Quick Links
Many independent game developers display their fun, creative, and unique experiences on itch.io. However, the platform’s saturation can make it hard to find great titles. Try these methods I use to discover indie games worth playing on itch.io.
1Use Tags and Filters
On itch.io, you can use various tags and filters to find great indie games. I am a big fan ofroguelite video games, so I use theRoguelitetag to ensure I only see the relevant results.
On the itch.io homepage, you will find the frequently used tags in thePopular Tagssection on the left. But if you want to search for a particular tag, click theBrowse All Tagslink.
Click theFind Tagdropdown in the top-right corner and select the tag you want (e.g.,2D,Platformer,Action,Puzzle,Horror,VisualNovel, andAdventure).
You can add more tags to refine your search further. To do that, click theSelect a Tagdropdown and choose the tags you want (you can also search for them).
The games will be sorted by what’s popular, but to find the great games, I usually look at theTop RatedandTop Sellerstabs. This has led me to discover fun roguelites likeCorebreakerandXenopunch.
2Check Out Game Bundles
The itch.io website has aBundles pagewhere you can find game bundles created by developers. These are promotional packages containing multiple games. Each bundle is sold at a discounted price, and when you purchase it, you get instant access to all the games.
3Check the itch.io Blog
Theitch.io blogis a surprisingly good place to find sales and bundles of some great indie games. These promotions are curated based on various themes, such as winter, summer, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day. The blog also highlights “Games of the Week,” where the team curates several great indie games for you to try.
4Check Out Game Jams
Game jams are a fantastic way to discover hidden gems for free. On itch.io, game jams take place throughout the year, so keep your eye on theGame Jams pageto see upcoming events on the calendar. Look for past game jams to try highly rated game submissions.
These game jams usually have creative and innovative indie games from different genres. Developers usually display talent in crafting unique experiences at these events. Fun games I have discovered through game jams on itch.io includeInside Job,Bready or not - unSURVIVOR, andLet There Be Cat.
Since these are game jams, don’t expect fully fleshed-out games with lots of content and complex features. Developers usually have time constraints and a limited scope to work with, as well as specific problems to solve. Many enter them to learn about game development and to tackle unique challenges.
5Follow Developers
If a particular indie developer has a game you like, you can follow them to stay updated on their latest releases. This allows you to see what games they have in their collections and those they have rated highly.
Another way to discover developers to follow is by looking at your feed, which shows you recommendations based on your activity on itch.io. I usually switch to theFeatured Games FeedorGlobal Feedtab to see what is trending based on my interests.
Keep in mind that this feed doesn’t only show games, but things like asset packs and comics as well.
6Look at User Reviews and Ratings
If you have a problem deciding whether a game is good, you can look at its rating. On the game’s itch.io page, scroll down past the description and clickMore Information. Here, you can see how many users rated the game (out of five stars).
You can also scroll down to the comments to see the sentiments around the game. Also, it can be a fantastic way to interact with the developer.
7Check Out Community Recommendations
The itch.io community has theRecommend a Game page. This is where people post games that they’ve enjoyed and why. It’s a good place to see the discussion around the game, ask questions, and even find people and developers to follow.
Keep in mind that itch.io is just one of the many platforms to find great indie games. You can also find them on Steam, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Xbox Marketplace, Nintendo eShop, and others. And If you love itch.io for its free games, there’s also a way tofind free games on Steam.
