A lot of gaming handhelds have shown up on the market over the last couple of years, but Valve's Steam Deck still reigns supreme as one of the best. Both the regular Steam Deck and its new OLED counterpart are great options to consider in 2024, with plenty of amazing games to enjoy. Steam may not be the most powerful handheld out there, but it can run a lot of games very well, including some modern AAA titles. If you are looking for something to play on your Steam Deck and are wondering which one to try, then consider some of our favorite Steam Deck.

1 Hogwarts Legacy

Become a wizard

Topping our list is Hogwarts Legacy. This game has yet to become available on the Nintendo Switch, so if you want to play it when not in front of a console, monitor or laptop, the Steam Deck is the way to go. It's a graphically demanding title, so you'll have to tune the settings down a bit, but this is one of the best action adventure open-world games of 2023. It's even Deck verified by Steam, so you can run this game on your system without issue.

If you're not familiar, though, Hogwarts Legacy has you in the center of the fictional world of Harry Potter. The game is set before what happens in the books and popular movies, which means you get to follow a unique storyline and enjoy really life-like environments as if you were a wizard yourself.

2 Vampire Survivors

A spooky but fun game

Looking for a more casual (but still spooky) shoot-em-up game? That's what Vampire Survivors is. This gothic horror game puts you in control of a character who has to fight a never-ending wave of monsters. The longer you play, the more characters, weapons, and other items you can unlock. Weapons that you use attack automatically, so this game is pretty straightforward, but you'll need to be careful, as when those monsters touch you, you'll end up taking damage. And remember, you'll also want to collect those gems along the way to restore your health!

3 Minecraft

The timeless classic

It'd be a poor choice for me to not mention Minecraft in this guide. This is one of the most popular games of all time, but installing it on the Steam Deck as a downloadable title with the native operating system requires some extra work compared to if you're running it through Windows or through cloud gaming like you would on a device like the Logitech G Cloud.

You'll need to use Prism Launcher from the Discover app to install Java and then add your Microsoft Account to access Minecraft as a non-Steam Game, then tweak the controls to custom options through Prism Launcher again. The extra work is worth it to take Minecraft anywhere you go, as Minecraft is a world of creativity. You can spend hours building your own blocky worlds with friends and family, and even play in survival mode and fight zombies. It's one of the best sandbox games you can find for the Steam Deck.

4 Sea of Thieves

Sail the seas

Next up is Sea of Thieves. This isn't your traditional shared-world action-adventure game at all. It's certified to run on the Steam Deck and there's plenty of reasons to like it. In this game, you assume the role of a pirate and complete voyages across the sea. The voyages aren't always smooth, and you'll encounter violent ship battles with rivals who are also on the hunt for treasures.

5 Stardew Valley

Relaxing and fun

How about a more relaxing game? This fifth option is a classic that's also certified to run great on the Steam Deck. It's the farming simulation game Stardew Valley. In this game, you inherit a farm from your deceased grandfather and are tasked with taking care of the land and turning the barren fields into a lush and vibrant home. The game is known for its relaxing soundtrack, fun side quests, and heartwarming story.

6 Pizza Tower

For the Mario fans

If you're a fan of Nintendo's Mario, then Pizza Tower may just be the game for you. This is a 2D platformer game inspired by the Wario Land series, a spin-off of Mario Land on the original Game Boy. The game is very fast-paced with special emphasis on moving and attacking. It has a greatly great pixel art style that's reminiscent of 1990s-era cartoons that you'll be sure to appreciate.

7 Stray

For those who love our feline friends

Do you own cats? Or want to own a cat? If you're a fan of our feline furry friends, then you'll want to consider playing Stray. In this third-person adventure game, you play as a start cat in a strange walled cybercity that's home to weird things like robots, machines, and even mutant bacteria. Your goal is to get back to the surface world, and you'll solve many great puzzles along the way while evading enemies known as the Zurks and Sentinels.

8 Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077 is the best it has ever been

Cyberpunk 2077 had a bit of a rough start, but the game is in a much better place now and plays really well on the Steam Deck. It even has a dedicated Steam Deck preset for graphics settings, which, when enabled, will allow you to hit high frame rates. A lot of the in-game issues that were previously reported have also been resolved, and the new Phantom Liberty DLC also brings a host of new abilities, mechanics, vehicles, weapons, and more. You also get to play a new story quest that brings new characters and experiences.

9 Dredge

Become a sailor

Now we've come to a newer indie game from the developer Black Sale Games. This is a fishing video game where you sail the ocean and catch fish, upgrade your boat, and look for secrets beneath the ocean. You can catch 125 different species of fish, come across sunken treasure, and interact with locals to get side quests. This is a title that's sure to get you hooked (pun intended).

10 Forza Horizon 5

Race speedy cars on the Deck

The previous version of the post highlighted the Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered as the best racing game, but we are now replacing it with Forza Horizon 5 now. It may not be the newest game out there, but it's still among the newest entries in the franchise, and it plays very well on the Steam Deck. It is a bit demanding, though, so be sure to drop the graphics settings and keep it between low to medium for a good experience, unless you are a PC Game Pass Ultimate subscriber who's streaming it over the cloud.

11 Hi-Fi Rush

Stay in the rhythm

As the list goes on, next is a rhythm-based action game that recently was taking gamers by storm. In the game, you play as Chai, after a music player is accidentally embedded in your chest during surgery. You're able to sense the rhythm of the in-game world, but you're also being hunted by robots, and you have to form new friendships and defeat your enemies in battle. The visual style in the game is amazing, but you'll have to be careful as every in-game movement is tied to music.

12 Street Fighter 6

An arcade game

Do you love arcade-style fighting games? If you answered yes, that's what Street Fighter 6 is. This game has a great single-player mode, and it supports cross-play, so you can enjoy combat with players on other consoles and platforms. The combat system in this game also has three control types (Classic, Modern, and Dynamic), which help fit different skill levels, so if you're a pro or a newbie, you'll still enjoy. The game even has real-time commentary, which can help make it feel like you're in a tournament of your own when playing.

13 Elden Ring

Surprisingly fun to slay the bosses on Steam Deck

Elden Ring is one of those games that received the "Verified" badge from Value for Steam Deck very early into its release. For a game that had massive performance issues and hiccups on PC at launch, it plays surprisingly well on Valve's handheld. There's also something very calming about fighting the most difficult bosses in the game while sitting on your couch or lying in the bed with the Steam Deck. Just make sure to use the best settings and optimize the game before jumping into the land of the unknown for a good gameplay experience.

There's even more you can try

Those are some of the best Steam Deck games that are worth downloading right now in 2024. Beyond what we've already mentioned, it's a good idea to visit the Great on Deck page on Steam, and see if anything else catches your fancy. There are plenty of games that are rated to play well on the Steam Deck, and you are bound to find some great titles there. Just make sure to grab a microSD card for your Steam Deck, because many of these games will easily eat up all your storage space in a jiffy, especially if you have the 256GB variant.