15 Games That JUST WORK on the Steam Deck

The Steam Deck has completely changed how I play games. I don’t always have hours to sink into giant open worlds, and that’s where the Deck shines. It’s perfect for quick sessions, bite-sized runs, and indie games that just work handheld. So today, I’m breaking down the 15 games you NEED on your Steam Deck. From roguelites that eat up your nights, to management sims that make fake jobs way more fun than real ones, to the punishing challenges that will test your patience; these are the handheld heavy hitters that feel right at home on the Deck. Enjoy. 🙏 👾 Want more handheld talk and behind-the-scenes stuff? Hop into our Pixel & Frame Discord and hang out:   / discord   ------------------------------------------------------------------ ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00: Intro 0:45: The 3 Groups 1:45: Bite-Sized Bangers 2:32: Balatro 3:13: Dead Cells 3:48: Hades 2 4:18: Hotline Miami 1 & 2 4:51: Vampire Survivors 5:27: Management Mayhem 5:43: Dave the Diver 6:19: Dredge 6:47: Cult of the Lamb 7:14: Papers, Please 7:49: Disco Elysium 8:24: Gauntlets of Grit 8:39: Celeste 9:22: Cuphead 9:52: Sifu 10:18: Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound 10:50: Hollow Knight: Silksong 11:19: Outro #steamdeck #steamdeckoled #steamdeckgames #handheldgaming #pcgaming ------------------------------------------------------------------ ➡️ More about my experience with the Steam Deck OLED here:    • Steam Deck OLED: I Almost Gave Up...Until ...   ➡️ My comparison between the Steam Deck OLED and the Switch 2:    • Steam Deck OLED vs Switch 2 — I Own Both, ...   ➡️ The accessories that changed how I use the Deck:    • These Steam Deck Accessories Changed EVERY...   ------------------------------------------------------------------ 🎬 About This Channel: Hey! I’m Chris — a filmmaker, photographer, and gamer. I post cinematic reviews, chats, and stories about the tech and games I actually live with. Subscribe for more videos: @thepoladr0id 📱 Let’s Connect • Instagram:   / poladr0id_   • Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/poladr0id • Twitter/X: https://x.com/poladr0id 📦 Accessories for the Deck that I use: Micro SD Card: https://amzn.to/3KhrPDO dbrand Killswitch: https://bit.ly/sdkillswitch Killswitch Mechanism Adapter: https://amzn.to/3KetH06 Mechanism Skådis Pegboard Mount: https://amzn.to/4nIBqSs Mechanism Magnetic Phone Mount: https://amzn.to/4gxeJhE Anker Dock: https://amzn.to/4gzyxkN dbrand Skins: https://bit.ly/steamdeckskins dbrand Thumbgrips: https://bit.ly/stickgrips 💡 Gear I Use To Make These Videos: • Camera: https://amzn.to/47bFrKe • Main Lens: https://amzn.to/4n0EdX2 • Talking Head Lens: https://amzn.to/4gzCwhf • Macro Lens: https://amzn.to/4nhhNRS • Tripod: https://amzn.to/46xNxuS • Camera Monitor: https://amzn.to/3VuKv5u • Monitor Batteries: https://amzn.to/3KddFnb • Main Light: https://amzn.to/4mupEu2 • Second Light: https://amzn.to/4n938bc • Portable LED Light: https://amzn.to/3IawyXp • LED Light Sticks: https://amzn.to/4pBMmmM • Backdrop: https://amzn.to/48vGEwz • White Table Top: https://amzn.to/4nfB06b • C Stand: https://amzn.to/3VuPJ0Y • Light Stand: https://amzn.to/4gwrUzq • Top Down Camera Mount: https://amzn.to/42Kitqq • Bowens Spotlight Projector: https://amzn.to/4gBYY9s • Gaming Monitor: https://amzn.to/3W2jmXD • Editing Monitor: https://amzn.to/427p6D4 • Vertical Monitor Desk Mount: https://amzn.to/424JnJx • Mechanical Keyboard: https://amzn.to/4mzX1eZ • Mouse: https://amzn.to/46sH9Vv • Elgato Stream Deck: https://amzn.to/4nI0x7U • Elgato Stream Deck Mini: https://amzn.to/48vIfCz These are affiliate links. If you grab something through them, it helps support the channel (and costs you nothing extra). 🕹️ What I do here: • Handheld gaming (Steam Deck, Switch 2, PlayStation Portal, and more) • Gaming and gaming tech with soul • Stories with style 🎵 Music licensed via Epidemic Sound