60 Hidden Gems: Nintendo eShop Games You Might Have Missed in 2024

The Nintendo eShop is a treasure trove of indie darlings, innovative experiences, and overlooked sequels. With so many releases vying for your attention, it’s easy for some real gems to slip under the radar. Whether you’re a seasoned Switch veteran or a newcomer to the console, this list of 60 hidden gems from 2024 will help you unearth some digital diamonds and expand your gaming horizons.

This year saw a diverse range of titles hit the eShop, from cozy life simulators and challenging roguelikes to mind-bending puzzle games and captivating narratives. We’ve dug deep to uncover the games that deserve a spot on your Switch, offering a mix of genres and experiences to cater to every type of player. So, grab your console, charge those Joy-Cons, and get ready to discover your next gaming obsession!

Action & Adventure

1. Aeterna Noctis II: This Metroidvania sequel refines the challenging platforming and combat of its predecessor with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack.
2. Cyber Shadow: Afterglow: A DLC expansion that adds a significant amount of content to the already excellent Cyber Shadow, featuring new levels, enemies, and abilities.
3. Infernax: Deux or Die: This expansion to the retro-inspired Infernax introduces a co-op mode, new characters, and a whole new area to explore.
4. The Last Faith: A gothic metroidvania with brutal Souls-like combat and a captivating dark fantasy world.
5. Protodroid DeLTA: A fast-paced 3D action game with vibrant visuals and a charming cast of characters.

RPGs

1. Chained Echoes: A love letter to classic JRPGs with a compelling story, strategic turn-based combat, and a beautiful pixel art style.
2. Sea of Stars: This prequel to The Messenger blends turn-based combat with platforming elements and a captivating story.
3. Trinity Trigger: A classic action RPG experience with a unique “weapon trinity” system that allows for dynamic combat.
4. Monark: A school-based RPG with challenging turn-based combat and a dark, psychological narrative.
5. The Cruel King and the Great Hero: A charming RPG with a hand-drawn art style and a heartwarming story.

Platformers

1. Webbed: Swing through a vibrant world as a cute spider in this physics-based platformer.
2. Super Kiwi 64: A collectathon platformer inspired by N64 classics, featuring colorful worlds and tight controls.
3. Flynn: Son of Crimson: A beautiful action platformer with challenging combat and a touching story.
4. Lila’s Sky Ark: A psychedelic platformer with a unique art style and a haunting atmosphere.
5. Gravity Circuit: A fast-paced action platformer with a focus on momentum-based movement and stylish combat.

Puzzle & Strategy

1. Escape Academy: A collection of escape room puzzles brought to life in a charming video game format.
2. Patrick’s Parabox: A mind-bending puzzle game with a unique recursive mechanic.
3. Strange Horticulture: Unravel a mystery by identifying plants and using your botanical knowledge.
4. Beacon Pines: A charming adventure game with a unique word-based puzzle mechanic.
5. The Case of the Golden Idol: Solve a series of interconnected murders by piecing together clues and deductions.

Simulation & Life Sim

1. Disney Dreamlight Valley: Live alongside your favorite Disney characters in this life sim adventure.
2. Wylde Flowers: Escape to a charming rural town and embrace the witch life in this magical life sim.
3. Potion Permit: Brew potions, diagnose illnesses, and build relationships in this cozy town sim.
4. Rune Factory 3 Special: Relive this classic farming and life sim RPG with updated visuals and new features.
5. Aka: Relax and unwind in this peaceful open-world game about exploring a beautiful island and helping its inhabitants.

Shooters

1. Neon White: A fast-paced first-person shooter with unique card-based mechanics.
2. Prodeus: A retro-inspired FPS with over-the-top gore and intense action.
3. ScourgeBringer: A roguelite platformer with fast-paced combat and a focus on fluid movement.
4. Severed Steel: A stylish FPS with a unique bullet-time mechanic and destructible environments.
5. Fashion Police Squad: A humorous FPS where you use fashion-themed weapons to fight against fashion crimes.

Rhythm & Music

1. Melatonin: A rhythm game with a unique dreamlike aesthetic and challenging levels.
2. Trombone Champ: A hilarious trombone simulator that will have you laughing and tooting along to classic tunes.
3. Metal: Hellsinger: Slay demons to the beat of heavy metal music in this rhythm FPS.
4. Unbeatable [white label]: A stylish rhythm game with a focus on tight gameplay and a vibrant soundtrack.
5. Muse Dash: A fast-paced rhythm game with cute anime visuals and a catchy soundtrack.

Sports & Racing

1. Circuit Superstars: A top-down racing game with a focus on realistic driving physics and a variety of cars and tracks.
2. Shredders: A snowboarding game with realistic physics and a focus on freestyle tricks.
3. Windjammers 2: A sequel to the classic arcade disc-throwing game with updated visuals and new characters.
4. OlliOlli World: Finding the Flowzone: This expansion adds new levels, mechanics, and challenges to the acclaimed skateboarding game.
5. Session: Skate Sim: A realistic skateboarding simulator with a focus on authentic board control and trick execution.

Visual Novels & Narrative Adventures

1. Strange Horticulture: Unravel a mystery by identifying plants and using your botanical knowledge.
2. Beacon Pines: A charming adventure game with a unique word-based puzzle mechanic.
3. Paradise Killer: A stylish open-world murder mystery with a unique visual style and a captivating story.
4. Norco: A point-and-click adventure game with a compelling narrative and a unique setting.
5. Citizen Sleeper: A narrative RPG set on a decaying space station, where you must make choices that will determine your fate.

Horror

1. Signalis: A classic survival horror experience with a retro aesthetic and a chilling atmosphere.
2. Fobia – St. Dinfna Hotel: A psychological horror game inspired by classic Resident Evil titles.
3. MADiSON: A first-person psychological horror game with disturbing visuals and intense scares.
4. Yomawari: Lost in the Dark: A chilling horror adventure game with a focus on exploration and atmosphere.
5. The Mortuary Assistant: Embalm corpses and perform rituals while fending off demonic forces in this terrifying horror game.

Multiplayer

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge: Team up with friends to take on Shredder and the Foot Clan in this classic beat ’em up.
2. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope: The sequel to the acclaimed strategy game with new characters, worlds, and combat mechanics.
3. Nintendo Switch Sports: A collection of sports games that utilizes the Joy-Con controllers for motion-controlled fun.
4. Among Us: The social deduction game that took the world by storm is now available on Switch with cross-platform play.
5. Jackbox Party Pack 9: A collection of party games perfect for gatherings with friends and family.

Unique & Experimental

1. Inscryption: A unique card-based roguelike with escape room elements and a dark, unsettling atmosphere.
2. Unpacking: Unpack boxes and learn about a character’s life through their belongings in this relaxing puzzle game.
3. PowerWash Simulator: Relax and unwind by power washing dirty objects in this surprisingly satisfying simulation game.
4. Donut County: Control a hole in the ground and swallow up everything in your path in this quirky puzzle game.
5. Baba Is You: A mind-bending puzzle game where you manipulate the rules of the game to solve challenges.

This list is just a starting point. There are many other hidden gems waiting to be discovered on the Nintendo eShop. So, take some time to browse the store, read reviews, and try out some demos. You might just find your next favorite game!