Indie gaming’s most popular genre is now top down games. Top-down games have adapted to a wide range of applications, from hack & slash to JRPG, and have become a mainstay for most genres.
Whether using pixel art or 3D tilt shift, these games can add a realism that sets them apart from one another. Every game has a unique design and feel, and we can tell that independent developers poured their hearts and souls into each one.
Best Top Down Games
Playing top-down games with new content is enjoyable because they don’t overwhelm players with tons of content; they’re just plain enjoyable, as the game’s creator intended. I adore top-down games for their compelling narratives, engaging gameplay, and sense of fun.
Here are the top twenty top-down games that I have discovered across many genres.
Legend of Zelda link’s awakening
Link’s Awakening: HD Remastered Gameboy, Nintendo Switch Version, is endearing and lovely and has a position in the contemporary gaming industries in terms of graphics and gameplay.
The plot and setting are identical to those of the Gameboy version, except there are more heart pieces, secret seashells, fairy bottles, rapid travel, and many other extras. With Link’s Awakening, we finally get the Zelda game we’ve been waiting for.
Since I was unable to play the Gameboy version, I was unaware of how the plot developed. I had a lot of recollections from the game when I finished it by taking down the final boss. Nintendo’s decision to release the upgraded version is fortunate for me because I would have lost out on this fantastic game.
Death’s Door
This lovely isometric game uses tilt-shift effects to improve the top-down experience. Its muted setting and sparse artwork make the bleak universe appropriate for the death door’s plot.
You control a tiny bird who gathers souls as a reaper in the death division. You go out on a journey to gather the three enormous souls following an incident with a retired old crow.
I really enjoyed taking on those huge bosses, and I wish there were more than three. Each boss is distinct and necessitates a different set of gameplay elements. Fighting them was thrilling, and I adored their designs.
With new regions that are entirely unlike previous ones and mini-bosses that put players’ skills to the test so they are prepared for the next challenges, Death Door keeps the game interesting. This game is among the best top-down action adventures thanks to the variety of levels, monsters, and bosses within the game.
Top Down Games – Eastward
a charming setting full of endearing people and special moments. You will trek with John and Sam as they attempt to flee the world-eating miasma in Eastward.
As you flee from one location to another, the mystery of Miasma looms larger and larger, but what draws players in are its gorgeous pixel visuals, fantastic character designs, and well-written tale. For those who enjoy connecting with fictional characters, this game is a joyride.
Because of its amazing pixel art and captivating narrative, Eastward is a game that fans continue to talk about ten years after its release.
Geometry Dash
The renowned platform Geometry Dash is back with its most exhilarating chapter yet. Make your way through a variety of rhythm-based platform action levels. As you progress through challenging stages, you could acquire unique icons to further customize your character.
To complete each level by getting to the end is the objective of the game. With the exception of Practice Mode, the level is specifically restarted whenever the player hits an obstacle. The user has no control over how quickly the symbol moves. The tempo and rhythm of the in-game music are crucial elements of the game, frequently in relation to one another.
In the game, the player is represented by one of seven automobiles, each of which responds to contact differently. The player taps to launch themselves off the ground in the standard cube form, and they hold to perform further leaps. To move up and down in the spacecraft, the player must hold and release. To switch from ground to air gravity, the user taps the ball. In the UFO, the player taps to leap into the air. In contrast to gravity, which has the opposite effect, the player holds the wave to travel up diagonally and releases it to move down. By holding and releasing the robot, the player can direct it to jump far off the ground.
By enabling them to switch between vehicles, reverse gravity, change the size of their vehicle, or mirror their movement, portals make it more difficult for players to move about. Additionally, the player can leap automatically or while in midair thanks to pads and orbs.
Top Down Games – Hyperlight Drifter
Pixel art game Hyperlight Drifter is really difficult but also very rewarding. At the beginning of my gameplay, enemies would kick me in the ass. Soon after I began
I improved my weaponry and dash and used my new sword combat to slash foes.
In Hyperlight Drifter, you will learn about a Drifter who has been ill due to a weird artifact that has been awakened from the past. There is no text conversation, and the plot is hazy. Instead, three image panels that depict NPC characters’ backstories are used for conversation.
The challenge of Hyperlight Drifter is something I really enjoy. Although the creatures were numerous and difficult to beat, it was enjoyable when I was in the zone and succeeded in doing so, therefore I kept playing to have more of these kinds of experiences.
Stardew Valley
It’s a calm game where you can go fishing, talk to people, mine ore, produce vegetables, and do various other things around Pelican town. A calming life simulation that keeps you interested for hours because there is a lot to do but not enough time or energy to complete it.
There is a day and night cycle, as well as an energy bar, so there may not be enough time to complete everything, but as we advance further in the game, we get items that can perform automated tasks, allowing us to gather more resources in a shorter amount of time.
The game shines most when you interact with individuals and learn about their lives because it has a rather rich background if you do so. If you enjoy farming simulation games, you should try this one.
Don’t Starve
Don’t Starve is a randomly generated survival game where you must explore, gather resources, make goods, construct structures, and more.
Run around to survive in the highly addictive game Don’t Starve. To gather everything you require to survive even another day, you must constantly be on the move. Even if you do everything correctly but are unfortunate enough to run into certain tragic circumstances, you will still pass away. There is always a feeling of hurry.
The player keeps returning since there are so many activities to complete, opponents to defeat, and health to maintain.
Ascent
A really detailed cyberpunk setting where you hunt down Bioware mech monsters for a reward. Its twin-stick technology, which replaces the stick buttons, gives the game a special playing experience.
What I adored about Ascent was its cyberpunk setting, where every neon-colored street, vivid light, and rusted pipe added a brand-new level to the genre’s look. There are other stages where the designs diverge dramatically from one another.
With a variety of weapons to create and foes to kill, Ascent also emphasizes fun, fast-paced gameplay while maintaining a unique perspective on warfare in an ominous environment.
The Binding of Isaac’s Rebirth
Although the game’s environment may have a legend of Zelda aesthetic, the gameplay is quite different. It’s a twin-stick bullet hell shooting game.
The unpredictable surprise weaponry, dungeons, and enemies in The Binding of Isaac keep the player interested. You just have your tear to kill adversaries, though you can pick up more advanced weaponry along the way. You lose everything whenever you die in a single run because of the roguelike dungeon in this game.
Rebirth can be incredibly challenging at first, but after we learn to accept the eerie environment and control Isaac gracefully, it transforms into the most enjoyable and addictive game that we can play for hours.
Diablo 3
When you start playing Diablo 3, hours will pass by like minutes, so keep an eye on the clock. Because loot is randomly selected based on player stat level, killing foes and gathering loot is always a pleasant surprise.
Diablo 3 is most enjoyable when played jointly with others, and it’s a nice bonus that loot also drops according to each player’s stat. To fulfill each other’s needs, you can also exchange stuff.
Diablo 3 can offer hours of entertainment with its limitless replayability and a ton of content and improvements.
Lara Croft And The Guardian of Light
The most notable aspects of Guardian of Light are its gameplay and aesthetics. The top-down isometric designs of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and their enjoyable puzzles that feel amazing to complete, especially with a companion, set it apart from past Tomb Raider games.
The top-down action shooting and riddles in the game are more arcade-style in nature. With all the intriguing riddles and relic opponents, it’s a fresh take on Lara Croft.
You can also take on the role of Totec and embark on an expedition with Lara to explore the ancient ruins of South America and unravel the secrets of Mirror of Smoke.
Bastion
a floating fantasy island in an action role-playing game where the playing field grows with each move. You take on the role of “The Kid,” a character whose ultimate objective is to restore the sanctuary, a portion of a floating island where people can build civilization.
In addition to its appealing isometric graphics, Bastion’s unique features include a range of weapon upgrades, a potion to brew, and things to collect. With each building reconstruction, something new becomes available, including a brewery, a blacksmith, and many other things.
The booming voice that narrates Bastion’s action scenes is its most menacing feature. Killing foes while listening to the narrator’s voice feels tremendous. Set out on a quest to find survivors in the monster-infested areas, save them, and rebuild a magnificent home for them on the floating island.
Top Down Games – Hades
Every time you die in a roguelike dungeon, you come back stronger. You take on the role of Zagreus, the son of Hades who longs to leave hell. He needs to overcome numerous foes and bosses to accomplish this. The thrilling moments and precise combat in this game are what make it so much enjoyable to play.
Each run is completely unique from the previous one because to the godly might of the Greek gods. For those seeking a surge of excitement, this game is priceless.
Top Down Games – A Short Hike
We can walk freely on a small island and uncover hidden secrets in this 3D top-down open-world adventure from the creator of Animal Crossing. Our objective is to reach the summit of a snowy mountain, and on the way there, you will come across anthropomorphic characters who will test your skills in mini-games.
The game is brief and can be finished in no more than two hours, but you’ll want to play it again after hearing a touching family narrative.
Disco Elysium
a role-playing game in which you crash and have no memory of what happened. While acting as a cop and investigating a murder, you come across many sad lives and their difficulties as you move deeper into the city and interact with its inhabitants.
It’s a lovely point-and-click adventure game where every choice you make has immediate implications that show who you are as a person.
Top Down Games – Undertale
You have to play Undertale to fully appreciate the richness and lore of the world. You’ll feel a connection to each underworld character in this game.
At first, the game seems hilarious and playful, but as you play, you’ll find that your actions affect the experience. You’ll be playing the same game again, but this time for a different reason.
The humorous lines and cheerful gameplay kept me laughing, even if I didn’t expect such depth in NES-style pixel art. The video game Undertale is the epitome of thinking beyond the box.
Top Down Games – Civilization V
In the turn-based strategy game Civilization V, you can design a world and engage in colonization warfare against other factions. In the game, you can take control of a society and observe its development. You can start a society and nurture it until it achieves cutting-edge technological marvels.
You have a wide range of options, from starting a war to controlling the resources that advance your society. Every little aspect that will drive your civilisation either toward great victory or devastating defeat is within your reach.
If you enjoy playing strategy games, you’ll adore Civilization V because it has everything a good one should have.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Every time the game’s beats, I can’t help but nod my head in agreement. I love how the game makes you move to the beat when fighting or stealing.
It’s satisfying to move my character to a great soundtrack, but took me a while to acclimatize to the game.
The game’s difficulty doesn’t merely lie in maintaining a constant beat. Every choice you make in the rhythm-based gameplay is subject to a timer. By providing you a gold multiplier, the game pushes you to keep the beat going.
Crypt of The Necrodancer’s revolutionary beat mechanics make it one of the most exciting games I’ve ever played.
