvest Moon or Animal Crossing. That being said, the game can be tricky to understand. If you pick up Stardew for your Switch, be sure to check out our wiki guide if you are ever confused.
Super Meat Boy
You know how we said earlier that Celeste isn't as brutal as some other 2D platformers? This is one of the others. Super Meat Boy is infamous for its tough as nails platforming and razor thin margins for error. However, similar to Celeste, new mechanics and challenges scale at the perfect pace and you almost always know what you did wrong as soon as it happens.
Super Meat Boy is also a great piece of video game history. As was seen in the 2012 documentary, Indie Game: The Movie, Super Meat Boy was created by a two-person team and was highly influential in the rise of indie gaming over the past decade. Many of the games on this list might have never seen the light of day if it wasn't for the impact that Edmund McMillin and Tommy Refenes had on the industry.
Whether you dive into Super Meat Boy for the history of the title or because you actually plan to beat it, we hope you're ready. Either way, $15 is a steal for such a well-made and fun experience for your Switch.
Enter the Gungeon
It has to be noted that a bullet hell where the enemies are actual bullets is a pretty funny concept. Fortunately, the game itself is also a blast.
Enter the Gungeon is a twin stick shooter with procedurally generated levels. The gameplay loop is fast, bombastic, colorful, challenging and, most importantly, a lot of fun. While Enter the Gungeon has been around on PC and consoles for several years, the Switch feels like one of the best places to experience it. The fast-paced combat works well for short spurts in handheld mode, and the Joy-Cons feel comfortable to play with.
For the price, Enter the Gungeon and the many hours of enjoyment it will likely offer you is worth considering. For more on Enter the Gungeon's Switch port, read our article about why it's a great time-killer.
About the author
Darby Hallman
Darby is a graduate from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. Loves games and just wants to be able to talk about them every day. He has a soft spot for RPGs of every type, narrative-driven games and PS2 mascot platformers. Patiently waiting for the Final Fantasy VII remake.