10 essential Steam Deck games you’ll keep coming back to

I can’t imagine life without my Steam Deck. Valve’s handheld PC has fundamentally changed how I play games with a massive chunk of my playtime now happening on the device. I don’t travel without it and I’m even using my Nintendo Switch less and less because of it. It’s a life-saver for someone who travels and commutes quite a bit.

Because I’m so often on the move, I like to keep a few games always installed on my Steam Deck. It’s a small handful of titles that I can bring up any time when I’m not sure what to play. These tend to be “infinitely replayable” titles, like roguelikes, that can kill a long flight or train ride with ease. If you’re looking for some standby games that you can always go back to when you need something to play, I recommend keeping these games installed on your Steam Deck at all times.

Vampire Survivors

If you were to ask me what the Steam Deck’s killer app is, I’d probably sayVampire Survivors. The indie game was a sensation in 2022 (it launched at the tail end of 2021) thanks to its low price tag and streamlined gameplay. All you have to do is dodge waves of enemies while your monster-hunting hero auto attacks. It sounds simple, but it’s still one of the most engrossing gameplay loops out there. Whenever I load it up on an airplane, I find that an hour goes by in no time. As an added bonus, it’s a great way to push your Steam Deck to its limits; turn on your frame rate counter and watch how low it can go as thousands of enemies flood the screen.

UFO 50

Though UFO 50 is new, it’s already become my go-to Steam Deck game — and I don’t think that’ll change any time soon. The ambitious release contains 50 original 8-bit games that are loaded with creative energy. You can play everything from a point-and-click horror game to a miniature spin on Into the Breach. With so many games to play, and multiple goals to chase in each for completionists, UFO 50 is the ultimate portable game. I’ve put over 65 hours into it so far and have only hit credits in