If you’re a big fan of Roguelikes or Roguelites, you’re probably aware that Steam is the best place to find the cream of the crop in the genres, and the Steam Deck, being the powerhouse that it is, is very capable of playing pretty much any one that you throw at it.
10 Best Multiplayer Games On The Steam Deck
The Steam Deck is a super versatile portable PC, but what are the best games to play with friends on it?
You’ve probably already got a few, but if you’re looking for the best roguelikes that run well on the Steam Deck, this list is for you. All these games run great, are super fun and suit the deck better than any other platform for a variety of reasons.
Randomized Jumpin' And Shootin'.
If you’rea fan of fast paced action platformersand roguelikes and wish they had a game that combined the best of Mega Man X with the common Roguelike tropes, then 30XX is the game for you. It’s a Mega Man-styled roguelike, and it’s great, especially for speedrunners.
It runs nicely on Deck, maintaining a constant 60 FPS and playing well, especially if you want to map your abilities to the back buttons for convenience. It’s fast, frantic and fun, and if you want an exciting randomized platformer where you may run through essentially a somewhat linear Mega Man X game, this is the one for you.
9Going Under
Make Enemies Defunct.
Going Under
If you’re looking for aroguelike that’s got nice combat, is a bit on the sillier side and isn’t afraid to dip into story, you should give Going Under a shot. It’s a super underrated cult classic (the fanbase loves when you say this), and if you haven’t heard of it, you should give it a go.
It’s a dungeon crawler where you bash in enemies with random objects you find around derelict office buildings, it’s got a super lovely style and a ton of flare that all make it quite the unforgettable gem. It also works well on Deck, no matter what control scheme you feel like rolling with.
8Crypt of the Necrodancer
Hit The Beat.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
If you’re into rhythm games and dungeon crawlers, then considering you’re reading a list about Roguelikes you’ve probably already played Crypt of the Necrodancer, but if not, you should. It’s an awesome, Zelda-like dungeon experience where you have to move to the beat with every action.
10 Best Roguelikes For Beginners
Roguelikes can be an incredibly tough genre to get into, but there’s quite a few that are easy to pick up and play, and this list compiles the best.
It has a bevy of items, interesting characters with unique playstyles, and once again, Hatsune Miku. It also works best on Steam Deck, since it’s got way less input lag than the Switch, and you can easily mod the game if that’s something you’re interested in.
Soothing And Deeply Satisfying.
If you’re in the market for something slower paced, Balatro has your back. It’s a poker roguelike where you play flushes, straights and pairs to accrue points, thenuse special Joker cardsto get a bunch of unique effects that all combine in different ways and make you so rich you earn 7$.
It’s super fun, meditative and addicting to get a super solid strategy going and watch the score counter rack up as you quickly get a score within the thousands. It’s also great on deck, since the trackpad makes for a lovely control scheme and Balatro mods are funny.
Strict, Super Sick Combat.
Dead Cells
If you want an action-packed roguelike with great combat, Dead Cells is up there as one of the best. It’s got a 2D Dark Souls kinda feel to it, with Metroidvania-ish world design and a super fun gameplay loop that’ll leave you ready to keep diving back in.
It’s also gotcrossover content with a bunch of other indie darlings, a ton of unique items and weapons to grab and a super nice flow to everything that makes it satisfying. It feels comfy to play on Deck, too, which is why it’s up here.
Gunning Down A Million Things.
If you’re a fan of Vampire Survivors-esque shoot-em-up bullet heaven Roguelike gameplay and other unnecessarily long strings of words, might I suggest Brotato? It’s a game where you play as a funny little spud, grabbing tons of different weapons and shooting anything you see.
It’s simplistic, but there’s an inherently large amount of satisfaction in gunning down foes with a build that automatically throws knives everywhere and not having to put much work in aside from dodging. It also plays great with the Deck’s trackpad, so that’s a plus.
4Risk of Rain 2
Surviving Stages On The Go.
Risk of Rain 2
If you’re looking fora shooter with fun item stacking, tons of cool stages and strong Multiplayer, Risk of Rain 2 should be right up your alley. It’s an incredible roguelike with hundreds of hours of content and it’s skill oriented.
There’s no situations in this game that can’t be overcome by just playing better, and rarely do runs have to come down to luck (they can, but that’s usually your own decision-making causing it). It’s a fantastic game, and I love using the Deck’s gyro with it.
Hell Of A Good Time.
Hades is one you’ve probably heard of by now, but it’s for good reason. It’s a fun action roguelite with a nice flow to the movement and combat. It just feels nice to kite around enemies, get a few hits in and dodge attacks in these hellish environments.
10 Best RPGs You Can Play On Steam Deck
From triple-A games to indies, Steam has a ton of RPGs, and this list compiles the best of the best to play on the Steam Deck.
It’s also the rare roguelike/lite game with an actual story going on, and quite an engaging one at that, given you actually spend time with the characters in the hub instead of seeing them once or twice then never again. It’s great, though you probably already knew that.
2Slay the Spire
Tactical And Tactful.
Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire is a roguelike deckbuilderthat inspired a ton of other roguelike deckbuildersand it’s on here mostly because it controls impeccably well with either buttons or the trackpads, and mods are super accessible through the Steam workshop, making this the definitive way to play.
It’s a super fun card/strategy game where you have to make your way through a deadly tower climb, using your wits to concoct a combination of cards and items that will tactfully make you the winner of each round of combat. It’s fun and an engaging RPG roguelike.
The Most Random, Wild Roguelike.
Noita is a unique one you might not have heard of, where every pixel on-screen is a material and a physics object, and thousands of different magic wands can be found that all manipulate or use the environment in unique ways, making delving into the caves super fun.
It’s hard to explain, other than saying “It’s like Terraria, but different,” so I’ll mostly just say it’s an excellent, fun time that works well on Deck due to the trackpad aiming, and again, accessible mod support. I heavily recommend giving it a go.
Steam Deck
10 Roguelikes With The Most Satisfying Combat
If you’re looking for a randomized game with an in-depth combat system, there are plenty of roguelikes to sate that desire, and these are the best.
