The best games you can play anywhere and never put down

There was a time when portable gaming meant squinting at a backlit Game Boy screen in the back of your car. Today, we have a comparable wealth to enjoy, thanks to systems like the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. While these systems aren't technically handheld, they're absolutely portable, and that means fantastic games from vast libraries, all on the go.

This is a positive or a negative, depending on where you go and how easily you can immerse yourself in what you're playing. Some titles are perfect for a quick sit-down between train stops, while others will keep you on your toes the whole way through. Here are some of the most impressive pocket games.

Hades 2

Once more to the crossroads

During the long Early Access process, fans were introduced to the plight of Melinoe, her battle to save her family from the devious Chronos, and the many different resources she will need to gather along the way. The meta-progression is much more involved than in the original game, meaning that chasing them down will require many runs both up to the surface and down into the depths.

Now available on Nintendo Switch family systems and verified on Steam Deck, Hades 2 is always close at hand. Its save-anywhere feature and sheer replayability mean this exemplary roguelike is great for any length of road trip or relaxing at home. It even improves upon the original game, which is truly impressive.

Kirby Air Riders

Perhaps the best Nintendo Switch 2 racer

When the system starts with a new entry in Mario Kart series, has a super solid and monster selling kart racer right out of the gate. However, this does not mean that Mario Kart World he will necessarily always be the best competitor in the system. In fact, from launch in November 2025 Kirby Air Riderssome fans would say he already has some very strong competition in that regard.

Whichever title you choose, you won't always have a stable connection for online racing on the go. However, with Kirby's new racer, you'll likely have a single-player experience that's just as robust. City Trial resembles Free Roam in mario kart world, while Road Trip has its own sprawling campaign with lots of varied objectives, which is quite a rarity for a racer. Those who like to remember likes Crash Team Racing and Diddy Kong RacingThe respective story modes will have a lot of fun with it. While the latest Mario Kart is also excellent, the hiatus structure and somewhat barren Free Roam map were controversial. Why not take Kirby with you on your next real-life trip?

The surviving vampires

Many hours of Undead-Mashing later

One big thing that the games on this list have in common is that they're good for short sessions, but they usually keep you hooked for much longer. For example, a spare half hour or so for running is enough The surviving vampiresbut before you know it, it's early morning. After all, can you resist a new run and try out this brand new unlocked character? Of course you can't; they start with a new weapon that you haven't tried yet and you're intrigued.

Key to The surviving vampiresThe success is that it's so simple to understand that anyone can start playing immediately (perhaps with these helpful tips for beginners). But at the same time, there are hundreds of hours of content to unlock and complexities to grasp. It's fantastic to play on the go as there's no lengthy story to grasp or distractions from scenes, just all the action all the time. The progression system also means you never waste time, even on a failed run, as the money collected goes towards upgrading your characters' base speed and other attributes.

Stardew Valley

Your perfect farm, one lesson at a time

There is something magical that an army of devotees return to Stardew Valleyand it's not hard to appreciate how such a charming little world can sometimes be the perfect place to escape. Like Animal Crossing: New Horizonsit's a game where you can quickly log in to sell crops and check in with neighbors, or sink hours into customizing, organizing, participating in events, and so on.

It's an excellent game to carry around because it's so adaptable. After all, the job of running Grandpa's farm consists of lots of small jobs and mini-games; a matter of regular maintenance. For example, if your train or flight is delayed, you suddenly have a reason to tick off a lot of that to-do list at once. The hardest thing will be to postpone the game again.

Ball X Pit

Ballbylon calls again

Like Hades 2this roguelike is also available on Steam Deck and Switch (among other devices) and wherever you play it will grab you like almost nothing else if it clicks with you. Kind of Space Invaders and Breakout Blend in, enemies advance towards you from the top of the screen, and you only have your constant ricocheting projectiles to fire them all with.

To the untrained eye, it all just looks like a colorful bloodbath as projectiles, flames, and poison effects and damage numbers explode all over the screen, but there's so much strategy to Ball X Pit. As is common in the genre, this is a game of frequent defeat, constant learning, and constant, very satisfying improvement. More like Balatroit's dangerous to have it in your pocket and it might end up calling you all day. How else will you be able to see all possible ball evolutions?

Satisfactory

“Satisfactory” on Steam Deck, you might say

at the time of writing Satisfactory it's not available for the Nintendo Switch family, and unfortunately it may never be. Steam Deck still makes it possible to play anywhere, but it's important to note that it's not currently verified on the system. The 'Playable' rating means that some compromises and settings may need to be made to enjoy it in handheld form. But it's definitely worth the effort because it's something very special.

Alone or in a group, the game combines aspects Factorio, No Man's Sky, and Wild planet series into a kind of construction sandbox. You can be very serious about efficiency and production, or you can just make a funny mess of things with ridiculous gadgets. Needless to say, many multiplayer sessions will use the latter option. It's not that easy to pick up and play for a short period of time because it's a very challenging game when it comes to optimizing the various elements of your factories. However, you can play as long as you want while setting your own goals and objectives.

Monster Hunter Rise

You'll be playing Sunbreak until dawn

The latest installment of the famous series, Monster Hunter Wildsit hasn't had a smooth ride since its successful launch. However, claiming entire weekends after one hunt is very much in the spirit of the franchise. The main line Monster Hunter has been a big deal since the days of the PSP and the previous entry in the series, 2021 Monster Hunter Riseis still the choice of the latest versions for many.

With a long campaign and DLC expansion of equal scope, there is a huge amount of content to enjoy here. Rise revolutionized movement in the series with rideable Wirebug and Canynes maneuvers, and it's still just as satisfying to power up and unleash brand new Silkbind attacks. The strategic and traversal options feel great here, and tangling with a variety of new and returning monsters means there's always a new bounty to seek. Even if you're stuck on Switch without an internet connection, playing by yourself can still be great. Once the solo story is over, you can practice with new weapons, even bring them into the arena to really test yourself.