Another month means another set of games that I’m gonna recommend you give a try. Whether that’s on a handheld through GameNative, the Play Store, or more, or if you’re popping it in on your PC for some mouse and keyboard action. If you’re looking for a few more games to sit down and play with, this is your monthly dose of games to grow your backlog.
Untitled Goose Game
Here’s one that I think of as a classic for the original Nintendo Switch, but is now present and properly so on any other platform. Untitled Goose Game is an artfully designed puzzle game where you get to live out your dreams of being a proper nuisance.
Run around a small village essentially terrorizing the local population as you try to solve puzzles in an attempt to get to the next space in your world. From stealing hats to knocking small children over, this game has it all. And by all of it, I just mean a lot of honking if you know which button to press.
While available on the Nintendo Switch line of consoles, my big recommendation for handheld play is, of course, through the classic GameNative; it’s easy to pick up, play, and get to honking. Unfortunately, there’s no mobile port, but this is all I need personally.
The Artisan of Glimmith
Here’s a game that, while it does support controller input so you could play it across your handhelds, it’s not quite one I’d recommend for that. The Artisan of Glimmith is a 2026 release puzzle game where you’re essentially exploring a kingdom in the clouds and revitalizing it through the repair of numerous stained glass puzzles.
Meet the requirements for each page, change what colors you want in the panes, and start drawing your lines into place. It’s genuinely a really good-looking game and one that I would recommend giving a try if you’re a fan of puzzle games.
And while I wouldn’t recommend a controller, you can definitely get this running through GameNative, but unfortunately you likely won’t find this game anywhere else through app stores.
Wandersong
Taking the joy and whimsy a bit further for the next entry on this list, but if you haven’t taken a look at Wandersong before, I think now’s the time to give it a try. Released back in late 2018, this 8-year-old game is a lovely little combination of platform, puzzle, and music.
Rather than play as the sword-slaying hero, you’re playing as the silly, musical bard. Practically using your music to save yourself, save others, and save the world. This is absolutely not a game for everyone, but the bright colors, the great soundtrack, and ease of access just make this a game you should at least give a go.
While I originally beat this game on the Nintendo Switch, you can easily pick this one back up on any of your handhelds thanks to GameNative and its counterparts. It’s a low-requirement game, and if you’ve got some headphones to take on the go, this is one you should give a try.
Ballionaire
This one is definitely going to be a bit divisive, as you’re either going to love it or hate it. But Ballionaire is the next game on this list. Another gambling-esque Roguelike, you’re playing pachinko on a colorful, out-of-this-world map that’s aiming to just be entirely chaotic.
Let your balls drop, collect points, powerups, and money, all with the goal of being an absolute billionaire. I wouldn’t recommend this if you hate relying on pure chance, but if you’re down to give anything a try, this one definitely stands out as being over the top.
Once again, low power requirements, easy access through GameNative. You’re not going to find any ports for this one to any other platform outside of Steam, but this is one of the strangest games you could grab, and for $12.34 it could be worth it.
Abathor
Here’s a game I talked about quite a while ago, but Abathor is a game I think is worth taking a look at if you haven’t yet. If you were a fan of Golden Axe and games similar in genre, Abathor is going to be right up your alley.
You’re playing a side-scrolling action platformer where you’re destroying enemies, defeating bosses, and doing your best to survive all the way through Atlantis. When I originally took a look at this game, I recalled there being a good bit of challenge to this one, and it holds true to this day.
Luckily, this one doesn’t require a whole lot of power to play. I was even picking through this one on my Win600 back when I had that thing. But if you’re looking to play this on the go, GameNative is absolutely going to be my recommendation. I really do need to get back into finishing this one.
Owlboy
Next up is honestly one of my favorite 2D platformers, and I just aged a lot realizing it’s now 10 years old. Owlboy is a story-based platformer where you’re playing as well; an Owlboy named Otus. The goal is to just explore the world, beat your enemies, and eventually beat the Sky Pirates that have come out of nowhere.
This one holds a special place in my ever-shrinking heart, as it was the first game I had picked up for the Nintendo Switch about 9 years ago. It’s a beautiful world; it’s got a lovely soundtrack, the gameplay is excellent, and it seems like everyone agreed that at the time it was worth a play. And if you ask me now, it still is.
The nice little bonus to this game is that outside of x86 emulation, there is an official PortMaster port for this game as well. I could be wrong, but it is one of the older releases for the platform, back when the RG503 was the big 16:9 option for folks. If nothing else, definitely give this one a try.
Rift of the NecroDancer
Here’s another one that is an absolute joy for playing, but maybe not on a handheld. Rift of the Necrodancer is some sort of mix between an old school guitar rhythm game mixed with monster memorization, timing, and battling it out through an awesome soundtrack.
Whether you choose to go through the proper story and fight it out against all of the different enemies you’ll come across, or if you just want to play one song at a time at your own leisure, there are a lot of different options for how you can really play this one. Just be sure to properly calibrate yourself and the game to make sure you’re not going to play with a broken controller.
This is another one of those games where I probably would recommend a keyboard over your game controller, but if that’s your vibe to use the D-pad or face buttons for a rhythm game, there’s nothing stopping you from booting this one up elsewhere.
Victory Heat Rally
I can’t really get away with a game recommendation article without dumping a car-related game somewhere in here. That’s where Victory Heat Rally comes in. A retro-inspired arcade racing game with a radical soundtrack, some awesome tracks, and a lot of speed and drifting to get you through just about every last track.
Play to be the best, and race to be the fastest in earning the VHRC championship. This is one I’ve put on and off since it came out, but it is absolutely worth a go around if you enjoy speed.
If you’re looking into how to play it, the two ways off your PC are gonna be through x86 emulation as well as through PortMaster, as this one luckily got a transition over to there as well. This is an absolutely sick game that is worth at least one go around before making your mind up on it.
Final Words
As always, thanks to my inability to stop my wallet from draining itself into Fanatical and Humble Bundles, and for the infinite expanse of my Steam family library, I’ve always got a bunch of games both new and old to recommend. And if you’re looking for something new to play, I’m sure I’ve got something for you. Whether it’s old, new, or something right up your wheelhouse, there’s always going to be another game worth picking up. Which means there’s always going to be another game to help grow your backlog.
| Game | Google Play | Apple App Store | GameNative emulator | Winlator emulator | PortMaster port | GameHub emulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abathor (2024) | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
| Ballionaire (2024) | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
| Rift of the NecroDancer (2025) | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
| The Artisan of Glimmith (2026) | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
| Untitled Goose Game (2020) | ⊘ | ⊘ | ✓ | · | ⊘ | · |
| Victory Heat Rally (2024) | · | · | ✓ | · | ✓ | · |
| Wandersong (2018) | · | · | ✓ | · | · | · |
Data from handhelds.wtf
