Regular sales have become a welcome fixture on the Nintendo Switch eShop and there are huge numbers of cheap and discounted games available at any given time. With so much choice it can be tough to know what is worth your hard-earned cash and precious time.
Never fear - Nintendo Life is here to help you sort the wheat from the chaff! Here we choose our Top 5 cheap Switch games in the Switch eShop sales so you can be sure you're getting a great deal on a great game. In fact, there are so many great games under $10 this holiday season that we've doubled the list from five to ten.
What do we mean by 'best cheap Switch games'? We're thinking anything discounted to around $10 (or under). In addition to the best cheap Switch games, we'll also highlight a ridiculously cheap eShop game or two (we're talking Switch games under $1) which may be worth investigating for a few cents, if only for a half hour or so.
So, let's have a look at the best deals on the Switch eShop!
The Best Cheap Games On The Nintendo Switch eShop
Here's our pick of the best deals for cheap games on the Switch eShop right now:
Dragon Ball FighterZ (Switch)
84% off - was $59.99, now $9.59 until Dec 31 2020
Dragon Ball FighterZ on the Switch is, simply put, the one of the best fighting games we've seen on the system. Arc System Works went the extra mile in capturing the essence of the source material and distilled it into an incredible brawler that has lost nothing in the transition to Nintendo's hybrid console. The stunning visuals, intense action and easy-to-master controls make FighterZ a game all fans of the genre should have in their library. If you only play this kind of game casually, it remains a must-own.
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Sayonara Wild Hearts (Switch eShop)
40% off - was $12.99, now $7.79 until Jan 6 2021
Sayonara Wild Hearts is the video game equivalent of Prince: it’s extremely short and its journey maybe ends a little sooner than you’d hoped, but it packs so many varied and beautiful ideas into its brief life and masters so many different styles that even though there’s a real disappointment it’s over so quickly, what it did give you will remain with you for an extremely long time. A true creative masterpiece.
Gorogoa (Switch eShop)
70% off - was $14.99, now $4.49 until Jan 6 2021
The Switch’s eShop is saturated with bucket loads of high-quality content. This is great in one way, of course, but stumbling across hidden gems within it will get tougher as time goes on. Gorogoa is one such gem; a puzzle game quite unlike any other that deserves your attention. It is a little on the short side, but the creativity that has been put into its design, and the effect it will have on you during your time exploring its gorgeous world, is something that you’ll want to experience. If you’re looking for something new to try, this would be an excellent choice.
Gone Home (Switch eShop)
70% off - was $14.99, now $4.49 until Jan 6 2021
Several years on, there’s no denying the cultural and developmental impact Gone Home has had on the game industry. Both as a near-perfect exercise in interactive storytelling and an example of how to handle complex and very real ideas in a game, only Life is Strange has ever come close to matching its significance. While there still isn’t much ‘game’ to be found here, the story you unravel through exploring an empty home will stay with you long after you’ve put down your Switch. Essential.
Donut County (Switch eShop)
70% off - was $12.99, now $3.89 until Jan 6 2021
Donut County is perfect if you're looking for a short, relaxing, funny puzzle game. It's an enjoyable experience that has just enough charm to justify its existence, and although some might find the relatively high price tag a tough pill to swallow for three hours max of content, it's a tasty little treat of a game that you can devour in a single sitting. Short and sweet, indeed.
Horace (Switch eShop)
86% off - was $14.99, now $2.09 until Dec 31 2020
Horace is something very special — the only vaguely negative thing we can say about it is the fact that there are so many spectacularly brilliant indie games on Switch already vying for your attention that we fear Horace may fall somewhat by the wayside. If you have any interest in superb level design, excellent storytelling, terrific art, evocative music, great characters, hilarious situations and emotional gut-punches, Horace is a no-brainer. It's moving without being manipulative, clever without being smug, and nostalgic without being a lazy rehash. It's a platformer, but it's so much more than that.
So yes, Horace is another indie masterpiece, and every gamer who enjoys quality experiences should play it; a masterpiece that owes so much to its medium, but has the strength, creativity and identity to stand alone as something very, very special. Buy this.
What Remains of Edith Finch (Switch eShop)
70% off - was $19.99, now $5.99 until Jan 6 2021
What Remains of Edith Finch is a 'Walking Simulator' that doesn’t just tell an unforgettable story – it's genuinely unforgettable. As tragic as its tale is, it always manages to entertain. As one section ends and as you fight back tears, you’ll always carry on, because the next story is as engrossing as the last. If you want a strong feature-length story that doesn’t waste a minute, Edith Finch is the one you need.
Katamari Damacy REROLL (Switch eShop)
67% off - was $29.99, now $9.89 until Dec 31 2020
In a cynical era where nostalgia is pumped for all its worth with endless soulless remasters, Katamari Damacy Reroll serves up an engaging and rewarding game that hasn’t let any of its original charm or personality be lost in the transition from one platform to another. With support for gyro controls and multiplayer – not to mention a degree of performance that sees it run smoothly in both handheld and docked mode – this Switch edition is easily the best way to play it outside of blowing the dust off your old PS2.
Moonlighter (Switch)
70% off - was $24.99, now $7.49 until Dec 28 2020
If you want to play a top-down Legend of Zelda game as a rogue-lite while also taking shifts as a shopkeeper then, hey, Moonlighter is about to scratch a distinctive itch for you. It hits a sweet spot somewhere between satisfying swordplay and nitty-gritty economic sim, although some players may feel it gets ‘grindy’ after a while in its mechanics. Nonetheless, Digital Sun Games has produced a lush work it can be proud of; one that even touches on our humanity in an optimistic way.
Telling Lies (Switch eShop)
50% off - was $19.99, now $9.99 until Jan 6 2020
On paper, searching a large database of phone-filmed video clips doesn't sound too exciting, but Telling Lies offers an exhilarating few hours of detective work thanks to clever construction, strong performances and exceptional polish. Given that the game takes place almost entirely in windows on a virtual desktop computer screen (and would therefore seem 'at home' on PC), it survives the transition to Switch entirely intact. While there's not much incentive to reopen the investigation once it reaches its climax, uncovering Telling Lies' web of relationships and intrigue is a case definitely worth taking on.
And with the growing trend of games plummeting to mere cents, here's our sub-$1 pick(s) for a super cheap game that's worth the memory space it takes up on your Switch...
Death Squared (Switch eShop)
93% off - was $14.99, now $0.99 until Jan 1 2021
While we’ve seen plenty of games that have similar themes and mechanics, the way they’re presented in Death Squared makes for a rare experience. Having a game that is cooperative at its core but imminently playable as a solo experience is a boon, but it must be said its wily charms are exponentially more effective when sitting next to a friend or loved one whilst you giggle at each other’s faux pas. If you want your puzzlers to be thought-provoking with a dash of dry humour, you can’t go wrong with Death Squared.
Keep an eye on this page as we update it removing old deals and cycling in new bargains. If money's no object, be sure to check out our list of the Best Nintendo Switch games, period. Happy gaming!
Comments (81)
I could use more articles like this. So many sales these days, and the eShop is so cluttered that it's a chore to browse through to 'on offer' menus sometimes.
Follow Cheap Ass Gamer. They always keep the eshop sales covered.
I've said it before but I'll say it again: pick up The Way Remastered and Membrane when you see them cheap (which is pretty much every other week).
@Minfinity I use Deku Deals =eshop_ca&filter[discount]=discounted&view=list&sort=hottest]https://www.dekudeals.com/games?filter[store]=eshop_ca&filter[discount]=discounted&view=list&sort=hottest (this link has filters enabled for eShop discounts). This is much better than the on system browser because it has sort options. Sort by "hottest", "most wanted", or "metacritic score" to quickly separate the wheat from the chafe.
Nintendo really needs to work on the way they handle sales and such. It's so slow going through the list of games on sale and they seem to be in no particular order in the eshop listings.
I agree with @nimnio. Deku Deals is great. They make it really easy to look for good sales and send you emails if games on your wish list are on sale. You can even see a chart that compares the price over time to know how good of a value you're getting!
"While Nintendo Switch has yet to get a proper, full-fat golfing sim to its name yet"
Um, GALF? Hello?
Definitely Garou is a must! Highly recommended
I'm hoping for some good Black Friday sales on a bunch of games I've been wanting to download.
I look forward to scrolling through the eShop sales every week. I enjoy wading through it all looking for gems. I just pour a beer and make an event of it. I grabbed Yoku last night and Graceful Explosion Machine last week. The entire pack of Williams pinball tables (season one) is on sale in the NA eShop for around $30. You have to go into the Zen Pinball app to see the bundle. It’s not listed on the great deals tab in the eShop.
Yoku's Island Express is fantastic so if it interests you, I highly recommend picking it up!
Not on sale but I recommend Castle Crashers. Great game by a great studio. Also get Hollow Knight
Those are the American prices... Hardly North America...
Picked up Garou last week along with KOF 97 and Fatal Fury Special and honestly I should’ve just got Garou it is so much fun and so good. It feels nice to control but is also hard to master. Great game.
While I appreciate NL doing this, we all know the Switch eShop deals page is a swamp in the dark, is saving 60 cents on Gunman Clive HD really worth mentioning?
I mean how on the fence do you have to be about a game where it's too much at $3.99 but $3.39 makes it the "best eShop deal"?
Yoku Express is a really good game and that's a really good price.
@Minfinity the best thing would be to just add the games to your wishlist. If you enable notifications, Nintendo will send you a message when something goes on sale.
I personally have a list of all the games I'm interested in and it helped me greatly to, sort of, figure out my gaming priorities. If a game isn't worth its initial price, then it's probably not something you'll be happy with anyways. Once I realized that, it became pretty easy to manage my wishlist.
@RiggsHB "CheapAssGamer", Wario64 and the rest attract some very unstable people, from my experience. The recent example would be how they went and tried to scam Walmart when those listed Fire Emblem Three Houses bundle (game + dlc) for the price of dlc (so, 25$ for game and dlc). Obviously, it was a mistake but those people would make a huge fuss and even contact Walmart just to get that free game. And I mean, I'm not with a stable income myself but I don't see how you can live in USA and be so cheap that you'd actually try to scam Walmart because of 50$. I'd go as far as to say that following those accounts (Wario, CheapAss) will result in a buying addiction where you'll be buying things just to buy them...
Garou: Mark of the Wolves is an under-rated classic of the fighting genre. Fantastic sprite-work, intuitive controls, fun characters... I'd definitely recommend it at that price.
Asphalt 9 is the best NEW racer on Switch. It's free. Played and enjoyed Gunman Clive quite a bit on Wii U.
I follow Budget Gamer on YouTube as he more or less covers the cheapest Indie games and generally stays in my price range these days. While he covers some of the better known, most of what I see there is games I have not heard of.
It would be great if there was someone at Nintendo Life that attacked the lower end indie scene with more frequency. $5 and under Indies is a very different creature than $10 - 30 range and the Retail range.
Isn't it obvious? SUPER KIRBY CLASH DELUXE!
Holding off for the annual black Friday eShop sale as far as digital titles go.
Yooka Laylee is $13
@frogopus What?
There should definitely be a way to sort sale games by percentage off.
@Kilroy GALF is a hidden NES style golf mini game in the Switch exclusive Golf Story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooqCCUN96EI
@frogopus Oh ha ha. Cool little easter egg.
@nimnio
Thank you so much for mentioning Deku Deals here. It is the site of my hopes and dreams! I've signed up for it, and it is how I will be browsing for Nintendo deals going forward. Seriously, everything I wish Nintendo would do with the eShop, and so much more.
@RiggsHB Thanks. Not only did discover a new site, but I discovered when you type in "cheap ass.." into Google it doesnt fill in any search suggestions. I wonder why that is? 😊
@burninmylight Thanks for the message! I appreciate it
It has become a new hobby for me to find decent cheap games for the Switch....there is a lot of fun to be had for free and under $10....
@Minfinity I know right. There is so much stuff in there that, with the crappy UI, it's pretty much impossible to find that hidden gem let it be on sale or not. I use the wishlist a lot. It's the only way I found to at least keep myself up to date on games I find interesting on the eshop. Don't understand why Nintendo is so stubborn in keeping this UI.
Great article! I would love to see more of these kinds of articles to help shift through the mountains of shovelwares of games that go on sale constantly on the eShop.
Is Gear Club Unlimited a better purchase than Gear Club Unlimited 2?
killer queen was nearly dead last i checked
Well, still no euro deals, so sorely disappointed.
Earthlock is a definite recommendation for RPG fans, though. Especially at that price, it's an absolute steal.
It's a great article, but the comments section needs to be updated each time the article is - otherwise they're all referencing games not mentioned in the article
Played the first world of Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime with two buddies one evening last weekend. Then passed the controller after each death in ApeOut. It was a ton of fun. Highly recommend both of those indie games.
Akane is absolutely brilliant! I've never become so addicted to a game like I did that one. Well worth it at full price, and an absolute no-brainer at $0.99.
Gonner is pretty regularly on sale and is a dynamite rogue-like shooter platformer. The minimalist art and music are great, too. (Just to chime in on this list.)
@nimnio Wow! Thanks
There should be a Switch game of Perry the Platypus
I loved Forgotton Anne. Highly recommended! Shortly into the demo, I bought the game. It took 10+ hours to complete.
Runbow at that price is a no-brainer. I can't seem to make myself pull the trigger on Yoku though... No one has explained it well enough or convinced me of why I would love it. I love platformers and I really like pinball... Why can't I make the leap?
@NImH I watched a recommended video on YouTube about it and it's fantastic! It's not something you'll play straight through but 5-10 minutes at a time. I play before bed and just explore the world. It's a pinball type game where you explore the world Yoku is in but there are things to collect and missions to go on. There's right and left bumpers which give it a pinball type feel but it never drags. If you're on the fence I would highly recommend this game especially at this price.
@NImH There is a demo on the Eshop
@NImH Make the leap. I 100% completed that game last fall. It's great.
Anybody looking for a fun couch multiplayer game should get Runbow. It is a steal at $3.
psst Sonic Mania is $9.99
@NImH Yoku is a lot of fun. I am a big fan of pinball and platformer games too. It's such an interesting hybrid. I have no regrets! In a weird way it reminds me of Sonic Pinball.
Runbow was one of my favorite co-op games on Wii U. I had so much fun with friends and family coming over. At that price I am more than ready to double dip on Switch!
@nimnio thank you! That was very useful.
Thanks! Picked up Runbow finally.
Finally picked up Yoku after playing the demo a year and a half ago. I'd consider Runbow but I already have the physical on New 3DS and might need Gold Points for later.
I love this feature. Hope NL keeps these articles coming.
I just purchased Runbow. Unfortunately it suffers from the same problem the Wii U version had. I've been waiting for 45 minutes and still haven't been able to get into an Online match.
I'm going to take this opportunity to pick up Child of Light and possibily Forgotton Anne as well.
@FiveDigitLP Really? Huh. May have to copy/paste my Switch wishlist here & give it a go.
@Riderkicker I totally recommend it! I've already purchased too many games I don't need as I have no time to play them!
Conduct Together!
Did you guys give up on updating this? Because I bookmarked it for the reason of hoping itw ould be updated each week...
What Remains of Edith Finch did absolutely nothing for me. I felt nothing. I don't understand the praise. Am I broken inside?
@nimnio you sir, are a hero.
@RiggsHB hey question about CAG...when adding to the 'collection' section, how come several of the games do not have the switch version listed or as an option to choose?
Picked up VVVVVV with my Gold Points. Loved it on 3DS. Pressure Cooker is arguably one of the best songs in any game, in my opinion.
@dartmonkey As this idea died, maybe go back to a new fresh post on the website each week so people can find this easier. It's a good concept, but it doesn't even get bumped to the home page when it's changed.
@XCWarrior It's not dead, per se, I just haven't had time to update it for a while. The sales are so huge and frequent that it can take a while to sift through and find a nice varied line up that's not just the usual suspects. Big publisher sales and other deals generally get their own news post, too.
This'll still get bumped periodically. Might even be able to squeeze an update in this evening.
I have Velocity on Vita. Not worth a double dip for me, but worth it if u have not played it.
I play mostly RPGs and 2D/3D platformers, and was never drawn to HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure) games, but around nine months ago I was bored scrolling through the eShop sales when I noticed one for $1.49, found a review, and took the plunge. I ended up enjoying it and have since bought another half-dozen when on sale, usually $1.49. Most if not all are published by Artifex Mundi out of Poland. IMO the puzzles are generally fun without being too difficult. And although the occasional animations are usually clunky, and the voice acting is nothing to write home about, the (mostly) static background art is great.
Sonic Mania is an absolute must even at full price, an incredible steal while discounted. And there is no better platform for it than Switch. Yes, I grew up in the 90s, so it pulls all the right nostalgia strings; but even for younger audiences, the game is gorgeous platforming bliss that will show why so many Nintendo maniacs nonetheless carry a torch for the of-late benighted Blue Blur.
@Minfinity At the time of righting your likes are at 69, just found it funny.
@bimmy-lee I also enjoy looking through the sales. As cluttered as it is, I usually come across a game that somehow slipped past my radar
@Snatcher nice
Why can’t you guys make a new article on this so we aren’t seeing posts for irrelevant games from over a year ago mixed in the comments?
@AG_Awesome Or if they could just put most recent comments first for articles like this.
@Gorfvic20 Also a good choice. Just threw me off when I was reading about games that weren’t on sale til I saw the old dates. Lol.
I bought Ghostbusters on cart full price last Halloween, but no regrets really.
During this latest e-shop sale I was too tempted to resist downloading Killer Queen Black (a steal at $1.99) and Towerfall (anything from the creators of Celeste is ok by me).
Gamestop has hollow knight, digital, for $15
@PhhhCough I think it's always 15 everywhere
@Minfinity this is the main reason I have 80 games on my wishlist. Check it once a week for sales
Some great deals here! My backlog is already big enough, though, and I won't be clearing it anytime soon, so I'll have to pass.
Picked up Horace after reading the NL review and seeing it drop 86% in price on the eShop. Started it last night and was immediately drawn in by its charm, strong storytelling, and the way gameplay is built into the narrative rather than the other way around. I've not gone too far into it yet but it's been a wonderful experience. I would have completely missed it without the attention here at NL so thank you, cheers, and happy holidays!
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