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The huge library of games available on Nintendo Switch can be a little overwhelming sometimes, with quite literally hundreds of incredible titles to choose from on the Switch eShop. There’s always something to tempt you — always something worth purchasing some eShop credit for, whether there’s a big sale on or not.
In order to help guide you in the right direction, we’ve rounded up 20 of the best cheap Switch games — exceptionally good games that cost less than $20/£20 (and often even less when there’s a sale on. Every single one of the cheap Switch games below scored an ‘Excellent’ 9/10 rating in our review, and we’ve ordered them from cheapest to most expensive with prices displayed in both USD and GBP.
As we’ve said, these cheap Switch games are listed according to their RRP. Be aware that while we believe that each game here represents excellent value for money at full price, these titles can often be found on sale for even less. Madness, it is!
And if you buy Switch eShop credit via our own code site and use the code ‘NLIFE10‘, you’ll get 10% off your purchase. Note that you can only buy eShop credit for the region you’re in.
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
Also, it’s worth noting that there are a bunch of free-to-play games available on Switch that cost nothing, so be sure to check them out, too:
So, let’s take a look at the 20 of the best cheap Nintendo Switch games…
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Moppin
- Switch eShop Price: $2.99 / £2.69
This is an excellent port of a game that feels like it’s found a natural home on Switch thanks to a plethora of control options and the console’s natural facility with vertical orientation. Short of popping your 4K TV on its side, Switch offers the very best way to play Downwell. Its roguelike structure and twitch platforming might not be for everyone, but you should really give it a chance. For our money, it’s a modern classic that should be in everyone’s collection.
Publisher: Whippoorwill / Developer: Adam Robinson-Yu
- Switch eShop Price: $7.99 / £6.29
A Short Hike is a fat-free experience from top to bottom – or should we say bottom to top? It’s the kind of game that makes us just sigh with happiness when we recall our time with it, and even having played it through to its ostensible conclusion multiple times, we know for a fact there are still things to see and do on that mountain. What we have here is something of an apotheosis – a milestone in indie games akin to Cave Story, or Spelunky. The very best bits of multiple game genres, stripped of all padding and bloat, mixed perfectly into a delicious video game stew that only gets richer and richer the more you play. An exploration in every sense of the word, A Short Hike is cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don’t miss this one.
Publisher: ConcernedApe / Developer: ConcernedApe
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £10.99
Stardew Valley offers its players a chance to live a second life – one where you can forget the troubles of the real world and get excited over finding a particularly rare carrot. It is a truly magical experience; games can often be enjoyable but they don’t all manage to be as captivating as this. This is the sort of game that ideally requires a significant amount of time to be invested; the enjoyment doesn’t necessarily come from the day-to-day actions you perform, but rather from the general growth of pride, satisfaction, and sense of security as the days go by. Fans of games such as Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing will be right at home here and, for those who aren’t, there is a decent chance this game might just surprise you.
Publisher: Subset Games / Developer: Subset Games
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £11.39
Into The Breach is a brutal, uncompromising game of making hard decisions and living with your mistakes, but the short length of battles and endless variety of playthroughs makes for an extremely addictive experience. Though the graphics are nothing special, the gameplay is some of the very best you’ll find in the strategy genre on Switch, and we can easily recommend this to anybody who’s looking for an in-depth game that’ll make you think. Into The Breach feels right at home on the Switch, and whether you play more at home or on the go, you’re more than likely to get plenty of value out of this release.
Publisher: Sidebar Games / Developer: Sidebar Games
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £13.49
Golf Story is a Switch exclusive RPG that borrows liberally from Mario Golf on the Game Boy Color. It’s absolutely bonkers and you should be prepared to put your golf skills to use in a variety of contexts, including feeding hungry alligators and knocking things off high surfaces, plus winning the occasional round of pitch ‘n’ putt.
With a hilarious script and a wide variety of activities, it remains fresh throughout and will have you coming back for many hours in the Story mode alone; the multiplayer offers decent replayability, too. Golf Story is for anyone looking for something a little different; there’s a whole lot to love here, and if you’re a fan of RPGs or golf games, this is a must buy.
Publisher: Team Cherry / Developer: Team Cherry
- Switch eShop Price: $15.00 / £10.99
Hollow Knight feels like it found its natural home on Switch. The game’s beautiful 2D world, tactile combat and impressive bevy of secrets constantly drag you in for more, and it proves to be as strong an experience on the move as it is on your TV. On an eShop that’s already filled with top quality indie games, Hollow Knight is one of the very best; a big, beautiful, foreboding Metroidvania that’s absolutely thick with detail. From its punchy combat system to its charming art and sound design, this is one of the finest adventures you can have on Nintendo Switch.
Publisher: Distractionware / Developer: Distractionware
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £13.49
Terry Cavanagh’s Dicey Dungeons is easily one of the best roguelike titles you can play on Switch. Loads of gameplay variety, fantastic music, a high skill ceiling and friendly visuals make this a thoroughly gripping and fun experience you won’t want to miss out on. If you like roguelikes or card games, we’d highly recommend you pick this up as soon as you can – and even if you don’t, we’d still encourage you to check it out regardless.
Publisher: Foreign Gnomes / Developer: Foreign Gnomes
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £13.49
Everhood is one of the most memorable games we’ve played in recent years. A mad mix of RPG, rhythm action, kart racing and bullet-hell shmup, its utterly bonkers plot and weird cast of characters is reason enough to check it out, but the instantly accessible rhythmic combat will keep you hooked from the very first battle to the epic final boss encounter. Some may be put off by the minimal visual design and deliberately vague sequence of events, but for those after something a bit different, Everhood delivers originality and unique gameplay in spades and absolutely deserves a place in your Switch library.
Publisher: Mixtvision / Developer: Okomotive
- Switch eShop Price: $14.99 / £13.49
Without saying a word, FAR: Lone Sails conveys a poignant tale of hope and perseverance, masterfully balancing style with substance for an experience that feels every bit as sublime as it looks. Sure, you could grumble about the its relative shortness, the occasionally obtuse puzzles and the very, very minor control issues, but these problems dissolve away once you’re invested in the journey. We highly recommend that you give this a spin.
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Nomada Studio
- Switch eShop Price: $16.99 / £14.49
We’re very careful when we use this word, but Gris is a masterpiece. Its jaw-dropping visual style and heart-wrenching score combine for one of the most emotional pieces of interactive art you’ll ever play. It may be too short for some, its puzzles may be on the simple side and the lack of any real challenge may not be to everyone’s taste, but this is a game focused more on fragility than ability and as long as you’re willing to go along for the ride, it’s one that will stick with you for a very long time indeed.
Publisher: Team 17 / Developer: Villa Gorilla
- Switch eShop Price: $17.99 / £15.99
Yoku’s Island Express is a genuine breath of fresh air, combining pinball and Metroidvania mechanics in a way that feels truly inspired. Add in a calming soundtrack and one of the most appealing fantasy worlds you’ll find on the eShop, and you have yourself an instant left-field classic.
Publisher: Berzerk Studio / Developer: Berzerk Studio
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £15.09
The energy and verve of Just Shapes & Beats is utterly infectious. True to its name, the elements are simple, but Berzerk Studio explores and executes on its modest premise with an exceptional level of polish in this self-described ‘musical bullet hell’. Bullets are the least of your worries – objects to evade range from simple Euclidean shapes to laser beams, spinning saws, spiralling tentacles and ocean waves made from EQ bars. It injects pure joy into the oppressive, pulsing panic of Terry Cavanagh’s mobile hit Super Hexagon and creates a celebratory explosion of the audio-visual in video games, showcasing chiptunes in their natural habitat. Grab some decent headphones or, better still, some friends and hook your Switch up to the hi-fi. The neighbours will love you.
Publisher: SEGA / Developer: Christian Whitehead
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £15.99
Sonic Mania is a true return to form for the mascot, in his 2D ‘Classic’ guise at least, and celebrates the glory days of the original games while also enhancing their qualities and taking on new ideas. From new areas, imaginative second acts and some delightful boss encounters, the development team poured a lot of passion and talent into the project. With new characters and modes added in the ‘Plus’ retail version (also available as DLC), some neat tweaks iron out some of the kinks present in the original release, but regardless of the version you pick up, it’s one of the best 2D platformers in recent memory.
Publisher: StudioMDHR / Developer: StudioMDHR
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £16.99
Cuphead was an absolute masterpiece when it originally launched on Xbox One and nothing has been sacrificed in its move to the Switch. A run-and-gun boss battler dressed up like a 1930s Fleischer or Disney animated short, it’s the same visually jaw-dropping, aurally delightful, knuckle-whiteningly difficult game it was on Microsoft’s console and the Switch’s library is all the better for its presence. Its focus on intense boss battles won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but as long as you know what you’re getting yourself into we can’t recommend it enough. Just look at it!
Publisher: Humble Games / Developer: Witch Beam
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
Unpacking manages to do several things very well, all at the same time. It’s a touching story told through interaction, it provides the creative play space of a great dollhouse game, and it deftly applies established game design ideas from completely different genres. Its only real shortcoming is the repetition that is a necessary byproduct of landing its message. Effort has gone into making the controls satisfying on Switch, and the visual and sound design are delightful throughout, making Unpacking, like any sane person’s cutlery, absolutely top-drawer.
Publisher: Abylight Studios / Developer: Heart Machine
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
Hyper Light Drifter: Special Edition puts Heart Machine’s obtuse yet engaging throwback where it belongs — in portable Nintendo form — and it makes for the definitive version. With a handful of exclusive features, the game suddenly feels new and fresh – and with a silky smooth frame rate and every boss, secret and upgrade from the original here for you to experience, this is a wonderful addition to the Nintendo Switch’s bulging indie library.
Publisher: Playdead / Developer: Playdead
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
Inside is the spiritual successor to Limbo and it builds on its predecessor in every imaginable way. A grimly beautiful platform-puzzler that, while brief, is packed full of jaw-dropping highlights, its dark tone won’t be for everyone, but it’s been executed brilliantly, with gently taxing physics-based conundrums woven into a haunting wordless narrative. It’s a very similar game to its predecessor in many ways, with side-scrolling elements, a gorgeous, moody art style, and a vulnerable protagonist at the heart of it. Everything’s just bigger, better, and more affecting.
Publisher: Shin’en Multimedia / Developer: Shin’en Multimedia
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
The Touryst is a joyous little adventure that sinks its blocky hooks into you and doesn’t let go until it’s done. It’s got a perfect balance of atmospheric puzzling, leisurely exploring and minigame madness that’ll keep you thoroughly entertained from start to finish, and its collection of tiny little voxel islands are a joy to discover, bursting with surprises to uncover and presented in a truly dazzling art-style that’s achieved whilst performing flawlessly on Nintendo’s console. The puzzles might not be the most taxing you’ll ever come across and you’ll blow through the whole thing pretty quickly, but overall this is a top-notch – and perfectly priced – little gem.
Publisher: Coffee Stain Studios / Developer: Easy Trigger
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
Huntdown is a delightfully detailed and expertly crafted throwback to old-school run ‘n’ gun arcade shooters. The 16-bit graphical style is immaculately recreated whilst adding lots of modern bells and whistles to proceedings, including a fantastic soundtrack and audio design, optional CRT filter and an arsenal of heavy-duty weapons that chew scenery and enemies to pieces as your bounty hunter makes their way from boss fight to excellent boss fight. The flow of levels may be quite repetitive but the moment-to-moment gameplay, overall sense of fun that comes from the level of carnage you can dish out, surprising amount of hammy spoken dialogue and constant pop-culture references all combine to make this one an easy recommendation, and another excellent addition to the Switch’s action catalogue.
Publisher: Devolver Digital / Developer: Acid Nerve
- Switch eShop Price: $19.99 / £17.99
Death’s Door is a modern classic, utilizing old gameplay ideas in a new setting to make for a short and sweet experience you won’t want to miss. The snappy combat, rewarding exploration, and relaxing music will stick with you once you’ve finished, and while it may not have anything ‘new’ to offer, Death’s Door is so high quality that you’ll hardly have time to think about it’s lack of innovation. We’d give this one a very high recommendation, especially to any fans of Zelda or Soulslike games — Acid Nerve has crafted an experience that’s absolutely worth your time and money.
Those are our picks of the very best cheap games on Switch — the ‘evergreen’ great value games. Remember, you can make them even better value by picking up Switch eShop credit from our code store and save an extra 10% off your purchase with the code ‘NLIFE10‘:
This article is one of our Switch Essentials guides which cover a wide variety of genres, including the Best Switch FPS Games, the Best Switch RPGs, the Best Switch Games For Kids, the Best Switch Couch Co-Op Games and the Best Switch Fitness and Exercise Games. We can also help out hunting down the Best Switch Horror Games, the Best Switch Racing Games, the Best Switch Action-RPGs, the Best Nintendo Switch Roguelikes, Roguelites and Run-Based Games, the Best Free Switch Games, and even Games to Play After You’ve Finished Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Whatever your favourite genre, we’ve got you covered: Strategy Games, Metroidvanias, Puzzle Games, Party Games, Online Multiplayer Games, Local Wireless Multiplayer Games, Shmups, Visual Novels, Fighting Games, Hidden Gems, 2D Platformers, 3D Platformers, Run and Gun Games, Sports Games, Beat ‘Em Ups, Chill Games, Family Games, Retro-Inspired Games, Short Games, Card Games and Deck-builders, Flight Sim and Space Combat, Point and Click Adventure Games, and the Best Switch Exclusives, as well as Every Arcade Archives Game, Every ACA Neo Geo Game, Every SEGA AGES Game On Switch, and the Best Switch Collections And Compilations.
If you’re looking for the best Switch games regardless of genre, our reader-voted selection of the Best Nintendo Switch Games should help you out, and you can also find the Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. And finally, if you’re interested in other Nintendo consoles and retro games, check out the Best Game Boy Games, Best Nintendo DS Games, Best Nintendo 3DS Games, Best SNES Games, Best N64 Games, Best GameCube Games, and Best Wii Games, as well as Every Nintendo Switch Online NES Game and Every Nintendo Switch Online SNES Game.
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