2019 was another great year for indies on the Switch. Here are my favourite top 5 Switch Indies of 2019.

5. Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX

Developed and Published by: INTI Creates

This is a spin-off of the Azure Striker Gunvolt series, which themselves are well-made clones of the Mega Man X games. You play as Copen, a freedom fighter who defends the shrinking number of humans against super-powered beings called Adepts and their masters, the evil Sumeragi Corporation.

The Mega Man style gameplay is there (beat bosses, collect their powers, use said powers to crush other bosses), but there are some fun twists, including a reload mechanism that basically makes you invincible and a dash tackle move that turns your gun into a homing cannon. And Luminous Avenger features some of the best pixel art I’ve ever seen.

It may be a spin-off, but this is the best entry in the Gunvolt series. If you’re looking for a Mega Man X-style fix, look no further.

4. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Developer: ArtPlay Publisher: 505 Games

If you’ve read my review of this game, you’re probably surprised to see it on my top five, and with good reason: when Bloodstained originally released this summer, performance issues made it unplayable. Load times were long, the framerate dropped constantly, and a horrible input lag made any kind of precision jumping and split-second platforming impossible.

However, things have changed since then. A recent performance update eliminated the input lag that all but ruined the game. Movement is now much faster and more precise, so you can finally do the precision platforming in this game that was previously only possible in the console and PC versions. This is a very enjoyable adventure, with a huge map to explore, tons of creative enemies, quirky humor, and a bizarre fascination with chairs.

Bloodstained isn’t perfect; the bosses are bullet sponges, and the story and dialogue can feel awkward at times (do yourself a favor and switch the language to Japanese). And some of the Switch-only problems (long load times, slowdown) are still there, meaning that this version still lags behind its console and PC counterparts. That gap is much smaller now, however, and this is a great metroidvania, directed by the man who helped create the genre. And even though the visuals don’t quite match those of its big-console cousins, this is still one of the best-looking games on the Switch.

Here’s my full review.

3. Cuphead

Developed and Published by: Studio MDHR

One of the greatest indies ever finally came to the Switch in 2019, and nothing was lost in the translation. This game is a 1930s cartoon come to life, and the gorgeous, 100% hand-drawn art make it one of the most visually stunning games ever made.

There’s more to Cuphead than just looks, however. This is a boss rush game where you fight a cohort of incredibly creative (and maddeningly tough) bosses, in a desperate attempt to avoid getting dragged to hell by the Devil.

Gorgeous graphics, amazing music, and tough-as-nails (but ultimately rewarding) gameplay make Cuphead one of the most memorable gaming experiences you can have.

Here’s my full review!

2. Katana ZERO

Developer: Askii Soft Publisher: Devolver Digital

This cyberpunk masterpiece puts you in the shoes of a samurai-esque contract killer who is addicted to a drug that enables him to slow down time and see the future. You’ll use this power to cut through dozens of baddies, deflect bullets back at their shooters, and even take out a helicopter. In between missions, you’ll visit your psychiatrist and drink tea in your shabby apartment. This is one of the best all-around games I’ve ever seen; the pixel art is beautiful, the music is awesome, the story is engrossing, and the combat is fast, fluid, and fun. The only reason I put it at #2 is because I like Exception’s gameplay just a tad bit more. Still, at some point in your life, you must experience Katana ZERO.

Here’s my full review.

1. Exception

Developed and Published by: Traxmaster Software

This little-known game by a little-known developer came out of nowhere to take the top spot as my favorite indie of 2019. It’s basically Tron on steroids as you take control of an antivirus program (who looks like a little robot ninja, complete with giant katana) and fight your way through dozens of levels as you try to rid a computer of a powerful virus named Titan.

Exception is fast. In fact, it may be the fastest action platformer ever made. You’ll run at warp speed through each level, trying to shave tenths off your finish time and climb higher on the online leaderboard. Chasing fast times quickly becomes addicting, and your sense of time becomes so warped that a seven-second finish time feels about right and a finish time of twenty seconds feels like an eternity.

Exception is an under-the-radar game that deserves every accolade it gets and then some. If you only try one game from this article, make it this one.

Here’s my full review.

How many of Musume’s top 5 Switch indies of 2019 have you played? What did you think of his top 5 Switch indies of 2019? Is there any you’d have added to the list? Let us know over on Twitter or come and join the SIF Discord server!

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