As I was sitting here thinking about the year drawing to a close, I started waxing nostalgic, looking back on the dozens of PC games I've had the pleasure to play this year.
The sad truth is that many games don't run all that well on certain handheld gaming PCs, but you don't always know that until you've already bought the game.
Every title listed below plays well on Xbox Ally X, ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme), Legion Go S (Z1 Extreme), Legion Go, and Legion Go 2, but some might have issues on Steam Deck and Xbox Ally. To help, I've indicated whether each game is Steam Deck verified or not.
Little Kitty, Big City
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I technically first played this game last year, but my niece discovered that I owned it a few months ago, and every time she's come over since, she's wanted to play it on my Xbox Ally X.
I'm not surprised she was drawn to it, since it allows you to wander the streets while playing as a cat and doing cute and mischievous cat things.
The last time my niece was here, we literally spent hours tripping people and stealing their phones, sandwiches, and other items. It's a super fun, laid-back adventure, and it plays beautifully on handhelds. It's Steam Deck verified, too.
Amber Isle
I'm a sucker for cozy games with cute animals, and so of course Amber Isle caught my attention. The game started by letting me design my own perfect little dinosaur character before introducing me to other dinos and teaching me how to craft items.
It's a cute little shopkeeping life sim that easily runs on most handheld gaming PCs. It's marked as Playable for Steam Deck, and I found that it ran well on my Deck, but some of the text was just a bit small.
Kingdom of Night
I'm actually still playing this game right now, but I've put six hours into it already and have been enjoying the ride so far.
Like many of you, I have been eager to see the Stranger Things finale on Netflix, and that's what initially drew me to Kingdom of Night. It's clear to see that it's inspired by Eleven and the gang.
The dark pixel-art aesthetic perfectly emphasizes its 80s focus, where teens in a small town fight off supernatural horrors after discovering that a girl has been taken.
I find the combat engaging, while the story keeps my focus. Now, some parts of the game feel a little cheesy, like the fact that it takes place in the fictional city of Miami, Arizona, but, honestly, that also adds to the charm. It's very well suited to handhelds and is even Steam Deck verified.
PowerWash Simulator
I'm veeeeeeery late to the party on this one, but I finally removed PowerWash Simulator from my backlog this year. Damn, it is so satisfying to spray water at something that is absolutely grimy until it sparkles in squeaky-clean perfection.
I discovered for myself that this is the perfect game to play while watching a show. Honestly, it was hard to put my handhelds down sometimes because of how much this game hooked me. And yes, it is Steam Deck verified.
The Plucky Squire
The Plucky Squire grabbed my attention from the first time I saw a trailer for it. It's an extremely playful game that has you take on the role of a popular children's book character who suddenly acquires the power to break out of his pages and explore the real world that his book exists in.
By interacting with the real world and game elements, I was able to solve a number of clever puzzles, all while uncovering a humorous tale. It plays beautifully on my Steam Deck and is Steam Deck verified, so it should run on most PC gaming handhelds.
My Little Puppy
Grab a box of tissues; this one's a tear-jerker. A friend of mine randomly came across this game and suggested it to me. Since I have a corgi, I basically had to play it.
You take on the role of a little dog who is awaiting their "Daddy" in heaven, but after watching several other dogs reunite with their parents, this dog's dad doesn't show up. So, the corgi goes looking for them.
It's a relatively short game filled with mini games and puzzles that I was able to beat within 6 hours. During my playthrough, I smiled, I felt confused, and yes, I cried, but I do recommend it overall.
WARNING: This game surprisingly has some pretty dark moments, so only play if you're up for that sort of thing. And yes, it is Steam Deck verified.
Blue Prince
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started playing Blue Prince on my Xbox Ally X, but I soon found myself obsessed with the roguelike puzzle game.
At the start, you're informed that you're set to inherit your eccentric uncle's vast fortune, but only if you can make it through his shifting maze of a mansion and access Room 46. It isn't nearly as straightforward as it sounds, since you only have a certain number of steps you can use before you're forced to end the day and start again the next, but that's what makes this fun.
This game offers the perfect mix of luck and strategy, since you aren't ever quite sure what rooms you're going to unlock or what items you're going to find. There are clues to various puzzles scattered throughout the massive home, but you'll need to pay attention if you want to put everything together. I recommend keeping a notebook handy, seriously.
It's marked as Playable for Steam Deck, since it runs well, but some text can be hard to read.
Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo
I first happened upon this adventure puzzle game while in Brazil for Gamescom Latam. As you can see, the art style is definitely inspired by the Paper Mario series, but it offers a playful story all its own.
I got to play as a snake who awakens in the afterlife and goes on to assist other souls they encounter. It's a charming little game with relatively simple graphics that are ideal for handhelds, and it's even Steam Deck verified.
Baldur's Gate 3
During the spring, my husband and I finally convinced one of our friends to play 2023's Game of the Year winner with us. We'd both beaten it separately, so this was our first time playing together — my friend and my husband on PC, me on my ROG Ally X.
I had a total blast revisiting this adventure, whether I was waiting to see how my friend responded to the game's biggest reveals or watching scenes unfold that I hadn't seen before after someone made a decision I wouldn't have made on my own. Sometimes it was absolutely chaos, but that just added to the fun.
In terms of handhelds, Baldur's Gate 3 is Steam Deck verified and runs beautifully on my various handheld devices. If you like turn-based fantasy RPGs, you should definitely play Baldur's Gate 3 on your handheld, and if your friends do too, you can squad up and play together.
Dave the Diver
When Dave the Diver finally came to Xbox this year, it reminded me that this game has been on my backlog for a while now, so I finally downloaded it and played it on my Xbox Ally X.
It didn't take long for me to get sucked into the gameplay loop, which has me exploring watery depths and hunting fish by day and managing a sushi restaurant by night.
It's an extremely satisfying game, and the surprises kept coming to keep me engaged for several weeks. It's also Steam Deck verified.
Minecraft
Minecraft is one of those games that a couple of friends and I dive back into every now and then. It's always a blast, whether we're building the biggest castle we can imagine (complete with a minecart roller coaster) or exploring the world looking for new animals, biomes, and other surprises.
I've played several hours on my Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2, and it runs beautifully. It is not Steam Deck verified (since it isn't on Steam), but it can run well on Valve's handheld if you take the time to install it in desktop mode and make some adjustments.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
![Immortals Fenyx Rising: Launch Trailer | Ubisoft [NA] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U4zb1yiFlQo/maxresdefault.jpg)
I'll admit, I was initially thrown off by this game's terrible name, but don't let that stop you from playing it, especially if you like playful open-world games. I'd previously beaten this game, but I ended up buying its DLC and replaying it this year on my ROG Ally X.
From the moment I first played Immortals Fenyx Rising, it became very clear that this RPG was inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While exploring a colorful world filled with Greek gods, I can ride horses, glide using Icarus' wings, fight monsters, dive into small shrine dungeons, and find ways to increase my stamina, health, and other skills.
The main goal is to save the gods who have been subdued by the mighty Typhon, a Titan who has taken control of the land. In addition to being a fun game to play on handhelds, I also learned more about Greek mythology, thanks to the sarcastic and humorous characters in this story.
This game is marked as Playable on Steam Deck, with Steam noting that players are sometimes required to tap the screen or manually bring up the keyboard to interact with certain menus.
Horizon Zero Dawn
The original Horizon Zero Dawn has been one of my favorite games ever since it released back in 2017. When the game was remastered, I bought a copy of the game and played it again, hopping between my ROG Ally X and Steam Deck.
Story-wise, the premise is that a young woman named Aloy has grown up as an outcast from her local tribe since birth. She stumbles upon an ancient compound made by people who died over 1,000 years ago and finds some ancient tech that tells her about the world around her, including the weak points of huge machines that walk the earth.
She soon sets off on a journey to unravel a mystery and find out what happened to the ancients. Let me tell you, it never gets old stalking powerful machines, setting traps, taking them down with a bow and arrow, and harvesting parts so I can improve my gear.
Another fun thing for me is that the game takes place in the American West, allowing me to virtually explore iconic locations I've been to in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona. This remaster is Steam Deck verified.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
When Expedition 33 first released in April 2025, I played it on my ROG Ally X, and it ran okay, but it sometimes froze and shut down. A few months later, the game got an update that optimized it for handhelds.
I eventually started a new game on my next-gen Xbox Ally X, and the experience was soooo much better. I love being able to sit in my bed while perfectly parrying enemies and diving deeper into this masterpiece of a game.
In case you didn't know, Expedition 33 received a mountain of accolades and praise this year and eventually ended up snagging a very well-deserved Game of the Year win at The Game Awards.
Everything in this game is enjoyable to me, from the unique story and interactive turn-based combat to the somber music and haunting art style. If you haven't played it, I recommend checking it out. It is Steam Deck verified.
BONUS: Xbox Game Pass
As a bonus, I just want to put it out there that I played dozens of games this year on my various handhelds via Xbox Game Pass, including Blue Prince, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and much more.
So, if you'd like access to a huge game library, with many titles that are perfect for handhelds, I recommend subscribing.
Excellent games to play on handheld gaming PCs
Looking back, I've gotten a ton of use out of my handheld gaming PCs this year, playing dozens of titles that range from cute little indie games to more graphically intense adventures developed by huge studios.
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that some games run better than others on Xbox Ally X, Steam Deck, and Legion Go 2. While performance can often be increased by changing system settings or a game's specific graphics settings, some games just aren't ideal to play on handhelds.
Do you have a game you love to play on your handheld gaming PC? What do you think is the best handheld? I'd love to hear about it; tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
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