Best Retro Steam Deck Games

Steam currently has 10,591 Retro games, but not all of them can be played on the Steam Deck. Explore our list with the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Retro game rankings were last updated on 12/4/2024.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Vampire Survivors

Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.

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Vampire Survivors holds the #1 spot for "best Retro Steam Deck game" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 242,908 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 239,273 positive reviews and 3,635 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $3.74 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $3.74
Release Date 10/20/2022
Developer poncle
Publisher poncle
Steam App Id 1794680

2. Pizza Tower

Pizza Tower is a fast paced 2D platformer, with an emphasis on movement, exploration and score attack. Featuring highly stylized pixel art inspired by the cartoons from the '90s, and a highly energetic soundtrack.

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Pizza Tower has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 62,884 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 61,889 positive reviews and 995 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $19.99
Release Date 1/26/2023
Developer Tour De Pizza
Publisher Tour De Pizza
Steam App Id 2231450

3. ULTRAKILL

ULTRAKILL is a fast-paced ultraviolent retro FPS combining the skill-based style scoring from character action games with unadulterated carnage inspired by the best shooters of the '90s. Rip apart your foes with varied destructive weapons and shower in their blood to regain your health.

ULTRAKILL banner

ULTRAKILL has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 136,576 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 133,669 positive reviews and 2,907 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $18.74 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $18.74
Release Date 9/3/2020
Franchise New Blood Interactive
Developer Arsi "Hakita" Patala
Publisher New Blood Interactive
Steam App Id 1229490

4. Katana ZERO

Katana ZERO is a stylish neo-noir, action-platformer featuring breakneck action and instant-death combat. Slash, dash, and manipulate time to unravel your past in a beautifully brutal acrobatic display.

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Katana ZERO has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 68,415 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 67,069 positive reviews and 1,346 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $14.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $14.99
Release Date 4/18/2019
Developer Askiisoft
Publisher Devolver Digital
Steam App Id 460950

5. The WereCleaner

Kyle is a Janitor. He's also a Werewolf. And now he's got the night shift. Try not to kill anyone while working to get your paycheck - in a stealth-comedy game with surprises around every corner.

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The WereCleaner has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,755 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,719 positive reviews and 36 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Release Date 5/7/2024
Developer Howlin' Hugs
Publisher USC Games
Steam App Id 2795000

6. Celeste

Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight platformer from the creators of TowerFall. Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges, uncover devious secrets, and piece together the mystery of the mountain.

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Celeste has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 110,842 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 108,041 positive reviews and 2,801 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $4.99
Release Date 1/25/2018
Franchise EXOK Games
Developers
Publisher Maddy Makes Games Inc.
Steam App Id 504230

7. Hotline Miami

Hotline Miami is a high-octane action game overflowing with raw brutality, hard-boiled gunplay and skull crushing close combat.

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Hotline Miami has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 99,937 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 97,123 positive reviews and 2,814 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $1.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $1.99
Release Date 10/23/2012
Developer Dennaton Games
Publisher Devolver Digital
Steam App Id 219150

8. Papers, Please

Congratulations. The October labor lottery is complete. Your name was pulled. For immediate placement, report to the Ministry of Admission at Grestin Border Checkpoint. An apartment will be provided for you and your family in East Grestin. Expect a Class-8 dwelling.

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Papers, Please has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 71,516 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 69,564 positive reviews and 1,952 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 8/8/2013
Developer Lucas Pope
Publisher 3909
Steam App Id 239030

9. Baba Is You

Baba Is You is a puzzle game where the rules you have to follow are present as blocks you can interact with. By manipulating them, you can change how the game works, repurpose things you find in the levels and cause surprising interactions!

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Baba Is You has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 20,914 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 20,451 positive reviews and 463 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $14.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $14.99
Release Date 3/13/2019
Developer Hempuli Oy
Publisher Hempuli Oy
Steam App Id 736260

10. Half-Life

Named Game of the Year by over 50 publications, Valve's debut title blends action and adventure with award-winning technology to create a frighteningly realistic world where players must think to survive. Also includes an exciting multiplayer mode that allows you to play against friends and enemies around the world.

Half-Life banner

Half-Life has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Retro Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 140,541 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 135,720 positive reviews and 4,821 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $1.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $1.99
Release Date 11/19/1998
Franchise Half-Life
Developer Valve
Publisher Valve
Steam App Id 70

More Retro Steam Deck Verified Games

Explore even more rankings for the 10 best Retro games available on Steam.

ImageName
Actions
Vampire Survivors steam charts
4,151
10/20/2022
97
$3.74
Steam Charts
Pizza Tower steam charts
208
1/26/2023
97
$19.99
Steam Charts
ULTRAKILL steam charts
1,066
9/3/2020
97
$18.74
Steam Charts
Katana ZERO steam charts
131
4/18/2019
96
$14.99
Steam Charts
The WereCleaner steam charts
19
5/7/2024
96
Free
Steam Charts
Celeste steam charts
1,084
1/25/2018
96
$4.99
Steam Charts
Hotline Miami steam charts
238
10/23/2012
96
$1.99
Steam Charts
Papers, Please steam charts
203
8/8/2013
96
$9.99
Steam Charts
Baba Is You steam charts
121
3/13/2019
95
$14.99
Steam Charts
Half-Life steam charts
797
11/19/1998
95
$1.99
Steam Charts

Soures & References

Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.

  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 4). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 4). Vampire Survivors on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, October 1). Pizza Tower on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 4). ULTRAKILL on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 4). Katana ZERO on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 28). The WereCleaner on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 29). Celeste on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 27). Hotline Miami on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, November 6). Papers, Please on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, September 30). Baba Is You on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, December 1). Half-Life on Steam. Steam Store.

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