Rogue is a dungeon crawling game that came out in 1980.
This complex, ASCII turn-based game was hugely influential. It introduced the roguelike subgenre, with key features like procedurally generated levels and permadeath.
The definition of roguelike is much more lenient now than it used to be.
It’s important to highlight the differences between roguelikes and roguelites before we start. Both feature procedural generation and permadeath, but only roguelites have persistent upgrades and don’t make you start fresh each time.
We’ve included the best of both worlds in this list, to help you find your next favorite game. Here are the 17 best roguelike games on Switch.
Void Bastards
| Genre | Roguelite, sci-fi, FPS, strategy, simulation |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main story takes around 8-9 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you 24-25 hours or so |
| Developer | Blue Manchu |
| Release date | 7th May 2020 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Void Bastards is a sci-fi inspired, fast-paced FPS with roguelite mechanics. It’s a fantastic blend of genres that manages to stand out nicely from the other roguelike games on the Switch.
The main gameplay loop here sees you exploring abandoned space ships, scavenging for parts to fix your own broken ship. You’ll also be able to bring back extra items and resources, like materials for crafting new weapons and food to keep you in good health.
You’ll need to be strategic when planning your ships route, and you can only bring a certain number of items with you, too. Careful planning is the key here.
As you’d expect from a roguelite, every level is procedurally generated. Every single challenge, enemy, and item is random, too.
If you end up dying (which will happen often), you’ll wake back up on the main ship as another character with brand new traits.
This is a truly enjoyable game with almost infinite replay value. If you’re looking for a brand new roguelike to pick up, this is the perfect pick.
Ape Out
| Genre | Roguelike, beat-em-up, fighting |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | Main storyline takes around 2-3 hours to beat and a full, 100% completionist run will take you just over 10 hours |
| Developer | Gabe Cuzzillo, Matt Boch, and Bennett Foddy |
| Release date | 28th February 2019 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Ape Out is a top-down roguelike with a beat-em-up gameplay style. It has a wonderful, minimalist art style and a jazzy soundtrack to match.
It’s almost like Hotline Miami, but a lot more hectic. It also stars a rampaging ape.
You play as a gorilla who is escaping from captivity. This could be a high-rise tower or an isolated lab, depending on which procedurally generated zone the game feels like giving you.
Ape Out only has two main actions: shoving and grabbing. You can forcefully shove enemies towards walls, or push them at each other and watch them explode.
Meanwhile, grabbing objects and enemies lets you use them as shields.
Even though the controls are simple, the chaotic gameplay loop doesn’t get boring. Using your minimalist set of skills to beat each stage is a lot of fun, and beating a level feels incredibly impactful no matter how far through the game you are.
The most creative feature in this game is the soundtrack. Much like the gameplay, the soundtrack is procedurally generated. It reacts to your movements in a shockingly accurate way, crashing cymbals together when you attack an enemy and slowing the drum beat when you sneak.
Ape Out is pure joy to play through. Add it to your Switch library today.
Dicey Dungeons
| Genre | Roguelike, adventure, RPG, deckbuilder |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store |
| Length | Main story takes around 28-29 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you close to 60 hours |
| Developer | Distractionware |
| Release date | 16th December 2020 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
From the creator of puzzle-platform game VVVVVV and rhythmic action game Super Hexagon comes a legendary Switch roguelike. Dicey Dungeons adds board game mechanics and a deckbuilding system to the roguelike formula, and it works amazingly.
In this game, Lady Luck has turned six unfortunate adventurers into dice. They must win battles in a dangerous game show and upgrade their skills, in order to clear the dungeon and hopefully earn back their freedom.
Dicey Dungeon is one of the most unique turn-based RPGs around thanks to its interesting combat system. It displays abilities and skills on the screen, letting you slot different dice into empty sockets to play.
Unlike a lot of other roguelikes, this game isn’t too reliant on luck.
There are many ways to turn the tide in your favor. One key way to win more battles is to pay attention to the different status effects in the game.
The six playable dice all have vastly different playstyles.
For example, the Warrior prefers to roll high to deal maximum damage with his simplistic move set. In contrast, the Witch rolls to unlock attacks from her book of spells.
There’s a surprisingly high difficulty curve in Dicey Dungeon, yet it manages to be incredibly fun at the same time. The fast-paced action works well alongside the energetic soundtrack, and seasoned roguelike fans are sure to love this game.
ScourgeBringer
| Genre | Roguelite, post-apocalyptic, platformer, arcade, hack-and-slash |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | Completing this game will take you roughly 10 hours |
| Developer | Flying Oak Games and E-Studio |
| Release date | 21st October 2020 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
ScourgeBringer is an incredibly punishing roguelite hack-and-slash. This intense game will demand your unwavering attention, and it will punish you for the smallest mistakes, too.
The combat in this game is incredibly fast-paced, yet it feels buttery smooth too. It has a heavy focus on mobility, with your character having the ability to zip about and bounce between enemies. There are plenty of interesting skills and weapons, too.
One of the most enjoyable things about this game is the variety of unlockable skills that you can pick up to customize your character. Learning to incorporate all your skills can be a challenge, but it’s a lot of fun too.
This game stands out from the other action games on the Switch store thanks to its unique combat and visual style. The soundtrack is stellar, too.
ScourgeBringer also has some incredible boss fights to tangle with, making this one of the most memorable action games in the roguelike category. Every boss has a unique set of mechanics that demand different abilities and movements.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
| Genre | Roguelike, dungeon crawler, action-adventure |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main story takes around 5 hours to beat and a full, 100% completionist run will take you well over 350 hours |
| Developer | Nicalis and Edmund McMillen |
| Release date | 7th September 2017 |
| Co-op | Single system, up to 4 players supported |
Along with Spelunky and Rogue Legacy, The Binding of Isaac is one of the reasons why roguelikes have seen a modern resurgence. It’s a top-down dungeon crawler Zelda-like Switch game that stands strong more than a decade after its initial release.
The story in The Binding of Isaac takes inspiration from the biblical story of the same name. It’s dark, morbid, and twisted, and incredibly fun to play through.
You’ll need to guide Isaac (or other playable characters) through a procedurally generated dungeon. The core gameplay loop is similar to a twin-stick shooter, as you’ll need to move your character around each room constantly and shoot down enemies.
This game is full to the brim with content. There’s an overabundance of items, power ups, and modifiers which will all add spice to your run. The replay value here is incredibly high.
This is one of the most Switch-friendly roguelikes out there. It’s fast-paced, fun, and full of memorable monsters.
Children of Morta
| Genre | Roguelike, ARPG, hack-and-slash, story-rich |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main story takes 14-15 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you close to 29 hours |
| Developer | Dead Mage |
| Release date | 20th November 2019 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Children of Morta is a roguelite ARPG that feels incredibly similar to Diablo. It has great gameplay but manages to tell an incredible story as well.
This game tells the story of the Bergson family who have to protect the world from an evil known as the Corruption. Each family member has their own fighting style and set of skills.
The characters interact with each other in a truly memorable fashion, and the story is incredibly emotional at times.
The core gameplay loop revolves around taking family members through various procedurally generated dungeons underneath Mount Morta. The combat is simple yet enjoyable, and there are boons that you can find during your run to make it even more fun.
The persistent upgrades in this game are a lot of fun, too. You can upgrade family members individually or choose to upgrade them in a way that benefits everyone.
Children of Morta is one of the best roguelike games on Switch, hands down. If you haven’t played it before, make sure to add it to your library today.
UnderMine
| Genre | Roguelite, action-adventure, fantasy, RPG |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | Main story takes around 19 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you just over 120 hours |
| Developer | Thorium |
| Release date | 11th February 2021 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
UnderMine is an action-adventure roguelite where you get to explore underground dungeons, mines, and caverns.
You play as one of the hundreds of randomized peasants who work in the mines.
A Royal Archmage named Arkanos tasks the miners with finding the source of tremors that are disturbing the kingdom.
Players go through procedurally generated rooms filled with monsters, traps, and treasure.
The core piece of equipment that the miners have is their trusty pickaxe. You can throw your pickaxe like a boomerang, or use it as a melee weapon. You can also use bombs to reveal hidden treasures.
While you’re spelunking, make sure to keep an eye out for gold.
It’s vital to bring back as much gold to the surface as possible, as this is what you’ll need to unlock permanent upgrades. You lose half your gold every time you die.
The gameplay loop is simple but incredibly addictive. If you’ve not played it before, it’s absolutely worth adding to your Switch library.
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer
| Genre | Roguelike, music, action-adventure, RPG, fantasy |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | There is currently no accurate data on how long this game takes to beat |
| Developer | Brace Yourself Games |
| Release date | 13th June 2019 |
| Co-op | Single system, 2 players supported |
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer is a memorable action-adventure title that takes place in the world of The Legend of Zelda.
A new villain named Octavo comes to Hyrule and places the King, Link, and Zelda in a deep sleep. The protagonist of NecroDancer, Cadence, wakes up the two heroes. Together, they work to stop Octavo and find a way for Cadence to return home.
This is a rhythm game, meaning that you move and attack to the beat. Enemies also move to the beat, which means you can plan your attacks based on the music.
The game is procedurally generated, meaning that every run is unique.
One of the best things about this game is the soundtrack. It features remixed versions of iconic Zelda songs.
Aside from the three heroes, there are other playable characters to unlock. Every character has a unique playstyle.
This is one of the most unique roguelike games on the Switch and it’s worth picking up if you’re a fan of the Zelda franchise.
Into the Breach
| Genre | Roguelike, strategy, mech, RPG, puzzle |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store |
| Length | The main story takes around 6 hours to beat and a full, 100% completionist run will take you almost 52 hours |
| Developer | Subset Games |
| Release date | 28th August 2018 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
From the creators of another great roguelike FTL: Faster Than Light, comes a roguelike strategy game that takes inspiration from chess.
This game lets you command advanced mech squads to defend Earth from an alien invasion.
Giant insect-like alien creatures called the Vek are threatening the last few cities left on Earth. Your health is entirely dependent on how much damage the cities take.
Winning a round of Into the Breach is not always about obliterating the alien opposition, it’s about doing whatever it takes to save humanity.
To do this, you’ll control a team of three mechs to fight the Vek. These mech squads are pre-built and they take advantage of different mechanics. For example, Frozen Titans specialize in freezing aliens in place.
Eventually, you’ll unlock the option to build custom squads.
The challenges, map layout, and enemy placement are all procedurally generated. If you fail a run, you can send one of the pilots back in time to assist the new batch of pilots to protect Earth. The addicting gameplay loop makes for an extremely fun experience.
Monster Train First Class
| Genre | Roguelite, card game, deckbuilder, fantasy, strategy |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store |
| Length | There is no accurate data on how long this game takes to beat |
| Developer | Shiny Shoe LLC |
| Release date | 19th August 2021 |
| Co-op | Online, up to 8 players supported |
The roguelike genre pairs incredibly well with the digital card game genre.
Monster Train is an addictive roguelite deckbuilding game that tasks you with leading denizens of the underworld to defend the last burning pyre and make sure that hell doesn’t freeze over.
There are six clans in hell that answered the call to escort the last pyre. It is kept on top of a moving train called the Boneshaker, currently on its way to the frozen pyre.
You may select two of these clans during each run, and that will change which cards you can pick out and use.
Combat in this game feels like a mix of card games and tower defense elements. You’ll need to place units in three vertical compartments, with a fourth compartment that holds the pyre. You lose health when the pyre gets attacked.
After combat, you’ll get a few opportunities to upgrade your arsenal. Resources are few and far between, so make sure to plan ahead.
This game is truly engaging and every playthrough feels unique.
Spelunky 2
| Genre | Roguelike, action-adventure, platformer, difficult |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store |
| Length | Main story takes around 26 hours to beat and a completionist run will take you well over 190 hours |
| Developer | Mossmouth, Blitworks, and Mossmouth, LLC |
| Release date | 26th August 2021 |
| Co-op | Single system and online, up to 4 players supported |
Spelunky 2 faces the unfortunate predicament of competing with a cult classic, Spelunky. However, it manages to take everything fans loved about the first game and add much-needed improvements.
In this 2D roguelike platformer, you play as Ana, the daughter of the first game’s protagonist. Ana is searching for her parents in a mysterious, procedurally generated ruin.
This game is quite unforgiving and it’s ideal for seasoned roguelike fans.
The core gameplay loop in this game is incredibly fun, though. There are lots of secrets and power-ups to discover.
It is a challenge to get through this game, but it’s worth it. The story is engaging and the punishing mechanics are a lot of fun once you get the hang of them.
Nuclear Throne
| Genre | Roguelike, shooter, bullet hell, action |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store |
| Length | The main campaign takes around 18 hours to beat and a full, 100% completionist run will take you over 163 hours |
| Developer | Vlambeer |
| Release date | 20th March 2019 |
| Co-op | Single system, 2 players supported |
Nuclear Throne is a top-down roguelike shooter and one of the most quintessential bullet hell experiences on the Switch. It’s an excellent game that requires a lot of skill to beat.
You play as one of twelve mutants in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has gone extinct. Every mutant has unique abilities and starts with different weapons.
Nuclear Throne has satisfying gunplay with impactful audio-visual feedback. The game gets chaotic quickly, so you’ll need to keep on your toes.
The game is brutal and seems to take pleasure in making you lose. Fortunately, local co-op is available in case you need a friend’s help to reach the end.
There are ways to make the game more challenging as you learn more about it.
If you play well, you can add Mutations to your character, which grants them extra abilities. You can select an Ultimate Mutation once you reach the max level.
Nuclear Throne is full of content and replay value.
Risk of Rain 2
| Genre | Roguelike, shooter, sci-fi, action |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main campaign takes around 11 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you close to 144 hours |
| Developer | Hopoo Games and PlayEverywhere |
| Release date | 30th August 2019 |
| Co-op | Local wireless and online, up to 4 players |
Risk of Rain 2 is a roguelite third-person shooter which lets you mow down hordes of enemies. Each run starts off slow then quickly becomes chaotic.
You’ll start by picking a crew member of the UES: Safe Travels, which is a ship that has crash-landed into a planet called Petrichor V.
The survivors are the heart and soul of the game, as they all have unique playstyles. The Engineer, for example, uses turrets in combat, but the Loader has a much more fast-paced and high-octane style of combat.
Each character can also unlock new skills by completing different challenges.
In each stage of Risk of Rain 2, you have a simple goal: find the teleporter. Teleporters summon a boss that you need to beat, and after enough teleporters, you’ll meet a final boss.
However, it is up to you and up to three other friends to decide when to activate the teleporters. You’ll have to power up your character by beating aliens and collecting items.
At the same time, you can’t linger too long since monsters become deadlier and deadlier over time. It’s an incredibly fun gameplay loop.
Slay the Spire
| Genre | Roguelike, deckbuilding, fantasy, card game |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | Main storyline takes 12-13 hours to beat and a completionist run will take you over the 214 hour mark |
| Developer | Mega Crit Games |
| Release date | 6th June 2019 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Slay the Spire is a genre-defining game that is a perfect example of how deckbuilders and roguelikes can work together perfectly.
This game is crushingly punishing and you’ll need luck, wit, and patience to beat it.
There are four unlockable characters in Slay the Spire. These characters have a huge array of cards that can cater to different playstyles if you know how to build them.
But due to the nature of deckbuilders, you can’t go in with a plan.
Instead, you’ll have to adapt on the fly based on the relics and cards you get during your run. Slay the Spire rewards players who take the time to learn all of its intricate systems.
Slay the Spire takes place in three main acts. Each act ends with a challenging boss fight.
The game is fully transparent with the route and it’s up to you to decide which one is better suited for your run. It’s important to know when to fight more enemies for more cards, or to challenge elite mini-bosses for more relics.
What makes Slay the Spire interesting is that you have full access to information during combat encounters. The game will tell you what your foes will do after your turn.
With harder difficulties to unlock as you progress, this roguelike has plenty of replayability.
Dead Cells
| Genre | Roguelike, Metroidvania, action |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main story takes around 15 hours to finish and completing everything in the game will take you almost 89 hours |
| Developer | Motion Twin and Motion Twin Scop ARL |
| Release date | 7th August 2018 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Dead Cells is a fast-paced and brutal action game with roguelike elements.
The game lets you play as the Prisoner, who must fight through the island in order to escape. This will take quite some to achieve this goal as the game is frustratingly hard.
Unlike other roguelike games, Dead Cells values skill above all else. Combat is fast-paced, brutal, and fair. You can always get by with your reflexes and game knowledge even if you’re having an unlucky run.
Playing the game repeatedly will help ease the burden, as you’ll unlock permanent upgrades and items during the run. However, make sure to spend your currency during the actual run as you’ll lose it all if you die.
Dead Cells lets you explore Metroidvania-like levels with branching paths. There are lots of secrets and power-ups to uncover.
Enter the Gungeon
| Genre | Roguelike, bullet hell, dungeon crawler, action, difficult |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | The main campaign takes around 24 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you around 168 hours |
| Developer | Dodge Roll, Dodge Roll Games, Mythic Entertainment, and 22nd Century Toys LLC |
| Release date | 18th December 2017 |
| Co-op | Single system, 2 players supported |
Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell roguelike which spoils players with a huge variety of content and challenges.
You’ll choose from four characters (five, if you’re playing local co-op) to descend into a dungeon where everything is made from gun-related objects. For instance, the main fodder enemies are sentient bullets that shoot their own guns.
Each floor is procedurally generated with some secret rooms scattered throughout. Eventually, you’ll come across the boss of the floor which you have to defeat to descend further.
Enter the Gungeon offers an overwhelmingly large number of weapons and items to use—over 300 of them, in fact. Even though there is a huge variety, each one is well-made and feels enjoyable to play with.
This game is a stellar example of how to achieve maximalism in a game.
You’ll slowly unlock these items by collecting special currency to spend after each run. Then, they’ll be added to the loot pool which you can encounter during your run.
The most amazing aspect of this is that many items literally synergize with each other, meaning that they’ll combine to make a better item.
Bosses in Enter the Gungeon are challenging, but they’re a lot of fun. If you’ve not played this game before, it’s worth adding to your library today.
Hades
| Genre | Roguelike, mythology |
| Buy from | The official Nintendo store or Amazon |
| Length | Main campaign takes 23-24 hours to finish and a full, 100% completionist run will take you around 98 hours |
| Developer | Supergiant Games and Supergiant Games, LLC |
| Release date | 17th September 2020 |
| Co-op | No, single player only |
Hades is another innovative smash hit from the legendary Supergiant Games.
You play as Zagreus, son of Hades and prince of the Underworld. He desperately wants to escape the Underworld and climb to the surface to join his relatives on Mount Olympus.
Zagreus was trained by the legendary warrior Achilles himself, so he’s skilled with a wide variety of different weapons.
You can customize these weapons to create alternate playstyles, which adds a lot of replay value. These Infernal Arms are also renowned relics, like the Varatha spear and Aegis shield.
Sometimes, you’ll get boons from the Gods during your run. For example, Zeus offers lightning-based upgrades that are great at dealing with crowds of demons. Mixing and matching these boons always creates dynamic gameplay.
Hades is potentially the best roguelike game on Switch. It has tons of charming dialogue that will keep you engaged as you try to fight your way out, and it’s just an all-round top game.
