Check out our curated list of the best 2D games that you should be playing right now. These games not only have beautiful 2D graphics but they also are incredibly fun and unique to play. This list contains the best options that give you engaging storylines, challenging gameplay, and infinite hours of entertainment.
Table of Contents
Terraria
You should check out Terraria if you are looking for the best 2D games to play. This is a classic game that has inspired many others like it and is beloved by gamers of all ages. Terraria is one of the greatest because it is incredibly immersive. You will be put into a procedurally generated world that you have to survive and thrive within. Gather resources, craft your base, and build. By nightfall, you will need to fight the challenging creatures that come out to attack you, such as zombies, slimes, the eye of Cthulhu, and many more!
There is always something new to discover in Terraria. You can explore underground caves, find unique resources and materials for crafting, or fight bosses. This game will reward your curiosity and exploration, which keeps gamers coming back for more year after year. This is a classic 2D game that satisfies new and experienced gamers alike. Terraria is a charming and challenging game with endless possibilities for gameplay in your own unique world. This game is available to be played on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch, and Wii U. You can play this by yourself or with friends for a rewarding and chill experience.
Starbound
Starbound is one of the best 2D games that you can find. This game is visually similar to Terraria but expands on it massively, allowing you to travel to and explore new planets within your infinite and procedurally generated galaxy. Each planet you find will be unique regarding its resources, enemies, and rewards. You will play as a character who has left their home planet after it was destroyed, with only your spaceship and basic tools. You set out to explore this new universe, gather resources, and build your character’s capabilities.
Starbound is an amazing game that is known for its size and vastness. Choose to play the game’s storyline and complete quests or roam freely throughout the universe! This game is available to be played on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can play this Starbound by yourself or with your friends. It is a game that you will not want to stop playing.
Stardew Valley
If you are looking for games that will help you relax and unwind, then Stardew Valley is an amazing choice. This game is so beautifully crafted and mellow. In this game, you begin by inheriting a rundown farm in Stardew Valley from your grandfather and it’s up to you to rebuild it again. Along the way, you can forge friendships with the locals, explore caves, grow crops or raise animals, do quests, make money, or even get married! Stardew Valley. What really sets this game apart from others is that this game offers a more laid-back and tranquil experience for the player, while giving you an interesting storyline and endless possibilities to explore.
Stardew Valley is a beautiful and addictive 2D game that everyone should give a try. This game is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. You can play this game by yourself or with your friends. The game can be played with up to four people.
Check out Stardew Valley on Steam!
Among Us
Among Us was one of the most popular and best 2D games of 2020. This game combines adventure and mystery, which makes this game thrilling and a must-try! In Among Us, you find yourself on a spaceship with other players, either as a crew member or an imposter. The crew members must complete tasks that they are assigned while working to identify the imposters before they sabotage and kill off crew members. The crew must complete all tasks before the imposters are successful at their goal. The imposters, who look identical to crew members, are on a mission to take out the crew members. They win if they kill off everyone or sabotage the critical systems. This game is an amazing game to play with friends and is different from all others on this list.
Among Us is available to be played on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch. This game is a multiplayer game that must be played with others in a session, varying from four to fifteen people. Cross-platform play has been released and is available for players to play with their friends on any device.
Rimworld
If you are looking for one of the best 2D games that comes highly recommended by other gamers, Rimworld is what you should give a try. Rimworld is a colony management 2D video game where you are supposed to manage a group of survivors that have crash-landed on a new planet. You must fight against what the environment puts against you or randomly generated events that can harm you, which get increasingly more difficult. This game is so unique because the events of the story are procedurally generated by an AI. The events that occur can be good, neutral, or bad. To survive in Rimworld, you must balance your resources, including needs, illnesses, moods, and injuries, while also handling the challenges thrown at you.
RimWorld Is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation, and Xbox. This game is single-player. This game offers a very in-depth solo gameplay experience.
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is critically acclaimed and one of the more challenging games that games on this list. In this game, you will play as a knight who is set to explore an underground fallen kingdom called Hallownest. You will fight enemies and explore different areas while discovering upgrades and abilities. Hollow Knight is challenging but extremely unique and entertaining. The art style of this game is beautiful and hand-drawn, which received praise from critics and everyday gamers alike.
This game is available to be played on Windows, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. This is a single-player game. Hollow Knight is an amazing 2D game to give a try if you are looking for an immersive story and stunning visuals.
Check out Hollow Knight on Steam!
Factorio
Factorio is a uniquely crafted game that is commonly recommended as one of the best 2D games for people to play if they are a fan of the genre. In this game, you will play as an engineer who has crashed on an alien planet. You will need to find resources, survive, craft, and build a spaceship in order to get off the planet. Getting off the planet is essential to the storyline and getting yourself home. You will need to set up an efficient and successful factory that is able to harvest loads of resources to meet your goals. You will need to fight alien enemies, who will become increasingly more difficult, that come to attack you for mining and building on their home planet.
Factorio is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Linus, and Nintendo Switch. You can play this game solo or with friends. Factorio has a large modding community that offers a lot of different additional content for the game.
Cuphead
Cuphead is deserving of a spot on our top ten list of best 2D games. In this game, you play as Cuphead, who has made a deal with the devil and is sent on a mission to repossess souls. You must fight through levels of increasing difficulty where you will defeat bosses and get more abilities. You will get stronger until you must fight the Devil himself. This game is inspired by old cartoons of the 1930s and features unique run-and-gun action gameplay.
Cuphead is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Xbone, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. This game can be played solo or with two players, one as Cuphead and the other as his brother Mugman.
Blasphemous
Blasphemous is our second to last on the list but is sure to satisfy your craving for one of the best 2D games out there. In this game, you will take the role of the Penitent One. The game takes place in a location called Cvstodia, which will be filled with enemies. This game takes a lot of strategy to learn how the enemies move and fight to successfully dodge and win fights. The boss fights are very well-designed and intensely fun. Many players of this game love the pixel art style that the game is made with, as well as the dark music throughout. There are multiple possible endings to this game to give players even more exciting options.
This game is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. This game is only able to be played single-player. Though only able to be played solo, this game offers so much gameplay and depth.
Check out Blasphemous on Steam!
Dead Cells
Dead Cells is the last on our list of best 2D games available right now. In this game, the player will play as a creature called the Prisoner who has awoken on the island with amnesia. You will need to fight your way out of the disease-ridden island. Each level is procedurally generated and teeming with enemies, traps, and bosses. You will need to fight the monsters on your way to kill the King. Be careful not to die though, as this game has permadeath mechanics, which will make you start over upon death. This game is very challenging but also extremely rewarding.
Dead Cells is available to be played on Windows, Mac, Linus, Xbox, PlayStation, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. This game is a single-player game that manages a ton of depth and content for the player throughout the game.