Just Got a Steam Deck? Start With These Games

Grab a seat. So the Deck arrived, you booted it up, and now you are staring at a storefront of twenty thousand games with no idea where to begin. It is a wonderful problem, but a real one, and the wrong first purchases can leave a new owner underwhelmed by a machine that should feel magical. Let me save you the paralysis. These are the games to start with, the must-haves that show off exactly what the Deck does best and prove why everyone loves this thing.

A word on what makes a great first Deck game, because it is not the same as a great PC game. The ideal starter is something that runs flawlessly with no tinkering, suits the handheld's pick-up-and-play rhythm, looks sharp on the screen, and delivers that "oh, this is what the hype is about" feeling fast. It also helps if it is cheap, since you are just getting started and want to spread your money across a few experiences rather than blowing it on one. The games below all clear that bar, and most cost very little. For the broader picture, our best indie games for Steam Deck guide goes wider.

Vampire Survivors, the five-dollar revelation

Vampire Survivors is the perfect first Deck purchase: it costs about five dollars, runs flawlessly, sips battery, and delivers the handheld magic instantly. You move with one stick while your weapons fire automatically, and within minutes you understand why people lose hundreds of hours to this machine. It is the cheapest possible way to fall in love with your Deck, and it is Steam Deck Verified so there is zero setup.

It belongs at the top for new owners because it delivers maximum joy for minimum cost and effort. Nothing else proves the Deck's value so quickly or so cheaply. We cover its cousins in our guide to the best mobile games like Vampire Survivors. For a new owner, it is the first thing to install, full stop.

Balatro, the addiction everyone warns you about

Balatro is the game every Deck owner ends up recommending, because it is one of the most addictive games on the platform and it shows off the handheld's pick-up-and-play strength perfectly. The poker-roguelite scoring loop grabs you within an hour and does not let go, it draws minimal battery, and it is endlessly replayable. New owners are repeatedly told it is a must-have, and the warnings about destroyed sleep schedules are not jokes.

It earns its place as the essential early purchase. For a new owner, Balatro is the game that turns "I just got a Deck" into "I cannot put this Deck down." It plays beautifully in handheld mode and proves the device's value as a quick-session machine. It is one of the safest recommendations on the entire platform.

Stardew Valley, better on the Deck than anywhere

Stardew Valley is genuinely better on the Steam Deck than on any other platform, which makes it a perfect early purchase. The simple inputs map cleanly to the controls, the pixel art looks crisp at the Deck's resolution, and it draws so little power you get marathon sessions. There is no failure state to stress about, just a quiet, bottomless life to build, which makes it the ideal relaxing counterpart to the more intense picks.

It belongs here as the cozy cornerstone. For a new owner who wants something soothing and endless to sink into, Stardew Valley delivers hundreds of hours and shows off how comfortable the Deck is for relaxed couch or bed play. It is a permanent-install kind of game and a must-have for any library.

Hades, the prestige showcase

Hades is the game to buy when you want to show someone what the Deck can really do. It is Steam Deck Verified, runs beautifully, looks gorgeous on the OLED screen, and is one of the highest-rated games on the platform. The combat translates flawlessly to the controls, the run lengths suit handheld sessions, and the optional God Mode means even a newcomer can enjoy the whole experience. The sequel runs just as well.

It earns its place as the prestige showcase. For a new owner who wants a game that feels like a full premium experience in their hands, Hades is the proof that the Deck is a serious gaming machine rather than a toy for small games. We cover its build depth in our guide to the best builds in Hades. It is essential.

Dead Cells, the action benchmark

Dead Cells is a Steam Deck natural and a great early purchase, with tight, fast combat that feels superb on the controls and a run-based structure that suits handheld play. It runs smoothly, looks sharp, and frequently goes on deep discount, making it excellent value for a new owner stocking a library. It is the game that shows off how good fast 2D action feels on the device.

It belongs here as the action benchmark. For a new owner who wants kinetic, precise combat, Dead Cells delivers console-grade action on the go, and its frequent sales make it a smart early buy. We mapped its depth in our Dead Cells weapon tier list. It is a staple of any serious Deck library.

Slay the Spire, the deep cheap classic

Slay the Spire is one of the best-value early purchases a new owner can make: a deep, endlessly replayable deckbuilder that runs on minimal battery, plays at your own turn-based pace, and costs little. It is a Steam Deck classic for good reason, its unhurried design suiting the handheld better than almost any genre. Its sequel continues the formula for when you want more.

It earns its place as the deep cheap classic. For a new owner who wants strategy and bottomless replayability without spending much, Slay the Spire delivers hundreds of hours at a friendly price. We cover the genre in our best deckbuilders for Steam Deck guide. It is a must-have for the thoughtful player.

How to think about your first purchases

Here is the strategy that serves new owners best: start cheap and broad rather than expensive and narrow. Resist the urge to immediately buy a single sixty-dollar blockbuster, and instead pick up several of the affordable must-haves above, which together cost less than one AAA game and deliver far more total enjoyment per dollar. This spreads your experience across genres, helps you learn what you actually love on the handheld, and fills your library with games proven to feel great on the device.

The deeper principle is that the Deck shines brightest with games built for its strengths: pick-up-and-play structure, modest system demands, and controller-friendly design. The cheap indie darlings and run-based games above embody those strengths far better than a graphically punishing blockbuster that drains your battery and demands a desk. Once you have the essentials installed and you understand how you like to use your Deck, you can branch into bigger games with confidence. But start here, start cheap, and let the machine prove itself with the games it was practically made for.

One more worth wishlisting

As you stock your new library, Granny's Rampage is worth a wishlist. It is a budget-priced survivors-like built on the lightweight, run-based design that suits the Deck so well, and it launches on Steam June 22, 2026 (already on Android, zero microtransactions). A gun-toting grandmother against demonic suburbia, its auto-firing core makes it exactly the kind of accessible, pick-up-and-play game a new Deck owner will want.

A new Steam Deck is one of the most exciting things in gaming, but only if you fill it with the right games from the start. Begin with the cheap, flawless, must-have picks above, the ones that prove the machine's magic fast and spread your money across genres, and you will understand within a day why this handheld inspires such devotion. Start cheap, start broad, and let the Deck do what it does best. For your first travels with it, our guide to the best Steam Deck games for travel is the natural next read.