Gaming on the go is a popular trend. It is unsurprising to see one of the leading gaming companies, Valve, jumping into the portable gaming industry as well in the form of their very own portable gaming device, Steam Deck.
Since its release in February 2022, Steam Deck has quickly become the next best portable gaming solution for many gamers around the globe. It acts as a great alternative for people who want to play some of their best PC games on a handheld device without needing to build a gaming rig of their own.
Additionally, so that gamers don’t feel they are missing out on experiencing the maximum capabilities of a particular game on a seemingly lighter platform, the Steam Deck comes equipped with the latest hardware, almost close to the specs of a mid-range PC, to give players the ultimate gaming experience on their portable devices without needing them to sacrifice aspects like graphical and accessibility settings, and other quality of life features as well.
Moreover, being barely 2 years old, it may not have an established command on the market as of yet as compared to more well-known brands like Wii, Nintendo Switch, Asus ROG Ally, etc, but more and more games are steadily making their way to the newest platform, so gamers who are still sitting on the fence regarding the decision to buy and game on one of this devices, in our honest opinion, now is the best time to dive into it and enjoy the platform’s ever-increasing diverse gaming library.
Seeing the platform’s growing popularity, today, we have compiled a list of some of the best Steam Deck games that gamers can look to play on the latest portable gaming devices from Valve for an awesome handheld gaming experience. This list not only includes lesser-known Indie gems but also well-known, resource-hungry titles from established companies like FromSoftware, Santa Monica Studios, Valve, etc.
So without any more delays, let us jump into the list of the best Steam Deck games for gamers to indulge in:
Best Steam Deck Games Content List
1) Cassette Beasts
| Developer(s) | Bytten Studio |
| Publisher(s) | Bytten Studio, Raw Fury |
| Release Date | 26 April 2023 |
| Genre | Indie, RPG |
Cassette Beasts is a third-person, action-adventure, monster-taming game massively inspired by the immensely popular Pokemon games but with a slight twist. In this game, players take on the role of a group of adventurers as they travel through the fantasy lands of New Wirral in search of new monsters to tame and unique fusion creatures to craft, but instead of taming creatures and using them in battles, players absorb the characteristics and power of the said beasts themselves and engage in combat.
The game utilizes a unique cassette player gameplay mechanic. Instead of recording songs, players use them to capture various unique creatures found during their journeys and take their form whenever they are required to fight the various adversaries in the game.
2) Dwarf Fortress
| Developer(s) | Bay 12 Games, Tarn Adams, Zach Adams |
| Publisher(s) | Bay 12 Games, Kitfox Games |
| Release Date | 6 December 2022 |
| Genre | RPG, Simulation, Strategy |
Dwarves Fortress is a community-building, action-adventure, roguelike-management game set in a procedurally generated world in which players take control of a community of dwarves and must construct the ultimate fortress of their dreams while also trying to survive against the numerous enemies and ailments that threaten their existence like undead hordes, monster attacks, madness, etc.
In this game, all the dwarves in the game have their very own unique skills, traits, and abilities that players will have to indirectly micro-manage to ensure their fortress remains stable and healthy from the inside, as even a small weakness, either in their dwarf or their fortress, can lead to devastating results.
3) Elden Ring
| Developer(s) | FromSoftware |
| Publisher(s) | FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Release Date | 25 February 2022 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, RPG, Soulslike |
Elden Ring is a third-person, action-adventure, soulslike RPG set in the fantasy world of The Lands Between, where players take on the role of a newly summoned soul called the Tarnished as they go on an unforgiving adventure full of thrills and danger in search of the fragmented pieces of the Elden Ring, to eventually fulfill their destiny and become the all-powerful Elden Lord.
In this game, players will explore a sprawling open world, jam-packed with collectibles to collect, missions to undertake, hidden chambers and caves to discover, and fearsome enemies to overcome. Like most Soulslike games, this game also leaves players to figure out how to proceed further in this game, giving them immense freedom to enjoy and experience the game however they see fit.
4) Left 4 Dead 2
| Developer(s) | Valve |
| Publisher(s) | Valve |
| Release Date | 17 November 2009 |
| Genre | Action |
Left 4 Dead 2 is a first-person shooter, co-op zombie survival game set during a zombie outbreak in the southern cities of the United States of America where players have the option of choosing between 4 survivors and taking on relentless waves of undead across a variety of maps by utilizing an exhaustive list of weapons that comprise of devastating long-range weapons and brutal melee weapons alike.
The game can be enjoyed both in single-player as well as a hardcore co-op shooter, with the base game featuring 20 dedicated story-based campaign missions and countless other community-made maps and levels for players and their friends to dive into and enjoy unrestricted co-op fun.
5) Ori And The Blind Forest
| Developer(s) | Moon Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Studios |
| Release Date | 11 March 2015 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure |
Ori and the Blind Forest is a 2-D, action-adventure, soulslite game that takes place in the mysterious yet magical forest known as the Forest of Nibel, where players take on the role of a guardian spirit named Ori, who must go on an all-important, emotional journey to restore life to the rapidly-decaying lands due to a recent corruption.
In this game, players will travel through a treacherous 2-D world full of platforming challenges to overcome and a surprisingly diverse selection of challenging enemies to defeat. On their journey, on completing traversal or combat scenarios, players will earn precious upgrade points that they can freely use to upgrade their strengths and skills to survive the magical yet hostile world and also open up new paths that were previously inaccessible.
6) Dave The Diver
| Developer(s) | MINTROCKET, Nexon |
| Publisher(s) | MINTROCKET, Nexon |
| Release Date | 28 June 2023 |
| Genre | Casual, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Simulation |
Dave The Diver is a 2-D, action-adventure, fishing simulation game set near a tropical island where players take on the role of a scuba diver named Dave, who embarks on underwater fishing runs during the daytime and runs a full-fledged sushi bar during the evenings.
During his fishing runs, Dave not only collects a diverse variety of fish but also other trinkets and raw materials. During the evenings, however, he manages a full-fledged sushi bar/restaurant service with his Master Sushi Chef Bancho, and indulges in activities like serving drinks and dishes, refilling wasabi, collecting money off counters, clearing tables, etc., to earn valuable coins that he can use to not only upgrade his restaurant but all the numerous fishing equipment and weapons at his disposal too.
7) Sable
| Developer(s) | Shedworks |
| Publisher(s) | Raw Fury |
| Release Date | 23 September 2021 |
| Genre | RPG, Adventure, RPG |
Sable is a third-person, open-world exploration game set in a stylized ruined desert planet named Midden, where players take on the role of a young girl named Sable, who embarks on a coming-of-age journey to explore the various ancient structures and points of interest present on the planet and meet engaging new characters who will give her new leads to go on.
While on the planet, Sable will take part in a lot of different activities like solving intricate puzzles, exploring the rich world of the game, trying to discover details regarding previous civilizations, upgrading, repairing, and modifying their hoverbike, fishing for bugs, and critters, etc.
8) Hi-Fi Rush
| Developer(s) | Tango Gameworks |
| Publisher(s) | Bethesda Softworks |
| Release Date | 26 January 2023 |
| Genre | Action |
Hi-Fi Rush is a rhythm-based, action-adventure game set in a sci-fi world where players take on the role of a 25-year-old aspiring rockstar named Chai, whose music player is accidentally embedded into his body through a cybernetic surgery procedure gone wrong.
Due to the music player being in his chest, every fight in the game revolves around a ‘beat’ system that players will need to follow to win their encounters. The better they match the ‘beat’ of a particular enemy encounter, the better their attack will be.
During their playthroughs, players will visit a lot of different areas in the game, with each of them playing their distinct tunes that players will have to match to perfection while performing activities like navigating through intricate beat-based, boss-battles, and numerous platforming elements.
9) Cult Of The Lamb
| Developer(s) | Massive Monster |
| Publisher(s) | Devolver Digital |
| Release Date | 11 August 2022 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Simulation, Roguelite |
Cult of the Lamb is a community-building, roguelike, action-adventure game set in the lands of the false prophets, where players take on the role of a newly sacrificed lamb, resurrected by an age-old God named ‘The One Who Remains’, and go on a quest to take revenge on the false prophets who had sacrificed him.
In this game, players will build their very own Cult from scratch, rescuing and recruiting followers as they go. As their cult grows in size and influence, players will be able to unlock and utilize various perks and buffs that will not only give their cult a boost but will also give the protagonist, The Lamb, an edge during its endless crusades or ‘runs’ in pursuit of the false prophets.
10) Sea Of Thieves
| Developer(s) | Rare |
| Publisher(s) | Xbox Game Studios |
| Release Date | 3 June 2020 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Simulation |
Sea of Thieves is a first-person, ship-simulation, action-adventure, pirate-themed game set in a fantasy setting in which players create a character of their choosing and embark on unforgiving pirate adventures to hone their pirating skills, to one day be capable and strong enough to rule the hostile waters either in the games brutal PvP servers or in the calmer, Safer Seas PvE servers.
With the ships being an integral part of the game, players will need to take on all the aspects of manning a ship like controlling the sails, firing the cannons, setting the course to new destinations, etc. Apart from overseeing their ships, however, players will also be undertaking other activities like harvesting resources from plants and wildlife found on the islands, stealing loot from opposing players, discovering hidden treasures on uncharted islands, undertaking various engaging quest missions, repairing damaged parts of the ship, etc.
Also Read: Interested in playing PS 3 games on Steam Deck? Check out our comprehensive guide for gamers on how they can play their favorite PlayStation 3 games on Steam Deck without any hassle.
11) God Of War (2018)
| Developer(s) | Santa Monica Studio |
| Publisher(s) | PlayStation |
| Release Date | 14 January 2022 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, RPG |
God of War (2018) is a third-person, action-adventure game set in the Norse mythology-inspired Scandinavian realm called Midgard. Players take on the role of the main protagonist Kratos, as he and his son, Atreus, embark on a perilous journey to scatter the ashes of his deceased wife Faye.
In this game, on their journey through the various picturesque mythological locations, players will traverse to locations jam-packed with interesting Norse lore to uncover and engaging puzzles to solve. Additionally, apart from battling unique mythological beasts and creatures using powerful weapons and abilities, players will always get involved in various intense fighting sequences with Norse Gods and Dragons too.
12) Cuphead
| Developer(s) | Studio MDHR Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Studio MDHR Entertainment |
| Release Date | 29 September 2017 |
| Genre | Action, Indie, Soulslike |
Cuphead is a 2-D, action-adventure, run-and-gun soulslike game set in a backdrop of 80’s TV shows where players play as a humanlike teacup named Cuphead, who, along with his brother, must embark on an extremely challenging quest for the Devil himself, to repossess the souls of runway debtors.
In their quest to repossess souls, players will engage in high-octane boss fights with iconic cartoon-inspired characters. The game is inherently challenging, so players will have to rely on quick reflexes to pass the numerous levels present. As they progress further in the game, players will gain access to special abilities that will assist them in taking down the various enemies more swiftly.
13) Disco Elysium
| Developer(s) | ZA/UM |
| Publisher(s) | ZA/UM |
| Release Date | 19 October 2019 |
| Genre | RPG, Adventure |
Disco Elysium is a top-down, text-based, open-world RPG set in the realist dystopian city of Elysium where players take on the role of a detective with special abilities. In this game, players have a direct influence on what personality the in-game detective develops thanks to the game’s flexible yet intricate progression system.
Players can carve out the life of their detective exactly to their liking, largely influenced by their in-game choices and actions. They can either choose to take part in a plethora of activities like solving intricate cases like murders and robberies to be a good, responsible samaritan, or they can choose to become a corrupt official and take bribes and tamper evidence to let the criminals walk away.
The game relies heavily on its unique skill-check system and a dedicated dialogue system for the majority of the interactions the players have in the game, as traditional combat or interactions are not possible here. Moreover, the game also features a dedicated skill tree that players can invest in to make their characters better detectives with enhanced problem-solving and deduction skills.
14) Stardew Valley
| Developer(s) | ConcernedApe |
| Publisher(s) | ConcernedApe |
| Release Date | 26 February 2016 |
| Genre | Farming Simulation, RPG |
Stardew Valley is an isometric farming simulation and community-building game set in the small town of Pelican Town, in which players take on the role of a man who inherits a ruined, unkept farm from his recently deceased grandfather and tries to develop it into a full-fledged, revenue-generating farm once again.
In this game, players will look to redevelop their newly-acquired farm and grow fresh produce in the form of fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Later on, they can venture into growing other, more elaborate crops that fetch more money.
Apart from growing crops, players will also meet and converse with other residents of Pelican City and look to not only make meaningful relationships with them but also take on tasks and orders from them to earn precious coins, which they can in turn use to further upgrade their farm’s capabilities.
15) Dredge
| Developer(s) | Black Salt Games |
| Publisher(s) | Team 17 |
| Release Date | 30 March 2023 |
| Genre | RPG, Survival, Horror |
Dredge is a third-person fishing simulation game with Lovecraftian psychological horror elements set in and around the coastal town of Great Marrow, where players take on the role of a fisherman who must uncover a sinister mystery concerning the town while also fishing for unique fish and dredging for unique trinkets and treasures in the surrounding waters.
In this game, players will utilize the fisherman’s fishing boat and sail through uncharted waters in search of unique varieties of sea creatures, as well as numerous trinkets and treasures. The game follows a unique day-and-night cycle, where during the daytime, the water is calm, visibility is unobscured, and fishing is encouraged. During the nighttime, however, a mysterious fog engulfs the water, and numerous Lovecraftian horror elements come out to play, so players will have to be wary of their threat while out fishing in the dark.
As players progress in the game, they will be able to install more advanced equipment on their boats to not only traverse the perilous waters quickly but also fish more efficiently.
16) Portal 2
| Developer(s) | Valve |
| Publisher(s) | Valve |
| Release Date | 19 April 2011 |
| Genre | Puzzle, Adventure |
Portal 2 is an iconic first-person, puzzle-platformer set in a futuristic Aperture Science Enrichment Center, where players take on the role of a human character named Chell, who must navigate through numerous science-based puzzles involving platforms, gels, and lasers, to find their way out of the facility.
In this game, players will solve various puzzles and traverse through the center’s various ‘chambers’ by utilizing a handheld portal-making device called the Aperture Science Portable Portal Device, which opens 2 portals for the wielder, one for going in and one for coming out. As they progress in the game, more options become available for the players to utilize to make their way out of the test center.
17) Vampire Survivors
| Developer(s) | Poncle |
| Publisher(s) | Poncle |
| Release Date | 20 October 2022 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, RPG, Indie |
Vampire Survivors is a minimalistic top-down, shoot ’em up, bullet-hell, action roguelike game in which players control characters who must dodge, attack, and survive against unlimited waves of enemies in an arena for as long as they can, selecting power-ups and gathering valuable gold for upgrade purposes in the process as well.
To help them in this relentless fight, however, players will be rewarded with a selection of perks to choose from whenever they level up, thereby giving them a higher chance of survival. Players will eventually get overwhelmed by the ever-increasing number of enemies on screen, but fortunately, players can still utilize the gold that they had acquired during their previous runs and use it to upgrade the next usable character.
18) Celeste
| Developer(s) | Maddy Makes Games |
| Publisher(s) | Maddy Makes Games |
| Release Date | 25 Jan 2018 |
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Indie |
Celeste is a 2-D, action-adventure Platform game in which players take control of a young girl suffering from anxiety and depression named Madeline and assist her in embarking on a perilous journey to the summit of Celeste Mountain, to help her defeat her inner demons, once and for all.
On their journey, players will have to navigate through various challenging ‘levels’ containing numerous obstacles that will force them to restart a particular level from the very beginning at every hit. In addition to Madeline’s basic movement options, players can also jump, climb, and run on wall surfaces for a limited time, opening new options and possibilities for players to utilize in-game.
19) Unpacking
| Developer(s) | Witch Beam |
| Publisher(s) | Humble Games |
| Release Date | 2 November 2021 |
| Genre | Indie, Simulation |
Unpacking is a puzzle game where players are tasked with unpacking different objects and arranging them in their correct order for someone who has shifted to a new home. With a total of 8 stages consisting of 35 rooms, players will be required to calmly place objects in their appropriate places without any unnecessary added pressure of matching ticking timers, maintaining scores, or meeting deadlines.
As players progress in this game, however, they get a sneak peek into the personal story of the main protagonist and know more about the evolving objects in their house, concerning not only the objects that make it to the next home but also the ones that do not and get left behind.
20) Into The Breach
| Developer(s) | Subset Games |
| Publisher(s) | Subset Games |
| Release Date | 27 February 2018 |
| Genre | Indie, Simulation, Strategy, RPG |
Into The Breach is a turn-based, action-adventure, strategy game set on futuristic Earth where vicious alien beasts called Vek are emerging from the ground and now it is up to the players to engage in numerous intense skirmishes across the game’s procedurally generated map to not only defend themselves against the rising alien threat, but to eradicate them for good, once and for all.
The battle sequences in this game take place in classic turn-based fashion, with the game’s core theme centered around defeating the opposing alien forces and saving the civilians, but also preventing the national power grid from getting destroyed. As players progress in this game, they’ll be able to command even more fearsome modern mechs to take out the various foes present.
Conclusion
There you have it, guys. These are some of the Best Steam Deck games that players can look to get their hands on and try out for an awesome portable gaming experience on their trusty Steam Deck.
Gamers who were a little apprehensive about the hardware and software capabilities of the Steam Deck until now need not worry, as in our opinion, this device is another successful step in the right direction, and especially useful for gamers looking for a durable and reliable handheld gaming device that they can game on for the foreseeable future.
It is worth pointing out that not all the games on this list will run at their maximum graphical settings on the Steam Deck by default, but in reality, they don’t need to, especially because even running the game on a medium setting preset on such a small screen resolution will still give gamers enough visual details to feast on and admire.
Please keep coming back to this post from time to time as portable gaming is definitely the future and we’ll be actively updating this post with more and more latest games, as and when they are released on this handheld gaming device for people to dive into.
