5 Best Steampunk Games on Nintendo Switch

Steampunk games aim to transport us back in time to a Victorian era of steam-powered machinery, airships, clocktowers, top hats, waistcoats, and walking canes. At least, these are the cliches that come to mind when we think of steampunk games. However, the steampunk genre can be envisioned in a variety of other ways. So, read on to see how the best steampunk games on Nintendo Switch comprised their worlds.

5. Circus Electrique

Our first entry on this list of the best steampunk games on Nintendo Switch is Circus Electrique. This story-driven RPG adventure is set in Victorian-era London, where everyone has turned into a merciless killer. Except for the entertainers from the circus, such as Strongmen, Fire Blowers, Clowns, and other performers who have the essential skills to save the city from corruption. Through tactical turn-based gameplay and circus management, you must save the city of London and ensure the show goes on.

Circus Electrique features 15 playable archetypes, each with deep tactical options to help comprise your battle-ready team of performers. Using your hand-crafted team, you must sweep the steampunk-inspired streets taking down over-the-top enemies such as bobbies, British sailors, and posh girls. Circus Electrique's unique art style will undoubtedly satisfy your steampunk appetite while engrossing you in a compelling story.

4. Sunless Skies

Sunless Skies is a top-down Lovecraftian and steampunk-inspired adventure game where you write your own story. As captain of a spacefaring locomotive, you must design your ship, select your crew, and embark on new and dangerous journeys through the stars. Smuggle goods, barter for resources, fight off pirates, and even stop for a cup of tea. All in all, there is tons of mystery and adventure up for grabs in Sunless Skies, and it's wrapped in a deep steampunk theme.

Being the captain of your locomotive, you define your own past. Were you a priest, poet, or revolutionary? Every time you advance in the game you choose another facet to your character's lore. Do you have a long-lost loved one? Are you running from a past life? It's all yours to write in this deep dark fallen London setting that's set amongst the sky and stars. Sunless Skies introduces you to an entirely new universe full of Victorian and Lovecraftian elements. It's without a doubt one of the best steampunk games on Nintendo Switch, and we highly recommend trying it out before writing it off.

3. Machinarium

Machinarium is an award-winning point-and-click puzzle game where you play as a robot named Josef who's been thrown into the ruthless scrap yard behind the city. Your mission is to traverse this steampunk wasteland in order to save your girlfriend Berta from the Black Cap Brotherhood gang. With a 2D hand-drawn world and characters, Machinarium transports you to a steampunk setting unlike any other we've seen before. Its ambiance in the genre is so unique that we couldn't resist including it in our list of the best Steampunk games on Nintendo Switch.

On the other hand, Machinarium is one of the more slower-paced steampunk games on this list, consisting of logic puzzles, brainteasers, adventure-style quests, and a host of mini-games. So don't expect over-the-top combat from this entry. However, what you can count on is to be completely immersed in a world ruled by automation, robots, and machinery.

2. Vaporum

If you're looking for a first-person adventure from this list of the best steampunk games on Nintendo Switch, check out Vaporum, a single-player steampunk-style dungeon crawler. You begin your story after being shipwrecked and washed up on a massive metallic structure in the middle of the ocean. Now it's up to you, the hero, to figure out what this location is, what's going on, and, most importantly, who you are. However, the only way to get the answers you seek is to delve further into these mysteries.

Rather than leveling your character's skills and traits, Vaporum features a “you are what you wear” concept for the in-game character progression. Essentially, your character is equipped with an exo-rig that can be outfitted with a variety of weapons and gadgets that can be mixed and matched to accommodate the different types of enemies you face. Providing a thought-provoking and refreshing approach to combat that is a unique experience every time.

1. SteamWorld Dig 2

Last on this list of the best steampunk games on Nintendo Switch, we have SteamWorld Dig 2. With a distinct Metroidvania style and steampunk flair, SteamWorld Dig 2 is set in the underworld, where you must explore the depths that are filled with treasure, mystery, and dangers. Meet friendly and dangerous foes, uncover and explore vast underground communities. All while attempting to advance your own ventures and improve your character.

With other features such as a hook shot to swing across large chasms and a jetpack to fly up caves, SteamWorld Dig 2 has a lot of exciting facets to its gameplay. What's more, there is a bigger question at hand than just the underworld. You're also trying to reunite with your long-lost friend. Unsure of what happened to him, you must brave these depths in an attempt to reunite with each other. All in all, SteamWorld Dig 2 offers up a unique steampunk underworld that consists of a lot of mining, crafting, and exploration. So, if that is your thing, we highly recommend giving it a try!

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there other steampunk games on Nintendo Switch that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!