Please let me know what your top 5 games are!
PHILOSOPHY
I mostly play easily accessible indie games. The device's main strengths are its low level performance and portability. However, it has some unavoidable weaknesses such as a low-resolution screen, short battery life, and performance with most newer games. I've never been one to complain about 30FPS, but on some games you can tell that they weren't made to be played below 60FPS. Apart from the device's weaknesses, I'm tired of AAA games as they've become repetitive and formulaic. Nowadays, I prefer games with charm, personality, and gameplay that shines without relying on gimmicks, so I have turned more and more to the indie scene for my games. I also don't like supporting companies like EA, Ubisoft, Activision, etc.
I've selected the best games that I've played, that play to the device's strengths while minimizing its weaknesses. The battery lasts a long time, the device doesn't run hot, and you can adjust graphics settings for extended battery life if needed, but all games run at max settings just fine.
GAMES
Vampire Survivor: This game is a classic already. It can be picked up at any time you have 15-30 minutes. Really addictive and I've found myself saying "one more round" plenty of times. This is sadly the only game on this list not on GOG
Furi: In this game every fight is like a boss fight. There is a lot going on and it's one of the heavier games on this list, but performance will not be an issue. It is challenging, but I haven't really felt cheated when I died.
Enter the Gungeon: This is another game that has a lot going on, but does not suffer from performance issues. It runs smoothly and even though runs can get a little long somteimes, there is absolutely no punishment for leaving a run early and tbh, most of my runs end pretty fast lol
Katana Zero: - I have finished this game about 5 times already. It's a pretty short game, but the story is engaging and the gameplay is satisfying and addicting. I have been playing the speedrun mode for a while now.
Darkwood: I played this game in hour+ sessions. I wouldn't necessarily play this game as a pick up and play game since it is a lot more immersive. I think I've only played through 1-2 horror games before this one, but I might play more of them now. It's like when you play a competitive game after not playing it for months; you know what you're supposed to do, but your hands can't keep up.
BONUS
Rayman Origins: I know this game is by Ubisoft, but I bought it a while back and tbh I really enjoyed playing through it. I hadn't played a Rayman game since the PS1 days so this was a pleasant surprise. I thought I would play it for an hour or two until the nostalgia wore off, but I ended up finishing the game and enjoying it. Difficulty was just right for playing through it while listening to a podcast or while in a discord call. I didn't need to download a launcher and I feel like I'm supporting what I want more from the company. They have some great IPs and I would hate to see them die.
Extra Information
I have the 256GB model and I have not upgraded the SSD and I do not have plans to upgrade it anytime soon. All of my games fit on the device and I have found it a little fun to pick and choose which games I download on my device. Makes me think a little more before I download a game, instead of having everything available for me at once.
This list is just the games I play on the deck.