Undertale should not have worked. A retro-looking RPG built largely by one person, Toby Fox, where the whole point is that you do not have to kill anything—where you can talk, flirt, or spare your way past every monster. Released in 2015, it became a phenomenon anyway, thanks to razor-sharp writing, a soundtrack people still hum a decade later, combat that turned every fight into a tiny bullet-hell puzzle, and a story that quietly judged you for how you played it.
If you finished it—pacifist, genocide, or somewhere in between—and went looking for that feeling again, you already know it is hard to find. Undertale is one of a kind. But the indie RPG scene it helped inspire is full of games that capture pieces of its magic: the creative combat, the moral weight, the unforgettable characters, the willingness to break the rules. Here are 14 games like Undertale, sorted by what you loved most.
What Made Undertale Special
What Made Undertale Special
Before the recommendations, it helps to pin down why Undertale hit so hard. It was never just a quirky RPG with good music.
Combat You Could Refuse
Most RPGs give you one verb: fight. Undertale gave you a choice in every encounter. You could attack, or you could ACT—comfort a crying monster, pet a dog, flirt your way to a peaceful resolution. Even the fights themselves were inventive, turning your soul into a heart you dodged enemy attacks with, bullet-hell style. That tension between violence and mercy is the design idea everyone tries to borrow.
A Story That Watched You Back
Undertale remembers. Kill everyone and the game knows. Reset to undo your choices and characters notice. That meta-awareness made your decisions feel uncomfortably real—the game treated playing as a moral act, not a sandbox. Few games before or since have made a save file feel so loaded.
Characters You Could Not Forget
Sans, Papyrus, Toriel, Undyne, Mettaton—Undertale’s cast is funny, strange, and genuinely moving, written with a specificity that turned monsters into people you did not want to hurt. The humor disarms you; the heart lands when you least expect it. That character-first writing is the soul of the whole genre.
Why Undertale Still Matters
A decade on, Undertale remains the benchmark for inventive indie RPGs. When players search for “games like Undertale,” they are not just asking for turn-based combat—they want the specific blend of creative mechanics, moral weight, sharp humor, and characters worth sparing. The pixel art is just the surface.
What Makes a Game Like Undertale
What Makes a Game “Like Undertale”?
The magic is the combination, not any single feature. The games below capture at least three or four of these pillars while adding their own voice.
The Undertale Formula
- Inventive combat — Battles that are puzzles, performances, or moral choices, not just menus
- Choices with weight — Mercy, violence, and consequences the game remembers
- Character-first writing — Funny, strange, and emotionally honest casts
- A meta streak — Stories aware that you, the player, are there
- Solo or small-team heart — The unmistakable vision of a tiny creative team
Not every pick hits all five. Some chase the creative combat, others the emotional gut-punch or the moral weight. The right one depends on which thread of Undertale you loved most.
Our Top Picks
Our Top Picks
These seven games come closest to recreating the Undertale experience. Each captures its spirit while bringing something of its own.
1. Deltarune
Toby Fox’s own follow-up, and the obvious answer
There is no closer match, because it is by the same person. Toby Fox’s Deltarune shares Undertale’s world, returning faces, musical genius, and signature bullet-dodging combat, while telling a bigger, stranger story about Kris, Susie, and Ralsei. It is released in chapters—the first two are completely free—so there is no excuse not to start.
If you want more of exactly what made Undertale special, with the same hand guiding it, this is where you go first.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Switch | Vibe: Same universe, bigger story | Official Site
2. OMORI
A cute RPG that turns into psychological horror
OMOCAT’s RPG looks like a sweet dream-world adventure and slowly reveals itself as a devastating story about grief, guilt, and trauma. It pairs colorful, surreal exploration with turn-based combat built on an emotion system, and—like Undertale—your choices steer it toward very different endings. The tonal whiplash between adorable and harrowing is the whole point.
If Undertale’s darker routes and emotional sucker-punches stuck with you, OMORI hits even harder.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch, mobile | Vibe: Surreal + emotional | Steam Store Page
3. In Stars and Time
A time-loop RPG about facing the end with friends
insertdisc5’s narrative RPG traps Siffrin and their party in a time loop on the edge of their final dungeon, forcing them to relive the same days as dread and exhaustion set in. It shares Undertale’s warmth, its meta-awareness of repetition and resets, and its focus on a tight, lovable cast. The writing is funny, tender, and quietly heartbreaking.
A modern indie standout for anyone who loved how Undertale thought about time, choices, and starting over.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Switch | Vibe: Time loop + character-driven | Steam Store Page
4. LISA: The Painful
Brutal choices and consequences you cannot undo
Dingaling’s bleak post-apocalyptic RPG is Undertale’s moral weight cranked to its darkest. In a wasteland of men, you protect a secret, and the game constantly forces agonizing decisions—sacrifice a party member’s arm, or someone’s life?—that stick permanently. It is grim, funny in a pitch-black way, and unforgettable.
For players who loved how Undertale made choices hurt, LISA goes all the way.
Platform: PC, Switch | Vibe: Dark + consequence-heavy | Steam Store Page
5. OneShot
A meta puzzle-adventure where the game knows you exist
Future Cat’s OneShot casts you—the actual player—as a guide to Niko, a small cat-eared child carrying a lightbulb sun to save a dying world. Like Undertale at its most meta, it breaks the fourth wall in clever, surprising ways, even reaching outside the game window. The bond it builds with Niko, and the weight of its single, unrepeatable ending, is the magic.
If Undertale’s self-awareness was your favorite part, OneShot is essential.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Meta + heartfelt puzzle-RPG | Steam Store Page
6. EarthBound
The series that inspired Undertale in the first place
You cannot fully understand Undertale without EarthBound. Nintendo’s quirky 1990s RPG (the Mother series) traded swords and dragons for a modern world of skateboarding kids, telephones, and surreal enemies—the blueprint for Undertale’s humor, heart, and oddball charm. It still plays beautifully, and it is available through Nintendo Switch Online.
The original source of the genre’s weird, wholesome magic. Required reading.
Platform: Nintendo Switch (via NSO), SNES | Vibe: Quirky + foundational | Read about indie RPGs
7. Cave Story
The original solo-dev indie miracle
Before Undertale proved one person could make a classic, Cave Story did. Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya spent years building this action-adventure alone and released it as freeware in 2004. It is a tight, heartfelt Metroidvania with memorable characters and multiple endings shaped by your choices—the same one-creator vision and emotional payoff that defines Undertale.
A landmark of indie games, and a direct ancestor of everything on this list.
Platform: PC, Switch, and more | Vibe: Solo-dev classic + free origin | Steam Store Page
More Indie RPGs to Try
More Indie RPGs to Try
Worked through the top picks? These deserve a place on your list too, each leaning into a different part of the formula.
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Paper Mario charm with Undertale heart
Moonsprout Games’ turn-based adventure follows three insect heroes across a colorful kingdom, with timed action commands, badge-based builds, and writing brimming with personality. It is the closest thing to a classic Paper Mario in years, and its warmth and humor will feel familiar to Undertale fans.
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Charming + turn-based
CrossCode
A retro-styled action-RPG with serious depth
Radical Fish Games dressed a modern action-RPG in gorgeous SNES-era pixel art. Set in a sci-fi MMO, it pairs snappy real-time combat with brain-bending puzzle dungeons and a surprisingly affecting story. Bigger and more mechanically demanding than Undertale, but cut from the same loving, retro-indie cloth.
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Action-RPG + puzzles
Ikenfell
Tactical combat with Undertale-style timing
Happy Ray Games’ turn-based tactical RPG sends you to a magic school to find a missing sibling. Its combat rewards precise timing—hit a button at the right moment to boost attacks or block, echoing Undertale’s reflex-based fights. A heartfelt, inclusive story rounds it out.
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Tactical + heartfelt
Hylics 2
The strangest, most creative world here
Mason Lindroth’s surreal RPG is built from hand-sculpted claymation and dream-logic visuals unlike anything else in games. Beneath the bizarre exterior is a genuinely fun turn-based adventure. If you loved how fearlessly weird and original Undertale could be, Hylics 2 is a trip.
Platform: PC, Switch | Vibe: Surreal + experimental
Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
The “anti-RPG” that helped inspire Undertale
Love-de-Lic’s 1997 cult classic, finally re-released worldwide, flips the genre: a hero has been rampaging through the land, and your job is to undo the damage and show love rather than fight. Toby Fox has cited it directly. A foundational text for Undertale’s no-kill philosophy.
Platform: PC, Switch | Vibe: Pacifist + cult classic
Cris Tales
A gorgeous RPG that plays with time
Dreams Uncorporated’s stylish JRPG shows past, present, and future on screen at once, letting your choices ripple across time. The hand-drawn, storybook art is stunning, and the time-based combat is genuinely novel. A more traditional RPG than Undertale, but bursting with the same creative ambition.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Stylish + time-bending
Chained Echoes
A love letter to 16-bit RPGs, made by one developer
Matthias Linda spent years crafting this SNES-style JRPG solo, and it shows in every detail—a sprawling story, a clever battle system with no random MP grind, and even mech combat. For fans drawn to Undertale’s one-person-with-a-vision origin and retro soul, it is a must-play.
Platform: PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch | Vibe: Classic JRPG + solo-made
Games by What You Loved Most
Games by What You Loved Most
Different players fall for different parts of Undertale. Find your next game by what hooked you.
If You Loved the Creative Combat
The bullet-dodging and inventive fights were the draw:
- Deltarune — The same combat, evolved
- Ikenfell — Timing-based tactical battles
- CrossCode — Real-time action and puzzle dungeons
- Cris Tales — Time-shifting turn-based fights
If You Loved the Moral Weight
Mercy, killing, and consequences kept you thinking:
- LISA: The Painful — Permanent, brutal choices
- Moon: Remix RPG Adventure — An RPG about not fighting
- OneShot — One ending, no take-backs
- Deltarune — Choice and consequence, continued
If You Loved the Emotional Story
The heart and the gut-punches mattered most:
- OMORI — Grief and trauma beneath the cute
- In Stars and Time — Friendship at the end of everything
- Cave Story — A quiet, earned emotional payoff
- Chained Echoes — A sweeping, character-rich saga
If You Loved the Quirky Humor and Characters
The writing and the weirdness won you over:
- EarthBound — The original quirky modern-day RPG
- Bug Fables — Warm, funny, full of personality
- Hylics 2 — Surreal comedy in claymation
- Deltarune — Toby Fox’s humor at its sharpest
Finding Your Perfect Match
Want the closest thing to Undertale? Play Deltarune. Want to cry? OMORI or In Stars and Time. Want hard moral choices? LISA: The Painful. Want the meta magic? OneShot. Want the roots? EarthBound and Moon. Want a free start? Deltarune, OneShot, or Cave Story.
Best Platforms to Play
Best Platforms to Play
Indie RPGs play well almost everywhere, but a few platform notes can help you choose.
PC
The widest selection and the natural home of indie RPGs. Every game on this list is on PC, usually cheapest during Steam sales, and many—like Cave Story and OneShot—started here. Modest hardware runs them all, and Steam’s modding and community tools add longevity.
Nintendo Switch
Arguably the ideal way to play these. Handheld suits turn-based, story-driven RPGs perfectly, and the Switch library is deep: Undertale, Deltarune, OMORI, Bug Fables, CrossCode, Cris Tales, Chained Echoes, and Moon all run natively. EarthBound is available through Nintendo Switch Online, making the genre’s roots a tap away.
PlayStation and Xbox
Most picks here are on PlayStation and Xbox too, with comfortable controller play for longer sessions. Xbox Game Pass periodically includes indie RPGs, an easy way to sample several without committing. OMORI, CrossCode, and Cris Tales all play great on console.
Mobile
OMORI and a handful of others have solid mobile ports for shorter sessions. Touch controls take adjustment for combat-heavy games, but story-forward RPGs translate well to a phone or tablet.
Free and Budget-Friendly Options
Free and Budget-Friendly Options
“Free games like Undertale” is a common search—and here, you are in luck. Some of the best picks cost nothing at all.
How to Play More for Less
- Deltarune is free to start. Its first two chapters are completely free on PC and Switch—hours of Toby Fox’s best work at no cost.
- Cave Story is freeware. The original version has been free since 2004 and is still easy to find; a paid “+” version adds extras.
- OneShot has a free original. The earlier freeware build is available before the enhanced Steam edition.
- Game Pass and sales. Indie RPGs rotate through Xbox Game Pass, and most paid picks here sit under $20 and discount often.
- Demos before you buy. Several of these offer free Steam demos, including modern releases like In Stars and Time and Chained Echoes.
Between Deltarune, Cave Story, and OneShot alone, you have dozens of hours of acclaimed, Undertale-adjacent RPGs for free—then a deep, cheap backlog beyond that.
Streaming These Games
Streaming These Games
Indie RPGs like Undertale are excellent streaming content. The reactive combat and big story moments create natural reactions, chat loves debating routes and choices, and the memorable characters generate clips that travel.
Streaming Tips for Indie RPGs
- Play blind — Your unscripted first reactions are the content
- Talk through choices — Let chat weigh in on mercy vs. fight
- Pause for boss music — These soundtracks are part of the show
- Warn before spoilers — Protect first-timers in chat
- Embrace the weird — The strangeness is what viewers come back for
The mix of pace and personality makes these ideal for small streamers building a community—viewers stay for the story and the conversation. For a deeper playbook, see our guide to the best indie games to stream and our roundup of streaming tools for beginners to find what helps you grow.
More to Explore
More to Explore
Related Guides
- Best Indie RPGs — The full indie role-playing roundup
- Best Indie Games — Standout indies across every genre
- Choice Based Games — More games where decisions matter
- Free Indie Games — Great indies that cost nothing
- Games Like Life Is Strange — Story-driven, choice-based adventures
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What game is most like Undertale?
Deltarune is the most like Undertale—it is made by the same creator, Toby Fox, and shares the world, characters, music style, and creative bullet-dodging combat. Its first two chapters are free, so it is the obvious place to start.
Beyond Toby Fox’s own work, OMORI matches Undertale’s emotional darkness, and In Stars and Time captures its warmth, meta-awareness, and tight, lovable cast.
Are there any free games like Undertale?
Yes—unusually for the genre. Deltarune’s first two chapters are free, OneShot has a free original version, and Cave Story was released as freeware in 2004 and remains widely available at no cost. Many of the paid picks here are also inexpensive and discount frequently on Steam.
Starting with Deltarune, Cave Story, and OneShot gives you a large, acclaimed, Undertale-adjacent library before spending a cent.
What games like Undertale can you play on the Nintendo Switch?
The Switch has a deep library of Undertale-likes. You can play Undertale and Deltarune themselves, plus OMORI, Bug Fables, CrossCode, Cris Tales, Chained Echoes, and Moon: Remix RPG Adventure. EarthBound—the series that inspired Undertale—is available through Nintendo Switch Online.
Handheld play suits these turn-based, story-driven RPGs especially well.
What inspired Undertale?
Toby Fox has pointed to several influences: the Mother/EarthBound series for its quirky modern-day tone, the bullet-hell shooter Touhou Project for its combat, and the cult “anti-RPG” Moon: Remix RPG Adventure for its no-kill philosophy. Undertale fused those ideas into something new.
Playing EarthBound and Moon is the best way to understand where Undertale’s ideas came from.
Are there RPGs like Undertale with moral choices?
Yes. LISA: The Painful forces brutal, permanent decisions you cannot undo; Moon: Remix RPG Adventure is built entirely around not killing and showing love instead; and Deltarune continues Undertale’s fascination with choice, consequence, and what your decisions say about you.
Each rewards players who stop to consider the cost of their actions, just like Undertale did.
How long does it take to beat Undertale?
A single Undertale playthrough runs roughly 6–7 hours, though seeing its different routes—pacifist, neutral, and the grim genocide path—can easily double or triple that. Many games on this list are similar: short enough to finish in a weekend, deep enough to replay for their alternate endings. That replay value is a big part of what makes the genre such good value.
