10 of the best cheap Nintendo Switch games you can buy

The Switch’s digital eShop is pretty packed with great games now, and many of them can be had for very little cash at all. In fact, we’ve picked 10 games that we love that all sell for less than £17 or US$20 a pop, including indie favourites and multi-million-selling smashes alike.

SONIC MANIA (£16/US$20)

Sonic Mania is a brand new game released in 2017, but it’s built in the exacting mould of the Mega Drive classics, from look to gameplay and level design. And that’s a very good thing, of course. It’s light on new ideas, but we don’t really trust Sega to try and transform this proven formula anymore: Sonic Mania does a sharp impression of the classics, and it’s a perfect fit for handheld play on the Switch.

ROCKET LEAGUE (£15/US$20)

Rocket League is already one of the most entertaining games you can play on a console or PC, and now with this Nintendo Switch port, we can play its brilliant blend of arcade driving and football wherever we are. It’s a speedy, rules-relaxed take on 3v3 football at its core, but instead of hustling down the pitch on your own two feet, you’ll zoom around in a rocket-boosted car.

STARDEW VALLEY (£11/US$15)

Looking for something a bit slower-paced to play while lounging in bed or on the couch? Try Stardew Valley, the celebrated indie fave that’s now made its way over to Switch. Inspired by the classic Harvest Moon games, Stardew Valley is a low-key farming simulation that finds you taking over the family farm and keeping it afloat.

THUMPER (£16/US$20)

Rhythm games with plastic instruments are seemingly dead for good, but the genre has gone back to basics as indie developers find new ways to pair pulsing music with button taps. And Thumper is one of the very best we’ve ever played. It’s also probably the most thoroughly intense of the bunch, with freaky sights and sounds alike.

PAC-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION 2 PLUS (£16.99/US$20)

Pac has seen countless versions, remakes and spin-offs over the years, but Championship Edition took the original maze-based eat-em-up and added new routes to memorise, an addictive soundtrack, and overhauled graphics that look just as spangly on the Switch as they do on other platforms. That giant PLUS in the title? That’s for the exclusive two player mode which is only available on Nintendo’s handheld.

GOLF STORY (£13.49/US$15)

Dry, traditional golfing simulations can turn tedious, but Golf Story isn’t that game: this indie original is an on-the-go delight. Essentially, it’s a throwback to the old three-click style of arcade golf, seen in Everybody’s Golf and Mario Golf, only viewed through a 16-bit lens. Oh, and you can freely explore the terrain – and launch golf balls at everything you see.

AXIOM VERGE (£15)

We might be waiting a while for Metroid Prime 4 to deliver its 3D action to the Switch, but if you’re looking for something that looks and feels like the old-school series entries, give Axiom Verge a shot. This sharp indie wears the inspiration from Nintendo’s franchise on its sleeve, with a similar style of progression through an ever-expanding world of sci-fi threats.

SEVERED (£12/US$15)

With a bold, confident look, Severed is not messing around – and neither is Sasha, your newly one-armed heroine. Waking up with the untimely wound, you realize that your family is missing. But lo and behold, a demon has just handed you a crimson, living sword, and you can be damn sure that it’s going to help you get back what’s yours (the family; maybe not the lost arm).

STEAMWORLD DIG 2 (£15)

Image & Form’s SteamWorld series has become an indie darling over the last few years, spawning the awesome XCOM-esque SteamWorld Heist and the sort of Metroid-esque SteamWorld Dig. And now the sequel to the latter is on Switch, but don’t worry if you missed the first game on other hardware: this one’s the pick of the two.

TUMBLESEED (£12)

TumbleSeed is the rare game that can turn you off just as quickly as it turns you on. It’s a gorgeous game, with a colorful and distinctive hand-drawn look that gently conceals its threats, plus lush backing music to power the action. But it’s also incredibly difficult, punishing you early and often with its consistent challenge. It’s like an adorable Dark Souls in spirit.