The best indie game of all time is Hades, the 93-rated roguelike that made “just one more run” irresistible. Around it sits a run of modern classics — Hollow Knight, Stardew Valley, Celeste, Undertale and Disco Elysium — that prove small studios produce some of the medium’s finest work. Whether you want a metroidvania, a farming sim or a deckbuilder, the top pick for each is below.
Below are the best indie games ranked by Metacritic score, with release year and genre. Scores are the lead-platform critic aggregate; where games tie, the more influential title is placed higher. The list runs from all-time greats to 2026’s breakout hits.
The best indie games of all time, ranked
Ranked by Metacritic score. Year is the original release; genre marks the style of game.
| # | Game | Year | Genre | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hades | 2020 | Roguelike | 93 |
| 2 | Minecraft | 2011 | Sandbox | 93 |
| 3 | Celeste | 2018 | Platformer | 92 |
| 4 | Undertale | 2015 | RPG | 92 |
| 5 | Inside | 2016 | Puzzle platformer | 91 |
| 6 | Disco Elysium | 2019 | RPG | 91 |
| 7 | Hollow Knight | 2017 | Metroidvania | 90 |
| 8 | Braid | 2008 | Puzzle platformer | 90 |
| 9 | Balatro | 2024 | Deckbuilder | 90 |
| 10 | Stardew Valley | 2016 | Farming sim | 89 |
| 11 | Return of the Obra Dinn | 2018 | Puzzle | 89 |
| 12 | Slay the Spire | 2019 | Deckbuilder | 89 |
| 13 | Dead Cells | 2018 | Roguelite | 89 |
| 14 | Cuphead | 2017 | Run-and-gun | 88 |
| 15 | Vampire Survivors | 2022 | Survivor | 87 |
| 16 | Mina the Hollower | 2026 | Action-adventure | 91 (OpenCritic) |
| 17 | Mewgenics | 2026 | Roguelike | 88 |
| 18 | Terraria | 2011 | Sandbox | 83 |
Why indies punch above their weight
Indie games trade big budgets for sharp ideas, and it shows at the top of the chart. Hades turned the roguelike into a story engine; Disco Elysium built a whole RPG from writing and dialogue; Balatro made a poker-inspired deckbuilder one of the most addictive games ever. The “big three” — Minecraft, Stardew Valley and Hollow Knight — each grew from tiny teams into all-time classics, and 2026’s Mewgenics and Slay the Spire 2 show the pipeline is as strong as ever, with Mewgenics selling over a million copies in its first week.
The indie games that changed gaming
Four games that proved small studios can lead the medium.
Indies dominate the roguelike and deckbuilder space — Hades, Dead Cells and Slay the Spire all top our best roguelike games ranking. They are also perfect on a handheld, as our best Steam Deck games list shows, and the very best sit among the overall best games of all time.
Best indie game by genre
Straight to the top indie pick for the kind of game you want.
| Genre | Best indie pick |
|---|---|
| Roguelike | Hades |
| Metroidvania | Hollow Knight |
| Farming / life sim | Stardew Valley |
| Deckbuilder | Balatro / Slay the Spire |
| Platformer | Celeste |
| RPG / story | Disco Elysium / Undertale |
| Sandbox | Minecraft / Terraria |
Some of the biggest sellers ever started as indies — Minecraft and Terraria both feature on our best-selling video games of all time ranking.
