Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf you want another game with Owlboy’s blend of an authored story, retro visuals and 2D platform-adventure, start with Celeste for story woven into movement, The Messenger for pixel-art action and route-finding, or Iconoclasts and Cave Story+ for character-rich exploration. None is a direct copy: Owlboy stands apart for its cloud-world setting and flight-based traversal.
What makes a game feel like Owlboy?
Owlboy is a story-driven platform adventure set in a world among the clouds. Its distinctive mix of flight, platforming, exploration and carrying friends gives it a different rhythm from a conventional run-and-jump game. The game was released on Steam on November 1, 2016, according to its Steam listing. D-Pad Studio describes it as an open-world exploration game combining flight and platforming on its official site.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Owlboy Standard Edition - Nintendo Switch (Renewed) | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Owlboy - Nintendo Switch Limited Edition | $135.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Owlboy (Nintendo Switch) | $32.58 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.82 | Buy on Amazon |
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The recommendations below match selected ingredients rather than reproducing that combination. Before choosing, consider whether you care most about narrative, demanding movement, connected exploration or pixel-art presentation.
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Celeste: for story alongside precise platforming
Celeste pairs a personal narrative with 2D platforming, making it a strong choice if you want the story and movement to matter together. The key difference is its emphasis on precision: expect demanding platforming challenges, not Owlboy-style flight and carrying companions. Its official site lists Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, itch.io, Steam and Epic Games Store.
#1 Best Overall
- A love letter to pixel art for a new audience, Owlboy is a story-driven action adventure, with a unique mix of flight and platforming.
- Carry anything. Recruit Otus' friends as gunners to fight for you, each with unique abilities and stories.
- Large dungeons with big and challenging boss battles.
- An adventure 9 years in the making.
The Messenger: for pixel-art action and exploration
Nintendo describes The Messenger as a pixel-art platformer in which exploration opens new areas. It suits players whose favorite parts of Owlboy were its retro presentation, action-platforming and the feeling of finding routes through a world. That description supports a visual and exploration comparison, not a claim that the two share Owlboy’s story focus or flight mechanics. See Nintendo’s game listing.
Iconoclasts: for a colorful, character-led adventure
Consider Iconoclasts if you want a broader platform-adventure built around a cast of characters and exploration. Editorial coverage describes it as a metroidvania with talkative characters and many bosses. It is an adjacent recommendation, not a close match for Owlboy’s flight-based movement; the useful overlap is its adventurous tone and character focus.
Rank #2
- A love letter to pixel art for a new audience, Owlboy is a story-driven action adventure, with a unique mix of flight and platforming
- Carry anything. Recruit Otus's friends as gunners to fight for you, each with unique abilities and stories
- Large dungeons with big and challenging boss battles
- An adventure 9 years in the making
Cave Story+: for retro-styled narrative exploration
Cave Story+ is another option if you want a 2D adventure with a story, a defined setting and a journey through multiple areas. Editorial coverage describes its protagonist and multi-area structure. Think of it as a match for retro-styled exploration and adventure, not for Owlboy’s specific traversal.
Compare the games by the features that matter
| Game | Best fit | What differs from Owlboy |
|---|---|---|
| Celeste | Story combined with platforming | More focused on precision challenges; no Owlboy-style flight adventure. |
| The Messenger | Pixel-art action-platforming and exploration | The cited Nintendo description supports exploration and pixel-art platforming, not a story or flight comparison. |
| Iconoclasts | Characters, bosses and connected adventure | A metroidvania-style adjacent fit; Owlboy-like flight is not established. |
| Cave Story+ | Retro-styled story and multi-area exploration | Shares broad 2D adventure territory, not Owlboy’s particular mechanics. |
How to choose your next platform-adventure
- Story emphasis: Decide whether you want narrative to be a central reason to play or mainly a frame for action and exploration. Celeste is the clearest choice here for story paired with movement.
- Platforming challenge: If you want repeated precision challenges, lean toward Celeste. If you mainly want action-platforming as part of exploration, The Messenger is the closer fit.
- Exploration structure: Think about whether you prefer opening connected areas or moving through more discrete challenges. The Messenger is described by Nintendo as opening new areas through exploration; Iconoclasts is described in editorial coverage as a metroidvania.
- Visual style: If pixel art is essential, prioritize The Messenger and the retro-styled Cave Story+. If a different illustrated style is acceptable, widen the search beyond pixel art.
When to widen the list
Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight are worth considering if exploration or atmospheric action matters more than matching Owlboy’s story-driven pixel-art platform-adventure feel. Editorial coverage characterizes Axiom Verge as exploration-heavy with less story emphasis, while Hollow Knight is hand-drawn rather than pixel art and is a larger metroidvania. Neither is as focused a match for this particular combination of qualities.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Rank #4
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
Rank #3
- Fate strikes when otus' Beautiful homeland is invaded by a Horde of malicious sky pirates
- Otus embarks on a fascinating journey through seemingly endless skies and mysterious, Monster infested ruins
- He must Recruit his friends to employ their special puzzling- and combat skills, fight his foes and fly his way to safety
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