Discovering Hidden Gems: Indie Game Search Tips

Quick Links

Use Tags and Filters
Check Out Game Bundles
Check the itch.io Blog
Check Out Game Jams
Follow Developers
Look at User Reviews and Ratings
Check Out Community Recommendations

Key Takeaways

Find indie games on itch.io using tags that describe the genre of the game.
Check out game bundles on itch.io for discounted packages containing multiple games, offering a variety of titles at a lower price.
Keep an eye on game jams on itch.io to discover hidden gems for free, showcasing unique and innovative indie games from different genres.

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.

1 Use Tags and Filters

On itch.io, you can use various tags and filters to find great indie games. I am a big fan of roguelite video games , so I use theRoguelite tag to ensure I only see the relevant results.

On the itch.io homepage, you will find the frequently used tags in thePopular Tags section on the left. But if you want to search for a particular tag, click theBrowse All Tags link.

Click theFind Tag dropdown in the top-right corner and select the tag you want (e.g.,2D ,Platformer ,Action ,Puzzle ,Horror ,Visual Novel , andAdventure).

You can add more tags to refine your search further. To do that, click theSelect a Tag dropdown 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 Rated andTop Sellers tabs. This has led me to discover fun roguelites like Corebreaker and Xenopunch .

2 Check Out Game Bundles

The itch.io website has a Bundles page where 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.

3 Check the itch.io Blog

The itch.io blog is 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.

4 Check 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 the Game Jams page to 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 include Inside Job ,Bready or not - unSURVIVOR , and Let 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.

5 Follow 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 Feed orGlobal Feed tab 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.

6 Look 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.

7 Check Out Community Recommendations

The itch.io community has the Recommend 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 to find free games on Steam .

Games Able

Discovering Hidden Gems: Indie Game Search Tips