25+ Best Steam Deck Games in 2024: Play Your Favorites Everywhere

With hundreds of thousands of titles available on Valve’s digital distribution platform, it can be hard to determine which are the best Steam Deck games.

No matter what genre of title you’re looking for, whether it be horror or a cozy game, we’ve rounded up some of the best Steam Deck games for your consideration when firing up your handheld. On the Steam Store page, you can find information about whether a title can run on Steam Deck, where it will clarify if the title is Verified or not compatible.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 25+ Best Steam Deck Games in 2024
3. More of the best Steam Deck games to Play in 2024
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. 25+ Best Steam Deck Games in 2024
3. More of the best Steam Deck games to Play in 2024
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

25+ Best Steam Deck Games in 2024

25. Aperture Desk Job

Set in the world of Portal, Aperture Desk Job is one of the best free Steam Deck games you can play. This should be the first title you install on your Steam Deck as it functions as a tech demo, allowing you to get familiar with the controls on your new handheld. It’s set in the popular Portal universe and gives you a unique slice of narrative separate from the other two games.

24. Preserve

For those who are on the lookout for chill titles to play on your handheld, Preserve is one of the best Steam Deck puzzle games for this. This puzzle, nature-building game requires you to place down environment and animal tiles to gain points and progress your landscape.

23. Islanders

Another one of the best cozy Steam Deck games is Islanders. This peaceful world-building title starts you off on a blank island where you place houses, farms, and the like to create a perfect home for your islanders. Once you’ve gained enough points, you move onto another island, with the last one completely disappearing.

22. Elden Ring

Despite being a beefy title, Elden Ring plays fantastically on the handheld. This Soulsborne title allows you to explore a dark fantasy-based open world while battling bosses on your way and following the Guidance of Grace. It’s easily one of the best RPGs on Steam Deck, and offers hundreds of hours of playtime if you can meet its mighty challenge.

21. Planet of Lana

One of the best games on Steam Deck you can pick up is the puzzle platformer, Planet of Lana. This colorful and beautiful title has you playing as a young girl paired with her cat sidekick as you traverse the lands on a mission to rescue her sister. It’s backed by a gorgeous art style that really pops on the handheld, especially if you’ve got the OLED variant.

20. Diablo 4

This action title from Blizzard is a top-down RPG, taking all of the best components of the previous games in the Diablo series is one of the best Steam Deck games you can pick up. Create a character from six playable classes and complete quests through hack-and-slash combat as you explore the world of Sanctuary. Now’s a great time to go through the main story, too, as the Vessel of Hatred release date is close at hand.

19. Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush merges a classic action game with rhythm elements to bring you one of the best Steam Deck games. You play as wannabe rockstar Chai whose music player is embedded in his chest leading the world around you to dance to the rhythm of your music as you work towards defeating the evil executives. It’s one of the best Steam Deck platformer games around.

18. Stray

If you’ve ever wanted to play as a cat, then Stray is the game for you. Explore the gorgeous neon-lit cyber city as a cat that needs to get back to the surface. Your journey leads you to encounter robots, machines, and mutant bacteria, some of which are friends and the others foes. Its compact length and charm make it one of the best Steam Deck games to take on the go.

17. Horizon Forbidden West

With creatures that will make your jaw hang with awe, Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best Steam Deck open world games to play right now. This action RPG has you navigate a gorgeous and overgrown world as you encounter giant robotic creatures and try to return to the land of Horizon. Its predecessor, Zero Dawn, is also worth playing, but the sequel wins out.

16. Forza Horizon 5

If you’re on the hunt for a driving game that plays smoothly on the Steam Deck, then Forza Horizon 5 is a fabulous option. Whether you want to tackle missions or just go for a spin in the Mexico-inspired world, the title gives you free rein to play as you wish. It’s one of the best racing games on Steam Deck, perhaps even of all time.

15. Portal 2

Whether you’re hoping to hop in with a friend or just tackle the title solo, Portal 2 is one of the best co-op Steam Deck games to jump into. The puzzle game involves you using portal technology to pass through room after room to try and escape the clutches of GLaDOS; if she lets you leave…

14. God of War

After being a PlayStation exclusive, God of War arrived on PC and is one of the best Steam Deck adventure games you can play right now. The action-adventure title preys on your will to survive as you battle Norse Gods and monsters and attempt to teach your son the same. It’s not quite as chaotic as the original Olympian trilogy, but it has its moments. You can read more about the series by finding out how to play God of War in order.

13. Celeste

If you’re on the hunt for more cozy Steam Deck games, then make sure Celeste is on your list. This absolutely stunning platformer follows Madeline’s journey to the top of Celeste Mountain all while addressing mental health along the way. It’s an intense title, with some heavy-hitting subject matter, but it’s well worth the climb to see it through.

12. Unpacking

Although seemingly chill, Unpacking can be quite a frustrating puzzle game to tackle. This is one of the best Steam Deck games to pick up as you follow the life of an unseen protagonist by unpacking her belongings into new properties over the years. Ensure everything is in the right spot to progress to the next level.

11. Outer Wilds

In this puzzle-action title, you explore a planetary system stuck in a time loop that resets when the sun goes supernova. When the time loop restarts, you must investigate Nomai, discover its history, and find the cause of the time loop to put an end to it. It’s one of the best space games on Steam Deck, thanks to its exploration.

10. Baldur’s Gate 3

Another pretty beefy game that still runs relatively well on Steam Deck is Baldur’s Gate 3. The RPG title, which won Game of the Year 2023, is based on Dungeons and Dragons and allows you to engage in turn-based combat, traverse the world, and recruit friends and foes to join your party. It’s arguably the best RPG on Steam Deck, so don’t miss out.

9. Dave the Diver

For fans of action-adventure and resource management, Dave the Diver is one of the best Steam Deck games as it combines both in a cutesy title where you explore the deep sea during the day to pick up ingredients for your sushi restaurant, which you run at night.

8. Cyberpunk 2077

The best Steam Deck game to test the limits of the handheld is, of course, Cyberpunk 2077. This gorgeous and intensive title is set in the dystopian world of Night City, where you obtain and use cybernetic enhancements to save yourself and others around you in a harsh do-or-die environment. Fortunately, there’s now a dedicated “Steam Deck” preset. The game runs at a (largely) rock-solid 30fps, which is a testament to the system’s RDNA 2 APU.

7. Stardew Valley

Take a break from the stress of everyday life with a laid-back farming simulator like Stardew Valley. This is one of the best relaxing Steam Deck games for those on the hunt for another cozy title to add to the library, as it has you take over your grandad’s farm and take things at your own pace. You can choose to grow crops, explore the mines, romance the townspeople, and even restore the town hall or a little bit of everything.

6. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an action-adventure that has you survive in any way possible against the law. From the creators of the original, as well as Grand Theft Auto 5, comes one of the best open world Steam Deck games, where you’re required to steal and fight your way across America. You can be an honorable cowboy or a villain of the Old West; it’s up to you.

5. Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto 5 is a must-play title, and that doesn’t change on Steam Deck either. Despite being quite a large game, it’s worth sticking a microSD card into your console to fire up this classic action-adventure title, whether you just drive around and visit the casino or actually follow the story. Once you’re done with the main story, there are tons of things to do in GTA Online. Simply put, it’s one of the best Steam Deck games of all time.

4. Hades

If you’re looking for one of the best Steam Deck roguelikes, then Hades is a must-play. This fast-paced hack-and-slash dungeon crawler, based on Greek mythology, has a persistent and progressing story. While the sequel is just as good, we’ve chosen to go with the original for how fresh and original it was when it dropped.

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Despite its age, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim remains one of the best RPGs on Steam Deck to date. The fantasy title has beautiful graphics that still hold up quite well. It allows you to explore the open world of Skyrim as you encounter wilderness, cities, dungeons, and a range of other terrains. There is a seemingly endless pool of adventures to go on, so you’ll have plenty to do for potentially hundreds of hours to come.

2. Persona 5 Royal

If you’re looking for a stunning game with a beautiful soundtrack, then Persona 5 Royal is one of the best JRPGs on Steam Deck. You can explore Tokyo, unlock Personas, and experience alternate endings in this adventure RPG. It’s a lengthy adventure, so it fits perfectly as a handheld title as you can pick up and play to continue progression whether you go.

1. Dredge

Dredge is our pick for the best Steam Deck game of all time. This single-player fishing adventure title requires you to catch fish, sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and discover long-buried and sinister secrets along the way, somehow turning what seems like a cozy and simple concept into a horror game.

More of the best Steam Deck games to Play in 2024

The Bottom Line

The best Steam Deck games span a wide variety of genres from all across the gaming landscape. Valve’s handheld PC is capable of playing over 12,000 games available on the platform, so this list really could go on forever. What’s more, many of the best PC games work just as well on the go as they will on your tower or gaming laptop, and there’s no need to buy a game twice.

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